MSGT. ISRAEL DEL TORO Says “The Sobs” Who Injured Him Don’T Determine His Future
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INSIDE: Training for Mobility p. 20 | A New Jet Trainer? p. 34 | The Rise of Special Tactics p. 40 on my own terms MSGT. ISRAEL DEL TORO says “the SOBs” who injured him don’t determine his future. He does. p. 26 December 2017 $8 Published by the Air Force Association B:8.375” T:8.125” S:7.375” B:11.125” S:10.125” T:10.875” BOEING JSTARS WHEN THE STAKES ARE HIGH RISK MUST BE LOW PROVEN IN COMBAT Critical JSTARS systems are flying today on the P-8, AEW&C, and C-40. Aerial refueling, self-defense, battle management, and power systems are integrated from current, combat-proven commercial derivative platforms, ensuring a low-risk program. PROVEN RELIABILITY The 737 has a 99.7% mission capability rate. Its worldwide base of over 9,000 aircraft ensures that JSTARS will be there when it’s needed. PROVEN AFFORDABILITY The 737 is proven as the lowest-cost aircraft in the JSTARS competition to own and operate. Built to perform in high-tempo operations, the 737 has 80% less depot time than the competition, and half the total overall operating cost per flight hour. boeing.com/jstars Job Number: 10690258 Client/Brand: Boeing/BDS Date: 8-25-2017 4:20 PM APPROVALS File Name: 10690258_BDS_JSTARS_8x10_r3.indd QC: Steve Jablonoski Bleed: 8.375” x 11.125” Gutter: None Publications: AFA Air Space &Cyber Conference PA: Steve Hutchings PR: Pat Owens Trim: 8.125” x 10.875” Folds: NoneNone Guide RET: Greg Olsen PP: Marybeth Oskin Safety: 7.375” x 10.125” Media/Color Sp: PRINT/4 COLOR Notes: None AB: Kathleen Candelaria TM: Kate Vilt/Deanna Loperena Scale: 1=1 Country: None Vendor: None Actual Size: 8.125x10.875 Language: English Output%: None GCD: Eugene Varnado Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black AD: Sarah Frazer Fonts: Helvetica Neue (55 Roman, 75 Bold, 95 Black; Type 1) CW: Chloe Lebamoff AE: Danielle Wilburn/Erin Heiser ALL CONTENT WITHIN THIS FILE IS FOR OUTPUT ONLY BY END PRINTER/VENDOR. CHANGES, SHARING AND/OR DISTRIBUTING CONTENT IN WHOLE OR IN PART ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED. LICENSING RIGHTS AND APPROVALS MUST BE REQUESTED AND APPROVED TO/BY FCB CHICAGO. Images: 10690258ct01_r1_JSTARS_8x10.tif (305 ppi; CMYK), Boeing_4C_50mm.eps December 2017. Vol. 100, No. 12 FEATURES STAFF Publisher Larry O. Spencer Editor in Chief Adam J. Hebert Managing Editor Juliette Kelsey Chagnon Editorial Director 20 John A. Tirpak News Editor Amy McCullough Deputy Managing Editor Frances McKenney Senior Designer Betsy Moore Pentagon Editor Brian W. Everstine 26 52 Senior Editor Wilson Brissett 18 Out of Africa 31 Commemorating USAF’s 44 Global Reach, Through Digital Platforms Editor By Jennifer Hlad 100-Year Units Tankers Gideon Grudo USAF teams and the Research by Mike Tsukamoto By Wilson Brissett Production Manager Nigerian armed forces led and Daniel L. Haulman Photos from the collection of Eric Chang Lee an aeromedical evacuation A pullout poster Warren Thompson Photo Editor exercise with African partner commemorating USAF units Aerial refueling gives the Air Mike Tsukamoto nations. that can trace their history Force worldwide reach. back 100 years. Media Research Editor 20 Mobility Guardian 52 They Owned the Night Chequita Wood By Brian W. Everstine 34 Heading To a T-X By Rebecca Grant Contributors This was not AMC’s first by John A. Tirpak The P-61 Black Widow Joseph Burke, John T. Correll, rodeo, but it was the biggest. The T-38 is increasingly o ered a glimpse of modern Robert Dudney, Rebecca ill-suited for training 21st nighttime combat. 26 Like a Phoenix Grant, Daniel L. Haulman, century pilots. By Amy McCullough 58 The Neutron Bomb Jennifer Hlad, Warren Israel Del Toro became the 40 The Rise of AFSOC’s Special By John T. Correll Thompson first airman to ever return Tactics It is almost forgotten today, ADVERTISING: from 100 percent disability. By Wilson Brissett but the enhanced radiation Arthur Bartholomew A handful of incredibly skilled warhead was a blazing 213.596.7239 airmen have proved critical in international issue in the 1970s. the war on terror. Tom Buttrick 917.421.9051 DEPARTMENTS James G. Elliott Co., Inc. [email protected] 2 Editorial: Giving Joint 8 Forward Deployed 30 Books Special: Assignments Their Due By Jennifer Hlad CSAF Professional Reading SUBSCRIBE By Adam J. Hebert List. 9 Verbatim Airmen need to be ready for & SAVE 63 Wingman: 7 Steps to “purple” assignments. 10 Aperture Subscribe to Air Force Retaining Members By John A. Tirpak Magazine and save big o 4 Letters By Joseph Burke the cover price, plus get a 12 Screenshot 4 Index to Advertisers 64 Namesakes: Dyess free membership to the Air 14 Air Force World Force Association. 