Engineer takes command of 347th MSG Published July 14, 2006 By Senior Airman S.I. Fielder 347th Rescue Wing Public Affairs MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- A new commander took the reins of the 347th Mission Support Group Friday during a ceremony at the Fuels Barn. Col. Leslie Martin, who served as the director of the engineering support directorate at Headquarters Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., succeeded Col. James Galloway, III. “Colonel Galloway left me a group hitting on all cylinders,” said Colonel Martin. “I told the squadron commanders, ‘there might be an occasional tweak around the edge, but I don’t believe in fixing something that’s working well.’” The career engineer plans to use the same philosophies he learned at previous assignments. “In my career, I’ve been lucky to work for commanders who let me do my own thing,” said Colonel Martin, who held various deputy commander positions during his career. “They told me what they wanted done and expected me to do it without having an instruction sheet. “They gave me the rope and let me run with it,” he continued. “At the same time, I was lucky because when I went down the wrong path, the same commanders would show me the error of my ways and make sure I learned from my mistakes.” Colonel Martin said mistakes can be fixed; however, the same mistake should not be made repeatedly. As a commander, he expects all Airmen to do their job. “I expect if they cannot do their job, they raise their hand and say I can’t accomplish my mission for these reasons,” he said. “I do not intend to give someone a job they will fail at because that means I failed as the commander. “If you’re not having a good time at what you do, then you’re probably in the wrong line of work,” said Colonel Martin. “There’s a time to be serious, but you don’t have to be miserable … to take care of the mission.” Not only should the mission be taken care of, but taking care of one’s self and family is also of high importance, said the colonel. “If you’re worried about your family, for whatever reason, that’s going to flow into work,” said Colonel Martin. “I think we can be very successful at both taking care of our family and taking care of the mission. It doesn’t have to be either or.” The new commander takes his core task of making sure the 347th MSG provides the needed support to the rest of the wing very seriously. He said it doesn’t matter if it’s making sure there’s a fitness center for people to stay fit, or if it’s security forces making sure there’s a secure environment for work and play, the mission will be accomplished. “We’re in a support business,” said Colonel Martin. “That’s what we’re here for. The operators cannot go take care of business if we’re not providing support here at home or at a deployed location. “My philosophy is to provide the support needed for the wing to accomplish its mission,” he said. “That includes the family members left behind during deployments.” Taking care of Team Moody Airmen is going to be one of Colonel Martin’s favorite parts of being the 347th MSG commander. He said his job includes providing the required motivation to help his Airmen excel. “I can motivate some people by going to them, patting them on the back and telling them ‘good job,’” he said. “Other Airmen will need a different type of motivation. I like being the person who’s encouraging people to take care of their job. And I also like jumping down in the hole and getting my boots dirty. Being the commander gives you the opportunity to do that.” Although there isn’t anything he dislikes about being a commander, there are things he doesn’t like to see. For instance, Colonel Martin said he cannot stand seeing litter on the base. “I try to run during the middle of the day because it helps me keep my eyes on the target,” he said. “It gives me the opportunity to see how the base looks and see the person who walks over (trash) and doesn’t stop to pick it up. “That torques me off just as much as the person who threw the (trash) down to begin with,” said the commander. “I’ve seen wing commanders or vice commanders stop their vehicles and pick something up. If they can do it, why can’t everyone else.” Another pet peeve the new commander has is seeing people driving without seat belts. “Running also gives me the chance to find people driving without their seat belt on,” he said. “If I’m running and I see someone without a seat belt, chances are somewhere along the way they will have to stop. “I will find out who they are, where they work and why they are driving without their seat belt,” said the colonel. “We can go fix something what breaks, but we can’t buy a new person.” Overall, Colonel Martin said his main goal during his tenure is to make sure the support group continues to be the best mission support group in the Air Force. “We take care of the mission at the same time we take care of the people,” he said. “That’s our job ... to always take care of business.”