JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas –
2nd Lt. Faith Powers, 502nd Public Affairs: JBSA, it's time for your questions.
Hi everyone, welcome to another episode of "Ask Away JBSA." I'm 2nd Lt. Faith Powers, sitting with Brigadier General Russell Driggers, your Joint Base San Antonio and 502 Air Base Wing commander. Welcome, sir.
Brig. Gen. Russell Driggers, 502nd ABW Commander: Thanks, Faith. I'm happy to be here.
Lt. Powers: In this episode, we'll be taking a deep dive into all things Gen. Driggers, from his experience as the installation commander to his fashion sense. Are you ready for this, sir?
Brig. Gen. Driggers: Maybe, but let's do what we can.
Lt. Powers: All right! So, as you know, Joint Base San Antonio is a very massive installation and is often referred to as "the Beast." What is it like being the installation commander of JBSA, the largest joint base in the entire Department of Defense?
Brig. Gen. Driggers: Well, you know, I've been here a couple of times. When I was a squadron commander, I was up at Randolph, and I remember watching Gen. Carter as she was dealing with "the Beast."
We didn't call it "the Beast" at the time, but we all called it "the Beast," and I remember thinking, "Oh my Lord, who would ever want that job?"
So here I am, and it's been an amazing adventure for the past two years. We've got a fantastic team that covers everything from security to civil engineering to personnel and everything in between.
Some amazing missions go on that we support, and the importance of what we do makes this a really fantastic job to have. And then, with the local community, you don't have anything like “Military City, USA” anywhere else. To be able to partner together and try to get after a lot of these problems is really an amazing adventure.
Lt. Powers: And now, you're not just the commander, right? You're a father, a son, a friend; you're wearing a lot of hats. What are some ways that you fill your cup so that you're able to balance all the many hats that you wear?
Brig. Gen. Driggers: Sure, yeah. My kids are now out of the house. One's in college and one's a grad student.
One of the things that my bride Janet and I had to figure out was what life looks like whenever that happens. So, we took to cooking. Every night, we get a chance to just get in the kitchen, cook a little bit, and watch a silly show to kind of wind down from the day. That's kind of the daily thing. We try to get together with the family as much as we can, and then get after that.
Personally, I do a little bit of civilian flying on the side, so I try to fly when I can.
Lt. Powers: Well, sir, the people really want to know: what is your fashion sense outside of uniform?
Brig. Gen. Driggers: I don't have fashion sense. I can't believe that. I wear khakis and a polo shirt, but yeah, I'm not all that fashionable.
Lt. Powers: Okay, well, we'll be sure to add a picture for the viewers so they can see that as well. I'm sure they'll be excited.
Sir, we're going to do a little bit of a game time right here. In this edition of "Ask Away," we want to play what we call "This or That." Just tell us your preference of this or that, okay? You ready?
Brig. Gen. Driggers: Ready.
Lt. Powers: Coffee or tea?
Brig. Gen. Driggers: Coffee.
Lt. Powers: Breakfast or dinner?
Brig. Gen. Driggers: I'd say breakfast.
Lt. Powers: Rom-coms or action movies?
Brig. Gen. Driggers: I'm an action movie guy, but when Jan wants to watch a rom-com, I'm there with her.
Lt. Powers: Good job, Miss Janet! Beach or mountains?
Brig. Gen. Driggers: I like mountains, but my wife's a beach girl, so it's the beach.
Lt. Powers: Cowboy boots or cowboy hat?
Brig. Gen. Driggers: Cowboy boots.
Lt. Powers: Savory or sweet?
Brig. Gen. Driggers: Savory.
Lt. Powers: Dogs or cats?
Brig. Gen. Driggers: We've had cats, but I prefer dogs.
Lt. Powers: Sunrise or sunset?
Brig. Gen. Driggers: I'd like to be a morning person, but sunsets are pretty fair.
Lt. Powers: Gum or mints?
Brig. Gen. Driggers: Well, as you saw, mints. I'm hooked on Altoids.
Lt. Powers: Music or audiobooks?
Brig. Gen. Driggers: You know, it's a good question because I'm driving around all over San Antonio, and I would have to say it's podcasts. Podcasts for the win. And some music, but usually podcasts.
Lt. Powers: All right, thank you, sir. This will conclude our "Ask Away JBSA." We just want to thank you for being here with us and answering some of our questions.
Brig. Gen. Driggers: Thanks, this has been a good time.
Lt. Powers: Thank you all for watching another episode of "Ask Away JBSA," and remember, if you have any more questions, feel free to ask your questions via our website at JBSA.mil or our new app “JBSA Connect.” See you on the next "Ask Away JBSA."
Brig. Gen. Driggers: Driggers out.
ASK AWAY, JBSA! is a forum that aims to connect the 502nd Air Base Wing with members of the Joint Base San Antonio community. Numerous organizations work in tandem to answer the questions and provide the community with vital information.
Once a submission is received, they will be further researched and published as information becomes available.
Once we receive a submission, your question will be forwarded to the 502 Air Base Wing Commander and team. They will then conduct further research, and develop a direct response.
Selected questions will be disseminated to all 502nd ABW personnel via official email, as an article on JBSA.mil and on the 502nd Air Base Wing Facebook page.
Please keep in mind, due to the influx of questions and effort to obtain the most updated and correct information to better answer your questions and or concerns, your response may not be included in the latest installment of 502nd ABW CC Q&A's. Please be patient as the leadership team will ensure each question gets answered.