Teamwork equals success

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Charles Meador
  • 90th Security Forces Group security forces manager
F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo. --  In the last three months, Warren has been challenged to make several events happen; the 20th Air Force change of command, Fort D. A. Russell Days, Cheyenne Frontier Days and Maj. Gen. C. Donald Alston's, 20th Air Force commander, first official visit to his command.

We enjoyed visitors from every walk of life; governors, members of Congress, Air Force leadership from the Chief of Staff down, retired officers and commanders, civil leaders from the local communities and various other dignitaries. Warren once again proved it was the shining star of 20th AF and Air Force Global Strike Command.

Through all this, Col. Greg Tims, 90th Missile Wing commander, and our senior leadership received accolades from all stating "outstanding leadership" was the key to our recent successes. Senior leadership will say "teamwork" was the key to our success.

Leaders provide vision and direction; people make it happen. There were committee heads and many important people involved in determining how the final events would look or evolve to ensure proper procedures were accomplished to maintain protocol and continue the storied history of all of the events. The good thing about this is there is history and continuity to ensure all "I's" are dotted and "T's" crossed. However, it's the people behind the scenes who are the critical pieces as they have to adapt to current circumstances to make these things happen seamlessly without issue.

I ask you to think back to any of the events you attended and ponder about what it took to make it happen. Communication, logistics, security, construction, protocol, and public affairs do not just happen. Each of these had Airmen - Airmen, NCOs, officers and civilians - making the little things connect to ensure the big picture happened. To add to this, personnel were brought in from days off to march, provide crowd control and volunteer to work booths to raise funds for their charities or they just volunteered to ensure the events happened.

The people it takes to make these events happen is really significant; however, until you add in the day-to-day mission of providing preeminent combat capability and ensuring we are ready to fight anytime, anywhere can you begin to see just how special Warren's people are.

They gave up days off, worked early and stayed late, and followed up at every turn to ensure all pieces of the puzzle were in place to ensure our leaders' vision was accomplished.

This means it took everyone, from the Airman at the gate being professional and smiling, the bartender being efficient and joyful, the tents, parking, traffic control for all were in the right place, and protocol doing all the right things to ensure every dignitary, at each level, was treated with the respect their position was due.

Through all of this we still, as the 90th MW, sent more than 300 personnel to the field daily to ensure we sleep peacefully at night. Everyone understanding the mission, their role and how important they are drives our success as a wing. People are our most important asset, and they make it happen through teamwork.

I would challenge everyone who works behind the scenes to look at each other and say, "You're a winner." The 90th MW is the best wing in 20th AF, and our partnership with the Cheyenne community being second-to-none, is a direct reflection of our ability to succeed through teamwork.