FORT SMITH, AR -- U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Maurice L. Williams, command chief, Air National Guard, came to Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas on March 4, 2023.
During his visit, Williams met with 188th Wing Airmen to discuss their missions, challenges, and to communicate how they are important to the big picture.
The 188th Wing features three primary mission sets: Remotely Piloted Aircraft (MQ-9 Reaper); Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (Distributed Ground Station-Arkansas); and Targeting (Space-Focused). In addition, the wing has a regional civil engineering training center and Razorback Range is the Air National Guard’s Joint Terminal Attack Control (JTAC) center.
As Williams toured the base and spoke with Airmen, he had a very important message for them to think about.
“Within this organization, what can you do to make it better,” Williams said. “That’s serving with a purpose, it’s serving to make things better, to make change.”
As Williams spoke about the national defense strategy, he expressed that every Airman has a contribution and he wants them to understand why everything they do is so important.
“When people understand the why, it has a greater impact on their purpose,” he said.
Williams, who is the highest-ranking enlisted member of the Air National Guard, was inspired by the work being done by the Airmen at the 188th Wing.
“The Airmen are very motivated,” said Williams. “Looking at the things they are doing and how they affect things globally is very impressive.”