AFCEC commander visits Tyndall six years after leading Hurricane Michael recovery

Published Aug. 1, 2024
By Emily Mifsud
AFIMSC Public Affairs

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA – The vision of complete destruction and boats from Tyndall AFB’s marina scattered in the woods is ingrained in Brig. Gen. Patrick Miller’s mind six years after commanding the task force that jump-started the installation’s recovery and rebuild after Hurricane Michael.

AFCEC commander visits Tyndall six years after leading Hurricane Michael recovery — (Left) Brig. Gen. Patrick Miller, Air Force Civil Engineer Center commander, tours Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, July 25 with leadership from the AFCEC Natural Disaster Recovery Division and Tyndall’s 325th Fighter Wing to see the rebuild work that’s transforming the base into the Installation of the Future. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Emily Mifsud)

Miller recently had the opportunity to visit the installation for the first time since commanding Task Force Phoenix, the recovery response team that conducted the initial emergency recovery efforts. It was his first installation visit after taking command of the Air Force Civil Engineer Center July 9.

“It was late and dark when I first arrived at Tyndall this time which was eerily similar to how it felt driving on base a couple of days after the storm hit,” Miller said. “It wasn’t until the next morning as I was heading to the gym that I could see the vast changes in landscape and how much progress had been made.”

As the Task Force Phoenix commander, Miller led a team of more than 1,200 Airmen, Army engineers, Navy Seabees and contractors for six weeks to remove massive amounts of storm debris, assess hundreds of structures to determine what was salvageable and make immediate repairs to damaged equipment. During that time, he was also serving as vice commander of the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center.

“With barely three months under his belt as the AFIMSC vice commander, he led a monumental total force in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael’s massive destruction of the base,” said Maj. Gen. John Allen, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center commander. “His leadership of swift task force operations was critical in transitioning Tyndall from recovery to rebuild mode.”

Miller said Task Force Phoenix was probably one of the best periods of his career because, “as engineers, this is something we train for.”

“It was easy to keep the team motivated because we knew we were helping our Air Force family by providing them the space and time they needed to take care of themselves while we focused on taking care of the base,” he said.

During his recent visit, Miller met with the AFCEC Natural Disaster Recovery Division that replaced Task Force Phoenix and is leading the long-term recovery efforts. The team provided an update on the status of the rebuild and the innovative technologies being tested and developed to transform Tyndall into the Installation of the Future. He also had the opportunity to tour the base with leadership from Tyndall’s 325th Fighter Wing to see the transformation firsthand.

“Seeing the progress the team has made was a bit of a reality check, because I never realized how many different efforts were necessary, especially with a limited workforce,” he said. “The devastation that Tyndall faced and the entire rebuild process has been a great platform for us to learn, grow and be ready for the next time this happens.”

While there is still a long road ahead, 13 of the planned 44 projects that include 120 facilities, are finished, with many scheduled to reach completion within the next six months. Once the entire rebuild is complete the NDR team will continue to develop new technologies to benefit the Air Force enterprise.

“The intent for the Installation of the Future capability is to utilize Tyndall as a test bed for processes and technologies to meet the Air Force strategy that can translate into initiatives, actions or acquisitions – whatever the case may be,” said Col. Robert Bartlow, NDR division chief.

As he settles into his role as AFCEC commander, Miller said he’s excited to be back with the AFIMSC family and to help prepare Airmen for the next fight.

“My job is to continue investing in our leaders and experts to make sure I’m arming and equipping them with the right resources, training and knowledge opportunities,” he said. “This will allow them to hone their warfighting skills and ensure they are ready when that phone call comes.”