Gen. Wolfenbarger sets the stage at Commander's Call

  • Published
  • By 412th Test Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Air Force Materiel Command commander Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger laid out her expectations and the command's priorities in a Commander's Call here July 13. The general was on base to officiate the ceremony where the Air Force Flight Test Center was redesignated to the Air Force Test Center.

In expressing her dedication to AFMC, the general said she expected the workforce to be as committed to the mission as she is and emphasized the importance of teamwork to that mission.

"In our Air Force, it truly is all about teamwork," she said. "So I would ask you to be a good teammate as well as doing the best you can individually at your job. We have a responsibility to make our institution -- our system -- better so that the people who come along with us or after us can benefit from improvements to the way we accomplish our mission."

Wolfenbarger also emphasized the mission in relation to AFMC's restructure.

"Our mission does not change, even with this reorganization," the general said. "I firmly believe the reorganization will allow us to accomplish that mission even more efficiently and effectively. Moving ahead we will focus on seven AFMC priorities, and the first five align to our new 5-Center construct."
  • Nuclear -- Continue to strengthen AFMC's role in the nuclear enterprise.
  • Technology -- Advance today's and tomorrow's combat capabilities through leading-edge technology.
  • Life Cycle Management -- Acquire and manage war-winning capabilities "cradle-to-grave."
  • Test and Evaluation -- Perform world-class test and evaluation.
  • Sustainment -- Sustain Air Force capabilities through world-class depot maintenance and supply.
"Foundational to those five mission-area priorities is a sixth priority," Wolfenbarger continued. "And that is to ensure that in everything we do we are taking care of our people and their families, that we are doing all of the appropriate recruiting, training and retention so we can continue to execute this very important mission."
  • Recruit, train and retain a high performing workforce while caring for our Airmen and their families.
The general then outlined the seventh AFMC priority.
  • Execute Agile Combat Support as an enterprise across the Air Force, responding to highest priority warfighter needs.
"A few years ago, our Air Force senior leadership put together a strategic planning framework that is focused on core functions," Wolfenbarger said. "Agile Combat Support is pervasive and cross-cutting to all other core functions, and the AFMC commander was established as the core function lead integrator for that mission area. That's a responsibility that is bigger than AFMC and one that we take very, very seriously."

The general also took this time as an opportunity to introduce the new AFMC command chief, Chief Master Sgt. Mike Warner, who spoke to the audience about taking care of all Airmen--enlisted, civilians and officers. He emphasized the importance of adhering to standards even in times of change.

Wolfenbarger concluded her commander's call by thanking the workforce for their many contributions to AFMC's success despite facing a number of challenges.

"We are a nation at war. We have been at war for 22 years," she said. "I want to thank you for the very important role each of you plays in service to our Air Force and in service to our country. And I would just ask that you do your very best to execute your part of our mission because there are so many, and most importantly the warfighters, who depend on us to do our jobs well."