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18th AF Command Chief praises 618th TACC's enlisted force

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Justin Brockhoff
  • 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Eighteenth Air Force's top enlisted member praised the 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center's enlisted force as the 'backbone of air mobility' during a visit to the center, Tuesday.

Chief Master Sgt. James Cody, 18th AF's Command Chief Master Sergeant, spoke with 618th TACC Airmen about the challenges they face while fulfilling their role in AMC's global mobility mission, and recognized them for their part in enabling mission success in the world's largest air operations center.

"The men and women here at the 618th TACC make the mission happen, in large part because they invest the time necessary to develop our enlisted force," said Chief Cody while discussing the importance of training and mentoring on developing Airmen. "There are always behind-the-scenes team members who are constantly pushing others to excel, and it's clear that's a priority in the TACC."

During different portions of the visit, Chief Cody stopped to recognize enlisted members who have been praised by their peers as those 'behind-the-scenes' professionals helping others succeed. The personnel recognized were: Master Sgt. Connie Caldwell, 618th TACC Global Mobility Weather Operations Directorate; Tech. Sgt. Tonia Elliott, 618th TACC Current Operations Directorate; Tech. Sgt. Jeremiah Love, 618th TACC Mobility Management Directorate; Tech. Sgt. Mike O'Connor, 618th TACC Mobility Management Directorate; and Tech. Sgt. Preston Taylor, 618th TACC Command and Control Directorate.

"Peer recognition is the type of recognition that truly matters, because it comes from the people you work with every day," he added.

Chief Cody also made it a point to recognize the efforts of career enlisted aviators who are currently serving as duty officers on the 618th TACC Operations Floor, a position reserved previously for rated officers.

"When an aircraft commander [typically an Air Force captain or above] calls the 618th TACC and reaches a career enlisted aviator, they have a tried-and-true expert who has the right experience and knows the right thing to do," he said. "I think it's a terrific opportunity for our career enlisted aviators in the field to fill these positions."

Master Sgt. Chris Carson, a duty officer in the 618th TACC Command and Control Directorate, echoes Chief Cody's sentiments.

"Serving in this position in the 618th TACC has been an experience that is invaluable to me as an aircrew member," said Sergeant Carson, a C-5 Galaxy loadmaster who was stationed at Travis AFB before coming to the 618th TACC. "I have a much greater understanding of the big picture which will be extremely useful when I go back into the field."

The 618th TACC, located at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is AMC's execution arm for providing America's Global Reach. The 618th TACC plans, schedules and directs a fleet of more than 1,300 mobility aircraft in support of combat delivery and strategic airlift, air refueling and aeromedical evacuation operations around the world.