Face your challenges head-on Published July 2, 2013 By Col. Steven Vautrain 439th Airlift Wing, Commander WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. -- Welcome to the Summer of 2013! Be sure to take time to enjoy it while we continue to adapt to new challenges and accomplish our mission in an excellent manner. Sequestration and furloughs have become a reality and the pace of work does not show any sign of slowing down, but the work ethic and the resilience of the Patriot Wing are evident in everything you do. Thank you for all of your hard work. The June A UTA was busy. We had a change of command for the LRS on Saturday morning, the Chiefs Promotion Ceremony and the 337th AS Reunion on Saturday night, a big retirement ceremony on Sunday afternoon, and to top it off, a severe thunderstorm on Sunday night. We accomplished all of this while hosting the Chief of the Air Force Reserve and his new Command Chief with style. The dedication and professionalism of the Patriot Wing was evident everywhere on base during the June A UTA. General Jackson and Chief Kirksey were impressed by everyone they met and everything they saw. They enjoyed the opportunity to escape from the Beltway and visit with our Citizen Airman and civilians in their workplaces. Our senior leaders realize that the strength of our military does not come from our high tech weaponry; it comes from the hard work and dedication of our people. AFRC's top general and chief left Westover with a profound appreciation for the men and women of the Patriot Wing. Furloughs are set to begin July 8; we are doing everything possible to ease this burden on our valued civilian employees. Times will be tough, but we will make Free U.S. Park passes Current military members and family members can get free annual passes to national parks. The annual pass also provides free entry into 2,000 federal recreation sites. Visit nps.gov. it through. Our CUI Virtual Inspections will occur July 16-25, and the actual CUI inspections will take place Aug. 8-13. I'm certain that the inspections will showcase how well the Patriot Wing manages our resources and our attention to detail when documenting our programs. I know there has been frustration during the inspection prep, but the hard work will be worth it when the inspection is over and we are celebrating at Family Day in September. The 439th Airlift Wing is the best wing in the Air Force. I see it in the shops, on the flightline, on the airplane, in the offices, everywhere on and off base. This summer promises to be tough, but we are tougher. Take your duties seriously, face challenges head-on, and take some time to enjoy the summer weather when you can. We will be okay. We are the Leaders in Excellence!