AIRLIFT/TANKER QUARTERLY Volume 22 • Number 2 • Spring 2014 Back in the Day… TALES OF COURAGEOUS DERRING-DO AND ADVENTUROUS AIRMEN IN THE EARLY DAYS OF AIR MOBILITY Pages 10-15 46th Annual Airlift/Tanker Association Convention and the Air Mobility Command and A/TA Symposium & Technology Exposition: Instructions and Rules of Engagement Pages 17-20 Registration Form Page 28 C AsOsociationN TNewsENTS… Chairman’s Comments .................................................................................. 2 President’s Message ........................................................................................ 3 Secretary’s Notes ............................................................................................ 3 Association Round-Up ................................................................................4-5 AIRLIFT/TANKER QUARTERLY 2013 A/TA Year-End Financial Report .........................................................6-7 Volume 22 • Number 2 • Spring 2014 Airlift/Tanker Quarterly is published four Features times a year by the Airlift/Tanker Association, 9312 Convento Terrace, Fairfax, Virginia 22031. Changes at the Top Postage paid at Belleville, Illinois. Subscription rate: $40.00 per year. Change of New Commanders for Air Mobility Command and address requires four weeks notice. United States Transportation Command .................................................8-9 The Airlift/Tanker Association is a non-profit professional organization dedicated to providing a forum for people interested in improving the capability of U.S. air mobility forces. Membership Cover Story in the Airlift/Tanker Association is $40 annually or $110 for three years. Full-time student membership is $15 per year. Life membership is BACK IN THE DAY… $500. Industry Partner membership includes five TALES OF COURAGEOUS DERRING-DO AND individual memberships and is $1500 per year. DVENTUROUS IRMEN IN THE ARLY AYS OF IR OBILITY Membership dues include a subscription to Airlift/ A A E D A M ........................... 10-15 Tanker Quarterly, and are subject to change. Airlift/Tanker Quarterly is published for the use of subscribers, officers, advisors and members Departments of the Airlift/Tanker Association. The appearance of articles or advertisements, Air Mobility News & Views ..................................................................... 21-23 including inserts, in Airlift/Tanker Quarterly does not constitute an endorsement by the Airlift/Tanker Association, the Air Mobility Industry Partner Spotlight: Intercomp ..........................................................24 Command, the Department of the Air Force or the Department of Defense, of the viewpoints, Industry Partner Highlights ......................................................................... 25 products or services mentioned or advertised. ©2014. Articles appearing in this publication may not be reprinted, in any form, without Association Contacts .................................................................................... 26 prior written approval from the Airlift/Tanker Association. Airlift/Tanker Quarterly is quarterly news cycle- dependent and is distributed as follows: Winter: January / February / March; Spring: April / May / June; Summer: July / August / September; Fall: October / November / December [actual distribution 2014 dates vary]. The copy deadline for submitted stories, Convention, articles, letters, etc., is as follows: Winter: December 30th; Spring: March 30th; Summer: June 30th; Fall Symposium and [Convention Edition]: August 30th. Technology Airlift/Tanker Quarterly accepts advertising for the inside front and back covers for the Exhibition Winter, Spring and Summer Editions; and for throughout the Fall Convention Edition. Overview EDITORIAL STAFF: Page 16 Gen. Arthur Lichte, USAF, Retired Chairman, Board of Officers Rules of Engagement Mr. Collin R. Bakse Page 17-20 Editor and Art Director Registration Form Mr. Doug Lynch Business Manager Page 28 Col. Ronald E. Owens, USAF Retired Editorial Advisor Col. Gregory Cook, USAF Retired Editorial Contributor/Public Affairs Coordinator On the Cover: The spirit of Sir Alan Cobham admires two circa World War I Caudon G.3 aircraft, one readying for take-off and one aloft. The Australian Flying Corps operated the G.3 during the Mesopotamian campaign of 1915–16. (Photo Montage by Collin Bakse, PRINTED IN U.S.A. A/TQ art director). A/TQ • Airlift/Tanker Quarterly • Spring 2014 1 “Defence of Fort M’Henry” This year marks the 200th anniversary of the writing of a song that soon became popu- Chairman’s larily known as the “The Star Spangled Ban- ner.” During the War of 1812, on 14 September 1814, Francis Scott Key, a lawyer and amatuer poet, was being detained on a British warship COMMENTS during the British naval bombardment of Fort McHenry, a star-shaped fort situated for the de- I would like to send Gen Paul Selva and Gen Darren McDew fense of Baltimore, Maryland. best wishes from The Association. They have recently moved into When the bombardment subsided, on the two positions near