Chief discusses strategy white paper at AFA symposium

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Monique Randolph
  • Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
ORLANDO, Fla. (AFPN) --  The chief of staff of the Air Force helped kick off the Air Force Association's 24th annual Air Warfare Symposium and Technology Exposition Feb. 21 in Orlando, Fla.

Before hundreds of Airmen and civilians, Gen. T. Michael Moseley spoke about the future of the Air Force and also took the opportunity to introduce his vision for the Air Force as detailed in the "CSAF White Paper" released earlier this month at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

"This is a wonderful chance for us to share ideas and thoughts, and get feedback, and to give you an idea of how we see things progressing and where we're going," General Moseley said. "I chose to (introduce the White Paper) at Maxwell, because I believe (the officers and senior noncommissioned officers who attend the courses there) are the future intellectual engine for our Air Force. They are the folks who are going to take the vision and turn it into a reality. They are the folks who will continue to adapt, learn and move the Air Force into the 21st Century," he said.

The Chief of Staff White Paper outlines Air Force strategy for the next 20 years and defines the service's role in promoting and defending the national interest. The paper also lays out urgent actions required to cope with challenges the Air Force faces today, and those it will face in the future.

"We're looking into how to become much more capable and effective in operating in the air, space and cyberspace domains," General Moseley said. "As we look forward, the strategic environment is going to be characterized by challenges. We have to understand that the world we will likely live in tomorrow will be equally complex, if not more challenging, than the world we live in today. With that as a baseline, looking out into the future, I believe we have an opportunity to redefine American air power to deal with those challenges across those three domains."

Properly organizing, training and equipping the force are imperative to accomplishing the goal of redefining air power, he said.

In regard to organization, General Moseley cited the need for streamlining stateside units to mirror the organization of units in theater, strengthening strategic communication within the Air Force, and seeking more opportunities to partner within the joint and international communities.

He also stressed the continued importance of training. From conducting major exercises such as Red Flag to extending basic military training for new recruits, General Moseley said the future success of the Air Force will depend on a continued emphasis on providing training and educational opportunities to all Airmen.

"It is very critical in preparing our people for the future that we continue to hone skills and competencies along the way (through) continued professional military education," he said. "We're also working very hard to provide any Airman, officer and enlisted, the opportunity to get advanced academic degrees."

The final responsibility of equipping the force continues to be a challenge, General Moseley said.

"We have to look at ways to accelerate the delivery of advanced capabilities. We have to look at ways to optimize the acquisition process; streamline it," he said. "At the end of the day, this is about replacing aircraft that are 40 to 50 years old, and we have to get on with it."

The acquisition priorities have not changed, and the associated goal of retiring aging aircraft has not changed either, he said.

"There is no stopping the redefining of American air power because we're into the new century. We're in a generational struggle against militant extremism while facing the challenges ahead of us," General Moseley said. "As we look ahead, there are opportunities and challenges that we don't yet know. But we must focus on the Air Force with our mission simply stated, 'to fly and fight, and win our country's wars." 

The Chief of Staff Strategy White Paper

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