1 00:00:08,257 --> 00:00:10,720 - As the commander of Pacific Air Forces, 2 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:13,930 a senior leader in our Air Force, and an African-American, 3 00:00:13,930 --> 00:00:16,850 many of you may be wondering what I'm thinking about 4 00:00:16,850 --> 00:00:18,000 the current events surrounding 5 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:19,650 the tragic death of George Floyd. 6 00:00:21,250 --> 00:00:22,800 Here's what I'm thinking about. 7 00:00:23,950 --> 00:00:26,210 I'm thinking about how full I am with emotion, 8 00:00:26,210 --> 00:00:28,230 not just for George Floyd 9 00:00:28,230 --> 00:00:29,710 but the many African-Americans that have 10 00:00:29,710 --> 00:00:31,660 suffered the same fate as George Floyd. 11 00:00:33,310 --> 00:00:36,290 I'm thinking about protests in my country tis of thee, 12 00:00:36,290 --> 00:00:38,150 sweet land of liberty, 13 00:00:38,150 --> 00:00:39,150 the equality expressed 14 00:00:39,150 --> 00:00:40,940 in our Declaration of Independence 15 00:00:40,940 --> 00:00:42,870 and the Constitution that I've sworn 16 00:00:42,870 --> 00:00:45,003 my adult life to support and defend. 17 00:00:46,220 --> 00:00:48,240 I'm thinking about a history of racial issues 18 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:49,960 and my own experiences that didn't always 19 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:52,303 sing of liberty and equality. 20 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:55,100 I'm thinking about living in two worlds 21 00:00:55,100 --> 00:00:57,200 each with their own perspective and views. 22 00:00:58,320 --> 00:00:59,780 I'm thinking about my sister and I being 23 00:00:59,780 --> 00:01:00,830 the only African-Americans 24 00:01:00,830 --> 00:01:03,853 in our entire elementary school and trying to fit in. 25 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:06,300 I'm thinking about then going 26 00:01:06,300 --> 00:01:08,370 to a high school where roughly half the students 27 00:01:08,370 --> 00:01:11,583 were African-American and trying to fit in. 28 00:01:12,990 --> 00:01:14,476 I'm thinking about my Air Force career 29 00:01:14,476 --> 00:01:17,873 where I was often the only African-American in my squadron 30 00:01:17,873 --> 00:01:19,440 or, as a senior officer, 31 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:21,343 the only African-American in the room. 32 00:01:22,790 --> 00:01:24,605 I'm thinking about wearing the same flight suit 33 00:01:24,605 --> 00:01:27,620 with the same wings on my chest as my peers 34 00:01:27,620 --> 00:01:29,970 and then being questioned by another military member, 35 00:01:29,970 --> 00:01:30,983 are you a pilot? 36 00:01:32,020 --> 00:01:34,190 I'm thinking about how I sometimes felt my comments 37 00:01:34,190 --> 00:01:37,839 were perceived to represent the African-American perspective 38 00:01:37,839 --> 00:01:39,860 when it's just my perspective 39 00:01:39,860 --> 00:01:42,253 informed by being African-American. 40 00:01:43,410 --> 00:01:45,210 I'm thinking about some of the insensitive comments 41 00:01:45,210 --> 00:01:47,471 made without awareness by others. 42 00:01:47,471 --> 00:01:49,300 I'm thinking about being a captain 43 00:01:49,300 --> 00:01:51,190 at the O club with my squadron 44 00:01:51,190 --> 00:01:52,613 and being told by other after African-Americans 45 00:01:52,613 --> 00:01:54,470 that I wasn't black enough 46 00:01:54,470 --> 00:01:55,600 since I was spending more time 47 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:57,313 with my squadron than with them. 48 00:01:58,540 --> 00:02:00,130 I'm thinking about my mentors 49 00:02:00,130 --> 00:02:03,113 and how I rarely had a mentor that looked like me. 50 00:02:04,310 --> 00:02:05,570 I'm thinking about the sound advice 51 00:02:05,570 --> 00:02:07,380 that has led to my success 52 00:02:07,380 --> 00:02:09,840 and even so, most of my mentors could not relate 53 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:11,840 to my experience as an African-American. 54 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:13,980 I'm thinking about the pressure 55 00:02:13,980 --> 00:02:15,600 I felt to perform error-free, 56 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:17,410 especially for supervisors I perceived 57 00:02:17,410 --> 00:02:19,913 had expected less from me as an African-American. 58 00:02:21,020 --> 00:02:22,710 I think about having to represent 59 00:02:22,710 --> 00:02:24,012 by working twice as hard 60 00:02:24,012 --> 00:02:26,250 to prove their expectations and perceptions 61 00:02:26,250 --> 00:02:28,163 of African-Americans were invalid. 