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Ceremony welcomes base's new commander
After two years of numerous challenges as the nation's strategic military posture continues to evolve, airmen at Mountain Home Air Force Base welcomed their new commander during a ceremony Friday morning.
Col. Chris Short became the 53rd person to command the 366th Fighter Wing during the course of its nearly 60-year history.
"It's a great day to be a Gunfighter," said Short, who previously served as the vice commander of the 23rd Wing at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. "I'm incredibly impressed with what the Gunfighter team has already shown me. I look forward to working with them day in and day out."
A decorated combat veteran previously awarded the Silver Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross for valor, Short understands the importance of combat air power, said 12th Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Robin Rand. In his comments at the ceremony, the general classified Short's level of experience as a "doctorate in warfighting."
"Colonel Short is the epitome of what a great commander can be," Rand said. "The 366th Fighter Wing is privileged to receive his services."
The fighter wing, nicknamed the Gunfighters, shares a rich heritage forged from the blood, sweat and tears of those that served with the wing from World War II to today's armed conflicts around the world, Rand said.
"Very few wings have been involved in as many combat operations as the Gunfighters," he added.
Looking out at the hundreds of airmen attending the ceremony, the general called the Gunfighters a "special breed" of airmen that continue to work under difficult conditions around the world to defeat evil wherever it hides.
Over the past two years, more than 2,500 Gunfighters were deployed overseas in support of U.S. combat operations in places like Afghanistan. This included a short-notice deployment to the Horn of Africa -- the first time that U.S. Air Force units had operated from this region since the 1970s, Rand said.
A mission directed by the president, the Gunfighters targeted terrorist organizations operating in the region. During this deployment, base airmen were directly responsible for eliminating six of the world's most-wanted terrorists, who were using this region as a safe haven from U.S. and coalition forces, the general said.
"It's a testament that fortune favors the bold," Rand said, highlighting the wing's accomplishments.
In his initial comments as Gunfighter 1 -- the title bestowed on those who lead the fighter wing here -- the colonel highlighted the outstanding relationship the base shares with its neighbors in local area.
"The reputation of the Mountain Home community is renowned throughout the Air Force -- second to none," he said. "I look forward to working with the civilian leaders in Mountain Home and across the state while we're taking care of our airmen."
Addressing the hundreds of airmen attending last week's ceremony, Short called his Gunfighters a "cohesive, lethal team" that will face significant difficulties in the years ahead.
"There are numerous challenges out there," Short said in an exclusive interview with the Mountain Home News. "As we know, there are fiscal challenges as well as a changing strategic environment. As we pull down in Afghanistan and the Middle East, we'll shift our focus to the Asian and Pacific (theater) while maintaining our focus on the Middle East."
The colonel's message to his airmen: Give your best every day.
"We ask a lot from them, and they're doing incredible things back home and abroad," Short said. "If they keep true to the core values of the United States Air Force... what they do on a day-to-day basis will take care of itself."
The change of command comes months after the Defense Department took significant cuts in its budget. Looming on the horizon are more potential cuts outlined under the national sequestration option. Based in the federal budget control act, it would trigger an additional $500 billion cut across the board for defense spending over the next decade if Congress doesn't find an alternative by January.
"There are going to be numerous changes in our mission, and we're going to have to train across the scope of military operations," the colonel said. "We're going to have to do that while we face those fiscal realities. It's our job to find that balance and make sure our Gunfighters are ready to do their mission for the joint combatant commanders while taking care of their families (back home)."
Those potential cuts represent a difficult challenge for the Gunfighters as they find a balance between mission readiness with fewer defense dollars, according to the colonel.
"We may be a smaller force, but we're going to maintain our mission capability," Short said. "We're going to make those decisions and take those actions and present to the combat commanders the finest team in the U.S. Air Force."
Short applauded the efforts of his airmen who sacrifice so much in service to their nation.
"The Gunfighters have a reputation across the Air Force to bring in their expertise wherever they come," he said.
During his time at Mountain Home, Short vowed to make the wing better every day, adding that it'll take the dedication of his outstanding team to achieve this goal.
"It's a true honor to be the newest member of the Gunfighter team," he said.