WEBVTT 00:03.309 --> 00:05.659 Good afternoon . On behalf of our 00:05.670 --> 00:07.570 presiding officer General Duke Z 00:07.579 --> 00:09.412 Richardson , Commander Air Force 00:09.412 --> 00:11.729 Material Command . Welcome to the 00:11.739 --> 00:13.795 National Museum of the United States 00:13.795 --> 00:16.017 Air Force at Wright Patterson Air Force 00:16.017 --> 00:18.183 Base , Ohio . Today Lieutenant General 00:18.183 --> 00:20.350 Donna D Shipton will assume command of 00:20.350 --> 00:22.350 the Air Force Life Cycle Management 00:22.350 --> 00:24.461 Center . I'm Lieutenant Colonel Chuck 00:24.461 --> 00:26.517 mcneil , your narrator . For today's 00:26.517 --> 00:28.683 ceremony , we are honored to have some 00:28.683 --> 00:30.739 special guests with us today . First 00:30.739 --> 00:32.906 Colonel Pat Morrow , United States Air 00:32.906 --> 00:35.110 Force , retired spouse of Lieutenant 00:35.119 --> 00:38.040 General Shipton . Mhm . 00:42.569 --> 00:44.736 We're also very pleased to welcome our 00:44.736 --> 00:47.069 distinguished guests here with us today . 00:47.069 --> 00:49.069 Please hold your applause until the 00:49.069 --> 00:52.240 very last introduction . First Miss 00:52.250 --> 00:54.209 Sandra Brasington , representing 00:54.220 --> 00:56.387 Governor Mike Dewine , the governor of 00:56.387 --> 00:58.779 the state of Ohio . Mayor Sarah Mays 00:59.049 --> 01:02.080 gov uh mayor of city of Xenia , Mayor 01:02.090 --> 01:04.760 Don Adams of the city of Beaver Creek 01:04.930 --> 01:07.360 and mayor Peter Williams of the city of 01:07.370 --> 01:10.510 Riverside and his spouse Rebecca from 01:10.519 --> 01:12.741 Air Force Material Command , Lieutenant 01:12.741 --> 01:15.019 General Linda Hurry , deputy commander , 01:15.860 --> 01:18.400 Miss Lorna Estep , executive director 01:19.379 --> 01:21.712 and chief master Sergeant , David Flosi , 01:21.712 --> 01:25.089 command , chief , former Air Force Life 01:25.099 --> 01:27.155 Cycle management center commanders , 01:27.155 --> 01:29.377 Lieutenant General Jack Hudson , United 01:29.377 --> 01:31.321 States Air Force retired attending 01:31.330 --> 01:33.219 virtually Lieutenant General John 01:33.219 --> 01:35.163 Thompson , United States Air Force 01:35.163 --> 01:37.129 retired with us today . Lieutenant 01:37.139 --> 01:39.361 General Robert mcmurray , United States 01:39.361 --> 01:41.470 Air Force retired . Also attending 01:41.480 --> 01:43.369 virtually Lieutenant General Sean 01:43.369 --> 01:45.536 Morris United States Air Force retired 01:46.480 --> 01:48.860 Mr Dennis d'angelo Air Force Life Cycle 01:48.870 --> 01:51.037 Management center , executive director 01:51.037 --> 01:53.769 and his spouse , Sandy , Miss Kathy , 01:53.779 --> 01:56.019 water , Director of manpower Personnel 01:56.029 --> 01:58.251 and services director at headquarters , 01:58.251 --> 02:00.410 Air Force Material Command and former 02:00.419 --> 02:02.697 Air Force Life Cycle management center , 02:02.697 --> 02:05.120 executive director , Colonel John Curan 02:05.339 --> 02:07.617 Air Force Life cycle management center , 02:07.617 --> 02:10.718 deputy commander , Colonel Terry Quick , 02:10.729 --> 02:12.896 former Air Force life cycle management 02:12.896 --> 02:15.118 center , Vice commander , Colonel Brady 02:15.289 --> 02:17.699 Houbolt , United States Air Force 02:17.710 --> 02:20.410 retired former uh air Force life cycle 02:20.419 --> 02:22.475 management center . Vice commander , 02:22.475 --> 02:24.641 chief master Sergeant , Bill Fitch Air 02:24.641 --> 02:26.586 Force Life cycle management center 02:26.586 --> 02:28.586 command chief and his spouse Denise 02:28.586 --> 02:30.752 former Air Force Life Cycle management 02:30.752 --> 02:32.641 center command chief chief master 02:32.641 --> 02:34.752 Sergeant , Troy Croft , United States 02:34.752 --> 02:36.808 Air Force retired from the Air Force 02:36.808 --> 02:38.752 research laboratory , Colonel Joel 02:38.752 --> 02:41.250 Luker , vice Commander , former Air 02:41.259 --> 02:43.203 Force Research laboratory , Deputy 02:43.203 --> 02:45.092 commander , Colonel Elena Oberg , 02:45.092 --> 02:47.149 United States Air Force retired her 02:47.160 --> 02:49.216 spouse , Eric and their son , Rilo , 02:50.169 --> 02:52.391 chief master Sergeant , Carlos Labrador 02:52.391 --> 02:55.050 Command chief . We also welcome all 02:55.059 --> 02:57.003 community representatives , senior 02:57.003 --> 02:59.170 officers , commanders , chiefs , first 02:59.170 --> 03:01.470 sergeants , friends , family airmen and 03:01.479 --> 03:03.590 guardians . Thank you for attending . 03:04.559 --> 03:05.559 What 03:11.080 --> 03:13.080 please stand for the arrival of the 03:13.080 --> 03:15.191 official party playing of ruffles and 03:15.191 --> 03:17.191 flourishes and the Generals March . 04:11.080 --> 04:12.802 Please remain standing for the 04:12.802 --> 04:14.969 presentation and posting of the colors 04:14.969 --> 04:17.247 by the Wright Patterson Air Force Base . 04:17.247 --> 04:19.191 Honor guard and the singing of the 04:19.191 --> 04:21.413 national anthem of the United States of 04:21.413 --> 04:23.524 America by Technical Sergeant Ainsley 04:23.524 --> 04:22.190 Dueitt . 04:49.910 --> 04:50.910 Mhm . 04:55.600 --> 04:56.420 Hello 05:00.809 --> 05:01.809 had , 05:06.529 --> 05:09.920 oh , say , can you see 05:10.779 --> 05:14.390 by the dawn's early light ? 05:14.850 --> 05:18.769 What so proudly we hail at 05:18.779 --> 05:22.359 the twilight's last gleaming 05:23.329 --> 05:26.299 whose broad stripes and bright 05:26.309 --> 05:28.809 stars through the Palo 05:30.500 --> 05:34.390 fight or the ram parts 05:34.399 --> 05:36.940 we watched were so 05:36.950 --> 05:40.149 gallantly Streamy . 05:41.459 --> 05:42.880 Uh , ok , 05:45.619 --> 05:47.000 my mom's birthday 05:49.130 --> 05:51.910 gave proof through the 05:51.920 --> 05:55.320 night that our flag was 05:55.329 --> 05:58.769 still there . Oh , 05:58.779 --> 06:01.730 say does that star 06:01.739 --> 06:05.500 spangled ? And we , 06:08.369 --> 06:10.739 or the , and I , 06:13.380 --> 06:14.209 and , uh , 06:19.269 --> 06:22.410 ok . Hello . Hello . 06:24.760 --> 06:25.760 What ? 06:46.149 --> 06:48.093 Thank you . Band of flight . Honor 06:48.093 --> 06:50.149 guard and technical Sergeant Ainsley 06:50.149 --> 06:51.705 Dueitt . Please be seated . 06:54.850 --> 06:57.329 It's my pleasure to introduce to you . 06:57.339 --> 06:59.395 Our presiding officer , General Duke 06:59.395 --> 07:00.395 Richardson . 07:07.149 --> 07:09.316 Hello , everybody . How are we doing ? 07:10.190 --> 07:12.301 Good crowd . It's really warm outside 07:12.301 --> 07:14.523 though , huh ? Doing all right . Yeah , 07:14.523 --> 07:16.746 I , uh , I flew in last night from DC . 07:16.910 --> 07:19.021 Um , and it was , uh , I think it was 07:19.021 --> 07:21.619 21 and we landed here and it was like 07:21.829 --> 07:24.200 nine . There's a difference , by the 07:24.209 --> 07:26.431 way between 21 and nine . This place is 07:26.431 --> 07:29.209 cold . Uh , so welcome . Uh , it's 07:29.220 --> 07:31.331 really great to be here , uh , to get 07:31.331 --> 07:33.553 to do this event . Um , you know , I'll 07:33.553 --> 07:35.720 talk about Donna a little bit in terms 07:35.720 --> 07:37.942 of , you know , why she's qualified for 07:37.942 --> 07:37.929 this position . And , you know , and 07:37.940 --> 07:40.329 when I got to , uh , when , at what 07:40.339 --> 07:42.339 point I got to meet her , this is a 07:42.339 --> 07:44.450 really big day for Don and her family 07:44.450 --> 07:47.480 and so Pat , uh , finally met you , uh , 07:47.510 --> 07:49.621 finally met Pat . So , I don't know , 07:49.621 --> 07:51.732 you've been hiding around , uh , over 07:51.732 --> 07:53.899 the , over the years , but it's really 07:53.899 --> 07:56.010 great to , to , to meet you . Uh , so 07:56.010 --> 07:58.121 it's just a great day for Don and her 07:58.121 --> 07:58.070 family . It's also a great day for LC 07:58.079 --> 08:00.910 MC . Uh , and , and frankly , a F MC , 08:00.920 --> 08:03.087 there's a lot of change going on right 08:03.087 --> 08:05.087 now . Um , not all of it's , well , 08:05.087 --> 08:07.142 most of it's not been announced . Um 08:07.142 --> 08:09.309 And , and you're arriving at a very um 08:09.309 --> 08:11.220 interesting time . Uh So pat you 08:11.230 --> 08:13.397 probably need to strap in a little bit 08:13.397 --> 08:15.619 um because there'll be probably be some 08:15.619 --> 08:17.730 long days for her coming forward . So 08:17.730 --> 08:19.897 we're gonna do something today . We're 08:19.897 --> 08:22.063 gonna bring in our four or excuse me , 08:22.063 --> 08:24.286 our fifth LC MC commander . And I think 08:24.286 --> 08:23.640 we've got a bunch of , you know , 08:23.649 --> 08:25.850 commanders here with us today . Um I 08:25.859 --> 08:28.026 think the only one we might be missing 08:28.026 --> 08:30.137 is Darryl Moores . He's not here , is 08:30.137 --> 08:32.137 he , we're gonna have to take , but 08:32.137 --> 08:34.303 he's what he's online . Are you sure ? 