JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The Command Chief Master Sgt. of the 315th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston, SC, took time to engage and get to know different Airmen around JB Charleston during the Unit Training Assembly held June 1-2, 2019.
“I only get 16 hours a month with the Airmen and to truly be able to see what the Airmen’s lives are like when they are coming out here for drill is to actually be with the Airmen,” said Chief Master Sgt. John-Paul Burke, Command Chief Master Sergeant of the 315 AW. “Doing the job and seeing them do their job really helps me to take in their perspective.”
To gain further perspective on the experience of 315 AW Airmen, Burke worked the front gate with Security Forces as Reservist made their way into JB Charleston for the UTA and with Airmen who were participating in training at Combat Arms Training and Maintenance.
“Knowing the good, the bad, the ugly, helps,” said Burke. “So I can best support the Airmen in making sure they have the resources to train and to meet the mission when called upon. You can’t do that any better than actually being with them and doing their job first hand.”
315 AW Airmen arriving to base for the UTA noticed Burke building relationships with squadrons all over base.
“It’s definitely inspirational to see leadership coming to check on Airmen and seeing how we operate and train,” said Staff Sgt. Alivia Cureton, Fire Team lead, 315th Security Forces Squadron, JB Charleston. “It’s motivating to see leadership just as excited and invested as we are during training”
Burke took over as the Command Chief of the 315 AW in January of 2019, where previously he had served as the Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Command Chief at the 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland.