Command Corner: June 20

  • Published
  • By Col. Eric Wydra
  • 436th Airlift Wing
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  TGIF--a couple of reasons come to mind! First of all, I want to take this opportunity to express how elated I was to see the men, women and children of Team Dover enjoying the activities, music and food during last week's Wing Picnic. We had a tremendous turnout and let me be the first to say ... it was a well-deserved break! 

Events like this just don't happen, so please let me extend my gratitude to a few of the key players that made it such an incredible success. Our Services Squadron did an awesome job handling the logistics of setting up booths and the aforementioned activities. Meanwhile, our Top 3 Association showed off their culinary skills preparing a delicious meal, while our very own Retiree Activities Office and volunteers led by Lt. Col. (ret.) Ken Smith took charge of serving. Of course, special thanks go to the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce for donating and serving ice cream sundaes ... what a great way to cap off a day! Finally, special thanks to all of the volunteers who made the picnic possible, from Mindy Rolkowski and the Wing Picnic committee, to the Airmen who set up and broke down the picnic area, to the security forces personnel who directed traffic for parking - thanks again! 

Meanwhile this Friday, Team Dover will be making its final surge as we wind down from the Elephant Walk exercise. We kicked off this week with a bang and it's been a fast-paced, well-organized, and educational experience to say the least. We are only five weeks away from the start of the operational readiness inspection, and this exercise was just what we needed to get the team into an "Outstanding" rating frame of mind! 

With all the training we have gone through in preparation for the ORI, one of our emphasis areas has been safety. In today's hectic and wartime environment, it may be easy to become complacent about safety. Let me assure you, safety is not only essential for the success of the ORI, it is absolutely critical to the success of our global mobility mission ... at home and deployed. 

Thankfully, keeping safety at the forefront of our operations is not a daunting task. Simple steps such as removing jewelry before entering the flight line, wearing the appropriate personnel protective equipment and reflective belts at designated areas and activities are small tasks that we can easily manage. Accomplishing these tasks will not only lead to success in the ORI, but more importantly, will prevent a mishap or injury to a Team Dover member. These simple safety precautions should be in place year-round, not just during the ORI or the 101 Critical Days of Summer. Embracing a sound safety culture will ensure that we continue to save lives and deliver freedom on a daily basis. 

Having fun, while remaining vigilant about safety ... just two more reasons Team Dover is "America's Preeminent Expeditionary Airlift Team!"