TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Patricia M. Young recently made her first visit to Tinker Air Force Base since becoming Air Force Materiel Command’s executive director earlier this year.
The visit provided Ms. Young a holistic immersion of the Air Force Sustainment Center to include the 72nd Air Base Wing, the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex and Life Cycle Management Center offices in Bldg. 3001.
Throughout the two-day visit, Ms. Young met with leadership across the complex to gain an overall picture of the role AFSC plays in providing critical sustainment of aviation assets used by the Department of Defense.
During a town hall briefing, Ms. Young, Mr. Jeffrey Allen, AFSC executive director, and Ms. Kathy Watern, executive director of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, spoke with personnel about career broadening and workforce development.
“I wanted to get out and see the workforce,” said Ms. Young. “You are the foundation that runs the Air Force — you execute the mission. Don’t take that for granted because at the senior level, we don’t.”
She added, “Even with all the [career] moves I’ve made … it is fun coming back home to AFMC. They move us SES’s around to continue our development, but also to go out and develop others.”
Mr. Allen attributed his success to workforce development. He said the opportunities to try different things while serving with some great bosses gave him the chance for growth.
Mr. Allen urged the group to network and to keep a good reputation that will follow a person through their career, and also to think big, to set lofty goals and strive to reach them. Not considering himself to be good at big picture, strategic thinking, he said he works to think bigger every day.
He went on to say that we need more science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) classes in the colleges, universities and even the elementary schools to keep Tinker’s sustainment going well into the future.
Ms. Watern encouraged everyone to study the industry and the business of defense and supporting the warfighter.
“Take a few minutes every now and then to think about your career and where your job is going,” she said. “What do you want your career to be? What track do you want to follow? Think of all that we do, touch and feel — we are empowered.”
Ms. Young concluded by thanking everyone and reminding them that partnerships are key to success.
“You are all partners in the workforce, so share ideas. We have the capability to control our own destiny. We’re not the Air Force without you all.”