WEBVTT 00:03.660 --> 00:06.120 Yeah 00:11.640 --> 00:13.862 you know everyone curl Kristin Thompson 00:13.862 --> 00:16.084 here and it's time for our interview of 00:16.084 --> 00:18.196 the week . As you see I have all five 00:18.196 --> 00:20.307 of my ol squadron commanders here for 00:20.307 --> 00:22.529 the interview . We just finished up the 00:22.529 --> 00:22.520 commanders conference and I thought 00:22.530 --> 00:24.530 what better thing to do on a friday 00:24.530 --> 00:26.752 than to interview all five of them . So 00:26.752 --> 00:28.419 I'm gonna have them introduce 00:28.419 --> 00:30.474 themselves and then we're gonna step 00:30.474 --> 00:29.930 through an interview so you guys can 00:29.930 --> 00:32.041 meet each and every one of them . All 00:32.041 --> 00:34.263 right , here we go . Hammer over to you 00:34.263 --> 00:36.263 sir . Thanks ma'am , I'm Lieutenant 00:36.263 --> 00:38.430 Colonel Jonathan Baha'I go by Hammer , 00:38.430 --> 00:40.097 I'm the commander of the 95th 00:40.097 --> 00:42.263 Reconnaissance Squadron out at R . A . 00:42.263 --> 00:42.060 F . Milton Hall and we execute missions 00:42.060 --> 00:44.380 in europe . Uh Lieutenant Colonel 00:44.380 --> 00:46.547 Samsung's here . Commander of the 4 88 00:46.547 --> 00:48.880 Intelligence Squadron also at R . A . F . 00:48.880 --> 00:51.590 Milton Hall . And I support the CMC 00:51.590 --> 00:53.850 compartment of the uh missions out of 00:53.850 --> 00:56.620 the Yukon . Hi , I'm Lieutenant Colonel 00:56.620 --> 00:58.840 Ryan Fitzgerald . I go by diggs , I'm 00:58.840 --> 01:00.840 the commander of the 82nd Rs out of 01:00.840 --> 01:02.840 Kadena Air Base Japan . And we take 01:02.840 --> 01:05.007 care of our C 1 35 mission out in indo 01:05.007 --> 01:07.062 pecan . Hi Lieutenant Colonel Travis 01:07.062 --> 01:09.530 McGary goes by Congress the 3/90 I ? S 01:09.540 --> 01:11.680 Commander . So all things intel and 01:11.680 --> 01:14.620 qualcomm . Hi , I'm Lieutenant Colonel 01:14.620 --> 01:16.890 James Hansen . I'm the commander of the 01:16.890 --> 01:19.590 95th Rs debt one at Suda Bay and I'm 01:19.590 --> 01:22.020 dual hatted as the 21st expeditionary 01:22.020 --> 01:24.210 reconnaissance squadron commander on 01:24.210 --> 01:27.020 the safety side and I'm happy to give 01:27.020 --> 01:29.460 up those greek beaches to come visit 01:29.460 --> 01:32.250 here and uh of it . Alright , first 01:32.250 --> 01:34.760 question Hammer over to you , Can you 01:34.760 --> 01:36.927 share with us a little vignette on one 01:36.927 --> 01:38.871 of your recent successes , Perhaps 01:38.871 --> 01:40.982 exercise High Life . Sure can ma'am . 01:40.982 --> 01:43.350 Thanks for asking . So as you know , my 01:43.350 --> 01:45.461 squadron's mission out R . F . Milton 01:45.461 --> 01:47.590 Hall is to project RC 1 35 air power 01:47.590 --> 01:49.701 across europe and that's exactly what 01:49.701 --> 01:51.757 we did at exercise high life . So hi 01:51.757 --> 01:53.923 life was a United States Air Forces in 01:53.923 --> 01:56.030 europe , agile combat employment or 01:56.110 --> 01:59.420 exercise that wasn't just the 95th and 01:59.420 --> 02:01.587 are 48 partners , but also our mission 02:01.587 --> 02:03.753 partners from the 100 aerial refueling 02:03.753 --> 02:05.531 wing and the three 52nd Special 02:05.531 --> 02:07.642 operations wing . And what we did was 02:07.642 --> 02:09.642 we went even further forward to Ras 02:09.642 --> 02:12.050 Fairford in England and we practiced 02:12.060 --> 02:14.200 executing real world use safety 02:14.200 --> 02:16.490 missions uh in a agile combat 02:16.490 --> 02:18.570 employment or ace construct . And