Secretary Wynne: Airmen in Korea have unique experience

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. John Ross
  • 51 Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne, in his first visit since March 2006, spent the day here Oct. 6 as part of his 2007 tour throughout the Pacific theater. 

He arrived just in time to enjoy Air Power Day, Osan's annual aerial and ground demonstration, featuring performances by several aircraft from the military inventories of both the United States and Republic of Korea. 

"I think the air show was really a great demonstration, not only of coalition partnership, but of jointness," he said. "Our Korean partners realize it's the joint fight, the combination of leveraging the best capabilities of each of the services to bring decisive action on the enemy that's going to make it." 

His creed, Every Airman an ambassador, applies particularly to Airmen here.
"It's unique here in Korea because you have so many opportunities," he said. "Airmen are an advertisement for America. At the air show today, we're leaving an impression on the Korean population. This is the impression of Americans they will walk around with for months, maybe years." 

However, he commented, the distinctive position of Airmen in Korea goes well beyond diplomacy. 

"[Airmen in Korea] have the opportunity to stand on the edge of freedom and peer into the precipice of tyranny," he said. "It's a very unique experience; it really means you've got to be ready to fight tonight, and here is where the Airmen really shine." 

Readiness, he continued, is the key to the U.S. mission on the Korean peninsula. 

"This is an air dominance theater where everyone is relying on the United States Air Force, and the Republic of Korea Air Force, to dominate the skies and create the strategic and tactical conditions for victory," he said. "It makes me proud to see how our Airmen are doing just that."