EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, California -- Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr., and his wife, Sharene Brown, visited Edwards Air Force Base, California, March 30 – April 1.
Brown met the Airmen, civilians and family members of Team Edwards and the 412th Test Wing. The wing oversees base day-to-day operations and provides support for over 10,000 military, federal civilian and contract personnel assigned to a 481-square mile installation.
“The important test work done at Edwards by the diverse team of Airmen, civilians and contractors is truly outstanding,” Brown said. “Edwards has a long history of breakthroughs and that continues to this day.”
As part of the Air Force Test Center enterprise, the 412th Test Wing plans, conducts, analyzes, and reports on all flight and ground testing of aircraft, weapons systems, software and components as well as modeling and simulation for the U.S. Air Force.
Brown explained that during his time in service, he has personally seen first-hand the technological advancements that were tested at Edwards.
“The thing that impresses me the most at Edwards is the teamwork I see here. In order to accelerate the change we need in the Air Force, Team Edwards understands that no one can do this alone – breaking barriers in the test world is a team sport,” he said.
While Gen. Brown met with base leadership, Mrs. Brown met with Team Edwards spouses to discuss quality-of-life issues. She also participated in the Month of the Military Child Proclamation signing at the Child Development Center.
During his visit, Brown met with Wing leadership and was briefed on the ongoing test missions on the base. Commanders and engineers alike talked about the challenges their teams have faced in the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From scheduling challenges and social distancing safety protocols, Team Edwards were able to think outside the box and accomplish the mission. Brown explained that Test plays an integral role in his charge of “Accelerate Change or Lose.”
“The role that the Wing and Test Center plays is an important one in accelerating the change we need for the Air Force,” Brown said. “Before we give our warfighters the tools to fight our nation’s wars, we have to make sure they are tested and is the best capability we can provide them.”