Page 2 - Desert Lightning News, Nellis-Creech AFB Edition, August 21, 2020

2 August 21, 2020 Commentary Desert lightning news s. nevADA Desert lightning news s. nevADA news August 21, 2020 3
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We’re not the same Air Force anymore Red Flag 20-3

by Chaplain (Capt.) Samuel McClellan pilots. However, God had different plans lined When I joined in 1993, our Regular Air Force an Airman behind.” The term wingman started to
Incirlik AB, Turkey up for me. was downsizing, but then we were approximately become a part of our vocabulary as significant sui-
cide awareness programs developed. From a helping
440,000 Active Duty Air Force Members strong. In
Since becoming a chaplain in 2010, I have been
As a chaplain, I have had the tremendous privi- everything but a flightline chaplain. I spent three 2004 we took another cut in the force, which was agency and community action team perspective, we
lege of providing invocations for our Airmen who years at a training wing, four years in Air Force actually a God-given opportunity for me to volun- are also on the forefront of education and outreach
have crossed the momentous finish line of retire- Global Strike Command, two years in Air Force tarily separate under the Palace Chase program and to help prevent self-harm and isolation that is so
ment. On more than one occasion, I’ve heard a Space Command and now I’m at the 39th Air Base begin my seminary education. In 2011 the Air Force pervasive in our community.
couple of them say, “You know, chaplain, it’s not the Wing in Turkey. started a “reduction in force” of even more of our We will never completely get rid of the stigma,
same Air Force anymore.” I hear what they’re say- My understanding of the Air Force broadened warfighters. Now we sit at approximately 328,000. but the stigma attached to Mental Health and “see-
ing, but I wonder what is underneath the statement. during my first assignment as a chaplain where I With budget constraints at every corner, how do ing the chaplain” is not nearly as powerful as it used
My intuition feels the negativity of this declara- was a part of the Intel student population. From we continue to remain lethal while staying true to to be. Leadership at all levels now highly encourage
tion. I am going to modify the sentence, in order there, I traveled the 9,600 square miles of missile our claim that we are the world’s greatest Air Force? their people to go and visit a helping agency, and are
to re-frame the mindset: though change is hard, field, and following this, experienced the grand How? One word. Diversity. Diversity is our willing to share their own story with the risk of ap-
the only way to make progress is to adapt. From capabilities of our space based infrared systems strength. Twenty-six years ago, our demographics pearing vulnerable. Chaplains and medical agencies
the platforms that apply deadly force, our diversity, way up on the “high frontier.” were completely unlike today. In 2020, our diver- are embedding operational support teams into their
and finally, to how we are taking care of the people To call us merely an Air Force, limits the sity has propelled us to rely upon the strengths of units to be more effective in their engagement with Air Force photograph by Senior Airman
who carry out these missions, I’m grateful we’re perspective that our strength is restricted to our different perspectives. those who are suffering in silence. Jeremy Wentworth
“not the same Air Force anymore.” atmosphere. We are an Air, Space, and Cyberspace In 1993, there were approximately 440,000 I am grateful we’re “not the same Air Force A U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler
To give context, my Air Force experience began Force. One of my favorite parts about being a people in the Air Force. During that time 85 anymore.” In an even more contested and complex aircraft assigned to Electronic
in 1993, after I entered Basic Military Training. chaplain is seeing how mission, medical, and op- percent were men, 15 percent were women, 15 globe, we could not be lethal if we weren’t more Attack Squadron (VAQ) 132
During this time, all I knew about the Air erational support are all tied “into the machine” to percent were black, 3.5 percent were Hispanic and innovative, efficient and streamlined. We have Air Force photograph by Airman 1st Class Dwane R. Young
Force was that we were an aircraft focused military make each wing more powerful, thus tying every 4 percent were Asian. broadened our fighting capabilities beyond the An F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet assigned to the 391st at Naval Air Station Whidbey
branch, zeroing into air superiority and global part into the greater Air Force and making it even Today out of the approximate 328,000, 78 crew station of an aircraft. Educational opportuni- Island, Wash., taxis during
domination from the sky. I was an F-16 Fighting more combat-ready. Our largest concerns are no percent are men, 22 percent are women, 35 per- ties through college and professional development Fighter Squadron at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, Red Flag 20-3 at Nellis Air
Falcon crew chief for slightly over 10 years, and the longer how we win a dogfight in the air, but how cent are black, 16 percent Hispanic and 4 percent are offered to our enlisted force more than in years takes off during Red Flag 20-3 at Nellis AFB, Nev., Aug. 6, Force Base, Nev., July 31, 2020.
focal point for everything was having the pilots do we maintain superiority hundreds of thousands Asian. These numbers displays a wider array of previous. 2020. The Strike Eagle is a dual-role fighter designed to Red Flag provides aircrews
in the air. It wasn’t until I became a chaplain and of miles from the face of the earth? diversitythan 26 years ago. We must draw from our Wingmanship and the encouragement to care perform air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, and perform the experience of multiple,
saw outside of my fighter wing stovepipe that my With aircraft no longer piloted by an aviator diversity to define the new Air Force, which will for our mental and spiritual domains has been at low altitudes day or night and in all weather conditions.
aperture widened. strapped to fixed wings, wars being fought through empower us to face twenty first century challenges. uplifted by our senior leadership. Commands at intensive air combat sorties
During my time in seminary, all I thought the digital realm, and now having recently stood Along with broadening our Air Force’s diver- every level reflect the rich diversity of the members in the safety of a training
about was my dream of being a chaplain who up the United States Space Command, we are sity, our force has been reshaping how we look out who serve in it, and I have seen this firsthand in environment.
brought refreshments and encouragement to the somehow able to maintain our end-strength in for each other. my last two assignments. How did we get to this
far reaches of the flightline until my retirement; multi-domain command and control. How are When I was an up and coming crew chief, we kind of progress in our Air Force Culture? By
I hoped to provide ministry to maintainers and we leading the way with less Airmen than before? didn’t have a creed that proclaimed to “never leave being “not the same Air Force anymore.”

