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17th TRW commander unveils ‘The Goodfellow Way’ at transparent Commander’s Call

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Abbey Rieves
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  

Ladies and Gentlemen, please stand for your commander!

Col. Andres Nazario, 17th Training Wing commander, kicked off the new year with an outstanding Commander’s Call at 2 p.m. on Dec. 9, at Murphey Performance Hall in San Angelo, Texas.

Nazario expanded upon traditional Commander’s Calls, which historically provides a communication outreach from the base commander to his people, to now include local community members for his explanation of an innovatively new approach to base’s mission statement and additional community involvement topics.

Before and after the event, light refreshments were available and information booths on upcoming 17th TRW events and opportunities.

At the event, Nazario thanked all Goodfellow members for embracing his vision.

“At the very beginning of my tour here, I asked the staff, the colonels and the chiefs,” said Nazario. “I had a general idea of the vision. And they were already working it… We launched a long-term resilience strategy. But never could I fully understand how ‘connect, go, grow,’ was going to take root. YOU have taken it on, and for that, I’m really, really grateful.” 

In addition to the connecting-with-others-going-into-the-community-and-growing-yourself campaign, Nazario officially introduced ‘The Goodfellow Way,’ a new strategic approach, which identifies vision, leadership and energy for training and development across the entire enterprise.

“The three concepts are so connected, that it’s just too easy,” said Chief Master Sgt. Lavor Kirkpatrick, 17th TRW command chief. “‘Vision,’ is our sight. When we think about casting a future for Goodfellow, we are not just thinking about the short moment we are here. We are casting a vision for the young Airman Kirkpatrick that you are teaching, who might one day come back and be your command chief.”

In recognizing how the future is afforded on today’s foundation, leaders must see beyond the classroom walls.

 “When you cast a vision that is far and bold, it’s going to take ‘Leadership,’ to move it in that direction,” said Kirkpatrick. “The vision is how we feel we can best lead the needs of our nation as outlined in the National Defense Strategy, all the way through what our numbered Air Force, Air Education and Training Command and United State Air Force demands of us. So, we encourage, ask and DEMAND of you to lead at the local level, taking action within your focus of control.”

With the things-in-motion-stay-in-motion ideology, the laws of nature demonstrate how energy and momentum created today, will keep ideas moving 20 years from now.

“Leadership is naturally going to be filled with ‘Energy’,” said Kirkpatrick. “So have and be filled with energy, because that energy is what will connect you to those around you.”

 “We could have all the leadership in the world, but they also leave,” said Nazario. “Unless you pass the energy, the vision won’t go anywhere.”

With the energy of the Air Force’s core values pulsing through the veins of The Goodfellow Way, the new strategic approach is mission-focused, technologically integrated and flexibly connected.

Nazario passed energy to the audience by discussing plans to build 5G info-structures, instilling faster networks and greater bandwidth for intelligence learning on the secret servers. 

With near-peer competitors’ using artificial intelligence and other technologies, Goodfellow continues to lead its adversaries by pulling strength from the San Angelo community, pushing the boundaries of current training methods and developing new routes for a successful future force.

Nazario said his vision includes partnering with Angelo State University to build open-concept architectures on base, creating a centralized hub for lifelong learning.      

Just like the saying, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day,’ Nazario knows the vision will leave a legacy beyond his existence on base.

“We understand that we may not see a block, we understand we may not see a tower,” said Nazario. “But you know what, I don’t care! Embrace ‘vision, leadership and energy’ and accept the fact we are moving forward.”