08:35.200 --> 08:38.590 So he says so , but uh yeah , so it's 08:38.599 --> 08:40.655 really hard to be . So we've been at 08:40.655 --> 08:42.710 this , I think 11 years now . So the 08:42.710 --> 08:44.821 fifth commander over the course of 11 08:44.821 --> 08:46.988 years , and I really think it's a huge 08:46.988 --> 08:49.155 success . I'm a pretty large fan of LC 08:49.155 --> 08:51.900 MC and it's really great to , to get to , 08:51.909 --> 08:54.131 to , to go from Jerald Morris I believe 08:54.140 --> 08:56.029 Jal Morris is online . I'm hoping 08:56.029 --> 08:58.362 Jerald Morris is online . Um , you know , 08:58.362 --> 09:00.529 because of the geo holes , we , we had 09:00.529 --> 09:02.696 to retire him , but we weren't able to 09:02.696 --> 09:04.862 bring , uh , General Shipton in at the 09:04.862 --> 09:06.807 same time . And so this is kind of 09:06.807 --> 09:06.090 interesting instead of a change of 09:06.099 --> 09:08.266 command , we're doing an assumption of 09:08.266 --> 09:10.321 command . And so , uh , Danny's been 09:10.321 --> 09:12.210 doing a great job kind of keeping 09:12.210 --> 09:14.266 things together , uh , over the last 09:14.266 --> 09:16.488 couple of months . Uh but it's really , 09:16.488 --> 09:18.599 really good to , to have you on board 09:18.599 --> 09:20.932 and you're already making a huge impact . 09:20.932 --> 09:23.440 Um And so sorry , Pat , there'll 09:23.450 --> 09:25.617 probably be some more of these weekend 09:25.617 --> 09:27.839 phone call things . That's just part of 09:27.839 --> 09:29.950 the , you know , part of the job . So 09:29.950 --> 09:32.228 we've got General Hudson . Um you know , 09:32.228 --> 09:34.394 former , you , you were never an LC MC 09:34.394 --> 09:36.561 commander , but you were definitely an 09:36.561 --> 09:38.728 aeronautical system center commander , 09:38.728 --> 09:40.839 General Jt Thompson . I'm hoping he's 09:40.839 --> 09:40.349 on the line . I think we've got Joe 09:40.409 --> 09:42.520 mcmurray there , which is great . And 09:42.520 --> 09:44.631 then , and then General Sean , I call 09:44.631 --> 09:46.742 him Q I realize a lot of people don't 09:46.742 --> 09:48.965 know him by that . Um But that's what I 09:48.965 --> 09:48.409 call him . I believe he's on the line 09:48.419 --> 09:50.580 now . He's in Colorado probably in , 09:50.590 --> 09:54.359 you know , enjoying life . So , um LC 09:54.369 --> 09:57.489 MC is a behemoth if you've ever thought 09:57.500 --> 10:00.250 about what it actually is and I would 10:00.260 --> 10:02.427 say I'm gonna submit that Donna is the 10:02.427 --> 10:05.489 right person to take the helm at LC MC . 10:05.650 --> 10:07.761 Um , and I'm gonna kind of go through 10:07.761 --> 10:09.872 why ? That's true . You know , I will 10:09.872 --> 10:11.650 look at her from a , from a few 10:11.650 --> 10:13.872 perspectives . You have a really , um , 10:13.872 --> 10:16.039 deep background . I don't know how you 10:16.039 --> 10:18.261 got all of this done over the course of 10:18.261 --> 10:20.428 your career . But I'm gonna show we'll 10:20.428 --> 10:20.400 kinda walk about , walk through her , 10:20.549 --> 10:22.382 kind of , we'll walk through her 10:22.382 --> 10:24.493 training a little bit , her education 10:24.493 --> 10:26.660 training . We'll look at the depth and 10:26.660 --> 10:26.570 breadth of , of job experiences that 10:26.580 --> 10:28.719 she's had . We'll also look at all of 10:28.729 --> 10:30.840 her commander time . So she's , she's 10:30.840 --> 10:32.951 got a lot of commander experience and 10:32.951 --> 10:35.062 also leadership experience . Um , and 10:35.062 --> 10:37.285 then we'll just talk about her demeanor 10:37.285 --> 10:36.770 a little bit , which will probably make 10:36.780 --> 10:39.039 her a little bit uncomfortable , but 10:39.049 --> 10:41.400 we'll do that sort of at the end . Um , 10:42.090 --> 10:44.312 I think she's really , so the Secretary 10:44.312 --> 10:46.257 of the Air Force talks about great 10:46.257 --> 10:48.146 power competition quite a lot and 10:48.146 --> 10:50.312 there's a lot of work being done right 10:50.312 --> 10:52.479 now to kind of retool the Air Force to 10:52.479 --> 10:54.534 get us ready for that . That work is 10:54.534 --> 10:56.869 definitely gonna affect LC MC . Uh , so 10:56.880 --> 10:59.090 luckily you're part of it . Um , so , 10:59.099 --> 11:01.155 uh , in her , in her prior job , she 11:01.155 --> 11:03.380 was the military deputy for Mr for 11:03.390 --> 11:05.501 Honorable Hunter up in Saq . So she's 11:05.501 --> 11:07.557 been , uh there at the start of this 11:07.557 --> 11:09.612 whole effort . And so I'm just super 11:09.612 --> 11:11.723 thrilled . I cannot be more confident 11:11.723 --> 11:13.890 with having Donna come in and take the 11:13.890 --> 11:16.112 reins of LC MC , especially during this 11:16.112 --> 11:18.168 era of uh great uh power competition 11:18.168 --> 11:20.390 retooling . So I mentioned on the sixth 11:20.390 --> 11:22.279 of November we retired uh General 11:22.279 --> 11:24.223 Morris . Um that guy was in what I 11:24.223 --> 11:26.140 would call a , an intellectual 11:26.150 --> 11:29.979 powerhouse . Um Just , you know , one 11:29.989 --> 11:32.100 of the smartest , if not the smartest 11:32.100 --> 11:34.590 uh uh airmen I've ever met . Um But I'm 11:34.599 --> 11:36.989 telling you , Donna is got that same , 11:37.000 --> 11:39.549 got the same intellectual chops and so 11:39.559 --> 11:41.429 she's gonna , she's got so much 11:41.440 --> 11:43.607 experience that we're not gonna miss a 11:43.607 --> 11:45.773 beat bringing Donna you on board . And 11:45.773 --> 11:47.940 so let's just talk about what you're , 11:47.940 --> 11:49.940 what you're taking on . I hopefully 11:49.940 --> 11:51.829 you've thought about it , but the 11:51.829 --> 11:53.829 position is pretty massive . And so 11:53.829 --> 11:56.159 think about every conventional air 11:56.169 --> 11:59.849 Force program office and pe O in the 11:59.859 --> 12:02.026 Air Force . Uh Almost every I should , 12:02.026 --> 12:04.026 I guess I should caveat out there . 12:04.026 --> 12:06.192 There's a couple stray cats and dogs , 12:06.192 --> 12:08.415 but almost every conventional Air Force 12:08.415 --> 12:10.526 program office and pe O and Pe Os can 12:10.526 --> 12:12.748 be a surly bunch , right ? They're kind 12:12.748 --> 12:14.803 of difficult to wrangle a little bit 12:14.803 --> 12:16.803 all of that , that whole body . Are 12:16.803 --> 12:18.915 there any in here ? Raise your hand . 12:18.915 --> 12:21.049 Did I get that wrong ? No . Oh , so , 12:21.059 --> 12:23.115 uh so they're all in there . Um What 12:23.115 --> 12:25.115 does that mean ? It really means uh 12:25.115 --> 12:27.119 cradle to grave ie life cycle 12:27.130 --> 12:29.186 management , uh responsibilities for 12:29.186 --> 12:30.909 design , development , test , 12:30.919 --> 12:32.419 production , sustainment , 12:32.489 --> 12:35.229 modernization and divestment of all of 12:35.239 --> 12:37.017 those conventional systems . So 12:37.017 --> 12:39.750 basically , it's all the , basically 12:39.760 --> 12:41.760 keeping all the material of the air 12:41.760 --> 12:43.982 force going , not the airmen of the air 12:43.982 --> 12:46.204 force , but the material aspects of the 12:46.204 --> 12:48.316 of , of the air force . And so , um , 12:48.316 --> 12:50.371 aircraft engine , aircraft engines , 12:50.371 --> 12:52.316 munitions , uh command and control 12:52.316 --> 12:54.316 systems , electronics , information 12:54.316 --> 12:56.204 technology , electronic warfare , 12:56.204 --> 12:58.316 aerial networks , cyber crypto combat 12:58.316 --> 13:01.989 support simulators , even 13:02.000 --> 13:05.799 uniforms . So imagine this expanse of 13:05.809 --> 13:08.250 your , of your portfolio as the center 13:08.260 --> 13:10.830 commander . It's pretty much everything 13:10.840 --> 13:13.380 except uh nukes uh nuclear weapons , I 13:13.390 --> 13:15.334 should say because uh the the dual 13:15.334 --> 13:17.557 capable systems are also part of the LC 13:17.557 --> 13:20.710 MC portfolio . It's a lot of stuff and 13:20.719 --> 13:23.840 I would submit that um if LC MC is not 13:23.849 --> 13:26.739 running uh at pace smoothly , the Air 13:26.750 --> 13:29.710 Force will come to its knees . And so 13:29.719 --> 13:32.070 this is a very uh uh what do you uh a 13:32.080 --> 13:33.979 position of uh uh critical 13:33.989 --> 13:36.359 responsibility position when we , when 13:36.369 --> 13:38.313 we uh put position people in these 13:38.313 --> 13:40.591 positions ? These three star positions , 13:40.591 --> 13:42.591 uh Donna was not promoted into this 13:42.591 --> 13:44.647 position . She was selected for this 13:44.647 --> 13:46.869 position . The position just so happens 13:46.869 --> 13:48.925 to be a three star position . So she 13:48.925 --> 13:50.813 has to be confirmed by the Senate 13:50.813 --> 13:52.702 pointed or uh uh nominated by the 13:52.702 --> 13:54.869 president confirmed by the Senate . Um 13:54.869 --> 13:56.925 And that's why uh that she's in this 13:56.925 --> 13:58.980 job . And so uh really excited about 13:58.980 --> 14:00.536 that , it also includes two 14:00.536 --> 14:02.480 installations . So you're also the 14:02.480 --> 14:04.702 mayor of 22 bases . Did you know that ? 14:04.909 --> 14:07.510 So one base being Wright Patterson Air 14:07.520 --> 14:09.809 Force Base , a very large installation . 14:09.820 --> 14:11.931 And by the way , Wright Patterson Air 14:11.931 --> 14:13.969 Force Base isn't just a F MC . Um , 14:14.619 --> 14:16.730 there's , I don't know , 25 or 30,000 14:16.730 --> 14:19.190 ft is Colonel Pond here . He probably 14:19.200 --> 14:22.450 knows how many people on the base . How 14:22.460 --> 14:26.030 many ? 30 ok . I was low 35,000 . 