Departing words from the 51st FW commander

Published June 12, 2015
By Senior Airman Kristin High
51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- After nearly two years as the 51st Fighter Wing commander, Col. Brook "Tank" Leonard, bids farewell to Team Osan as he ends his tour here.

Leonard took command of Osan AB in July 2013. Osan was his 16th assignment after serving as commander of the 451st Expeditionary Operations Group, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.

In his time here, Leonard was entrusted with the operational readiness, training, morale and welfare, installation support, and quality of life for all personnel assigned to the 51st FW, Headquarters 7th Air Force, and other U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps units.

He sat down recently for some final words to his Airmen.

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What were your goals when you first took command here and were you successful?

My original goals were readiness and teamwork. As a team, we were successful in meeting them. I like to build teams to bring out people's best and make them better. I saw a great opportunity for Team Osan to do that, particularly with readiness, ensuring we were realistically able to fight tonight.

How has Osan changed since your last assignment here?

Osan has gotten fuller, taller and there are more opportunities thanks to the security we have provided alongside our host nation. South Korea was a nation who received international aid after the Korean War and now their economy is booming and they are an international donor. We've been a part of that transformation, providing security alongside our Korean partners. Because of that, Osan is even a better assignment than it was when my family and I were here 19 years ago.

How has Osan changed since you took command?

The importance of the mission has grown the most of anything here. We have more to guard and protect against, and the defense of this nation has become even more important. To meet that challenge I think we, as a team, have become even more ready to "Fight Tonight" and have developed a lasting focus on leadership and professionalism.

What do you feel your biggest accomplishment here was?

It was truly the team that accomplished all that happened while I served at Osan, and I think our biggest accomplishment is how realistically ready we are today. When I came to Osan, the Air Force had just introduced the Air Force Inspection System. System gave commanders at all levels the responsibility to inspect their forces. We no longer had outside inspection teams coming in and therefore we were able to shift the wing's mentality from 'painting the grass green' and just looking ready on paper to focusing more on realistic and robust readiness. We began to ask ourselves, "what would I have to do in combat and do we actually practice that?" During exercises we asked ourselves "what would we really do in wartime?" These questions changed our focus. In turn that changed the way we trained and prepared ourselves in between exercises and made us look outside the wing to our mission partners on Osan and across the Pacific to make sure we're ready to fight together. This is a real team. It feels like a team, it trains like a team, it fights like a team.

What will you remember most about Team Osan and the Airmen here?

Team Osan and all our military members, civilians, and families are one big family. It's been such a privilege to live, work and play alongside great people. Maria and I and all our children really enjoyed this feeling of family and team and how beautiful, wonderful, powerful it is. Everyday it fired me up to see Airmen, Soldiers, Marines, US/ROK civilians, , families, and our Korean counterparts all dedicated to the same mission and supporting each other.

Where was your favorite place to travel in the RoK?

We loved travelling to Mount Seoraksan on our first tour here and on this tour we enjoyed Jeju Island. It's a paradise with incredible mountains and beaches.

Do you have any recommendations for Airman morale and activities off base?

The rest of the Air Force is not putting their life on hold. At Osan you have the opportunity of a lifetime, to build your life and your career. Enjoy the culture and experience the activities, but also take charge of your chosen profession and set goals, and most of all dedicate yourself to the hard work it will take to achieve those goals. Discover for yourself what Korea can be for you while serving others.

What are your hopes for the future Team Osan?

I'm excited to see Osan continue to grow in teamwork and readiness. I am also excited to see the greatest ideas in the world that come from Osan's newest, youngest and freshest Airmen and Soldiers. I hope we continue to ask and recognize when we can do things better. We have the largest rotation of personnel in the Air Force and have a dual track mission of being ready to "Fight Tonight" as well as the responsibility to continue to organize, train, and equip. Therefore, Osan Airmen learn the skills necessary for not only their jobs but combat skills as well. In the end I hope Osan continues to be the place that changes the Air Force for the better.

Where your next assignment is and what will your duty position be?

I will be working as the Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force at the Pentagon. I'm very thankful for the opportunity that I had here and I'm very thankful to work for the Secretary.

Do you have any final words of advice for the Airmen here?

Excellence is a habit and the only sustainable advantage. Put your best to work every day, build relationships, and do not stop getting better. If you think about the profession of arms, insignificant means incapable at best and could mean defeat. When you are responsible for guarding the freedom of 51 million people, you must be ready and better yourself every day.
Sometimes this seems like a huge challenge so just take care of the person to left of you and improve yourself every day. Get to know the Airman behind the uniform and learn your job so you are able to perform in armistice and in combat.

Last I would like to thank my wife Maria for all her support ... she poured her heart into Team Osan and me every day and I could not have done my best without her.

Throughout his career, Leonard has achieved more than 2,700 flying hours along with more than 570 combat and combat support hours.