6 Senior Sta Changes Call 1-800-727-3337 FOLLOW US GET THE ON THE COVER MSgt. Israel Del Toro. See “Like a Phoenix,” p. 26. Photo by facebook.com/ twitter.com/ instagram.com/ Christian Murdock/The Gazette. airforcemag airforcemag airforcemag Air Force Magazine (ISSN 0730-6784) December 2017 (Vol. 100, No. 12) is published monthly, except for two double issues in April/May and October/November, by the Air Force Association, 1501 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA 22209-1198. Phone (703) 247-5800. Periodical postage paid at Arlington, Va., and additional mailing o ices. Membership Rate: $45 per year; $30 e-Membership; $110 for three-year membership. Life Membership (nonrefundable): $600 single payment, $630 extended payments. Subscription Rate: $45 per year; $29 per year additional for postage to foreign addresses (except Canada and Mexico, which are $10 per year additional). Regular issues $8 each. USAF Almanac issue $18 each. Change of address requires four weeks’ notice. Please include mailing label. POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to Air Force Association, 1501 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA 22209-1198. Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. Trademark registered by Air Force Association. Copyright 2017 by Air Force Association. DECEMBER ★ AIRFORCEMAG.COM Editorial By Adam J. Hebert, Editor in Chief Giving Joint Assignments Their Due t is a truism to say the Air Force will not go to war alone. In rebuilding the service’s JTF capabilities. Maj. Gen. Scott J. Zo - all realistic scenarios, USAF will battle alongside Army, Navy, brist, 9th Air Force commander, is working to organize, train, Iand Marine Corps forces. In war zones and on deployments, equip, and certify forces. a joint environment is the norm. In a little over a year, 9th Air Force should have a team “ready Organizationally, however, the Air Force sometimes operates to command and control a JTF or joint operation,” he said in an as if the “purple” world were a mysterious parallel universe. interview, and “handle any mission that is given to us.” In the worst-case scenarios, airmen aren’t educated about or “This is another arrow in the quiver of the joint force,” Zobrist trained for their joint assignments, the service is unprepared said. “Given the importance air operations have played in all to lead multiservice teams, USAF doesn’t know what to do of the operations over the last 20 years, it’s helpful for the US with its joint experience, and airpower winds up marginalized. military leadership … to have a variety of organizational spe - The Air Force is moving to fix this. Gen. David L. Goldfein, cialties and backgrounds do command and control.” Chief of Staff, has made “strengthening joint leaders and teams” The goal is for planners to say, “Ninth Air Force: I know them, one of his three primary focus areas. This includes rebuilding they participated in all these exercises, they’re really good at USAF’s ability to lead joint task forces (JTFs). what they do, they bring this unique capability. … We’re going “If you look around the globe today you can see upwards of to pick them,” Zobrist explained. 20 JTFs, … more if you count the combined joint task forces,” Running parallel with the JTF effort are several personnel Goldfein noted at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference in management needs. USAF needs airmen ready for joint work September. at every stage of their careers; personnel trained for these USAF typically does not lead these task forces. The Army, assignments; and to reward them with logical follow-on as - which has built JTF leadership into its organization, does. signments and promotions. This leaves the National Command Authority with limited options when a crisis erupts. “Historically, JTFs stand up within Airmen need to be ready for “purple” days or weeks of a crisis with little fanfare or warning,” Gold - fein noted in a 2016 paper on joint leadership. “While intended assignments. to exist only for the duration of the crisis, they often become enduring.” For example, the Air Force should educate airmen on joint When the Army is the entity certified to lead a US response, language and processes beginning in basic training, continuing well, the Army is going to lead the task force. Often this makes throughout their careers, said Maj. Gen. Brian M. Killough, di - sense, but what if an emergency requires an airpower-inten - rector of strategic plans on the Air Staff and head of Goldfein’s sive response? The Army will lead that, too. The Army keeps joint leaders task force. elements of its 82nd Airborne Division prepared to lead JTFs The Air Force’s culture and organizational stovepipes can and is regularly called upon for that purpose. penalize airmen who serve in purple assignments. “In the Goldfein has tasked 9th Air Force at Shaw AFB, S.C., with past, there have been airmen who have gone out into these joint assignments, and their core function has ‘forgotten about them’ or they have been disadvantaged when they came back,” Killough explained in an interview.