14:26.039 --> 14:28.206 That's gotta be at the high end , uh , 14:28.206 --> 14:30.390 across the Air Force . So , imagine 14:30.400 --> 14:32.559 that 35,000 and they're not , they're 14:32.570 --> 14:34.626 not all Air Force Material Command , 14:34.626 --> 14:36.848 they're not even all Air Force . And so 14:36.848 --> 14:39.070 it's , it's , and so you're the mayor , 14:39.070 --> 14:41.181 you know , of the , of the , of the , 14:41.181 --> 14:43.348 of the right pet city . Uh uh not just 14:43.348 --> 14:45.570 that but also Hanscom Air Force Base um 14:45.570 --> 14:47.737 in , in uh near Boston . And so that's 14:47.737 --> 14:49.848 quite a portfolio that you have . And 14:49.848 --> 14:52.070 so uh it's a daunting , it's a daunting 14:52.070 --> 14:54.237 job . I think it's about 26,000 people 14:54.237 --> 14:57.510 spread across 80 locations , um about 14:57.520 --> 14:59.520 $300 billion in budget and it's not 14:59.520 --> 15:01.576 just air force systems that you do . 15:01.576 --> 15:03.798 You also do foreign military sales . In 15:03.798 --> 15:06.020 fact , I would submit that your foreign 15:06.020 --> 15:08.242 military sales portfolio is probably at 15:08.242 --> 15:10.464 least uh somebody in here will know and 15:10.464 --> 15:12.687 probably correct me later . But I would 15:12.687 --> 15:12.549 say your formulary sales work is 15:12.559 --> 15:14.726 probably at least as large as your Air 15:14.726 --> 15:16.948 Force work in terms of dollars . And so 15:16.948 --> 15:19.115 there's a lot of money flowing through 15:19.115 --> 15:21.392 Air Force Life Cycle Management Center , 15:21.400 --> 15:23.622 a lot of program work . And so in order 15:23.622 --> 15:26.979 to be successful at this job , I think , 15:26.989 --> 15:29.650 um , there's a set of attributes that 15:29.659 --> 15:31.969 are required . You knew this part was 15:31.979 --> 15:34.035 coming and you're probably wondering 15:34.035 --> 15:36.312 because , you know , I like to do this . 15:36.312 --> 15:35.739 You're probably wondering , I wonder 15:35.750 --> 15:37.972 what this list comes up with . So I , I 15:37.972 --> 15:40.190 came up with nine things , um , that I 15:40.200 --> 15:42.422 think are pretty critical for the job . 15:42.422 --> 15:44.589 The first one is what I would consider 15:44.589 --> 15:46.700 deep life cycle management experience 15:46.700 --> 15:49.869 and credibility in this business . Both 15:49.880 --> 15:52.102 of those are required . And so when you 15:52.102 --> 15:54.213 look at her by and I'm not gonna walk 15:54.213 --> 15:53.929 through her entire duty history , but 15:53.940 --> 15:55.940 when you look at her duty history , 15:55.940 --> 15:57.884 you'll see those things in there . 15:57.884 --> 15:59.996 You'll see a lot of depth and breadth 15:59.996 --> 16:02.273 and acquisition and uh product support . 16:02.273 --> 16:04.218 Um But what you may not see is the 16:04.218 --> 16:07.020 credibility . So she is , um she is 16:07.729 --> 16:09.896 really smart and so she'll take you to 16:09.896 --> 16:12.118 task , sometimes she takes me to task . 16:12.118 --> 16:14.229 And so you gotta be on your a game in 16:14.229 --> 16:16.118 terms of making sure that you can 16:16.118 --> 16:18.396 square up . And if you don't have your , 16:18.396 --> 16:20.507 you know , your rationale solid , she 16:20.507 --> 16:22.618 will , she will pick at that and suss 16:22.618 --> 16:24.729 it out and kind of embarrass you . Um 16:25.010 --> 16:27.232 No , that , that's not the right word . 16:27.232 --> 16:29.399 She , it , it'll just be shown because 16:29.399 --> 16:31.454 what you , what I'm gonna talk about 16:31.454 --> 16:33.677 later . She , she is also an element of 16:33.677 --> 16:33.520 grace . She wouldn't ever purposely 16:33.530 --> 16:35.752 embarrass anybody . I've never seen you 16:35.752 --> 16:37.419 do that . Uh Second one is uh 16:37.419 --> 16:39.641 understanding all functional aspects of 16:39.641 --> 16:41.641 this business . And so you'll see , 16:41.641 --> 16:43.641 she's an engineer , she's a program 16:43.641 --> 16:45.808 manager , but she's pretty deep in all 16:45.808 --> 16:47.974 of the functional aspects . And so I'm 16:47.974 --> 16:50.197 probably gonna miss some and somebody's 16:50.197 --> 16:52.363 gonna get their feelings hurt . But if 16:52.363 --> 16:54.586 you think about uh what LC MC , all the 16:54.586 --> 16:56.752 functional uh uh specialties that make 16:56.752 --> 16:58.863 up LC MC , it's not just , and I'm an 16:58.863 --> 17:00.863 engineer but does doggone engineers 17:00.863 --> 17:02.863 think that they're like running the 17:02.863 --> 17:04.752 world ? Ok . And so it's not just 17:04.752 --> 17:06.530 engineers , it's also financial 17:06.530 --> 17:08.752 management and we're the best at that , 17:08.752 --> 17:12.558 right ? Uh our ability to , to cost 17:12.568 --> 17:14.679 estimate programs , our , our ability 17:14.679 --> 17:17.159 to do uh financial execution , all of 17:17.168 --> 17:19.668 that stuff . Uh uh logistics we got , I 17:19.678 --> 17:21.622 don't know Lanson , I think Lanson 17:21.622 --> 17:23.845 Connolly's in here somewhere there . He 17:23.845 --> 17:25.622 is . So our logistics are , are 17:25.622 --> 17:28.848 acquisition intel experts . Um A lot of 17:28.859 --> 17:30.915 functional expertise is required and 17:30.915 --> 17:33.119 Donna has got that in spades . Third 17:33.129 --> 17:36.579 one is how to understand how to build 17:36.589 --> 17:38.533 new programs . And so a lot of our 17:38.533 --> 17:40.311 programs in your , a lot of the 17:40.311 --> 17:42.311 programs in your center are kind of 17:42.311 --> 17:44.311 things that are running . They're , 17:44.311 --> 17:44.290 they're at , they're at pace or some of 17:44.300 --> 17:47.109 them are , I'll say um mature um you 17:47.119 --> 17:49.780 know , legacy systems . But uh one of 17:49.790 --> 17:51.901 the tasks that you have to be able to 17:51.901 --> 17:54.068 do as the life cycle management center 17:54.068 --> 17:56.179 commander is the ability to start new 17:56.179 --> 17:58.234 programs , which sounds simple , but 17:58.234 --> 18:00.512 it's absolutely not simple . Um So how , 18:00.512 --> 18:02.679 what is the strategy for starting that 18:02.679 --> 18:04.679 new program ? What's the technology 18:04.679 --> 18:04.050 involved ? How do we mature the 18:04.060 --> 18:06.227 technologies ? How do we work with the 18:06.227 --> 18:08.282 lab to do that ? So that's the third 18:08.282 --> 18:10.504 thing Donna is the ability to start new 18:10.504 --> 18:12.449 programs is very , very critical . 18:12.449 --> 18:14.616 That's the lifeblood of the life cycle 18:14.616 --> 18:13.829 Management center . If we can't start 18:13.839 --> 18:15.506 new programs , the Life Cycle 18:15.506 --> 18:17.561 Management Center , eventually there 18:17.561 --> 18:19.895 won't be a Life Cycle Management Center . 18:19.895 --> 18:22.117 Uh The fourth one is understanding both 18:22.117 --> 18:24.030 acquisition and product support . 18:25.810 --> 18:28.390 OK . Both of those . And so , Secretary 18:28.400 --> 18:32.040 Kendall is really 18:33.369 --> 18:37.099 um interested in this area . I'll , 18:37.109 --> 18:39.053 I'll say that . And so he's really 18:39.053 --> 18:41.239 charged us to up our game um in terms 18:41.250 --> 18:43.472 of the product support aspects . And so 18:43.472 --> 18:45.694 he's challenged us to come up with uh a 18:45.694 --> 18:47.861 sustainment architecture if you will . 18:47.861 --> 18:49.806 So when we start new programs , we 18:49.806 --> 18:51.639 start them from uh you know , an 18:51.639 --> 18:53.806 architecture of sustainment and that , 18:53.806 --> 18:55.806 that means a lot of stuff and we're 18:55.806 --> 18:57.972 gonna be working on that together . Uh 18:57.972 --> 19:00.083 Donna uh pretty heavily . Um That's , 19:00.083 --> 19:02.306 that's uh that's number four is both an 19:02.306 --> 19:04.417 understanding of not just acquisition 19:04.417 --> 19:06.694 but also the product support end of it . 19:06.694 --> 19:08.694 Uh Fifth one is the ability to lead 19:08.694 --> 19:08.599 large geographically dispersed 19:08.609 --> 19:11.229 organizations . And so LC MC is a big 19:11.239 --> 19:13.350 thing . I mean , it's really , really 19:13.350 --> 19:15.350 big uh when we first started um the 19:15.350 --> 19:17.572 five center construct this is sort of , 19:17.572 --> 19:19.795 uh , one of the hallmarks of , of the , 19:19.795 --> 19:22.017 the , you know , and I think we've done 19:22.017 --> 19:21.680 a pretty good job , but it's not 19:21.689 --> 19:24.030 without its challenges . And so any 19:24.040 --> 19:26.318 time you , you're not in the same room , 19:26.318 --> 19:28.540 it's , it's , it's pretty challenging . 19:28.540 --> 19:30.762 And so , uh , you're gonna be running a 19:30.762 --> 19:32.984 very large organization . Uh , and most 19:32.984 --> 19:32.530 of your people actually aren't even at 19:32.540 --> 19:34.707 Wright Patterson . And so that's gonna 19:34.707 --> 19:38.199 be a challenge . Uh Number six is the 19:38.209 --> 19:41.790 ability to influence and this is when , 19:41.800 --> 19:44.022 where your all your experience is going 19:44.022 --> 19:46.133 to come in , the ability to influence 19:46.133 --> 19:48.260 and lead really smart people , 19:50.010 --> 19:52.150 you will not find smarter Americans 19:52.160 --> 19:53.993 than you will find in life cycle 19:53.993 --> 19:55.993 management center . And they've got 19:55.993 --> 19:58.349 strong opinions and a lot of experience . 19:58.359 --> 20:00.081 And so the ability to lead and 20:00.081 --> 20:01.803 influence that group towards a 20:01.803 --> 20:03.637 collaborative solution is a real 20:03.637 --> 20:05.915 challenge . And , and , and um I would , 20:05.915 --> 20:08.137 Donna , I will tell you that number six 20:08.137 --> 20:10.359 there that applies both up and down the 20:10.359 --> 20:12.692 chain , right ? Not just down the chain , 20:12.692 --> 20:11.890 but you're , you know , you're gonna 20:11.900 --> 20:14.510 have to lead me , you know , you're 20:14.520 --> 20:16.780 gonna have to influence me at , at 20:16.790 --> 20:18.846 times , especially when I have it uh 20:18.846 --> 20:20.846 when I don't have it correct . OK . 