***A MESSAGE FROM THE 7TH BOMB WING COMMANDER*** Airmen, Families, and Friends of Dyess Air Force Base: As you’ve entered through the gates over the past few weeks, the Defenders of the Security Forces Squadron have greeted you by saying, Death from Above! Some have expressed concerns over being welcomed to the base with such a militant declaration, and I owe you an explanation of what is driving this change. Earlier this month, I unveiled a new direction for the 7th Bomb Wing that starts with a simple, streamlined, focused mission statement: When our nation calls - Death from Above! This statement is so simple, in fact, it serves double duty as the wing motto. I believe that when you are looking for ideas that will endure, you should start with the ones that have already endured, and death from above has long been part of the 7th Bomb Wings heritage. It has always appeared -- and still appears -- on our wing patch, expressed in Latin as Mors Ab Alto. Our patch was originally designed by members of the 7th Bomb Group, to commemorate the groups achievements over France in World War I. Today, the 9th Bomb Squadron flies this same battle standard in the skies over Afghanistan. For nearly a hundred years, the 7th Bomb Wing has been driven by a singular purpose -- to kill our nations enemies through long-range bombing. When I gave this revised mission statement to the wing, I challenged them to link everything they do to our central purpose. Many of our squadrons, including the Defenders, have accepted my challenge and have embraced the wings mission as central to their own. To demonstrate their commitment to the mission, the Airmen of the Security Forces Squadron proposed greeting visitors to the base with Death from Above! Neither I nor any other commander directed this action -- yet I applaud and admire their initiative. I understand the work we do on behalf of the American public and other freedom-loving people around the world is disconcerting to some. On some level, it should be. But it wouldnt be healthy to deny, hide from, or water down our purpose. Repeating our wing motto at the gate is not meant to offend or frighten our families or visitors; rather, it is intended to project pride in our wing and its mission, and build the kind of esprit de corps that is always present in superior military organizations. Furthermore, I hope the Defenders declaration of our motto will serve as a source of comfort to those who pass through our gates, knowing that it is only the tyrants who would rob of us our freedoms who should be scared. I will always be proud to say Death from Above, and equally humbled to stand beside the Airmen and their families whose support of one another and this mission ensures we will always be ready -- when our nation calls. MICHAEL BOB STARR, Colonel, USAF Commander, 7th Bomb Wing
Posted on: Thu, 06 Nov 2014 22:06:33 +0000
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