MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- Lt. Gen. Maryanne Miller, Commander of Air Force Reserve Command, and Chief Master Sgt. Ericka E. Kelly, AFRC command chief, paid a visit to the 931st Air Refueling Wing, McConnell Air Force Base, Kans., Feb. 3, 2018.
Since being appointed as commander in July 2016, Miller has made it a point to understand each reserve wing’s role in the respective Air Force core missions they support. She and Kelly visited the 931 ARW to see first-hand how its Reserve Citizen Airmen contribute to its in-air refueling mission.
This included reviewing standard training procedures, interacting with Citizen Airmen one-on-one, and sharing advice with the next generation of the Air Force Reserve preparing to leave for basic training.
Being the first Air Force Reserve wing to receive the new KC-46 Pegasus, the unit has streamlined several annual training processes. Getting Reservists out of the classroom and back to their primary duties brings the wing’s efficiency to new heights.
Lt. Col. Stacy Moore, Air Force Reserve’s 931st Operations Support Squadron commander, estimates more than four months’ worth of man-hours have been saved at the 931 ARW.
“We want Citizen Airmen to find value in their training. We want them to feel like we aren’t wasting their time sitting around,” Moore said. “We keep things moving, so Airmen get the most hands-on exposure to equipment as possible. It’s all about repetitions with the equipment, because that’s the skillset you’ll fall back on when the time comes.”
In addition to witnessing overall improvements the 931 ARW has made, Miller and Kelly took the time to recognize and coin some Reservists who made extraordinary contributions to the mission, thanking each Airman they encountered for their ongoing efforts and selfless service.
Miller shared advice with the wing at its annual awards banquet, and even met with members of the Drill and Training Flight who have yet to leave for boot camp to answer some of their questions about life in the Air Force Reserve.
After sharing her own Air Force story and answering a few questions, Miller left trainees with advice she feels can be applied toward any Citizen Airman regardless of rank, status or current challenges.
“Doing great things doesn’t necessarily mean doing something big,” said Miller. “It just means committing to every task, no matter how small, with excellence.”
As long as the 931 ARW heeds the general’s advice by continuing its tradition of excellence, great things lie ahead.