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Convention addresses air mobility successes, future

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (USTCNS) --- It was the largest convention ever for America’s Air Mobility team. Military and civilian, active duty, Guard and Reserve and contractor representatives, almost 3,000 strong, met here Nov. 7 through 10 for the 34th gathering of the Airlift/Tanker Association. The theme of this year’s convention: “Our People at War.”

The agenda included three keynote speakers and 34 professional development seminars. Seminar topics ranged from missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to the future of air mobility.

Gen. Tommy Franks, commander of U.S. Central Command, delivered the first keynote speech on Enduring Freedom Thursday evening.

He had come to the convention to personally thank those responsible for airlift and air refueling. He also came to say that the United States is in the Global War on Terrorism until the war is won.

“We’re going to go where we have to go, we’re going to stay there as long as we have to stay, as long as it needs to go on,” Franks told the audience.

The general talked about the success of the United States in bringing down terrorists. He asked the audience, “Did airlifters and transporters do this? Oh, yes.”

Franks recalled that on Sept. 11, 2001, he landed in Souda, Crete, on his way to Pakistan, and learned about the terrorist attacks from a television broadcast. He said he called his friend, Gen. John W. Handy, commander of U.S. Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command, because he needed a little help.

“Ever since that day, I have reminded myself because of all that you have done, for me, for our command, for your command, for the United States of America, we owe you, I owe you,” said Franks.

Friday evening, General Handy tallied AMC successes during the war on terrorism.

More than 27,000 air refueling, airlift, aeromedical as well as senior leader and presidential support missions. More than 1,350 patients airlifted out of Afghanistan as of Nov. 8.

“We have never had an emergency evacuation waiting for lift, ever. It’s a victory so far from the Afghan war,” he said.

Handy said that because of tankers, not one U.S. fighter or bomber mission went lacking for fuel. The tankers enabled some historic events for the Air Force including the longest B-2 mission of 44.3 hours, and the longest F-15 combat sortie of 15.5 hours.

And airlift became an instrument of national will. Handy said the first of the 2.4 million Humanitarian Daily Rations were dropped in Afghanistan the first night fighter bombers dropped munitions. He said the historic high-altitude HDR airdrop erased any doubts of U.S. intentions to battle the terrorists and help the Afghans and the Northern Alliance.

Handy also shared his vision from his command “Flight Plan” on people, global mobility task force, modernization, and ingenuity and information technology.

He said people are his number one priority. He said the AMC staff is committed to working hard every day to find ways to appropriately take care of people in the command and their families. However, the high operations tempo has him worried.

“The marathon we’re in doesn’t allow for water breaks, it doesn’t allow us to slow down and walk at any particular time. It doesn’t even allow us to, heaven forbid, quit. We are locked in the unique marathon of the Global War on Terrorism until the absolute finish. As men and women of Air Mobility Command, I will tell you, as a team, we will finish,”
he said.

The Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. John P. Jumper provided his views of mobility in the last session of the convention.

On air mobility force packaging, Jumper said part of the emerging Global Mobility Task Force is to develop the air mobility community as the center of excellence for expeditionary operations.

“And we’re going to set up this center of excellence through what already happens at Phoenix Readiness (at McGuire AFB, N.J.) and train commanders of support operations to run large tent cities. We’re going to standardize that skill throughout the Air Force,” he said.

He talked about the “Smart Tanker” as solving the problem of getting target-quality information to the fighters and bombers, and as a product of effects-based thinking.

Jumper said, “I sat bolt upright in bed about a year ago and said ‘Good God, what’s always there?’ It’s the tankers. And where do we put them? We put them as close as we can possibly get them (to the battle) so they can refuel the short-legged airplanes and get them targeting (information) … Why don’t we take that and make it a network?”

And that vision is now becoming reality for the Air Force.

Jumper went on to say, “You know, we can talk about platforms and the great job we do all we want, but in the end, it’s the people who make all this stuff happen…

“When you wear the uniform of the nation, you symbolize the pride, the strength, the power of this nation to all other Americans,” he said. “I am proud of you. Look at what you have done. Look at what we are doing, not just as an Air Force, but as a joint force. Not just as joint force, but as part of a coalition and alliances. Be proud of yourselves, tell your people you’re proud of them.”

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