2007: Challenges and successes

  • Published
  • By Col. Diane Hull
  • 319th Air Refueling Wing commander
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  As we move closer to the end of the year and to the long awaited holiday season, now is the time we should take a look back and review some of the challenges and accomplishments from this past year.

I am always grateful for the chance to lead such a great wing. Despite many obstacles we've had to overcome, I can point to far more success than failure; more triumph than defeat.

During this past year we have truly come together as a team as demonstrated by our wing winning the Air Mobility Command Rodeo "best KC-135 maintenance" award. This says so much about the dedication our maintainers put into keeping 50-year-old aircraft flying. We have also supported high-visibility missions in both the Pacific and the Middle East, further enhancing our wing's reputation as the "go-to" wing for the tough jobs. But, the wing's efforts don't simply revolve around only work and no play. We also took charge and enjoyed the satisfaction of excelling at the AMC matchup contest and earned a second place finish, quite an accomplishment when we compare the size of our base to other larger bases across the command. We even had a great deal of fun and camaraderie at the Air Force Ball, celebrating our Air Force's 60th anniversary, and during the Warrior Day, where we could truly test the wing's best.

It hasn't all been a bed of roses, of course. We have lost fellow Warriors, suffered with our community through an incident of meaningless violence, and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with our neighbors who were devastated by a tornado that destroyed a nearby town. But through it all, the Warriors of the North have held our heads high, stood proudly together and accomplished the mission like the true professionals we are.

So, as we take time these next few months to celebrate with friends and family, take time to remember all we have been through. Know that we are a proud wing with a proud heritage and will overcome any challenge set before us. I am honored to be one of you and look forward to our continued success in the upcoming year.

We are the Warriors of the North...fueling success with America's best!