so 02:18.570 --> 02:21.000 the mission was to get to the goal of 02:21.010 --> 02:23.780 initial operating capability for ace in 02:23.780 --> 02:25.836 europe by the end of that year . And 02:25.836 --> 02:27.724 and we achieved it . Um the whole 02:27.724 --> 02:30.310 exercise included nine aircraft , 270 02:30.310 --> 02:32.870 airmen of all of them . There was one 02:32.870 --> 02:36.750 RC 1 35 and 40 55th Wing airmen . Um 02:37.240 --> 02:39.296 and uh and and they did a phenomenal 02:39.296 --> 02:41.407 job . And so we were like I said , we 02:41.407 --> 02:43.629 were executing real world missions . We 02:43.629 --> 02:45.629 were tasked for three , we executed 02:45.629 --> 02:47.851 three so we're three for three big help 02:47.851 --> 02:50.018 from our higher headquarters accepting 02:50.018 --> 02:52.184 the mission risk for executing forward 02:52.184 --> 02:54.240 but we managed that by not going too 02:54.240 --> 02:56.296 far away um and got all three done , 02:56.296 --> 02:58.462 which was really great for me the best 02:58.462 --> 03:00.629 part was watching the airmen execute . 03:00.629 --> 03:02.920 Yeah , always so so really proud of all 03:02.920 --> 03:06.570 of them . Um I could brag about Hammer 03:06.570 --> 03:08.720 all day , I love him , I love his 03:08.720 --> 03:10.776 squadron . Um I just got back from a 03:10.776 --> 03:13.240 visit visiting Hammer and and sam and 03:13.250 --> 03:15.640 James and it was an honor and pleasure 03:15.640 --> 03:17.862 to meet all of your airmen and see them 03:17.862 --> 03:20.084 in action . No doubt they make me proud 03:20.084 --> 03:22.029 every single day , integration and 03:22.029 --> 03:24.029 dispense ability . You guys are all 03:24.029 --> 03:26.810 over it . Ok , Sam How does it feel my 03:26.810 --> 03:29.500 gosh , commanding the squadron that you 03:29.500 --> 03:30.500 grew up in ? 03:34.440 --> 03:37.330 No , so yeah , I started out actually 03:37.330 --> 03:39.386 started out as a ground guy for me . 03:39.386 --> 03:41.552 But my first assignment was at the 488 03:41.552 --> 03:44.260 showed up there and Very early in 1997 03:44.260 --> 03:46.620 as a senior airman . Um you know , 03:46.620 --> 03:49.100 flying back in as a terror attack , opt 03:49.810 --> 03:52.032 out of peace out and doing all sorts of 03:52.032 --> 03:54.032 stuff during Kosovo as well . So to 03:54.032 --> 03:57.450 come back 20 You know , 21 years later 03:57.840 --> 03:59.840 to be the squadron commander , it's 03:59.840 --> 04:01.784 kind of surreal sitting in the big 04:01.784 --> 04:04.007 office with the big chair and desk . Um 04:04.007 --> 04:06.229 you know and looking at the airmen that 04:06.229 --> 04:08.284 are there and it's like you know , I 04:08.284 --> 04:10.340 was once they're but they're so much 04:10.340 --> 04:12.396 smarter than I was 20 years previous 04:12.470 --> 04:15.100 and I still kind of just like and all 04:15.100 --> 04:17.433 of the fact that I get to be , you know , 04:17.433 --> 04:19.156 the guy in charge of all these 04:19.156 --> 04:21.430 fantastic airman Um you know , going to 04:21.430 --> 04:23.374 the LS graduations to the same TLS 04:23.374 --> 04:25.720 schoolhouse that I went to 20 years ago . 04:25.820 --> 04:28.450 It's just a it's absolutely fantastic . 