Departing wing commander emphasizes significance and service

  • Published
  • By Patty Welsh
  • 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  As he prepares to depart Hanscom AFB, Brig. Gen. Dwyer L. Dennis said he hopes he's helped those serving under and around him to appreciate the important roles they play in accomplishing the Electronic Systems Center mission.

"I hope my time here has allowed people to see how they are significant," he said. "I would like to think my execution of leadership, across my group, when I was group commander, my wing, even the center, contributed to people's engagement and dedication to the mission."

The outgoing 551st Electronic Systems Wing commander will depart ESC Oct. 9 for his new assignment at Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.

As commander of the 551st, General Dennis was responsible for managing a number of diverse programs, including the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS), Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), mission planning systems, weather planning systems and advanced airborne sensors.

The biggest challenge for the wing, he said, is being able to maintain a balance between providing more capabilities and maintaining existing capabilities while also looking to the future to provide revolutionary-type capabilities, all under constrained budgets.

General Dennis also mentioned that one of his focuses during the more than two years he served as 551st ELSW commander and in his previous two-year assignment as commander of the 851st Electronic Systems Group here, has been developing the work force.

"I want to give everyone an opportunity to truly make significant contributions," he said. "That's the key to having a fulfilling life."

The general, who is not a micro manager, works to develop leadership traits in his staff, mindful that, someday, they will replace him.

"I have to be able to give people a tasking, explain the importance of it to them, and then trust them in order to help them become future leaders," he said.

The general cited a number of specific program achievements in the 551st, all accomplished despite changing requirements, including the Air Force Joint Environmental Toolkit and the U.S. AWACS Integrated DAMA/GATM navigation improvements.

He also pointed to his wing's continued success in fielding mission planning systems, and the completion of verification testing on the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program, or MP-RTIP.

"There was a lot of hard work, blood, sweat and tears before these achievements were reached," General Dennis said. "It is because the work force is so engaged and dedicated that we are able to have true success - accomplishing our main mission of continued support to the warfighter."

The general is also proud of how his wing, and the entire center, has embraced the "wingman" concept.

"Our endeavors to support the warfighter through systems development and acquisition are our battle, and that can take a toll," he said. "But we're each other's battle buddies. This is why the Air Force family and the wingman concept is so important. People here really care about each other."

The general also spoke about his leadership themes, including one centered on being significant versus being successful.

"Success is a strange thing," he said. "It's an outward measure by external people. You can never totally control it. You need to motivate yourself, contribute and figure out why what you do matters. That's why the Air Force and service to your country is incredible; it's not a very long path to figure out your significance."

Another leadership theme General Dennis uses revolves around a quote from Winston Churchill: "The price of greatness is responsibility."

"When the accolades come," he said, "it's not the time to rest. Now you have more responsibility so it's time to step up."

Another of his favorite sayings is, "Do the right things and do things right." This echoes something his father, a Korean War Navy veteran and career Air Force enlisted Airman always told him: "Anything worth doing is worth doing right!"

However, he cautions, while it's courageous to do the right thing, people still need to be focused on compliance.

"While I'm excited about future opportunities, moving on from an assignment can be hard," General Dennis said. "Command is a great thing. This is an absolutely great wing, with incredible, outstanding individuals, at all levels, military, civilian, contractors and at all ranks. They are so dedicated, so capable.

"I hope and trust my example has encouraged others to be service-oriented, to think about others," he said. "If I have had even a small part in leading people that way, I'd consider it a great success. My service brings me great fulfillment, great joy. My hope is that other people will have the same experience."

The general's next assignment will be as the Special Assistant to AFMC Commander Gen. Donald Hoffman.