78th ABW welcomes new vice commander Published June 6, 2008 By Kendahl Johnson 78th ABW/PA Robins Air Force Base, Ga. -- When Col. Warren Berry assumed command of the 78th Air Base Wing in January, he vacated the office of vice commander. That office has been empty since. The office is now occupied, as Robins welcomed Col. Debra Bean as the new vice commander in late May. "I've heard a lot about how great this part of the country is and how enthusiastic the community is about the military and that's wonderful," she said. "I am absolutely thrilled to be in this position and am truly looking forward to this assignment." Also excited to have Colonel Bean on board is the wing commander. "I'm thrilled we were able to bring another thoroughbred to Robins," Colonel Berry said. "Many people don't realize just how crucial a vice commander is to our mission. She is essentially the engine that keeps the wing running. If you want to know who's behind the scenes making things happen, it's the command chief and the vice." Colonel Bean is originally from Woodburn, Ore. She comes to Robins with her husband and two teenage sons. Her previous assignment was at the Pentagon, where she worked as chief of the Civil-Military Aviation Systems and Airfield Operations Division. She said she is excited to be working at the wing level again. "I wasn't sure I would ever have the chance to work at a wing again and that was a sad thought, so I couldn't be happier," she said. "This is absolutely where the work gets done." Colonel Bean said her primary focus will be to support the wing commander. "I take seriously the idea of servant leadership. It's my job to support Colonel Berry and support the wing," she said. In addition to energy conservation, one of the wing's top initiatives, she supports compliance and building on the successes of recent inspections. "We are going to be looking at a more robust self-inspection program and following up on the various inspections we have endured the last year," she said. "Once we've gone to all that effort to fix issues, it's important to keep that steady state and to set the bar a little higher. Once you get in a habit of doing things right, and inspecting yourself to ensure you are doing them right, it does get easier over time." Colonel Bean said she would like to be known for helping others work more efficiently and effectively, to help employees "raise their game." She also said workers who have a strong picture of how their job fits with the Air Force mission will be more successful and enjoy their careers more. "Learning how your job fits in to the bigger picture and how valuable you are to the Air Force makes it more interesting to come to work everyday," the vice commander said. "It helps you be a little more creative. It helps you be a little better, because you have a stronger sense of what 'better' is. Air Force service is a wonderful life if you are trying hard to do it well." The colonel said the lowest ranking person with the smallest job in the shop is valuable and can make a difference. "As soon as you figure that out, your career is going to start being fun."