CMSAF to Keesler: 'Motivation is contagious'

by Senior Airman Heather Heiney
81st Training Wing Public Affairs

10/17/2012 - KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Memories burn themselves into the places they were made. For Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy, Keesler Air Force Base holds several fond memories including the birth of his sons and earning the honor to be called "chief."

Roy spent Oct. 16 reacquainting himself with the base at which he was stationed from 1997 to 2000. During the chief's visit he was refreshed on the missions and accomplishments of several Keesler organizations including 2nd Air Force, the 81st Training Group and the 81st Medical Group.

"It's such a great honor to be back here at Keesler Air Force Base," Roy said. "What's always a treasure to me is to come back here and see the spirit of Keesler Air Force Base."

While stationed at Keesler, he was the facility maintenance chief with the 81st Civil Engineering squadron, superintendent of the 81st Mission Support Squadron Military Personnel Flight and then superintendent of the 81st Mission Support Group.

Chief Master Sgt. Lisa Boothe now holds Roy's last position at Keesler and had the opportunity to escort the CMSAF around the base.

"It was wonderful having Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Roy here with us on Keesler. We feel like he is one of our very own family so it was a homecoming," Boothe said. "Having the opportunity to showcase our wing and our folks gave me great pride. He was also excited to see how much the wing has changed and grown over the years."

During his tour, Roy also had an opportunity to meet non-prior service Airmen in the 81st TRG and interact with the Air Force's newest assets.

"Those young students are so motivated and if we could keep that motivation through a 20- or 30-year career just think where we would be," he said. "Motivation is contagious."
The CMSAF said that Keesler's people understand that the mission they do here is important to the continued success of the United States Air Force.

Keesler's mission, "Train Airmen across the spectrum of warfighting skills and deliver overwhelming combat power for the Air Force," also fits within what the CMSAF said are three of his areas of focus.

"Certainly as the chief master sergeant of the Air Force there's always plenty to do but we've focused on three areas - our joint and coalition operations and what we're doing to win today's fight and prepare for the next natural disaster; deliberately developing our Airmen through the three pillars of experience, training and education; and continuing to focus on the resilience of our Airmen and their families," Roy said. "I will continue to focus on those three areas throughout my tenure."

The chief had an opportunity to see these three focus areas in action throughout Keesler including the joint training environment, Airman Leadership School, Mathies NCO Academy and the newly-created teal rope program initiated by the 81st Training Wing Sexual Assault and Prevention Response Office.

"We have a resiliency culture in our force called 'comprehensive Airman fitness' and it's about taking care of yourself, it's about knowing your limits, it's about growing through very difficult situations and it's about taking care of people," the chief said. "I want to reach out to the Keesler community and say a special thanks to them. When we can deploy an Airman and their family staying behind feels comfortable in that community that's a great thing."

The CMSAF also expressed his excitement after seeing the development of future leaders at Keesler.

Roy said, "Thank you for the opportunity to come back to Keesler and see your professional Airmen. It's an honor for Ms. Paula and me to be back here and to see many of the people whom we served with and also to see the next generation of Airmen who will carry on our Air Force's legacy."