Posted on 04/21/2008 7:19:57 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Pentagon chief says Air Force should do more
By ROBERT BURNS
16 minutes ago
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday the Air Force is not doing enough to help in the Iraq and Afghanistan war effort, complaining that some military leaders are "stuck in old ways of doing business."
Gates complained in a speech at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., that getting the Air Force to send more surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to Iraq and Afghanistan has been "like pulling teeth."
The Pentagon chief praised the Air Force for its overall contributions but made a point of urging it to do more and to undertake more creative ways of thinking about helping the war effort.
He said he has been trying for months to get the Air Force to send more surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, like the pilotless Predator drone that provides real-time surveillance video, to the battlefield.
"Because people were stuck in old ways of doing business, it's been like pulling teeth," Gates said. "While we've doubled this capability in recent months, it is still not good enough."
To push the issue harder, Gates said he established last week a Pentagon-wide task force "to work this problem in the weeks to come, to find more innovative and bold ways to help those whose lives are on the line."
Until you get your first friendly fire causality from a UAV. Treating this like a video arcade could end in failure.
Drones should not be treated as toys, but actual combat aircraft. I more or less agree with the AF.
“Crew Rest” is the AF cry. :>)
And have you ever noticed they do crew rest at places where they can load up on beer and wine, i.e. Germany and Sicily?
A letter from the SecAF and CSAF to troops:
Airmen
This past Monday, the Secretary of Defense delivered an address at Maxwell AFB to the students of our Air War College and Air Command and Staff College. Initial press coverage of his remarks misrepresented the tone and content of his address. Whereas some press reports characterized Secretary Gates as making a singular critique about one Service’s commitment to the Global War on Terror, his remarks were instead focused on the need for innovative thinking from all the Services.
As Secretary Gates himself explained: “. . . I think if you read the text of the speech, you’ll see that it’s not a dig at the Air Force at all. In fact, a significant part of the speech was full of praise at what the Air Force had done in the Middle East and Iraq and Afghanistan and the whole theater.” Secretary Gates challenged his entire Department and the leaders of every Service “to think out of the box” in continuous pursuit of better ways to deliver what is needed for the joint force in harm’s way. The Air Force is well suited for that innovative pursuit. Every Airman should take Secretary Gates’ comments to heart and strive to find more and better ways for the Air Force to contribute to the War on Terror.
It is important for all Airmen to know Secretary Gates applauded Airmen for their significant contributions to the Long War, just as he has praised America’s Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines. It is also important for Airmen to know Air Force contributions are making a difference, and that Airmen continue to do everything possible to support the Secretary of Defense’s priorities. He has asked all Services to accelerate transformational initiatives like those in the Quadrennial Defense Review, and the Air Force is doing just that.
In short, Airmen are “all in” to fight today’s war on global terrorism. From strategy to tactics, the Air Force has leaned far forward to deliver instruments of national power in a rapidly changing world. Every able-bodied Airman—Regular, Guard, and Reserve—is fully deployable. Indeed, Airmen have filled over 524,000 deployments since the war began. Today, 24,000 Airmen are delivering a full spectrum of air, space, and cyber power to the Joint Force Commanders conducting operations in USCENTCOM, every hour of every day.
Air Force engagement in CENTCOM’s AOR is only the tip of the iceberg. About 200,000-plus Airmen are in direct support of Combatant Commanders around the clock and around the globe to provide all with critical air, space, and cyber capabilities. Airmen are in the most dangerous places on the planet tonight to protect America. Airmen have been vital to the success of the Joint team in this critical Global War on Terror, while at the same time providing the global strength and deterrence that keep our enemies at bay and our friends assured.
The Air Force was born of an innovative spirit and a willingness to question the status quo. Airmen are applying that spirit daily to address America’s challenges. In sum, our Air Force is ‘in the fight’ to win, and is deterring any aggressor from doing us harm while we succeed in the Global War on Terror.
We are proud of the hard work that you ... America’s Airmen ... undertake every day. Secretary Gates has challenged us to continue to honor our heritage of innovation. The Airmen of the United States Air Force will succeed in meeting his charge.
Way to support the troops.
Check my home page next time, so you don't embarrass yourself.
That was a friendly interservice joke we told while I was stationed, as an Army officer, on Air Force bases during my four and 1/2 years in Germany.
There were plenty of jokes tossed our way by the Zoomies, as well.
Would you care to "revise and extend" your remarks?
No.
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