News

New wing commander lays out plan for success

  • Published
  • By Kendahl Johnson
  • 78th ABW/PA
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  Robins Air Force Base and the 78th Air Base Wing welcomed new leadership Friday when Col. Warren Berry accepted the wing's guidon and became the new wing and installation commander.

Colonel Berry said serving for the past 20 months as vice commander has given him a great foundation in understanding the complexity of Robins and how the base operates. He is excited about the chance to step into a new leadership role.

"I am thrilled with the opportunity. It's truly a privilege to be a part of this team, and not just to lead it, but to be a part of it," he said. "I am honored and privileged that our Air Force leadership would give me the opportunity."

Colonel Berry said the 78th Air Base Wing is "a first class organization and a first class wing," but he'd like to see increased efforts by all Airmen, both military and civilian.

"As new leadership, one of your goals is always to leave a place better than you found it," the commander said. "So one of the things we are going to focus on is to 'raise our game.' That's really what we need to do over the next year and a half if we are going to leave this a better wing than all of us are in right now. We need to raise our game and do things a little better with everything we set out to do."

He said "Raise Your Game" will be a continuing theme for the year, something that will be on his stationary and coin as a reminder to the Airmen to go the extra mile and make the extra effort to improve productivity. He said this is particularly important because the wing has a unique mission and does things no one else on base does.

"There are five things we do that are central to this installation's mission - force protection, maintaining and operating airfield and infrastructure, deploying combat ready Airmen, community support and emergency response and management. Because we 'own' those processes, we have to do them exceptionally well. We'll focus on those areas over the coming year," he said.

Another area of focus for the commander will be preparation for April's Operational Readiness Inspection. He said it will be first and foremost on his mind and will occupy a large part of his time for the next few months.

"That Operational Readiness Inspection is a huge deal. Not just because we are getting a grade but because the preparation process gets our Airmen ready with those combat skills they need to be effective in the (area of responsibility)," Colonel Berry said. "We've been preparing now for five months and we've made great strides and great progress. I have every confidence in our Airmen across the installation, military or civilian, that they'll come through and do great in the ORI in April. But we have to keep our focus."

The commander will also look at energy and utility costs and determine savings opportunities. "We need to find ways to conserve where we can and get creative so we can take those energy costs down and use those dollars on things like facility recapitalization," he said.

Colonel Berry, who has served as vice commander for the 78th ABW for the past 20 months, replaces Col. Theresa Carter, who left for an assignment at Scott AFB, Ill. The change of command ceremony was Jan. 11 at the Museum of Aviation. Colonel Carter said the wing is privileged to have a great leader like Colonel Berry as its commander.

"It's always tough at a change of command as you are handing the flag to the presiding officer to let go, but I can't think of a better person for General Owen to hand that flag to than Colonel Berry," Colonel Carter said. "He's a great man and he's going to do great things for the wing and for the base."