AETC A4/7 team visits Columbus AFB

  • Published
  • By Sonic Johnson
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  
Columbus Air Force Base was honored with a visit by senior leaders from Air Education and Training Command Headquarters Nov. 3-4. 

SES 2 Gilbert Montoya, Director of Logistics, Installations and Mission Support, Col. Brian Murphy, Deputy Directory of Logistics, Installations and Mission Support, and Chief Master Sgt. Eric Honeycutt, AETC Civil Engineer Functional Manager, toured Columbus AFB during their visit.

The AETC A4/7 Team began their visit meeting senior wing leaders and receiving a 14th Flying Training Wing mission briefing describing the landscape of the past, present and future of Columbus AFB. 

They then visited the 49th Fighter Training Squadron where an increased student training requirement has caused them to outgrow their current facility. Since the 49th FTS returned to Columbus from Moody AFB, Georgia, in 2007, the Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals mission has since been consolidated at Randolph AFB, Texas, and here at Columbus, driving the increase in IFF student training.

The visiting delegation then traveled to downtown Columbus to enjoy dinner at a popular local eatery, Huck's Place.

The second day of the visit, Montoya started with a round-table discussion in the new 14th Mission Support Group complex with commanders in the 14th MSG, then toured mission support activities including the new Logistics Readiness Squadron. Following lunch, the team split up to visit most base functions. Montoya spent the afternoon with John Lepore, L3 Communications Systems Field Support Program manager. As L3 is the base's aircraft maintenance contractor, Lepore showed Montoya the contracted aircraft maintenance functions  of the base.

During his visit, Montoya was asked how bases could deal with increasing building structure maintenance costs, with decreased funding.

"Be ready for end of year funding. Columbus Air Force Base did very well competing for end of fiscal year 2014 funds because you were ready," Montoya replied. "Plan, program and engineer the right projects for execution at the end of the year."

This was Montoya's first visit to Columbus AFB. When asked what his biggest take away from his visit was, he commented on the amount of activity that is generated with an operations tempo of approximately 270 sorties per day. He was impressed by the amount of work being done on Columbus AFB every day to support this sortie rate. With every function he visited, he was also impressed that each Airman knew what they did to support the wing's mission of Producing Pilots.

"At Columbus AFB I see our Air Force future: great Airmen walking around doing the mission whether it's at the Club, Lodging, the gates or on the flightline," Montoya said. "After visiting Columbus AFB I am reassured the future of the Air Force is strong; Columbus should be very proud of the good work they're doing every day."