An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

USCENTAF's top chief discusses GWOT with Airmen

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Michael O'Connor
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing public affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Chief Master Sgt. Todd Small, the command chief master sergeant of Ninth Air Force and United States Central Command Air Forces, kicked-off a theater-wide tour throughout the deployed area of responsibility Jan. 24 at an air base in the Persian Gulf region.

During the chief's visit, he spoke with Airmen at two 'Enlisted Calls' about key accomplishments made by today's Airmen who are filling non-traditional in-lieu-of taskings, some of the challenges Airmen face while deployed, and the importance of air power projection, which has proven vital to operations throughout the Central Command area of responsibility.

"The U.S. Air Force is absolutely central to the Global War on Terrorism," said Chief Small. "The Air Force synchronizes and integrates combat effects in the battle space and our Airmen are the ones who put the 'power' in Air Power. Our Airmen are in the fight, at all levels across the entire spectrum of warfare."

Today, nearly 33,000 Airmen are deployed across the globe at any given time with some 26,000 of those located in the USCENTCOM AOR serving in a variety of mission sets and a variety of disciplines, such as ILO.

"The Air Force has nearly 6,000 Airmen assigned in ILO forces roles supporting the U.S. Army and other functions here and the Airmen do fantastic work," said Chief Small. "Every sergeant major that I meet with, responds with how outstanding our Airmen in those ILO roles have performed."

The biggest challenge deploying Airmen face at the outset is no different than some of the obstacles that had to be overcome by their predecessors. Chief Small said all Airmen have to adapt to the operating environment and understand where they fit into the various roles and functions within their organizations.

"We have at many of our locations, persistent leadership who are here for extended periods of time up to a year--well beyond the horizon of a typical Air Expeditionary Force," Chief Small said. "And those leaders help set the stage for success for a deploying Airman by integrating the Airmen into the mission, getting them focused, and ensuring they achieve that level of productivity to help ensure we're successful with the mission at hand."

Further, the Air Force has 60 years of history of combat effectiveness and that tradition continues during the Global War on Terror.

According to the chief, "Our Airmen are just as competent, just as capable today as the Airmen who preceded them in the wars of the past," he said. "Just like Airmen in previous conflicts, when asked, when called--they answered. They are truly guardians of freedom and justice and are as competent and capable a warrior as this nation has ever had on the front lines."

The chief also spoke about projecting air power, and how it's employed in the AOR.

"We have in the Air Force some of the best developed, most focused capabilities at projecting air power," said Chief Small. "We can project air power beyond the horizon and across the oceans--only the U.S. Air Force has the ability to do that--to build the air-bridge with our tankers, to use our air mobility assets to engage any time, any place, and that's something that's unique and distinct about the U.S. Air Force."

Airmen continue to fight; they are committed and engaged, Chief Small said. They will continue fighting as long as our national leadership needs us and our nation requires it.