Challenges of today's Air Force

Air Force Speeches, Feb 8, 2007 by Michael W. Wynne

Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne

Remarks to the Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium, Orlando, Fla., Feb. 8, 2007

Thank you, Don. I tell you, isn't it a great day to be affiliated with the United States Air Force? Thank you, Don Peterson (AFA Executive Director). Thank you, Bob Largent (AFA Chairmen of the Board), for hosting this. Thanks to your staff and the people that support you, because I think this is really a nice area to give and take, and get a feeling for what the Air Force is about, where it is going, and what it is doing in the future. And this is the kind of venue that we love to have to make sure that we can do this interaction. So thank you very much for that. It's just a terrific, terrific opportunity.

You know, this is great to be back in my home state of Florida. There are very few Florida natives--those of you who are from the North might understand that, and so it's really neat for me to be able to come down here to Orlando. I remember when I first came to Orlando; it was before there was a Disney World of the size and magnitude that it is now, and we remember when it actually converted, and became first a Disney World. And it was kind of a remarkable place, Orlando was at the time. We actually had two airports; we had the big, in fact, if you see it that was McCoy Field that you landed at. And somewhere in the trees that have grown up now, there is a big B-52 Buffalo that is right there, kind of continuing to guard what is now the Orlando International Airport. And so it is a remarkable change that has occurred throughout our nation. It is really highlighted here in Orlando, I think in a great way, but this city has always been a major supporter of our United States Air Force, and we always appreciate it. And so, it's also great to come down here and revisit that aspect as well.

Airmen and officials of our leadership team, especially my partner Gen. (T. Michael) Buzz Moseley, who has just today returned from the AOR (Area of Responsibility) and I'm sure he'll regale you about great stories of great Airmen that are doing just amazing things every day, just as Bob Largent said, for our Air Force. You know, 2006 was a remarkable year. As we look back, we have to look farther back because there were a lot of people that had a lot to do with the successful construction, the design, and the placement of our memorial. So above me is the image of our new (Air Force) memorial in Washington, and we were present at the dedication on October 14, and both of us felt blessed to have been the representatives of the Air Force when the memorial was ultimately and finally completed.

I can't tell you how many critics were ready with their notepads and cell phones for that corkscrew right through the center of that bomb burst. But it was soaring. It is stunningly beautiful. It is a brilliant part of the day and the night skyline. It embodies the Air Force hallmark of reaching upwards with new technologies soaring through space, truly an amazing feat. Warm congratulations should be given to Maj. Gen Ed Grillo (Retired) who brought it in as the program manager, and Ross Perot Jr., and their entire team, but most of all, to all of the citizen donors and the corporate donors who made it real. The memorial stands on high ground overlooking the city like a guardian that emanates from a bomb burst formation familiar in our heritage, yet pointing to the future. It is a symbol of the strategic shield that your Air Force gives to our country, how fitting it is the location above the (National) Mall. That shield arches over our three powerful domains; air, our first home, space, and now cyberspace.

The memorial also reminds us that we are in the midst of our 60th anniversary year as an Air Force, and this year of warfighting, of vigilance and deterrence, it is good to have a symbol of our heritage and aspirations. Each generation draws from heritage. General Moseley is a great leader and also a great teacher in expressing our heritage, making it real and relevant to our fight today. Buzz, I thank you for speaking with passion over the fights over Polesti, Schweinfurt, Hanoi, MiG Alley--these are stories of valor, sacrifice. I'm thankful we are side by side leading this Air Force. I have the same gratitude to serve with Gen. (John D.W.) Corley and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Rod McKinley, and with the generals of our Air Staff and their great teams. I see major combatant commanders, major command commanders, that are leaders that truly marshal our forces for today and tomorrow. I thank you for being here. I thank you for being the driving force as we position our Air Force for the future.

I also am honored to serve with Dr. Ron Sega and Ms. Sue Payton, our undersecretary and our assistant secretary for acquisition, and each of our appointed secretariats. I'd like to say that these dedicated appointees are leaning forward in the harness to serve our Air Force in this very complex and challenging time. Frankly, Secretary Stuart Symington and Gen. Hap Arnold would be proud to serve with you during this watershed period for our Air Force. This is the moment, as it was then, and was for them, as we transition our Air Force into a very different future. My overwhelming feeling is gratitude for you all for your service.