Wing commander shares vision for Fairchild Published Sept. 24, 2014 By Airman 1st Class Janelle Patiño 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Every new leader inevitably has his or her own expectations for their base and its Airmen, and 92nd Air Refueling Wing commander, Col. Charles "Brian" McDaniel, shared his vision for Fairchild AFB during a recent interview. The commander's main emphasis was the importance of Team Fairchild remaining focused on the mission while adapting to an ever-changing Air Force. "I expect our Airmen to do the best they can and believe we can get through the changes that are happening in our Air Force," he said. "It's important for us to be flexible and open-minded in understanding the issues. We, most importantly, need to be mission-focused because our nation needs us now more than ever." In accordance with Gen. McDew's direction for AMC leaders to lead boldly, McDaniel seconds the motion when it comes to Fairchild leaders. He expects bold leadership and mentorship not just from those appointed to such positions, but everybody else as well. "We're all one team and we will get through obstacles together as a team; don't be afraid to make mistakes," McDaniel said. "Try to go out there and think of new ways to do things. We need to continue to look at our process and the way we do things because our operations environment and tempo changes constantly." Total Force Enterprise is an important part of the way Fairchild executes its mission. It is to the wing's advantage to partner with the 141st Air Refueling Wing because they can help our Airmen in several ways, he said. "To me, the main benefit of Total Force Enterprise is the experience," McDaniel added. "Knowing that they have been working on the same jet for years, there's a lot that they can assist in teaching our young Airmen." McDaniel said he saw the pride in teamwork shortly after his arrival with Airmen all across the base cleaning after a recent hail storm. "I saw how Airmen take pride in what they do," he said. "It makes me proud of the base, especially seeing how each of the Airmen take their job seriously." In addition to the work done on duty, McDaniel said it's beneficial for every military base to have the support of their community. "Just knowing the Spokane community supports us goes a long way, especially in the lives of our Airmen and their families," McDaniel said. "Also, knowing that the community cares makes our Airmen more appreciative and excited to give back more easily." When all's said and done, we must focus on the mission, its people, safety, innovation and the community. All those are vital pieces to be a successful base, he said. "It's important for us to bare down keep pressing forward and figure out new ways to be better so we can keep the mission going," McDaniel explained. The commander thanked Team Fairchild for the continued support to the mission and the base. "I'm going to try to give Fairchild Airmen everything they need to succeed in the future," McDaniel said. "We still have a mission to get done, so I need all hands on deck to make sure we meet the standards that are set forth." McDaniel came to Fairchild after having served as the wing vice commander at Kadena, Air Base, Japan, and arrived in Spokane July 23. McDaniel is a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville where he met his wife. Several years later, he joined the Air Force, following his father's footsteps, who was an enlisted maintainer.