March 2014/$10 Mobility’s Future Rotations to the Pacifi c Mortuary Affairs The Weinberger Doctrine B:8.375” T:8.125” S:7” B:11.125” T:10.875” S:10” UNCONVENTIONAL. UNDETECTABLE. UNDENIABLE. The F-35A Lightning II delivers the 21st century capabilities U.S. and THE F-35 LIGHTNING II TEAM allied forces need. An innovative combination of stealth, speed, and NORTHROP GRUMMAN - cutting-edge sensors allows it to fl y through or slip past advanced air BAE SYSTEMS F 35 PRATT & WHITNEY LIGHTNING II defenses, virtually undetected. Superior battlespace awareness leaves the enemy nowhere to hide. And that gives pilots unprecedented LOCKHEED MARTIN power to engage the target and return home. The F-35A Lightning II. Rising to the challenges of the 21st century. See it in action — F35.com. Ad #: M14LM006_111 Bleed: 8.375” x 11.125” AD: None Headline: Unconventional. Trim: 8.125” x 10.875” CW: None Visual: F-35 Live: 7” x 10” CD: None Space/Color: PF 4CB Gutter: None AP: -- Publication: Air Force Magazine PP: April Gallo Client: Lockheed Martin Corp. Document Name: IG_M14LM006_111_F35_Unconventional_01.indd Product: AERO Document Path: BV Creative:Volumes:BV Creative:Lockheed Martin:Lockheed_Production:AERO:Magazine:M14LM006_ Job #: 10187319-1252-F0 F35_Unconventional:IG_M14LM006_111_F35_Unconventional_01.indd Print/Export Time: 1-23-2014 12:18 PM Font Family: ITC Franklin Gothic (Heavy; Type 1; OK), Univers LT Std (67 Bold Condensed, 57 Condensed; OpenType; OK), Print Scale: 100% Univers (65 Bold; Type 1; OK) CRAFT MagNwp User Name: erick.wilson Ink Name: CMYK Proof #: 1 Link Name: F12-47575PR-extended.psd (CMYK; 421 ppi; Up to Date; 83.92%), F35_NewFlags-domestic.eps (Up to Date; 70%) PM: Amy Blitzer InDesign Version: CS6 Slug Name: March 2014, Vol. 97, No. 3 FEATURES 20 The Once and Future Mobility Force By John A. Tirpak The mobility rules may change just as AMC fi elds the force it needs. 26 Pacifi c Rotations By Marc V. Schanz Across Asia and the Pacifi c, USAF airmen will deploy to work with allied air arms. 32 Fallujah By Rebecca Grant A grinding ground war a decade ago reinforced the importance of airborne intelligence and precision. 44 “Systemic Problems” By Amy McCullough Allegations of widespread cheating in the ICBM force have forced DOD to take action. 48 Coming Home By Merri M. Shaffer Reuniting families with the remains of their loved ones killed in combat is one 20 of the Air Force’s most sacred duties. 54 Gates versus the Air Force By John A. Tirpak For former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, it was “one damn thing after another.” 58 DOD Senior Leadership Photochart Compiled by Chequita Wood DOD’s top leadership in Obama’s second-term Administration. 62 The Weinberger Doctrine By John T. Correll Thirty years later, it is still the yard- stick against which the use of force is measured. About the cover: A C-17 on the ramp at a base in Southwest Asia. See “The Once and Future Mobility Force,” p. 20. USAF photo by SSgt. Andy M. Kin. 26 AIR FORCE Magazine / March 2014 1 32 www.airforcemag.com Publisher: Craig R. McKinley Editor in Chief: Adam J. Hebert 44 Managing Editor: Juliette Kelsey Chagnon Executive Editors: Michael C. Sirak, John A. Tirpak News Editor: Amy McCullough Senior Editor: Marc V. Schanz DEPARTMENTS Senior Designer: Heather Lewis 4 Letters Special Projects Manager: Gideon Grudo Designer: Darcy Lewis 8 Aperture Assistant Managing Editor: Frances McKenney Not so superior anymore; R&D is a strategic asset; Twenty-three years of Associate Editors: Aaron M. U. Church, litigation; Intangible but valuable by- June L. Kim, Merri M. Shaffer product; Better buying power 2.0 .... Production Manager: Eric Chang Lee Photo Editor: Zaur Eylanbekov 12 Air Force World Media Research Editor: Chequita Wood 18 Index to Advertisers Contributors: Walter J. Boyne, John T. Correll, 18 Senior Staff Changes Robert S. Dudney, Rebecca Grant 19 Chart Page: Boomer Budget Bust Advertising: Andrea Guarnero, Mohanna Sales Representative 47 Verbatim 214/291-3660 [email protected] 68 Keeper File: The Long Telegram 70 Flashback: The Dambusters 1501 Lee Highway Arlington, Va. 22209-1198 71 AFA National Report Tel: 703/247-5800 75 Reunions Telefax: 703/247-5855 76 Airpower Classics: P-26 Peashooter [email protected] AIR FORCE Magazine (ISSN 0730-6784) March 2014 (Vol. 97, No. 3) is published monthly by the Air Force Association, 1501 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA 22209-1198. Phone (703) 247-5800. Perodical postage paid at Arlington, Va., and additional mailing offi ces. Membership Rate: $45 per year; $110 for three-year membership. 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Copyright 2014 by Air Force Association. 