COMPACAF Letter to Airmen

  • Published
  • By Gen. Herbert Carlisle
  • Commander Pacific Air Forces
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii --  To the men and women of Pacific Air Forces

Three weeks ago I was honored to have taken command of Pacific Air Forces.

I'm truly humbled by the trust and confidence that our Secretary and Chief
of Staff have placed in me, and I hope to earn that same trust and
confidence from each and every one of you.

During my tenure as COMPACAF, my number one priority will be a focus on
warfighting. We must never lose sight of the fact that each of us is first
and foremost a warrior with a combat mission. As you carry out your daily
duties throughout PACAF, always remind yourself that our ultimate purpose is
to win our Nation's wars. Everything you do should enhance our ability to
swiftly defeat any enemy.

We can't win battles, however, without our most important asset - you.
Airmen and their families are what make our Air Force and our Nation great.
On duty, we must engage in active leadership, treat each other with dignity
and respect, and put in our best effort every day to take care of one
another. Off duty, we need to make time for our physical, social, mental,
and spiritual needs, both for ourselves and our families. At all times, we
absolutely must look out for each other. We simply can't afford to lose a
single Airman to a preventable or foreseeable tragedy.

With our Airmen healthy and laser-focused on our combat mission, we'll be
well-postured to meet the challenges laid before us. Our leaders have
outlined a rebalanced national strategy, which shifts our country's
attention towards the Asia-Pacific. This shift towards PACAF's home turf
will bring increased workload and opportunity, all in a fiscally-constrained
environment - no small task. I have no doubt however, that you will rise to
the occasion. The skills, talents and dedication you possess will ensure
that you and your fellow airmen will meet and overcome these challenges.

The Pacific Airmen who came before us also faced very difficult times. They
have left us with a storied heritage that has played a central role in
securing America's interest in the region since PACAF's beginning as the Far
East Air Forces in 1944. For more than 60 years, we've built our presence,
postured our forces, and modernized our equipment and tactics to ensure
security, stability and prosperity in the Asia Pacific region. It is now
our responsibility to carry on that heritage.

Thank you for all that you and your families do for our Air Force and our
Nation each and every day. I am proud to serve with you and look forward to
continuing PACAF's legacy with you, side by side.