SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) –
As the next air and space expeditionary force rotation begins, are you and your organization ready?
It may look easy at times, but it takes a lot of preparation to keep up the pace of operations we have set. Each cycle, we demand maximum effort from everyone for a limited period of time. It reminds me of a relay race, a team of people going at top speed, working together to reach the finish line first.
We are in a long, tough race. Our goal in the race is to win in the war, and we can do that by flying the air tasking order every day. We make it manageable by breaking it down into segments; our AEF rotations. Just like a relay race, each segment is critical to winning.
As individuals, we are the runners in the race. We have been training for this race since we joined the Air Force, just like an elite runner trains for the big race. With our unique sets of talents, we strive to become the best, most disciplined individuals ready to join the fight, and we accomplish this through disciplined training.
Runners train together, but still compete against each other. We often do the same with the intent to push one another to a higher level. When we join the same team, we have a pretty good understanding of the skills that each team member brings to the table. Each of us may have a slightly different role, but ultimately, we all have the same goal; to win the war.
After we've trained for a while, we're ready to join the fight. Within our AEF, we learn our place on the team. We begin by training together before we deploy, so we can give the best, most focused effort and form the best team possible, ensuring we win our segment of the race. We learn to merge our talents and skills in the best possible way for the team.
The relay race is broken into two distinct parts: the sprint and the exchange of the baton. The sprint is what we do for the majority of our time deployed. This is the part we train so hard for every day in order to run at full speed. The second key to a successful race is a flawless baton handoff. Like a race, the most critical juncture for us is the transition between AEFs. We have all the tools we need for a flawless handoff; it now becomes a matter of execution. Our skills and talents enable us to enter the fight at full speed and complete the transition.
The change between AEF rotations is critical to continuing the uninterrupted support of the air tasking order. There is a tightly orchestrated set of actions between the two AEFs, with the ultimate goal of not adversely affecting the overall operation. The sprinter handing off the baton knows he is at the end of his point in the race and has to finish strong. At the same time, his partner has to be sprinting at full speed from the minute he takes the baton in order to not detract from the goal.
When you have a flawless handoff in a race between two highly skilled and trained athletes, the pace of the race is unabated, and they win. However, if they can't perform a smooth handoff, the race is lost.
We know what the game plan is. We know the mechanics of the handoff. The only question is, how disciplined are we in our training approach toward transitioning into the next phase, without slowing the pace? We know when and where the transition will take place, just like in a race, and it is up to us to ensure we maintain the discipline that leads to a good, orderly transition. It is up to us to execute the transition, continue to fly the air tasking order every day and win the war.