20:20.846 --> 20:24.119 Number seven , the ability to integrate 20:24.189 --> 20:26.719 within the center and across the 20:26.729 --> 20:29.760 centers , very central to Air Force 20:29.770 --> 20:32.048 Material Command . Now , you might say , 20:32.048 --> 20:33.881 well , Duke , that's your job to 20:33.881 --> 20:36.214 integrate the work of the centers . Yes , 20:36.214 --> 20:38.270 it is , but I need help and a lot of 20:38.270 --> 20:40.214 that work starts in the life cycle 20:40.214 --> 20:42.326 Management Center . Um because all of 20:42.326 --> 20:44.492 our centers can't work by themselves . 20:44.492 --> 20:44.160 They're only successful if they work 20:44.170 --> 20:46.170 together . And so Donna , I'm gonna 20:46.170 --> 20:48.226 charge you with integrating the work 20:48.226 --> 20:50.226 across the centers as my partner in 20:50.226 --> 20:52.337 that . Uh Number eight is the ability 20:52.337 --> 20:54.390 to collaborate . OK . And this is 20:54.400 --> 20:57.500 another tough one . So , um sometimes , 20:57.510 --> 21:00.670 you know , you might think that you 21:00.680 --> 21:02.791 have the best idea , you know , and , 21:02.791 --> 21:05.069 and actually it might be the best idea , 21:05.069 --> 21:07.124 but sometimes we actually kind of de 21:07.124 --> 21:09.347 tune a little bit because sometimes the 21:09.347 --> 21:11.291 best idea is the one that everyone 21:11.291 --> 21:13.458 supports , not just a single person or 21:13.458 --> 21:15.624 just a few people . And so the ability 21:15.624 --> 21:17.847 to collaborate and reach solutions that 21:17.847 --> 21:20.229 can be supportable by the masses is a 21:20.239 --> 21:22.461 very important skill for this job . And 21:22.461 --> 21:24.849 then the ninth one is this one's a big 21:24.859 --> 21:27.359 one and right now , uh with great power 21:27.369 --> 21:29.425 competition , there's a lot of force 21:29.425 --> 21:32.739 behind going fast , Donna , you're 21:32.750 --> 21:34.917 gonna hear that over and over and over 21:34.917 --> 21:37.083 and over . You guys are too slow , you 21:37.083 --> 21:39.139 need to go faster . And so the , the 21:39.139 --> 21:41.139 ninth one is the ability to balance 21:41.810 --> 21:45.560 speed and discipline . OK ? And 21:45.569 --> 21:47.791 not use discipline as a crutch for just 21:47.791 --> 21:49.847 being bureaucratic . But the w the , 21:49.847 --> 21:51.958 the , the need to balance those two , 21:51.958 --> 21:54.291 those two things on their , they're two , 21:54.291 --> 21:56.625 they're two ends of a of a pole , right ? 21:56.625 --> 21:58.680 One pole is uh speed and one pole is 21:58.680 --> 22:00.625 discipline and trying to find that 22:00.625 --> 22:02.569 sweet spot um is something uh that 22:02.569 --> 22:04.569 we've been working on and will , it 22:04.569 --> 22:06.736 will never stop . And so , um a lot of 22:06.736 --> 22:08.958 it is involves risk management and that 22:08.958 --> 22:10.736 at the end , I think we're risk 22:10.736 --> 22:12.625 managers . And so that uh Donna , 22:12.625 --> 22:14.791 that's the , the list of nine things I 22:14.791 --> 22:17.013 think General Morris when I think about 22:17.013 --> 22:16.489 General Morris , um , again , I would 22:16.500 --> 22:18.556 have preferred that we did this as a 22:18.556 --> 22:20.722 change of command , but I think he did 22:20.722 --> 22:23.056 really well along those nine attributes . 22:23.056 --> 22:25.939 He was like a master at that . Um , and 22:25.949 --> 22:28.171 he did that for us for about three plus 22:28.171 --> 22:30.393 years . And what we're gonna ask you to 22:30.393 --> 22:30.020 do is we're gonna take , you're gonna , 22:30.030 --> 22:32.308 we're gonna ask you to take that baton . 22:32.308 --> 22:34.530 He kind of threw it in the air and it's 22:34.530 --> 22:34.479 been like flying through the air for 22:34.489 --> 22:36.822 like seven weeks now , but you're gonna , 22:36.822 --> 22:38.711 you're gonna grab it , uh , today 22:38.711 --> 22:40.656 formally and , and just keep going 22:40.656 --> 22:42.767 along those nine attributes . Ok . So 22:42.767 --> 22:45.380 why do I think Don is ready ? Well , 22:45.410 --> 22:47.577 let me look at it from a few aspects , 22:47.577 --> 22:49.688 education and training . So she's a , 22:49.688 --> 22:51.688 she's a double E , she's a , that's 22:51.688 --> 22:53.632 pretty good . I think I might know 22:53.632 --> 22:55.799 another double E . So I , I'm actually 22:55.799 --> 22:57.854 sort of fond of that degree . Uh , I 22:57.854 --> 22:57.430 mean , it's , I know that it's not easy 22:57.439 --> 22:59.550 to achieve , but it tells me that she 22:59.550 --> 23:01.550 has the technical chops . And so if 23:01.550 --> 23:03.606 you're an engineer , you know , that 23:03.606 --> 23:03.520 all engineers have a pretty decent 23:03.530 --> 23:05.641 technical understanding , not just of 23:05.641 --> 23:07.974 double E but uh pretty much all physics . 23:07.974 --> 23:10.030 Um And so Donna's , Donna comes from 23:10.030 --> 23:12.252 that pedigree also , she has a master's 23:12.252 --> 23:14.586 degree in systems engineering from a it , 23:14.586 --> 23:16.808 which is a very difficult uh program to 23:16.808 --> 23:19.141 get through . And if you think about it , 23:19.141 --> 23:21.086 the government's role is we have a 23:21.086 --> 23:22.919 really our role in this space is 23:22.919 --> 23:24.974 systems engineering . And so Don has 23:24.974 --> 23:27.141 got a master's in system engineering . 23:27.141 --> 23:29.308 She was also an air force intern . And 23:29.308 --> 23:31.419 so what that means to you is that she 23:31.419 --> 23:33.586 as a , as a , as a young captain , she 23:33.586 --> 23:35.808 spent time in the Pentagon learning how 23:35.808 --> 23:37.919 the Pentagon works , learning how the 23:37.919 --> 23:37.290 Air Force works , learning how the 23:37.300 --> 23:39.244 Congress works , learning how Os D 23:39.244 --> 23:41.467 works . And I think you probably picked 23:41.467 --> 23:43.467 up another master's degree there uh 23:43.467 --> 23:45.689 from George Washington University . And 23:45.689 --> 23:47.689 then she was also uh a National War 23:47.689 --> 23:49.911 college graduate . National War College 23:49.911 --> 23:52.244 is , I would say the premier school for , 23:52.244 --> 23:54.520 for lieutenant colonels , uh Colonel 23:54.530 --> 23:56.530 selects colonels . And , and that's 23:56.530 --> 23:58.752 where , that's where Donna went to . So 23:58.752 --> 24:00.752 she's got a lot of uh education and 24:00.752 --> 24:02.919 training . She's got the education and 24:02.919 --> 24:04.974 training chops . Uh The second thing 24:04.974 --> 24:07.030 that she's got is a lot of depth and 24:07.030 --> 24:09.141 breadth of experience . And so when I 24:09.141 --> 24:11.030 look through your everything that 24:11.030 --> 24:10.979 you've done some of that stuff . I've 24:10.989 --> 24:13.211 worked with you on , you know , and I'm 24:13.211 --> 24:14.822 not gonna go through all the 24:14.822 --> 24:16.989 assignments . But if you look at her , 24:16.989 --> 24:16.910 she's got systems engineering time . 24:16.920 --> 24:18.976 She's got , she's a space operator . 24:18.976 --> 24:21.099 That's pretty cool . A lot of space 24:21.109 --> 24:23.165 operator time . I think that's where 24:23.165 --> 24:25.387 you met , Pat . We'll talk about that a 24:25.387 --> 24:27.498 little bit . Um , she , she's , she's 24:27.498 --> 24:29.553 an , a choir , not just air but also 24:29.553 --> 24:31.665 space systems . Um She's worked multi 24:31.665 --> 24:33.609 agency . So you'll , if you look , 24:33.609 --> 24:33.489 she's looked at , she's worked for the 24:33.500 --> 24:35.667 Air Force . She's worked for the Space 24:35.667 --> 24:37.667 force . She's got a lot of national 24:37.667 --> 24:40.479 reconnaissance office time and she's 24:40.489 --> 24:42.310 been on the air staff uh three 24:42.319 --> 24:44.486 different times . So she was a program 24:44.486 --> 24:46.319 element monitor , what we call a 24:46.319 --> 24:48.541 program element monitor uh in A Q I for 24:48.541 --> 24:50.263 reconnaissance systems , which 24:50.263 --> 24:50.239 basically meant that means that she was 24:50.250 --> 24:52.361 interfacing quite a lot with Congress 24:52.361 --> 24:54.472 to what I like to say , basically get 24:54.472 --> 24:56.528 um get the money that we need to run 24:56.528 --> 24:58.750 the programs . And so it requires a lot 24:58.750 --> 25:00.639 of understanding of the technical 25:00.639 --> 25:02.861 aspects of our programs . You also were 25:02.861 --> 25:04.972 the senior mill assist uh to , to the 25:04.972 --> 25:07.194 uh to the service acquisition executive 25:07.194 --> 25:09.361 uh for a year . And then you were also 25:09.361 --> 25:11.250 the , the A Q milled out . So you 25:11.250 --> 25:13.306 followed me for the second time in a 25:13.306 --> 25:15.417 job . So when I left the A Q mill dep 25:15.417 --> 25:17.361 job , the three star job up in the 25:17.361 --> 25:20.060 Pentagon . Uh Every service has got a 25:20.069 --> 25:22.125 three star by law , every service is 25:22.125 --> 25:24.560 required to have a three star choir um 25:24.569 --> 25:26.959 in the , in the Pentagon um advising 25:26.969 --> 25:29.302 the service acquisition executive . And , 25:29.302 --> 25:31.413 and that's what , that's the job that 25:31.413 --> 25:33.636 Donna had just before this . She's also 25:33.636 --> 25:33.579 got product support time . So 25:33.589 --> 25:36.280 interestingly , uh she , she uh she , 25:36.290 --> 25:38.012 she was part of the F-35 Fleet 25:38.012 --> 25:40.179 Management office at the joint program 25:40.179 --> 25:43.560 office . She was also a programmer . 