SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill.— A record 170 commanders and command chiefs representing Mobility Air Force active duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units gathered at the 2017 Air Mobility Command Spring Phoenix Rally conference here, April 26 to 28.
Throughout the week-long conference, AMC leaders discussed total force issues to include squadron revitalization, strengthening joint leaders and teams, pilot shortages, fleet management, civic engagement, and the expeditionary and global responsibility of AMC and the Mobility Air Forces.
"Setting the globe is about posture and moving that posture around,” said Gen. Paul J. Selva, vice chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff. “That responsibility falls on the back of Air Mobility Command.”
Mobility Air Force operations span the entire globe – from Asia to Africa, Antarctica to South America – and involve a range of missions - refueling, airdrop, cargo hauling, humanitarian relief and Presidential airlift. On average an AMC aircraft takes off every 2.8 minutes somewhere around the globe, supporting a range of missions and partners.
"Air Mobility Command is inherently joint,” said Selva. “Airmen feel it and their integration into the joint fight is critical. The Mobility Air Forces set the conditions for global integration."
Recognizing the demand for mobility capability and Total Force – active duty, Guard, and Reserve contributions for the U.S. and partner nations will not decline, the Air Mobility Command commander stressed the conference’s theme of “evolving air mobility tomorrow…today.”
“It is an imperative that we continue to focus on building ready, capable and sustainable air mobility forces,” said Gen Carlton D. Everhart II, AMC commander. “Everything we do in Air Mobility Command is linked to the joint fight. We cannot afford to assume that mobility platforms will be able to deliver in increased threat environments. This requires continued investment in personnel, resources, and training. It also requires total force dialogue, solutions and partnering.”
Maj. Gen. Michael D. Kim, Mobilization Assistant to the Chief of Air Force Reserve, added to the importance of fostering relationships and teamwork between all units at Phoenix Rally.
“Maintaining and sustaining these relationships provides the opportunity to walk away from this conference with the understanding of what we can work on,” said Kim. “These units understand the issues they’re facing, but they may not realize other units are facing the exact same thing. Here, we’re able to identify those issues, gain a better understanding with the staff’s input, find solutions and then turn them into tangible taskers.”
Providing unique insight and various perspectives to issues units are facing is consistently one of the advantages of conferences like Phoenix Rally. Col. April D. Vogel, 6th Air Mobility Wing commander, who served as the vice commander for the 175th ANG Wing before taking command at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.
“We’re a total force and we simply cannot execute the mission without all three components,” said Vogel. “The conference would be incomplete without the Guard and Reserve represented. We need these capabilities today to be prepared for tomorrow’s challenges.”