Career reflection
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on June 29, 2016 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Col. Mark Slocum looks down the runway as he walks back to his car after saying goodbye to a group of firefighters Tuesday. While serving as commander of the 4th Fighter Wing, Col. Slocum spent a lot of his time driving around talking to airmen on the job and in their down time all over the base. On Thursday morning, he will pass the guidon to Col. Michael Sage.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Slocum walks around his car to check for rocks or other objects stuck in his tires that could cause foreign object damage to the jets as he prepares to drive onto the flightline.
Col. Mark Slocum is sitting on the flight line, watching what he calls "the machine."
F-15E fighter jets and KC-135 Stratotankers alike take off and land while wrenches crank on parked planes around him.
This is what he will miss the most, he says -- the complex and efficient machine that is the people and equipment that keep Seymour Johnson Air Force Base running every day.
On Thursday, Slocum relinquishes command of the 4th Fighter Wing to Col. Christopher Sage in the change of command.
On Friday, Slocum leaves for England to assume his new position as brigadier general.
"It almost sounds cliché, but it truly is the people (that I'll miss)," Slocum said. "The relationships that we have built here -- I think the relationship between the base and the community is as good as it's ever been."
But Slocum won't be leaving it all behind. The memories he's made and the friendships he has formed will stick with him wherever he goes, he said.
"Seeing the example of how community can come together and support airmen here, I can carry that forward," Slocum said. "I'm going into a position where I'll be able to support, on behalf of USAFE (United States Air Force Europe), the wing commanders. I hope to give them the same amount of support that my leadership has given me.
Overall, Slocum said his experience at SJAFB has been "incredible."
"The (F-15E) Strike Eagle -- this mighty warhorse -- to send such a powerful airplane into combat with the aviators and people trained to work on it is truly an incredible and humbling responsibility," Slocum said.
Slocum said each leadership role prepares a person for the next leadership role that they will hold, and that he is currently focused on "sprinting through the finish line" at SJAFB to continue to support airmen stationed here before he assumes his new role in England.
"I think there will be new challenges. I think there will be a new set of issues," Slocum said. "It's obviously very dynamic in that part of the world right now at almost all levels, from the tactical to the strategic. It is a fascinating time to be on the international stage. Leadership never gets old. There will always be new issues and new solution sets to apply to new problems. The chance to go over there and work to represent the United States Air Force to a foreign country -- it's an honor."
When Slocum arrives in England, his duty as brigadier general will be to work directly for the USAFE commander to represent USAFE to the United Kingdom as director of USAFE of the United Kingdom.
The headquarters of USAFE is in Germany, but Slocum will work and operate out of a separate office in the United Kingdom to handle any issues that come up -- from legal to air space to flight operations.
"It will be more of a support function to ensure that we are supporting our airmen and their families," Slocum said.
The Make It Better Campaign began during Slocum's tenure as 4th Fighter Wing Commander as a way to listen to the needs of the airmen stationed at SJAFB and subsequently respond to those needs. It is an effort that is focused on making sure airmen are taken care of off the clock and their families have what they need so, ideally, airmen will be able to perform their best when working on the base.
This campaign to support active, reserve and retired airmen has played a part in preparing Slocum for his duties in England.
"Between our single parents and our deployed families, we put a lot of pressure on these airmen and their families," Slocum said. "So, let's relieve some of that pressure so that they can be focused out here on what they're doing."
Slocum has spent 24 years in the Air Force, and logged more than 2,700 flight hours -- 925 of which were in combat. He took his final flight on Thursday, June 16, and as he heads to England, retirement looms on the horizon -- but, he hasn't thought much about that yet.
Slocum has had the Air Force in his blood since he was young, and can't imagine doing anything else.
"Everybody wants to be a part of bigger than themselves. I grew up going to air shows my whole life. My dad was a World War II fighter pilot, my brother flies -- I think it's human nature to want to be part of something noble and want to be part of something bigger than yourself. The Air Force was that for me, it has always been that for me," Slocum said. "There have been several times in my career where you look at whether you're staying in or getting out, but each time I just can't imagine what else I would do for a living than work with these airmen and have the opportunity to take care of their families so they can do their jobs. I don't want to think about it. I'm humbled to even have a chance to serve in this arena and in this Air Force. As long as they're going to let me keep serving, working with airmen, working with families, taking care of the mission -- that's what I'll do."