Retired CMSAF visits Hanscom Airmen

  • Published
  • By J.C. Corcoran
  • 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HANSCOM AFB, Mass. --  Having served in the ultimate noncommissioned officer position, retired Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Eric Benken has visited Airmen in nearly every corner of the globe; however, even though he retired in 1993 he continues to visit and speak with Air Force personnel about issues that concern them.

On a recent visit here, as the guest speaker at the Electronic Systems Center Annual Awards banquet, Chief Benken took some time to visit with Hanscom personnel shaking hands and talking with them about today's issues.

During his brief stay here, the twelfth CMSAF visited with members of the Top Three, the Patriot Honor Guard and even took part in an enlisted call at the base theatre speaking on budget issues, housing privatization and outsourcing among other topics facing today's Airman.

"I talked about what life in the Air Force was like in the '70s, '80s and '90s, and what it is today," Chief Benken said.

"In the '70s, we had Vietnam and all the issues that came with that period. The '80s were pretty good with pay raises (for the military) and was a relatively calm period. In the 90's we discovered a new enemy, Saddam Hussein, and many people don't realize that we (the Air Force) have been dealing with it for 17 years," he said.

Commenting on why he stayed in the Air Force the chief said his primary reason was because he wanted to be around winners.

"I wanted to be around people who had a winning attitude -- people who had initiative, courage and people who had a dedication and were willing to sacrifice their lives for this nation. Being a part of that team has been a great honor for me," he said.

The chief noted that today's Airmen, "have a level of motivation to serve their country and the dedication they have has never been higher than it is today."

To emphasize his point, he said how impressed he was during his visit with the Patriot Honor Guard, and in particular, with the number of lieutenants that were members. "The interaction between the officer corps and the enlisted corps is important," he said.

"It is important to ensure that there is open dialogue between officer's and enlisted personnel. While relationships between the two must always remain professional, the lines of communication must be open and stay open. It is critical," Chief Benken said.