New 460 SW/CV honored to be a part of Team Buckley Published July 22, 2013 By Staff Sgt. Christopher Gross 460th Space Wing Public Affairs BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The 460th Space Wing headquarters office has had several new leaders come in throughout the past couple of weeks; one of those leaders is a vice commander who hails from Toronto, Ohio. Col. Mitch D. Stratton, 460th SW vice commander, said he's "honored to be given the opportunity to serve here as part of the wing leadership team. My top priority is to do everything I can to help Colonel Wright command the 460th and run Buckley Air Force Base. That means focusing on the wing mission, understanding the needs of our eighty four tenant units, and taking care of our people and their families because without them, we have no mission." Arriving a couple weeks ago, Stratton said he's already been impressed with Team Buckley - partnering with every military service, the reserve, and the guard with a multitude of missions being executed every day is exciting. Stratton said he's thrilled to be in a position that allows him to contribute to accomplishing Buckley's missions and taking care of the people. "I'm committed to doing everything in my power to ensure mission success -- not only for the 460th Space Wing, but for our tenet organizations as well," he said. He said he feels confident in leading to get the job done and feels most of his leadership traits stem from his upbringing. "Every human being is shaped by their past experiences, and I, like everyone else, continue to grow every day; but I was shaped mostly by my upbringing," Stratton said. "I grew up in a small town in Ohio with parents who showed me by their actions how to work hard, treat people with respect, serve your community, and try your best at all times to do the right thing." Although Stratton said he will live up to his duties, he still has expectations for his Airmen. He expects Airmen to uphold the Air Force core values and to take care of one another both on and off duty. He also said he appreciates all the hard work that's done on a regular basis. "Thank you for your service to your country. Thank you for the sacrifices you make. Thank you for what you do for Team Buckley and the 460th Space Wing," he said to Team Buckley members. Stratton said he's anxious to see what he and his leadership team will be able to accomplish during the next couple years. "I know Team Buckley members are extremely creative and have lots of ideas on how to do the mission better," Stratton said. "Bring those innovative ideas forward so that we can use our most important resources, our people, most effectively."