PACAF commander gives 'heartfelt thank you' to Airmen

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Benjamin Rojek
  • 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Gen. Paul V. Hester, Pacific Air Forces commander, made a Thanksgiving Day visit here to personally serve holiday fare to Team Osan and the Wolf Pack at Kunsan Air Base. 

Along with Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Bishop, command chief of PACAF, General Hester has visited the Korean Peninsula every Thanksgiving since he took command of Pacific Air Forces in July of 2004. 

General Hester said the purpose of his visit was to meet with Airmen stationed on the peninsula and give them a little taste of home. 

"We come out and see those Airmen who are serving far away from their families," said the general. "And we get a chance to serve a little bit of a home cooked meal right here in the dining facility." 

The Airmen of Team Osan, and across the Pacific, set a prime example of a principle General Hester strongly believes in, that of Pride and Ownership, said Chief Bishop. 

"I don't think you have to look any further than where we're sitting here today," said the command chief. "The quality of the meals and service environment they provide for our Airmen, it's because they take pride in what they do each and every day." 

That ownership is part of the professionalism General Hester said he sees Airmen exemplify across the command. And those qualities continue to get better. 

"What I've seen over my career is that professionalism grows every day," said General Hester. "The professionalism of Airmen in five years will be much greater than what we're seeing here today. It's hard to imagine, but they always surprise us and they always do it." 

The great things Airmen are doing in Korea and across the Pacific can't be done without the support of their families back home, said Chief Bishop. 

"I want to thank the family members who are living across the continental U.S. and throughout PACAF and Europe who are taking care of the children, the homes and everything, to make sure that these Airmen are out here and able to do their job," said the command chief. "Our family members give tremendous service and sacrifice to our nation, and we owe them a debt of gratitude." 

That gratitude is also owed to Airmen on the Korean peninsula and throughout PACAF who sacrifice time spent with their families, even on holidays such as Thanksgiving, said General Hester. 

"Every place we go, it's an opportunity for the chief and for me to say 'Thank you,' I mean a heartfelt 'Thank you,'" he said. "Thank you to our young Airmen for what you are doing - standing watch every day, volunteering to stand in harm's way for all Americans."