The Mobility Forum The Mobility Forum

“Safety is a combat discipline,” remarked Col John B. Kelley, Director of Safety for Air Mobility Command (AMC). “It maintains and magnifies combat capabilities, allowing Airmen to identify risks, mitigate them, and move out.”

On December 9, 2024, Capt Christopher Jones’s quick thinking and decisive actions averted catastrophic damage to a fifty-five million dollar KC-135 aircraft during a mission in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. After an uneventful landing at St. Croix, the aircraft was parked on a civilian ramp and the two crew chiefs commenced post-flight procedures on the aircraft’s exterior, while the aircrew completed shutdown protocols. One of the crew chiefs removed the chocks to straighten the nose gear, unaware that the parking brakes had already been released. Consequently, the aircraft began rolling backward uncontrollably for fifteen seconds. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Jones, serving as the copilot, immediately instructed the Aircraft Commander to activate the electrical system, hydraulic pressure, and auxiliary pumps. The Aircraft Commander promptly executed these actions, bringing the aircraft to a stop just feet from colliding with a building. Jones’s extensive system knowledge and composure under pressure not only prevented the aircraft from endangering the lives of the servicing crew chiefs but also safeguarded the high-value asset.

Earlier this year, Air Commandos across Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) participated in the Thunder Dome innovation competition at Hurlburt Field, FL.

Most Airmen and Guardians do not consider system safety when thinking about the implementation of safety programs. However, it is an integral part of safety and risk management that touches each discipline throughout the Department of the Air Force (DAF) every day. So, what is system safety?

In the beloved film, WarGames, young Matthew Broderick plays a teen hacker who stumbles into a military supercomputer and accidentally triggers what appears to be the countdown to World War III. The 80s classic was ahead of its time, envisioning a future where gaming grows so advanced that it mirrors real warfare. Fast forward forty years, and Air Mobility Command (AMC) is harnessing the power of gaming technologies to prepare for the future fight. AMC leaders are using sophisticated war-gaming software to test real-world scenarios, anticipate threats, and refine strategies in ways that were impossible a generation ago.

What is more terrifying than piloting a plane at sixty thousand feet and discovering that you can no longer control the aircraft because the cockpit computer has been hacked?

If you live in a dorm or in military barracks, you will never want for company! But how can you protect your belongings, and what can you do to keep yourself and your roommates safe? The following are twelve recommendations that primarily apply to living in a dorm room with one other person, but many can be adapted for life in a barracks.

Disasters are a steady reality around the world—earthquakes, typhoons, and regional health crises continue to affect communities, leaving people in need of support, resources, and coordinated response.

At the heart of many successful efforts is a team—people with different skill sets, experiences, and perspectives coming together. At the 735th Air Mobility Squadron (AMS), Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, that spirit of collaboration fuels every challenge they face.

Operational readiness is more than combat readiness. It also ensures medical and mental readiness for all servicemembers.

The Mobility Forum spoke with Donald Anderson, Director of Analyses for Headquarters (HQ) Air Mobility Command (AMC), to learn more about the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in revolutionizing military operations. Within AMC, the technologies are being used to enable faster decision-making and more effective mission planning. According to Anderson, this is just the beginning—he says the possibilities that AI can unlock are endless.

It was supposed to be a quiet end to a day of deer hunting. Michael Wahler, then just a kid, was unloading his rifle alongside his father and brother—no finger on the trigger, no reason for concern. However, the moment he flipped off the safety, the gun immediately fired. No one was hurt that day—only because Wahler had followed a fundamental firearm safety rule: always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.