LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
In just under two months the commander of the 1st Fighter Wing, Col. Matt Molloy has been wheels up and working toward fulfilling his promises of "mission first, people always."
Since his instatement May 8, he has overseen one of three F-22A Raptor deployments to Kadena Air Base, Japan, and an operational readiness exercise.
As part of a Western Pacific theater security package, Colonel Molloy deployed more than 280 support Airmen and 12 Raptors from the 94th Fighter Squadron and the Virginia Air National Guard 192nd Fighter Wing.
"The F-22 Raptor is the cloaked jewel of America, a truly fifth-generation weapons system," said Colonel Molloy. "I believe, we are the stewards for something very special in terms of combat capabilities."
Shortly after this deployment, Colonel Molloy focused his priorities to readying the force for the 2010 Operational Readiness Inspection, holding a two-day ORE, involving nearly 800 Airmen.
"I am honored and humbled to be the commander of the 1st Fighter Wing," he said. "I am standing on the shoulders of giants, Airmen past and present, who have and are getting the J-O-B done. I'm here not only to serve the needs of the Air Force, but the needs of the Airmen."
Colonel Molloy has formulated a clear-cut leadership philosophy by embracing the Air Force core values, which provides a crucial foundation for the men and women of the 1st Fighter Wing.
"This allows me the ability to give a mission-type-order and allows you the latitude to get the mission done, without the interference of being micro-managed," Colonel Molloy said. "This system instills a pride of ownership, which is a remarkable force."
With a deployment underway, and a completed ORE, Colonel Molloy's objectives are now very close to his vision. "My charge to all of Langley's Airmen is to make the 1st Fighter Wing a fifth- generation fighter wing ... I believe, we are well on our way."