Citizen Airmen continue to answer the call Published Jan. 21, 2010 By Lt. Col. Robert P. Graham Commander, 300th Airlift Squadron CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Two weeks ago I was searching for the perfect Commander's perspective. Maybe some attempt to bring the high operations tempo into focus, or some other motivational words. You know, the same stuff you always read from a commander trying to motivate his airmen. Suddenly and violently; however, events of these past few weeks reminded me of what really it really means to me to be a part of the 315th AW and Team Charleston. For as long as I have been here in the 315th AW, I have witnessed the rapid response of all our citizen airmen to the call to aid in disaster relief. It's no coincidence that we all watch the news with a little more interest than your average Joe, and when something like the earthquake in Haiti hits, we turn up the volume a little bit, and start thinking of what to pack, how to tell work you're going to need a few days or a week off. Our families know the phone will ring with news of a mission or a call to come in to help at the base, and we have proven that time after time, from Rwanda to Kosovo, Indonesia to Central America, New Orleans and now Haiti, that we are more than willing to answer that call. Yes, we have a huge impact in the contingency operations, but humanitarian assistance is our bread and butter. There was no doubt in Haiti, either, that the 315th AW was once again going to provide our unique and necessary services. This is one of those operations that we will remember for our great contribution to its success, and we should be proud to be continuing in the long-standing tradition of bolstering Team Charleston's impact in humanitarian assistance operations. It doesn't take a great Commander's perspective or motivational words to remind anyone of this, we prove it time and time again with our actions. Thank you all.