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Acting SecAF tours Travis

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Madelyn Brown
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
Travis Air Force Base, Calif. --  Acting Secretary of the Air Force Eric Fanning visited Travis Air Force Base Aug. 22 and 23 to witness the mission first-hand and engage Airmen in a discussion about the most pressing issues facing the Air Force today.

The most senior leadership of the Department of the Air Force is comprised of two civilian positions, the Secretary and Under Secretary of the Air Force, along with two military positions, the Chief and the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

The Secretary of the Air Force is responsible for organizing, training and equipping more than 700,000 Airmen. As acting Secretary of the Air Force, Fanning temporarily fills both civilian positions on the team until the Senate confirms a new nominee. President Obama recently nominated Deborah Lee James for the position.

Fanning's tour of Travis included stops at the air traffic control tower, a C-17 Globemaster III static, KC-10 Extender static, the KC-10 boom operator simulator, the Air Mobility Command Telephone Operator Consolidated Call Center, David Grant USAF Medical Center's Clinical Investigation Facility, the 60th Aerial Port Squadron and the 621st Contingency Response Wing.

"There is a lot to learn at Travis," Fanning said. "It's a strong base and a great contributor to the mission."

Along the tour, Travis Airmen highlighted their jobs and displayed how they support the bigger mission.

"Meeting Airmen at the wing level is energizing and it's a reminder of what the Air Force mission is all about," Fanning said. "It makes the theoretical debates at the higher level more tangible."

The base tour led up to a breakfast with Airmen to share in a more intimate discussion with the Secretary.

After the breakfast, Fanning held an Airman's all call for a candid discussion about the current state of the Air Force. He started the discussion by addressing budget issues.

"Budget cuts affect more than dollar amounts; it impacts mission readiness as well," Fanning said. "We don't have all the answers, but I need Airmen to stay focused on the mission. We are still the best Air Force the world has ever known and we intend to keep it that way."

Following budget issues, Fanning reiterated the Air Force's no-tolerance policy for sexual assaults and encouraged Airmen to work as a team to eradicate sexual assaults from the Air Force.

"We need Airmen across the Air Force to really give some thought to the sexual assault issue," Fanning said. "Most of us are part of the solution, not the problem. If we put our heads together, we can only become a stronger force."

In addition, Fanning elaborated that he reads every post on the "Every Airman Counts" blog, a tool accessible on Air Force Portal for Airmen to provide suggestions and discuss new ideas.

Along with budget cuts and sexual assault, the military's stance on same-sex couples in the service has become a forefront topic. The issue has been developing since the repeal of the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy in 2011. More recently, the Defense Department began granting federal marriage benefits to all same-sex spouses of service members.

"These advancements are tremendously positive," Fanning said. "The more we can make the Air Force inclusive and the more backgrounds and experiences we bring in, the better we can tackle the major issues we face today."

Fanning acknowledged that although the Air Force faces adversities, he's proud to be a member of it.

"The Air Force is the technical drive of the military," he said. "I appreciate you persevering through all of this and continuing to focus on the mission."