The Mobility Forum Stories

Col Jeffrey A. Smith

AMC Welcomes New Director of Safety

By Staff Writer

In 2023, the Safety Directorate at Air Mobility Command (AMC) welcomed Col Jeffrey A. Smith as its new Director. Smith was commissioned in May 2000 from Fayetteville State University’s Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program. After completing pilot training, he served in a variety of positions, including Chief of Wing Flight Safety, Advanced Instrument Instructor, Navy Crew Resource Management Instructor, Chief of Information Protection, Wing Treaty Control Officer, Headquarters Chief of Joint Manpower, and Headquarters Air Expert for NATO operations in Afghanistan. To date, Smith is a Command Pilot with over 2,400 hours in military cargo and transport aircraft.

Read Now
Col Patrick C. Winstead, Vice Commander, 18th Air Force, Scott Air Force Base, IL.

18th Air Force is Ready Today, Prepared for Tomorrow … EXPEDITE

By MS. KATHY ALWARD, STAFF WRITER

Col Patrick C. Winstead, Vice Commander, 18th Air Force, Scott Air Force Base, IL, brings valuable experience to his current position, in which he serves 12 wings comprising 36,000 Airmen. Winstead learned a lot working for Air Mobility Command’s (AMC) personnel team in the Directorate of Manpower, Personnel and Services, including knowledge about military and civilian personnel programs and policies. He is grateful to Maj Gen Martin, the 18th Air Force Commander, for the opportunity to serve in the 18th Air Force. Their vision statement is: Ready today, prepared for tomorrow…EXPEDITE. “I really think that’s what our wings embody, that 18th Air Force Vision. They’re already doing that every day,” Winstead stated.

Read Now
Total Force Mobility Air Force leaders pose for a group photo during Phoenix Rally at MacDill Air Force Base, FL, April 19, 2023.

Building Our Warrior Heart Culture

By MS. LINDSEY WILKINSON, AMC PUBLIC AFFAIRS

On Jan. 28, 2022, Gen Mike Minihan, Commander for Air Mobility Command (AMC), posted a tweet with four simple words: Warrior Heart. No Stigma., along with a screen shot of a mental health appointment on his calendar. From that moment on, Warrior Heart became the mantra for a culture focused on fine tuning the mind, body, and craft to fortify the will to win.

Read Now
Air Force Safety Management System graphic.

Appropriate Risk Management in the Flying Community

By MAJ STEVE BOSTWICK, AMC FLIGHT SAFETY

Within the confines of flight safety, most aircrew recognize this process as Operational Risk Management (ORM). Air Mobility Command aircrews utilize ORM for every mission; however, to appropriately use this important tool, our flyers must ensure that they actively contribute to the assessment of their profiles, provide genuine responses when annotating risk, and understand the fundamental purpose of the ORM program. To ensure appropriate use of ORM, it is imperative that experienced aircrew personnel teach our future generations of flyers about its application. Additionally, it is crucial for leadership to promote and foster an environment that embodies the fundamental values of ORM and encourages Airmen to highlight and mitigate risk.

Read Now
Air traffic controller looking at a computer screen.

The Air Traffic Controller Perspective

By SMSGT JOE SOUTHERN, MANAGER, ATC OPS & PROCEDURES, HQ AMC/A3AP; MSGT CORY KIMMEL, ASSISTANT CHIEF CONTROLLER, RAPCON, 305 OSS/OSAD; MSGT CASEY LEE, ASSISTANT CHIEF CONTROLLER, RAPCON, 60 OSS/OSAD; INTRODUCTION BY MR. SEAN BORDENAVE, HQ AMC CRM/TEM PROGRAM

INTRODUCTION ASAP #22399 Event Narrative [DATE]. [CALLSIGN], [TAIL #], [WING] assigned C-17 operating local training sortie departing [LOCATION], destination Sabre AAF [Army Airfield]. at FL230…

Read Now

How OSHA Regulations Demonstrate the Need for Safety Programming

By MS. LAUREN SCHATZ, STAFF WRITER

With the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Congress created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for workers by setting and enforcing standards and by pro­viding training, outreach, education, and assistance.

Read Now
Family riding bicycles on a paved rural roadway.

Military Spouse and Family Appreciation

By MS. SARAH PRUETT, STAFF WRITER

Not all heroes wear capes…or uniforms! Supporting a loved one in Air Mobility Command (AMC) can be quite the feat. The support given to each Airman is support for our entire nation. This article serves as a “thank you” to the strong men, women, and children who bolster the success of our military.

Read Now
Graphic showing communications pod installed in a KC- 46 Pegasus, allowing the F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor to connect and instantly receive and transmit the most up-to-date information to ensure the warfighters maintain decision superiority.

The Internet of Things: Will It Help Airmen of the Future?

By MS. KRISTINA KUNKEL, STAFF WRITER

The Internet of Things (IoT) describes the network of physical objects that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies for connecting and exchanging data with other devices over the internet. Years ago, many imagined the concept of IoT to include going to the store to purchase a sheet of ordinary-looking stickers that could be activated to trace location. These stickers could be attached to keys or virtually anything else. Then, if one of the items or things were ever misplaced or lost, an app could view and trace the location of each sticker.

Read Now
Plane after a storm.

The Art of Storms

By MS. LAUREN SCHATZ, STAFF WRITER

The recipe for an exceptional story often calls for “a dark and stormy night.” The tale behind how an enormous C-5M Super Galaxy rolled off its chocks in the middle of the night on December 14, 2022, is no different.

Read Now
Maj Daniel S. Jones

AIR MOBILITY COMMAND WELL DONE AWARD Presented to Maj Daniel S. Jones, 2d Air Refueling Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ

By Staff Writer

The Air Mobility Command Well Done Award is presented to Maj Daniel S. Jones in recognition of outstanding contributions to the 2d Air Refueling Squadron, 305th Operations Group, 305th Air Mobility Wing, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ, on October 25, 2022.

Read Now
Maj Andrew H. Kim

AIR MOBILITY COMMAND WELL DONE AWARD Presented to Maj Andrew H. Kim, 2d Air Refueling Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ

By Staff Writer

The Air Mobility Command Well Done Award is presented to Maj Andrew H. Kim in recognition of outstanding contributions to the 2d Air Refueling Squadron, 305th Operations Group, 305th Air Mobility Wing, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ, on October 25, 2022.

Read Now
Worker climbing a ladder.

Preventing Falls: Small Adjustments That Could Save Your Life

By MS. LAUREN SCHATZ, STAFF WRITER

Mitchell Garrett is a 20-something social media influencer with more than 170,000 followers. Since an ATV accident in 2019, Garrett has navigated popular internet challenges and trending dances from a wheelchair. The influencer also shares his struggles with missing being able to walk and not recovering the way he had dreamed of doing. However, the social media star is thankful to be alive and is dedicated to focusing on the joys of life. His humor and creativity inspire others to do the same.

Read Now