Air Force Chief of Staff visits Kentucky Air National Guard

  • Published
  • By Capt. James W. Killen
  • 123rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
LOUISVILLE, Ky. --  Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein met with Airmen responsible for the 123rd Airlift Wing’s recent responses to both Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma during a scheduled stop here.

Goldfein toured the 123rd Special Tactics Squadron, the 123rd Contingency Response Group, and met with Airmen from other specialties around the base, as well as senior leaders from the Kentucky Air National Guard and Kentucky Army National Guard.

Maj. Aaron Zamora, director of operations for the 123rd STS, and Chief Master Sgt. Aaron May, operations superintendent for the 123rd STS, briefed Goldfein on the missions of the squadron as well as the working relationship across guard and active-duty teams.

“It was an incredible opportunity and we were able to demonstrate to him that guardian angel and special tactics squadrons across the total force, active, guard and reserve, are able to seamlessly integrate and solve any problem, foreign or domestic,” Zamora said.

Col. Bruce Bancroft, commander of the 123rd Contingency Response Group talked to Goldfein about what it takes to set up an expeditionary airfield in areas impacted by natural disasters and how dedicated his Airmen were to the mission of the CRG.

“Our Airmen are willing and able to drop everything to accomplish our mission here,” Bancroft said. “The community pulls together at a moment’s notice and families, friends and employers all make sure our Airmen have the support necessary to execute any mission we’re asked to execute.”

The 123rd Airlift Wing, the parent organization of the 123rd STS and CRG, are part of the operations responsible for the rescue of thousands of people in Texas after Hurricane Harvey and is currently operating in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to evacuate more than 6,000 U.S. citizens impacted by Hurricane Irma.

Goldfein received his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1983, assuming the post of Air Force Chief of Staff in July 2016. He serves on the Joint Chiefs of Staff and acts as an advisor to the Secretary of Defense, National Security Council and the President.