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New squadron commander: Airmen are unit's greatest asset

  • Published
  • By Maj. Joseph Zackaricz
  • 714th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  The following is an excerpt from a speech delivered by Maj. Joseph Zackaricz during the ceremony in which he assumed command of the 714th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

The 714th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron has been involved in nearly every single contingency and humanitarian mission the Air Force has successfully accomplished ever since the KC-10 Extender arrived here.

Whether it was Operation RESTORE HOPE, ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM, or flying refugees out of a war-torn Kosovo, or supporting relief efforts to provide aid to victims of natural disasters, we have had and continue to have aircraft in the fight. The aircraft were made mission-capable through the blood, sweat and tears of the 714th AMXS, the back bone that has worked hand in hand with our active-duty brethren to enable this wing to successfully fly a complex and aging weapons system to its fullest capability.

I am amazed every day at what this squadron is able to accomplish, and I am extremely proud to be a part of it.

As a wing, it is our mission to train for active duty in order to enhance our nation's air-mobility capability and to be combat ready so we can augment our active-duty counterparts and ensure our aircraft are fully utilized.

It is my goal to provide a highly trained and fully-qualified aircraft maintenance workforce capable of performing anywhere in the world at any time. We will continue to strengthen the relationship with active-duty maintainers and our aircraft operators.

We find ourselves once again facing numerous challenges following another highly successful year. We just sent another team overseas. We are looking at another deployment in the near future. We are continuing to prepare for multiple inspections. Not to mention the turbulent times we are in with an ever-changing threat to our nation and complex fiscal challenges.

Yet despite numerous uncertainties and some seemingly insurmountable demands, there is no doubt in my mind we will once again succeed. We possess a critical strategic capability that touches all of the enduring contributions such as air superiority and rapid global mobility, that when combined, makes us the greatest Air Force in the world.

Our Air Force mission is clear - to fly, to fight and win. Its greatest strength is our Airmen. So my charter is to ensure our squadron's men and women, our greatest asset, are provided with the best I can give, so they can be what they are - our future.

The road ahead is not easy, but through our conviction, hard work and integrity, the way ahead will always be clear. The demands on everyone will be difficult. However, we are all accountable for our success, and as team, we will succeed through personnel accountability, selfless dedication and trust.

You are all expert craftsman, and that collective expertise and innovation will provide the tools we need to travel along the road before us. As always, I ask for your best, your integrity and your service, and you should expect the same from me.