LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. -- As Air Combat Command remains focused on readiness, modernization, and Agile Combat Employment, Gen. Ken Wilsbach and Chief Master Sgt. Dave Wolfe recognize that success in any of these areas is built upon a resilient, supported force.
That is why the command’s fourth priority, “Taking Care of Airmen and Families”, is a fundamental principle that strengthens ACC's ability to project power and deter potential adversaries.
“It’s been said before that we recruit individuals, but we retain families,” Wilsbach said. “Most airmen have a family of some kind, and many of them serve alongside [our airmen] at our installations. As leadership, we certainly need to acknowledge that and to try to make their families as comfortable as possible.”
From visiting dormitories and child development centers, to listening sessions with spouses, the ACC command team continues to engage with airmen and families across the enterprise. Wilsbach emphasized that quality of life is directly linked to retention and readiness.
Whether it’s improving pay and allowances, enhancing living conditions, or simply communicating transparently, the goal is to ensure families are informed, included and empowered.
“When Chief and I, along with our wives, meet with families at our bases, we make it a priority to listen,” said Wilsbach. “By hearing directly from them, we gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges at each location, which helps us to implement targeted solutions.”
Chief Wolfe echoed the sentiment, highlighting the need for leadership at every level to not only identify issues, but to be empowered to solve them.
“It’s easy to be the thermometer and report when something’s broken,” Wolfe said. “It’s harder, but more important, to be the thermostat and control the environment. That’s what our airmen need from us.”
But Wilsbach’s philosophy on taking care of airmen extends beyond amenities and benefits. It includes challenge, mentorship and growth.
“Taking care of airmen doesn’t mean coddling them,” Wilsbach explained. “It means giving them hard things to do together, allowing them to learn and grow. They may even fail, but those failures produce lessons and that’s how we build resilience and forge the kind of warfighters this generation demands.”
That warfighting imperative is never far from Wilsbach’s mind. As global tensions rise, he believes the time to strengthen the force, physically, mentally and emotionally, is now.
“We may be facing one of the most difficult large-scale conflicts since World War II,” Wilsbach said. “We need to be tough, maybe even tougher than the greatest generation. And when our adversaries see that strength, that resilience—it serves as a deterrent.”
To that end, Chief Wolfe urged leaders at every level to empower airmen to lead initiatives that address quality-of-life gaps and to ensure that each installation is equipped with the resources and infrastructure necessary to fully support its people.
“Our airmen want to do good things. They want to make a difference,” Wolfe said. “But they need to know leadership has their back. When we show them that, there’s no limit to what we can achieve together.”
As the Air Force prepares to face the challenges ahead, Wilsbach expressed his deep appreciation for the leadership and dedication of ACC airmen.
“I’m grateful for the outstanding leadership at every level, from young staff sergeants and lieutenants to our general officers, and the dedicated civilians, many of whom are veterans, who bring invaluable experience to our team,” Wilsbach said. “I’m incredibly thankful for everyone’s commitment, and I’m proud to be part of such an exceptional team.”