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COMPACAF: Team Kadena critical to regional security and stability

By Staff Sgt. Omari Bernard, 18th Wing Public Affairs / Published October 30, 2018

Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, visited Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018, to familiarize himself with the 18th Wing’s mission, present his expectations for the Pacific Air Forces and emphasize the importance of Team Kadena’s role in ensuring regional security and stability.
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Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, speaks to Airmen during an all-call at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018. During the all-call, Brown emphasized the importance of Team Kadena’s role in ensuring regional security and stability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Omari Bernard)

Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, visited Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018, to familiarize himself with the 18th Wing’s mission, present his expectations for the Pacific Air Forces and emphasize the importance of Team Kadena’s role in ensuring regional security and stability.
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Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Johnson, PACAF command chief, speak to members of Team Kadena during an all-call at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018. During the all-call, Brown emphasized the importance of Team Kadena’s role in ensuring regional security and stability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Omari Bernard)

Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, visited Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018, to familiarize himself with the 18th Wing’s mission, present his expectations for the Pacific Air Forces and emphasize the importance of Team Kadena’s role in ensuring regional security and stability.
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Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Johnson, PACAF command chief, recognize the efforts made by Master Sgt. Charles Smilinich, 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron aerial support function superintendent, during an all-call at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018. Smilinich was recognized for his efforts in supporting the Thailand cave rescue operation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Omari Bernard)

Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, visited Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018, to familiarize himself with the 18th Wing’s mission, present his expectations for the Pacific Air Forces and emphasize the importance of Team Kadena’s role in ensuring regional security and stability.
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Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, coins Master Sgt. Charles Smilinich, 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron aerial support function superintendent, during an all-call at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018. Smilinich was recognized for his efforts in supporting the Thailand cave rescue operation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Omari Bernard)

Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, visited Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018, to familiarize himself with the 18th Wing’s mission, present his expectations for the Pacific Air Forces and emphasize the importance of Team Kadena’s role in ensuring regional security and stability.
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Airmen from Team Kadena took the opportunity to ask questions of Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Johnson, PACAF command chief, during an all-call at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018. During the all-call, Brown emphasized the importance of Team Kadena’s role in ensuring regional security and stability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Omari Bernard)

Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, visited Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018, to familiarize himself with the 18th Wing’s mission, present his expectations for the Pacific Air Forces and emphasize the importance of Team Kadena’s role in ensuring regional security and stability.
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Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Johnson, Pacific Air Forces command chief, speaks face-to-face with Airmen after an all-call at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018. After the all-call, Johnson answered questions from Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Omari Bernard)

Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, visited Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018, to familiarize himself with the 18th Wing’s mission, present his expectations for the Pacific Air Forces and emphasize the importance of Team Kadena’s role in ensuring regional security and stability.
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Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, speaks face-to-face with Airmen after an all-call at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018. After the all-call, Airmen lined up to speak one-on-one with Brown. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Omari Bernard)

Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, visited Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018, to familiarize himself with the 18th Wing’s mission, present his expectations for the Pacific Air Forces and emphasize the importance of Team Kadena’s role in ensuring regional security and stability.
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Senior Airman Nastassia Michael, 18th Dental Squadron dental lab technician, briefs Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, about the capabilities of the 18th DS’s Area Dental Lab at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018. COMPACAF visited Kadena AB to familiarize himself with the base and its diverse array of capabilities as well as emphasize the importance of Team Kadena’s vital role in ensuring regional security and stability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Omari Bernard)

Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, visited Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018, to familiarize himself with the 18th Wing’s mission, present his expectations for the Pacific Air Forces and emphasize the importance of Team Kadena’s role in ensuring regional security and stability.
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Leadership from the U.S. Pacific Air Forces and 18th Wing, prepare to have a traditional Japanese meal with leadership from Japan’s Southwestern Air Defense Force and local officials Oct. 22, 2018, in Chatan, Japan. The dinner was held to strengthen the working relationship between leaders and bolster future bilateral engagements aimed at improving rapid and precise aerial defense in the region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Micaiah Anthony)

Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, visited Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018, to familiarize himself with the 18th Wing’s mission, present his expectations for the Pacific Air Forces and emphasize the importance of Team Kadena’s role in ensuring regional security and stability.
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Jimmy Schwartz, 18th Wing heritage leader, welcomes U.S. Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, and his wife, Sharene Brown, to Okinawa Oct. 22, 2018, in Chatan, Japan. Brown spent the day visiting units at Kadena Air Base to relay his expectations to Team Kadena and emphasize their vital role of ensuring regional security and stability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Micaiah Anthony)

Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, visited Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018, to familiarize himself with the 18th Wing’s mission, present his expectations for the Pacific Air Forces and emphasize the importance of Team Kadena’s role in ensuring regional security and stability.
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Japan Air Self Defense Force Lt. Gen. Hiroshi Kaminotani, Southwestern Air Defense Force commander, right, and his wife Mieko Kaminotani, welcome U.S. Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, and his wife, Sharene Brown, to Okinawa Oct. 22, 2018, in Chatan, Japan. Brown spent the day visiting units at Kadena Air Base to relay his expectations to Airmen and emphasize their vital role of ensuring regional security and stability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Micaiah Anthony)

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KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan – Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, visited Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2018, to familiarize himself with the 18th Wing’s mission, present his expectations for the Pacific Air Forces and emphasize the importance of Team Kadena’s role in ensuring regional security and stability.

During the visit, Brown and Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Johnson, PACAF command chief, assessed the operational readiness of Team Kadena’s processes such as Rapid Airfield Damage Repair, Agile Combat Employment warfighting concept improvements and theater air refueling challenges.

As Brown and Johnson toured the operational side of Kadena, their wives, Sharene Brown and Stephanie Johnson, visited spouses and schools on base to determine areas they can help raise awareness for and enhance support at Kadena.
 
The Browns and the Johnsons also had an opportunity to share a traditional Japanese meal with Japan Air Self Defense Force Lt. Gen. Hiroshi Kaminotani, Southwestern Air Defense Force commander, and his wife, Mieko Kaminotani, as well as other leaders from Japan’s Southwestern Air Defense Force to further strengthen relationships and discuss opportunities to enhance cooperation and coordination.

While learning more about Team Kadena’s operations during the visit, Brown also took the opportunity to speak to Airmen face-to-face during an all-call and recognize Airmen for their job performance.

“I have three priorities,” Brown said. “They are to stay ready, resilient and postured for the future. We have to be ready to fight tonight, ready to fight tomorrow and ready to fight ten years from now.”

Brown emphasized not only the need to be operationally resilient, but also stressed the importance of every Airman’s role to ensure PACAF stays ready and postured for the future.

“We also have to be resilient in how we take care of ourselves and our families,” Brown explained. “The most important thing we have as a command is our Airmen –their development is the enduring strength and future of PACAF.”

During the all-call, Johnson also spoke to Team Kadena, reinforcing the importance of developing Airmen, resiliency and further emphasizing the importance of readiness.

According to Johnson, readiness is more than just physical training. He believes in empowering the frontline supervisors to know where they fit and how they can effect change.

“It is our duty to ensure that we are ready at all times,” Johnson said. “At the end of the day our NCOs lead the way and we’re going to try to push that leadership back down to where it needs to be at the frontline and really help us increase our readiness.”

In the closing remarks of the all-call, Brown thanked Team Kadena for their dedication to the mission.

“It’s the Airmen, families and civilians that make all of this possible,” Brown said. “Thank you for the sacrifices you and your family make every day that allow us to do what we do.”
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