and dear to all of us. What a dynamic team to morning of the 14th, Key witnessed that Fort lead Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command. We McHenry was still flying the American Flag, pledge our support to you and your commands. There is an old and he wrote down his thoughts in four vers- Chinese wish that says, “May you live in interesting times.” No es, titled the Defence of Fort McHenry. The first doubt about it…you will be commanding during some interesting verse is commonly performed as the National times. Good luck. Anthem of the United States of America. I am sure many of you are still shaking off the cold from the According to the director of the Colonial ugly winter. As I write this from the Tampa, Florida area, I can tell Music Institute, Dr. David Hildebrand, the you that my decision to move down here has paid off big time. I work was written as a song with its current Gen Arthur J Lichte certainly was glad I wasn’t back in my hometown in the Bronx, melody in mind, not as poem later set to music USAF, Ret New York. Life in Florida was very enjoyable this winter. as is commonly believed. Hildebrand says that In my last article I talked about the themes we are adopting for early copies of the song included only the lyr- our organization: Support Mobility Airmen, Preserve the Mobility Culture, and Enhance ics because the tune was already well known. Relationships. During our Winter Board meeting at Little Rock AFB we decided to make And, also contrary to popular belief, the these the focus areas for the next three years; taking one area to work on each year. So this original song was not a “drinking song,” but year we are going to concentrate on “Support Mobility Airmen.” You will see that reflected a theme song of sorts composed by John Staf- in this year’s symposium in Nashville. We will emphasize the professional aspects of being ford Smith for the Anacreontic Society, an 18th a mobility airman and what it takes to be a true professional in our Air Force today. The century amateur musicians’ club for men. “The specific theme for Nashville will be: Air Mobility: Accomplished by Professionals—Skilled Anacreontic Song” is also sometimes called “To and Respected. Anacreon in Heaven,” which is also the open- The programs will be geared to show support for the mobility airmen across the spec- ing line. About a hundred different songs have trum of operations. Then, in 2015 we will roll out agenda items which will focus on the been written to the same melody. culture piece. And, finally, in 2016 we will focus on our relationship with the active, Interestingly the remarkably large flag (30 guard, reserve, civilian, and industry components. In reality we will touch on all three by 42 feet) Key saw “by the dawn’s early light,” themes each year, but shift our emphasis yearly. was probably not the same flag he had “hailed All of you are keenly aware of the increasingly difficult budget environment across the at the twilight’s last gleaming.” It was pouring force. A lot of smart people are doing their best to find out how to do what needs to be rain on the night of the 13th, so the fort was done with the limited resources available to the Air Force. As an organization, we are do- likely flying the fort’s smaller storm flag (17 ing the same as we struggle to make the budgets with smaller symposiums. Like you we are by 25 feet). The large flag is now part of the doing our best and I have a favor to ask of you. Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of If you are reading this article, it means you probably got your A/TA Quarterly maga- American History in Washington, D.C., but the zine…and I am glad for that. It also means you are probably paid up with your dues for the whereabouts of the storm flag are unknown. year. If you are not, this is a gentle reminder to take the time to update your status. If you Incredibly it was Robert L. Ripley of “Rip- are updated, please take this as a suggestion to go out and find one new person to sign up ley’s Believe It or Not!” that spurred the inter- and become a member of A/TA. Two or three new members would be even better, but I will est of the American people to demand that settle for one…that would double our size. I am certainly proud of A/TA and I want you to “The Star Spangled Banner” become the offi- be also. That is why we are listening to your needs and suggestions in order to maximize cial national anthem. On November 3, 1929, our support to all Mobility Airmen. Keep doing good things. Your efforts bring hope to Ripley ran a panel in his syndicated cartoon thousands around the world daily. You have…always will…and in return you have earned stating that “Believe It or Not, America has no the reputation as an exceptionally professional force. Keep up the good work. national anthem.” Americans were shocked and wrote five million letters to Congress de- manding Congress proclaim a national an- them. Congress obliged in 1931 with an Act of Congress, signed into law by President Herbert Hoover, declaring “The Star Spangled Banner,” our national anthem.