25:45.170 --> 25:48.640 So A F MC , she was our A F MC 89 for a 25:48.650 --> 25:50.872 time uh working for General Bunch . And 25:50.872 --> 25:52.670 so if you think about all the 25:52.680 --> 25:54.569 programming across the fight , if 25:54.569 --> 25:56.680 that's required to run this command , 25:56.680 --> 25:58.847 it's immense . And Donna , Donna's got 25:58.847 --> 26:01.013 all of that experience . So she really 26:01.013 --> 26:03.630 does understand all six centers that 26:03.640 --> 26:05.640 comprise Air Force material command 26:05.719 --> 26:07.890 from , from the , from the aspect of 26:07.900 --> 26:10.959 what is needed uh resource wise to run 26:10.969 --> 26:13.136 them . And I think that's gonna really 26:13.136 --> 26:14.913 pay off as you start to work to 26:14.913 --> 26:17.136 integrate the center , the uh integrate 26:17.136 --> 26:19.247 the work of the centers . All right , 26:19.247 --> 26:21.413 the next thing that she's got a lot of 26:21.413 --> 26:23.580 leadership in command time . So you'll 26:23.580 --> 26:25.636 notice uh squadron command uh in the 26:25.636 --> 26:27.747 NRO group command and the NRO she was 26:27.747 --> 26:29.969 what we call a senior mattel leader for 26:29.969 --> 26:32.136 uh Cyber and crypto um for PE OC Three 26:32.136 --> 26:34.780 Inn . She did that in San Antonio . She 26:34.790 --> 26:37.369 was the vice commander uh for the space 26:37.380 --> 26:39.602 and missile Systems Center , uh , for , 26:39.602 --> 26:41.658 uh , and I'm hoping he's on the line 26:41.658 --> 26:43.824 right now . Uh , General Jt Thompson . 26:43.939 --> 26:46.160 Um , and , uh , he was very 26:46.170 --> 26:49.800 complimentary of you . Uh , and so I , 26:49.810 --> 26:51.921 I'll , I'll give you a quote that has 26:51.921 --> 26:53.754 never left my brain . He told me 26:53.754 --> 26:55.866 something . It's probably three years 26:55.866 --> 26:58.520 ago . Uh , we were talking about you 26:58.530 --> 27:01.959 one day and he said , 27:03.109 --> 27:05.180 Don is a workhorse . That's what he 27:05.189 --> 27:08.569 called you . So now we know his secret , 27:08.619 --> 27:10.675 it was you . And so if you look at a 27:10.675 --> 27:12.619 lot of the work , we and Don and I 27:12.619 --> 27:15.130 actually did work together on um some 27:15.140 --> 27:18.489 space launch work about this time , you 27:18.500 --> 27:20.833 know , I won't go into too many details . 27:20.833 --> 27:22.778 But uh we were pretty , uh we were 27:22.778 --> 27:25.000 working pretty closely on , on a lot of 27:25.000 --> 27:27.222 space launch programs and , and she was 27:27.222 --> 27:29.444 really , really instrumental in getting 27:29.444 --> 27:31.611 uh that program going . And so I think 27:31.611 --> 27:33.667 it's pretty successful , seems to be 27:33.667 --> 27:35.778 going pretty well . Now . Uh she also 27:35.778 --> 27:37.889 set up the first Space Force software 27:37.889 --> 27:39.944 factory and she also was right there 27:39.944 --> 27:42.056 working with General Thompson to plan 27:42.056 --> 27:44.278 the sp the stand up of , of what we now 27:44.278 --> 27:46.389 call space systems command , which is 27:46.389 --> 27:48.556 one of their field commands . And so a 27:48.556 --> 27:48.270 lot of great work , but I'll never 27:48.280 --> 27:50.336 forget that quote . He didn't , it's 27:50.336 --> 27:52.447 not , I just remember this because he 27:52.447 --> 27:54.447 Donna's a workhorse and that's what 27:54.447 --> 27:56.613 you're getting . It's really important 27:56.613 --> 27:56.479 for you to know that it's either good 27:56.489 --> 27:58.767 or bad , depending on your perspective . 27:58.767 --> 28:00.933 Uh But Donna is a , is a workhorse and 28:00.933 --> 28:03.469 so she's gonna be um expecting a lot of 28:03.479 --> 28:05.479 you , which I think is , which is a 28:05.479 --> 28:07.701 good thing . Uh But she's gonna be able 28:07.701 --> 28:10.035 to keep up with you in spite of her age . 28:10.035 --> 28:12.090 No , you're not that old , are you ? 28:12.090 --> 28:15.500 You're not as old as me . So , um , so 28:15.510 --> 28:17.939 commander , she was also commander of 28:17.949 --> 28:21.180 uh of the , of uh the NRO uh Space 28:21.189 --> 28:23.467 Force and Air Force Element at the NRO . 28:23.467 --> 28:25.578 So she , so she had that uh commander 28:25.578 --> 28:27.689 time , uh which I think your deal had 28:27.689 --> 28:30.022 it as the deputy uh director of the NRO . 28:30.270 --> 28:32.510 Another one that she followed me in pe 28:32.520 --> 28:34.798 O tankers . You guys remember that one ? 28:34.798 --> 28:37.109 So that doesn't exist anymore . But uh 28:37.119 --> 28:39.449 at , at the time , po tankers , uh 28:39.459 --> 28:42.319 Donna Donna delivered the 1st 11 KC 40 28:42.329 --> 28:44.496 sixes . I didn't deliver any of them . 28:44.496 --> 28:46.560 Uh Donna delivered the 1st 11 KC 40 28:46.569 --> 28:48.625 sixes . And so that was a pretty , I 28:48.625 --> 28:51.069 would say tough time uh for the Air 28:51.079 --> 28:53.190 Force . And so the reason I mentioned 28:53.190 --> 28:55.520 that is because she's got battle scars , 28:55.819 --> 28:58.041 it's gonna be very hard to rattle her . 28:58.310 --> 29:00.366 She's been there . She's , she's had 29:00.366 --> 29:02.588 that stress and she deals with it quite 29:02.588 --> 29:05.810 well . Um And uh that's , that's uh 29:05.819 --> 29:07.986 that's , that's pretty remarkable that 29:07.986 --> 29:10.097 one there . Do you remember all these 29:10.097 --> 29:11.875 jobs ? Do you have a favorite ? 29:14.310 --> 29:16.839 No , that's a good answer . Probably 29:16.869 --> 29:19.089 you'll hurt someone's feelings . OK ? 29:19.099 --> 29:21.321 The uh now I wanna get touchy , feely , 29:21.321 --> 29:23.377 feely on you for just a second . And 29:23.377 --> 29:25.210 that is , I wanna talk about her 29:25.210 --> 29:27.155 demeanor . Uh You know why I think 29:27.155 --> 29:29.099 she's perfect for this job . And I 29:29.099 --> 29:31.210 three words come to mind for , for me 29:31.210 --> 29:33.210 and one is humility . You'll notice 29:33.210 --> 29:35.432 that when you work with Donna , uh just 29:35.432 --> 29:37.400 that humi that constant humility . 29:37.479 --> 29:40.260 Another word is integrity . Uh It , it 29:40.270 --> 29:42.437 really , I mean , I know that's a core 29:42.437 --> 29:44.437 value and we'd all say that we have 29:44.437 --> 29:46.492 integrity , but you will see that in 29:46.492 --> 29:48.270 her in spades . Um So she , she 29:48.270 --> 29:50.492 definitely recognizes the gray in every 29:50.492 --> 29:52.714 situation and works her , works her way 29:52.714 --> 29:54.826 through that from an integrity lens . 29:54.826 --> 29:57.048 And the third one is grace . You know , 29:57.048 --> 29:59.270 in terms of how she treats people , all 29:59.270 --> 30:01.437 people with respect . So those are the 30:01.437 --> 30:03.381 three words for you . I think your 30:03.381 --> 30:03.349 demeanor is gonna gonna be perfect . 30:03.569 --> 30:06.010 All right . So I hope I've convinced 30:06.020 --> 30:08.459 you that we have selected the chief , 30:08.469 --> 30:10.691 is selected the chief and the secretary 30:10.691 --> 30:12.913 because that's who you had to interview 30:12.913 --> 30:14.858 with . Selected the absolute right 30:14.858 --> 30:16.747 airman to be our fifth life cycle 30:16.747 --> 30:18.747 Management Center command , our cen 30:18.747 --> 30:22.180 center commander . I wanna share some 30:22.189 --> 30:24.245 details about you personally so that 30:24.245 --> 30:26.469 you know what you're getting besides 30:26.479 --> 30:29.329 the stuff that I just said . So uh 30:29.339 --> 30:31.770 Donna was born in Kings Mountain , 30:31.780 --> 30:33.891 North Carolina . I have no idea where 30:33.891 --> 30:36.169 that's at . Is there a mountain nearby . 30:36.790 --> 30:39.400 No , you ? Ok . Uh But she actually 30:39.410 --> 30:41.632 grew up in Sumter , South Carolina . So 30:41.632 --> 30:43.799 her dad was medically retired from the 30:43.799 --> 30:46.021 Air Force and needed to be near medical 30:46.021 --> 30:48.243 care . So they set up in Sumter , which 30:48.243 --> 30:50.466 is near , uh Shaw , uh Air Force Base . 30:50.466 --> 30:52.688 And as she described , she described it 30:52.688 --> 30:54.577 herself would , she basically ran 30:54.577 --> 30:57.280 around barefooted , like running 30:57.290 --> 30:59.457 through the streets in , in dirt roads 30:59.457 --> 31:01.890 and stuff and so interesting background . 31:01.900 --> 31:03.956 Um Which kind of leads me to my next 31:03.956 --> 31:06.178 point . In spite of that , she finished 31:06.178 --> 31:08.289 number two in her high school class . 