Air Education, Training Command Leadership Team Visits Altus

Lt. Gen. Clark Quinn and Chief Master Sgt. Chad Bickley toured the 97th Air Mobility Wing to see how the base develops the next generation of mobility aircrews.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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Lt. Gen. Clark Quinn, commander of Air Education and Training Command, and Chief Master Sgt. Chad Bickley, AETC command chief, visited Altus Air Force Base on February 18-19 to meet with Airmen, officers, and senior enlisted leaders and observe the 97th Air Mobility Wing's mission of developing C-17 Globemaster III, KC-135 Stratotanker, and KC-46 Pegasus aircrews.

Why it matters

The visit by the AETC leadership team highlights the importance of the training mission at Altus Air Force Base, which is critical to preparing the next generation of mobility airpower for the U.S. Air Force. As the Air Force focuses on restoring peace through strength, the training conducted at Altus is seen as pivotal to the service's future success.

The details

During the two-day visit, Quinn and Bickley received briefings on the wing's mission, visited key organizations across the installation, and spoke with Airmen to observe day-to-day operations. They also visited with aircrew and got hands-on experience in the KC-135 and KC-46 tanker aircraft, as well as a C-17 simulator. On February 19, Quinn and Bickley hosted a base-wide all call, outlining AETC priorities and thanking the workforce for their commitment.

  • Lt. Gen. Clark Quinn and Chief Master Sgt. Chad Bickley visited Altus Air Force Base on February 18-19, 2026.
  • Quinn's visit marked his first as the commander of Air Education and Training Command.

The players

Lt. Gen. Clark Quinn

The commander of Air Education and Training Command.

Chief Master Sgt. Chad Bickley

The AETC command chief.

Col. Richard Kind

The 97th Air Mobility Wing commander, who amended the wing's mission, vision, and priorities in the fall of 2025 to align with the Department of War's objective of restoring peace through strength.

Airmen

The Airmen, officers, and senior enlisted leaders at Altus Air Force Base who develop and support the next generation of C-17 Globemaster III, KC-135 Stratotanker, and KC-46 Pegasus aircrews.

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What they’re saying

“The mission at Altus Air Force Base is pivotal to our national defense. Victory in a future fight depends on the mobility airpower forged here, and I am here to see firsthand how our Airmen are preparing to deliver that victory.”

— Lt. Gen. Clark Quinn, Commander of Air Education and Training Command

“The strength of AETC starts with Airmen who take ownership of their craft and hold themselves and each other to high standards. The Airmen and civilian employees at Altus understand that every sortie launched, every aircraft fixed and every student trained directly shapes tomorrow's Air Force.”

— Chief Master Sgt. Chad Bickley, AETC Command Chief

“We may at times feel like we are not the tip of the spear here in AETC. But we don't have the world's greatest Air Force unless we have the world's greatest AETC, and that is each and every one of you.”

— Lt. Gen. Clark Quinn, Commander of Air Education and Training Command

“Having Gen. Quinn and Chief Bickley choose Altus for their first base visit as a command team sends a clear signal about the importance of this wing. Our Airmen need to understand that our mission of developing the decisive mobility force of the future is not just a slogan — it is a responsibility, and it starts right here.”

— Col. Richard Kind, 97th Air Mobility Wing Commander

What’s next

The visit by the AETC leadership team is expected to further strengthen the partnership between Altus Air Force Base and Air Education and Training Command as they work together to develop the next generation of mobility aircrews for the U.S. Air Force.

The takeaway

The visit by the AETC leadership team underscores the critical role that Altus Air Force Base plays in preparing the Air Force's mobility forces for future conflicts. The base's mission of developing skilled aircrews for the C-17, KC-135, and KC-46 aircraft is seen as essential to the service's overall readiness and ability to project power globally.