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General officer panel discusses C-17 on 15th anniversary of delivery

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Sean Houlihan
  • 437th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  A group of seven general officers discussed with more than 300 Team Charleston members June 14 the importance of the C-17 Globemaster III since its delivery 15 years ago June 14, 1993, to Charleston AFB.

The general officer panel was moderated by retired Chief of Staff Gen. Ronald Fogelman and panel members included Gen. Norton Schwartz, commander of U.S. Transportation Command and chief of staff designee; Lt. Gen. Christopher Kelly, vice commander of Air Mobility Command; Maj. Gen. "Rusty" Findley II, the director of Strategy, Plans and Policy at U.S. Central Command and is the incoming AMC vice commander; retired Gen. Walter Kross, USTRANSCOM and AMC commander; retired Gen. Tom Ryan, commander in chief Mobility Air Command; and retired Lt. Gen. John Sams, 15th Air Force commander.

General Fogelman opened the event by introducing the general officers and giving their individual backgrounds on the program.

General Ryan, the commander of MAC in 1983 when the concept began, said the command was in the aircraft replacement business and thought they would get two new aircraft. However, it became clear later that they wouldn't since the Air Force got a new tanker around the same time frame, so the program was delayed in 1985 and was nearly canceled.

"The single biggest thing that almost caused it to die was people, it wasn't technical or money," said General Ryan. "The last couple of years I have been doing customer service satisfaction on the aircraft and have been here a half dozen times talking with wing commanders and everyone really loves the C-17. It's a great aircraft and we're lucky to have it."

During the past 15 years the C-17 has become a versatile and highly reliable airframe that is not only praised within the Air Force but across the military.

General Schwartz explained Army division commanders have different feelings when they hear a C-5 or C-17 is going to be the provided airlift.

"With the C-17, there is a feeling we are going to get there. The [Airmen] who maintain and operate the machine are the most committed we have to the mission," he said.

General Kelly added the C-17 is a reliable airframe that best fits into the complex operations the Air Force performs including moving the president of the United States and other dignitaries.

"When you look around at the overall scope of what we do, it must be done reliably and that is what this aircraft gives us," he said.

For General Findley, who has spent the majority of the last three years with the Army in the Central Command area of responsibility, the Airmen who operate, maintain and support the C-17 are a source of pride.

"I've seen firsthand the respect, admiration, trust and confidence in the aircraft that is unmatched," the general and former 437th Airlift Wing commander said. "You are the ones who make me say I work with people who demonstrate pride, professionalism and passion for standing up for the stars and stripes. That's what our Army brothers see in the C-17 community and the aircraft as you get the mission done."

The confidence in the aircraft capability goes back to the days of General Kross leading transportation across the entire Defense Department.

"There were detractors who were 'biting at our ankles' to slow down the program," General Kross said. "But the performance of the early planes and Airmen proved the importance of the program from the start, swaying the acquisition board to keep going with the program."

General Kross compared the C-17 to Tiger Woods by saying, "It's the best in combat airlift from day one, when Mr. Woods hit the scene everyone knew he was the best ever to play the game of golf, and the C-17 is just that continuing to shine with world-class performance that goes on and on."

The C-17 has more than one million flying hours and 33 world records and all the general officers were in agreement that the C-17 will continue to provide reliable airlift to the warfighters for many years as the United States takes the fight to the enemy.