WEBVTT 00:03.850 --> 00:04.970 - [Interviewer] Let's start off by saying and spelling 00:04.970 --> 00:06.770 your first and last name? 00:06.770 --> 00:08.030 - Colonel Scott Grant, 00:08.030 --> 00:10.680 S-C-O-T-T G-R-A-N-T. 00:10.680 --> 00:13.800 I'm the commander of the 117th Air Refueling Wing. 00:13.800 --> 00:15.710 - [Interviewer] Awesome, talk to me a little bit 00:15.710 --> 00:19.080 about what happened here today? 00:19.080 --> 00:23.640 - Well, today was part of what is a continuous operation 00:23.640 --> 00:24.730 here at the 117th 00:24.730 --> 00:27.610 and that is the return of our valiant airmen. 00:27.610 --> 00:29.950 They have been deployed around the world 00:29.950 --> 00:31.400 for an extended period of time 00:31.400 --> 00:34.530 and even some extensions due to the COVID pandemic, 00:34.530 --> 00:36.450 but they have been absolutely performing 00:36.450 --> 00:39.190 in an incredible manner around the world 00:39.190 --> 00:41.330 and making sure that our nation's 00:41.330 --> 00:43.774 national objectives are secure. 00:43.774 --> 00:45.735 - [Interviewer] The Major told me that they came back 00:45.735 --> 00:47.540 from somewhere in the Middle East, is that correct? 00:47.540 --> 00:49.030 - That's correct, and we say the Middle East 00:49.030 --> 00:50.330 that's a pretty big place 00:50.330 --> 00:52.920 and you know what, they're from all over that region. 00:52.920 --> 00:55.435 Although we're an Air Refueling Wing 00:55.435 --> 00:59.040 we do more than just support air refueling worldwide 00:59.040 --> 01:02.770 so they are all throughout the Middle Eastern theatre. 01:02.770 --> 01:05.680 - [Interviewer] Yes sir, do you have any questions? 01:05.680 --> 01:07.420 - [Guest] Yeah so just to talk a little bit about 01:07.420 --> 01:09.770 the current state of the wing 01:09.770 --> 01:11.040 with the virus and what we've 01:11.040 --> 01:12.590 been able to do these past few months. 01:12.590 --> 01:14.250 - Well, I couldn't be more proud of the airmen, 01:14.250 --> 01:15.490 I mean we are absolutely committed 01:15.490 --> 01:16.800 to getting this job done, 01:16.800 --> 01:19.170 I'm proud of the fact that the mission 01:19.170 --> 01:22.170 has not failed one bit, 01:22.170 --> 01:25.300 yes we've had a lot of the challenges 01:25.300 --> 01:27.470 that we've seen throughout our entire nation right now 01:27.470 --> 01:28.830 but the mission's getting done. 01:28.830 --> 01:30.600 So our airmen and our young airmen 01:30.600 --> 01:31.890 are coming up with ways to be able 01:31.890 --> 01:34.388 to work on some of these challenges, 01:34.388 --> 01:36.920 we are not (static drowns out speech) 01:36.920 --> 01:38.840 and our nation is secure. 01:38.840 --> 01:40.793 Homeland security and homeland defense 01:40.793 --> 01:43.560 is our number one mission out here 01:43.560 --> 01:46.180 and we have not missed a beat with that whatsoever. 01:46.180 --> 01:48.631 The other thing I wanna say is that I can't 01:48.631 --> 01:52.693 be thankful enough of the families of these airmen 01:52.693 --> 01:55.110 that are coming off these airplanes out here today, 01:55.110 --> 01:57.000 you know what I've always felt that 01:57.000 --> 02:00.080 we as the war fighter or the airmen 02:00.080 --> 02:01.160 we get the easy job, 02:01.160 --> 02:03.037 we go around the world, we do that job 02:03.037 --> 02:06.620 (static drowns out speech) 02:07.860 --> 02:10.000 and they've got the tough job, 02:10.000 --> 02:12.310 and they've gotta keep the home fires going 02:12.310 --> 02:15.463 while we're out doing our nation's work. 02:19.460 --> 02:20.725 You wanna do it again? 02:20.725 --> 02:21.827 - [Interviewer] Yeah maybe just the last part. 02:21.827 --> 02:22.747 - Ask me the question all over again. 