News

Loud & Clear: AFSPC commander impressed with units, community

  • Published
  • By Geoff Janes
  • Robins Public Affairs

Gen. Jay Raymond, Air Force Space Command commander, got a good look at Robins Air Force Base in a very short period of time – and he liked what he saw.

The general, whose first visit to Robins was in 1982 as an ROTC cadet, said his visit included tours with the 5th Combat Communications Group, the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex and a social with local community leaders. He further commented that it was both impressive and informative.

“It was great to be back,” he said. “I tell you, the reception that I received, the Airmen I met, the professionalism I observed throughout my visit has just been spectacular.”

The general first visited the 5th Combat Communications Group, where he received a mission brief before touring and receiving immersion briefings from the Combat Communications Training and Integration Complex and the Combat Communications Engineering and Integration Center.

He also visited the Combat Readiness School.

“I’ve heard about combat comm my whole career, but I’ve never had the opportunity to visit,” he said. “The thing that stands out loud and clear when you visit this organization is their professionalism, their joint warfighter spirit, the camaraderie and just the absolute mission focus that’s necessary to bring (communications) down to the tactical edge of warfighting … which is a huge advantage for our nation.”

The general met with the group’s officers prior to hosting an all call with the unit at the Museum of Aviation. Following the all call, the general attended a social with local community leaders in the Century of Flight hangar at the museum.

“The one thing I heard repeatedly, whether I was visiting the Combat Comm Group, or the ALC, is just how wonderful the relationship is with the downtown community,” he said. “Our Combat Communications Group has a high deployment tempo.  They can only deploy and do their jobs as well as they do when they know that their families and loved ones are taken care of back here.

“It’s obvious that the local community provides outstanding support to our warfighters and their families.  That support comes through loud and clear and I appreciate it,” he said.

His final stops during his whirlwind visit to Robins included several stops at WR-ALC. Raymond met with Brig. Gen. John Kubinec, WR-ALC commander, before visiting the 402nd Aircraft Maintenance Group, and the 560th Aircraft Maintenance and 561st Aircraft Maintenance squadrons where he toured the C-130 and F-15 maintenance lines.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever had the opportunity to visit an ALC,” he said. “The challenges we put into the hands of those dedicated civilian Airmen is pretty spectacular. The aircraft that are going into those depot-level maintenance lines are extremely old.

“They tear them down to bare bones and build them back up to bring combat power for our nation,” he added. “It’s really impressive what they do for our Air Force and our Nation.”