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COMMENTARY
16 TH AIR FORCE
Lt Gen Fairfield makes case for MAJCOM status
An Open Letter to Dr. Frank Kendall III Secretary of the Air Force recognized the need for
(Lt Col, USA Ret), Secretary of the Air cyber to become an arrow in the warriors quiver, but
the two-year standup of the Air Force Cyber
Force and Space Force Command (Provisional) met the same fate as AFCC
when that Secretary was removed from office.
Sir, In my retirement, I worked together with Gen Tom
Moorman to find ways to help the Air Force focus on
We served together on the staff of the Secretary of mission integration. His passion was space, mine
Defense in 1987. Those were exciting times with the was communication and cyber. Gen Moorman’s
creation of the Strategic Defense Initiative Office
and implementation of the Intermediate Range efforts resulted in all acquisition functions being
Nuclear Forces Treaty – both programs now handed to the Space Force leaders. I continue to
relegated to the ash heap of history. espouse having one Major Command accountable
for the multifaceted missions that AFCC
I went on to become the Commander of the Air accomplished.
Force Communications Command (AFCC) – an Secretary Kendall, you went on to continue to serve
organization that was 48 years old and had over both in OSD and industries which focused on
85,000 personnel. Upon assuming command, I was providing supporting services to meet national
order to “kill” the command so the Air Force could
use many of those billets to meet decreasing objectives. You pursued your engineering studies
manpower targets. The worldwide mission AFCC and even earned your Juris Doctoris and worked pro
had provided to the Air Force was (incorrectly) bono in that field on human rights issues. You
assumed to be eligible for outsourcing to emerging served on multiple public service boards and have
information technology companies who might received numerous awards for your contributions to
our National defense. You left industry in 2021 to
provide mission services. AFCC miraculously and become the 26 Secretary of the Air and Space
th
heroically provided critical, innovative support to
achieve victory in Desert Storm but soon after, our Force. I was thrilled with this news and have
senior communication officers’ retired, our rising watched your innovative, progressive leadership
junior officers’ and enlisted personnel were shunted decisions as they addressed current and future
off to various Major Commands and our tightly challenges. Supported by the experience and
monitored career civilian team members were left to creativity of our Chief of
fend for themselves. I was Staff, General David
Allvin, you have
sent to the Pacific but announced the standup of
later recalled to the Air
Staff in a move to try to the Integrated
focus on Air Force wide Capabilities Command
communication needs, along with returning Air
but the unexpected Staff Intelligence and
resignation of our Chief Cyber Effects
organizations (A2 and
and the Air Staff desire to A6) back into separate
merge the A2/A6 and distinct staff
functions stopped those
intentions. A former agencies.
John Fairfield, Frank Kendall III,
Lt Gen, USAF Secretary of the AF
(Ret) and Space Force
10 November 2024 Communicator
