Hoosier Wing focuses on mission, vision

Published Jan. 27, 2015
By Tech. Sgt. Mark Orders-Woempner
434th ARW Public Affairs

GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- While the mission of the Hoosier Wing has not changed since it received its first KC-135 Stratotanker in 1987, an effort to refocus on that mission is intended to bring changes to the unit's priorities.

Commanders, chiefs, senior air reserve technicians and other 434th Air Refueling Wing leaders gathered together to reevaluate the wing's mission and vision statements, priorities, and objectives for the upcoming year during an enterprise value stream analysis and strategic alignment and deployment event here recently.

"It was great to be able to get the leadership team together to create an enduring mission statement and vision for the 434th ARW," said Col. Doug Schwartz, 434th ARW commander, about the Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, or AFSO21, event.

That mission, as defined in the EVSA event, is "to provide world-class air refueling and combat-ready citizen Airmen answering our nation's call."

Looking ahead, the senior leaders developed a vision that the 434th ARW will "be the premier wing of choice - developing our Airmen and capabilities - fueled by innovation, efficiency and excellence."

The leaders also had to ensure the 434th ARW mission and vision statements aligned with those of the Air Force, Air Force Reserve and 4th Air Force, said Lt. Col. Patricia Latham, 434th ARW process manager.

"The outcome was that we were able to come out with tangible priorities to shape the wing's objectives for the coming year," said Schwartz.

Those priorities included recruiting and retaining high-quality Airmen; training and developing professional Airmen to meet mission requirements; procuring and sustaining state-of-the-art equipment and resources to remain a viable and relevant force; continuously improve through innovation and technology; and exercise and execute the mission with the right people, the right resources, at the right time.

The EVSA event was kicked off with a focused leadership brief from Col. Raymond Kozak, 512th Airflift Wing commander, and Maj. Cathy Anderson, 512th AW process manager.

The event also allowed the 434th ARW's leaders a chance to interact both personally and professionally.

"It enabled us to get the team together so we could get to know each other a little better and share thoughts and ideas from across the various functions in the wing," said Schwartz.

Grissom is home to the 434th Air Refueling Wing, the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command, as well as three Army Reserve units. Airmen, Soldiers and Marines routinely deploy from Grissom around the world in support of the Department of Defense mission and U.S. strategic objectives.

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Mission re-evaluation

Hoosier Wing focuses on mission, vision

Public Affairs Staff