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Happy holidays from the Safraneks

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  • By Col. Joel Safranek, 436th Airlift Wing commander


Team Dover,

As we approach a busy holiday season, I hope your lives will be enriched by sharing traditions and prosperity with your family, friends and those in need. Please know that your efforts throughout the year enabled Team Dover to bring relief, security and unity around the world. In support of AMC initiatives, we embarked on a new era of air refueling by accepting delivery of the KC-46, delivered hope to many locations devastated by natural disasters, transformed AMC into a warfighting headquarters in support of the National Defense Strategy and tested readiness at Mobility Guardian with Joint and international partners to increase our lethality. All the while, we maintained the daily mission that takes place right here in Dover. You are part of an amazing Air Force family, and we will never waver in our labors to keep America free, safe and secure. Thank you to each and every one of you and your role in Rapid Global Mobility.

While this is the time to reflect on the past year’s triumphs, give thanks for our blessings and look forward to the opportunities 2020 brings, let us not forget those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to this great country. Additionally, this is a time to contemplate what is most important in our lives. I hope you will remember our brave Teammates, who are deployed defending freedom and supporting American interests around the world. Many from Team Dover will spend the holidays far from home and separated from family and friends. If you have a moment, send a thought or better yet a note to one of the deployed. I am certain they will appreciate it.

I hope that, wherever you are this holiday season, you make time to relax, recharge and refocus. Your resiliency is critical to our mission. Give freely of yourself to family, friends, community and the less fortunate. Make someone feel valued simply by reaching out. Play safe, and stay safe; don’t forget to designate a driver. I want you to relax and have fun but also return safely to work after the holidays. Be careful on the shiny new bikes and scooters that were technically designed for your kids. We all know how that can turn out.

Finally, from Hana, myself and our family: Thank you for what you do, thank you for delivering excellence, and thank you for the many sacrifices you make to serve in the world’s greatest Air Force. Blessings to you and your families for a wonderful 2020!

Col. Safranek