Air Force Station Port Elizabeth recently held a historic Combined Acceptance of Command and Change of Office Parade, officially appointing Colonel Nhlakanipho Zungu as the new Officer Commanding and Senior Warrant Officer Willie Montally McLain as the new Regimental Sergeant Major.
Unlike traditional ceremonies where both outgoing and incoming leaders share the podium for the baton handover, this parade was notably different due to the absence of the late Lieutenant Colonel Kamogelo Mosiane, making it an emotionally significant occasion for all in attendance.
Sharing with PE Express, the two newly appointed officers said that they are both proud and honoured by this achievement. Zungu said that it was a bittersweet moment to take the role of his late friend, as he believes that the late Mosiane had done a great job in leading the station.
“I am glad that my promotion has officially been formalised, which is a really joyous occasion. I was appointed over a year ago, but the actual event happened recently, so now that it is official, I am ecstatic,” said Zungu about his recent promotion.
Zungu also outlined the initiatives he hopes to enhance:enhance operational efficiency and wellbeing of personnel. “We aim to continue working in conjunction with the chaplain, as well as the social workers at our disposal. They have programmes for us for team-building to boost morale.”
“I believe in putting the people and their safety first, because nothing can happen without the people,” he said, sharing his leadership philosophy that he hopes to maintain in his term.
“People first; I am here for them, and they should definitely use me as this is their base. I am here to do what is in their best interest. When I leave here, I want people to say, ‘When Colonel Zungu was here, things were good,’ so that even when I come back after retirement to see the station, I can see things that I had been involved in,” said Zungu.
McLain said, “My role as Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) is to support the Department of Defence (DOD), as well as the officer commanding the base itself, to ensure the unit runs smoothly and maintains combat readiness, as well as all things concerning training.”
He added that he intends to build on the standards set by his predecessor, as most of what we do as humans is for educational purposes; we continue to learn, even on the job. “We will uplift the standard to where it ought to be, which is top,” he said.
“I think it is a huge challenge and learning curve for me being here, not to mention the language barrier. However, the culture around the unit itself is good, and my job as RSM is to interface and make sure we try by all means to implement or suggest things to better the base,” McLain added.
McLain said the legacy he wants to leave behind is one of reflection. “Whenever each individual looks back at the time they spent here, they must be able to see the virtue of the exercises that happen here. Everyone who left here left a legacy, so we have to build on that predecessor’s legacy and make life better for those after us. My personal legacy that I wish to happen is for all aircraft to be operational and flying high. Air capability is important to me because if we are proficient in flying, we can rescue more people in need.”
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