Space Command welcomes new command chief Published March 11, 2008 By Ed White Air Force Space Command Public Affairs PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Newly assigned Command Chief Master Sgt. Richard T. Small comes to Air Force Space Command with 24 years of hard-won experience in the Air Force and Joint communities. His responsibility to the commander is for the professional development, military readiness, and mission effectiveness of the command's enlisted Airmen. Chief Small's immediate plans include meeting with the senior leadership of the headquarters staff, then moving forward to the units to meet with field commanders, command chiefs, and their Airmen. "My role and responsibility is to ensure that the enlisted force is prepared to execute the mission and meet the commander's intent," he said. "My job is to listen to the Airmen throughout the command -- commissioned and noncommissioned -- to observe, to interact, to form an opinion, a snapshot in time, of where we are today. "It is this insight which will enable me to give General Kehler a useful assessment of the status of the enlisted force, their strengths, weaknesses, required training and suggest ways to maximize and leverage their potential to ensure continued mission success," Chief Small added. A strongly-committed family man, Chief Small places great importance on the need to take care of the families of Airmen. In particular he understands the difficulties faced by the families of those who are deployed. "Even when you are deployed the mission at home -- the family mission -- continues. So, one-hundred percent of the home mission continues, but with only fifty percent of the manpower. We have a moral obligation to take the best possible care of our families, offering support during these challenging times." Mentoring is also one of Chief Small's concerns. "My role as command chief is the same as every other noncommissioned officer: develop those who will follow in my footsteps," he said. "From space to surface, across the entire spectrum of warfare, nothing gets done in the U.S. Air Force without the NCO corps. We must remain focused on growing the next generation of NCOs and Senior NCOs." Getting Airmen to work on professional development is also one of Chief Small's goals. "I want our Airmen to understand that they are, first and foremost, warriors. And, that warrior ethos is crucial to our continued success as the world's premier air, space, and cyberspace power. Our Airmen do fantastic work. No matter what the task, they always make it happen. They exemplify the attitude, 'no task too difficult, no job too hard.'" For Chief Small, the impact of AFSPC is well known, "In previous roles I have had the opportunity to witness first-hand the impact of this command on combat operations in Southwest Asia," Chief Small said. "Simply put, the men and women of Air Force Space Command - and the capabilities they provide - enable combatant commanders to integrate and synchronize space power in the battlespace." "The vigilance, the reach, and the lethality of our Air Force is underwritten by the skills and abilities of the men and women of this command ... officer, enlisted, civilian, and contractor. Their capability, credibility and faithfulness are the secrets of our success...I'm honored to be on their team," he added.