To the Airmen of the 60th ...

  • Published
  • By Col. Mark Dillon
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Col. Mark Dillon assumed command of the 60th Air Mobility Wing June 30. The following are Colonel Dillon's change-of-command remarks:

In December of 1776, founding father Thomas Paine wrote, "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered."

These famous words came from a document titled "The Crisis." When Gen. George Washington heard it, he ordered it read aloud to his battle-weary troops. Words from "The Crisis" spread like wildfire. So popular was "The Crisis" that as a percentage of the population, it was read or heard by more people than watch the Super Bowl today.

Washington's troops immediately adopted Paine's words for their motto and shortly thereafter went on to win their first victory of the Revolutionary War at Trenton, N.J. Historians believe that if the colonists had lost at Trenton they would have lost the American Revolution.

Today, we also live in trying times ... and historians will someday write that our Global War on Terrorism is just as critical as Trenton.

Our very existence, our way of life - and Western civilization as we know it - hangs in the balance as we battle the tyranny of radical Islamic extremists. You, the men and women of the 60th AMW standing here, and the more than 1,100 Airmen of Team Travis deployed around the world today know this best.
Think about it. You and our fellow Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen are all that stands between these tyrants and the American people. And as we near our seventh year in this long war, the outcome - like it was in 1776 - is uncertain.

What is certain is that you have been successful.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, your tenacity as Airmen has kept America safe.

It hasn't been easy. And after nearly seven years of blistering ops tempo most would expect you - just like General Washington's troops - to be battle weary. Yet you continue to stand. Despite the ops tempo, the unending deployments, and the uncertainty ... you fight for freedom against tyranny. Your duty to country proves there are no summer soldiers or sunshine patriots in the 60th AMW - nor has there been throughout its history. 

And speaking of history, July 1 is the 60th birthday of our wing. Your service today honors members past and present. This distinguished wing, born during the Berlin Airlift crisis, battle- tested through 40 years of the Cold War and now combat-proven in the Global War on Terrorism ... from Berlin to Bagram Air Base and Baghdad, Iraq, the Airmen of the 60th stand tall - just like their Continental Army heroes of 1776. And like Thomas Paine wrote you "deserve the love and thanks of man and woman."

In conclusion, yes, "These are the times that try men's (and women's) souls ..." It is truly a privilege and an honor to stand with you and face this crisis together. May God continue to bless the 60th, Team Travis and these United States of America.