AFMC command chief visits Hanscom

  • Published
  • By J.C. Corcoran
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  The Air Force Materiel Command Command Chief, Chief Master Sgt. Eric R. Jaren, was the featured guest speaker at the Senior NCO Induction ceremony held Oct. 14 at the Minuteman Commons.

Prior to the evening ceremony, Chief Jaren, escorted by Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Call, Electronic Systems Center command chief, kept up a busy schedule with courtesy calls to the ESC chief of staff and the 66th Air Base Group.

AFMC's top enlisted member met for breakfast with Hanscom's first sergeants, had lunch with Airmen and was briefed by the 66th Force Support Squadron on the opening of the new Minuteman Commons.

During an Enlisted Call, attended by more than 150 of Hanscom's enlisted force, Chief Jaren spoke of the many successes over the last year, to include a record number of completed Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) degrees during AFMC's Year of the CCAF initiative and the decrease in physical fitness assessment failures.

He highlighted the tough times ahead as the service faces budgetary constraints and the need to find innovative ways to reduce costs through efficiencies.

"Tough times bring many opportunities to improve processes and eliminate unnecessary steps in processes, which otherwise would be hard to change," the chief said.

The chief also relayed that senior leadership, such as Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Chief of Staff of the Air Force General Norton Schwartz, have stated that we must not break faith to the men and women now serving in the Armed Services, and any potential changes should be carefully considered to ensure we keep the motivated and experienced force we need to carry out the Air Force mission.

During the Enlisted Call, Chief Jaren presented coins to five outstanding members of the Hanscom community. Receiving special recognition were Staff Sgt. Irasema Reed, 66th Security Forces Squadron; Airman 1st Class Michelina Bonavito, 66th Medical Squadron; Airman 1st Class Kenneth Leary, C2ISR Directorate; Airman 1st Class Adam Porter, Band of Liberty; and Airman 1st Class Meygan Nitti, Cyber/Netcentric Directorate.