WEBVTT 00:03.730 --> 00:05.952 Hello , good evening from Senator smith 00:05.952 --> 00:08.008 Joint National Guard base in Alabama 00:08.008 --> 00:09.730 here . Colonel Alan King , the 00:09.730 --> 00:11.730 commander of the 1/17 air refueling 00:11.730 --> 00:13.800 wing and I'm very fortunate and 00:13.800 --> 00:15.800 thankful to be here this evening as 00:15.800 --> 00:18.150 these lawyers deploy to the centcom 00:18.150 --> 00:20.710 area of responsibility . Having been 00:20.710 --> 00:22.988 there many times myself over the years . 00:22.988 --> 00:25.210 I have a deep respect for the sacrifice 00:25.210 --> 00:27.377 these airmen make in their families as 00:27.377 --> 00:29.543 well , especially during this season . 00:29.543 --> 00:31.710 While I had hoped to be greeting these 00:31.710 --> 00:34.000 airmen when they arrived overseas 00:34.040 --> 00:36.320 technologies allowed much of the Air 00:36.320 --> 00:38.380 operations center to relocate to the 00:38.380 --> 00:40.491 absent headquarters at Shaw Air Force 00:40.491 --> 00:43.150 base in south Carolina . This is where 00:43.150 --> 00:45.150 I've been deployed for the last two 00:45.150 --> 00:47.150 months , serving as the director of 00:47.150 --> 00:49.372 mobility forces for the centcom A . O . 00:49.372 --> 00:52.130 R . Now the Director of mobility forces 00:52.140 --> 00:54.084 for the centcom area . Our primary 00:54.084 --> 00:56.280 responsibility is to ensure the 00:56.290 --> 00:59.080 integration of all air mobility assets 00:59.090 --> 01:02.570 provided by AMC and Transcom into the 01:02.570 --> 01:05.170 daily theater requirements as well as 01:05.170 --> 01:07.337 coordinating any emerging requirements 01:07.337 --> 01:09.059 that may occur in that dynamic 01:09.059 --> 01:11.570 environment . On a normal day . I 01:11.570 --> 01:13.737 attend videoconferencing sessions with 01:13.737 --> 01:16.060 the 6 0/9 Air Operations Center . 01:16.070 --> 01:18.620 Forward location in Al Udeid Air Base 01:18.620 --> 01:21.120 Guitar . But my physical location is 01:21.120 --> 01:24.220 inside the 24 7 Air mobility division 01:24.230 --> 01:27.035 headquarters at Shaw Air four . It 01:27.035 --> 01:29.405 allows me to keep tabs on all aspects 01:29.405 --> 01:31.461 of flight operations , including the 01:31.461 --> 01:33.875 refueling sorties flown by the 1/17 A . 01:33.875 --> 01:36.435 R . W . All the cargo missions . Air 01:36.435 --> 01:38.805 EVAC missions in any strategic airlift . 01:38.805 --> 01:40.805 It's flown by U . S . And coalition 01:40.805 --> 01:43.550 forces . So now is absent transitions 01:43.550 --> 01:45.717 from a campaigning headquarters versus 01:45.717 --> 01:47.883 combat operations . Those who deployed 01:47.883 --> 01:49.939 to this A . O . R . Before will most 01:49.939 --> 01:51.994 likely encounter something different 01:51.994 --> 01:53.828 than what we left behind . We're 01:53.828 --> 01:53.760 constantly striving to build 01:53.770 --> 01:56.370 partnerships over posturing . Our 01:56.370 --> 01:58.570 mobility Airmen do not solely serve in 01:58.570 --> 02:01.250 a tactical role more so than airmen of 02:01.250 --> 02:03.250 other career fields . They serve an 02:03.250 --> 02:05.139 ambassadorship role . Whether our 02:05.139 --> 02:06.917 partners are in air refueling , 02:06.917 --> 02:08.840 receiving humanitarian aid , are 02:08.840 --> 02:10.770 learning from our tactics or just 02:10.770 --> 02:12.770 seeing these great tails in the sky 02:12.770 --> 02:14.960 over the centcom Ao our our mobility 02:14.960 --> 02:17.016 airmen are some of the most frequent 02:17.016 --> 02:19.127 touchpoints with our defense partners 02:19.127 --> 02:21.182 in this region . They're critical to 02:21.182 --> 02:22.904 building an integrated defense 02:22.904 --> 02:25.127 structure to better secure this A . O . 02:25.127 --> 02:27.040 R . So I deeply appreciate absent 02:27.040 --> 02:29.250 leadership allowing me to be here with 02:29.260 --> 02:31.060 my wing to deliver this message 02:31.060 --> 02:33.400 firsthand as our airmen go forward to 02:33.410 --> 02:35.632 execute the mission they've trained for 02:35.632 --> 02:38.800 so hard over the years and finally to 02:38.800 --> 02:40.911 the family , friends and loved one of 02:40.911 --> 02:42.967 these dip lawyers tonight I wish you 02:42.967 --> 02:45.078 strength over the next several months 02:45.078 --> 02:47.189 and I offer you my highest confidence 02:47.189 --> 02:49.467 that these are the best trained Airmen . 02:49.467 --> 02:51.411 The Air Force and the Air National 02:51.411 --> 02:53.189 Guard has to offer the years of 02:53.189 --> 02:55.356 experience and institutional knowledge 02:55.356 --> 02:57.244 they bring to the table cannot be 02:57.244 --> 02:59.467 replicated so you can truly be proud of 02:59.467 --> 03:01.578 their service to our country . I look 03:01.578 --> 03:03.744 forward to greeting you all upon their 03:03.744 --> 03:05.911 safe return . May you have a happy and 03:05.911 --> 03:06.510 blessed new Year