EUCOM leaders visit Team Mildenhall

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Brandon Esau
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

Members of the European Command Capstone 19-3 class visited RAF Mildenhall, England, May 6, 2019.

EUCOM leaders, consisting of members of all five branches of the U.S. military, discussed infrastructure developments with wing leadership and gained an understanding of the resources needed to continue the mission.

This five-week long executive level education course provides recently selected U.S. general and flag officers and federal government senior executives an understanding of national defense, military strategies and joint, interagency, and multinational operations to support strategic objectives.

“The mission here at RAF Mildenhall is of the utmost important to the regional security of Europe and Africa,” said Retired U.S. Air Force. Gen. William Fraser, former commander of U.S. Transportation Command and senior fellow for the National Defense University. “I’m very grateful we had the opportunity to meet with wing leadership and interact with exceptional Airmen.”

Throughout the day, the class met with Airmen of the 100th Air Refueling Wing, 352d Special Operations Wing, 727th Air Mobility Squadron and the 95th Reconnaissance Squadron, while also learning of the importance of Europe’s only permanent aerial refueling mission.

“As a member of another service, I always enjoy being able to interact with my contemporaries,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. George Nunez, EUCOM Capstone planner and escort. “Visiting RAF Mildenhall has also given us all the chance to see all of the hard work firsthand, while also learning of situations we can get involved in and help with.”

During the tour, EUCOM leaders received a strategic mission brief from 100th ARW Airmen, explored 352d SOW aircraft and learned about the 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron and the 100th Maintenance Group’s newest innovations.

They also witnessed mission capabilities of the Forward Arming and Refueling Point team, the 95th RS, and received an aerial refueling mission brief from 100th Operations Group leadership.

Members had the opportunity to tour static displays, which included a CV-22 Osprey and MC-130J Commando II from the 352nd SOW, a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 100th ARW, and a 95th RS RC-135 Rivet Joint.

U.S. Air Force Col. Cassius Bentley, 100th Air Refueling Wing vice commander, described how important it was for EUCOM leadership to visit with Airmen.

“It’s always an incredible opportunity to have leadership visit, see how we operate day-to-day and meet our outstanding Team Mildenhall Airmen,” Bentley expressed. “As a strategic forward base, we project airpower through unrivaled air refueling across Europe and Africa, and they are able to support us by understanding what we do every day.”