5th BW commander sets forth priorities Published Sept. 6, 2011 By Airman 1st Class Jose L. Hernandez Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- During a series of commander's calls held here recently, Col. James Dawkins Jr., 5th Bomb Wing commander, laid out his top priorities and expectations for all Warbird Airmen. Dawkins reaffirmed the wing's mission, "Our mission has not changed. We exist to deter America's enemies. If deterrence fails, we will hunt down and destroy our country's enemies." Among the commander's top priorities were warfighting readiness, creating future leaders, taking care of Airmen and their families, and ensuring Airmen remain both physically and mentally fit. "War-fighting readiness comes from knowing your mission and how to accomplish it," said Dawkins. As for creating future leaders, he emphasized the fact all Airmen are part of the number one Air Force in the world and it was essential to safeguard that by creating the next generation of officer and enlisted leadership. Dawkins also explained the Air Force is like a family and therefore, it is necessary for all Airmen to take care of each other as family members. Highlighting the importance of staying physically and mentally fit was a priority Dawkins underscored as vital, explaining physical fitness goes beyond just passing a PT test. He stressed the necessity of having the physical reserve to continue supporting the mission when necessary at all times and maintaining readiness for unexpected deployments in order to provide support in war zones. The commander's priorities went hand-in-hand with the expectations he required of Airmen. In all, Dawkins set forth seven expectations which included: · Excellence and confidence in everything · Maintaining a warrior mentality · Readiness at all times · Setting a high bar of expectations for performance · Enforcing Air Force core values always and everywhere · Holding each other accountable · Adhering to basic standards in order to build trust and confidence "We have proven ourselves before," said Dawkins. "But we have to move forward." Whether it is having the mentality of being a warrior, not taking no for an answer, and setting a high standard of expectations for performance, Dawkins expressed the necessity to implement such values in order to prove to the world the 5th BW's capabilities in excelling in its mission. Dawkins closed by reminding the Airmen to truly remember his priorities, the mission, and the expectations he set forth.