Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin, Gina Allvin, CSAF's spouse, and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David Flosi visited Yokota Air Base on Oct. 16.
"Alongside the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, Team Yokota safeguards a free and open Indo-Pacific by teaming in the defense of Japan, serving as a key airlift hub, and providing a ready and lethal force to deter the pacing threat," Allvin said.
During their visit, they met with 374th Airlift Wing leadership, hosted an all-call, recognized outstanding Airmen, and toured facilities across the base.
The leaders visited Yokota AB as part of a week-long tour of the Pacific Air Force's area of responsibility following stops at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and the Air Force Forum in Japan in downtown Tokyo.
After a mission brief and office call with U.S. Air Force Col. Richard McElhaney, 374th Airlift Wing commander and U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Kenneth Hauck, 374th Airlift Wing command chief, the CSAF and CMSAF saw the Yokota commissary, War Reserve Materiel storage facilities, a corrosion control hangar, the air traffic control tower, and the wing operations center.
During each stop the leaders spoke with Airmen to hear firsthand the challenges they face, the ways Yokota overcomes challenges to keep the mission moving, the partnerships that make it happen, and wins across the team.
"We're proud to showcase Yokota to our services' senior leaders," McElhaney said. "While it's also a great place to live and work, Yokota is a weapons system that provides the Air Force, joint force and partner and allies projection capabilities that no other location can. This visit has been a perfect opportunity to advocate for the needs of the Indo-Pacific's premier logistics hub and showoff some big wins."
Allvin and Flosi then conducted an all-call for Team Yokota to deliver enterprise updates and answer questions from the force.
"Serving in the Profession of Arms is an honor and we only get to do it once," Flosi said. "I'm going to continue to pour into our country, our service, and you, our Airmen - that's what keeps me going."
The final event on the itinerary was an aeromedical evacuation demonstration flight aboard a UH-1 Huey for the senior leaders to learn more about the 459th Airlift Squadron and 374th Medical Group's 24/7 alert mission, designed to move patients to higher care facilities in Tokyo and mitigate access to care concerns for the Yokota AB community.
Meanwhile, Gina Allvin visited force support facilities including various dining options, the Child Development Center, housing, Youth and Teen Centers, physical fitness and medical facilities, schools, and the Military and Family Readiness Center. She was briefed on quality-of-life initiatives and services for the Yokota community.
Yokota AB is the premier logistics hub in the Western Pacific responsible for moving people, equipment, and cargo in and out of theater. The base and its 58 mission partners synchronize logistics through a one community mindset and a culture of discipline and readiness.
"The Airmen and leadership team here are leaning forward and making the nation proud," Allvin said. "Yokota Air Base is a gem and absolutely critical to anything we want to accomplish in the Indo-Pacific alongside our allies and partners."
