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AETC commander makes first visit to CAFB

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Chase Hedrick
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  The commander of Air Education and Training Command touched down at Columbus Air Force Base for the first time Aug. 9.

During his two-day stay, Gen. Edward Rice dove into the mission and day-to-day life of the people in the 14th Flying Training Wing.

"I am very impressed. The Airmen are doing a great job of meeting the mission every day," said Rice. "I like the innovation that I see, the lean forward attitude, the professionalism. I've been very pleased with the operation here."

The relationship the local community has with Columbus AFB was not unknown to the general, who personally presented local leaders with the inaugural Altus Trophy for top AETC community support at the AETC Symposium in San Antonio last January.

To welcome General and Mrs. Rice, more than 100 community leaders hosted a reception Aug. 9 in a historic Antebellum home.

"It's not a surprise that the first Altus trophy winner came from the community here in Columbus," said Rice. "The tremendous support and turnout during last night's social event is important to us as we move into the future. We must strive to maintain those strong bonds both outside the fence-line and inside with the cohesive working team that we have here."

Rice also noted the relationships strengthened by Columbus AFB through its international pilot training programs are important for future operations.

"Especially when dealing with an international environment, relationships are everything," said Rice. "It's hard to put a price on that, but as we continue to move into a future where we are more interconnected, those relationships will pay us back in spades."

The future was the topic of the day during an all-call held by Rice Aug. 9. The general conversed with Columbus AFB Airmen on plans for the future, challenging them to look for ways to improve processes and help with fiscal constraints.

"I think each one of us within the area in which we work can look for areas to improve the way we do business and be more efficient," said Rice. "I encourage all Airmen to understand the principals of AFSO21 and apply them in their daily lives and understand that we are looking for their suggestions on how we can continue to meet the mission with fewer resources."

Continuing to look forward, Rice said that, within the next decade, acquisition would begin for the T-X to replace the aging T-38C Talon airframes and better prepare future pilots for fifth generation aircraft.

Rice, his wife Teresa, and the AETC Command Chief Master Sgt. Jim Cody concluded their 2-day visit to Columbus by boarding a C-130 Hercules and continuing their command visit in Little Rock AFB, Ark.