Quotes from my mobility pilot granduncle’s war diary

by Chaplain (Capt.) Levi Welton granduncle Lt. Barney Welton: a World War II as my granduncle put it, “I’ll never forget the end of the war, he reflected that, “Having gone Air Force photograph by Senior Airman Jeremy Wentworth
Dover AFB, Del. C-47 pilot. Serving in what would become Air wealth of friendship I’ve enjoyed in the happy into combat we felt a sort of dignity and sense of U.S. Navy Airman, assigned to Electronic
Mobility Command, he flew 130 missions as part family of the 79th. It’s a big outfit — but I can’t responsibility we hadn’t enjoyed before” (pp. 45).
From Oprah Winfrey to Mark Zuckerberg, of the 79th Troop Carrier Squadron, including think of it as a squadron. We were made up Speaking of enjoyment, being away from Attack Squadron (VAQ) 132 at Naval Air
our nation’s most successful leaders are readers. delivering fuel and supplies to Gen. George of individuals. That’s the way the boys lived. loved ones is not an enjoyable aspect of being Station Whidbey Island, Wash., signals
Warren Buffet spends 80 percent of his day read- Patton’s 3rd Army. In his book, “Come Fly With That’s the way they flew. That’s the way they deployed in service of our nation. But, as my Air Force photograph by Airman 1st Class Dwane R. Young EA-18G Growler pilots during Red Flag
ing. Bill Gates reads 50 books per year. Former Me,” Lt. Welton records the “fine esprit de corps died” (pp. 126). granduncle’s close buddy Pete would often say, U.S. Navy Airman, assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 132 at 20-3 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., July 31,
U.S. Secretary of Defense and retired Marine among the airmen” and details the adventures On the flip side, “It is only a noisy few that “‘Loving’ is the one thing you get farthest behind Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash., signals EA-18G Growler pilots 2020. Known as the Scorpions, VAQ-132 is
general James Mattis carried around a library he had while fighting “guns loaded” against the spoils things for the many” (pp. 94). Neverthe- on and catch up the quickest” (pp. 52). during Red Flag 20-3 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., July 31, 2020. Airman a U.S. Navy tactical jet aircraft squadron
of 6,000 books with him, everywhere he went. “Nazi Dragon.” less, America is a great nation, regardless of the At the conclusion of his service as a World
For those who feel they are too busy to read, While you may be too busy to read his entire “noisy few,” because “America’s strength lies in War II mobility pilot, my granduncle humbly coordinate with pilots before launch, confirming systems are fully specializing in kinetic and non-kinetic
take heed to the message this legendary general, book, here are nine selections from his diary, the fact that ... we are profoundly more good wrote a line which I found particularly inspir- functional to ensure mission success and the pilot’s safety. Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses.
sometimes referred to as “The Warrior Monk,” which I found to be most insightful or intrigu- than we are bad. The little I can do to win the ing: “I think everyone has the need of a definite
had for his troops: “The problem with being too ing, delivering a small glimpse of his experience. war in itself won’t make much difference — ex- aim in life — and while playing my position in
busy to read is that you learn by experience, i.e. I hope you find them meaningful and that they cept that I know now that a lot of people doing this war game I have been able to lose myself in
the hard way. By reading, you learn through help you on your mission as you fly higher, as what they can, collectively, add up to a big job a course which was bigger than me” (pp. 99).
others’ experiences, generally a better way to do my granduncle would say, “into the wild blue done” (pp. 115). Perhaps this is why we refer to the one percent
business, especially in our line of work where yonder and into another adventure.” When he first flew into combat, my grand- of Americans in the military as people of service.
the consequences of incompetence are so final.” No matter what branch of service we’re in, uncle jotted in his diary, “You could feel it as it For when we “lose” ourselves in a course “bigger
In 1996, retired U.S. Air Force Chief of our uniforms are designed with some form of rocked the ship and fragments of flak hit the than me,” it is we who truly gain.
Staff Gen. Ronald Fogleman created the CSAF camouflage. But don’t let the uniform obscure fuselage like hail on a tin roof. We weren’t as In the preface to his diary, Lt. Welton wrote,
Professional Reading Program, updated yearly, the reality that you are not just a cog in the wheel scared as we should have been. We were nervous “We were heroes and didn’t even know it.” But I
to promote a reading list of titles intended to of the military but a treasured individual. As and uneasy, but actually too busy to be scared” know that every one of you who serves an ideal
inform, educate and inspire. the Chassidic scholar Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz (pp. 62). After facing death numerous times, he bigger than yourself — even if you don’t always
In this spirit, I’d like to share with you my taught, “Every person possesses one valuable marveled, “Fate has saved me many times these feel like it — are the true heroes our country
favorite quotes from the published diary of my trait that cannot be found in anyone else.” Or past few years. I wonder for what” (pp. 32). At the needs.

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Desert Lightning News Staff are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national and conformity to the Associated Style Guide, to 391st Fighter Squadron at Mountain Home Air Force Base,
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Stuart Ibberson, Editor the Department of Defense or the Department of the affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the Corrections: Desert Lightning News staff Senior Airman Riley Tharpe, a tactical aircraft maintainer assigned to the 391st Fighter Squadron at Mountain Home Air fighter jet at during Red Flag 20-3 at Nellis AFB, Nev., Aug. 5,
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