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Assistant Secretary of Air Force gets first-hand look at Colorado wing

  • Published
  • By Ann Skarban
  • 302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  The Air Force Reserve Command's 302nd Airlift Wing hosted the Honorable Daniel B. Ginsberg, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs for a familiarization visit here, Feb. 8.

Assistant Secretary Ginsberg said he travels extensively in his position and gets out to the units to see the issues facing people first-hand. This was the first visit to the 302nd Airlift Wing for Ginsberg since the Secretary's appointment to his position in 2009.

The two-hour visit began with a tour of one of the unit's Modular Airborne Firefighting System capable C-130s guided by Col. James Van Housen, 302nd Maintenance Group Commander and C-130 crew chiefs Master Sgt. Manuel Ortega and Tech. Sgt. Stephen Pearson.

MAFFS program manager Lt. Col. Dave Condit briefed Ginsberg on the Wing's special aerial firefighting mission and gave him an up-close look at the U.S. Forest Service MAFFS unit which was parked next to the C-130 in the hangar.

After the tour, Ginsberg shared lunch with Wing leaders, followed by a roundtable discussion in the aircraft maintenance hangar with 302nd AW Commander, Col. Jay Pittman and leadership from the 302nd's Operations Group, Maintenance Group, Mission Support Group and the Wing's Aeromedical Staging Squadron.

During the roundtable meeting Ginsberg said the Air Force is phenomenal at bringing the capabilities needed for our nation's defense. He added that MAFFS is a unique capability, keeping our country strong and safe.

He also talked about the financial challenges the Air Force will face with the Budget Control Act of 2011. Ginsberg said sensible and realistic strategies will be needed.

"The Air Force footprint will be smaller, but ready," he added.

Ginsberg said he values his unit visits because it allows him to see how the Air Force is taking care of Airmen and helps him learn first-hand, the challenges facing members at the unit level.

Topics of discussion during the roundtable included Air Reserve Technician manning, Air Force Reserve deployment dwell ratios, deployment issues unique to Reservists, critically manned career fields, recruiting and retention issues and Total Force Initiative successes at the 302nd Airlift Wing.

Summarizing the visit Col. Pittman said, "It was an honor to host Secretary Ginsberg and share with him the outstanding work and efforts of our Wing members. We greatly appreciated this opportunity and benefitted from hearing the Secretary's perspective on the future of the Air Force and Air Force Reserve."