COMACC visits battlefield Airmen at Pope AAF

by Marvin Krause
43rd Airlift Group

9/15/2015 - POPE ARMY AIRFIELD, N.C. -- U.S. Air Force Gen. Hawk Carlisle, commander of Air Combat Command, met with battlefield Airmen assigned to the 18th Air Support Operations Group during a visit here Sept. 9.

Carlisle's visit included mission briefings and equipment demonstrations by 18th ASOG units including the 682nd Air Support Operations Squadron, 14th Air Support Operations Squadron and 18th Weather Squadron.

The general also presented his commander's coin to several top performing Airmen and held an all-call with Airmen where he answered their questions and praised them for their outstanding service.

"What 18th ASOG is doing forward and what the 18th ASOG is doing across the board is simply spectacular," Carlisle said. "We ask a lot of you folks and you're getting the job done, you're making it happen--you are amazing! What you do for our nation and our Air Force cannot be overstated. You ought to be incredibly proud of yourselves for what you do in defense of this nation."

The general also highlighted the group's impact on the Air Force relationship with the U.S. Army since 2001.

"What you have done with the faith and trust of every officer from the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army down to the junior lieutenants and infantrymen on the ground, you have changed the relationship for our land component brethren--it's phenomenal," Carlisle said. "You have made the Air Force the banner of the Department of Defense and the services."

Carlisle also thanked the group's Airmen for their outstanding service.

"You don't hear it often enough and I can't say it often enough, but thank you," Carlisle said. "From the bottom of my heart, I'll tell you on behalf of Secretary James and General Welsh, you are incredible and we can't thank you enough. The entire American population owes you a debt of gratitude for what you do."