Q&A: Wing commander talks position, priorities

Editor's note: This is one in a continuing series of state-of-the-entity interviews with local officials. Col. Jeremy Bergin is the commander, 27th Special Operations Wing, Cannon Air Force Base. Bergin took command in May. Also in this interview is 27th Special Operations Wing Chief Master Sgt. Colin Fleck.

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself. What inspires you? What frightens you? What makes you laugh out loud?

A: (Bergin) Both my mom and my dad served in the Air Force. I went to college for a little bit after high school and then enlisted. It was a lot of formative learning, I became kind of the adult that I am today. I've been a pilot for the United States Air Force for 20-some years now. Most of my time is served in Special Operations. It's probably the leadership opportunities that I've been given that have really shaped how I see the world. What's inspiring to me is seeing young men and women really achieve their dreams. And then, you know, obviously support the United States, in all our endeavors in our national defense. This might sound cliche, but there isn't much that frightens me, I sleep pretty well at night. The experiment of U.S. democracy, as many have called it, has really blossomed. And so because of that, I'm not too concerned. What makes me laugh? You know, I'm a dad, and dad jokes constantly make me laugh.

Q: In your speech at the change of command ceremony, you said "There's work to do, so let's get to it." What work did you have specifically in mind? Do you have specific goals to complete during your time here at Cannon?

A: (Bergin) I have three main priorities at Cannon. The first one is we need to accomplish our mission. The taxpayers and the National Defense apparatus are expecting us to do that. Accomplishing the mission is broken down into two pieces. The first one is we need to be ready to fight tonight, whenever the nation needs us, wherever the nation needs us, we need to be ready to go. The second half of that is we also need to be ready to fight in whatever future conflicts are going to look like. We need to continue to path find and develop the capabilities necessary for us to be successful in whatever those conflicts or competition spaces are going to look like. I'm a huge team player. I grew up playing team sports. I really value teamwork. And because of that, my second priority is building the team here at Cannon Air Force Base. Investing in our Airmen, the skills and training and education that is going to empower them to be successful. My third priority is really about enhancing our relationship with the community. I really value the strong partnerships with Clovis and Portales and I'd like to build on what my predecessors have done here and strengthen those bonds.

Q: What do you see as the military's greatest need these days? More and more evolved planes/drones? Better intelligence? More people?

A: (Fleck) One of the greatest challenges right now that we haven't dealt with for many years is recruiting. What we need is engagement and advocacy from the Air Force and in the military at large, but really, engagement with community leaders, community partners, all the way down to parents and schools and all the private organizations. We need to entice that desire to serve that has existed for so long and still exists, but to kind of connect some of that tissue and overcome any challenges. We need to show that there is value in service.

(Bergin) The ability to assess talented young men and women to serve on behalf of the nation is critical. It's foundational to our success as a nation. The hardware gets a lot of attention. New drones, new capabilities. And there's certainly a need for that, because our adversaries are not holding back on the technology front. What we really need to do is bridge the gap between the talented airmen that we have, and the tools that they're going to use by empowering them to get after that.

Q: What does the future of Cannon look like to you? How will the landscape change over the next decade or so?

A: (Bergin) The future of Cannon is bright; it is exceptionally bright. I'm excited for what we're going to do over the next few years, I can't predict what next 10 years is going to look like. I can tell you at least for the next two years, I'm going to dedicate my life to making sure that Cannon maintains its premiere location as a crown jewel in the Air Force Special Operations Command and the Air Force. There are a lot of new and exciting things that are happening. The 27th Special Operations Wing is pathfinding, for Air Force Special Operations, and in some cases for the Air Force. We've done some really amazing things. And we're going to continue to do that.

(Fleck) We have a history that we have always answered the call, we can execute with professionalism and precision, whenever the nation needs us. I think that building and developing teams is how we care after Airmen, how we train and get ready to answer those mission requirements.

Q: How many military personnel are stationed at Cannon today? What do you think that number will be in 10 years?

A: (Bergin) There's roughly 6,000 total military, active-duty civilians and contractors. When we include our family members or dependents, there's about 16,000 total. I don't know what the next 10 years holds. What I do know is that Cannon is critical to the defense of the nation. It's not going away.

Q: We're told Cannon is working on some kind of agreement with Eastern New Mexico University to provide housing for airmen. What's the plan there? Is there a housing shortage? If so, how severe and what else are you working on to ensure Cannon personnel have adequate places to live?

A: (Bergin) This is part of a much larger effort across the wing. The demographics of the 27th SOW have changed significantly since October of 2007. We have grown exponentially. The needs of the base population have changed. We're working multiple avenues to take care of our airmen. The partnership with ENMU is a possible outcome. But I don't want to presuppose what that decision is going to be. We have the same challenges that every other military installation has. It could be safe and affordable housing. For Airmen, it's likely access to medical care, it's likely access to education for school aged children, childcare or spouse employment. We have multiple key leader engagements set up for the remainder of this fiscal year and then into the next fiscal year. If and when necessary, we will encourage New Mexico legislature to enact the laws that are going to enable success here in Clovis, and Portales.

Q: What is the No. 1 complaint you know about from Cannon personnel and what is being done to address that concern?

A: (Bergin) Our airmen are motivated to get after the mission. And the only thing that they want is to be taken care of. They're willing to put in the hard work, if the chief and I are willing to take care of them. And we're going to continue to do that.

Q: Talk about Space Force. The concept was mocked early, but is it gaining traction as a serious branch of the military? Does Cannon have a role?

A: (Fleck) Control of the high ground has always been important. So, as you look at the space domain, it has been and will only continue to be probably the most strategic domain that we're going to operate in as a joint force. The idea that we will just have unfettered access and ability to operate in space without being contested by an adversary would be rather naive. What Space Force does is not just about the Space Force. What they do to enable the rest of the services and mission accomplishment, whether it's for the Air Force, the Navy, or ground partners is always now going to rely on what Space Force can accomplish.

(Bergin) The need to empower those operatives and to develop and train them with that space-mindedness is the same need that the army recognized when the Air Force split off in 1947. Right, there's a need to have someone who's an expert in that domain. And so I'm excited for the future of the Space Force.

Q: For young people thinking about a career in the military, what would you tell them is the best reason to go to the Air Force?

A: (Bergin) Do it. I found a sense of purpose, and service. Service provides that sense of belonging to something larger, right? To find purpose and meaningful work. So if a young man or woman was interested in becoming better tomorrow than they were today, then serving is one way to get after it.

(Fleck) (Serving) will provide challenge to you personally, and professionally, and cause you to grow in ways that you never thought possible or seeking opportunity that you can't even understand. The military is exactly for that person. We have that higher purpose and then we're part of a legacy that goes all the way back to the beginning.

- Compiled by Landry Sena, the Staff of the News