Commander says Robins Air Force Base production still on right track
WARNER ROBINS -- The Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex is on track to continue its positive production trend this year, the unit's commander told community leaders Tuesday.
Brig. Gen. Walt Lindsley made the pronouncement during the State of the Base luncheon at the Museum of Aviation.
The Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex is the largest unit at Robins Air Force Base, performing heavy maintenance and modifications on aircraft and their components. It had been lagging in production goals until last year.
Halfway through the current fiscal year, Lindsley said, the center has completed about half the planes it's scheduled to complete this year.
"You should walk out of here smiling, encouraged and very proud of what the 7,200-plus men and women of the Air Logistics Complex have accomplished," he said. "We can see no reason why we will not meet or exceed every one of our commitments for this production year."
He also noted that the complex won the Air Force Maintenance Effectiveness Award for 2015 in the depot category and is now competing for the same award across the entire Department of Defense.
Also speaking to the audience of about 150 were leaders of the Air Force Reserve Command, the 78th Air Base Wing, the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System and the Marine helicopter unit.
J-STARS is operated by the 116th Air Control Wing, which is a Georgia Air National Guard Unit, and the 461st Air Control Wing, an active-duty unit. Col. Mark Weber, commander of the 116th, noted that April 1 marked the 20th year that the Georgia Air National Guard has been at Robins.
He said J-STARS carries out some missions that many don't know about, including providing bomb disposal experts to law enforcement in a 35-county area. He also said he is awaiting approval for a plan to provide J-STARS civil engineers to work on development of Wellston Park in Warner Robins.
Although J-STARS is waiting to get new planes, he said it remains an important part of national defense.
"While we may be flying what we refer to as an old truck, that truck has equipment on it that is still best in class," he said. "There is no other radar capable of doing what we do."
The unit has a 99-percent mission effectiveness rate overseas, he said.
He finished by stating, in the strongest terms yet by a J-STARS leader, that when J-STARS does get new planes, the unit will remain at Robins.
"There is no debate, in the Air National Guard or in the United States Air Force, within the Georgia (congressional) delegation or in Atlanta, about the J-STARS (new planes) coming back to Robins Air Force Base," he said.
The base's so-called "mayor" also spoke at Tuesday's gathering. Col. Jeff King is commander of the 78th Air Base Wing, which maintains the streets and buildings, as well as providing security, fire protection and other support to units on base. He also is over labor/management relations.
"Almost every safety and labor/relations statistic has moved in the right direction over the last year," he said.
Maj. Gen. Michael Kim, mobilization assistant to the commander at Air Force Reserve Command, noted the recent news that the organization will get a new commander in July, and some other top leaders also are changing.
He said he expects the priorities will remain the same: growing the total personnel and increasing the command's role in cyber warfare and in the areas of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
"Although you are going to see some changes in faces at Air Force Reserve Command, our commitment to the community will not change," he said.
To contact writer Wayne Crenshaw, call 256-9725.
This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 5:36 PM with the headline "Commander says Robins Air Force Base production still on right track ."