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JBSA News
NEWS | Feb. 3, 2010

New commander introduces himself to Team Randolph members

By Robert Goetz 502d Air Base Wing OL-B Public Affairs

Brig. Gen. Len Patrick activated the 902d Mission Support Group under the 502d Air Base Wing Tuesday morning.

He brought his philosophy of leadership and cooperation to his new troops in his first commander's call at Randolph a day later.

"Don't be afraid to share your wealth and your understanding and your experience with the person next to you," General Patrick told a packed base theater. "In the end, we're stronger by communicating; we're stronger by sharing common experiences."

General Patrick is the first commander of the 502d ABW, the result of Base Realignment and Closure legislation in 2005. Also known as Joint Base San Antonio, the new organization based at Fort Sam Houston combines installation support functions at Randolph and Lackland Air Force Bases and Fort Sam Houston.

In his inaugural commander's call, General Patrick showed Team Randolph members the air base wing's new patch, which borrows elements from the participating installations and all armed services - a design he called "simple but representative."

He also discussed the intention of the BRAC decision to "bring common infrastructure municipal services support on an even keel" throughout all joint bases and the massive impact of the 502d ABW - 80,000 permanent-party military personnel and government civilians, 140,000 students per year, an operations and maintenance budget of $850 million and a plant replacement value in excess of $10 billion.

General Patrick said the Air Force will take the lead role at six of 12 joint bases, including Joint Base San Antonio, but the traditions of all services will be preserved.

"That's significant to our Army brethren," he said. "They think the Air Force is taking over. I go out of my way to say I'm not going to change your culture. I'm not going to change the names."

General Patrick talked about his background - a military brat, an Air Force Academy graduate who's a career civil engineer, a wing and squadron commander at Lackland and Randolph and a husband and father of two.

He also introduced the 502d ABW's command chief, Chief Master Sgt. Juan Lewis, who later talked about his commitment to the Air Force Core Values and Airman's Creed and to team members who demonstrate "PEP" - pride, enthusiasm and passion."

But General Patrick devoted much of his first commander's call to his ideas and his expectations on everything from tolerance to teamwork.

"I have no tolerance for intolerance," he said. "I have no tolerance for a harassing work environment or an environment that doesn't allow freedom to grow and freedom to think."

General Patrick said if harassment is going on in the workplace, whether it's racial, ethnic or sexual, "you've got to elevate, you've got to tell somebody, you've got to let us help, whether it's real or perceived, elevate, and we'll work through it."

"I won't tolerate bosses or supervisors that make inappropriate comments and if something's brought to my attention, I'm going to investigate," he said. "I want to make this an even playing field for everybody. We are a team."

General Patrick urged Team Randolph members to be cooperative, even if they belong to different units, to be innovative and to reach out to each other.

"I won't tolerate a lack of teamwork," he said. "If there's a problem, help solve it. Be part of the solution and not part of the finger-pointing. What I need you to do is work together."

General Patrick also told his troops to find time for themselves and to have fun at work.

"If you're not coming to work and having fun, you need to find something else to do," he said.

General Patrick said the air base wing "is not a dictatorship."

"I'm the one who's responsible, but at the same time you're the one who's getting the work done," he said. "I can't do it without you. I can't do it without your enthusiasm, I can't do it without your professionalism and I can't do it without you working together."