The new command chief at JBER: Find out what his priorities are

by Air Force Staff Sgt. Sheila deVera
JBER Public Affairs

7/31/2014 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Growing up in the small town of Rodman, N.Y., with a population of 739, the 26-year Air Force veteran wanted to travel and see the world after high school.

While in high school, an Air Force recruiter spoke to the students and caught the attention of one senior-year student, Garry Berry. Intrigued by what the recruiter said, he later went to visit the recruiter's office to get more information.

"The travel and education opportunities appealed to me," Command Chief Master Sgt. Garry Berry, 673d Air Base Wing command chief said. "The Air Force interested me more, since we have numerous specialties that translate well to civilian-sector jobs."

Fast-forward 25 years later, Chief Master Sgt. Garry Berry became the 47th Flying Training Wing command chief, before assuming enlisted leadership from 673d Air Base Wing Command Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Call. Berry's role is to serve as a principal advisor to the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and 673d ABW installation commander on all Air Force enlisted matters, and provide leadership and mentorship to more than 3,200 Airmen in the wing as well as to enlisted Arctic Warriors across the JBER community.

"I had been to Elmendorf Air Force Base in the early 1990s supporting the Silver Flag exercise, spending a week here doing war-skills training for the civil engineers." Berry said. "This was my closest experience here prior to my permanent change of station."
Coming from Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, this is Berry's first joint base as a command chief.

"Laughlin is really traditional - one wing, one mission - with no mission partner on the base, so it is very easy to focus on our single mission," Berry said. "Here [JBER], with the 3rd Wing, 673d Wing, U.S. Army Alaska, Alaskan Command, and all their mission partners, there are a lot of missions here."

Transitioning from one wing to a joint base, the father of three children said the vastness and broadness of the entire mission and all the services requires Airmen and Soldiers to communicate with each other efficiently and effectively meet personnel's requirements and needs.

The 673d Wing provides civil engineering; communications; contracting; supply; transportation; logistics; medical services; personnel; security; housing/lodging; and morale, welfare, and recreation services for more than 43,500 active duty, Reserve, National Guard, retirees, civilians and family members while supporting ALCOM; Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command region; 11th AF; USARAK; 3rd Wing; 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division; 2nd Engineer Brigade; 176th Wing; 477th Fighter Group; and other tenant units residing on the joint base installation.
As the new command chief, he said his priorities to JBER's service members are pretty straightforward.

Championing dignity and respect for our service members.

Making sure we are taking care of each other as a big family.

Develop professional, disciplined and bold leaders.

Berry elaborated on each priority.

"I am a person that wants to treat others the way I wanted to be treated," the husband of 20 years said. "Part of being a professional, whether you are an Airman, Coast Guardsman, Marine, Sailor or Soldier, is treating others with respect; respecting their time and respecting their input.

"There is zero tolerance for sexual assault and harassment; it is incompatible with our core values. We have the wingman and battle buddy concept for our service members to watch out for each other."

He also added service members should stay engaged, stay fit, and get outdoors. "Making sure all of their pillars of wellness [spiritual, emotional, physical, social and family] are strong, they will be fine."

Finally, the last priority [develop professional, disciplined and bold leaders] was from his previous base, and he said brought it here with him.

"We are all professional and part of that is being highly disciplined. While doing that, we have the ability to develop bold leaders - it means we're able to have confidence and skills to make decisions in absence and guidance of leadership, empower our Airmen and Soldiers to make decisions that are within their purview."

"We got a great team out here, and I want to meet as many as I can," Berry said.