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Vice Chief of Staff reinforces Air Force’s commitment to Airmen, families at MCEC seminar

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Rusty Frank
  • Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Stephen W. Wilson and his wife, Nancy Wilson, reinforced the Air Force’s commitment to Airmen and their families at the Military Child Education Coalition National Training Seminar, Washington, D.C., July 24, 2018.

“I tell people there is not a more touchstone issue for military families than the education of their children,” the general said.

The vast majority of Air Force children are educated through state or local public education systems and districts. As such, the quality of local public education supporting Air Force installations directly affects family choices concerning retention.

Recognizing that choice, the Air Force has placed an emphasis on school-age dependent education, recommending that the quality of local public schools be considered in future basing decisions.

“[One of the areas that is] really important to our secretary, is the education of our kids,” VCSAF Wilson said.

The Air Force is committed to building and nurturing strong community partnerships to support military-connected children’s education.

Mrs. Wilson said, just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a community to make the education of military children a priority.

As part of that community, MCEC aims to empower parents and other supporting adults with the knowledge needed to ensure military-connected children are college, workforce and life-ready.

The general emphasized the workforce of the future will need STEM expertise, innovative mindsets and strong character.

“We are in competition,” he said. “What is going to help us win is our education system and our young people going forward. We want an education system that challenges our young folks to think differently and to understand the why behind the how, and then to implement those tools and make our nation great.”