100th ARW commander, chaplain deliver holiday cheer to deployed Airmen

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Austin M. May
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing public affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  He may not have travelled in a big red sleigh pulled by reindeer, but when the 100th Air Refueling Wing commander landed in Southwest Asia Dec. 16, he was carrying a sack full of holiday surprises for Airmen who can't be home for the holidays.

Col. Chad Manske, along with Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Frederick Viccellio, 100th ARW chaplain, delivered about 50 holiday stockings to Airmen deployed from RAF Mildenhall supporting U.S. Air Forces Central operations in the Middle East during a KC-135 crew swap Dec. 18.

"The idea was to bring a little 'back home holiday cheer' to our Airmen serving downrange," Colonel Manske said. "We wanted to show our people we care about them in a real way."

The message got through loud and clear.

"Our wing commander coming all the way out here during the holidays - that was great to see," said Staff Sgt. Bob Jenkins, a KC-135 boom operator deployed from the 100th ARW. "It really shows that he's dedicated to his people."

Sergeant Jenkins was given the opportunity to fly with the colonels on a combat mission over Afghanistan and show them just what he's been doing over the past few months. While combat sorties aren't new to Colonel Manske, for Chaplain Viccellio the experience was a first.

"That was definitely cool," the chaplain said.

During their trip, the commander and chaplain toured several units, including the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron and the 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, where the majority of the Airmen they visited work. On each visit, the colonels handed out stockings and delivered messages of appreciation and encouragement to the members of Team Mildenhall, most of whom had never even met the relatively new wing commander.

In Chaplain Viccellio's opinion, the experience spoke volumes for Colonel Manske and his leadership style.

"Here's a commander who, right at Christmas time, takes four days away from his family and wing to go downrange and visit his Airmen," the chaplain said. To them, that shows our boss genuinely cares and knows what he's doing, he added.

Colonel Manske said for him, the visit was all about the Airmen.

"This is just one way to keep in touch with people," he said. "The heart of command is getting out and meeting people - understanding their needs.

"Command is a privilege," the colonel continued. "If you don't get out and see your people, you're missing out on great opportunities."

The opportunity to travel to the Middle East, however, didn't just fall into anyone's lap. According to Colonel Manske, a monumental effort, both at home station and downrange, went into allowing the surprise holiday visit to happen. Capt. Christopher Saettel, 100th ARW executive officer, handled most of the coordination here, while, Lt. Col. Michael Frymire, the 340th EARS commander deployed from the 351st Air Refueling Squadron here, handled things on his side.

Chaplain Viccellio also had help in making the trip special for the visitors and the deployed members alike. According to him, Micah Steinwandt, who runs the RAF Mildenhall Single Airman's Ministry, made sure each stocking delivered was unique and individually addressed to a warfighter from the wing.

"He's all about individual relationships," Chaplain Viccellio said of Mr. Steinwandt. "He really knows Airmen."

The colonels' visit to the AOR, while virtually unheard-of by almost everyone they met, is only the beginning, said Colonel Manske, who intends to visit his deployed Airmen again in the future.

"It's one thing to talk about going - it's something different altogether to actually go," the colonel said.

The commander and chaplain spent four days at the Middle Eastern air base, but both said the trip was a great way to show Airmen how much they care.

"To be able to take four days off to travel down there and see those Airmen..." Colonel Manske said, "...that was special."