Letter from 18th AF Commander

  • Published
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Happy Birthday, U.S. Air Force

Today, as every day, I am proud to be an American Airman.

As someone who has lived all but a handful of years of our Air Force's history, I have a deep and abiding love for our service ... and especially the Airmen who made it (and continue to make it) the finest in the world. It should come as no surprise when I think of our service, I think of the amazing men and women who have crossed my path over the years.

General Colin Powell once said "If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude."

He was obviously an Airman at heart. Excellence is more than just a core value ... it is part of our Air Force's very DNA. In fact, you can trace our commitment to excellence all the way back to the bold Airmen pioneers of our past ... the great leaders whose contributions to our Nation, whose battle-hardened experience and values we celebrate today and pass on to the future.

Not long ago, Col. Earl Young, the first commander of 18th Air Force, celebrated his 100th birthday doing what he loved: flying. However, I would remind you that excellence is agnostic of specialty. It doesn't matter if you are a pilot, a security forces guardian, or a supply Airman. What DOES matter is a daily commitment to being the best. We owe that to ourselves, the American people, and to our heritage.

Col. Young once said, "We've seen a lot of changes in air mobility, but I can tell you ... that the things that have never changed have been our leaders and our Airmen. We've always had the best." I wholeheartedly agree!

As we celebrate our Air Force's birthday this month, and the 10th anniversary of the 18th Air Force's reactivation on October 1st, I hope you will take the time to look back at our proud heritage and the legacy of excellence we've inherited. At the same time, I charge you to focus on the legacy we leave to those who will follow us.

We have the privilege and the great responsibility of forging tomorrow's Air Force - so I challenge you to get it right! Pass on our values, share what you have learned, and work to create a better Air Force. There is no more important job for an Airman, especially when you consider our service is a proud and essential member of the world's finest joint team: no one else can do what we do.

By any objective standard, we have the finest Air Force in our history ... and the finest in the world. We owe it to the Airmen of yesterday and tomorrow to sustain it ... so when we celebrate our service's birthday, remember that what we are really celebrating are people. And that is why, today, as every day, I am proud to be an American Airman. I hope you are too.


DARREN W. McDEW, Lieutenant General, USAF Commander