CSAF adds books to reading list

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WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper announced May 5 the addition of three books to his recommended reading list.

In a Chief’s Sight Picture, Jumper said the new books will help provide a broad understanding of where the service is as an air force, the challenges and demands it faces, and a clear vision to the future. The books are:

-- “Frank M. Andrews: Marshall’s Airman,” by DeWitt S. Copp and the Air Force History and Museums Program.

-- “The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror,” by Bernard Lewis.

-- “Supreme Command: Soldiers, Statesmen, and Leadership in Wartime,” by Eliot Cohen.

“The ultimate source of air and space combat capability resides in the men and women of the U.S. Air Force,” Jumper said, explaining why reading such books is important to one’s growth as a leader. “We owe it to ourselves to continue our professional development to continue to hone our quality edge.”

“Frank M. Andrews: Marshall’s Airman” celebrates the centennial of powered flight and commemorates the accomplishments of Gen. Frank M. Andrews, a leading founder of the Air Force. This selection chronicles Andrews’ rise as one of America’s great airmen, his command of theater forces during World War II and his special relationship with Gen. George C. Marshall.

“The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror” provides an “excellent assessment of the historical foundation of how the Islamic world views the West and provides insight into the growing trend of terrorist acts directed against the United States,” Jumper said. “This selection will help us understand the roots of Islamic fundamentalism as we fight the global war on terrorism.”

“Supreme Command: Soldiers, Statesmen, and Leadership in Wartime” offers insight into the wartime relationships between civilian and military leaders, the general said. The leadership characteristics of Abraham Lincoln, Georges Clemenceau, Winston Churchill and David Ben-Gurion are examined to show how each successfully exercised control over their military services during wars of national survival.

The CSAF Reading List, created by former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ronald Fogleman in 1996, is designed to assist airmen in launching a career-long reading program and to supplement previous readings. The current list can be accessed at http://www.af.mil/lib/csafbook/readinglist.shtml.