Command Chief says 'sayonara' to Kadena

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Angelique Perez
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AB, JAPAN --  As 18th Wing command chief, Chief Master Sgt. Jack Johnson Jr., prepares to leave for his new position as the Third Air Force command chief at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, he offered some farewell thoughts for Team Kadena. 

In his final interview, the chief touched upon the strength of the diverse working relationships at Kadena, his desire to develop more capable Airmen, and the importance of family. 

The success of the Team Kadena hinges on the relationships that the 18th Wing has built with its associate units, its joint partners, its Japanese allies, and all of the families who support the mission every day, said Chief Johnson. 

"One of the things we do here very well is we acknowledge is that it's not just one group or one organization that makes Team Kadena a success," said the chief. "It's all of us. We are the largest combat wing in the Air Force. There's nowhere else, that I believe, in our military that we can bring this much diversity." 

During his time at Kadena, one of the chief's areas of focus has been on professional development. From day one, Chief Johnson challenged the senior enlisted leadership to look up and down their organizations and to play a greater role in setting Airmen up for success. 

"We're expecting a different Airman today," said Chief Johnson. "Whether it is fitness, professional military education, your personal education and so on, the Air Force is looking at professionalizing our Airmen and it's something that I believe heavily in." 

Chief Johnson put great emphasis on Airmen being more aware of the changes that are going on within their organizations and developing a greater understanding of how their units and the entire Air Force support national objectives. 

"That's my biggest challenge to our leaders of tomorrow," said the Command Chief. "The status quo is gone. We've got to know that our Airmen are prepared for tomorrow's fight personally, professionally, mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually -- or you are behind."
Another of Chief Johnson's priorities during his stint at Kadena has been making sure that Airmen are able to take care of their families. The chief stressed that when families are happy, Airmen are more productive and able to focus on the mission. 

The Chief said he is excited to go to Ramstein because it will give him the opportunity to use all of the education and training that he has been afforded throughout his career, ranging from his professional military education to his master's degree in homeland security. 

He challenged Airmen to constantly seek out ways to grow and learn now because the Air Force needs Airmen that are motivated and able to take advantage of the opportunities that are presented to them. 

Stressing the concept of the "Strategic Airman," the chief encouraged Kadena Airmen to focus on a daily basis on being good ambassadors for the United States. When people fall short of this goal because of behavioral or performance issues, they have the potential to disrupt the Air Force's good relations with the Okinawan community, added Chief Johnson. 

Finally, Chief Johnson praised Kadena Airmen for the great support they provided him that allowed him to be an effective leader and mentor during his 18-month tour here. 

"As a command chief, I might be the senior enlisted leader but the stripes that I wear are not mine, they belong to the Airmen," said the Chief. "These stripes are yours to use and I'm excited to say that has allowed me to be effective for the benefit of our Airmen and our Air Force as a whole."