AFMC commander looks to future

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. LuCelia Ball
  • 96th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFMCNS) --  The top officer in Air Force Materiel Command visited Eglin AFB Oct. 8 to speak at the 34th National Defense Industrial Association Symposium.

While visiting, Gen. Bruce Carlson took time to reflect on Team Eglin's contributions to the Global War on Terror.

"Team Eglin is a critical part of the Global War on Terror," he said. "Not just weapons or weapons that are part of normal programs, but weapons that have been very rapidly developed, rapidly fielded and then modified very quickly. As you know, we've modified several of the Small Diameter Bombs so they've become highly effective, low collateral damage weapons."

Another critical part of the mission, he said, are the people that make up Team Eglin.

"It's not just the weapons, it's the people that we send to the area of responsibility who are critical," he said. "I recently spent some time in the AOR. While there, I visited six different bases and met with a number of Eglin people who are deployed.

"Team Eglin people run the hospital at Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq, for 179 days at a time," General Carlson said. "These Airmen are very busy people who provide critical care and stabilize patients for transport. I also met with explosive ordnance disposal units, civil engineers and transportation specialists. They work in a very high operations tempo environment and do some great things for the fight."

The general also commented on how Team Eglin will support future requirements as the Air Force continues to prepare for tomorrow through the development and delivery of advanced weapons systems.

"The great thing about Team Eglin is that, in a phrase, you have it all in one spot," he said. "Team Eglin not only has the laboratories here that provide the feeder technology for what we do in this business, but it also houses the AFRL munitions directorate, the Air Armament Center and its three wings -- all of those entities work together synergistically to provide quick reaction capability to the joint force." 

"There are a lot of customers who come here and find that Eglin, its facilities and the highly trained people here to be absolutely critical to what they are doing in the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the Department of Energy because of the unique capabilities here," General Carlson added.

As General Carlson prepares to retire from the Air Force in November, he wrapped up his visit with parting words for Team Eglin personnel.

"'Thank you' is the simplest way to say it," he said. "It's been an honor to serve alongside incredibly dedicated, talented people. I think the spirit of Team Eglin was demonstrated during Hurricane Katrina where people not only provided medical support and other essential items as well as care for people who evacuated. Eglin also formed an integral part of the rescue operation.

"The spirit of Team Eglin lies in its ability to jump quickly, respond quickly to whatever the situation is -- whether it's a new weapon capability needed in the AOR or help here in your own backyard," General Carlson said. "So thank you to everyone who made Eglin an integral part of the Emerald Coast. I think Eglin is the gemstone in the Emerald Coast."