AMC Commander: AMC is 'crown jewel' of nation's defense Published Nov. 1, 2006 ORLANDO, Fla. -- In his address to the 38th annual Airlift/Tanker Association convention here Oct. 31, Gen. Duncan McNabb, commander of Air Mobility Command, outlined the command's achievements in the past year, touched on what lies ahead, and honored the "magnificent" Airmen that make mobility happen. "We are building the greatest generation," the general said to the crowd, which included more than 1,000 active duty, Guard, Reserve, and retired 'mobility warriors.' "What you do is so very noble; I thank you, and the American people thank you." The Air Force has been at war since Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990. Since then, AMC has been involved in 45 major operations, many of which were humanitarian missions. With the Global War on Terrorism, the operations tempo will not slow down, said General McNabb. Each day AMC launches or lands an aircraft every 90 seconds to two minutes, and it is this strategic mobility that makes AMC the crown jewel of our nation's defense, said the general, who went on to cite several of the command's achievements in his first year as commander. "After Hurricane Katrina, AMC safely conducted the largest evacuation in history ... that's what you do," he said, referring to the more than 13,000 passengers, nearly 1,800 patients and 5,170 tons of cargo transported during hurricane relief operations. After the Pakistan earthquake in October 2005, AMC's contingency response groups were the first into the region, setting up operations that helped the United States to deliver 15 million pounds of relief supplies. U.S. approval rating in Pakistan rose from 23 percent to more than 50 percent following the aid. "Think of how key Pakistan is ... think of the impact you have in winning the Global War on Terrorism," said General McNabb. He went on to discuss how AMC saves lives every day, through such things as convoy mitigation and the aeromedical evacuation system. "Convoy mitigation has resulted in nearly 9,000 fewer people per month off the roads, out of harm's way," said the general. This was achieved by transporting all passengers on C-130s, instituting a theater direct delivery system by C-17s, establishing C-17 expeditionary airlift squadrons, and initiating the Civil Reserve Air Fleet Tender Express. The aeromedical evacuation system has vastly transformed itself since Vietnam, in which patients had to first be fully stabilized before they could be moved. Today, AE crews have the capability to provide critical care in the air and can get patients home within 36 hours if necessary. "Time is more important than anything else when saving lives," said General McNabb. "If you get hurt, we will do everything we can in the world to help you ... this is transformation." He added that today if a person is injured and gets to the Balad Theater Hospital in Balad, Iraq, alive, there is a 96 percent chance of survival. Additionally, new technology such as the Joint Precision Air Drop System, "will transform the way we do business," said the general. JPADS is revolutionary in that it allows aircraft to perform airdrops at a much higher altitude, out of harm's way, as well as is precise enough to deliver supplies to non-traditional drop zones, which are common in Southwest Asia. While AMC will continue to provide strategic mobility, challenges from what General McNabb calls the "Perfect Storm" - a delicate situation that requires balance of the demand of the Global War on Terrorism and the need to recapitalize aircraft and equipment while dealing with Federal budget deficits - will cause the command to continue to transform and learn to do more with less. To deal with these challenges, General McNabb said AMC must operate with velocity and precision, which the command is already achieving with processes such as rapid refueling, theater direct delivery, short takeoffs and landings, and the improvements in the AE system. Additionally, Air Force Smart Operations 21 has led Airmen to evaluate and change processes to be more efficient. "You're doing things faster, saving time and turning aircraft quicker, which saves money and is creating dividends for the command," said the general. Even with the heavy operations tempo, AMC had 21 percent fewer mishaps than last year, a fact the general was extremely proud of. "You are our most important resource," he said. "We have Wingmen taking care of Wingmen, and that's what it's all about." In his closing, General McNabb reiterated his profound respect and admiration for all mobility Airmen. "You are the heart of this nation," he said. "What you are doing is absolutely magnificent and absolutely noble."