AMC commander visits Incirlik Air Base

Published May 28, 2009
By Tech. Sgt. Joseph Kapinos
39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey -- General Arthur J. Lichte, commander of Air Mobility Command, visited Airmen and toured facilities during a visit to Incirlik Air Base May 20-22.

The visit was part of an 11-country tour inspecting air mobility operations across Europe and the Middle East, including a new North Atlantic Treaty Organization C-17 operations base in Papa, Hungary.

General Lichte said he was impressed with what he saw during his visit, but was most impressed with the Airmen moving cargo and troops and conducting air refueling missions every day.

"Incirlik is absolutely vital to the warfighter downrange," General Lichte said. "For us in Air Mobility Command, this is the major hub. Everything that goes on in Iraq and Afghanistan usually is affected by what happens here.

"So it's is absolutely essential we get it right," he added. "And from what I have seen, meeting the people who do the mission, I am confident we have the right people here; they are doing the right things and are saving lives every day."

Also during the visit, the AMC commander formally presenting the award of best AMC Air Mobility Control Center to members of the 728th AMCC. The center here was named the best en route system command and control center in AMC earlier this year, an event which came as no surprise to the command's senior leader.

"From meeting the folks here this morning, I can tell you they are the best and have proved that day in and day out," said General Lichte. "For me to come here and personally shake their hands was a real honor. This award is well deserved as they are doing a very good job in a tough and demanding environment."

During the two-day visit, General and Mrs. Lichte toured the base and met with Airmen supporting the AMC mission, including the 385th Air Expeditionary Group and the 728th Air Mobility Squadron. The group is comprised of aircrews that fly the KC-135 Stratotanker and C-17 Globemaster III, while the mobility squadron handles command and control, maintenance, and aerial port operations for AMC tasked aircraft missions.

General Lichte also had the opportunity to participate in one of the air refueling missions that depart Incirlik on a daily basis. After returning to the base and touring the maintenance facility and meeting the hard working maintainers, he remarked on how well the base is able to handle the different mission sets.

"This is what Air Mobility Command is all about," said General Lichte. "This base has airlift and air refueling. Couple that with our third core competency, aeromedical evacuation, and you can see that everything AMC does on a daily basis is taking place right here at Incirlik."

After thanking base leadership for their hospitality, General Lichte took controls of another AMC asset, a KC-10 Extender air refueling aircraft, waved to the crowd and taxied to the runway. Many of the Airmen present were grateful to the commander for taking time to recognize the efforts of Incirlik's AMC warriors.

"Our maintainers, aerial porters and command and control specialists are doing a phenomenal job of moving nearly 260 tons of cargo every day," said Lt. Col. Scott Morris, 728th AMS commander. "It was fantastic to have General Lichte come out to validate how vital our mission is to the world and to see how hard the Airmen of the AMS are working to support the warfighter."