2nd AF commander: "Stay warrior focused"

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Dorian Chapman
  • Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Four Air Force bases, 15,944 assigned personnel and 250,000 trainees annually--those figures barely begin to quantify the responsibilities that fall under Maj. Gen. Alfred K. Flowers, 2nd Air Force's new commander. 

Gen. Flowers took command in May 2008 and assumed oversight of four bases and 92
field units, all assigned to Air Education and Training Command. He, accompanied by his wife Ida and 2nd Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant Paul Moreau, paid a visit to Goodfellow Air Force Base July 14-16 and received an in-depth tour of the base and the various training programs here. 

"Goodfellow is a huge player and has a tremendous impact on what we are accomplishing in the Global War on Terrorism," Gen. Flowers stated. "About 80 percent of Department of Defense 'intel' folks, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, are trained right here," the general added, emphasizing the major wartime contributions the base makes with every graduation due to the uniquely joint training environment. 

According to Gen. Flowers, Goodfellow's focus is part of an AETC-wide emphasis on
wartime support--an emphasis he understands firsthand having been assigned to the major command previously in 2001. He said the biggest change he's seen in the MAJCOM is AETC's responsiveness to the war. 

"Every schoolhouse in AETC is being as responsive as they can to produce Airmen with
relevant training," Gen. Flowers explained. "Many of the tools used in the classroom are
more state-of-the-art than ever before. Ten years ago, we were using tools that were 20
years old. That is no longer the case," he said. 

"We're getting real-time feedback from the battlefield on how to improve tactics, techniques and procedures, integrating them into the training that we are doing, and sending Airmen out there to perform," the general said. 

As the 2nd Air Force commander, Gen. Flowers has ultimate responsibility over the In-
Lieu-Of training program the Air Force is using to steadily prepare thousands of Airmen for deployments where they will be assigned to Army units and fill gaps created by a lack of Army personnel. 

"The ILO training will continue because the taskers will continue," Gen. Flowers stated, explaining that the foreseeable ILO demands will be much the same as previous requirements. He expects the Air Force to provide over 5,000 ILO-tasked Airmen in the months ahead. All of these deployers will require some form of combat skills training to be better prepared for the rigors and requirements of the battlefield environment. 

"Our job at the projection platform is to provide the best realistic training we can give our
Airmen to equip them to fulfill those jobs," Gen. Flowers said concerning the "Army training" ILO-tasked Airmen receive. "The training that we are providing seems to be working well and we're giving them what they need." 

Gen. Flowers said he hopes the number of ILO taskings will decrease substantially in the future, but until that time the Air Force will continue to fill the gaps in the wartime effort. Beyond ILO taskings, the Air Force is no stranger to the GWOT. 

"It's a joint fight, joint effort and a joint team," Gen. Flowers said. "Ground forces are doing a lot, but Airmen are doing a lot also," he pointed out. "Airmen have been involved in this Global War on Terrorism for 17 years straight." 

Technical and ILO training encompass a considerable amount of the training within 2nd
Air Force, but Air Force Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base should not be overlooked. According to Gen. Flowers, the course is due to be extended in Fiscal Year 2009 to allow more focus on certain aspects of training. 

"Most of the increases in basic training are expeditionary, warrior-ethos kinds of things,"
Gen. Flowers said, specifically identifying weapons training, Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape training, and Close Quarters Combat training as areas of focus. 

Gen. Flowers insisted the decision to extend basic training was not driven by the aforementioned ILO taskings Airmen perform. 

"We're all combat-warrior-trained Airmen first," he declared, explaining that the Air Force
has been on a track to reclaim its expeditionary roots for nearly a decade. 

As the Air Force continues in this paradigm shift, Gen. Flowers said he hopes supervisors, NCOs and commanders will continue to build upon those skills and encourage Airmen to stay warrior-focused. 

As for Gen. Flowers' perceptions of Goodfellow, he had this to say: "My first impression as we drove through the gate was 'This wing is in great shape.' The attitudes of the Airmen, NCOs and Officers are great. You don't have to look too far behind appearance and attitude to know that it's a good operation.  I am thoroughly impressed." 

On a more personal note, Gen. Flowers mentioned that his move to Keesler Air Force Base was his twentieth PCS. He credits his wife, a former active duty Airmen for 12 years then a reservist until her retirement, with much of his success due to her constant support. 

"The Air Force is a team sport," he said.  "The first team you must learn to play with is
the family team." 

After nearly thirty years of commissioned military service, Gen. Flowers is still happy donning his Air Force uniform. "I love what I do, I look forward to doing it every day, and I wouldn't do anything differently," he said.