CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
I'm sure we've all heard it before, "the Air Force just isn't the same as it used to be" and I must admit, the Air Force we have today is very different from when I first enlisted 15 years ago. Even though some might not like change, the changes the Air Force has gone through were necessary to help us become more effective, flexible and productive. Not all change is bad because the changes we have gone through have allowed us to become the great force we are today.
The major changes we have gone through have been in the area of computer technology. These changes have enabled us to reshape the way we do business. In the early days of the Air Force, we didn't have e-mail, (yes there was a time when the Air Force didn't have e-mail) blackberries, cell phones or 100 percent tuition assistance. Now these things are a way of life.
This change has given us technological advantages over our adversaries. The creation of smart bombs and unmanned aerial vehicles are some of the new technologies that allow us to protect our personnel and allies along the homefront and overseas.
Another important change the Air Force has gone through is the creation of the Fit to Fight program and the Air Expeditionary Force concept. I mention these two together because they are interrelated. We must be fit to fight because we have become a more expeditionary Air Force. Being fit to fight ensures we are physically and mentally prepared to accomplish the mission.
We are leading the way in transformation and plotting a new path for others to follow. So indeed, we are not the same as we used to be. The changes we have gone through have allowed us to become better and more flexible, which makes us stand out from all the other branches of service. The phrase, "no one comes close," truly describes what a great force we have become.
So as you can see, not all change is bad. As a matter of fact, computer technology and the Fit to Fight program has transformed the Air Force into an unbeatable force.