USAF A3, former USAFWS commandant visits Nellis Published Sept. 16, 2014 By Staff Sgt. Siuta B. Ika 99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- Lt. Gen. Burton M. Field, deputy chief of staff of Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., visited the base Sept. 10 to 13. Field's trip to Nellis Air Force Base afforded the U.S. Air Force A3 the opportunity to get a first-hand look at current operational testing, tactics development and operational training missions at the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, Red Flag, the Combined Air and Space Operations Center, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, and the Nevada Test and Training Range. Although Field is no stranger to Nellis - the general has been assigned to Nellis four separate times, including two stints at the 430th Tactical Fighter Squadron as an instructor pilot and a weapons and tactics officer - his stay here was highlighted by a visit to the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, where he served as an academic instructor from 1985 to 1987, and as the school's commandant from 2000 to 2001. "As a weapons school graduate and weapons school commandant, he's had a big role in shaping where we are today. The weapons school has been built upon the foundation of all who have come before, and he's an important part of that history," said Brig. Gen. Stephen Whiting, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center vice commander. "Getting him here is a great opportunity for him to see what we're doing, and for us to have discussions about how we can improve all of our missions." Field's visit also marked one of his last stops as an active-duty Airman, as he flew his last sortie, or "fini" flight, in a Nellis-assigned F-16. Throughout his 35-year career, in which he has commanded the 8th Fighter Wing at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea; 1st Fighter Wing at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia; 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing at Balad AB, Iraq; U.S. Forces Japan; and 5th Air Force at Yokota AB, Japan, Field said he has taken with him one particular lesson he learned as a first lieutenant at Nellis. "The thing I learned very early on, back in the early 80s during my first assignment [at Nellis], and it's been reinforced many times throughout my career, is if a captain or major from Nellis starts talking about how we can operate better, how we can do things better, or the limits and shortfalls we might be facing, it's time for me to sit down and start taking notes," Field said. "Nellis Airmen are constantly redefining the limits of air power, and they are all at the top of their game and the best in what we do in air, space and cyberspace." Before departing the base, Field shared one last reflection of his career and his accomplishments. "There's a great quote and it's, 'As goes Nellis, so goes the Air Force,' and I first heard that from Gen. John Jumper many years ago, and those words were true then, and they're even more true now," Field said. "We have a lot of tough issues ahead of us, both in our military and our Air Force, but I know that the work on training, tactics development, joint warfighting, and the constant quest to make better Airmen and equipment at Nellis is the secret weapon we in the U.S. Air Force have that's going to keep our Air Force the greatest on Earth."
