18th Air Force commander visits Travis

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Charles Rivezzo
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Lt. Gen. Sam Cox, 18th Air Force commander, his wife Tammy, and Chief Master Sgt. Todd S. Petzel, 18th AF command chief, visited Travis Air Force Base, California., to see firsthand how servicemembers accomplish the mission at one of Air Mobility Command's largest installations April 12-15.

This was Cox's first visit to Travis since assuming command of the numbered Air Force in October 2015.

Throughout the multi-day visit, Cox had the opportunity to tour the installation, host an all-call, visit with Airmen and gather a deeper understanding of the Total Force interoperability between the three wings that reside on the installation.

"Travis Air Force Base has been a central and key node for our Air Force and for all of the Department of Defense for a long time," said Cox. "The partnership that exists between the 60th Air Mobility Wing, 349th Air Mobility Wing and the 621st Contingency Response Wing provide a holistic view of what rapid global mobility is really all about."

During the general's all-call, he thanked the members of Travis for their commitment to serving their country, talked about the future outlook of Air Force operations and discussed his command priorities.

"Over the last few years, we have seen significant turbulence and instability around the globe," the general said. "And I don't see the world changing in the next year or two. But I can guarantee you one thing; you are going to be part of the solution that our nation is going to have to do to solve this problem."

One of Cox's command priorities focused on the importance of diversity and inclusion as a platform to propel the service forward through innovation.

"It's about bringing in the best thoughts and best ideas, and that comes from having a diverse and inclusive environment," he said. "It creates an environment where we can come up with innovative ideas and different ways of doing things."

Prior to concluding his visit, Cox thanked the members of Travis and said he got to see some of the very best of the rapid global mobility portfolio.

"Travis is a critical cog in the mobility mission that we need as a nation," Cox said. "During my time at Travis, I saw a significant sense of pride in our Airmen and a clear sense of purpose. Don't forget the importance of what you do every single day. Thank you for what you do, for what you're going to do and thank you for a great three days here."   

As AMC's sole NAF, 18th Air Force is responsible for the command's operational mission of providing rapid global mobility and sustainment for the nation's armed forces through airlift, aerial refueling, aeromedical evacuation, and global air mobility support system.