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COMMENTARY: Its all about velocity

  • Published
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  As the commander of the 734th Air Mobility Squadron here, I have the honor of working with the best and brightest of Air Mobility Command, and they make me Proud to be AMC. My bumper sticker phrase for the squadron is Global Mobility Velocity the En Route Standard.

The latter part of the phrase indicates how we view ourselves, and how we want others to view us as a unit. We are the standard by which other AMC En Route squadrons measure themselves. Were the yardstick, the benchmark, and were extremely proud of the professionalism by which we keep passengers and cargo moving throughout the Pacific and around the world.

The former part of the phrase is the key to our mission -- Global. In 2004, AMC personnel, aircrews and aircraft operated in 155 of the 192 countries in the world. There are AMC personnel stationed in every theater, and they support, on average, 341 missions daily.

Mobility. Forged in 1991, AMC combines the resources necessary to provide responsiveness to combatant commanders conducting operations worldwide. No matter if its firefighters to California, the 82nd Airborne to Iraq, an F-16 squadron to Kirkuk, or Marines to the Horn of Africa, AMC moves em. Air Mobility is a system of systems involving airlift, air refueling and air mobility support. Its people, equipment and processes all working together to ensure Anything, Anywhere, Anytime is not just a slogan, but reality.

Velocity. A truism in air mobility is that requirements will always exceed the available resources. The only way to expand the total capacity of the system is to accelerate the speed with which those assets move around the globe. Unfortunately, something called physics gets in the way, and that speed is limited. Thats where velocity comes in. And by the way, thats where you, Team Andersen warriors, come in as well.

The mission of the 734th AMS is the third leg of the mobility triad -- Air Mobility Support. This leg includes passenger and freight movement, aircraft maintenance, and command and control. Our whole purpose here is to keep the airplanes moving. While some cargo and people begin and end their mission here, the aircraft and aircrews do not. They need to be somewhere else, moving more cargo. That said, we must do our job with velocity.

Now, I would be remiss if I didnt state what velocity is not. Its not cutting corners, being unsafe, or violating tech orders. Rather, its moving with a purpose, doing a job quickly, correctly and professionally. Realizing that over the horizons our fellow warriors are fighting and dying for freedom. The cargo moved through this base is for them. It has exactly what they need to do their job. It holds the key to their mission success. And, those passengers who transit through Andersen are needed now to defeat the enemy. That is our mindset. That is our mission. Global Mobility Velocity!

And, my fellow Andersen teammates, it is your mission, too.

As a tenant unit, the 734th AMS relies on Team Andersen for many things: fuel, transportation, aircrew and passenger meals, aerospace ground equipment, billeting, security forces, and so much more. You are essential to the mobility mission.

Lets consider one more element to show how vital you are to the AMC mission. Well use a 15-minute delay in fueling an aircraft as an example. Lets assume the aircraft departs 15 minutes late due to that delay in fueling. It might not be able to continue on to its final destination because of daylight operations restrictions at an austere field. Even more, expand that 15 minutes over the whole mobility system. Remember those 341 missions daily? Fifteen minutes per mission translates into at least three and a half days of lost productivity designed to support vital warriors and war fighting supplies.

Air Mobility is critical to the Global War on Terrorism, and Andersen AFB is key to the movement of people and supplies throughout the Pacific. Those of us in the 734th are able to do our mission well because you do your mission well. You are part of the global mobility system. So at the next Team Andersen gathering, dont be afraid to stand up and loudly say with pride, Proud to be AMC!

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