COMPACAF makes final visit to Osan

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Terri Barriere
  • 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  The Pacific Air Forces Commander, Gen. Howie Chandler, made a visit to Osan June 27-28. As he prepares to leave PACAF for his next assignment, he took a moment to reflect on the base's past and outlined his vision for the future.

General Chandler said since his first visit to Osan was in the 1980's and since then, the base has seen major changes.

"I've had the opportunity to come to Osan since the early 80s and the base has made tremendous changes and I don't just mean in the facilities," he said. "The capabilities that we have at Osan today are second to none and the relationships we have with our Korean counterparts are very very important, and ones we work very hard to maintain."

However, as much as the base has changed since the general's first visit, the one he noted that has not changed is the Airmen's dedication to duty.

"As much as the base has changed the ability of our Airman to do their job and work hard and have the tenacity to do it has not changed," the general continued. "And that's what allows us to do our job and take care of our priorities on the Korean peninsula."

Among those priorities are supporting the combatant commanders, providing security and stability to the region and taking care of Airmen and their families the general said.

He also placed tour normalization high among the list of priorities.

However, it wasn't the list of upcoming projects or future priorities that had the general full of pride, it was having the chance to serve with the men and women in the command. 

"I'm most proud of having the opportunity to represent all 45,000 Airman here in the Pacific. This is the thing I consider to be the highest honor, and the thing I'm the most proud of," he said. They are a great group of people, they work very hard at what they do and they produce results for our combatant commanders."

Now, as the general readies himself to transition from his position as the PACAF commander to a new position as vice chief of staff, he will shift his focus to the bigger picture.

"The chief has been very specific about his priorities, and many of those priorities are the same priorities we have here in PACAF with the exception of reinvigorating our nuclear capability as well as reinvigorating the acquisition process in the Air Force," he said. "Other than that, they are pretty much the same, but I see that as taking up a lot of time in terms of supporting his priorities and helping him transmit those priorities to the Air Force. "

Another one of the chief's priorities is national defense.

"At the same time, we got quadrennial defense review that's ongoing right now that will determine how we look at our national defense strategy for the next four years and the Air Force will have a part of that and having an Air Force voice in the QDR will be very important as well, and so I see it as a full time job and I think there will be plenty of work to do," General Chandler said.

During the general's farewell visit here, he received one final base tour as the PACAF commander to include, the dormitory living area, the 36th Fighter Squadron and the 25th Fighter Squadron.

General Chandler's final message to the men and women of Osan was one of thanks.
"I'd like to thank you all for all the hard work and what you do everyday to be ready to fight tonight," he said.

"I'd also like to thank the families as well for all their support, whether the families are here or back in the states. I think it's important that they all remember we are a part of the greatest Air Force in the world and we should never forget that. At the same time the nation's going to expect a lot from us and we need to be ready to deliver every day. Again I'm very proud of what you all have accomplished in my time here in the Pacific and any small or major success we've had here in the past two years I owe directly to you and I want to thank you for it."