3rd Air Force commander visits Spangdahlem

by Airman 1st Class Dylan Nuckolls
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

12/12/2014 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Darryl Roberson, 3rd Air Force and 17th Expeditionary Air Force commander, completed his immersion tour of the 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Dec. 10, 2014.

Roberson, a previous wing commander at Spangdahlem from 2006-2008, toured the new facilities that were not here during his command. He also met with outstanding performers for lunch, held an all call to speak to Saber Nation and spent a day with the 480th Fighter Squadron.

Roberson talked to the wing about his three priorities-which are motivational mission accomplishment, compassionate care of our Airmen and families, and the constant drive to improve and innovate-and some of the issues facing the Air Force today.

He challenged Spangdahlem Airmen to make procedures better and improve on practices which fall under Roberson's priority of demonstrating a constant drive to improve and innovate.

"Make it better than it was when you got here, wherever your job is, whatever you're doing, make it better than it was when you got here," he continued.

Before the all call, Roberson met with the outstanding performers from the base, getting to know the Airmen, answering their questions and thanking them for what they do.

"It was good to see how much a person of his rank values the Airmen," said U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Jessica Cunningham, a 52nd Force Support Squadron food service apprentice. "Not just the higher ranking, but the lower ranking Airmen who do the grunt work on a day-to-day basis. It is always a great thing to have someone so high up on the totem pole tell you that your job is imperative, and that the work you do matters."

Before completing the all call, Roberson took time to thank Saber Nation for the things they do.

"There is a lot that goes on right here at Spangdahlem that is fundamentally critical to America and to NATO," Roberson said. "So I thank you for that and thank you for what you do each day."