Hickey reflects on tenure at Hanscom

  • Published
  • By Mark Wyatt
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – With only a handful of days left in her tenure as the installation’s senior enlisted member, Chief Master Sgt. Patricia Hickey recently reflected on her nearly two years as Hanscom’s command chief.

In a sit down with public affairs, the chief discussed the highs and lows of being the voice of the enlisted force at Hanscom.

“There’s no doubt this job was the perfect opportunity for me as a new command chief,” she said. “While I will miss Hanscom, I look forward to the challenges that await me at my next assignment.”

Hickey will soon transition to be the 375th Air Mobility Wing command chief at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.

As a first-time command chief in September 2015, she admits she didn’t come to the position with specific goals in mind.

“Hanscom already had a reputation for excellence,” Hickey said. “I simply wanted to come in, do the best job I could and leave Hanscom Air Force Base a little better than when I arrived. I think I accomplished that.”

She discussed how her time at Hanscom did not begin well after two enlisted members of Team Hanscom were killed in Afghanistan while deployed.

“The loss of Senior Airmen Kcey Ruiz and Nathan Sartain hit this community hard,” said Hickey. “But the way this base came together to support each other was inspiring for me and really set the tone for what ‘Team Hanscom’ was all about.”

The chief also spoke about her early interaction with Airmen during immersion visits. It was during those visits that she got the impression some enlisted members did not quite understand how they contributed to acquiring warfighting systems for the Air Force and its sister services.

“Specifically, the junior enlisted corps in the group struggled to see that their hard work is vitally important to our teammates in the program executive offices,” she said. “Without security, force support, finance, medical and the myriad other roles in the 66th Air Base Group, our mission partners are not able to effectively support the warfighter down range.”

She also sought to help Airmen understand the unique organizational structure at Hanscom.

“Many of us at Hanscom work for Lt. Gen. Robert McMurry and the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center,” Hickey said. “I think that Col. [Roman] Hund and I have done a good job of helping members of the LCMC team understand where they fit and how they fit, and that we’re one team united in purpose.”

While Hickey works for AFLCMC at Hanscom, the chief also spoke about supporting those in the Nuclear Command, Control and Communications Integration Directorate, Joint Personal Property Shipping Office-Northeast, 319th Recruiting Squadron here and others in geographically separated units throughout the region.

“I’ve been fortunate in my career to have tremendous mentors guide me through my career,” Hickey said. “My mindset has always been to help all Airmen reach their full potential, whether they are part of LCMC or some other organization on base.”

Hanscom’s senior enlisted Airman spoke about the Department of Defense civilians that work on base.

“The civilians on this base are among the best anywhere,” Hickey said. “While working side-by-side with our defenders on the gate each week, I was fortunate to meet so many dedicated civilian Airmen who work incredibly hard to accomplish the mission.”

Hickey highlighted the community partnerships the base enjoys.

“The strong community partnerships at Hanscom were a highlight of my assignment here,” she said. “The local community is incredibly supportive of the men and women at Hanscom.”

When asked what she will miss most, without hesitation, Hickey said leading Hanscom’s enlisted Airmen.

“I am incredibly proud of the enlisted force here,” she said. “The men and women here drove me every day to be a better leader, a better Airman. I am incredibly fortunate to have been their command chief.”

Hickey departs Hanscom after serving as the principal advisor to the installation commander and program executive officers on matters concerning the more than 300 enlisted Airmen at Hanscom and nearly 400 others at GSUs. At Scott AFB, her role as the wing command chief will include mentorship to more than 1,800 Airmen.

She will hand off command chief duties to Chief Master Sgt. Henry Hayes later this month.

Chief Hickey and her husband, Anthony, a retired chief, have enjoyed their time at Hanscom and in the greater Boston area.

“This has been the best job I have had in my 24 years in the Air Force,” she said. “I have so much to be thankful for and so appreciative of the support I have received over the past two years.”