Air Mobility Command’s new commander of 18th Air Force, Maj. Gen. James A. Hawkins, talked about new “smarter and better” ways to accomplish the mobility mission on a recent visit to Travis AFB, Calif. AMC commander Gen. Duncan McNabb recently approved one new procedure, which Hawkins termed “velocity initiatives,” describing it as a means to “minimize the time [giant C-5 airlifters] are on the ground.” He explained that ground and flight crews will run tasks concurrently, meaning they will service the aircraft at the same time that the flight crew loads passengers and cargo.
The Air Force’s recruiting momentum is showing no signs of slowing in 2026, and leaders are already thinking about how they might get after even bigger goals in 2027 and beyond.
