916th Airmen attend ATA

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jeramy Moore
  • 916th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  Airmen from the 916th Air Refueling Wing recently attended this year’s Air Mobility Command and Airlift Tanker Association Symposium and Technology Exposition held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

The conference was an annual event that showcased the capabilities of multiple-force entities and delivered critical messages from key Department of Defense leadership.

Senior Airman Corey Speight, a fuels system technician with the 916th Maintenance Squadron described the convention as an overwhelming experience, one that enabled Airmen of all ranks the opportunity to interact with their leadership at the highest level and understand their role in Air Mobility operations.

The team of 916th Airmen had the option to attend over 40 different seminars that ranged from bringing the fight to the Islamic State group to workshops that prepare Airmen for the transition to the civilian world.

The conference also provided a rare platform for Airmen at the lowest level to fellowship with top-level Defense Department leadership.

Headlining this year’s list of speakers was Gen. Darren W. McDew, commander of the United States Transportation Command, and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James A. Cody.

“Gen. McDew was an amazing speaker,” said Tech. Sgt. Brian Nohr, an operations intelligence analyst with the 916th Operations Group. “He was very inspiring and very welcoming.”

The speakers unanimously expressed their sincere thanks to all the Airmen who work on a daily basis to facilitate the overall Air Force mission.

It’s good news that they are listening to us and actually taking into account what we say, said Chief Master Sergeant Adrian Darby, superintendent of the 916th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

The 916th attendees all agreed that the annual ATA conference is a unique opportunity for Airmen of all ranks and duty locations to gather together and reflect on the capabilities and successes that their hard work helps to facilitate on a daily basis.