CMSAF Wright listens, shares lessons while visiting Luke

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Aspen Reid
  • 56th Fighter Wing
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright visited Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. Oct. 22, 2018, to engage with Airmen and gain insight on the wing’s mission.

Wright visited multiple units including the 56th Medical Group, 56th Mission Support Group, 607th Air Control Squadron, 56th Maintenance Group and Base Operations.

While visiting the 56th MDG, Wright stopped at stations throughout the facility to listen to Airmen and their concerns or feedback. Airmen addressed enlisted performance reports, computer based training, operational camouflage pattern uniforms and leadership standards. Wright left them with a personal story and wisdom on how to overcome their obstacles.

“My greatest obstacle was myself,” said Wright. “In my career and in my life, whenever something bad happened it was always somebody else’s problem. I was always placing blame on others around me until I realized as a senior master sergeant. I was stationed in Korea and I had a young senior airman who told me I was a hypocrite. He helped me understand that I was responsible for my own destiny. He forced me to go home and look in the mirror and realize that I was responsible for my own actions. Once I was able to take responsibility for myself I was able to progress forward.”

As the CMSAF’s visit continued, he stopped to talk with Airmen in the 607th ACS about physical fitness, character and attitude. He spoke on developing the Air Force’s core values as part of their character and making it something that is important to them.

“The difference between character and personality is that character is on the inside and personality is what’s on the outside, you can fake it to everybody,” said Wright. “Character you can’t fake. It’s what you stand for and making sure you adopt the core values.”

Wright spoke on keeping oneself disciplined with physical fitness and making sure you are always ready.

“You have to keep yourself disciplined before someone else does,” said Wright “Nobody is going to tell you when to get up and run, that’s all on you.”

As the visit to Luke came to a close, the message that Wright ensured he passed on was to eliminate the phrase “that’s good enough”. Wright made sure that all of the Airmen he spoke with remembered the key message of making sure we live by the core values, especially “Excellence in all we do”.

“If it can be better, then good isn’t enough,” said Wright. “Always strive for excellence.”