ACC Command Chief: Moody vital to AF mission

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Eric Schloeffel
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  The top enlisted Airman in Air Combat Command visited here Feb. 6 and 7, spreading his enthusiasm about the impact of Moody on the Air Force mission.

As the Global War on Terrorism contributes to the high operations tempo, Moody Airmen are doing their part to meet the Air Force's increasingly demanding mission objectives, said Chief Master Sgt. David Popp, ACC command chief master sergeant.

"When I look at Moody Airmen, I see a group of people who continually enter harm's way and live the core value of putting service before self," he said. "You train extremely hard and deploy at high rates, and we couldn't accomplish the Air Force mission without you."

The chief's tour included stops at numerous squadrons, the Airman Leadership School, the Honor Guard facilities, base dormitories and the new housing project in Magnolia Grove.

During his visit, the chief emphasized the importance of Moody to the command's overall strategic role in the deployed environment.

"The Air Force needs the type of 911 organizations that are based at Moody," said Chief Popp. "Whether it's the 820th Security Forces Group or the combat search and rescue mission, Moody is home to many enablers who can deploy at a moment's notice when needed in an emergency. With the addition of the A-10s, the future here looks very bright."

But despite the surge in operations, with an Air Force currently experiencing force-shaping, Moody Airmen are faced with many challenges ahead. With these changes in force size, leadership continues to take the correct steps to ensure the mission is still effectively performed, said the chief.

"During a drawdown of any kind of operation, there are always questions of whether the right skill sets and people are being kept to get the job done," said Chief Popp. "At that point, it's the job of the supervision - the NCOs and senior NCOs - to tell their commanders we've cut too much in a particular area."

Due to these changes, career development now, more than ever, plays an important part in the path to success for enlisted Airmen, said Chief Popp.

"Enlisted career development has an extremely high value," he said. "Most importantly, Airmen need to take every opportunity to get off-duty education, whether it is through correspondence courses, on the Internet or inside the classroom. Education exposes you to new ideas and provides more skills and talents to carry to your job. It helps you become a better Airman."

In addition to the efforts put forth by Airmen, the support of families is imperative to success and deserves recognition, said Chief Popp.

"The Airman might not always mind deployments, but it is the families who often pay the largest sacrifice," he said. "If our families didn't support our efforts to protect the freedoms and liberties of this country, we wouldn't be able to accomplish the mission."
In the face of continued fast-paced operations and a changing Air Force, Airmen need to continue operating at a high level to maintain Moody's standing as a vital performer in the war on terror, said the chief.

"I wish peace would break out tomorrow, but (it won't), so we need to remain focused," said Chief Popp. "Without Moody, we could not accomplish the mission of the Air Force, and I thank all of our Airmen here who serve this country proudly."