02:22.747 --> 02:24.350 - [Interviewer] Mom and dad's being home 02:24.350 --> 02:25.300 while supporting war fighters. 02:25.300 --> 02:27.490 - Okay, one thing I want to go into 02:27.490 --> 02:28.400 a little bit of detail about, 02:28.400 --> 02:30.810 and that is how thankful and proud I am 02:30.810 --> 02:34.400 of our families because our airmen 02:34.400 --> 02:35.520 have got the easy job, 02:35.520 --> 02:36.380 I've always said that, 02:36.380 --> 02:37.550 though they're over there operating 02:37.550 --> 02:39.460 sometimes within harm's way around the world 02:39.460 --> 02:41.170 working around the clock, 02:41.170 --> 02:43.330 you know momma or dad may be the one 02:43.330 --> 02:44.750 left at home with the kids 02:44.750 --> 02:46.710 or the extended family, the grandparents, 02:46.710 --> 02:48.210 the aunts, the uncles, and so forth. 02:48.210 --> 02:52.710 So it takes many people to have one airmen downrange, 02:52.710 --> 02:54.478 it takes the support of their families, 02:54.478 --> 02:56.200 the support of the home wing 02:56.200 --> 02:57.190 to be able to do that 02:57.190 --> 02:59.450 and because of that they're able to go down 02:59.450 --> 03:03.913 and take care of our national defense strategy objectives. 03:05.160 --> 03:06.600 - [Guest] Can you just talk about 03:06.600 --> 03:10.810 being the first one telling 'em goodbye and leading them off 03:10.810 --> 03:12.390 and then the first one to congratulate 'em on the return. 03:12.390 --> 03:15.280 - You bet, that's something I take very serious. 03:15.280 --> 03:17.067 I tell all my subordinates here to say 03:17.067 --> 03:20.177 "You know what? As commanders over here 03:20.177 --> 03:21.980 "we've got great responsibilities." 03:21.980 --> 03:24.790 And when we send off our airmen 03:24.790 --> 03:26.110 to be one of the last ones that 03:26.110 --> 03:28.329 they say goodbye to as they go, 03:28.329 --> 03:30.470 that gives us a sense of ownership 03:30.470 --> 03:32.570 and they know we have that sense of ownership 03:32.570 --> 03:34.790 that we have prepared them the best we can 03:34.790 --> 03:37.140 to go over and do our nation's business 03:37.140 --> 03:38.660 in the safest way possible, 03:38.660 --> 03:39.930 it's our job to get 'em trained 03:39.930 --> 03:40.763 and for them to go over there 03:40.763 --> 03:42.220 and do the safe things they do. 03:42.220 --> 03:44.150 It's also important for them to see us 03:44.150 --> 03:45.510 as they come down that ladder, 03:45.510 --> 03:46.880 even if it's on a Sunday, 03:46.880 --> 03:48.620 even if it's late on a Saturday, 03:48.620 --> 03:50.470 to be out there and for them to see that 03:50.470 --> 03:52.010 and for the families to see it as well 03:52.010 --> 03:54.550 but to be genuine about it because we do care about 'em, 03:54.550 --> 03:57.250 and when they see that genuine care, 03:57.250 --> 03:58.850 they'll go back and do it again. 03:59.790 --> 04:01.130 - [Interviewer] Is there anything else you'd like to add? 04:01.130 --> 04:03.450 - No I just, well actually yes. (laughs) 04:03.450 --> 04:05.600 I can't say how proud I am of the job 04:05.600 --> 04:07.349 that the eleven-hundred professionals 04:07.349 --> 04:10.140 at the 117th Air Refueling Wing does every single day. 04:10.140 --> 04:12.880 We are a family, but we are a family of professionals 04:12.880 --> 04:14.740 and the culture that we have here 04:14.740 --> 04:18.200 is second to none, no matter what anybody says about it 04:18.200 --> 04:19.610 it is absolutely second to none 04:19.610 --> 04:21.670 and what you see here today is a culmination 04:21.670 --> 04:23.850 of just one more trip of many 04:23.850 --> 04:25.180 that these airmen are gonna take and I couldn't 04:25.180 --> 04:27.810 be more proud to be their commander. 04:27.810 --> 04:28.643 All right. 04:28.643 --> 04:29.476 - [Interviewer] Thank you.