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9th AF commander visits 20th FW

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Zade Vadnais
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Maj. Gen. Scott Zobrist, 9th Air Force commander, visited the 20th Fighter Wing to discuss Air Force issues and gain a better understanding of the wing’s mission March 31.

During the visit, Zobrist spoke with representatives from the Spratt Education Center and the 20th Medical Group, who explained their roles in the context of 20th FW’s mission and told him of their recent successes.

“I was very impressed with everyone I met today,” said Zobrist.

Zobrist started the day at the Chief Master Sgt. Emerson E. Williams Dining Facility, where he ate breakfast with Airmen from the 20th FW and answering their questions. He used the opportunity to encourage the junior enlisted Airmen to continue working hard through issues the Air Force is currently facing, such as undermanned staffs, and elevating their ideas for improvement through their leadership chain.

Additionally, Zobrist encouraged everyone he spoke with to make customer service more of a priority and discussed his desire to standardize customer service hours at each 9th AF base.

Zobrist explained standardized customer service hours will boost morale as well as improving the efficiency of individual units, and the wing as a whole, by providing consistent availability to customers.

Following a 20th FW mission brief, Zobrist took time to recognize outstanding performers in the presence of wing leadership.

“I was recognized for having three short-notice deployments and facilitating two Red Flag exercises and one Green Flag exercise in just three months of being a unit deployment manager,” said Staff Sgt. Brandy Gentry, 20th Component Maintenance Squadron UDM. “I was quite honored to be recognized by [Gen.] Zobrist; it absolutely encourages me to continue to work above and beyond expectations.”

Though Zobrist is stationed at Shaw AFB, he said formal wing visits are critical to maintaining healthy communication between the 20th FW and the 9th AF, allowing the wing to more effectively accomplish its primary missions of preparing, employing and sustaining combat-ready F-16 airpower and deliberately developing combat-ready Airmen capable of winning any fight, anywhere, anytime.