From the top: perspectives on the Super Hercules_20_03_09

by Chief Master Sgt.
86th Airlift Wing command chief

There’s a simple, universal principle that’s followed me through my Air Force career: “The reward for great work is more work.”
This idea can be difficult to deal with. When an Air Force member produces outstanding results, the expectations for that person go way up, and they soon find themselves stretched to the limit to meet new standards.
Personally, a heavy workload has always been a high compliment to me because it meant my supervisors had faith in my capabilities. As a wing, I think our new J-model C-130s are about to give this principle new meaning for all of us.
Though there are no written plans to do so yet, I predict demand for our already tremendous airlift services will increase as we grow into our new capabilities. Able to fly farther and faster while keeping more birds in the air, I think demand for the 86th Airlift Wing will grow across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
The J-model will make us even better at our mission. We’ll be busy and tired, but we’ll wear it with pride. A high operations tempo is the highest compliment. It means the Department of Defense knows who to call for contingency airlift.