News

AFMC command chief tours base, praises Airmen

  • Published
  • By Wayne Crenshaw
  • 78 ABW/PA
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  The command chief of Air Force Materiel Command visited Robins this week and said he liked what he saw.

Command Chief Master Sgt. Eric Jaren spent Monday and Tuesday visiting dozens of locations here, from aircraft maintenance facilities on the flightline to Robins' medical, civil engineering and services operations. He also spoke to hundreds of Robins Airmen during an enlisted call at the base theater.

In an interview near the end of his visit, Jaren said he was impressed with what he saw, particularly how Airmen are already doing many of the very things he stresses. One of those is continually looking for ways to save money to help the Air Force meet its objectives amid tighter budget constraints.

During a trip to the Airmen's Attic, which takes up a small portion of the old commissary building, Jaren said he was encouraged to see how members of Team Robins eliminated one unnecessary expense. When it opened, you couldn't turn on lights in the Airmen's Attic without turning on all the lights in the building. The lights have since been placed on separate circuits.

He also discussed his "Back to Basics" initiative, noting he encourages units to return to having daily roll calls.

Jaren said Airmen within a squadron may often work in different areas and not communicate with each other except through e-mail.

"We can't be all technology and all virtual and all e-mail," he said. "We have to come together more regularly and meet face to face."

He also talked about the new Air Force fitness standards, noting it's important for Airmen to know the correct form for the four elements of the test before they show up for the exam.

"It's an open-book test and there are only four questions," he said. "It's important to know what the answers are before you take it."

Jaren added, "While there has been a lot of concern with the recent changes, Airmen have really stepped up as reflected by a lower number of failures and a higher number of scores in the 90s than anticipated."