A look back at '13; A look ahead to '14 Published Jan. 15, 2014 By Brig. Gen. Nina Armagno Commander, 45th Space Wing PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Dear Team Patrick-Cape, I want to be among the fi rst to welcome you back from what I hope was a wonderful, restful holiday season. No matter where you went or what you did, I hope you were able to recharge your batteries and get ready for what promises to be another exciting year on the Space Coast. What a great way to kick off 2013, with yet another successful launch Monday afternoon; this time a SpaceX Thaicom 6 communications satellite from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Congrats and thanks to all who made it happen. Looking back on 2013, you have so much to be proud of! Do you remember beginning the year wondering how we were going to make it on a shoe string budget, with a smaller Eastern Range, in the face of furlough and shutdown? Well, by sticking together, thinking things through, and putting plans in motion, we did it. We launched 14 rockets and missiles, placing billions of dollars' worth of national security space and science payloads into orbit, plus launched what promises to be a new era of commercial space capabilities. The 45th Space Wing won the General Herres award as the best wing in AFSPC, and the team and individual awards are still flowing in. We worked really hard on the UEI, and while the score doesn't compute, we demonstrated absolutely amazing competence, professionalism, and excellence in all areas of this wing! We're so good, we can all claim the AFSPC IG declared us "highly effective" in executing our primary mission. And the great news is ... we don't have to change course as we go into 2014. In the New Year, we will focus on our top priorities of 100% Mission Success, Ignite Innovation, and Deliberately Develop People. We have a very active launch manifest ahead, to include over 20 national security, scientific, commercial and missile test launches planned for 2014. We're going to Ignite Innovation with a series of events and projects called Innovate NOW! And we're going to Deliberately Develop our People with everything from motorcycle mentorship to resourcing family programs, to running leadership seminars...all while cultivating a culture of respect, and ensuring we operate in a safe, secure, and disciplined manner. I know there will be challenges ahead. Our budget is no better than 2013's, but we know how to handle that. We will face force reductions this year...cuts in manpower that will affect all of us, both personally and professionally. With more demands on us and fewer resources to do the work, we will be stretched. There's a fair amount of uncertainty ahead for 2014. But if you're like me, you use these types of situations to look for opportunities. None of us can predict the future, but what I've seen in times like these... things often turn out even better than imagined. We will get through this like we get through all challenges -- together. We will look out for each other, take care of those in need, and we will stay focused on the reason we are all here: mission success. With a talented and committed team like ours, there is nothing we can't achieve! Thank you for your dedication and service to our nation. I am truly honored to serve this great country... with each one of you.