04:28.460 --> 04:31.840 Um and uh you know , I just I think 04:31.850 --> 04:33.572 being a prior to listing guy , 04:33.572 --> 04:35.794 particularly in that same squadron have 04:35.794 --> 04:37.794 a very good affinity with everybody 04:37.794 --> 04:37.740 that works in that squadron cause I've 04:37.750 --> 04:39.972 been there , I've done that in the same 04:39.972 --> 04:42.250 location in the same op areas . Um and 04:42.250 --> 04:44.139 I experienced the same thing that 04:44.139 --> 04:46.290 they're experiencing now . So it's a 04:47.640 --> 04:49.807 highlight of my career . It would have 04:49.807 --> 04:51.918 been a great place to end my career , 04:51.918 --> 04:54.084 but now I get to come here in a couple 04:54.084 --> 04:55.973 of months . Yeah , that's right , 04:55.973 --> 04:57.973 that's right . Um you know , I tell 04:57.973 --> 05:00.196 people all the time that airmen take on 05:00.196 --> 05:02.790 the personality of their leader , no 05:02.790 --> 05:05.260 better leader of the 488 , you're doing 05:05.270 --> 05:07.437 wonderful things and it's it's because 05:07.437 --> 05:09.603 of your leadership and because of your 05:09.603 --> 05:11.659 background and experience , so we're 05:11.659 --> 05:11.360 forever grateful . Thank you . Thanks . 05:12.040 --> 05:15.310 Okay , that's how do you balance the 05:15.310 --> 05:17.366 family aspect of our wing priorities 05:17.366 --> 05:20.820 while living on Okinawa , it's a really 05:20.820 --> 05:23.780 good question . Um You know how busy 05:23.780 --> 05:26.170 our unit is . Um And so we've really 05:26.170 --> 05:28.640 had to put some focus on the family 05:28.640 --> 05:31.110 priority Um over the last year , we've 05:31.110 --> 05:33.340 seen a 200% increase to our mission 05:33.340 --> 05:35.850 tasking and that's come with some 05:35.850 --> 05:38.100 significant challenges when it comes to 05:38.100 --> 05:40.380 our duty schedule . In particular 05:40.380 --> 05:43.680 maintainers . Um you know , the mission 05:43.680 --> 05:45.680 tasking was driving us to a posture 05:45.680 --> 05:49.650 where they were 24-7365 and it 05:49.650 --> 05:51.594 was really the family lens that we 05:51.594 --> 05:53.706 really looked through when we said we 05:53.706 --> 05:56.039 had to find a better way to do business . 05:56.340 --> 05:59.340 Um and we we look to change , you know , 05:59.340 --> 06:00.896 that our capacities and our 06:00.896 --> 06:02.896 capabilities to kind of find a more 06:02.896 --> 06:04.562 enduring way to schedule both 06:04.562 --> 06:06.970 maintenance and flying practices . Um 06:06.970 --> 06:09.250 and now we have completely restructured 06:09.380 --> 06:11.547 and we have a schedule that is focused 06:11.547 --> 06:15.070 on protecting time off . Um We know our 06:15.070 --> 06:17.126 guys know that they're gonna have to 06:17.126 --> 06:19.126 come to work and they're gonna work 06:19.126 --> 06:21.181 long hours , but they also know more 06:21.181 --> 06:23.070 importantly that when they're off 06:23.070 --> 06:22.850 they're off , they're not gonna get 06:22.850 --> 06:25.420 that phone call on the weekend , ask 06:25.420 --> 06:27.531 them to come in because we have a new 06:27.531 --> 06:29.590 high priority mission um and knowing 06:29.590 --> 06:31.701 that they have that time off and it's 06:31.701 --> 06:33.812 fenced off for them , they can really 06:33.812 --> 06:35.923 focus on what's important to them and 06:35.923 --> 06:37.923 to their families um in conjunction 06:37.923 --> 06:39.923 with that , you know , we're always 06:39.923 --> 06:41.790 looking to take advantage of the 06:41.790 --> 06:44.590 beautiful island of Okinawa and you 06:44.590 --> 06:46.757 know , all the things that team cadena 06:46.757 --> 06:49.080 has to offer for us . Um And so our 06:49.080 --> 06:51.302 airmen , particularly our unit advisory 06:51.302 --> 06:53.413 council within the squadron is always 06:53.413 --> 06:55.691 looking to put on events and these are , 06:55.691 --> 06:57.913 you know , our airmen putting on events 06:57.913 --> 06:59.969 for other airmen in the squadron and 06:59.969 --> 07:02.080 their families . Um , and it's really 07:02.080 --> 07:04.080 the most humbling thing to see as a 07:04.080 --> 07:06.302 squadron commander is our airmen taking 07:06.302 --> 07:08.413 care of each other and their families 07:08.413 --> 07:11.700 when we have such a high tempo as far 07:11.700 --> 07:13.978 as mission tasking and stuff like that . 