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The 3rd Air Force and 17th Expeditionary Air Force commander, Lt. Gen. Darryl Roberson, visited 86th Airlift Wing Airmen and saw their capabilities during an immersion tour Aug. 28 on Ramstein.
As the new commander, visits such as these allow him to see firsthand Ramstein’s impact on the Air Force mission.
“The 86th Airlift Wing’s mission is directly tied to the Air Force’s mission,” Roberson said. “We’re at a strategic location here. Missions flown out of here support Europe and Africa, and the responsibilities and power that is projected from Ramstein will only grow as the mission in Africa grows.”
The immersion began with breakfast alongside Airmen of all ranks. He talked to them about leadership and the future of the Air Force. He also addressed the Airmen’s concerns about current topics and gave them insight on what has helped him get to where he is now.
“It was a privilege and honor to have the opportunity to sit next to someone who has accomplished so much in his Air Force career,” said Staff Sgt. Brook Jones, 86th Material Maintenance Squadron resource adviser. “After listening to his opinions and
knowledge of the Air force, it motivated me to … strive to be the best Airman I can be and to let my hard work and determination speak for itself.”
After the meal, Roberson toured many Ramstein facilities, including the air traffic control tower, dual bay hangar, precision measurement equipment laboratory and the communications building. He met with Airmen from different units and listened to them explain their jobs.
“Being stationed at Ramstein, I’m familiar with the 86th Airlift Wing,” Roberson said. “I see their work on a daily basis, but to get intimate like I did today and really get down and see some specifics of what our Airmen are doing (for our Air Force) is phenomenal.”
Roberson’s first assignment was to Ramstein in 1985 as an F-4E Phantom II pilot. The base has seen several changes since then, most notably a flightline filled with C-130J Super Hercules.
The command pilot with 5,000 hours in fighter aircraft had his first opportunity to experience the tactical airlift side of the Air Force when he joined an aircrew from the 37th Airlift Squadron on a C-130J training flight.
“That flight was awesome,” Roberson said. “I was really impressed with the maneuverability of the aircraft. The power and responsiveness compared to prior C-130s was really impressive.”
Just as the quality of aircraft has evolved over the many years, the Airmen have done the same.
“The quality of Airmen has never been higher,” Roberson said. “Our mission couldn’t happen without the 86th Airlift Wing. I’m so proud of our Airmen. They’re doing incredible work.”
