908th MSG boss proud of Airmen's accomplishments

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Take a salty commander, throw in two cups of experience, a cup of worldly wisdom and a dash of common sense and you get a whole lot of leadership.

The result is Col. Roy A. "Pete" Peterson, commander of the 908th Mission Support Group.

Two years after assuming that command, Peterson is preparing to travel to Louisiana where he will be the mission support group commander for the 307th Air Base Wing at Barksdale, AFB.

"I honestly believe because of Col. Peterson, we're better today than we were the day he walked into the door," said Senior Master Sgt. Martha Roy, group superintendent. "I wished he wasn't leaving this soon because there's still a lot of work to do, but there's been a definite improvement since he's been here. The things he has done to build up this group and support this group has just been phenomenal."

It's easy to tell the colonel loves his job. Peterson, who can make an audience laugh with his disarming charm, also knows how to command respect. He has done this by both example and instruction.

Peterson has definitely been changing the recipe since his arrival, and that comes from experience. After 15 years active duty, he spent a six-year hiatus from the military as a restaurateur.

"It was a Caribbean restaurant, they had never had one in Oklahoma City," he said.
With an obvious affection for cooking culinary delights along with his wife, Peterson continues to cook for family and friends.

When Peterson arrived at the 908th, he immediately began spicing things up. He began by instilling confidence and building morale. Peterson said he feels this has been his greatest accomplishment here.

"(I'm proud to have) each and every person in the MSG know he/she is an important entity of their unit, group, and wing; that their confidence has been restored and they can wear their swagger through their new-found or regained subject-matter expert (SME) status."

For Peterson, this was made evident when the 908th was notified in February, 2012 of the force structure announcement that the wing would be losing its planes. Despite the
dour news, Peterson said MSG personnel kept their focus, maintained their swagger and displayed their SME knowledge during the June, 2012 CUI/LCAP where three group
units were rated as 'Satisfactory' with two units receiving 'Excellent' in Quality Assurance and LCAP."

"Over the past couple of years, I have tried to instill in them, the ability that they know their stuff. They don't turn wrenches, they don't fly planes, but when it comes to aero porting and force supporting and civil engineering, they do know their stuff. They do make a difference."

Upon his departure, Peterson wants his airmen to continue what they're doing and practice what they've learned.

"Simply stay focused," he said.