OC-ALC commander reflects on Tinker tenure
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November 07, 2011
By Brandice J. O’Brien
Tinker Takeoff
11/3/2011
On Nov. 10, Maj. Gen. David Gillett will relinquish his command as the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center commander. On Dec. 31, he will retire from a 34-year Air Force career.
As he reminisced on his Tinker tenure, the general said he has been surprised and impressed by the workforce, realizing with the right direction and support, there’s nothing they can’t accomplish. While he’s honored to have led them, anything the center has achieved, is totally a result of their dedication and perseverance.
“People come first,” General Gillett said. “If you take care of people and give them direction and resources, they will take care of the mission. This is a great team, and they set the pace for how we plan for operations command-wide.”
In January 2009, the general arrived for his second Tinker assignment and was excited to begin a new adventure. He soon discovered the Air Force had tasked the center with several challenging, and possibly daunting, assignments, including increase KC-135 Stratotanker production from 46 to 64 by fiscal 2012; renovate the newly acquired General Motors plant into a first-rate maintenance repair overhaul facility; and integrate the Block 40/45 modification program into E-3 Sentry programmed depot maintenance operations.
But, he didn’t let the challenges get the best of him.
“This is one of the most complex and challenging missions I’ve experienced in my career and we have great professionals who are executing that mission,” General Gillett said. “They have reached their targets every time. These achievements clearly belong to the workforce, and I’m extremely proud of them for what they’ve done.”
Ross Marshall, OC-ALC executive director, said General Gillett deserves much of the credit for OC-ALC’s achievements in recent years and is exactly what the center personnel needed to lead them to success.
“General Gillett is a superb leader and has propelled this center to excellence,” Mr. Marshall said. “He’s a master problem solver with a gift to see to the heart of an issue and guide a team to its solution. His impact and influence on our base will be felt for many years to come. We wish him and Stacia Godspeed as they move on to new adventures.”
Gilbert Montoya, 448th Supply Chain Management Wing director, agreed, adding he appreciates General Gillett’s focus.
“General Gillett was key to the transformational changes that have occurred at Tinker,” he said. “With his focus on lean activities that have driven process improvements, Tinker will benefit from General Gillett’s leadership past his retirement.”
Col. Bob LaBrutta, 72nd Air Base Wing commander and Tinker installation commander, said he’s appreciated the general’s leadership and lessons he’s taught him. He said the general and his wife, Stacia, will be missed.
“General Gillett has been an incredible leader and advocate of the 72nd ABW Wildcatters! Not only has he inspired us to excellence in every facet of our base operations support and services activities, but he’s walked-the-walk in leadership and professionalism,” he said. “Until this assignment, I heard about “lean transformation” but I had never witnessed the power and effects of implementing lean into major programs and processes until I arrived in the OC-ALC.
“As a result of his drive for continuous improvement, the 72nd ABW commenced a renewed commitment to its lean journey in 2010 by training over 1,000 members in lean principles and then taking that training and executing a myriad of ‘rapid improvement events’ and ‘just do its’ that have propelled us to better service and performance across the board,” Colonel LaBrutta said. “Moreover, General Gillett’s focus on fitness is a benchmark that all professional Airmen should emulate. In fact, he’s led our wing during a number of our early morning Wildcatter runs — further proving his personal commitment to being fit to fight! Bottom line, we congratulate General and Mrs. Gillett on 34 years of outstanding service to our nation and wish them Godspeed as they transition into retirement! Sir/Ma’am, thanks for everything!”
Col. Cedric George, 76th Maintenance Wing commander, agreed.
“The maintenance wing family bids farewell to General Gillett and Stacia and thanks them for a job well done,” he said. “They have been faithful in demanding Team Tinker meet its full potential, and have set the center on a continued path of acquisition and sustainment excellence. We wish them Godspeed as they transition to the next phase of leadership and service.”
General Gillett said he isn’t sure what he’ll do next, but he intends to stay in the Oklahoma City metro area for now.
