General Lichte visits Fairchild

Published Aug. 28, 2008
By Senior Airman Kali L. Gradishar
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- The commander of Air Mobility Command, also a former 92nd Air Refueling Wing commander, paid a visit to Fairchild Aug. 19 to discuss recent updates on Total Force Integration with the 141st Air Refueling Wing Air National Guard unit here, as well as other issues currently affecting Fairchild.

Total Force Integration, the uniting of Guard and active-duty operations, has been an ongoing effort on the parts of the 92nd and 141st, and efforts will continue into the future to build on the relations between the two wings.

"This relationship is a major milestone and is still making great progress. These units have combined resources to accommodate the active duty and Air National Guard missions while maintaining the same level of high operations tempo, and that is an incredible feat," said Gen. Arthur Lichte. "Their goal is to efficiently combine schedules as they train together and even share aircraft, and they are continually taking significant steps forward in Total Force Integration here at Fairchild."

While TFI is currently a key topic for Fairchild, there are other issues here that continue to stay on the list of priorities, such as persistently building community relations.

A number of representatives from the Inland Northwest community gathered at Fairchild during the AMC commander's visit, also with the intentions of staying up-to-date on current events regarding the base. Distinguished visitors including Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, Representative Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, a delegation from Governor Chris Gregoire's office, and other dignitaries made their way through the gates to discuss the way forward for Fairchild with General Lichte and Fairchild leadership.

"For Fairchild, the support from communities in the region has been amazing, to say the least. The relations between the City and County of Spokane and the base have surely grown in the past few years since I was in command. It's also great to see the support reaching further into the entire Inland Northwest region, and I hope to see those relations continue to thrive in the future," General Lichte said.

Another recent event the general noted was Fairchild's airshow, Inland Northwest Skyfest 2008. This event brought in more than 200,000 people from all over the region. On Aug. 9 and 10, Fairchild was host to the enormous crowd and an abundance of aircraft showcasing the past, present and future of Air Force air operations.

"An airshow is beneficial to the host since it allows others to see what is being done in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Better yet, it instills a greater sense of pride in our Airmen, makes available an opportunity for our people to network with others in the region and gives the community a better understanding of their local military installation," the AMC commander said.

"Guests from all over the world flocked to Fairchild to view some of the United States military's outstanding air power capabilities," he added. "Close to home, the 336th Training Group gave a demonstration of their search-and-rescue skills, which are an integral resource in the Inland Northwest, and the 92nd showcased the KC-135 that provides significant contributions to the Global War on Terrorism in the essence of providing Global Reach for Air Force and sister-service aircraft."

Near the end of the AMC commander's visit, he noted the importance of remaining "vigilant in the pursuit to win the Global War on Terrorism and maintaining peak combat capability."

"As a former wing commander, it's always great to come back to Fairchild to see the positive changes being made here," said General Lichte. "From upgrades to base facilities to the inception of new programs and ideas, Fairchild is headed in the right direction... Each day I am honored to be the commander of such remarkable Airmen."

AMC commander visits Fairchild