The Mobility Forum Posts

Everyone who joins the military does it for different reasons. For some, it is an opportunity to carry on a family tradition of service; for others, it may be an opportunity for education and travel. Whatever the reason, settling into each niche career field is necessary to keep the U.S. Air Force a well-oiled machine and can take time. A key part of this machine is air traffic control (ATC).

The evolution of the relationship between the United States and Japan since World War II has been nothing short of extraordinary.

Military aviation demands a proactive approach to risk management, given the inherent dangers of flight and the added complexities of combat operations. Risk management isn’t just a policy; it’s a deeply ingrained mindset woven into every aspect of military flying.

Airmen from the 709th Airlift Squadron and the 512th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron load a Pierce Arrow Telesquirt fire truck onto a C-5M Super Galaxy at Scott Air Force Base, IL, April 9, 2025.

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.

When you consider the discipline of safety among all the other specialty codes and skills in the Air Force, how would you classify it? Is it a front-line operational skill like bomb loading, airbase air defense, or flying? Or is it a vital support function like food preparation, ground transportation, or finance? Is it tactical or administrative, forward or rear echelon?

Most Airmen have experienced fatigue and stress at some point over their career. This article is not intended to tell you how to recognize such symptoms, but instead to describe methods for managing them. Hopefully, you have heard some of these before.

In 2024, the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force issued a task order for Phase Two of the Integrating Risk and Readiness campaign. The overall intent of Phase Two is to move Risk Management (RM) from just a program to an operational imperative, teaching Airmen how to make risk-informed decisions across the full spectrum of operations, including identifying and mitigating increased risk during times of change. Although resources are constrained, the second phase is required to extend to operations in austere locations. This extension requires that RM tools and training be integrated into all aspects of planning, preparation, execution, and assessment. To accomplish these goals, the Air Force directed the completion of several tasks by December 31, 2025.

“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.