Flexibility - key to air power

  • Published
  • By Maj. Brian Willis
  • 94th Aerial Port Squadron
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  “Flexibility is the key to airpower.” It’s been a while since that phrase was part of our daily Air Force vernacular. The importance of flexibility in warfare was described by early military strategists, and more recently by senior AF leadership. Initially, it served to remind us of the dynamic environment in which we conduct our mission; but over time, it became a favorite punchline, relating flexibility to indecision.

Since then, new AF leaders have come and gone. With each one, our mission has evolved, our systems have adapted, and many of our “buzzwords” have changed. Even as changes occur, it is important to remember the words of yesterday still carry meaning. Flexibility in our mission remains vital - not only in the application of airpower, but also in support of warfighters engaged in that application. We should always be prepared to execute our mission, even in the face of unforeseen changes.

I was reminded of this during my last deployment. What began as a relatively benign assignment to Kuwait to support the drawdown of Operation Iraqi Freedom forces soon became boots on the ground in Afghanistan, and later a seat in the Air Forces Central portion of the Combined Air Operations Center and direct meetings with the Combined Forces Air Component Commander.

When I departed for my deployment, I did so with the anticipation of spending six months as the operations officer for an Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron that had no direct combat support mission. We were a staging ground for a wing that had just relocated from Balad Air Base, Iraq. And while our fighter aircraft were prepared if tasked, most of our day-to-day focus was centered on the drawdown and sending units back home.

As our base closure date neared, I received a request from the AFCENT A4, asking if I would be willing to relocate after the official inactivation of my current wing. Since I wanted to make the most of my deployment, I agreed. Within a few weeks, I left behind my relatively comfortable surroundings and routine to move on to my new assignment. I found myself living out of a mobility bag and numerous tents, trekking around bases at Bagram, Kandahar, and at the New Kabul Compound. My mission was now to serve as an A4 liaison for retrograde planning and aerial port preparations for planned reduction in forces in Afghanistan.

That nomadic tasking was supposed to last through the three months I had remaining on my initial orders. However, after about two weeks into my travels, on my daily phone call with the Air Force Forces staff, I was informed of an unexpected personnel gap in the A4, and that I was again be re-tasked to a new position.

A few days later, I was sitting at a work station in the CAOC , and now responsible for a 19-member section supporting logistics for all bases in the Area of Responsibility. My background is mostly within the aerial port, so there was a quick learning curve to get up to speed on other LRS functions. Fortunately, I had a very talented group of NCO’s to help make that happen.

In the end, my deployment was far more challenging than I had anticipated, but being flexible and adapting to the changes allowed me to return home with a wealth of new logistics experience.