By David Buckwalter
July 26, 2008

I have found the perfect weekend trip to lift your spirits. There's just one catch — getting ready for the trip is tough.

To appreciate this trip, you have to work for several months inside the D.C. beltway, preferably in a nonprofit whose job is to tell the Air Force story. You would have endured a stream of news articles about how your Air Force is broken — now you're ready for your retreat.

Hop a plane to Oklahoma City and drive eight miles east to Tinker Air Force Base.

First stop at the 507th Air Refueling Wing, an Air Force Reserve unit. Talk to the wing commander, Col. Jeff Glass, he'll tell you he's about to deploy a third of his 1,600 people overseas — virtually all of them volunteers.

If you ask how that's possible after seven years of record mobilization rates, he'll brag about the patriotism of his folks, but he's also quick to mention the support they get from the community and their employers (the best he's ever seen). It's good to live in the "heartland.”

Next, drive to the east side of base and the Air Logistics Center where 16,000 workers are keeping the oldest fleet in the history of the USAF flying — in combat.

The 327th Aircraft Sustainment Wing commander will tell you about the engineering challenges in keeping 50-year-old bombers and tankers in the fight — not just now, but through 2040!

You might be surprised if you met the two-star who runs the place. Maj. Gen. Loren Reno is soft-spoken, humble man who talks mostly about supporting the warfighter. If you heard him speak at an awards luncheon on the Airman's Creed and Oath of Office, and didn't mist up a little, you spent too much time preparing in D.C.

This weekend getaway package includes many more highlights than can be described here: An AWACS wing preparing families for yet another deployment; an awards presentation staged by volunteers with the generous support of the community, and best of all, the award winners. They, and thousands of airmen like them, are what your Air Force is all about.

If you take this getaway, you'll learn one thing for sure. Your Air Force isn't broken, America. It is amazing just how good it remains. It is surely stretched thin, but those folks at "destination resort Tinker” aren't going to break.

Thank you, Oklahoma City, for the great support you give our Air Force. You also have a big advantage — you don't have to catch the plane back to D.C. on Sunday.