ATQ Fall 2004 (pages) for pdf - Airlift/Tanker Association

“It was early September. * From across the seas, attackers from the middle-east
launched an assault on the economic well-being, culture and heritage of the west.
The response of the set-upon was unexpected. With the help of some allies, and
excuses from others, their leaders carefully planned and launched a surprise
offensive of their own, winning the day. Though victorious and filled with a renewed
faith in the destiny of their nation, these leaders did not rest on their laurels. Feeling
that future attacks were inevitable, they acted accordingly. Using the power of swift
communications and the perseverance of their military they took appropriate steps
to defend their homeland and their way of life…”
A future historical description of
September 11, 2001 and its aftermath? No.
The year is 490 BC and Persian forces led
by King Darius have landed a massive 48,000
man force on Greek soil at Marathon Bay,
approximately 26 miles northeast of Athens.
Outnumbered 4 to 1, the Athenians send
runners to other Greek city-states to ask for
assistance. The Spartans reply that while
they support the Athenians, they cannot
send aid until their Lunar Religious Festival
is over, an oft-used Spartan tactic to put off
action while awaiting the turn of events.
Some help is forthcoming however. A Plataean
contingent of 1,000 marches overland
to Marathon and joins the 10,000 Athenians,
under the command of Miltiades, in
an attack that takes the Persians by surprise.
The Athenians surround the Persians, inflict
incredible casualties, and drive them back to
their ships. Miltiades and his military leaders,
realizing that the remaining Persian fleet
can now sail to and attack the undefended
city of Athens, decide to undertake a forced
march to Athens and to send a runner ahead
to bring the news of victory and a warning of
the approaching Persian ships.
They settle upon Pheidippides, a professional
runner and soldier, to carry the news.
Though he has already run the rugged and
mountainous 140 mile course to Sparta and
back (in approximately 36 hours each way)
and participated in the battle, he undertakes
the run to Athens none-the-less – successfully
completing the 26-mile journey in
about three hours. Gasping out “Rejoice,
we conquer,” before dying of exhaustion,
Pheidippedes successfully warns the citizens
of Athens of trouble on the horizon.
The forced march tactic is also successful
*Though thought to have occurred in September for many hundreds of years, recent astronomical data seems to indicate that the
Battle of Marathon may have happened in August, lending credence to the story of Pheidippides’ death due to heat exhaustion.
and the Persians, seeing the Greek troops
arrayed along the shoreline at Athens, turn
their fleet back toward Persia in defeat.
The Battle of Marathon is considered by
many scholars as the seminal event marking
the birth of Western culture. The amazing
performance of Pheidippides has given us
the word “Marathon,” meaning both a long
distance race and any contest that tests the
stamina and endurance of the contestant.
Which brings us to the theme for this year’s
Airlift/Tanker Association Convention and
Symposium. As terrorism continues to spread
across the face of globe, it becomes increasingly
clear that America’s mobility forces
will continue to be pressed into service any
time and anywhere. To win this “Marathon
for Freedom” the mobility community must
continue to prioritize, prepare, perform and
persevere —
– Setting Priorities –
Setting priorities and backing
them with a sustained commitment to
the core values of integrity, service and
excellence, will ensure that America’s
mobility forces will remain the cornerstone
of the world’s premier air and
space power.
Sustainment of Warfighting Readiness and
Expeditionary Focus
Nearly 55,000 Airmen were deployed
at the height of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Air Force engineers, maintainers and
logisticians sustained nearly 900 aircraft
at 38 new or improved expeditionary
bases. Communications professionals
established bandwidth capability eight
times larger than was available during
Operation Enduring Freedom. At home,
Operation Noble Eagle and other stateside
operational and training missions
continue. There are currently more than
23,000 Airmen and over 300 aircraft deployed
to Iraq, Afghanistan, the Balkans
and elsewhere. Mobility forces moved
a quarter million personnel in two
months. Base defenders are conducting
convoys and security patrols outside the
wire; medics are treating combat casualties.
Mobility forces are on a warfighting
footing and will continue to take the
fight to the enemy.
Joint Operational Improvement
Mobility personnel are a major
component of the “Joint Team.” Mobility
efforts are closely tied to those of
America’s land forces and are central
to battlefield effects. Mobility forces are
striving to be fully integrated with the
Army, Marines, special operations forces
and coalition forces. Global mobility
capabilities are expanding and focusing
on warfighting planning and execution,
and preserving a rapid, persistent longrange
strike capability.
Special Operations Support
A transformation is underway to bring
Battlefield Airmen – combat controllers,
pararescuemen, combat weather and
others – into a single “warfighting specialization”
community. Bringing them
together under a common training and
organizational structure will strengthen
the combat power they bring to the
fight. Special operations modernization
must include aircraft and systems, from
the helicopter force to the tools essential
to linking air and ground capabilities.
Force Protection
The threat of terrorism is real, it is
persistent, and it is aimed at us. Recent
history has shown that terrorists prefer
to attack soft, weak and unprotected targets.
Mobility forces around the world
must keep their guard up. Vigilance, at
all times, will ensure that mobility bases
and facilities are hard targets.
10 A/TQ • Airlift/Tanker Quarterly • Fall 2004
A/TQ • Airlift/Tanker Quarterly • Fall 2004
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