Amend takes command of 434th OG, gets back to small town roots Published Dec. 1, 2011 By Tech. Sgt. Mark R. W. Orders-Woempner 434th ARW Public Affairs GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- The sight of cornfields, farm tractors and the occasional horse-and-buggy is typical around Grissom just like any other small town, and it's that small-town atmosphere to which the new 434th Operations Group commander was glad to get back. Col. Christopher Amend took command of the 434th OG, the largest KC-135R Stratotanker flying unit in the Air Force Reserve Command, during a special ceremony held here Nov. 6. "My wife and I are from small towns, and we like the work ethics of the Midwest," said Amend, who is a native of Quincy, Wash., and first joined the Air Force through the Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1986. And, it's those work ethics, found in small towns throughout the U.S. heartland and evident at Grissom, that excited Amend the most about his assignment here. "We get here and see the pride and professionalism with the work and the job they do," Amend elaborated. "It's very refreshing to see that still exists." However, it wasn't just the hard work ethics of Grissom's Airmen the colonel was excited about. While he has never served at Grissom before, he said he was keenly aware of the 434th Air Refueling Wing's capabilities and reputation of getting the job done before he even stepped onto the base. "Grissom has an outstanding reputation; we all know Grissom's reputation," explained Amend. "I've deployed with Grissom personnel and aircraft, and because of that there's a sense of being familiar with the people." The colonel has deployed numerous times and is a veteran of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Northern Watch, Southern Watch, Provide Comfort, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Prior to taking command of the 434th OG, Amend served as a mobilization branch chief for AFRC's Force Generation Center. "My time at AFRC headquarters opened my eyes to how headquarters worked, how we impact other commands, and I got a broad view of what the Air Force Reserve is involved with," he said. "That's one thing I can bring to the job, so when an issue happens locally or headquarters asks us a question, I have a better understanding." During his time here, the colonel said he has a two-part focus, with the first part being on mission accomplishment. "I think the goal is to continue to perform the mission for AFRC, (Air Mobility Command) and the rest of the Air Force," he elaborated. "I have no doubt in my mind the 434th (ARW) will fully accomplish the mission as it has a long history of doing." The colonel's second focus is on the Air Force families, which he called his family. "My goal is to take care of those families while military members are away on missions," said Amend. "After all these years the stress is starting to build and take its toll; we need to help families through these situations. "We're a family," he added. "This family took my wife, and me in and treated us like a family, and it's our job to keep that family strong and provide the resources needed to look out for it." However, the colonel said taking care of both those goals may not be as easy now as it was in the past. "We look at all the budget constraints and the direction the (Department of Defense) is going, and there are uncertain times ahead," he explained. "We need to help each other like a family, just like a brother and sister would do." Amend, who is a command pilot with more than 5,800 flying hours, went on to talk about his love for flying, something he had not had the chance to do a lot of during his last assignment. He recently got his opportunity to get back in the cockpit of a KC-135 and said he loved it. "It was kind of like meeting an old friend," he recalled. "I took a deep breath, looked around, and said 'I remember this.' "I had big grin on my face for the first hour of the sortie," he added. "It was very exciting." Wrapping things up, the colonel said he and his wife are not only excited to be a part of the Grissom team, but hope to make a lasting impression. "We hope to be here for a long time and have a positive influence on the mission of the wing and the people who make this all operate," he concluded. To learn more about Colonel Amend, click here to read his biography. Stay connected with the 434th ARW on Facebook and Twitter.
