SecAF, CSAF visits Osan AB, reaffirms RoK-US alliance

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Franklin R. Ramos
  • 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson visited Team Osan while on a trip to the Republic of Korea from Jan. 27-30, 2018.

Wilson visited to reaffirm commitment to the RoK and U.S. alliance, highlight U.S. Air Force cooperation with allies, and ensure Airmen stationed abroad had the opportunity to hear from their senior leaders.

“No place on the world is it more important than here, now, for our Airmen [and allies] to be ready,” said Wilson. “And here on the Korean Peninsula, you Airmen are laser focused.”

She spoke about some of the challenges the U.S. Air Force is enduring and the importance of readiness and having no regrets when it comes to future operations.

“The most important thing we’re focused on across the entire Air Force is readiness. Making sure we’re ready for any fight at any time and that’s no more important than here in Korea,” said Wilson. “We need to make sure that every Airmen is ready to do the job that we are going to ask them to do on any day.”

An all call was also held in which Wilson, along with U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein, spoke with members from Osan AB.

“The main reason we come out to the Korean Peninsula is to see the Airmen,” said Goldfein.

Wilson and Goldfein also met with Airmen from various units throughout the installation to speak about maintaining readiness in the USAF, which is one of their main priorities.

“Secretary Wilson and I have been focused on restoring the readiness of the force. Like all those that have come before us, we will fly to the sound of the guns,” said Goldfein.  “And where we achieve our greatest lethality, innovate and build our highest level of readiness occurs first and foremost in our squadrons. We are going to continue to push decision authority and resources to that level.”

Goldfein and Wilson continue from the Korean Peninsula to visit other bases in the Indo-Pacific region.