Assignment offers new challenges for ALC vice

  • Published
  • By Ron Mullan
  • Tinker Public Affairs
Col. Brad Ashley, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center vice commander, is being reassigned as the director of Communications, Head-quarters Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
As the senior communicator for AMC, Colonel Ashley will oversee the management of the command's terrestrial and airborne communications, computer and information management resources worldwide.
In addition, Colonel Ashley will be responsible for policy guidance, program management, resource allocation and information management, transfer, and disposition for AMC's communications and computer systems.
The directorate also manages the communications group providing all of AMC's enterprise network management, command and control system software and engineering services.
It's a demanding job and Colonel Ashley said he looks forward to taking on these new challenges.
"AMC is an exciting place and is definitely 'in the fight' ... they provide global mobility and sustainment for America's armed forces," the colonel said. "AMC launches an aircraft once every 85 seconds in support of strategic airlift, air refueling and air evacuation operations around the world. In order to accomplish this huge mission, AMC relies heavily on technology (Global Positioning System), networks, and airborne communications."
During his tenure at Tinker, Colonel Ashley has served as vice commander of both the ALC and 72nd Air Base Wing; positions putting him in close contact and communication with nearly every organization on base.
One of the biggest changes, he said, was the improvement in communications between the various units on base.
"In a base this big with some 28,000 employees and units having limited resources and a tough mission, it is only natural those seams are going to create friction points occasionally," Colonel Ashley said. "But working with the other vices, commanders and command chiefs, the team smoothed things out."
As a result of these efforts, the ALC now conducts joint training exercises with the 552nd Air Control Wing and the 3rd Combat Communications Group. He also led an effort to develop a new Operating Instruction to manage the installation's Augmentee Duty program.
"Everybody had very few young enlisted Airmen and commanders were saying how do I accomplish my own important mission and also provide you augmentees to help with security forces and the mobility lines? It was a huge challenge that had languished for over three years but many months of hard work paid off and now all organizations are working together to meet the requirements," said the colonel.
One of the lasting memories Colonel Ashley said he will take with him is the attitude of the work force.
"Folks just jump in with both feet and lean forward wanting to help," he said. "Rarely do (Maj. Gen. Loren Reno, OC-ALC commander) or I have to worry about motivating or encouraging people to do the right thing, they are naturally programmed to do that here, which you don't always see."
And that, according to the colonel, also applies to the support the base receives from surrounding communities.
"In my opinion, I could take the two best bases I've ever seen and combine them, and they wouldn't come up to the level of community support that Tinker has," Colonel Ashley said. "You go to any quarterly or annual awards banquets, Senior Noncommissioned Officer and Chief induction ceremonies and see the tremendous number of business leaders, chamber folks, local business people, families and friends who are there because they want to be there. It is especially great for our young Airmen and NCOs to walk off the stage with an armful of goodies, congratulations, mementos and prizes for doing a great job for their nation."
Looking into the future, Colonel Ashley pointed to one program that he has spent considerable time working on since arriving on base.
"One of the most exciting things is the Tinker Aerospace Center-9000 Project," he said. "I think it shows great promise and could raise Tinker to a new plateau. It's going to be a huge increment change because we would be able to tear down dozens of old buildings from the '40s, '50s, '60s and '70s, putting our people in a much safer and more productive work space and allow us to accept more workload."
Though the prospect of a new assignment is exciting, it will be tough to leave Tinker.
"We absolutely love it here," Colonel Ashley said. "We heard nothing but great things before we got here from lots of folks, and it was better than I ever imagined."
As the proud daughter of a retired Air Force chief master sergeant, Susan Ashley is an old hand at moving from place to place and, according to the colonel, can sometimes be a tough sell on new locations.
"We both just fell in love with the people, the community and the support here, and after only two months Susan said, 'I think we should retire here.' It's definitely on our short list for retirement locations," Colonel Ashley said.