31:08.289 --> 31:11.290 Um , actually , as you earn a second 31:11.300 --> 31:13.819 degree , uh karate uh brown belt , uh 31:13.829 --> 31:16.989 went into Afra at Clemson . Uh she was 31:17.000 --> 31:19.369 the core uh command of her senior year 31:19.469 --> 31:21.691 and was a distinguished graduate out of 31:21.691 --> 31:23.800 Clemson . What's interesting if you 31:23.810 --> 31:25.977 think about that background growing up 31:25.977 --> 31:29.160 in Sumter , um , she was the first 31:29.170 --> 31:31.337 child on either her mom's or her dad's 31:31.337 --> 31:34.780 side to attend and graduate from , uh 31:34.790 --> 31:37.680 from college . And so I think it's 31:37.689 --> 31:39.800 pretty remarkable . Uh , what we have 31:39.800 --> 31:41.856 here in front of us today . Ok . The 31:41.856 --> 31:43.911 good stuff where Pat , where's Pat ? 31:43.911 --> 31:47.479 There's Pat . So Pat , uh , you 31:47.489 --> 31:49.680 met , uh Donna during her fourth 31:49.689 --> 31:52.022 assignment ? I think she was at Buckley , 31:52.022 --> 31:54.078 what we called Air Buckley Air Force 31:54.078 --> 31:56.133 Base at the time . Um You probably , 31:56.133 --> 31:58.411 I'm sure can't , who's been to Buckley ? 31:58.411 --> 32:00.578 Raise your hand ? Ok . A lot of people 32:00.578 --> 32:02.633 actually , so , you know , different 32:02.633 --> 32:04.689 things go on there . And so we , I'm 32:04.689 --> 32:06.745 certainly , we probably can't talk a 32:06.745 --> 32:06.040 lot about what they did there . But 32:06.050 --> 32:08.719 they , they met at Buckley , uh , Pat's 32:08.729 --> 32:10.989 a retired colonel , Air Force colonel . 32:11.180 --> 32:14.849 Um , Pat apparently won her over by 32:14.859 --> 32:16.970 cooking . So , so Donna is a foodie . 32:17.030 --> 32:19.420 And so , uh , that's , you know , and 32:19.430 --> 32:21.597 so as we talked in the hall , he still 32:21.597 --> 32:23.652 does a lot of the cooking . Although 32:23.652 --> 32:25.763 she apparently likes to rearrange the 32:25.763 --> 32:27.986 kitchen , which I don't know why you're 32:27.986 --> 32:30.097 doing that . I mean , he's , he wants 32:30.097 --> 32:32.097 to do the cooking . You should just 32:32.097 --> 32:34.319 leave him be so pat , you know , I'd 32:34.329 --> 32:36.709 leave you alone . But , uh and then uh 32:36.719 --> 32:39.560 the , the Oberg , uh uh Elena and Eric 32:39.670 --> 32:41.670 Oberg raise your hand . So you guys 32:41.670 --> 32:43.614 have been friends , I think , um , 32:43.614 --> 32:45.670 actually , probably before they were 32:45.670 --> 32:47.837 married , right ? So Elena was Donna's 32:47.837 --> 32:49.892 sponsor and you might recall , Elena 32:49.892 --> 32:49.869 was uh the Vice commander here a number 32:49.880 --> 32:51.880 of years ago . It's probably just a 32:51.880 --> 32:54.140 couple . Um uh And so you guys have 32:54.150 --> 32:56.094 been close friends and so they ran 32:56.094 --> 32:58.150 around all through Colorado hiking , 32:58.150 --> 33:00.150 backpacking , uh snow skiing , just 33:00.150 --> 33:02.150 doing all that stuff . And , and uh 33:02.150 --> 33:04.261 that and that's how they met . And so 33:04.261 --> 33:06.483 they've been married about 20 years , I 33:06.483 --> 33:08.706 think . And uh of course , Riley , they 33:08.706 --> 33:10.650 have one son . Riley . Riley's got 33:10.650 --> 33:10.239 school stuff going on today , so he 33:10.250 --> 33:12.449 wasn't able to join us . Uh Riley is 33:12.459 --> 33:15.359 really into robotics . In fact , um we 33:15.369 --> 33:17.425 talked this weekend about work stuff 33:17.425 --> 33:19.425 and turns out she was actually at a 33:19.425 --> 33:21.536 robotics conference or something . Um 33:22.819 --> 33:25.239 Sorry , I made you talk to me anyway . 33:25.250 --> 33:27.859 But um , so robotics , uh pian , he's 33:27.869 --> 33:30.359 involved in piano scouts , drama . And 33:30.369 --> 33:32.313 I think he's a sophomore . Is that 33:32.313 --> 33:34.591 right ? Uh at Beaver Creek High School . 33:34.591 --> 33:36.758 So , what you may not know is that for 33:36.758 --> 33:38.813 the last 2.5 years , this family has 33:38.813 --> 33:41.150 been geographically separated . So when 33:41.160 --> 33:43.160 Donna was the A Q mill dep and when 33:43.160 --> 33:45.104 Donna was the uh the element uh uh 33:45.104 --> 33:47.800 commander at , at NRO for the last two 33:47.810 --> 33:50.140 and 2.5 years , Pat and Riley have 33:50.150 --> 33:52.290 stayed here . Um And , you know , you 33:52.300 --> 33:54.411 get in that point where kids start to 33:54.411 --> 33:56.633 get in the high school , you know , age 33:56.633 --> 33:58.411 and families start making those 33:58.411 --> 34:00.522 difficult decisions . So we're really 34:00.522 --> 34:02.467 happy we were able to reunite this 34:02.467 --> 34:04.829 family . And so , um just terrific . 34:04.839 --> 34:07.061 And so , uh I think looking towards the 34:07.061 --> 34:09.699 future , um I think General Morris left 34:09.709 --> 34:12.149 you a strong organization . Your charge 34:12.159 --> 34:14.199 is , is , is , is to take this , I 34:14.209 --> 34:17.409 would say this energetic uh you know , 34:17.419 --> 34:19.870 bright patriotic uh team that you're , 34:19.879 --> 34:22.340 that you've been handed . Um And , and , 34:22.350 --> 34:24.461 and take them further . And I think I 34:24.461 --> 34:26.572 mentioned the great power competition 34:26.572 --> 34:28.850 charge that the secretary has given us . 34:28.850 --> 34:31.183 And so that's where we're starting from . 34:31.183 --> 34:33.239 Uh You're gonna be , you're gonna be 34:33.239 --> 34:35.294 charged with building our future war 34:35.294 --> 34:37.517 fighting systems like I mentioned about 34:37.517 --> 34:39.739 starting new programs while at the same 34:39.739 --> 34:41.572 time keeping our current systems 34:41.572 --> 34:43.517 healthy . And that's a challenge . 34:43.517 --> 34:45.572 There's always a tension there um in 34:45.572 --> 34:47.739 terms of how you go about doing that . 34:47.739 --> 34:49.739 And I'm gonna ask you , Donna to do 34:49.739 --> 34:51.961 that by keeping the war fighter and the 34:51.961 --> 34:55.419 taxpayer at the front of your mind . Um 34:55.429 --> 34:57.707 because that's who we really answer to . 34:57.707 --> 34:59.929 Uh both of them , I would say equally . 34:59.929 --> 35:02.151 And so we have to figure out ways to do 35:02.151 --> 35:03.985 that , bring in the new system , 35:03.985 --> 35:05.985 sustain the legacy systems in a way 35:05.985 --> 35:08.096 that's very respectful of the dollars 35:08.096 --> 35:10.262 that were given um and also respectful 35:10.262 --> 35:12.429 of your team . So you're gonna have to 35:12.429 --> 35:14.989 take care of this 26,000 strong team . 35:15.459 --> 35:17.626 I think if you take care of this , the 35:17.626 --> 35:19.403 this team and , and , and their 35:19.403 --> 35:21.515 families , they're gonna take care of 35:21.515 --> 35:23.792 the mission and everyone will be happy . 35:23.792 --> 35:26.439 And so with that , um I'm very excited 35:26.449 --> 35:28.616 to do the , do the , it looks like the 35:28.616 --> 35:31.870 chief chief you ready ? Yes , sir . 35:33.219 --> 35:37.199 Good answer . Let's do it . Come 35:37.209 --> 35:38.376 on up here , Donna . 35:48.010 --> 35:50.177 Today's assumption of command ceremony 35:50.177 --> 35:52.232 is deeply rooted in military history 35:52.232 --> 35:53.954 and dates back to the reign of 35:53.954 --> 35:56.066 Frederick , the great of Prussia . In 35:56.066 --> 35:58.232 that era . A ceremony was conducted in 35:58.232 --> 36:00.454 front of unit members so that all could 36:00.454 --> 36:02.288 see the appointment of their new 36:02.288 --> 36:04.454 commander . The modern day ceremony is 36:04.454 --> 36:04.340 principally symbolic , yet it still 36:04.350 --> 36:06.461 announces to all the authority of the 36:06.461 --> 36:08.294 incoming commander in the finest 36:08.294 --> 36:10.709 military tradition . Please stand for 36:10.719 --> 36:12.775 the assumption of command ceremony . 36:15.100 --> 36:17.760 What was the order attention to orders ? 36:17.770 --> 36:19.800 Air Force material command . Wright 36:19.810 --> 36:22.159 Patterson Air Force Base , Ohio under 36:22.169 --> 36:24.391 the provisions of Air Force instruction 36:24.391 --> 36:27.139 51-509 . And in accordance with the 36:27.149 --> 36:29.560 special order number G dash 36:29.570 --> 36:32.780 24-03 . Lieutenant General Donna D 36:32.790 --> 36:34.901 Shipton is hereby appointed commander 36:34.939 --> 36:37.106 of the Air Force Life Cycle Management 36:37.106 --> 36:40.560 Center . Effective 21 December 2023 36:40.570 --> 36:43.520 signed Duke Z Richardson General , 36:43.530 --> 36:45.159 United States Air Force . 37:23.850 --> 37:26.072 Thank you , General Richardson . Ladies 37:26.072 --> 37:28.017 and gentlemen , please be seated , 37:28.017 --> 37:29.628 ma'am . The floor is yours ? 37:40.199 --> 37:42.143 Ok . I'm not sure I can follow all 37:42.143 --> 37:44.421 those remarks , sir . That was amazing . 37:44.421 --> 37:47.629 Uh Thank you so much . Um And I wanna 37:47.639 --> 37:49.472 thank you all for the , the warm 37:49.472 --> 37:53.070 welcome today . I wanna start by uh 37:53.080 --> 37:56.010 thanking you for your flexibility . We 37:56.020 --> 37:58.131 took a really circuitous route to get 37:58.131 --> 38:00.298 here today with the various scheduling 38:00.298 --> 38:02.520 changes and I'm truly grateful that you 38:02.530 --> 38:04.586 all made it today and , and actually 38:04.586 --> 38:06.641 that we all made it on the right day 38:06.641 --> 38:08.863 together . So , um thank you for that . 