Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaksa -- Ten years ago, the Air Force wisely laid in a Fighter Classic Associate on the F-22 Mission here at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
In that time, we’ve grown from seven to 400 souls and we've grown with the F-22, & the AIR DOMINANCE Mission. And today we are here to recognize a piece of that AIR DOMINANCE endeavor, our 477th Fighter Group Force Support Squadron professionals.
To the men and women of the FSS, you are the unsung heroes of support here in the glass palace of Mundy Avenue.
"Your support is VITAL – you PRODUCE & DOCUMENT READINESS – keep our records straight, ORDERS to deploy to KILL the BAD GUYS – and even DEPLOY yourselves. The FSS is a critical ENABLER.
Today we say good bye to the trusty leader, Lt. Col. Jennifer Page, along with her family, thanks for serving something bigger than yourself.
In her tenure as commander, Page TACKLED a year-long operations and maintenance deployment cycle which included 64 deployers at the same time FSS took hits with its own 6-month deployers. She also oversaw the transition from communication Airmen to CYBER warriors and chipped away at the elephant of process improvements – including DIGITAL marketing-Virtual FSS & working SharePoint into job ticket resolution. Page organized GREAT training – especially Services training, integrating with the Air National Guard during their annual MAD BULL exercise.
Lt. Col. Page has DONE EVERYTHING I ASKED OF HER WITHOUT ALL THE TOOLS, RESOURCES, or PEOPLE SHE NEEDED, and she’ll land on her feet as she competes for O-6 jobs in either the logistics or personnel fields.
We transition the guidon today to Lt. Col. Brian "Barley" Baldwin. The phrase that comes to mind when I reflect on picking BARLEY is AUDENTES FORTUNA JUVAT- "Fortune favors the BOLD." Picking BARLEY is a BOLD choice, but the RIGHT CHOICE & the RIGHT TIME.
To his family, THANKS for supporting the move, this step up, and this responsibility. We ask a lot of our commanders & I thank you & apologize in advance for the time & effort it is going to take to support BARLEY as a commander.
BARLEY, thanks for raising your hand & leaving the comfy confines of the PACAF exercise world & going all in on the unit program. You’re the right guy. I can’t wait to see the FSS flourish under your leadership.
You have the character & competence to lead our FORCE SUPPORT Citizen Airmen. As iron sharpens iron – BARLEY is going to take Page’s work & ONLY IMPROVE on it.
It’s a big day for the 477th Fighter Group & for the 477th Force Support Squadron. Let's do this."