Deliberately Developing Mobility Airmen

Air Mobility Command is joining forces with Air Force Space Command for an officer exchange program, according to Gen. Darren McDew, Air Mobility Command boss. “I am going to bring in a cyber-smart, space-smart [colonel] to the Tanker Airlift Control Center [at Scott AFB, Ill.,] in a senior position to bring that kind of knowledge in,” said McDew during a meeting with reporters at AFA’s Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 12. In return, AMC will send one of its officers to share mobility knowhow with the space cadre and gain exposure to other Air Force core competencies, he said. This effort is part of the emphasis McDew said he is placing this year on “deliberately developing” mobility airmen to help them be better airmen and leaders. A part of this is making sure they have the right kind of assignment and educational opportunities, he said. Another part of this is bringing more diversity to AMC, said McDew. For example, he said he wants to look into why the command does not have more female wing commanders. He also wants airmen from across the airlift and tanker fleets to be represented across the command. Today, the culture is “a bit unbalanced,” weighing more heavily on the C-17 side, he said.