EC commander hosts conference at Grand Forks AFB

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Jessica Tait
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  The head of the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center brought his senior leaders to Grand Forks on Oct. 12-14, to showcase a "base in transition" during a Commander's Call Conference.

"It was an opportunity to share the various concerns we have with joint basing and with bases in transition like Grand Forks," said Maj. Gen. William J. Bender, commander, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. "The conference provided an opportunity for commanders to discuss issues with the very people who need to understand because they end up being the decision makers and those who provide resources."

In addition to gathering the commanders and command chiefs from within the EC to discuss their concerns, the conference location provided a chance to showcase a Northern Tier base which has successfully transitioned between missions.

"I think that Grand Forks is a fantastic example of what it means to lead through change and to look at the Air Force as an opportunity to make a difference in a different way," said General Bender. "It's a base in transition as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission and the BRAC law of 2005, but it certainly hasn't stopped at all in making a difference for our Air Force."

Conference members enjoyed the opportunity to interact with local community leaders from Grand Forks' Base Realignment Impact Committee, as well as Terry Yonkers, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment, and Logistics.

The Warriors of the North provided a tour of the new facilities here.

"The Grand Forks team, both military and civilian, has always worked on a long-range plan and some 20 years after the initial plans, we now see the good results of that," General Bender said. "A lot of the base infrastructure is brand new and the Air Force would consider well-postured for a future mission because there's not a lot of capital requirements. We had the recent departure of the tanker mission, but it's certainly well-postured for any mission that might come in the future."

He said the new infrastructure was complimented by the hospitable Airmen who made the conference possible.

"I've met so many smiling faces and positive Airmen here and it's been a wonderful visit," said the General. "The unique capabilities that are here now with a new mission, the great infrastructure and new tenant units, make Grand Forks different from some of the other bases within the EC."

General Bender - a former Wing commander at Grand Forks - provided closing words of wisdom for the Warriors of the North.

"My one piece of advice would be to embrace the mission that you're given and to continue to embrace this notion of change because there's no indication that we're going to become a static organization," said General Bender. "In fact, change is probably going to continue and maybe become even more rapid in the years ahead."