BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- Chief Master Sgt. Calvin Williams came on board in October as the Air Force Global Strike Command’s fourth command chief. With 27 years of experience at various levels of command, Williams has remained focused on three priorities -- mission, Airmen and families.
“The Airmen are the lifeline to our mission set,” Williams said. “We maintain two legs of the nuclear triad and so as a result, they’re vitally important. This positon brings an opportunity to take on and learn a new mission set and to foster more teamwork and a collaborative way of doing business.”
As command chief, Williams is responsible for advising the commander on all matters influencing the professional development, training, combat readiness, utilization, morale and mission effectiveness of assigned enlisted personnel.
When asked, what he brings to AFGSC, Williams responded, “My hope is to build on the legacy that has been set before me by Chief West and other senior enlisted leaders that have held the position prior to me. I bring servant and humble leadership in support of General Rand and his vision for our command, its Airmen and their families.”
For Williams, it’s a job that means getting familiar with each of the command’s nine wings and one of the broadest mission sets in the Air Force. To build some of that familiarity, Williams traveled to F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming and Malmstrom AFB, Montana. Williams witnessed firsthand how missileers, maintainers and defenders remain ready to execute the mission.
“A lot of northern tier bases are like CONUS isolated remotes,” Williams said. “The biggest take away for me was the comradery and the sense of community that the Airmen on those bases have. Their sense of pride and commitment to the mission set is daunting. They get it done in spite of not having the past comforts that some may have known coming from metropolitan areas. I have 100% confidence in the leadership and ability of the teams that are out there.”
Gaining an understanding helps Williams to advocate for AFGSC Airmen. While observing the day-to-day operations of those who operate, maintain and defend the Minuteman III, the command chief says he has gained more than just a familiarity, but a deep understanding and appreciation for what these Airmen do.
“Our crews work long, long days,” Williams said. “I didn’t have that appreciation prior to going out and seeing it firsthand.”
Although he is new to the ICBM field, he is familiar with other aspects of the AFGSC mission and the Airmen who work with aircraft.
“I have a little skin in the game as it relates to the B-1 mission,” added Williams. “I was the 12th Air Force Command Chief at Davis-Monthan … when two of the wings were Dyess and Ellsworth, so seeing our entire bomber fleet under one command is much like it was in the early days of me coming into the Air Force.”
Williams is impressed with the Airmen -- civilian, enlisted and officer alike - of Global Strike Command. This is largely due to the influence of the Airmen he has met with so far.
“I am thankful for the hospitality, the leadership that exists at the bases that I’ve visited thus far, as well as the entire command,” Williams said. We welcome the opportunity to provide solutions to challenges and the opportunity to better take care of Airmen and their families. We sleep at ease because they’re on watch day in and day out.”