MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. -- The 2025 Wing Commander and Command Chief Leadership Conference united senior leaders from across Air Force Reserve Command to align on policy, address challenges, and share mission successes. The event served as a critical forum to exchange ideas, clarify expectations, and reinforce priorities at every level of command. For two of the newest leaders—one just a week into command and the other recently selected as a wing command chief—it offered timely insight and practical tools to help shape how they lead and care for their Airmen.
AFRC Commander Lt. Gen. John Healy and Command Chief Master Sgt. Israel Nuñez, hosted the conference brought together wing leadership from across the Reserve spectrum. Leaders from flight test, aeromedical, airlift, cyber, and fighter operations squadrons were all in attendance.
Col. Christina Hopper, 413th Flight Test Group commander, had just one week of command under her belt when she arrived at March Air Reserve Base. For her, the event provided her insight.
"I'm a new group commander and there were just a lot of things that I learned,” Hopper said. “I had a wonderful opportunity to network with and meet different commanders and to find out a little bit more about the broader missions within the Air Force Reserve Command. Specifically, being able to reach out to commanders that had similar structures and organizations was a huge win for me."
During the conference, leaders shared that while their mission sets differ, the lessons they learned are transferable, especially when the lessons focused on their common goal: taking care of Airmen.
For Chief Master Sgt. Wesley Peel, 944th Fighter Wing command chief, also attended the conference.
"This [conference] provided us an opportunity to come in, represent our wings, represent our Airmen, and speak for them and about the challenges they see on a daily basis," Peel said. "That feedback helps shape decisions at the highest levels. It doesn’t matter what aircraft or mission set you’re tied to. If we take care of our Airmen, clear the bureaucracy, and empower them, they can focus on the job at hand."
Peel credited Healy and Nuñez for intentionally creating a space that encouraged leaders to speak freely.
“If a leader sits in a room where no one speaks, they might as well be sitting alone,” Peel said. “Lt. Gen. Healy truly wants to hear from the wings so he can fight for us with the full picture in mind.”
In structured breakouts and informal conversations, participants exchanged insight on topics ranging from flying hour allocation and mission readiness to the emerging policy changes affecting enlisted and officer development.
During the conference, Nuñez led command chief-focused discussions on current issues such as fitness standards, uniform guidance, and readiness culture.
“Chief Nuñez didn’t just give us updates—he gave us tools to help ease uncertainty at the squadron level,” said Peel. “We walked away ready to lead those conversations back home.”
For newly assigned leaders, the conference offered both guidance and peer mentorship.
“This conference gave me critical context on the flexibility I have, especially in areas like organizing for readiness,” Hopper said. “Being able to learn how other commander’s handle challenges was invaluable. This [conference] me the confidence to return to my unit with tools I can apply immediately.”
Peel echoed that sentiment: "It’s not just about what we learned, it’s about what we’re now empowered to do. We’re going back to our wings with renewed purpose and a clearer understanding of how to care for our Airmen."