Photo By Michelle Gordon | The 23rd Secretary of the Air Force, Deborah Lee James, gives the State of the Air...... read more read more
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WASHINGTON - Deborah Lee James, the 23rd Secretary of the Air Force, spoke at the Air Force Association’s Air and Space Conference Sept. 15 and her message was clear – leaders at every level within today’s Air Force should lead boldly.
“We need bold leadership today because today we are surrounded by uncertainty on the world scene,” said James. “We have an uncertain and constantly changing landscape and this is true politically, militarily, and technologically.”
In addition to the uncertain landscape, James said she is also concerned about the strain and uncertainty felt by the men and women of today’s force. They are uncertain about their careers, about the downsizing of the military, about budgets, and they are uncertain about the world environment.
To counter this uncertainty, James said she believes our airmen need bold leadership. To demonstrate such leadership, she spoke about Army Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s assessment of the beaches of Normandy in 1944. It was a few months after the D-Day invasion and Eisenhower told his son that without air supremacy he wouldn’t be alive.
“You see,” said James. “Eisenhower kept pressing Congress because he was convinced an independent air service could secure America. Well we’re here today in part because of Eisenhower’s bold leadership.
We’re also here because of the bold leaders and early advocates that we had for our Air Force. I’m speaking of leaders like Mitchell and Doolittle and Arnold. We need that kind of bold leadership now more than ever before.”
James also encouraged the leaders to maintain their strategic agility, as well as their technological edge. She said it is imperative that we are able to adapt faster than our adversaries.
“We need to be more strategically agile in how we recruit and develop our people, and how we train and acquire our new weapons, and how we leverage new technologies that could very well be game-changing for us. Now we all know it will take time to instill strategic agility into a big institution like the Air Force, but now is the time to start.”
The secretary then switched gears and discussed President Barack Obama’s strategy for defeating the Islamic terrorist group known as ISIL, stating that the Air Force’s involvement will be significant.
“For 67 years our Air Force has valiantly defended our Constitution and upheld our cherished way of life,” said James. “I have full confidence that when the time is right, ISIL will feel the full furry of the United States military, and particularly the U.S. Air Force, who along with our joint and allied partners, will be relentless in our pursuit and we will emerge triumphant.”
Through the uncertainty of the political, military, and technological landscapes, James said the one thing that remains constant and certain is the resolve of the American airman.
“It is you, the Airmen of the United States Air Force, who will make us strategically agile and it is you, the airmen of the United States Air Force, who will continue to make the impossible possible,” said James. “So when they tell you that it can’t be done, you tell them nonsense, we deliver. When they tell you that you are not fast enough you will prove them wrong just like you always have. You will go higher. You will go faster. You will take us into the future. The American people are counting on you. We are all counting on you. Now go forth and lead always boldly.”
| Date Taken: | 09.18.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 09.18.2014 12:09 |
| Story ID: | 142539 |
| Location: | DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 67 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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