The Mobility Forum Posts

Weapons Safety Managers (WSM) do not physically lift wrenches any longer or build up munitions, or load them on airframes; however, they still need the right tools for the job. We need to expand our capabilities from time to time to meet the needs of future wars and missions.

Throughout the Air Force, in Air Mobility Command (AMC), and within the aviation industry, head injury is the number one reported injury to the body. I wonder if mechanics who struck their heads had submitted an Airman Safety Action Program (ASAP) report describing “Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How” their incident occurred, how many injuries could have been prevented. You can help prevent future mishaps by simply telling your story and describing how it happened.

The Air Force undoubtably boasts an unwavering commitment to readiness. To ensure the readiness needed to support the future fight, the Air Force is introducing a new deployment model.

Air Mobility Command (AMC) recently conducted a large, full-spectrum readiness exercise: Mobility Guardian 2023 (MG23), in the Indo-Pacific region with seven participating countries: Australia, France, Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and the United States. MG23 had two main themes this year, according to Lt Col Jacob Parker, MG23 exercise director.

In his best-selling book, Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell presents a theory of the underlying reason Korean Air had more plane crashes than nearly any other airline in the world during the end of the 1990s—hierarchical culture. The author explains that because Korean culture has “high power distance,” meaning that authority is typically granted more respect and power than in other cultures, the copilots did not assert themselves in precarious flying situations. Had equal levels of authority been felt, more effective communication may have helped prevent some of the crashes.

As part of humanitarian and disaster relief efforts in the aftermath of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit central-southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6, 2023, the 728th Air Mobility Squadron (AMS) offloaded an abundance of crucial equipment and supplies from aircraft.

Mosquitoes are universally disliked, but from 1967 to 1971, they were even more of a nuisance. During this time, mosquitoes were the main spreader of the dangerous Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis (VEE), a nerve disease that causes swelling of the brain. The disease mainly affects horses but can also spread to humans and is known to be fatal.

Few phrases capture the essence of the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing (AMOW) better than its motto, “DEPEND ON US.” The statement rings true as Air Mobility Command (AMC) has officially been able to count on the 521 AMOW for 15 years as of 2023. Since its activation in 2008, the AMOW has been at the forefront of AMC’s global mobility mission and has hit the ground running as the enroute support system for Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia.

Agile Combat Employment (ACE) remains an evolving focus for Air Mobility Command (AMC) as Airmen on all levels work toward conceptualizing the strategy of spreading out and moving quickly to combat near-peer adversaries.

It can be hard to anticipate the things you cannot imagine. When the Wright Brothers invented powered flight in 1903, they were likely oblivious to mid-air collisions. However, aviation recorded its first fatal inflight impact between two powered aircraft by 1912. Perhaps unexpectedly, the pilots involved were not civilians; they were military officers training for conflict before World War I.

The holidays make us think of loved ones, feasts, sparkling lights, and aromatic evergreens. It is when families get together to celebrate and enjoy traditions.

The holidays are coming, and many will travel abroad either officially or on leave. Traveling to a foreign country can be an enjoyable and satisfying experience for Airmen and their families.