07:13.978 --> 07:16.440 Yeah . Um you know , they've they've 07:16.440 --> 07:18.496 all heard me say it numerous times , 07:18.496 --> 07:20.720 but discipline combat folks , that 07:20.730 --> 07:23.710 focus is a big deal for me And you know , 07:23.710 --> 07:25.877 when you have airmen that come to work 07:25.877 --> 07:28.043 and they wake up and they just want to 07:28.043 --> 07:28.030 be excellent and they want to go 07:28.030 --> 07:30.252 execute . Um there's nothing that makes 07:30.252 --> 07:32.419 me more proud . And then the fact that 07:32.419 --> 07:34.586 you're taking care of the families , I 07:34.586 --> 07:36.586 say all the time to , you know , we 07:36.586 --> 07:38.641 fight hard , but we love harder . Um 07:38.641 --> 07:40.863 there is no better example of that than 07:40.863 --> 07:43.086 the 82nd RS . So it's um keeping you of 07:43.086 --> 07:45.197 course keep loving on your airmen and 07:45.197 --> 07:47.419 keep doing the things that you guys are 07:47.419 --> 07:47.270 doing because the balance with the 07:47.270 --> 07:49.492 mission and the families . You guys got 07:49.492 --> 07:51.550 it right . Thank you . All right , 07:51.940 --> 07:55.940 Travis . Okay , trap , can you 07:55.940 --> 07:57.996 talk about some of the relationships 07:57.996 --> 08:00.162 that you guys have built over the past 08:00.162 --> 08:02.273 few months with our partner nations ? 08:02.273 --> 08:04.496 Absolutely ma'am . So first of all , we 08:04.496 --> 08:06.662 are blessed being at Kadena because we 08:06.662 --> 08:08.884 can just walk across the ramp and shake 08:08.884 --> 08:11.470 a hand with one of our 55 eye partners 08:11.680 --> 08:13.736 and say , hey , what do you do ? How 08:13.736 --> 08:15.791 about we talk to each other a little 08:15.791 --> 08:17.680 more and see how we can build our 08:17.680 --> 08:19.736 relationship and how we can leverage 08:19.736 --> 08:21.958 each other's capabilities and different 08:21.958 --> 08:24.124 ways of doing business to make both of 08:24.124 --> 08:26.347 us better . And the fact that it's just 08:26.347 --> 08:28.513 a walk across the flight line makes it 08:28.513 --> 08:30.680 that much easier . Now we have our own 08:30.680 --> 08:32.847 struggles with , you know , they leave 08:32.847 --> 08:34.940 and we stay Jack , that's fine too . 08:34.940 --> 08:37.051 Because when they come back and say , 08:37.051 --> 08:39.273 hey , could you tell us again how we do 08:39.273 --> 08:41.607 this right ? And we're happy to do that . 08:41.607 --> 08:40.930 And it started off with the , the 08:40.930 --> 08:43.740 Aussies in theater . Um , then we got a 08:43.740 --> 08:46.010 huge leg up once the brits came out as 08:46.010 --> 08:48.820 part of the cooperative commanding . Um , 08:48.830 --> 08:51.052 and that allowed us to do some missions 08:51.052 --> 08:53.274 that frankly we are , we don't have the 08:53.274 --> 08:55.441 capacity to do internally just by them 08:55.441 --> 08:57.441 being here or being there and we're 08:57.441 --> 08:59.497 working with the Kiwis to get on the 08:59.497 --> 09:01.774 aircraft aircraft and get them on ours . 