General Klotz reflects on command, career

  • Published
  • By Carla Pampe
  • Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. (AFNS) --  Editor's Note: When he enlisted in the Air Force Reserve in 1968 to attend the Air Force Academy Prep School, Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz says he never imagined where his Air Force career would take him. Now, after more than 37 years of commissioned service, he took a few minutes to sit down and reflect on a career that includes time as an Air Force Academy instructor, White House Fellow, defense attaché in Moscow, and commander at every level of the space and missile force. General Klotz's career culminated as the first commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, the job he leaves Jan. 6 as he transitions from active duty.

What do you consider to be the highlight of your career?
The highlight of my career is my current assignment as the Commander of Global Strike Command. I've spent an entire career working on issues related to nuclear deterrence and global strike. So, the opportunity to lead a major command dedicated solely to that mission as my last job on active duty has been very special. It also has been a great honor and a privilege to work with the numbered Air Force and wing commanders, the NCO leaders, and the nearly 23,000 magnificent Airmen who make up Global Strike Command.

When the command first stood up, what were the main priorities for AFGSC?

At the outset, we concentrated primarily on getting the right people on board and into the right jobs. Then, we had to define the right mission, vision, values and goals to guide the organization as we began to move forward.

I think in retrospect we were enormously successful in both of those areas. One of the things we discovered early on was that there was a long line of highly-talented people knocking at the door, wanting to become a part of Global Strike Command. Many had a passion for our mission based on prior assignments and experiences. So, the opportunity to come back and to work in a major command that was focused on that mission really appealed to them.

Quite frankly, many of the people who came on board in the early days took an enormous personal risk. They were well established in other jobs and other commands, and for them to make the leap to this brand-new command required a tremendous amount of courage and faith. I'm sure glad they did.

Air Force Global Strike Command officials have put a lot of emphasis on visits to the wings by senior headquarters staff. Why did you feel that was important?

We've made it a priority in this command to get out of the headquarters and visit the wings on a regular and recurring basis. The purpose of a headquarters is to provide guidance, resources and people for the operational units. Therefore, it's critically important that the headquarters staff understands ground truth at the level where the work is actually being accomplished. The only way you get that understanding is to go to the field and see for yourself, talk to the Airmen, and get a sense of what's on their minds.

One of the most outstanding achievements during your command of AFGSC was certainly Global Strike Challenge. Why is competition important to what we do?

If we're going to be successful at building and sustaining a safe, secure and effective nuclear and global strike force, we must foster a culture of excellence. Competition helps build that culture.

In order to succeed in a competition like Global Strike Challenge, you have to be the very best in your particular field, whether its ops, cops or maintenance. To be the very best, you have to hit the books. You have to totally master the weapons system and the hardware. You have to think through a multitude of scenarios and how you would handle them if you ever confronted them in the air or in the field. 

Through competition we raise the bar, we raise the standard for the entire force. Those individuals who were competitors become the centers of excellence within their own organizations. They serve as role models, and they pass on to others all the things that they have learned.

Now that the command has achieved full operational capability, where do we go from here, and what are the areas of focus for the future?

I must say, I think the command has come a very long way in a short time. We've come a long way in terms of performance on nuclear inspections, and in the very focused and disciplined way in which we approach both ICBM and bomber operations and maintenance. 

The Minuteman III, the B-52 Stratofortress and, to a significant degree, the B-2 Spirit are aging weapon systems. So, by necessity, our focus is rightly on sustaining and modernizing the forces which we now have responsibility for. At the same, we will also be full partners in the process of identifying the requirements for follow-on global strike systems, as called for in the Department of Defense's Nuclear Posture Review released last April.

How are the local communities around our six wings and two geographically-separated squadrons important to Air Force Global Strike Command and its Airmen?

We have marvelous support from our civic leaders and local communities, both for the mission and, more importantly, for our Airmen and their families. 

The active duty military are assigned to a particular base for only a few short years and then they move on. So our local community leaders in a sense become the institutional memory, the continuity between commanders at all levels. They share an immense pride in their local Air Force base and feel like it's their base, too. It's a magnificent, critically important relationship and a key to our continued success as an Air Force.

What are your plans post-retirement?

My wife Nancy's one criterion for where we move is to live in the same time zone as our children and grandchildren! Given the pace of the last year-and-a-half, we honestly haven't had a moment to spend thinking about what we will do next in life or where we will live next. However, I do hope to continue my association with our Air Force family, and to continue to work on issues related to national security and the nuclear enterprise.

Will you miss the active-duty Air Force?

What I'll miss the most are the two things that contributed to my decision to make the Air Force a career. The first was having the opportunity to do work for which the Air Force had educated and trained me. That has given me an enormous sense of personal and professional satisfaction. 

The second thing I'll miss is the opportunity to work with Airmen. The work ethic, the devotion to duty, the commitment to something greater than oneself are all unique and very special attributes of the military profession.

If you had a parting message for the Airmen of AFGSC, what would it be?

I'd like for them to know that the senior Air Force leaders understand the enduring importance of the nuclear and global strike mission to the security of our nation, and of our friends and allies. Over the last two Christmases, the secretary of the Air Force, the chief of staff of the Air Force, and the chief master sergeant of the Air Force have all visited Global Strike Command bases, in some very challenging winter weather conditions, I might add. And the undersecretary of the Air Force not only made her first official trip outside Washington to a Global Strike Command base, she also flew down for Global Strike Innovation and Technology Symposium and the Challenge Strike Challenge score posting in November.

Our senior leaders know the sacrifices and demands associated with being a part of the nuclear enterprise. As a result of that, they are extraordinarily proud of each and every one of our Airmen and the work that Global Strike Command does 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. 

With every sortie, every alert, every dispatch and every post, our Airmen set the conditions that help deter potential adversaries and assure our allies and friends around the world.

Our success in standing up this command while continuing the operational missions at home and abroad is due to the tireless, skilled and dedicated efforts of our total team -- active duty, Guard, Reserve, government civilians and contractors.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

I want to congratulate each and every member of Air Force Global Strike Command for successfully launching the Air Force's newest major command. The noble and worthy work they have performed in a very short period of time is both recognized and highly valued by the entire Air Force and Department of Defense. 

On a more personal note, Nancy and I extend our very best wishes for the New Year to our Airmen and their families, and to the good citizens of the local communities around our bases. We are so grateful to them all for their selfless service in defense of our nation, and for the opportunity to share this experience with them.