Released: 3 Feb 1999
by Tech. Sgt. Randy Mitchell
Air Force Print News
HOUSTON -- People. Weapon systems. National security strategy.
The commander of Air Combat Command recently took the opportunity to impress upon a group of nearly 300 Houston civic leaders just how important these issues are in ensuring a dominant Air Force into the 21st century.
Gen. Dick Hawley, ACC commander, captivated members of the Houston Forum whose previous speakers have included retired Gen. Colin Powell and former president George Bush.
Saying perspective does matter, Hawley talked about how the American people can ill afford to neglect the needs of the armed forces if they want to keep America secure.
"From my perspective ... we have been neglectful of our armed forces throughout this decade of the 90s," Hawley said. "A decade of unprecedented prosperity for our nation, a decade which we could have afforded to be much better stewards of these institutions that have served our nation so well through so many crises."
Hawley spoke of three things he believes are needed to sustain the world class military the United States built during the 80s, and upon which the nation has come to rely upon so heavily in the 90s.
"First is high-quality, well-trained and highly motivated people," he said. "People really are our most important warfighting element.
"Next is world class weapons systems. Those are the tools (military) people use to do their jobs, and like any craftsman, they need sharp tools.
"Finally, we need a national security strategy that is consistent with the size and the quality of the forces we field to help implement that strategy. Today's strategy is global engagement, it's stretching that balance between the forces available to commanders and the work they have to do."
To back up his points, Hawley told the group how the current operations tempo is wearing people out and affecting the Air Force's ability to retain its quality people.
"To restore our ability to keep this most precious of resources, we will require a better balance between the forces we are willing to pay for and the demands we place upon them," he said.
The general also touched on the need to improve retirement benefits, educational programs and pay raises.
A major concern to Hawley is the mission-capable readiness of ACC aircraft, which he said is at its lowest point since the "hollow force" era of the 70s. He cited the average age of the F-15 Eagle fleet at 20 years and provided an analogy to drive his point home.
"How many of you drive a 20-year-old car today?" asked the general. "Anyone drive a 20-year-old car through the equivalent of an Indianapolis 500 race every day?"
As the men and women in the audience shook their heads "no," Hawley said, "I didn't think so. But that is what is being asked of those who are enforcing no-fly zones in Iraq, those who today are being fired at by Iraqi surface-to-air missile batteries."
Flying in a hostile environment offers no protection, according to Hawley. There are no fields or forests to provide cover and concealment. Pilots must go into battle in full view of their enemies. Only their own skills and training give them an edge over the enemy,
To meet these challenges, Hawley said the Expeditionary Aerospace Force concept can go great lengths in alleviating the current problems faced by the Air Force. According to the general, the F-22 Raptor will play a key role in the application of future aerospace forces.
"Without air supremacy, (ground forces) will be forced to fight attacks from the air, something no American soldier, sailor or Marine has faced since the Korean War," said Hawley. "Air dominance grows more difficult to achieve as modern weapons proliferate around the globe."
Success in future battles will require air dominance in a swift and stealthy aircraft, one with a first-look, first-shot, first-kill capability -- an aircraft such as the F-22, according to Hawley.
"The F-22 will provide the stealth, speed, agility and lethality to dominate situational awareness and become victorious over any foe, in any place, at any time, through the first three decades of the 21st century," Hawley said.
The general's speech made an impact on the audience, especially to those who are not around the military every day.
Linda Caruso, director of technology at the privately funded Monarch School in Houston, said she came away from the speech feeling there was a general lack of support for military people and programs that needs to be addressed and fixed by Congress.
Caruso also said she now understands why the F-22 Raptor program is important to her.
"When you see things on television that they're going to spend $84 million on an airplane, it's very difficult to understand why that's important," Caruso said. "But when it's explained that the airplane is going to cut the amount of time someone is in combat, protect the pilots there who are our children, friends and neighbors, it gives you a much better understanding why the money needs to be spent."
Some of the children from Monarch in attendance for the speech said they now wanted to join the Air Force, so they could be F-22 pilots. "I wanted to join the military before, but now I'm definitely going to join the Air Force," said Josh Colson, a 14-year-old student at Monarch.
