AETC commander visits Maxwell Published Aug. 5, 2010 By Carl Bergquist Air University Public Affairs MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Saying that the Air Force must continue to mentor students in its growing educational curriculum, Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz, commander of Air Education and Training Command, visited Maxwell Air Force Base on July 26. "I came to speak to students of the Wing Commander's Course, talk to the students at Squadron Officer School, and welcome the new Air War College students," General Lorenz said. The general said every profession needs to "teach that profession" to its personnel, and the Air Force is no different in that respect. He said the courses AETC offers assist Air Force members, as well as sister service members, to understand how they all fit together to support joint force commanders. And training is a continuing process. "I've had more courses as a general officer than all of the other courses combined, and that fills the need to continually update my knowledge and for me to grow as a professional," he said. "And (AETC is) very good at how we do that. For example, distance learning programs provide the opportunity to get a degree 24 hours a day, seven days a week from anywhere in the world." General Lorenz said he has been a commissioned officer for 37 years, and adding his four years at the Air Force Academy, he has served 41 years. He said he enjoys coming to Maxwell-Gunter to speak because it serves an important purpose. "We as leaders have a responsibility to mentor those we work for. The students who attend Air University don't work for me, I work for them," he said. "I truly believe the present generation will be the next 'Greatest Generation' because of all the challenges today's military members are facing." General Lorenz said during his time in the Air Force, he has seen a lot of changes to the service and in the way Air Force business is conducted. "I have seen three or four Air Forces in the last 37 years, and the way we train our Airmen has changed dramatically as well," he said. "In today's training, we critique all the classes we teach and make adjustments to improve those classes. Every course at Air University has been revamped to make it a great opportunity to learn and grow. These changes are necessary because we are at war." General Lorenz added that AETC is made up of 12 bases, and the "synergy of education and training" that builds Airmen, soldiers, sailors and Marines and prepares them to go to war is "fantastic." He said his term as Air University commander from October 2005 to June 2008 was a "phenomenal job" because he was able to see the academic side of the Air Force. He said a lesson he learned during that time was that if training is needed, it is done at AETC, or AETC finds a school where it can be done. He also said he was impressed with the attitude of the citizens of the city of Montgomery in that they are always supportive of Air University and Maxwell. "Montgomery is an amazing place," the general said. General Lorenz recently received the Order of the Sword from AETC's enlisted members during a formal ceremony held at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The Order of the Sword is the highest honor enlisted members can bestow upon an officer or civilian. "I was in a state of shock when I arrived to speak to a class and noticed Leslie (Lorenz) was there. I looked around and saw all these chiefs and senior NCOs and suddenly realized something was up," he said. "All I can say is that I was very proud, and I was humbled by the nice things being said about me. It is a great honor, and the award presentation was a great evening provided by the men and women of the greatest air force in the world."