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Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, new U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander, outlined his priorities, vision, challenges and personal experiences during an interview Aug. 8 on Ramstein.
“I am so proud of this command — our Airmen have accomplished so much in these past three years,” said Breedlove who left Ramstein in 2009 after serving as 3rd Air Force commander. “We have an incredibly huge mission here, taking care of two vastly different combatant commands in EUCOM and AFRICOM, on two huge continents spanning over 100 countries.”
As fiscal constraints continue to be a concern throughout the Air Force, USAFE leadership is faced with balancing mission requirements and dwindling resources.
Breedlove comes to USAFE from Washington, D.C., where he served as vice chief of staff of the Air Force and was responsible for a broad set of requirements and responsibilities. He managed major acquisition programs, such as Joint Strike Fighter and the Long-Range Strike Bomber. No matter the project, his focus remained on accomplishing the Air Force mission in a constrained fiscal environment with limited resources.
“I think my past assignment will help me make decisions here at USAFE and also help me interact with our NATO partners” he said. “I have a good understanding of the priorities of the chief and secretary of the Air Force.” The general said there will be no immediate changes in USAFE, but said his priorities fall into three areas: mission, Airmen and families.
“Mission is first. Secondly, I truly believe the Airmen are our primary weapon system. Many nations in the world have great air forces; many nations in our world may rival us as our Air Force gets smaller, but no nation in the world has the Airmen that we have,” Breedlove said.
Taking care of the Airmen to enable, train and equip them properly will be one of his focuses, he said. He believes that to accomplish the mission and be an effective Airman, individuals must have their personal priorities in order, and, he said, that begins with the family. After 33 years of marriage to his wife Cindy, Breedlove developed a mantra that he’s coveted for most of his career.
“The family was before the Air Force, the family was during the Air Force, and the family is after the Air Force,” he said. “Family is permanent and the Air Force is temporary.”
With family needs met, the mission takes care of itself, he added.
The Breedloves are no strangers to Europe. This is their seventh tour to the continent, and their fifth tour to Germany. He’s served as commander, 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy; vice commander, 16th Air Force, Ramstein AB, Germany; and commander 3rd AF. His first assignment to Germany with the Air Force was as a captain, F-16 Falcon pilot.
“Captain Breedlove was really focused on being an incredible F-16 pilot,” Breedlove reminisced. “As I come back, it’s not my job to be the ace on the base anymore; it’s my job to organize, train and equip our force to ensure our Airmen meet the demands of both AFRICOM and EUCOM.”
Breedlove will don several hats in his tenure as the USAFE commander. He is in command of U.S. Air Forces Africa and the Allied Air Command and is the director of Joint Air Power Competence Center.
He said he understands the importance of maintaining a fair balance between work and life, and credits his wife for keeping him grounded and focused on their children. A southern gentleman at heart, Breedlove was born and raised in Atlanta, Ga.
“Fried okra, cream corn and sliced red tomatoes,” he said, smiling as he stated his favorite meal. As a Georgia Tech graduate, he spoke on how he thought his Yellow Jackets would fare this football season.
“I will tell you that every year Georgia Tech faces challenges, and they just seem to keep having winning seasons, and keep getting to the bowl games,” he said.
“While they play great football, I am more proud that they graduate a lot of people with engineering degrees who go on to do something other than football.”
Besides football, Breedlove enjoys riding motorcycles. He owns a Harley-Davidson Street Glide and plans to take trips when time permits. “Motorcycling is a part of my family,” he said. “It’s a passion of mine, but more importantly is my passion for motorcycle safety.”
He admits that motorcycle riding can be dangerous, and encourages Airmen to wear protective equipment properly and receive proper training.
“The only way to be an old man like me riding a motorcycle is to ride a motorcycle like an old man,” he said.
In his change of command, he acknowledged the changes he’s seen USAFE Airmen undergo, and said he was blown away by how they accomplished missions in Libya and handled other conflicts.
“I am jealous for not having been here while we conducted missions in places like Libya,” he said. “Day to day, our Airmen do incredible work, and I am proud to be back on the team.”
