Conference valuable opportunity for wing leaders Published Oct. 2, 2007 By Col. Jay Raymond 21st Space Wing commander PETERSON AFB, Colo. -- Last week, commanders from across the wing traveled to Peterson AFB for the 21st Space Wing Commander's Conference. This semi-annual event was a great opportunity for commanders and key members of the wing staff to get together to discuss important issues facing the wing. It was also an opportunity for various agencies to provide updates on a number of topics ranging from personnel, finance, and safety all the way to medical readiness, operations, and anti-terrorism/force protection. However, perhaps the most valuable aspect to the conference was the ability of the wing's squadron and group leadership to share significant lessons learned with one another in a face-to-face setting. I would like to pass on my sincere thanks to Mr. Al Strait for putting the entire conference together. Without his leadership and oversight, the conference would have never gone as smoothly as it did. In addition, I want to recognize Capt. Rob Depperschmidt, and 2nd Lts. Rickey Anderson and Paul Wilcox for their contributions prior to and throughout the conference. Their logistical support, coordination, and overall enthusiasm were invaluable in establishing such a productive environment for the two days of meetings. One of the things we stressed at the conference is the significant role the 21st Space Wing plays in fulfilling not only the Air Force Space Command mission, but also the overall Air Force mission and priorities. The AFSPC mission, to deliver trained and ready Airmen with unrivaled space capabilities to defend America, is synonymous with what this wing does on a daily basis -- conducting flawless missile warning and space control operations while at the same time deploying Warrior Airmen. The ability of the 21st Space Wing to deliver these kinds of space effects and deployed personnel in support of America's joint forces are keys to achieving the Air Force's number one priority of fighting and winning the Global War on Terror. The way we execute our mission is a four-tiered philosophy that I've emphasized since assuming command in June: 1) Providing flawless space superiority for our Nation. Because of the criticality of our mission, we cannot afford to accept anything less. As I've said all along, this is our standard, not our goal. 2) Maintaining a crisp organization. This simply means paying attention to the details and taking care of the things you can control. 3) Taking ownership and being accountable. Every member of the 21st Space Wing should know that this is your wing, your base, and your mission. I need everyone to keep this in mind and continue to do their jobs to the best of their ability. 4) Developing leaders at all levels. It's absolutely critical that we take care of this priority. If we only go as far as senior leadership takes us, then we will not be as successful as we need to be. Speaking of developing leaders, I had the privilege of attending Airman Leadership School's class 07-7 graduation Sept. 27. In a class full of outstanding Airmen, there were a few who stood out for their exceptional performance. Senior Airman Jeffrey Quast, 21st Operations Support Squadron, took home the "Academic Achievement Award"; Staff Sgt. Alex Mattar, 21st Security Forces Squadron, garnered the "Leadership Award"; and Senior Airman Weston Brehe of the Space and Missile Center earned recognition as Distinguished Graduate. The John L. Levitow Honor Graduate Award went to Senior Airman Sara Smyer, 21st SW Command Post. The Levitow Award is the highest honor that can be awarded to any graduate in any level of enlisted PME. And finally, I would be remiss in not mentioning the efforts of all those individuals and agencies who worked so hard the past several months in posturing the wing for the execution of end-of-year funding. This list includes commanders, resource advisors, and GPC cardholders as well as the folks from the 21st Comptroller Squadron, 21st Contracting Squadron, and 21st Civil Engineering Squadron. Their hard work will be seen for years to come as the funding went toward buying down operational risk, base infrastructure, and quality of life areas. Once again, my personal thanks to all of these Airmen for their flawless performance in taking us through one of the largest closeouts in the history of the wing.