62 00:02:29,470 --> 00:02:30,340 I'm thinking about the airmen 63 00:02:30,340 --> 00:02:32,294 that have lived through similar 64 00:02:32,294 --> 00:02:33,410 experiences and feelings as mine 65 00:02:33,410 --> 00:02:35,852 or who were either consciously 66 00:02:35,852 --> 00:02:39,150 or unconsciously unfairly treated. 67 00:02:39,150 --> 00:02:41,250 Conversely, I'm thinking about the airmen 68 00:02:41,250 --> 00:02:43,090 who don't have us a life similar to mine 69 00:02:43,090 --> 00:02:46,210 and don't have to navigate through two worlds. 70 00:02:46,210 --> 00:02:49,110 I'm thinking about how these airmen view racism. 71 00:02:49,110 --> 00:02:50,450 Whether they don't see it as a problem 72 00:02:50,450 --> 00:02:52,300 since it doesn't happen to them, 73 00:02:52,300 --> 00:02:54,530 or whether they're empathetic. 74 00:02:54,530 --> 00:02:56,600 I'm thinking about our two sons 75 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,583 and how we had to prepare them to live in two worlds. 76 00:03:00,550 --> 00:03:02,790 I'm thinking about the frank and emotional conversations 77 00:03:02,790 --> 00:03:05,670 my wife and I have had with them just this past week 78 00:03:05,670 --> 00:03:07,900 as we discussed the situations that have led 79 00:03:07,900 --> 00:03:09,653 to the protests around our country. 80 00:03:10,900 --> 00:03:12,980 Finally, I'm thinking about my historic nomination 81 00:03:12,980 --> 00:03:14,130 to be the first African-American 82 00:03:14,130 --> 00:03:16,313 to serve as the Air Force Chief of Staff. 83 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:18,940 I'm thinking about the African-Americans 84 00:03:18,940 --> 00:03:22,172 that went before me to make this opportunity possible. 85 00:03:22,172 --> 00:03:24,810 I'm thinking about the immense expectations 86 00:03:24,810 --> 00:03:26,680 that come with this historic nomination, 87 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:28,660 particularly through the lens 88 00:03:28,660 --> 00:03:30,560 of current events plaguing our nation. 89 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:34,962 I'm thinking about how I may have fallen short in my career 90 00:03:34,962 --> 00:03:36,950 and will likely continue falling short 91 00:03:36,950 --> 00:03:39,023 living up to all those expectations. 92 00:03:40,090 --> 00:03:42,507 I'm thinking about how my nomination provides some hope 93 00:03:42,507 --> 00:03:45,460 but also comes with a heavy burden. 94 00:03:45,460 --> 00:03:48,540 I can't fix centuries of racism in our country 95 00:03:48,540 --> 00:03:51,320 nor can I fix decades of discrimination 96 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:53,720 that may have impacted members of our Air Force. 97 00:03:54,790 --> 00:03:57,610 I'm thinking about how I can make improvements, 98 00:03:57,610 --> 00:04:01,200 personally, professionally, and institutionally 99 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:03,580 so that all airmen, both today and tomorrow, 100 00:04:03,580 --> 00:04:05,330 appreciate the value of diversity 101 00:04:05,330 --> 00:04:06,670 and can serve in an environment 102 00:04:06,670 --> 00:04:09,330 where they can reach their full potential. 103 00:04:09,330 --> 00:04:10,900 I think I don't have all the answers 104 00:04:10,900 --> 00:04:12,180 on how to create such an environment 105 00:04:12,180 --> 00:04:15,342 whether here in PACAF or across our Air Force. 106 00:04:15,342 --> 00:04:17,934 I'm thinking about without clear-cut answers, 107 00:04:17,934 --> 00:04:20,270 I just want to have the wisdom and knowledge 108 00:04:20,270 --> 00:04:23,289 to lead during difficult times like these. 109 00:04:23,289 --> 00:04:24,740 I want the wisdom and knowledge 110 00:04:24,740 --> 00:04:26,760 to lead, participate in, and listen 111 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:28,080 to necessary conversations 112 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:31,270 on racism, diversity, and inclusion. 113 00:04:31,270 --> 00:04:33,060 I want the wisdom and knowledge to lead those willing 114 00:04:33,060 --> 00:04:34,940 to take committed and sustained action 115 00:04:34,940 --> 00:04:36,589 to make our Air Force better. 116 00:04:36,589 --> 00:04:39,010 That's what I'm thinking about. 117 00:04:39,010 --> 00:04:40,810 I wonder what you're thinking about. 118 00:04:40,810 --> 00:04:42,157 I want to hear what you're thinking about 119 00:04:42,157 --> 00:04:44,453 and how together we can make a difference.