Article Display

Team Shaw showcases innovation, partnerships to SEAC

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Destani K. Matheny
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  SEAC Ramon Colon-Lopez, Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, toured the 20th Fighter Wing and met with multiple Team Shaw mission partners, Aug. 2 – 3.

During Colon-Lopez’s first visit to Shaw since becoming SEAC, he received a firsthand look at how Team Shaw remains mission ready 24/7, while striving for innovation at every turn with over 600 aircraft and over 53,000 Airmen and civilians located across the globe.

“Shaw has a sense of community and purpose that is hard to match,” said SEAC Colon-Lopez. “It’s a small base, but a large mission that requires a joint effort. Shaw has a wide range of critical mission capabilities, which are only accomplished because of the skilled and competent Airmen and Soldiers working behind the scenes. It was an honor to spend some time with them.”

SEAC Colon-Lopez began his tour at the 25th Attack Group, U.S. Army Central Command and the 55th Fighter Generation Squadron. Afterwards, he headed to U.S. Air Forces Central Command, the 20th Maintenance Group load barn and the 20th Civil Engineer Squadron.

“During our trip to Shaw, we met Airmen across the entire base who are developing the Joint Force of the future,” said the SEAC. “The 25th ATKG reconnaissance mission is key to ensuring we have current and accurate information on potential threats, not only to ensure mission success, but to provide confidence to the public that we are making calculated decisions.”

The SEAC learned firsthand how the 20th Fighter Wing could not achieve its mission without support and collaboration with mission partners and tenant units that make Team Shaw strategic through his time talking with AFCENT and ARCENT.

The 55th FGS spoke about the reorganization of the 20th Maintenance Group’s aircraft maintenance units into fighter generation squadrons that correspond with their respective fighter squadron. Afterwards, SEAC Colon-Lopez sat in on two hands-on trainings with 55th FGS Airmen in support and hydraulics.

“There’s no doubt that we have the most intelligent service members in the world with innovative ideas to improve our warfighting capabilities,” said the SEAC “Our junior members are going to be fighting the wars of tomorrow. We’re counting on you to bring the technological edge to the next fight.”

SEAC Colon-Lopez also spoke with Airmen in the 20th MXG load barn, and watched a weapons load proficiency training demonstration. Afterwards, SEAC Colon-Lopez was able to load munitions with Airmen and get a firsthand look at the 20th Component Maintenance Squadron egress shop’s newly built compact, fully capable and self-contained deployable egress shop.

“It was an honor to show SEAC Colon-Lopez what Team Shaw brings to the joint fight,” said Chief Master Sgt. Steve Cenov, 20th Fighter Wing command chief. “Together, our Airmen, Soldiers and civilians form an unmatched ability to train, deploy and employ strategic combat power during joint all-domain operations.”