Wing commander has high praise for troops

The new 366th Wing Commander, Col. Charles Shugg, is excited about his tour of duty with the Gunfighters.

"When I travel (to other bases) and identify myself as a Gunfighter, they brighten up."

Having arrived in Mountain Home after serving in a staff position as director of operations, headquarters, United States Forces Japan, Shugg said the opportunity to get back to his first love -- flying -- was something he was looking forward to when he was tapped to lead the Gunfighters.

When he got here two months ago, he said that two things struck him off the bat, the history and closeness of the Gunfighter family.

"This unit has a proud heritage. The people here are very proud of what we have done in the past, and what we're doing now for the nation's defense.

"That special bond carries over to the community. Never in my career have I ever seen a base and a community so close knit. The people (in town) welcome us with open arms. They care about us and look after us. I've never seen such an outpouring of patriotism. It truely makes you feel proud to be here.

"The people here are so friendly. For my wife and I, this is a dream."

After serving his last tour in crowded Japan, Shugg said he'd been warned that he may face a little culture shock upon arriving in Mountain Home. "That drive to the base was a little more deserted than I was used to."

But he and his family, his wife, Susie, and their two sons, Richard, 13, and Jonathan, 11, have settled in quickly.

"For the boys, I think it's been the best summer vacation they've ever had," he said. They've gone rafting, rapelling in the mountains and fishing. "They've had a great time." More importantly for them, he said, was the chance to get to play "real" football, with pads, in the Optimist and junior high programs. In Japan, Shugg said, they had to play only flag football, since football with pads isn't allowed until high school.

Shugg said his primary goal as wing commander is "to take care of our airmen. I see them as a national treasure. Although technologies allow us to do special things no other nation can do, without these dedicated, selfless people, none of this would be possible." And when they're deployed, he wants them to know their families are being taken care of.

In addition, because of the uniqueness of the training facilities in and around the base, "we are the pefect location for innovation. I'd like to keep Mountain Home on the cutting edge of innovation," helping to continue to lead the Air Force into the future.

With the Battlelab, the training ranges, and, most importantly, the personnel here, the wing can look at how things are done and "put a new spin on it."

"The Gunfighters are special people," he said, noting that innovation is a hallmark of the wing, from the days in Vietnam when it "strapped on" gun pods to engage enemy MiGs in air-to-air dogfights, through the days of the composite wing, to today's fighter wing.

"We're good at what we do," he said with pride. "We know how to deploy. And that's not just getting out of town quickly, it's also the support system (for families) that's left behind."

The biggest challenge he sees ahead for the wing is meeting the nation's needs for the war on terrorism. "We are the means to meet that need." And while the jets may get most of the publicity, he noted that it's nice to see other units, equally involved in that war, such as the security forces and intelligence staffs, finally getting their day in the sun as well. "They've always been a key component of everything we do, but they're more visible now."

Shugg said his service in Japan, in which he coordinated training and operations of a number of different services and nations, has made him sensitive to his mission in Idaho.

"I feel a strong need to be a good neighbor" with the local communites, the farmers and ranchers, and the Duck Valley Reservation. "The American people own this equipment, and the land. We are only stewards of it."

Shugg said he was looking forward to the Air Force Appreciation Day activities. As a new wing commander, he's always on the go, and has to spend a lot of time away from the base. "Fortunately, I've got a great vice wing commander," he said. The Friday before AFAD he'll actually be back east at a conference in Langley. Then he'll fly out that night to take part in Saturday's parade.

"I'm looking forward to it. I've heard a lot about it," he said.

Col. Shugg received his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1980 and earned his wings at Reese Air Force Base, Texas, in 1981. His previous flying duties include being an OV-10 Forward Air Controller, F-15C RTU Instructor Pilot and assignments in various operational F-15C units. he has more than 2,000 flying hours to his credit.

He has commanded at flight, squadron and group levels and is a graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School. His staff duties include the Chief of Air-to-Air Strategy, CHECKMATE Division, Headquarters United States Air Force, and Director of Operations, J3, United States Forces, Japan.