It’s always about the people

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Mariah Tolbert
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  The close of 2011 marked one of the most rewarding years in the 4th Fighter Wing's history.

In 2011, Team Seymour earned more than 60 awards: highlights include the best Air Force lodging, dining, civil engineering, contracting and logistics.

"When they say the 4th FW is the 'crown jewel' of the Air Force, it really is," said Col. Patrick Doherty, 4th Fighter Wing commander. "It's not just a bumper sticker. I'm incredibly proud of Team Seymour, everything they accomplished and all the awards that are coming in. They deserve every single one of them."

Doherty mentioned that the wing finished its annual flying hour program goal by reaching 32,000 flying hours; one of only two bases in all of Air Combat Command to accomplish this feat. He also said that Airmen from Seymour Johnson will continue to overcome challenges and excel at taking care of our people and the mission.

"My hat goes off to them first," Doherty said. "It's always about the people; we have incredibly patriotic service across the board."

Doherty noted the sacrifice that the Airmen of Seymour Johnson make every day in support of the mission while they continue to live a balanced, family-oriented life. Living a balanced life increases morale and resiliency across the unit, making Team Seymour stronger across the board for the community and our nation.

"I see the potential in each one of our Airmen everyday and it's limitless," Doherty said. "They can take on any task. It's the mentality of the organization, the resiliency and the ability to fight through adversity that this team really has in place. We know our place in history and what our nation expects in the future and so whether it's a HUREVAC or a tornado breaking out during an air show, we do what we need to do to make sure that we are reaching the highest levels of excellence."

Doherty has seen Seymour Johnson Air Force Base grow into a strong, resilient team and as he prepares to pass on the 4th FW guidon, he continues to take pride in what Airmen have done here and what they will continue to do.

"The 4th FW is going to continue as a stable backbone for the Air Force and for the nation, and we will continue to do great things," Doherty said.

From winning Meritorious Unit and Doolittle awards, and completeing the flying hour program goal, Seymour Johnson Airmen gained a lot of attention in 2011 and plan on continuing with their positive momentum in 2012.