TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The new 72nd Air Base Wing command chief is no stranger to Tinker Air Force Base.
In fact, Chief Master Sgt. Keith Scott has spent 11.5 of his 23 year Air Force career here.
“It’s pretty cool to come full circle,” Scott said. “I grew up here as an Airman. I made a lot of mistakes here and learned so much.”
Scott arrived at Tinker as a senior airman in 2001 and left in 2012 with a promotion to senior master sergeant in his future. The majority of his time here was spent in the 72nd Medical Group’s Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight. The last three years were spent in the Airman and Family Readiness Center.
“Being back here now is such a great opportunity. I have a lot to pay back, a lot to pay forward, so that’s what I’m looking to do while I’m here,” he said. “Tinker and the Air Force have been really good to me and my family.”
Scott said he is excited to have this opportunity to serve more people in a different capacity than his previous assignments here.
“The level of engagement and effect you can have to impact other’s lives, you’re just in a sweeter spot, in a perfect position to do for others,” the chief said.
Scott hopes to impact the lives of Tinker Airmen by listening to the Airmen on the ground and truly hearing what they have to say to learn what the current culture is. “Listen to learn and listen to lift,” he said.
“It’s not always some profound strategy: help where you can, pick your moments, slow it down and make sure you are sincere along the way,” he said. “The simple art of being present and engaged is what I’m going to chase. It is these intangibles along with knowing that at the end of the day, sometimes it is as simple as our greatest ability is availability.”
Scott said coming into this position during a pandemic that demands physical distancing at a time when the Air Force has so much going on will require so much more of him as a leader. He is ready to tackle that challenge, alongside the Airmen in the 72nd ABW.
“The medical pandemic of the coronavirus, coupled with the social pandemic of racial disparity and injustice along with our escalating readiness posture requires us to fight through, together,” he said. “Presence and engagement are now more imperative than ever. You simply have to ask yourself, who better than you?
“We have to get it right,” he said. “There have been some sleepless nights thinking about how to do that. Honestly, I don’t have the answer and I am OK with that but I’m going to be looking for what right looks like with the Airmen across Tinker.”
The chief said he’s big on laying his head down at night knowing he made the right action move, not only for the Airmen, but also for his family at home. He and his wife, Kaci, have four children: Riley (19), Kennedi (7), Carter (6) and Luke (3).
Like other parents, the Scotts have had to make difficult decisions concerning their children attending elementary school in-person or virtually due to COVID-19.
“You want to get this so right for your kids, but there’s no absolutes,” he said. “We will just fight through and adjust where we can.”
The same is true when leading Airmen. Scott reiterated how important it is to be present, to get the pulse of the Airmen and to know when something isn’t working.
“I take great pride in leaving myself room to be wrong,” he said. “I’m looking forward to teaming together with the senior NCOs and Airmen across base to make sure we’re present enough in the moment to know when something isn’t going right so we can adjust course, sooner than later. A one degree change of direction can have a great impact down the road.”
After eight years away from Tinker, the Air Force road has brought the Scott family “home.”
“What a story to come full circle to be back here and get the opportunity to pay back to the community that’s done so much for me,” he said. “I’m really stoked about being here and I’m hoping to continue to earn it.”