New AFGSC commander visits MAFB

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kristina Overton
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Air Force Global Strike Command's new leader visited all of the command's bases just days after accepting command, including a stop here, Jan. 11.

Lt. Gen. Jim Kowalski hosted an all-call at the base's 3-Bay Hangar, reiterating to Airmen the importance of the mission and sharing his expectations for the 341st Missile Wing.

"I trust you to do the 'how,'" General Kowalski said, "not just the mission but the 'how' of the mission because that is critical. When we talk about zero defects, when we talk about doing it perfectly, we're talking about the 'how' of this business--following the rules, regulations and having checklist discipline."

To ensure the wing's mission success, the headquarters is committed to providing the necessary resources, guidance and training for Airmen within the command, said the General.

"You need to know that you have a headquarters focused on you and your success," General Kowalski said. He said he has made it very clear to the headquarters staff that their only measure of merit is how well the wings are doing.

The general presented three challenges for the wings and the command.

First is consolidating the gains in the nuclear enterprise, maturing the headquarters and completing the restoration of a culture that recognizes and embraces the special trust and responsibility of nuclear weapons.

"The second," the General said, "is we have to achieve enduring culture change while also aggressively supporting the fight in the area of responsibility. Most of your fight, the mission you support, you do every day when you deploy forces out into the missile fields. There is still an enduring need for your Airmen to deploy and we cannot forget that mission set."

The last is to sustain and enhance the current force while preparing to meet the challenges of the future.

"The only lasting value of work is achievement," General Kowalski said. "You've had a busy year in 2010. You need to look back on your year and savor those achievements and look forward to those achievements you have coming up."

General Kowalski accepted command of AFGSC Jan. 6.