COMACC: ACC must set priorities, be innovative

  • Published
  • By Delanie Stafford
  • 55th Wing Public Affairs
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --  U.S. Air Force Gen. Hawk Carlisle, commander of Air Combat Command, visited here April 20-21 to see the mission firsthand and meet with Airmen at several locations around the base. 

During the visit, Carlisle held a commander's call to hear Team Offutt's issues and provide his perspective on the command's priorities:  provide for today, prepare for the future, and take care of Airmen and their families.

"We have to set priorities and we have to determine what we can't do anymore," Carlisle said. "We have to figure out better ways to do things, and I've seen great examples here in the Fightin' Fifty-Fifth. It's incredibly impressive; you look at the maintenance organizations and how they're taking care of these airplanes. I just toured a [1964] model, [RC-135 Rivet Joint] - a 51-year-old airplane."

In addition to the fiscal constraints and manning issues affecting the Air Force, Carlisle spoke about sexual assault and suicide. He said the efforts of all Airmen are needed to address these issues.

"It's taking care of one another," Carlisle said. "It's having the courage when something looks like it is going bad to step in and stop it. It's having the courage to have conversations and ask people how they're doing - to notice when somebody is having a hard time."

Gen. Carlisle presented his priorities to members of Team Offutt inside an aircraft hangar at the Bennie Davis maintenance facility where attendance was estimated at nearly 1,000 people. Carlisle concluded his remarks by praising Airmen for the important work they do.

"You do a mission that is just incredible to the success of our nation," Carlisle said. "We are a service born out of technology; you have taken that technology to the next level in how we fight."

During his visit, Carlisle toured 55th wing facilities including the 55th Intelligence Support Squadron, the Strategic Automated Command and Control center, the Language Learning Center and the historical Martin Bomber Building where he received mission briefings and met with Airmen. He also joined company grade officers for lunch and visited an RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft.

Carlisle is a command pilot with more than 3,600 flying hours. Prior to assuming his current position, he was the commander of Pacific Air Forces.