Pacific Air Forces has a great deal of capability spread across its area of responsibility, but innovations from airmen at the squadron level are making the difference in how US Pacific Command and the Defense Department posture in the region, said PACAF Commander Gen. Hawk Carlisle, on Thursday. Speaking at AFA’s Pacific Air & Space Symposium in Los Angeles, Carlisle highlighted TSgt. Matthew Woodward, a B-52 maintainer deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam. Woodward studied the history of logistical support for the B-52s involved in the continual bomber presence on Guam, said Carlisle. Woodward then came up with a streamlined deployment package to support those B-52 rotations from Barksdale AFB, La., and Minot AFB, N.D. That package, which previously required four C-17s to transport to Guam, now only requires one C-17, said Carlisle.
On Oct. 22, the Air Force Association's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies will host a Nuclear Deterrence Forum featuring Henry Sokolski, executive director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center. The think tank will post event video on its website and YouTube page after the live event. Register here.