Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston –
After more than three years as commander of the 502nd Air Base Wing and the largest Joint Base in the Department of Defense – Joint Base San Antonio – Brig. Gen. Bob LaBrutta is moving on to a new assignment and a new rank as the commander, Second Air Force, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
LaBrutta will pass command of both the wing and JBSA to Brig. Gen. Heather Pringle during a ceremony at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston’s MacArthur Parade Field at 9:30 a.m. Friday.
Before his departure, the general sat down for an interview to reflect on his time in San Antonio and what made this assignment special to him.
When asked what his favorite part of being the commander of the 502nd ABW and JBSA, he was quick to answer.
“It is absolutely the people first and then the missions we have the opportunity to support every day,” LaBrutta said. “It’s awe inspiring to provide foundational installation support and service to 266 mission partners whose operations are critical to our nation’s security at home and abroad. It’s been amazing to be a part of this “team of teams” – there’s just nothing better.”
With that many mission partners to work with, there have naturally been some challenges, but the general said the 502nd ABW have been up to the task.
“Twelve Joint Bases were created by the Department of Defense in 2005, six that follow Air Force policy, four following Navy policy and two that follow Army policy,” LaBrutta said. “Part of the rub has been ensuring that the heritage, history, traditions and the culture of the service that is not in the lead are protected, not interrupted, or stepped on.”
“In JBSA, we’ve had a very good balance of following Air Force policy to execute the mission, but we are also very mindful of the fact that we are the caretakers of historic JBSA-Fort Sam Houston and JBSA-Camp Bullis. We want to make sure they are the best that we can make them,” he added. “In fact, we want the Army to take a look on both major JBSA-locations with great pride. We also want the Air Force to have the same kind of pride in JBSA-Randolph and JBSA-Lackland.”
The general was quick to include the other services with major presence throughout JBSA as well.
“We also can’t forget about our Shipmates and making sure that the Navy’s traditions are a part of what we do, as well as our Devil Dogs in the Marines, our Coast Guard members and, of course, our DOD civilians. All of them are just as critical and are just as important to the fabric of JBSA.”
LaBrutta also discussed the challenge of sequestration.
“The impact to our portfolio from sequestration and the Budget Control Act has been significant,” he said. “I’m very mindful of 2013 when we were hit with sequestration and furloughs that impacted a large portion of our workforce and disrupted our mission support capabilities. Since then, the impacts of sequestration and a resource constrained environment are a reality and continue as the “new normal”.
“Understanding this new normal, we haven’t been idle. Instead, we have established a very successful framework with our mission partners at the senior levels who are now able to influence and effect the decisions I have to make as the installation commander. We also transformed our organization structure, have implemented continuous process improvement as part of the way we do business, and we created a very successful JBSA P4 (Public/Public-Public/Private) partnership with the region of San Antonio and the State,” the general said.
“In 2014, we established a formal process where the 20 members of the Joint Base Partnership Council – the general officers, flag officers, senior executive service civilians and the wing commanders and their equivalents –– who are at the table, contribute, and shape the difficult, but necessary, tradeoff decisions that are made not only with regard to facilities, infrastructure and systems, but also for the quality-of-life services that we offer to our family members. This new structure provides transparency, buy-in and trust and is the fulcrum on how we execute installation support and services across our massive portfolio.”
The 502d ABW’s transformation from a traditional organizational structure to a functional construct, is also a powerful, force-multiplier that enhanced the 502nd ABW’s ability to execute its mission on a day-to-day basis. “We’ve driven decision-making and resource allocation down to not only to the group level, but to the squadron and flight levels,” LaBrutta said. “A result, we are more flexible, agile, and are able to execute installation support and service at the speed required by all of our customers.”
The process and organization adjustments are only part of the story. “Another big reason for the success of JBSA is because of the incredible support and partnership of Military City USA, community partners in the metropolitan area and the great State of Texas,” LaBrutta said. “Specifically, through our JBSA P4 instrumentality, we have been highly successful in leveraging resources that exist outside our fence lines. Through P4 we have realized more than $42 million in grants, funding and projects that provide water security, mitigate encroachment, and decrease traffic congestion to preserve JBSA’s vital missions. This initiative is simply spectacular and we’re just on the crest of the wave in what P4 will bring in the future.”
With regard to the joint base concept in San Antonio, the general is optimistic.
“Together, the 502nd ABW and Joint Base San Antonio are setting a new standard of excellence. We established an inspiring vision, to be “the premier installation in the Department of Defense” and through unrivaled installation support and service that enables our Mission Partner’s success – I have no doubt we will accomplish that lofty goal,” LaBrutta said.
LaBrutta spoke in glowing terms about what this assignment has meant to him on a professional level.
“This has been the best professional development experience I’ve had in my 34-year career”, he said. “I’ve learned so much from the incredible military, civilian and community professionals I have come into contact with through this job. On top of that, having the opportunity to test my leadership skills with regard to team building, organization structure, and building partnership capacity – all of these opportunities have made Bob LaBrutta a better person, a better officer and a better leader.”
When asked what words he wanted to say to the men and women of the 502nd ABW and JBSA as he departs, LaBrutta took a while to collect his thoughts and emotions.
“What an honor and a privilege it has been. I love what we do and I love what the 502nd ABW and JBSA brings to the fight. This wing, JBSA and this remarkable community – Military City USA – are at the pinnacle of installation support, and military-community partnerships. I’m grateful to have served as the 502nd ABW and JBSA commander, and I will always reflect on this assignment with enormous pride for the rest of my career!”