Col Guemmer bids Fairchild adieu

  • Published
  • By Col. Paul Guemmer
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing commander
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE Wash., --  It's always bittersweet to be given a new assignment.

On one hand, you're presented with a new challenge at (hopefully) somewhere you haven't been before.

On the other hand, you have to say good-bye to the friends you've made over the last two years.

But while you geographically leave the friends behind, you get to take the friendships with you. And with our new assignment to U.S. Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., that's how Cyndi and I will leave Fairchild.

It's been an amazing and busy two years.

Our time at Fairchild began with Skyfest, an amazing air show that showed off to the Inland Northwest some of the best the Air Force has to offer. After that was the beginning of several inspections by headquarters officials to ensure we're executing our missions by the book safely and effectively.

In 2011, we relocated our flying operations while our runway was rebuilt from the ground up. While this presented numerous challenges for Team Fairchild, it gave us the chance to rekindle community relationships with our friends in Moses Lake.

Throughout all these endeavors, we still supported deployed operations over Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as contingency support for coalition partners flying over Libya and helping earthquake relief efforts in Japan.

Whatever our leaders have asked us to do, Team Fairchild has delivered. And I couldn't be prouder to have been a part of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing.

We've enjoyed what this assignment has had to offer, both personally and professionally. I'll always look back at my time at Fairchild fondly. This has always been one of my dream assignments, so I'm fortunate to have had that dream fulfilled.

I can't express my thanks enough to the Airmen and civilians of Fairchild, as well as the community that supports them. I'd always heard how amazing the community support is for this base; I'm glad to see the stories are true.


My parting advice to everyone at Fairchild is to stay focused on the mission. But equally important, take care of each other and yourselves. The mission is essential; but it doesn't happen without the people.

We'll miss the friends and we'll miss the mission.