SecAF visits Osan Airmen

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Stefanie Torres
  • 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley visited with Airmen during a trip to Osan Air Base April 26-27.

Donley toured multiple units around base, including the Korean Air Operations Center, Korean Combat Operations Intelligence Center, A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft shelters, and the base operations center. He also had breakfast with Airmen at the Pacific House Dining Facility here before holding an all-call with base personnel.

The secretary held the on-call to thank Airmen for their service and to discuss the future of the Air Force.

"Thanks for the warm welcome over the past couple of days," he said. "This has been a great opportunity to get back and anchor with a great mission here at Osan. You know the strategic importance of this base and the deterrence role that you all play each individually and collectively to maintain the armistice here in Korea and to promote regional stability."

Donley thanked the Airmen for their hard work and dedication toward a mission crucial to the commitment of the defense of the Korean peninsula and surrounding neighbors.

"Last year, in the middle of an operational readiness exercise, some of you mobilized to help with the disaster response following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan," Donley said. "The 51st (Logistics Readiness Squadron) moved thousands of pounds of cargo to the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group that was rerouted. Not to mention the increased activity that was associated with the recent crisis generated with the North Korea failed missile launch. Thanks for all you do and continue to do to achieve mission success here at Osan whatever the challenge has been brought your way."

The secretary also mentioned new Defense Department strategic guidance released in January that has put an emphasis on the Asia-Pacific theater. According to Donley, the focus on the region underscores U.S. commitment to allies and partners in that part of the world.

"We have a long standing presence in the Asia-Pacific region," he said. "Pacific Air Forces itself has about 43,000 Airmen across nine strategic locations. Maintaining close relationships with allies will be vital in the months and years. We will continue to support our joint teammates in the region as we always have. Our commitment to the defense of the Korean peninsula is unwavering."

On a larger scale, Donley spoke on the future budget of the Air Force that will affect Airmen in the near future.

"We live in an extremely complex security environment as you all have experienced in your careers in the Air Force, for however long that is," he said. "We are also living in a time with great financial uncertainty and volatility. Getting the federal budget under control is going to take a while. And it will affect every part of the federal government including the Department of Defense and our Air Force."

The Air Force has already eliminated $33 billion in waste but it's not enough, he explained. Moving to a smaller force will be necessary if the constraints are to be met.

"The best course of action for us is to trade size for quality," he said. "Though we will be smaller, we tend to be a superb force at any size by maintaining agility, flexibility, and the readiness necessary to engage in a full range of contingencies and threats, like we do on the Korean peninsula."

The proposed force structure changes over the next few years includes the reduction of more than 250 aircraft over the Future Years Defense Plan and a reduction of approximately 9,900 military personnel across the Total Force.

Donley concluded by thanking Osan Airmen again for their sacrifices.

"You deserve to be proud of your work across the Air Force," he said. "It's an honor to serve with you in the world's finest Air Force."