Wyatt stresses importance of personnel center's work

By Air Force Lt. Col. Tricia York
Air Reserve Personnel Center

Col. Pat Blassie, commander of the Air Reserve Personnel Center, introduces Lt. Gen. Harry Wyatt, director of the Air National Guard, at a town hall meeting held in Denver, Colo., Dec. 14, 2010. Wyatt stressed the importance of ARPC to the total force and expressed his appreciation for ARPC's focus on exemplary customer service to our Citizen Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kevin Bell)
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DENVER (12/14/10) -- The director of the Air National Guard paid his first visit to the Air Reserve Personnel Center (ARPC) today.

Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III was greeted by Col. Patricia Blassie, the ARPC commander.

Wyatt, who leads nearly 107,000 Guardsmen, had the opportunity to visit with center employees and held a town hall meeting where he addressed the importance ARPC has for not only the Guard but for the total force.

"Learning what you do at ARPC was extremely rewarding for me," he said.

"This is very important work that can't be done by just anyone. I was impressed with the professionalism, dedication, and compassion you show all of our 980,000 members, not just the 106,700 Guard Airmen I'm responsible for.

"What you do at ARPC is a young Airman's first impression of the Air Force when they come on board and you certainly get them off to a good start," Wyatt said.

Of the almost 600 employees at ARPC, there are 53 Air National Guardsmen providing personnel and administrative support to nearly one million Air National Guard and Reserve forces to ensure they are prepared, available resources in the event of a national emergency.

The center provides support to Airmen throughout their military careers, from initial entry to retirement, including assignments, promotions and separations.

ARPC is also responsible for a mobilization resource of more than a half-million reserve personnel worldwide.

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