AFGSC commander shares view on future of command, commitment to excellence

  • Published
  • By General Timothy M. Ray, Commander
  • Air Force Global Strike Command

 

AFGSC Leaders,

The return of great power competition as explained in the National Defense Strategy, following an extended period of US focus on CT operations, requires AFGSC to adjust the manner in which it simultaneously focuses on mission execution, readiness, and modernization. The potential for conflict between the US and China or Russia is higher than any time since the end of the Cold War, featuring significantly new dynamics brought on by modern capabilities. The long-range precision nuclear and conventional strike capability, resident in both the ICBM and manned bomber units in Global Strike Command (backed by C2, robust sustainment and security), have central roles throughout all phases of competition and conflict whether preserving stability during heightened tensions or imposing our will on our adversaries by force in the event of armed conflict. In light of this, through the appropriate focus and energy on excellence, teams and people, we will develop the world's most respected and feared long range precision fires team, ready to respond around the world. This will be an organization that steadily improves near-term readiness and alongside sustained modernization and improvement, exactly the organization our country needs most.

Excellence: I believe the American Airman is the world’s finest, and our steady drive for excellence both organizationally and individually given the resources and talent that we have, will allow us to prevail. We will inculcate a commitment to be the very best warfighting team we can be, given the resources at hand. Should conflict occur in the coming weeks and months, we must be as lethal as possible with what we have. We will be honest with ourselves about what we can and cannot do; as a team we will understand our sustainable warfighting readiness and the attending risk and the incremental improvements in resources, infrastructure and training that reduce that risk. We will be constantly driving for those improvements, backed by innovation, sound priorities and empirical insights. Training in every aspect of our mission should replicate the difficulties in combat in building block approaches…I expect failure in training and the appropriate, professional and unbending drive to improve through debrief and feedback.

Teams: Our greatest contribution to modern conflict is the ability to integrate different capabilities in the modern battlespace…the joint and coalition teams will fail without us. As well, our Headquarters down to the shop and flight level are integrated teams…built to produce American Airpower…which is why we all come to work every day. Leaders at every level will focus on both the capacity of their team and those they connect to in order to accomplish the mission. We will put a special emphasis on the health of our squadrons, the core fighting element in the USAF. As well, our training programs must go beyond individual training to include the critical role each individual plays in support of their team. I want to specifically highlight our collective responsibility of security to "fight the base"…safe, secure, reliable.

People: Our most critical asset is our people…American Airmen, trained and ready are the envy of the entire world. We will dedicate our efforts to the development of our people…professionally, personally and physically. This includes an awareness of our history, the role we play as Airmen and the tools it takes to sustain high performance in our demanding mission sets. A key element to the individual Airman is the family. We will continue the successful work to improve the quality of life started several years ago at each of our installations.

For more information, visit the Air Force Global Strike Strategic Plan.