Twitter
Facebook
Editor’s note: After a week on the ground and getting to know the Airmen of the 86th Airlift Wing, Brig. Gen. Patrick X. Mordente, the wing’s new commander, discussed his values and expectations for Airmen and the wing.
HH: Welcome back to Ramstein. Sir, how do you like being back?
BG Mordente: The whole family was excited when we heard the news. In fact, we spent 3 1/2 years here last time, and we just loved it. It’s an exciting mission here; it’s a very dynamic wing, and there is a lot going on, all set in a beautiful location. So you can work hard and, at the same time, you can really enjoy some of the historic sites … We are excited about being back.
HH: What are your expectations for the Airmen of the 86th Airlift Wing?
BG Mordente: I expect our Airmen to hold the Air Force standard and to be professional both on duty and off duty. When you put on the uniform, there’s a certain trust I think the American people give us, and there’s a certain expectation with that. It’s a huge responsibility to wear the uniform; we are representatives of our county. I think we’ve got some great Airmen in the wing; I’ve been extremely impressed the first week on the ground here with what I’ve seen. The mission is getting done, and it’s getting done very well. We just need to maintain that standard, so that’s what I’ll be looking for.
HH: From June 2010 to June 2011, you were the commander of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia. How did that previous experience prepare you for this position?
BG Mordente: There’s something I find not necessarily unique to this wing, but unique to wings outside of the continental U.S. In some respects, we are in a deployed location here. At any moment, we serve three combatant commands: European Command, Africa Command and Central Command requirements. An Airman on this base could suddenly find a tasking dropped, and they are suddenly picking up their bags, and in 24 hours they are somewhere in North Africa or the Middle East or somewhere supporting a EUCOM requirement. I lived that war-fighter focus for a year in the desert, and I think we have that same mindset here. The other thing is this wing is huge. It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to command here, but this is definitely not a first-time wing commander job. The experiences I learned in the desert, I’ll apply here.
HH: While reading your biography, I noticed you are constantly furthering your education. Why do you think education and professional development are important in today’s Air Force?
BG Mordente: It’s the whole person concept. Education makes you better in every way. You should always try to expand your horizons. My father was prior enlisted in the military during World War II and got his commission afterward. Six months after his retirement, he got his college degree. One of the things he told me as I was heading off to the academy was, “You know, I loved my career and wouldn’t change a thing, but if I could change one thing, I should have taken advantage of the opportunity of the education system in the military.” I took that to heart, and I never said no to school. It made me a better officer and a better Airman; I can give back more to the Air Force. I encourage all Airmen to take advantage of educational opportunities. Whether you are a first-term Airman and you decide that after your service it’s time to go into the civilian world, or you’re a career Airman, either way, we will all put on civilian clothes one day and get another job.
HH: What facet of the Air Force do you find to be the most valuable?
BG Mordente: To me, the most valuable facet of a military career or being someone who wears the uniform is discipline. We are a highly disciplined force. We demand a lot from our Airmen. In my opening talk to my commanders, I ended it with, “If it were easy, everyone would wear the uniform and not everyone does.” It’s a tough life, but it’s hugely rewarding. I think what you will find is, in my opinion, what we’re most respected for is discipline.
HH: From your past assignments, what are you most proud of and what do you think you learned the most from?
BG Mordente: What I’m most proud of is my service. Whether you are an airman 1st class or a general officer, you should be proud of what you contribute to the overall team. When I look back, people say, “What are you most proud of?” I’ve always had good assignments but it’s not pride in an assignment, it’s pride in the service —
what we were doing and what we were accomplishing. As a leader and a squadron commander getting to deploy forward with the 39th, what the team accomplished and what we were able to do made me extremely proud, and I think that’s what every Airman should take away. They should look back and say, “I wore the uniform; I served my country.”
HH: How do you maintain balance in your personal and professional life?
BG Mordente: I had a great mentor when I was a young captain. I was all speed, no vector and hard charging. He pulled me to the side one time and said, “You work hard, and I appreciate that. But never forget your family. The day you retire, God willing, you look to your left and right and your wife and your kids are standing right there with you. Don’t ever forget that.” I have a saying: “I never sacrificed my family for my career, but my family has sacrificed for my career.” I think we are all in that boat if you wear the uniform; you have to understand at the end of the day your kid only graduates once from high school. Your child is only born one time. Your daughter only has one 16th birthday. Those are important moments in your life you will never get back if you miss them. Giving the current ops tempo we have, some folks had to miss those because the mission is important.
If you are all work, I don’t think you are the rounded Airman that we need. You have got to have balance to be able to deal with the stress — both the mental stress and the physical stress. I try to keep everything in perspective, knowing each of the pillars: family, work and, for me personally, spiritual, is very important. If any of those get out of whack, I am probably not performing as well as I could.
HH: Why did you look up to your mentor as a young captain?
BG Mordente: When I was in the desert, my command chief was giving a talk and said, “If you could take every successful Airman and put them under a black light, you would see them covered in fingerprints. It’s the fingerprints of all the NCOs, senior NCOs and officers in that Airman’s life.” I have been very fortunate in my career to have both senior NCOs and officers who have, for whatever reason, looked at me and said, “Hey Mordente isn’t that bad,” and given me an opportunity. Every successful Airman did not get there on their own; they were mentored along the way.
I’m an optimist, and I’m one of those who believe most Airmen come to work wanting to succeed and wanting to do the best they can. When you take the time to mentor, the spark you see in the eye, the spring in the step, the motivation to work, is infectious. It spreads throughout. Being where I am at today is extremely humbling because it was not on my own; there are a lot of folks who got me where I am today. It’s a laundry list of people who have made some time for me. Sometimes just a minute and other times more.
HH: Sir, do you have any final comments?
BG Mordente: If you are a supervisor, commander, first sergeant or chief, you’re in the spotlight, good or bad, and you’re an example. But I want to stress to the Airmen of the wing this mission cannot be accomplished without NCOs, senior NCOs and officers mentoring young Airmen, showing them what the Air Force standard is, how we act and how we accomplish our duty. That’s what’s unique about the Air Force; it’s not just a job, it’s a way of life. The military way is 24/7 all the time. A successful wing is one in which those front-line supervisors are mentoring Airmen and being a good example so our Airmen have a mark on the wall and a direction to head toward.
