TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --
Team Tinker hosted the annual birthday bash at the Tinker
Club to celebrate 69 years of the United States Air Force.
As the nation’s 9-1-1 response call for the last 69 years,
Col. Stephanie Wilson said the Air Force’s core mission — “Fly, Fight, Win” —
has remained steady, but the execution of said mission changes daily.
“The same ingenuity that birthed our service remains the
source of air power, with Tinker Air Force Base at the center of that power,
ensuring combat readiness to provide global reach, global vigilance and global
power for America,” the colonel expressed.
The secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force have
identified “agility” as the watchword for the next 20 years, in an increasingly
dynamic environment. This year’s festivities emphasized the advancements of the
branch since its inception, as well as the generations of innovation to come.
Young Airmen, too, were celebrated, as it is the hope that their eagerness to
learn and modernize the Force never wavers.
Colonel Wilson praised Airmen for their efforts and abilities to project
global military power on a scale that cannot be matched by our adversaries.
Howard “Hooch” Halvorsen, Tinker’s base historian, was
featured as the guest speaker for the event. He, too, spoke of the service then
and now. Additionally, Mr. Halvorsen touched on how the Air Force, fielding
5,032 aircraft, is the most dominant military force in the world. Since its
founding in 1947, the Air Force immediately has proven its global reach through
the Cold War, Korean War, Vietnam War and Berlin Airlift.
The U.S. Air Force has been changing constantly in its 69
years. The mission has grown, and Tinker AFB has grown, but the support has
remained and the excellence has remained. And that, Mr. Halverson said, is the
reason [the United States] keeps winning wars.
The National Security Act of 1947 established
the Air Force as the third military branch of the United States Department of
Defense.