Lusaka, Zambia -- On Feb. 17, Gen. James B. Hecker U.S. Air Forces Europe-Air Forces Africa commander and Command Chief Master Sgt. Randy Kwiatkowski, attended the first day of the 14th African Air Chiefs Symposium.
The day began with an opening ceremony in which the Zambia Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Oscar M. Nyoni and Hecker made opening comments as the co-chairmen of the Association of African Air Forces. Nyoni welcomed his fellow African air chiefs and airmen representing nearly 40 nations’ air forces to Zambia. Hecker then thanked Nyoni and the Zambian Air Force for their work in hosting this symposium. He also praised the enlisted members of AAAF for their work in developing a noncommissioned officers handbook.
Following the general’s comments, Gen. David W. Allvin, the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff, thanked the participants for their work and expressed his regret for being unable to attend via a recorded message. Finally, the Honourable Douglas Munsaka Syakalima, Zambia’s Acting Minister of Defense officially opened the symposium for the week, encouraging participants to make the most of this opportunity to develop working partnerships across nations.
Following the opening ceremony, Hecker and Kwiatkowski joined airmen from all participating nations for a general assembly in which the AAAF permanent secretariat reviewed the association’s accomplishments from the past year and previewed the goals and planned work for the week of the liaison officers; senior enlisted; and Women,Peace and Security forums.
The first day of the symposium concluded with an ice breaker dinner in which the air chiefs, and their spouses had the opportunity to get to know each other better and build their relationships as peers and professional airmen.