ABOUT US
ABOUT US/ Lt Gen Nelson's Debriefing
I hear it so often that it must be true: Air Force people don’t give a damn about Air Force history. It is said that we are forward thinkers – happily and willingly detached from a doctrinal or habitual past. Says Lt Furtumblatz of Podunk AFB, “Don’t tell me what they did in 1967 in Vietnam; tell me what the problem is now, and I’ll solve it by the fastest means possible. I don’t want to have my hands tied behind my back by conceptual chains.”
So, why are we spending time and money trying to bring into brighter clarity the great tradition and heritage of the Air Force? Why are we developing this fresh new website? Why are we in the Foundation expanding our awards program? And why in heavens name did we put on a huge day and a half long symposium near the Pentagon in October focused on the past? (See our coverage of the 2007 Symposium).
Well, one answer should be self-evident: even if it’s true about Air Force people and their lack of interest in history – and I’m not willing to concede that point yet - our audience is not made up solely of “blue-suiters.” We are reaching out to people who are not fully aware of our history, our impact on US and world history, and the many courageous chapters in our roughly 100 years of action. Some of these people are historians, professional and amateur, who believe that the present is like a jigsaw puzzle made up of bits of the past – the more pieces you can see and fit together, the easier it is to understand why things are the way they are and, even better, what our choices are for the future.
Then, of course, there is the general public, aware that this nation has a potent weapon in its Air Force, that wants to know more about it and how it got to where it is. Or perhaps they had relatives who served or who were wounded or died in the Air Force, and they want to know more about what he or she did and the context in which it was done.
And there are the merely curious, people who just happen to like military stuff, and who recognize that the Air Force has done some pretty cool things in its comparatively brief existence.
We aim eventually to provide at this website a home for all those groups. But even if we succeed, it won’t be enough. We need to provide our friend, Lt Furtemblatz, with a good reason to come see us and to pay attention. So here’s what I’d ask the good lieutenant (and Tech Sergeant Joe Bagadonuts, too) to consider:
I actually agree – in part - that it is a huge advantage that we in the Air Force are not too mesmerized by our history and its bunkmate, doctrine. For example, if we were too glued to medium altitude, large force employment (ring any Vietnam or Cold War bells?), we might have missed stealth, GPS, precision-guided munitions, UAVs, and so on, all of which have revolutionized our business in recent years.
Still, that very reality, our stubborn irreverence, is a powerful stream in your life when you're an Air Force person, whether you know it or not. But shouldn't you know about it? Shouldn't you be aware that iconoclasts before you have created a tradition that defines the Air Force? Wouldn't it comfort you to know that your ideas aren't all that crazy given the mountains your predecessors climbed? Shouldn't it be inspiring to know that our age - a mere 60 years of independence and just under 100 years as an identifiable organization - is a valuable advantage, not a shortcoming?
And how about our devotion to technology? This is another powerful stream in the life of the Air Force. We were born, after all, in the immediate wake of one of the greatest technological leaps in the history of man. Ever since, we have turned to technology first for almost every problem we've faced. Shouldn't you know how that reality in your organization unfolded and continues to unfold today? See F22, Global Hawk, cyberspace, etc, for examples. I don't think it's possible to understand how the Air Force functions, what motivates its advocates or inspires its leaders, unless you understand this truth.
There are other great streams in our culture, of course (courage, mobility and resourcefulness come to mind), all contributing to my point, which is: Those who care about the Air Force, especially those in it, ought to understand the culture which has given it lift for its entire existence. Here is as close to cliché as I hope to get in this piece: What we are as an organization is what others have made us. Getting in their shoes - or brains - is nothing less than a part of the commitment of a professional to understand the tools and options in the present. In other words, understanding the culture of the Air Force and what shaped it, is as important to the Air Force professional as any formal, technical training we get.
The Air Force Historical Foundation can't provide all the resources you would need to achieve full appreciation or understanding of the culture, tradition, and heritage of the Air Force, but we can help. That is precisely what we are doing with this website. Take a look at the reports and papers coming out of the recently completed symposium as an example.
As we gain additional airspeed (which means, of course, funding), our offerings will multiply. We plan to have available here all the past articles of our magazine, 54 years worth, in searchable form; we will set up a speaker's bureau; and we’ll develop a connection with affiliation groups from WWII and subsequent eras. There's much to be done and we mean to do it. We’d be honored to have you with us as we head for the target.
By the way, if you happen to run into Lt Furtemblatz or Sgt Bagadonuts, point them here and suggest they become members. They’ll be helping the Foundation, the Air Force – and, I trust, themselves.
Lt Gen Nelson, USAF (Ret)
President and Chairman of the Board
