Team Aviano welcomes Under Secretary of the Air Force

by Airman 1st Class Ryan Conroy
31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

8/12/2014 - AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy  -- Under Secretary of the Air Force Eric Fanning visited Aviano Air Base, Aug. 7-8, and commended Team Aviano members on their selfless service.

During Fanning's visit to the 31st Fighter Wing, as part of a familiarization tour of U.S. Air Forces assets in Europe, he spoke on the value of strategic capabilities, warrior Airmen of the Air Force and also discussed the budget.

"These drawdowns have had an upside," said Fanning. "It's making the rest of the Department of Defense services notice the impact of having less airpower and the consequences it carries."

The undersecretary recognized ten Team Aviano Airmen and their contribution to the successful relocation of U.S. personnel from the embassy in Libya, thanking them for their service.

"The relationship between the U.S. and Italy is incredibly important especially with escalations in northern Africa and western Europe," said Fanning.

Fanning recognized the unique joint-efforts the Air Force brings to international operations, which directly impact mission success.

"If we fully embrace everything that the Air Force is ... and fully celebrate all that we are as an Air Force, we really become a dynamic service that offers real options to military leaders and the president," Fanning said.

As undersecretary of the Air Force, Fanning considers it his job to fight for resources and tell the Air Force story to military leaders.

"I realize that we are in a budget-constrained Air Force and we need our resources to fight," said Fanning during the all-call. "I'm inspired and impressed by the range of our mission and all the things that I have seen in this tumultuous time at the 60-plus installations I've visited in the last 15 months."

He concluded by saying the Air Force is a vital service that's only going to grow as a mission critical asset in the next 10 to 20 years.

"None of the services can fight the way they do without the Air Force," said Fanning. Combatant commanders want the speed, strength and agility only the Air Force can offer."