38:09.679 --> 38:11.512 I I especially want to thank the 38:11.512 --> 38:13.568 National Museum of the United States 38:13.568 --> 38:16.590 Air Force for hosting us here today as 38:16.600 --> 38:19.310 in this amazing venue and under these 38:19.719 --> 38:23.679 aircraft wings , I also 38:23.689 --> 38:25.911 want to thank our Center Protocol , our 38:25.911 --> 38:28.469 public affairs specialists . They went 38:28.479 --> 38:30.590 really above and beyond uh in getting 38:30.590 --> 38:33.439 us all here today together . Uh 38:34.639 --> 38:36.639 there's so many activities that are 38:36.639 --> 38:38.528 required to make events like this 38:38.528 --> 38:40.750 happen , especially with the scheduling 38:40.750 --> 38:42.639 changes and the weather and pipes 38:42.639 --> 38:44.639 bursting . And it's just been crazy 38:44.639 --> 38:46.806 here at the museum as , as , and , and 38:46.806 --> 38:49.030 around our community . I wanna really 38:49.040 --> 38:51.610 thank the bass , honor guard and the 38:51.620 --> 38:53.719 Band of Flight . And how about that 38:53.729 --> 38:56.659 rendition ? She did ? Fabulous . I 38:56.669 --> 38:59.379 don't know , she's already left . But 38:59.560 --> 39:00.727 yeah , tar into it . 39:06.300 --> 39:08.411 So , and I also want to thank all the 39:08.411 --> 39:10.449 other volunteers who I haven't yet 39:10.459 --> 39:13.120 mentioned , but uh for making this day , 39:13.129 --> 39:16.610 uh come together , I also want to thank 39:16.620 --> 39:18.731 all our civic leaders that are here . 39:18.731 --> 39:20.620 Thank you mayors for being here . 39:20.620 --> 39:22.842 Really appreciate your attendance today 39:24.370 --> 39:26.370 as well as our business leaders . I 39:26.370 --> 39:28.592 know in the audience as well . So thank 39:28.592 --> 39:30.648 you . We have distinguished military 39:30.648 --> 39:32.592 guests , as we already mentioned , 39:32.592 --> 39:35.030 currently serving and retired and of 39:35.040 --> 39:37.151 course , my personal friend , the ogs 39:37.151 --> 39:39.151 in attendance today too . Thank you 39:39.689 --> 39:41.633 really means a lot . You're here . 39:44.679 --> 39:47.020 But lastly and most importantly , um 39:53.639 --> 39:56.570 special thanks to my husband Pat . I 39:56.580 --> 39:58.747 told myself I wouldn't get upset , but 39:58.747 --> 40:00.770 it has been a long 2.5 years of 40:00.780 --> 40:04.540 separation and you mean the world to me , 40:04.550 --> 40:07.520 you and Riley both and it's great to be 40:07.530 --> 40:10.570 back and I can't thank you enough for 40:10.580 --> 40:12.802 all of your sacrifices that you made as 40:12.802 --> 40:15.409 well during those 2.5 years . Thank you . 40:15.419 --> 40:19.409 Love you . Yes . 40:23.570 --> 40:26.280 Ok . That was the hard part . All right , 40:26.290 --> 40:28.969 uh Richardson , sir . Um , thank you 40:28.979 --> 40:31.100 for your kind words and I hope I live 40:31.110 --> 40:34.530 up to all nine of those attributes you , 40:34.540 --> 40:37.120 you charged me . Well , I understand my , 40:37.129 --> 40:39.351 uh , my charge and I'm gonna do my best 40:39.351 --> 40:42.040 to live up to those . I'm humbled by 40:42.050 --> 40:44.217 your trust and confidence that you and 40:44.217 --> 40:46.383 the secretary and the chief have given 40:46.383 --> 40:48.161 me in , in putting me into this 40:48.161 --> 40:50.379 position and selected me for it . And 40:50.389 --> 40:52.556 uh you know , of course , it , it took 40:52.556 --> 40:54.722 a little bit longer as you mentioned , 40:54.722 --> 40:54.510 for me to get here than we all would 40:54.520 --> 40:56.409 have liked , but , but thankfully 40:56.409 --> 40:58.800 better late than never and uh really 40:58.810 --> 41:01.449 glad to be here . I also wanna thank uh 41:01.459 --> 41:04.159 my predecessor Lucenzo , retired Sean 41:04.169 --> 41:06.679 Morris . Uh who , as we mentioned is 41:06.689 --> 41:09.540 virtual today for leading the center 41:09.939 --> 41:11.939 for over three years . During which 41:11.939 --> 41:14.669 time he successfully propelled the 41:14.679 --> 41:17.090 mission forward , Sean . Thanks for 41:17.100 --> 41:19.300 your leadership and for leaving the 41:19.310 --> 41:21.199 center in such impressive shape . 41:22.010 --> 41:25.239 Thanks also to Mr deanie d'angelo and 41:25.250 --> 41:27.610 Colonel John Kion and Chief Master 41:27.620 --> 41:31.280 Sergeant Fitch for bringing me on board 41:31.290 --> 41:34.780 with such open arms and enthusiasm 41:35.469 --> 41:37.525 and for keeping the mission on track 41:37.525 --> 41:39.858 until I could get here . So , thank you , 41:39.858 --> 41:42.790 gentlemen . I also want to say thank 41:42.800 --> 41:44.860 you to my new Air Force Life Cycle 41:44.870 --> 41:47.909 Management Center teammates , some of 41:47.919 --> 41:50.320 whom were here today . You've welcomed 41:50.330 --> 41:53.370 me graciously in these early days and I , 41:53.379 --> 41:55.601 and I truly appreciate it you know what 41:55.601 --> 41:57.810 you do within Air Force , LC , MC 41:57.820 --> 42:00.120 amazes me every day and it's 42:00.129 --> 42:03.159 significant importance to our Air Force 42:03.169 --> 42:06.050 and our nation . It's no secret that we 42:06.060 --> 42:07.939 are living in a time of great 42:07.949 --> 42:10.860 consequence with the rise of near peer 42:10.870 --> 42:14.780 competitors . And over the past few 42:14.790 --> 42:16.846 decades , we've seen the urgency and 42:16.846 --> 42:18.623 importance of our work increase 42:18.623 --> 42:21.540 steadily now , especially as we survey 42:21.550 --> 42:25.500 that landscape . We see not 42:25.510 --> 42:28.110 only near peers but in some key aspects , 42:28.120 --> 42:31.340 peers . And if our work does not 42:31.350 --> 42:34.080 succeed , we may find serious strategic 42:34.090 --> 42:38.060 disadvantage very soon team as you 42:38.070 --> 42:40.237 well know what you do within Air Force 42:40.237 --> 42:42.292 LC MC is more than just a vocation . 42:42.689 --> 42:45.280 Your work truly is the fulfillment of a 42:45.290 --> 42:48.419 promise , multiple promises . And I 42:48.429 --> 42:50.762 want to talk about a few of those today . 42:51.899 --> 42:53.955 So as I take command of this amazing 42:53.955 --> 42:56.066 center , what I'm asking all of us to 42:56.066 --> 42:58.780 do together simply is to keep our 42:58.790 --> 43:02.550 promises . The first promise I'm asking 43:02.560 --> 43:04.782 us all to fulfill is the one we make to 43:04.782 --> 43:07.120 ourselves and to the people in our 43:07.129 --> 43:09.810 lives that are the closest to us . And 43:09.820 --> 43:11.653 that's to be the best version of 43:11.653 --> 43:14.340 ourselves that we can be 43:15.560 --> 43:17.671 to strive to get better in some small 43:17.671 --> 43:20.159 way each and every single day that we 43:20.169 --> 43:23.100 might make this promise overtly , some 43:23.110 --> 43:26.270 of us with very carefully planned goals 43:26.280 --> 43:28.502 and metrics and that's the engineer and 43:28.502 --> 43:31.179 me and in many of you too , I'm sure 43:32.600 --> 43:34.656 or you could have made it implicitly 43:34.656 --> 43:36.767 with a focus on simply doing the very 43:36.767 --> 43:40.050 next best thing as the circumstances of 43:40.060 --> 43:42.629 life unfold . And this promise extends 43:42.639 --> 43:45.050 well beyond just work and into all of 43:45.060 --> 43:47.929 our facets of our daily life . So 43:47.939 --> 43:51.379 please keep this promise to yourself 43:51.429 --> 43:53.540 strive to be the best that you can be 43:53.540 --> 43:57.239 every single day . And as we 43:57.250 --> 43:59.306 fulfill these individual promises to 43:59.306 --> 44:01.250 ourselves and our loved ones , I'm 44:01.250 --> 44:03.306 confident that we will multiply that 44:03.306 --> 44:06.320 factor by which we can now keep a 44:06.659 --> 44:09.540 collective promise . Like the next one , 44:09.550 --> 44:11.979 I'm going to suggest , which is to each 44:11.989 --> 44:14.156 of our Air Force life cycle management 44:14.156 --> 44:18.129 center teammates . And that is to 44:18.139 --> 44:21.030 take care of each other , plain and 44:21.040 --> 44:23.207 simple to create a winning environment 44:23.820 --> 44:26.439 and doing it together , find ways to 44:26.449 --> 44:28.393 help each other professionally and 44:28.393 --> 44:31.580 personally and demand and protect the 44:31.590 --> 44:33.534 environment in which we all of our 44:33.534 --> 44:36.679 airmen can reach their full potential 44:37.560 --> 44:39.919 by removing barriers while maintaining 44:39.929 --> 44:42.870 and enforcing standards , we solve 44:42.879 --> 44:45.370 problems together and we make our 44:45.379 --> 44:47.657 workplace better than we have found it . 