Q&A: New wing commander shares priorities Published Sept. 30, 2008 By 419th Public Affairs Staff 419th Fighter Wing Public Affairs HILL AIR FORCE BASE, UT -- Col. Walter "Buck" Sams became the 419th Fighter Wing commander Sep. 14, 2008. The 419th Public Affairs staff recently sat down with Colonel Sams to dicuss his priorities, his role, and his outlook on the future of Hill Air Force Base's Reserve wing. What is your main focus as you take command of the wing? I would ask that each and every member of the 419th Fighter Wing set their sights on three things - sacrifice, diligence, and victory. We must all make continued sacrifices and put service before self as we move forward in everything we do. Diligence can be defined as discipline and determination over time. I encourage everyone to renew their diligence through disciplined practices, safety, professionalism and competence. And finally, we must constantly strive toward victory in the Global War on Terrorism. It is crucial that each of us not lose sight of the big picture. This is a long war, and we have a long way to go before we see complete and total defeat over the terrorists who seek to destroy our way of life. The stakes are high and victory is crucial to the safety and security of generations to come. As commander, what do you see as your primary role? My focus is on supporting the men and women of the 419th Fighter Wing so they may successfully carry out the job at hand - winning the Global War on Terrorism. I hope to empower our people at all levels, provide necessary resources and remove barriers to progress so they can do the vital work for which they are trained. The Airmen in this wing work for the greater good of the 419th, the US Air Force and the citizens of this great nation. They don't work for me, I work for them. If you had the opportunity to talk one-on-one with each Airman in the wing, what would you say? First I'd say thank you. I'd thank each of them for their service, their dedication and their professionalism. Every member of the 419th is here because they want to contribute to the cause of freedom. I've been astounded by the continued high rate of deployment volunteerism and the can-do attitude of all of our people and I feel honored to have the opportunity to serve as their commander. What do you see as the wing's greatest challenge this next year? Let me start by saying that challenge is the nature of our business, and we are the best in the world at meeting challenges head-on and achieving victory. It's in our nature as Americans to unite around a cause greater than ourselves and to shape opportunities for a better future. In times of great challenge, Americans find great opportunity, and I know the 419th Fighter Wing will too find great opportunity as we embrace our continually evolving role in national defense. Our plate will be full this coming year as we support continued Expeditionary Combat Support and Air Expeditionary Force taskings, as we pave the way as the Air Force's first-ever fighter associate unit, and as we strive to maintain the readiness of our part-time force and train them to the highest level possible. Reservists are now crucial to our nation's victory in the Global War on Terrorism and members of the 419th Fighter Wing will have opportunities as never before to do their part in ensuring our nation's success against terrorists throughout the globe who threaten our safety and security. Our Total Force Integration with our Regular Air Force counterparts from the 388th Fighter Wing is on track and we are now working to achieve the optimum level of integration, balance manpower efficiency and leadership opportunities while gaining continued efficiencies. Again, our people have the opportunity to shape the future and ensure that we are the most capable F-16 unit in the world. We will also tackle the continuous readiness challenges that face every reserve unit. Our reservists balance the high demands of their civilian careers, their families, and their reserve service and we have only two days every month to get them ready to stand side-by-side with their RegAf counterparts when called. This offers yet another opportunity for the men and women of the 419th FW to rally together with common purpose to ensure we are ready to do the jobs for which we are being entrusted. I know our people are ready to face these challenges and I, personally, can't think of a better time in our history to serve. What leadership principles guide you? I'm an avid reader of books on leadership and have learned that leadership is a journey, not a destination. Good leaders must know their organization and be truly invested in their people - mission first, people always. Successful leaders know how to set the vision for their organization and provide the path to reach the goal. Good leaders protect innovators and sniff out those with low integrity and mediocre performance. Successful leaders are humble and must remember that true character shows through when things don't go well. Finally, leaders at all levels must take care of themselves and protect against burnout. For me, family comes first. My wife and children are my priority, followed by my career. When I take care of my family and my own well being, I am better able to perform while on the job.