09:01.774 --> 09:03.663 Once we get over the Australian , 09:03.663 --> 09:05.830 getting him on our aircraft because we 09:05.830 --> 09:07.941 have one in the unit right now , just 09:07.941 --> 09:10.052 working through the paperwork process 09:10.052 --> 09:12.052 for it and then moving even further 09:12.052 --> 09:14.163 forward , Jazz Daph and other partner 09:14.163 --> 09:16.219 Nations , you know , those second or 09:16.219 --> 09:18.441 third layer of partnerships that we can 09:18.441 --> 09:20.330 build . Um , because it's just so 09:20.330 --> 09:22.497 critical , it's so critical none of us 09:22.497 --> 09:24.441 have the time to do everything but 09:24.441 --> 09:26.719 together we have the time to do enough . 09:26.719 --> 09:28.774 Um and leveraging those partnerships 09:28.774 --> 09:30.941 especially with the threat that threat 09:30.941 --> 09:32.830 environment that we work in . And 09:32.830 --> 09:34.941 should that happen , we're gonna have 09:34.941 --> 09:37.052 to have those pre built relationships 09:37.052 --> 09:39.108 to bounce in and out and execute the 09:39.108 --> 09:41.330 ace construct that we need to for those 09:41.330 --> 09:43.970 future future mission sets . Um A 09:43.980 --> 09:46.250 little known fact of all the people 09:46.250 --> 09:48.306 here , I've known Travis the longest 09:48.306 --> 09:50.306 from our previous life when we were 09:50.306 --> 09:52.528 both be bopping around tinker Air force 09:52.528 --> 09:54.550 Base . Um So it was it was truly um 09:54.940 --> 09:56.884 special when I saw that Travis was 09:56.884 --> 09:59.060 going to be the 3/90 commander because 09:59.070 --> 10:01.181 my gosh we already had a relationship 10:01.181 --> 10:02.903 and then of course speaking of 10:02.903 --> 10:04.848 relationships um there's no better 10:04.848 --> 10:06.959 model than than what you're employing 10:06.959 --> 10:08.626 um from Kadena , you guys are 10:08.626 --> 10:10.792 absolutely killing it when it comes to 10:10.792 --> 10:12.848 partner integration I said earlier , 10:12.848 --> 10:14.630 the integration piece is so so 10:14.630 --> 10:17.170 important With what we do , especially 10:17.170 --> 10:19.820 when we're flying 80 omissions and um 10:19.830 --> 10:22.052 the fact that you're you're blending in 10:22.052 --> 10:24.360 our our teammates from from other 10:24.360 --> 10:26.760 nations . And then even even at a giant 10:26.760 --> 10:29.640 wing that Kadena is thank you guys and 10:29.640 --> 10:32.670 then I will say to my my visit to go 10:32.670 --> 10:34.726 see you guys back and I think it was 10:34.726 --> 10:36.948 november 1st time , my my first time to 10:36.948 --> 10:39.510 Kadena and I had an absolute blast uh 10:39.520 --> 10:41.687 seeing them and seeing their airmen do 10:41.687 --> 10:44.600 their thing was my gosh , it's it's the 10:44.600 --> 10:46.767 best feeling in the world , you know . 10:46.767 --> 10:49.120 Um I didn't want to come back . 10:49.130 --> 10:52.820 I really wanted to 10:52.820 --> 10:56.100 stay in Souda Bay . You 10:56.100 --> 10:58.220 know , Teresa's phenomenal if you've 10:58.220 --> 11:00.387 never been . So I feel very lucky that 11:00.387 --> 11:04.150 we have a tremendous debt out at Souda . 11:04.160 --> 11:08.110 So James being a tenant unit on a 11:08.110 --> 11:10.332 naval base , you've developed some very 11:10.332 --> 11:12.388 special relationships yourself um to 11:12.388 --> 11:14.388 accomplish your mission and support 11:14.388 --> 11:16.332 your airmen . Can you elaborate on 11:16.332 --> 11:16.250 those and then share with us the 11:16.250 --> 11:17.972 significance of building those 11:17.972 --> 11:20.139 relationships ? Yes , ma'am . Uh we're 11:20.139 --> 11:23.670 the largest tenant unit on of 16 on the 11:23.670 --> 11:26.320 naval facility . Um , you know , with 11:26.320 --> 11:28.380 that we're at sometimes we're almost 11:28.380 --> 11:30.547 half the number of the total number of 11:30.547 --> 11:32.769 navy personnel on the island . We are , 11:32.769 --> 11:34.936 we are a significant footprint there . 