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NEWS | April 13, 2007

Colonel reflects on military career, attributes success to core values

By Megan Orton 12th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs

Whether serving as an 18-year-old Airman in Vietnam, a contracting officer when the Air Force acquired new missions in the 1980's, standing on the streets of Washington, D.C., on Sept. 11, or as a contractor in Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom, one Randolph colonel has seen the essence of what the Air Force mission truly encompasses. 

Today, after a 31-year active-duty career with the Air Force, Colonel Robert Winiecki, Air Education and Training Command Contracting Division chief, retires. 

The colonel's time encompasses a four-year enlisted career, and 27 years as a contracting officer. His career experiences are a testament to the Air Force's role in American defense over the past 36 years. 

"As a poor kid from Chicago, I've come a long way," the colonel said. "I've done a lot of things I never thought I'd do, and I owe that to the Air Force." 

When Colonel Winiecki joined the Air Force in 1971, he was living in a small town in Arkansas. 

"I actually went to the same high school as President Clinton," the colonel said.
Colonel Winiecki said he was expected to join the military by his family because most of the men in his family were veterans. 

"I was taught that a man had a duty to serve his country if he wanted to enjoy all the freedoms and benefits of being an American," he said. 

He also decided to join for the job opportunity and education benefits and spent four years as an enlisted Airman. 

"My experience from 1971 to 1975 was extraordinary," the colonel said. "I thought joining the Air Force would keep me from going to Vietnam, but within four months, I was there." 

Colonel Winiecki notes that he was not a combat Airman, but sent as a supporting function, during the time that the Americans were beginning to turn control over to the South Vietnamese. 

"Vietnam was a tough time to be in the military," he said. "Time had just taken its toll on the leaders and back then, the American people were unable to separate the guys who fought from the people who sent them to fight." 

"People hated the war, so they hated us," he said. 

Colonel Winiecki left the Air Force to pursue school full-time in 1975. 

During his time at the University of Texas, the colonel said he missed the camaraderie that the military provided, as well as supporting something larger than himself, so he joined the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. 

He achieved his Bachelor's of Business Administration degree in accounting and was commissioned into the Air Force in 1979. 

His first position as an officer was at the Aeronautical Systems Division at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, as a contract management officer and negotiator. 

"In the 80's a lot of contracts came about to acquire the F-15, F-16 and other new technology for the Air Force," Colonel Winiecki explained. "There was so much money and so many things to be acquired; it was a great time to be in contracting." 

After working his way up the contracting chain, Colonel Winiecki was assigned as the commander of the 7000th Contracting Squadron in Upper Heyford, United Kingdom, in 1988. 

"When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, all we had prepared for unraveled," he said. "The U.S. and its allies had been fighting the Cold War for more than 40 years. If the Russians weren't the enemy any longer, what were we to do?" 

Substantial changes were needed, he explained. The military down-sized its forces in Europe and the two Germanys reunited. 

"Now, we rotate our forces to the desert rather than long-term assignments as we had in Europe," Colonel Winiecki said. "We have shifted our efforts to effectively fight the Global War on Terror." 

On Sept. 11, 2001, Colonel Winiecki stood in the streets of the capital city with many other government workers, just miles from the Pentagon, as America was attacked. At the time, he was working in contracting for the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force in Washington, D.C. 

"When the second plane hit, we knew we were under attack," the colonel said. "When we heard that other planes were headed toward the D.C. area, we were evacuated." 

"It was a pretty sobering experience, being so close to the nation's capital on that day," he said. "A lot of people were frightened about what would happen next." 

What happened next for Colonel Winiecki was a deployment to Camp Victory in Baghdad, Iraq. There, he took the position of the principal assistant responsible for contracting in Multi-National Forces-Iraq Joint Contracting Command. 

"There, I was literally in the Army," he explained. "I worked for an Army two-star general and most of the 90 people that worked for me were Army personnel." 

During his five months at Camp Victory, the colonel said everyone worked long hours, and holidays and weekends didn't exist. 

"There is so much to get done and things happen very fast over there," he said. "A contract that might take seven months to complete here would be compressed into four or five weeks there." 

The colonel said that although some people now view the Iraq war as similar to Vietnam, they are able to separate the war from the warriors. 

"We, in uniform, have the respect of the American people now," Colonel Winiecki said. "To me, that is very precious and valuable and we could lose it very easily. The way we avoid doing that is to live by our core values. 

"If we put our service before self, strive for excellence in all we do, and do all of this with integrity first, both when we're on and off base, whether we're in uniform or not, we will maintain that respect." 

Colonel Winiecki said he would advise young Airmen who hoped to be where he is now one day to do three very important things during their Air Force careers.
First, work hard. 

"During your time here you are creating a reputation for yourself. You want your boss to say 'that's someone I can depend on,' or 'if I had to go to war, I want them to go with me,'" the colonel explained. 

Second, pursue all educational options given to you. 

"Everyone will hang up the uniform at some point, and how successful you have been on active duty will directly effect how successful you are in the rest of your life," Colonel Winiecki said. 

He explained that you don't have to become a senior officer to be a leader, and stressed that the noncommissioned officer corps is the heart of the Air Force. 

"You become smarter when you study and learn, and in turn, better at your job," he explained. "You want to be viewed as someone who understands a lot more than what happens at your desk." 

Third, read about leadership. 

"The Chief of Staff's book list is a good place to start," the colonel suggested.
Colonel Winiecki said if he had one regret, he wished he had balanced his life more by putting more time in with his family. 

"Folks should always be working at living a more balanced life," he said. 

The colonel spent two Christmas holidays away from his family during his 31 years, and he explained that it is harder for the families than for the military member. 

"To us, it's just another day, but to them, there's someone missing," the colonel said.
He said the only other thing he regrets is not being 22 years old again, so he could start over and see what the next 30 years will be like for the Air Force. 

"It's going to be exciting!" he said. 

Colonel Winiecki has also been recognized by his coworkers as a rare leader you only hope you get to work for. 

"He is more dedicated to service than any other person I've worked with in my 27 years of service," said Susan Gill, AETC Contracting Division deputy chief. "With him, it is all about the greater good--the big picture - never about his own rice bowl." 

Colonel Winiecki said the thing he will miss the most about the Air Force is the people. 

"Not just the people in uniform, but we have tons of dedicated civilians who do fantastic things," he said. "Our contractors also contribute to the mission in AETC a great deal. We could not complete the mission without them." 

The colonel, through all of his career experiences, truly exemplifies the Air Force core values and has clearly enjoyed every moment of his Air Force experience. 

"I don't see this as a job, because I enjoy what I do every day. If you see it as a job, you shouldn't be wearing the uniform," he said. 

Colonel Winiecki was awarded a Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal with four bronze oak leaf clusters. The colonel was a distinguished graduate of Air Command and Staff College, and achieved two master's degrees through Air Force programs. 

"The Air Force has given me a lot," he said. "What it comes down to is, I really love the Air Force."