Gen John D. Lamontagne: Securing the Asymmetric Advantage

In a fast-changing operational landscape, it is not enough to react—you have to anticipate. At Air Mobility Command (AMC), that means seeing the full picture, spotting patterns early, and moving decisively.

As the Commander of AMC, Gen John D. Lamontagne has a pulse on all of it. For him, “sense and make sense” is not just a phrase—it is how he leads. With clarity, steadiness, and a deep understanding of the mission, he is guiding AMC through complexity with perspective and intention.

The Mobility Forum spoke with Lamontagne about the mindset behind AMC’s evolution, his leadership approach, and the priorities that will help secure AMC’s asymmetric advantage in tomorrow’s fight.

Airmen at the Center

“Everything really starts and ends with the Airmen,” Lamontagne stated. “They are the key to our success.”

Nothing happens without them, which is why AMC’s top priorities are focused on its people.

“First and foremost, it’s just that simple—taking care of one another,” Lamontagne said. “We have a long lineage of doing that.” He explained that AMC continues to build on its strong foundation of care, keeping that commitment at the forefront of its daily operations. This people-first mindset is the foundation of resilience.

“We’ve got a number of challenges each and every day in our professional lives and our personal lives too…” he said. “We want to lean in with additional resources.”

He shared that many AMC wings have created peer-to-peer counseling networks and support, which strengthen and help to facilitate higher levels of care across the board.

That same commitment to people also shapes how AMC develops Airmen into mission-ready, resilient, and credible warfighters. Building on that foundation, the Commander also emphasized the importance of accountability and decentralizing decision-making. Rather than bottlenecking decisions at the top, AMC is focused on empowering leadership at all levels. In fast-paced, high-stakes environments, decisions must be made at the point of need—not delayed while waiting on higher ranks.

These priorities extend across the total force: active duty, Guard, Reserve, and family members.

“Taking care of each other, developing mission-ready Airmen, being accountable to standards and each other, empowering leadership, and strengthening resilience”—these, he said, remain central to AMC’s success.

Strategic Mission Priorities

Although AMC continues strengthening all mission areas, Lamontagne highlighted five priorities he believes will “move the needle across the command” and maintain AMC’s asymmetric advantage.

1. Guaranteeing the Nuclear Mission
   “It is the backbone of our strategic deterrence and what all our other deterrent activities are based upon,” he said. “We at Air Mobility Command are not going to take that for granted.”
   AMC remains a key partner to Air Force Global Strike Command in maintaining strategic nuclear posture.
2. Mitigating Emerging Threats
   As the mission shifts away from countering violent extremists toward strategic competition, the threat landscape is expanding.
   “We’ve got to be able to sense and make sense of the environment,” Lamontagne said. “If you don’t have situational awareness on where those threats are, you really have no chance of trying to mitigate those threats.”
   Today’s threats can come from hundreds of miles away—not across a fence line or a few dozen miles in the air. AMC is investing in tools, training, and mindset shifts that allow for earlier detection, smarter decisions, and timely action.
3. Integrating Command and Control
   AMC must be able to plug into broader joint operations and adapt to the unique priorities of each region—whether in the Pacific, Europe, or beyond.
   “We have to be able to operate alongside them—integrating on their timeline, aligning with their priorities, and fitting into their formation,” Lamontagne explained.
4. Securing Digital Connectivity
   Digital connectivity is key to situational awareness and effective command and control.
   “If we have beyond line-of-sight secure comms, we can have a good sense of where our team is, the other team is, where the adversary is—to be able to mitigate those threats,” Lamontagne said.
   That holds true in the air and on the ground.
5. Modernizing the Tanker Fleet
   With the retirement of the KC-10 and an aging KC-135 fleet, AMC is doubling down on sustaining readiness while modernizing for the future.
   “Even if we can recapitalize [the KC-135] persistently to the tune of a squadron per year, we’re going to be flying that airplane when it’s almost a hundred years old,” Lamontagne said.
   “We’re taking care of the KC-135 while we have it,” he added, recognizing its vital role even as the command pushes forward with KC-46 deliveries.
   Strengthening the KC-46 fleet and accelerating tanker modernization remain a pressing priority for the command.

Commitment to the Nation and the Future Fight

AMC is committed to the National Defense Strategy and Air Force priorities, including supporting initiatives like the standup of a provisional Integrated Capabilities Command, the Air Force Force Generation cycle, and the establishment of a deployable combat wing out of Little Rock in 2026.

“We used to basically crowdsource from across our Air Force,” he said. “That won’t serve us nearly as well going up against adversaries that have very long-range systems.”

The shift toward deployable combat wings reflects the need for speed, cohesion, and readiness on day one. AMC’s role in global exercises reinforces this. Whether moving fighter squadrons thousands of miles or delivering logistics under pressure, Lamontagne emphasized, “… our ability to project power rapidly and decisively—it matters.”

That commitment extends beyond operational capability. “We’re going to be really good teammates,” he said. “That’s true of our allies and partners around the world, our sister services, and our fellow major commands—all the way down, shoulder to shoulder, flight to flight, squadron to squadron, wing to wing. Air Mobility Command is going to be defined by that.”

Making Smart Choices Second Nature

Safety and risk management are not separate from readiness—they are baked into it. Lamontagne shared reflections on the importance of building a culture of everyday risk management.

He recalled a personal experience as a cadet when fatigue and delayed travel nearly caused a serious car accident. He had been pushing through a long drive to visit his girlfriend—now his wife—when exhaustion set in and the rumble strips on the road jolted him awake. He acknowledged that he should have pulled over to rest, recognizing it as a moment where fatigue clouded judgment and safety took a back seat.

“I’m lucky that I’m here today,” he said. “Not one of my prouder moments, but thus the ‘hey, we need to work in risk management into our personal and professional lives.’”

In another instance, after an aircraft incident, the youngest loadmaster on the crew offered insights Lamontagne had not considered—a powerful reminder that valuable perspective can come from any rank and that listening is a key part of leadership.

“It was a great example of why you should collect thoughts from the whole team,” he said. “The team is better than any one person. Getting input—from the most senior to the most junior—makes us all better every single day.”

The Commander is proud of AMC’s culture of empowering young leaders and sees it as a defining strength. He also expressed gratitude for the AMC safety team, which has helped weave safety into the fabric of Air Mobility Command.

“They actually just won the award for being the best safety team in our United States Air Force,” he said, noting that operational risk management should be part of daily thinking—on duty and off.

In Closing

As AMC prepares for a future where threats are more complex and farther-reaching, Lamontagne is asking the hard questions and seeking the best answers at every level. From digital readiness to power projection, he is focused on ensuring AMC maintains its asymmetric advantage.

The command has long been in capable hands, and under Lamontagne’s leadership, that legacy continues with a renewed focus on trust—one that empowers Airmen to lead, speak up, and help shape the mission from the ground up.

“Nothing happens in Air Mobility Command without the talent of our young leaders,” he said. “I couldn’t be prouder of them and what they achieve each and every day.”