JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- While Traditional Reservists (TR) are the backbone of any Air Force Reserve unit, the day-to-day administration and management of the unit’s squadrons is often the responsibility of full-time civilians, Air Reserve Technicians (ART) and Active Guard Reserve (AGR) Airmen.
The 624th Regional Support Group is no different. More than 30 ARTs and AGRs support the success of the group, with the senior full-time ARTs and AGRs providing the needed leadership to the squadrons and to serve Airmen at every level.
Recently, these senior full-time ARTs and AGRs met for a three-day professional development retreat to understand how each group staff section can work collaboratively with senior ARTs and AGRs to achieve a collective mission: to provide world-wide, combat-ready Reserve Citizen Airmen to answer our nation’s call.
From May 3 through May 5, 2022, representatives from across the group spoke with the senior ARTs and AGRs about how they can continue to support and advocate for the priorities of each staff section to further the shared priorities.
“Making sure that everyone is on the same page within our leadership team is incredibly important so we are all rowing the boat in the same direction and preparing our Airmen should they be called upon to deploy,” said Chief Master Sgt. Andrea Young, senior enlisted leader. “Our senior ARTs and AGRs are what keeps us moving forward in a coordinated way. Each of them acts as a conduit between command and all of our Airmen. Offering an annual event like this workshop ensures they’re not only well informed about the big picture, but also provides an opportunity to discuss how we can continue to improve how we work together and how we can shape the future of our group, collectively.”
More than 14 sessions were offered, spanning an array of topics, including manning; financial and budget planning and management; deployments; supply requirements; medical requirements; mentoring; training; and security. Throughout the workshop, participants were provided dedicated time for discussion, mentoring and team-building exercises, including a group PT session.
“Our mission is to make sure our Airmen are well-prepared to serve our nation when called upon,” said Senior Master Sgt. Renato Oliva, 624 Aeromedical Staging Squadron (ASTS) superintendent. “Because of the fluid state of the global environment, posturing our Airmen for readiness is of paramount importance. By having conversations to ensure collaboration across our staff, we are positioned to serve each of our members how they deserve to be served so that they are, without a doubt, ready to respond when called upon while also managing our resources responsibly.”
The 624th RSG includes more than 600 Airmen in Hawaii and Guam who provide aeromedical, port, and civil engineering support to active duty units around the globe.