Empowered Airmen

We live in a world that is driven by rapidly changing technology and an environment that includes aggressive and capable global competitors. Airmen are key to cutting unnecessary bureaucracy, recognizing and understanding our competition, and thinking of creative ways we can reshape the design of our Air Force. The Air Force must accelerate, must change, and must prepare for the future!

This page is dedicated towards highlighting the accomplishments of our talented Airmen at all levels and to show the impact they can make when they are informed and empowered to problem solve and make smart recommendations and decisions.

Accelerate Change or Lose graphic — EMPOWERED AIRMEN ACCELERATE CHANGE ACROSS AIR FORCE

ACC leads radical change to USAF fleet maintenance, management

Air Combat Command is leading efforts to overhaul how the U.S. Air Force does aircraft maintenance and fleet management this spring.

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Empowering Airmen

CMSAF shares time with Airmen during BMT graduation

Acting SecAF visits Hill AFB, focuses on supporting Airmen and Guardians

CSAF joins KC-46A operational survey sortie

48th CES enhance mission readiness through virtual reality

Airmen prepare a F-16 Fighting Falcon for takeoff

Video by Courtesy

HITRON History Series: JD Lawrence, Petty Officer 1st Class, USCG (Ret)

U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area

Feb. 15, 2021 | 3:00

In this documentary series, we spoke with JD Lawrence, Aviation Maintenance Technician Petty Officer 1st Class, USCG (Ret). Lawrence retired with over 26 years of military service and became a gunner when Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) began nighttime operations.

Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron operations started as an experiment in 1998 to halt the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. Drug trafficking organizations primarily used “go-fast” boats, high-speed smuggling vessels capable of traveling over twice the speed of Coast Guard cutters. The Coast Guard needed a way to counter the threat.  

In late 1998, six Coast Guard pilots and four enlisted aircrew members developed tactics and procedures to utilize armed helicopters operating aboard Coast Guard cutters to answer the call.  

HITRON helicopters operate in known smuggling vectors and rely on expertly trained aircrews and precision marksmen to disable go-fast drug smuggling vessels in the event suspects refuse to comply with verbal and visual warnings for law enforcement boardings under international maritime law. This series focuses on the founding members, pioneers, and stakeholders who have played an essential part in HITRON's history.  

Interview by: Petty Officer 1st Class Adam Stanton
Edited by: Petty Officer 1st Class Adam Stanton