931 OSS changes command

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Preston Webb
  • 931st Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AFB, Kansas --  Citizen Airmen with the 931st Operations Support Squadron welcomed their newest commander, Lt. Col. Kevin L. Rainey, said farewell to their outgoing commander Col. Esteban “Esty” L. Ramirez during a change of command ceremony July 10, 2016, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas.

Under Ramirez’ two-and-a-half-year command, the 931 OSS contributed 13,021.3 flying hours, flew 5,692 sorties, offloaded 17.7 million pounds of fuel to 4,381 receivers, and moved 4422 packs of cargo totaling 1.1 million pounds. When these efforts by 931 OSS Citizen Airmen are paired with those by 22nd ARW Airmen the integrated impact makes up more than half the nationwide KC-135 Stratotanker mission.

“These numbers said a lot about our unit to the leaders at the time, and spoke about the team we built with the 18th Air Refueling Squadron and the 22 ARW,” said Col. Richard Webster, 931st Operations Group Commander.

During the ceremony, Ramirez passed on three C’s of leadership to Rainey — courage, cooperation and compassion. Courage to live with your decisions, cooperation to ensure the mission is accomplished and compassion to allow those who have made mistakes to learn from them.

Rainey came to the unit from the 18 ARS, and challenged the unit to maintain the standard of excellence he believes Ramirez and the 931 OSS Citizen Airmen have set.

“It’s imperative for any unit, business or organization engage in continuous improvement. Those that don’t are restricted by inefficiencies and wasted resources,” Rainey said. “I challenge you to engage in the process of continuous improvement every day. I want each and every one of you to be innovators, looking for more efficient ways to do your job.”

Webster stated he believes command of the 931 OSS is changing hands from an experienced leader’s into a capable officer’s, and foresees a bright future for the unit.

“No other element is more important that command in our Air Force Organization” Webster said. “The Air Force’s success is totally dependent on the quality of our leaders.”