COMPACAF: Misawa 'makes it happen every day'

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Rachel Martinez
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  The Pacific Air Forces commander visited Misawa Air Base Dec. 15 -17, marking his first visit since taking command in August.

Gen. Gary North toured many base facilities, met with Japan Air Self-Defense Force and Misawa City officials, and even flew with the Wild Weasels. Most of his time, however, was spent talking with Airmen and sharing his message of thanks and support.

"What I'd like to do first of all, is to say thank you for what you do," General North told a group of 400 Airmen during an all call. "You make it happen every day -- I've always respected and appreciated that. We as Airmen do incredible work every day in incredible conditions around the world."

Part of the reason for his visit was to see first-hand the issues he is briefed about at the headquarters level. General North said he plans to take those issues back with him to work at not only the PACAF level but also at the Air Force and Office of Secretary of Defense level.

"Our job and our task at the headquarters level is to give you the tools you need to do your job," the general said. "We work for you."

Rather than emphasizing his own goals as PACAF commander, General North wanted to make sure Airmen understood their role.

"We have nine bases. Each base has a slightly different mission, but they all integrate and weave into the requirements our unified commander levies for us," he said. "As I travel throughout the [area of responsibility], my message to our Airmen is very simple - know your mission, know the mission requirements and then execute that mission in an absolute exemplary fashion. And our Airmen across the Pacific Air Forces do that."

As a prior 35th Operations Group commander, General North is no stranger to the 35th Fighter Wing and its mission. Later, as the 9th Air Force and U.S. Air Forces Central commander, he had a first-hand look at not only the 35th FW's expeditionary mission but also the changing roles of Airmen in the deployed environment.

"The mission hasn't changed at all," he said. "From a consistent mission over the last 14 years to a mission that is expeditionary in fashion, the 35th Wing has done incredible work."

Just like Misawa, that incredible work is evident in Airmen across the Air Force, he said.

"It is amazing the capability our Airmen have in any mission tasking," General North said. "Our Airmen are intelligent, self-motivated, technically and tactically proficient. When they take a job, they do it extremely well. In fact, every commander I ever talked to -- from Navy, Marines or Army -- who had Airmen working for them wanted more Airmen because of how good our Airmen are.

"We are joint by design," he continued. "Now in the 21st century, we are operating more jointly than we ever have been before, brought into this by a long-standing war. Our Air Force has been in combat in the Middle East since 1991 and it's been non-stop."

During his "All-call," General North emphasized that deployments are not going away. The Air Force will continue to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan for years to come, he said. With F-16s recently added to Afghanistan, it is conceivable Misawa units could be tasked to deploy there in the near future.

While deployment tempos are continuing to increase, General North stated he understands the strain it puts on families who sacrifice a great deal.

"It's mission first always, because that's what we do, we protect American's freedoms," he said. "But alongside with that, our families serve with hardships that sometimes we in uniform take for granted. That's why we work so hard to make it good for the families at all of our bases and to help them understand exactly what is we do in our missions."

In addition to talking about deployments, General North assured Airmen the F-16 mission at Misawa Air Base would not be going away anytime soon. The critical relationship Misawa Air Base shares with the local community and its Japan Air Self-Defense Force partners weighs heavily in any decision involving the base and has helped to secure a continued mission in the region, the general said.

"It's a fabulous relationship," he said. "From the mayor to the city council to the individual families, they welcome us into their community. That relationship with the community is rock solid."

Although General North was stationed at Misawa Air Base more than 13 years ago, he said improvements to the base infrastructure haven't changed what is important.

"I was here with my family for 26 months," he said. "I think the highlight is the strength of the Japanese families we met, the military relationships with the many men and women that served here in the uniform of our United States Air Force and in the JASDF. It is something we all understand as military men and women -- you build relationships, and you may go away for five, 10, 15 years, but when you come back it's like you are coming back home. And that's the feeling here at Misawa Air Base: you are coming back home."

Before he departed for the next stop on his tour of bases in the Pacific, General North thanked Airmen once again, and wished everyone happy holidays.

"I would just thank our Airmen and their families for a great 2009. Our Airmen are very busy. We are very proud of what the men and women at the 35th Wing have done. As you go into 2010, thanks for your service, thanks for your sacrifice and dedication, and best for the holidays."