JACKSONVILLE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Fla. -- Officials from the Florida Air National Guard began the new year by welcoming the 13th Command Chief of the Air National Guard, Chief Master Sgt. Maurice Williams, for a visit to the 125th Fighter Wing, Jan. 8, 2022.
Williams’ itinerary included a mission brief with state and wing leadership and interactions with Airmen to learn how they support the Florida Air National Guard (ANG) mission.
“My number one priority is people,” said Williams. “These wing visits give me the opportunity to hear from Airmen on the ground and receive feedback on the policies and procedures that we’re implementing, changing or looking to change at the national level. Their experiences help to inform our decisions on policies that drive the direction of the organization as a whole.”
In executing one of his focus areas as ANG Command Chief, Williams travels to the wings across each state to personally engage with Airmen at all levels of the organization.
The visit to the 125th Fighter Wing provided him the opportunity to meet with a cross-section of Airmen working in various career fields to include medical, firefighting, explosive ordnance disposal, fuels, and vehicle maintenance operations.
Airman Destiny Bennett, a services journeyman in the 125th Force Support Squadron and aspiring firefighter, accompanied Williams on the tour and had the chance to share her journey and future career ambitions while traveling with the Chief.
“I really enjoyed the opportunity to have that one-on-one time with Chief Williams and share my future career goals,” said Bennett. “He gave me a lot of great advice that I believe will steer me in the right direction as I pursue both my military and civilian career in the future.”
Following his tour, Airmen were able to hear directly from the Chief and provide real-time feedback during a town hall where he discussed his priorities as ANG Command Chief, the importance of the ANG to the total force, and upcoming initiatives to better connect with Airmen across the 90 ANG units.
In addition to wing visits, Williams puts people first by hosting virtual enlisted development seminars, offering opportunities to volunteer for special projects, and launching the 13 Ways to Lead podcast, which provides useful leadership advice to Airmen at every rank.
“My goal is to inspire those to invest in their education, training and experience so that they bring the best version of themselves to the mission,” he said. “Sometimes the mission can overshadow the importance of investing in people, but we have to take care of ourselves first to bring our best to the battle. I hope that’s what resonated the most.”