Chasing excellence to catch perfection

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kristina Overton
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs Office
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  The 819th RED HORSE Squadron received a new commander Oct. 14 during a change of command ceremony at the 3-Bay Hangar.

Commanding the 819th RHS is not Lt. Col. Gregory Rosenmerkel's first tour of duty as a "dirt boy." Seventeen years ago, he was 823rd RHS project engineer and then chief of operations at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

"Hurlburt was really where my love for RED HORSE and my quest to come back [to a RHS] started," said Colonel Rosenmerkel. "To get command of one is truly a unique honor and responsibility. It's the last thing on my Air Force 'to do list', and what I really wanted."

"Just the other day I talked to my supervisor from my third duty station at the 823rd RHS at Hurlburt Field. That was back in 1992, and I was a captain there.

When I arrived at that duty station, he had me fill out a bio that asked about career goals, hobbies and things of that nature. But on the paper, I'd written that my career ambition was to command RED HORSE one day. It's funny, because my old supervisor just came across that fact sheet the other day that I'd filled out all those years ago, and here I am 17 years later."

Colonel Rosenmerkel graduated from Catholic Memorial High School in Waukesha, Wis., and continued on to the Air Force Academy to earn his civil engineering degree in 1988.

"There were many benefits in going to the Academy that wouldn't have been available at other colleges," the colonel said. "Not only were there the financial benefits and the network of peers, but an opportunity to do things like jumping out of airplanes and gliding. Two of the most enduring lessons I learned there though was time management and tolerance. You kind of establish that 'just do it' mentality."

Nine assignments followed his commissioning at the Academy before joining Team Malmstrom.

"Coming to Malmstrom is absolutely the highlight," said Colonel Rosenmerkel. "There's nothing else I could do to be more fulfilled in my career."

Colonel Rosenmerkel is joined at Malmstrom by his wife, Lt. Col. Linda Rosenmerkel (USAFR), his daughter, Allison, and his son, Raymond.

Colonel Rosenmerkel now commands 300 personnel and is responsible for 180 special and general purpose vehicles and equipment valued at more than$21 million.

He oversees the war fighting capability and operational readiness of his unit to provide emergency response worldwide as quickly as 12 hours after notification to provide construction, repairs, or upgrading of airfields and facilities.

The new commander's goals are to "stick to the basics" and take care of the 3 R's: Readiness, Recognition, and Responsibility.

-Readiness refers to having equal opportunity, which includes everyone having the capability to excel with training, fitness and safety standards.

-Recognition advocates taking advantage of decorations and awards programs, functional awards, and recognizing the leaders and Airmen who excel and go above their call of duty.

-Responsibility is the umbrella that covers everything else, the day-to-day expectancy of everyone in the squadron.

"I'm very proud of RED HORSE and what we do," said Colonel Rosenmerkel. "I expect people to display a standard commensurate with their grade, and hold themselves to that higher standard."

Colonel Rosenmerkel likes to invoke the wisdom of Vince Lombardi, a former Green Bay Packers coach.

"Winning is not a sometime thing: it's an all the time thing. You don't win once in a while; you don't do the right thing once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing." (Vince Lombardi)

"If you stick to the basics, stick to the standard, and do things right then good things will follow," the commander said.