2 AIR FORCE Magazine / March 2014 Extended Range Predator B EXTREME PERSISTENCE • 42-hour ISR-only endurance • 2,900 nmi mission radius • Field retrofitable to standard MQ-9 Reaper/Predator B • High-capacity landing gear • Proven multi-role platform for long endurance Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions QTYUIOPAERONAUTICAL ©2014 General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. www.ga-asi.com Leading The Situational Awareness Revolution 1401_Air Force Magazine.indd 1 1/8/14 2:59 PM Letters [email protected] Total Force Means Total contractor. Sadly, there is a direct rela- operators. Basically, each year when I tried not to respond to [“Verbatim: tionship between Americans interred in the Air Force sets pilot training, CEAs Eternal Life, Found,” January p. 56] par- our national cemeteries (then and now) make do. This creates second- and ticularly the remarks of former Secretary and unilateral decisions affecting our third-order challenges. First, CEAs are of the Navy John H. Lehman regarding supporting establishment. Shall we be limited to training seats “available”—not the bureaucracy of DOD. While his governed by a coherent national strategy training seats “required to meet mission numbers are likely correct, the context and not incendiary sound bites? needs.” This leads to systemic prob- in which they are presented falls short Lt. Col. Tom Brannon, lems like one that developed over two of conveying what contractors and DOD USMC (Ret.) decades beginning in the early 1990s. civilians bring to the table. Navarre, Fla. Too few mobility pilots were trained to The supporting establishment (DOD create the parasitic hours necessary to civilians and contractors) forward deploy Enlisted Airmen Fly, Too recruit, train, and retain the loadmaster into harm’s way along with the troops Ms. Rebecca Grant did an excellent corps. Overall manning went below 80 and perform tasks vital to the mission. job framing the challenges of aircrew percent in 2010—much worse in LD/ Also consider that DOD manufactures management, but she was incorrect HD platforms. Focus wasn’t placed on virtually none of the end items required about the career enlisted aviators surging loadmaster manning until CSAF to defend America. Contractors do. Fur- (CEAs), who do not fall under the rated took interest following unsupported ther, contractors provide vital services heading [“How Many Aircrew?” Janu- MAF missions. The second problem not otherwise available at a reasonable ary, p. 42]. These 15,000 Total Force is the dance that’s generated between cost to our uniformed services. The US airmen are managed by a single career the CEA CFM and AF/A1 following the Navy does not build aircraft carriers, field manager (CFM), a chief master programmed flight training conference. Northrop Grumman does. The US Air sergeant who is supported by a small A1 uses enlisted manpower modeling to Force requires highly specialized tailored staff. This team coordinates closely forecast non-prior-service and retrain- contractor support in producing the air with majcom functional managers and ing allocations, and these numbers are tasking order critical to our troops in Air Force rated managers to meet Air usually quite accurate. Still, available Afghanistan and elsewhere. The KC-46 Force requirements. Needless to say, flight training isn’t known until well after is manufactured by Boeing, not USAF. running the CEA force is challenging in the enlisted initial skills quotas are pub- Acquisition is being managed by DOD, the shadow of pilot-centric leadership. lished. This means the CEA CFM must USAF Active Duty personnel, and by CEAs face the same retention as annually ask for manpower corrections, DOD civilians. There is a US Navy civil- rated officers, but they are a secondary either giving back training allocations or ian engineer and former Marine aviator consideration when developing the fly- begging for more. This isn’t always do- (F-18) who is the program manager for ing force. Granted, the time and money able, and it still leaves the requirement digital close air support systems sup- requirements to create pilots are much piece unanswered. Every year the CFM porting the Navy and Marine Corps. He higher than enlisted aircrew. I get that. builds a business case for manning, is one of a handful of Americans who Still, developing and retaining an experi- and every year the A1 divisions have can deliver this vital game-changing enced enlisted force is just as important. done their best to assist, usually to the capability. Mission execution takes an entire flight detriment of non-flying AFSCs. There are huge differences between crew outside of the single-seat platforms.