Chief of staff highlights contributions of Airmen to national security

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Mareshah Haynes
  • Defense Media Activity-San Antonio
OXON HILL, Md. (AFNS) --  Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz spoke on the state of the Air Force during the Air Force Association Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md., Sept. 14.

His comments highlighted the contributions of Airmen to national security in the strategic environment of the 21st century.

"In addition to controlling or influencing multiple warfighting domains, the Air Force leverages, on a global scale, the inherent speed, range and flexibility of airpower, providing joint and coalition commanders with the full range of rapid, precise and tailored air and space capabilities," General Schwartz said.

"The ability to see, to get to, and to create effects virtually anywhere on the Earth -- what we call global vigilance, reach and power -- underwrites our nation's ability to secure its vital interests," the general said.

Air Force senior leaders are continuing to develop systems that will perpetuate these capabilities for the nation into the future, General Schwartz said.

"The future will require at least the same, but probably even more, global vigilance, reach and power, to keep our nation and our partners safer than we would be if our adversaries did not need to devote precious resources to counter our substantial capabilities," the general said.

With these capabilities, from next-generation Global Positioning System satellites to future long range strike systems, Airmen will continue to master the air, space and cyberspace domains to benefit joint and coalition forces.

General Schwartz said that key to the service's future will be its work with the Navy in developing the air-sea battle concept, in which the two services integrate capabilities to ensure continued access to contested environments.

"By further integrating current capabilities of the U.S. Navy and Air Force, the nation's two globally postured and strategically oriented services, we can employ U.S. warfighting capabilities through the air, sea, space and cyber commons more efficiently and effectively," General Schwartz said.

Just as Airmen played a major role in battles past, Airmen continue to be engaged in operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility and in other theaters around the world, he said.

"Indeed, the task before us is no less significant than it was in the post-World War II era," General Schwartz said. "For even as we are committed to prevailing in the current protracted struggle, Airmen today must continue to forge the United States Air Force of tomorrow.

"This responsibility bears on us even during austere times, especially in austere times, because while the imperative for change may be constrained by fiscal austerity, progress must be shaped by our continuing mandate to deter and prevail," he said.

General Schwartz closed his speech with a final message to Airmen and the people of the U.S. regarding what the Air Force has in store.

"I believe that we possess the capacity to achieve, and the commitment to realize this future, even in the most tenuous of times," he said. "Our brightest days as the most respected, most formidable air force, I argue, still lie ahead. It is a future we can shape, and shape it we will."