‘General’-ly speaking

Litchfield talks about passions outside of military

Two-star Gen. Bruce Litchfield isn’t always the top commander at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center.

In fact, every night when he goes home, the general’s hat comes off – if only temporarily – and suddenly the commander of one of the most critical U.S. Air Force bases turns into father, husband, scuba diver and avid fan of New England sports teams.

Generally speaking, Litchfield is simply known as the man in charge. But there’s more to the general than the public may witness at change-of-command ceremonies or banquets hosted by local chambers of commerce.

When he talks about his family, he’s passionate – just like when speaks about his level of commitment to Tinker Air Force Base and the Air Logistics Center. Still, it’s a different passion.

“When I go home to my wife and two kids, it’s the most important of the day,” he said.

Aside from the military and his devotion to family, Litchfield revealed in a one-onone interview with Eastword News that he’s a licensed scuba diver instructor.

“I began scuba diving early in my Air Force career,” he said. “There’s something about being under water and being part of another world that’s therapeutic for me.”

Litchfield has scuba-dived all over the world – from Maine to the Grand Cayman Islands, and from off the shore near Maryland to Hawaii. He’s swam with seals and sharks and been witness to some of the most beautiful underwater scenes known to man.

“It’s like a wild kingdom down there,” he said.

So wild, in fact, that Litchfield once came into close proximity with two whitetail sharks. As he tells the story, Litchfield saw the sharks and quickly hid himself while getting to view up close and personal of the ocean’s most intriguing animals.

“I didn’t threaten them and they didn’t threaten me,” the general recalled. “Now, if it had been a Great White, I wouldn’t have been hanging around. It would have been a different story.”

Athletic interests

Having been born and raised in the New England area, Litchfield openly admits he’s a fan of the Boston Celtics, Boston Red Sox and the New England Patriots.

First of a series

Next week’s story will focus possible base closures and the connection between Tinker Air Force Base and the communities directly served by the military installation.

But while transplanted in Oklahoma, the general has become an avid fan of the Oklahoma City Thunder. He’s attended some games and is complimentary of the work Thunder management has done to put the team into title contention.

“I’m impressed with their character and what the Thunder brings to this town. They really support the values of the people in this area,” Litchfield said.

As for his local college football interest, Litchfield provided no clear cut choice of fan support for either the University of Oklahoma or Oklahoma State University.

“Let me put it this way. My son was accepted into both and wherever I write the check is who I’ll support,” he said, with a smile.

Back to business

As commander of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, challenges await Litchfield every day – from sunrise to sunset.

“The most challenging is also the most rewarding,” he said. “Tinker has a demanding mission and we have some of the most magnificent people supporting the mission. The challenge, and the resulting reward, is to ensure our people have the resources and tools to do the job. If I can support the folks here, they will support the war fighter. We are mission ready because of a lot of people.”

According to Litchfield, the center’s missions are three-fold: program management of weapons systems, repair and overhaul aircrafts, engines, software and commodities and to sustain the readiness and operation of the base.

Litchfield, who assumed command of the Air Logistics Center late last year, points to top Air Force awards the base has received to illustrate that missions have been accomplished.

“We just won the Department of Defense award for best maintenance and overhaul operation featuring the KC-135, we won the Air Force’s Roach Award for best program management for the B-1,”he said.

Yet, Litchfield is the first to acknowledge that work remains to be number one, and to stay there.

“We still have lots of room to improve, and an opportunity to hit our full potential. We can’t rest on those awards,” he said. “Continuous improvement is in the fabric of everyone at Tinker.”

Budget cuts

Forced to operate with budget reductions, Litchfield knows the work of every person at Tinker – whether military or civilian – is critical to the war effort overseas.

“Anytime you go into a budget reduction, you have to make tough decisions in reshaping the work force,” he said.

That scenario was made public recently when the Air Force announced reductions at other bases, while adding new work to Tinker. At the same time, Air Force brass said Tinker would lose employees. Fortunately, Litchfield said, the personnel reductions will occur largely through attrition, retirement incentives and the elimination of current positions.

U.S. Defense Department Secretary Leon Panetta was given the job of cutting the military budget by $450 billion over the next 10 years.

“The job was to remove as much overhead, which I refer to as people, as possible and still get the mission accomplished.

I call that keeping the teeth, but shrinking the tail,” he said.

The Air Force announced at the same time that Tinker would become the new single head for Air Force sustainment and logistics, making it one of the military’s leading repair and maintenance facilities for aircraft and weapons systems.

“Our focus is on effectiveness and providing quality products to the war fighter,” Litchfield said. “When an aircraft flies out of here or a weapons system leaves, we know it will wind up in a war zone and someone’s life depends on it. “ Improving effectiveness and war fighting readiness has long been the mantra at Tinker – and it’s paid off.

Three years ago, Tinker workers overhauled 46 KC-135 tankers at a rate of 224 days per aircraft. Last year, the same crews overhauled 64 plans at an average of 150 days per plane.

“This year, we’re on track to do 64 planes at an average of 128 days,” Litchfield said. “We have increased our output by 30 percent and decreased the turnaround to produce aircraft by 50 percent.”

Litchfield emphasized that Tinker leaders are striving daily to find ways to conduct business “better tomorrow than today” in connection with the military’s budget reductions.

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