ACC commander visits Seymour Johnson

by Airman 1st Class Brittain Crolley
4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

8/23/2014 - SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Gen. Mike Hostage, commander of Air Combat Command, took time to discuss issues on the minds of 4th Fighter Wing Airmen during a visit here Aug. 21.

Hostage held an all-call, met with local civic leaders, and saw the Airmen and mission firsthand by visiting units across the base.

During his all-call, Hostage discussed everything from physical fitness testing to geopolitics.

"Today we have generations of soldiers who've never worried about the sound of jet noise overhead because they know it's us," Hostage said. "That's not a given. That doesn't come for free. You all make sure that happens."

Hostage noted that is the heart of the mission of ACC--providing combat airpower to America's warfighters.

"We are the combat arm of the Air Force," he said. "Most of you haven't known anything but an expeditionary force. We will remain an expeditionary force. That's our charge; to be ready to produce overwhelming combat power."

The general stressed the importance of the wing's mission to organize, train, equip and maintain combat-ready forces for rapid deployment.

"When bad stuff happens somewhere in the world, they're going to come to us, asking, 'Protect us; defend us; make the bad guys go away,' and our job is to do it; our job is to be ready," he said.

According to Col. Mark Slocum, the wing commander, this is a critical time for the Air Force, and it's important for Airmen to continue meeting challenges head on in order to overcome them.

"General Hostage reinforced the importance of the airpower ACC and Seymour Johnson provide," Slocum said. "He emphasized the vital impact of the combat air power we provide. We have to maintain our high standards of excellence and never forget the trust our nation puts in our Airmen, because lives depend on us."

Hostage rounded out his all-call by highlighting the necessity of airpower not only to Americans but to people across the globe.

"Our nation is a beacon of hope for a lot of other countries where people live under the thumb of an oppressive regime or an oppressive government," Hostage said. "We face threats from regimes that would like to make us go away. The reason that hasn't happened yet and I don't see it happening in the future, is because people like you, and generations before us, fought and died to protect this country. Be proud of your service. Be proud of being an Airman."