PACAF command chief stresses joint warfighting, education during Misawa visit

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jessica Lockoski
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  Pacific Air Forces command chief visited the men and women of the 35th Fighter Wing here Sept. 23 through 25.

During his trip to Misawa, Chief Master Sgt. Brooke McLean expressed his appreciation to Airmen assigned within PACAF, and shared his priorities, discussing professional military education with the enlisted force here.

While supporting priorities in overseas contingency operations and throughout the command, Chief McLean said the approximate 43,000 Total Force Airmen in PACAF are spread thin. However, Airmen are doing an extraordinary job - to include upholding professional ambassadorship, he added.

"I am very pleased with what we are doing with our coalition partners in the Pacific," Chief McLean said during an Armed Forces Network interview here. "We have about 36 partner nations and are engaged with almost all of those at different levels, some (with mature relationships).

"It's good to see we are coming together and continuing the readiness posture we want to forge the kind of relationships that, ultimately, provide us with the success that we need," he added.

Maintaining strong, quality relationships within the Pacific's partnered nations and allies allows the Air Force to help develop countries and capabilities, he said. If issues arise in the region, forces can respond quickly and effectively.

Successful examples of recent collaboration have involved new opportunities for professional military education outside of the Air Force's four primary levels. Two senior NCOs attended a Singapore Advanced Leadership Course and other Airman attended a flight surgeon course in New Zealand.

"We share and represent the U.S. to those nations, and we hope to have more dialogue and classes available," he said.

In addition to increasing PME opportunities for Airmen abroad, the chief said PACAF is focusing on aligning itself with Air Force-level priorities aimed to enhance PME levels in place.

The Force Management Development Council in Washington, D.C. has been working through a series of initiatives for enlisted force development, he said, which may include adjusting the rank at which Airmen can attend PME courses.

According to the chief, PACAF leaders are trying to make sure PME is being allocated correctly and every Airmen has the opportunity to go through the courses.

"For installations with an Airman Leadership School, that's relatively simple," he said, "but for the NCO Academies where TDY dollars are involved, it is a little more complex."

Bases like Kadena, Japan house an NCO Academy and others, such as Misawa, do not, said Chief McLean. The goal is to balance out those competing demands and make sure that individuals are going to get PME at the same time in their career and time in grade, he added.