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43rd AW Commander releases new wing mission, vision statement

  • Published
  • By Capt. Beverly Mock, Chief Public Affairs
  • 43rd Airlift Wing, Public Affairs
POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  The 43rd Airlift Wing has gone through a number of changes over the last two years and continues to change as it transitions from being an airlift wing to an airlift group. The 440th Airlift Wing stood up at Pope in 2007 and a year later the transfer of the active duty flying squadrons comprised of C-130s and A-10s was complete. 

The ongoing realignment under the Base Realignment and Closure mandate led Pope leadership to take a look at the wing mission statement and vision recently to define the current and future direction of the 43rd. 

After a two-day conference, wing leadership came up with the new way-ahead for the wing and released it to the public during the Commander's Forum Wednesday at the Pope Theater. 

The mission statement defines the 43rd Airlift Wing's day-to-day activities.
The mission of the 43rd AW is to support joint forces contingency outload and in-garrison operational/training requirements. Provide worldwide air mobility capabilities across the spectrum of military operations. Execute Pope AFB's realignment in compliance with the BRAC mandate. 

The vision was created by the wings senior officer and enlisted leadership and captures a collective, understandable, and possible depiction of the 43rd in a future state....
The vision for the 43rd AW is to become the Air Force's premier Airlift Group for enroute operations and total force partnerships, with Pope Field established as a sought-after place to work and live. 

The wing, post-Base Realignment and Closure, becomes an airlift group with several functions including squadrons supporting logistics, aerial port operations, aircraft maintenance, air evac, medical, operations, operations support, comptroller and force support. 

"When all is said and done there will still be more than 3,500 Air Force men and women at Pope, said Col. James Johnson, 43rd AW Commander. "All still serving at Pope and totally immersed in the local community. We will still put the "air" in airborne and support missions conducted from our National Strategic Force Projection Platform known as the Green Ramp."