Powered by Airmen, fueled by innovation

  • Published
  • By Col. Dwight Sones
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Throughout our proud history, the Air Force has always been powered by visionary Airmen.

It comes as no surprise that the first armed forces vision statement was established by the Air Force and came from the title of a document published in 1990 called "Global Reach-Global Power."

As our mission transformed throughout the years, so did our vision statement to appropriately refocus our identity and purpose. In 1996, our vision became "global engagement," followed by the addition of "global vigilance" published in our Air Force Vision 2020 document released in 2000.

After more than a decade of overseas contingency operations, changes to the way we fly, fight and win have prompted the need for another vector check. On Jan. 11, our Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. Mark Welsh, announced our new vision, "The World's Greatest Air Force powered by Airmen, fueled by innovation."

While it is important that we understand our vision, it is equally important to understand why it changed. For the first time in our history, the Air Force vision statement acknowledges the individuals responsible for mission success: the Airmen.

Everything we do depends on our people, the living engine of our Air Force. Within Air Mobility Command, Travis consistently operates at the highest revolutions per minute, which is captured by our vision as America's first choice.

To understand the origins of why we are America's first choice, it is important to first understand the origins of Travis. Following the attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941, America needed a West Coast focal point for aerial operations in the Pacific Theater. Its proximity to rail, highway and water transport made Travis America's first choice for a West Coast base. After seven decades, our vision endures as we have repeatedly answered the call of others so they may prevail.

Today, we have the best-educated and best-trained Airmen in the world acting as the engine of our Air Force. I believe that this engine achieves the highest level of performance when we empower it to innovate. At Travis, I am amazed but never surprised at the persistence and creativity I see in our motivated Airmen.

The most rewarding part of my job is when I get the opportunity to share your inspiring stories. I encourage you to speak up, too. Share your ideas with coworkers, supervisors and leadership. Share your story with friends, family and members of our local community. They need to see your vision for the future of the world's greatest Air Force powered by Airmen, fueled by innovation.

So what does our new Air Force vision mean to Travis? It means that our people, the strongest mobility engine in our Air Force, will win our next fight and innovate to ensure that we win every fight in the future.