99 ABW bids farewell to Chief Herring Published April 6, 2011 By Senior Airman Michael Charles Nellis Public Affairs NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- The 99th Air Base Wing said goodbye to its command chief, Chief Master Sgt. Alfred Herring, as he departed Nellis April 2, after nearly two years as its senior enlisted member. As the command chief of the 99th ABW, Chief Herring dedicated his time to interacting with and mentoring Airmen of all ranks. "When I first got here, I had the motto of 'Outstanding and Getting Better,'" Chief Herring said. "If you look at all the things that we have done in the past two years, you can see that we have excelled, but there is still work to be done." Among Chief Herring's personal goals was the goal to relate to the Nellis Airmen and get to know them personally, while maintaining a professional relationship. "I tried to meet Airmen at their level," Chief Herring said. "I wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page in terms of communication and mission execution." Another role he fulfilled as the command chief was to serve as the senior enlisted advisor to the 99th ABW commander. He provided guidance and addressed issues, such as health, welfare, discipline and professional development, which affect the more than 7,000 Airmen who serve in the wing. During the chief's final 99th ABW Promotion Ceremony March 31, Col. Steven Winklmann, 99th ABW vice commander, presented him with a meritorious service medal for his service as the 99th ABW command chief. "There is a sense of pride and accomplishment, serving as the command chief at a base as busy as Nellis," Chief Herring said. "The men and women of Nellis have taught me a lot - the number one thing: communication is key. There are a lot of moving parts at Nellis with six wings and 52 tenants units; at the end of the day, if you don't communicate your message well to all of these units, there is no cohesiveness." When asked what Chief Hearing enjoyed most about his time here at Nellis, he responded with two simple words: the people. "The people make the assignment," Chief Herring said. "I have had the opportunity to meet many great people at Nellis and am proud to have been able to serve with them." After departing Nellis, Chief Hearing will assume his new role as the command chief for the 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force in Afghanistan. "Goodbyes seem like forever, so I don't do those," Chief Herring concluded. "I just say: see you later somewhere down the road."