11:34.936 --> 11:37.269 Um , their support for us . Um you know , 11:37.269 --> 11:39.436 it is imperative to the success of our 11:39.436 --> 11:41.102 mission and so building those 11:41.102 --> 11:43.158 relationships , whether it's through 11:43.158 --> 11:45.158 kickball or the hay bales or or our 11:45.158 --> 11:47.324 weekly emergency management meetings . 11:47.324 --> 11:49.436 I mean it's imperative to the success 11:49.436 --> 11:51.602 of that moving forward . Um We take it 11:51.602 --> 11:53.658 one step further with the maximizing 11:53.658 --> 11:55.713 our integration opportunities in the 11:55.713 --> 11:57.936 theater there , not only with our UK RJ 11:57.936 --> 12:00.047 partners , um both north and south of 12:00.047 --> 12:03.380 uh of our ongoing operations . But um , 12:03.390 --> 12:05.710 but also in naval opportunities with 12:05.710 --> 12:08.660 the Wiki one inter fly program as well 12:08.660 --> 12:10.380 as our are seeking out our 12:10.380 --> 12:12.380 opportunities for other assets that 12:12.380 --> 12:16.050 deploy out of soda as well . Um you 12:16.050 --> 12:18.272 heard me say when we had our commanders 12:18.272 --> 12:20.494 conference that you're almost like um a 12:20.494 --> 12:22.272 lead wing commander because you 12:22.272 --> 12:24.770 constantly have units um flowing in 12:24.780 --> 12:26.947 through through Suda and you've got to 12:26.947 --> 12:29.169 take care of all of them whether or not 12:29.169 --> 12:31.224 they belong to the 55th wing or they 12:31.224 --> 12:33.447 belong to some other entity . So you're 12:33.447 --> 12:33.350 kind of a jack of all trades when it 12:33.350 --> 12:35.610 comes to leadership , employment 12:35.610 --> 12:37.830 generation , uh taking care of your 12:37.830 --> 12:40.870 folks . Uh you do a lot and it really 12:40.870 --> 12:42.926 brought it home for me when I when I 12:42.926 --> 12:45.148 was out there and seeing all the things 12:45.148 --> 12:45.060 that you had to do on a daily basis to 12:45.060 --> 12:47.810 make sure not only 55th Wing assets 12:47.810 --> 12:49.977 were successful , successful , but you 12:49.977 --> 12:52.143 come assets , assets were successful . 12:52.143 --> 12:55.270 And then of course the base was um just 12:55.280 --> 12:58.050 uh make sure that just kicked butt from 12:58.310 --> 13:00.630 from airpower perspective . So thank 13:00.630 --> 13:02.741 you for all that you do . I got to go 13:02.741 --> 13:04.852 back , I wasn't there for long enough 13:04.852 --> 13:07.060 last time , but you know , next time I 13:07.060 --> 13:10.610 go , we'll make sure we make a longer 13:10.610 --> 13:13.770 visit out of it . Um so great . You 13:13.770 --> 13:15.826 guys , thank you so much . Um I tell 13:15.826 --> 13:17.992 you all the time , I love you guys and 13:17.992 --> 13:20.159 I adore you very very much . Now . You 13:20.159 --> 13:22.159 all see why I adore these gentlemen 13:22.159 --> 13:24.492 there . They're phenomenal human beings . 13:24.492 --> 13:26.714 Um I love that . I have the best modern 13:26.714 --> 13:28.937 commanders in the world . Mhm . They're 13:28.937 --> 13:30.937 doing great things on behalf of the 13:30.937 --> 13:33.159 wing and on behalf of the United States 13:33.159 --> 13:35.048 of America . So guys , love you . 13:35.048 --> 13:37.960 Thanks , Happy friday . That's it .