SFS Defenders: Well Done!

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Michael Williams
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing command chief
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  I had an opportunity to visit with our 60th Security Forces defenders this week. What a great bunch of highly motivated Americans! They do an amazing job protecting and defending our installation and providing that security blanket we so easily take for granted.

How do you motivate someone to do what they do? How do you sell that profession to someone? How do you sell long hours with deployment after deployment?

You don't, it comes from within!

It wasn't until my previous assignment, where I served as the command chief of the 91st Space Wing, Minot Air Force Base, N.D., that I gained a great appreciation for our defenders.

While at Minot, it appeared as though we were always hosting visitors that wanted to see a missile. I recall one particular visit when we entertained the 20th Air Force commander and his command chief. We traveled north approximately an hour and a half escorting the general and his entourage to a missile site.

We arrived at the snow covered site, greeted by the maintenance group commander, three defenders, five maintainers and a member from the public affairs staff. The temperature was about 15 degrees below zero, wind chill factor was nearly 32 below and the snow was falling rapidly. The maintainers unbuttoned the hatch and one by one people began to trickle down into silo.

I stayed up top, standing next to the 20th AF command chief, his ears and nose were extremely red from the cold. He gazed at me momentarily detecting my slight shivers from the cold. Then his voice trembled as he said, "Mike, let's go wait in the car."

At that moment, it was as if time stood still enabling me to survey the site. I turned to my left and in-between the falling snow flakes stood two defenders, motionless at parade rest guarding the entrance.

I remembered there were three defenders; so I began to slowly turn and suddenly I looked through the snow and spotted the silhouette of the third Airman proudly walking the fence perimeter. Her posture erect and I could see each breathe she took as she walked the fence line guarding and protecting those within. I immediately faced the chief and said, "No, you go get warm, I am staying!"

It's something about those defenders that gives you a sense of pride when you're amongst them or take the time to notice them. I remember during the recent operational readiness inspection, the inspection team's team chief, Col. Stan Daugherty, and I simultaneously arrived at the entrance of the Installation Control Center.

The guard quickly snapped to attention and said, "Sir, would you like a post brief!" The colonel replied, "Yes!"

When the guard concluded his brief, Colonel Daugherty looked at me, smiled and said, "Have you ever seen such motivation, passion and pride." I could only return his smile as my chest filled with pride.

After entering the ICC, I sat in awe watching our defenders enthusiastically and flawlessly execute their duties as the alert crews were dispatched to their aircraft.

Defenders, I realize you are just ordinary people and yet, you are doing incredible things and making those incredible things appear mundane.

So to you I say, "Well done; Well done our good and faithful servants, well done!"

Team Travis, as always, have a great weekend, be safe, make responsible choices and I'll see you around campus.