44:48.370 --> 44:50.481 And this province is often understood 44:50.481 --> 44:52.481 as the wingman concept . And that's 44:52.481 --> 44:54.648 another promise I'm asking you to keep 44:54.648 --> 44:56.959 to be a wingman daily so that 44:56.969 --> 45:00.550 collectively we can win together . The 45:00.560 --> 45:03.419 last promise I'm asking you to keep is 45:03.429 --> 45:06.020 the one that we all share and it runs 45:06.030 --> 45:09.360 deep and it actually precedes the 45:09.370 --> 45:11.889 creation of our center , our command 45:11.899 --> 45:15.000 and even our service . We have to look 45:15.010 --> 45:17.177 all the way back to the signing of the 45:17.177 --> 45:19.232 Constitution of the United States in 45:19.232 --> 45:22.300 September 17th , 1787 to understand 45:22.310 --> 45:25.719 this promise and this document embodies 45:25.729 --> 45:28.219 our first national promise . And those 45:28.229 --> 45:30.229 of us who take up the profession of 45:30.229 --> 45:32.285 arms and their and , and of national 45:32.285 --> 45:35.070 defense join with our forebearers in 45:35.080 --> 45:38.919 this promise to swear and affirm an 45:38.929 --> 45:40.651 oath to support and defend the 45:40.651 --> 45:44.320 constitution of our United States . So 45:44.330 --> 45:46.580 whether it's by oath or by humble 45:46.590 --> 45:49.810 devotion , each of us in Air Force life 45:49.820 --> 45:51.987 cycle management center joins together 45:51.987 --> 45:54.098 in this promise , whether military or 45:54.098 --> 45:56.510 civilian officer enlisted , active 45:56.520 --> 45:58.939 guard or reserve . This isn't just a 45:58.949 --> 46:02.360 job . It's a vocation , it's a high 46:02.370 --> 46:05.919 calling and with a very noble purpose 46:07.379 --> 46:10.219 and it's a promise . So I'm asking you 46:10.229 --> 46:12.520 to join me , join with me in keeping 46:12.530 --> 46:15.040 these promises to ourselves , our 46:15.050 --> 46:17.209 teammates , our war fighters in our 46:17.219 --> 46:19.739 nation . And by doing so , I believe we 46:19.750 --> 46:21.790 can fulfill our Air Force Chief of 46:21.800 --> 46:25.530 staff Geral Alvin's charge that we 46:25.540 --> 46:29.250 follow through . We can follow 46:29.260 --> 46:31.449 through on the hard work that you've 46:31.459 --> 46:34.030 already been doing to deliver war 46:34.040 --> 46:36.570 winning capabilities to the war fighter 46:37.060 --> 46:39.189 while acknowledging the critical work 46:39.629 --> 46:42.280 that remains in front of us . It's no 46:42.290 --> 46:45.939 exaggeration to state that without air 46:45.949 --> 46:47.893 force life cycle management center 46:48.110 --> 46:50.689 delivered capabilities , the joint and 46:50.699 --> 46:52.699 coalition force could not field the 46:52.699 --> 46:55.610 combat power required to win tomorrow's 46:55.620 --> 46:58.379 conflicts . And perhaps it's no 46:58.510 --> 47:01.510 coincidence that we ended up here today . 47:02.639 --> 47:06.229 On 17 January because it was 33 years 47:06.239 --> 47:09.189 ago today , in the early hours of 17 47:09.199 --> 47:13.010 January , 1991 when coalition forces 47:13.020 --> 47:14.742 led by the United States began 47:14.742 --> 47:18.060 operation desert storm the combat phase 47:18.070 --> 47:20.292 of the effort to drive the Iraqi forces 47:20.292 --> 47:23.899 from Kuwait . Over 1000 allied aircraft 47:23.909 --> 47:26.169 flew that very first night hitting more 47:26.179 --> 47:29.909 targets in one day than the entire US . 47:29.919 --> 47:31.863 Eighth Air Force strategic bombing 47:31.863 --> 47:35.610 force struck in Europe in 1942 and 43 47:36.379 --> 47:39.979 combined . These military operations 47:40.090 --> 47:42.399 were a telling vignette on the punching 47:42.409 --> 47:44.580 power of the air force acquisitions 47:44.590 --> 47:47.729 enterprise in which our combat forces 47:47.739 --> 47:50.669 brought to bear all of the air power 47:50.679 --> 47:54.100 capabilities provided by Air Force life 47:54.110 --> 47:56.388 cycle Management Center's predecessors . 47:57.889 --> 48:00.550 It showed the value of both modernized 48:00.560 --> 48:03.159 legacy platforms dating back to the 19 48:03.169 --> 48:05.570 fifties and sixties as well as the 48:05.580 --> 48:08.439 recapitalized fleets of the 19 48:08.449 --> 48:11.280 seventies and eighties . However , it 48:11.290 --> 48:14.889 was the dramatic debut debut of our new 48:14.899 --> 48:17.219 war fighting technologies that 48:17.229 --> 48:18.951 characterized the Gulf War air 48:18.951 --> 48:21.285 operations , precision guided munitions , 48:21.810 --> 48:25.530 the E eight joint stars GPS , satellite 48:25.540 --> 48:28.120 communications and the low observable F 48:28.129 --> 48:32.040 117 . This conflict demonstrated the 48:32.050 --> 48:34.106 decisive outcomes that our air force 48:34.106 --> 48:36.639 acquisition system can produce . 48:37.959 --> 48:39.969 But it also cemented the need for 48:39.979 --> 48:42.239 continued investment and development to 48:42.250 --> 48:45.219 prepare for tomorrow's conflicts . At 48:45.229 --> 48:47.285 top of mind today , for our nation's 48:47.285 --> 48:49.080 leaders , our next generation 48:49.090 --> 48:52.040 capabilities such as next generation 48:52.050 --> 48:53.979 air dominance , the collaborative 48:53.989 --> 48:57.540 combat aircraft , next 48:57.550 --> 49:00.399 generation , aerial refueling , next 49:00.409 --> 49:02.242 generation adaptive propulsion , 49:02.620 --> 49:05.030 hypersonic weapons and the B 21 family 49:05.040 --> 49:07.550 of systems . So let me assure you that 49:07.560 --> 49:10.179 these capabilities are top of mind for 49:10.189 --> 49:12.189 our potential adversaries as well . 49:13.800 --> 49:16.000 These weapon systems will bolster our 49:16.010 --> 49:17.843 continued strategic and tactical 49:17.850 --> 49:21.050 advantages , ensuring continued success 49:22.889 --> 49:24.722 to highly contested environments 49:26.860 --> 49:29.027 and to hold targets at risk around the 49:29.027 --> 49:31.600 globe , any target , any time anywhere , 49:33.270 --> 49:35.103 they'll provide highly resilient 49:35.103 --> 49:36.826 communications and kill webs , 49:36.826 --> 49:39.080 unparalleled communications and 49:39.090 --> 49:41.199 combinations of range access and 49:41.209 --> 49:43.439 payload that will preserve robust 49:43.449 --> 49:45.610 strategic options for our nation's 49:45.620 --> 49:49.189 leaders . But in all of this , we don't 49:49.199 --> 49:51.929 just look to the future for combat 49:51.939 --> 49:54.429 power in collaboration with material 49:54.439 --> 49:56.949 commands , five other centers you're 49:56.959 --> 49:59.020 delivering on our promises today . 49:59.570 --> 50:01.959 While we look forward to delivering 50:02.300 --> 50:03.578 those future systems , 50:06.639 --> 50:08.860 we're pushing forward in so many areas 50:08.870 --> 50:11.969 from fighters to bombers , to 50:11.979 --> 50:15.530 uniforms , to it 50:15.540 --> 50:19.030 systems to cyber and it's really 50:19.040 --> 50:22.810 unparalleled , there's 50:22.820 --> 50:26.669 airborne systems , ground systems , but 50:26.679 --> 50:30.239 most importantly , it's the 50:30.909 --> 50:33.189 combination sir of , of all those 50:33.199 --> 50:36.790 elements being brought together and to 50:36.800 --> 50:39.189 the charge that you gave of combining 50:39.199 --> 50:41.979 our efforts across centers that's key 50:42.050 --> 50:44.161 to being able to have the war winning 50:44.161 --> 50:46.610 capabilities that we need this command 50:46.810 --> 50:50.469 to deliver . And just as important as 50:50.479 --> 50:53.989 our are the support elements to all of 50:54.000 --> 50:56.167 our program offices . And so I want to 50:56.167 --> 50:58.278 spend a minute , speaking about those 50:58.278 --> 51:00.500 folks as well because it's not just the 51:00.500 --> 51:02.667 systems that we provide , but it's the 51:02.667 --> 51:04.667 resourcing that we provide to those 51:04.667 --> 51:06.722 program offices in order for them to 51:06.722 --> 51:08.333 get their job accomplished . 51:10.649 --> 51:14.100 For those folks who build , maintain 51:14.110 --> 51:16.429 and improve our processes for our 51:16.439 --> 51:19.479 people and our products , you recruit , 51:19.750 --> 51:21.899 you hire , develop and guide our 51:21.909 --> 51:25.699 engineers , our program managers and 51:25.709 --> 51:27.820 all of our workforce specialists in a 51:27.820 --> 51:31.060 myriad of disciplines to fortify our 51:31.070 --> 51:34.439 most asymmetric advantage , our human 51:34.449 --> 51:37.739 capital . You help forge a robust 51:37.750 --> 51:40.199 industrial base through the growth of 51:40.209 --> 51:43.189 our American small businesses and you 51:43.199 --> 51:45.189 underpin all of this multifaceted 51:45.199 --> 51:47.590 acquisitions and development efforts by 51:47.600 --> 51:49.489 executing complex and challenging 51:49.489 --> 51:51.719 contracting actions . And you keep 51:51.729 --> 51:53.785 hundreds of billions of dollars , as 51:53.785 --> 51:57.229 mentioned by General Richardson flowing 51:57.239 --> 51:59.669 into our acquisition enterprise through 51:59.679 --> 52:01.346 strong financial management . 52:03.639 --> 52:06.000 It's all of these things together that 52:06.010 --> 52:07.620 make our centers great 52:10.389 --> 52:13.620 to put it simply , you do this , you do 52:13.629 --> 52:15.796 it all every single day and I couldn't 52:15.796 --> 52:18.669 be prouder to be part of your team . So 52:18.679 --> 52:20.969 in closing , it's with a deep sense of 52:20.979 --> 52:23.729 responsibility and humility that I take 52:23.739 --> 52:25.739 command of the Air Force Life Cycle 52:25.739 --> 52:27.795 Management Center , knowing that the 52:27.795 --> 52:29.795 success of our mission rests on the 52:29.795 --> 52:32.350 collective strength and resilience of 52:32.360 --> 52:35.469 this exceptional team . Our journey 52:35.479 --> 52:37.429 together begins at a time of real 52:37.439 --> 52:39.820 consequence . And I'm confident that 52:39.830 --> 52:42.590 together we can oversee and overcome 52:42.919 --> 52:45.280 any challenges that come our way that 52:45.290 --> 52:48.100 we can follow through and transform our 52:48.110 --> 52:50.239 programs into meaningful operational 52:50.250 --> 52:53.209 capabilities . And that together with 52:53.310 --> 52:55.532 Air Force Material Command's other five 52:55.532 --> 52:57.889 centers , we're an integral part of the 52:57.899 --> 53:01.560 mission to power the world's greatest 53:01.570 --> 53:05.570 air force . So my commitment to you is 53:05.580 --> 53:07.802 steadfast and I look forward to serving 53:07.802 --> 53:10.139 alongside you all as we work together 53:10.149 --> 53:13.040 to keep our promises . Thank you .