H. Thomas Hayden was formerly the President and CEO of First Communications Company (FCC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a joint venture between Raytheon and a Saudi Company involved in Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) Systems for the Ministry of Defense and Aviation, Saudi Arabian National Guard and Ministry of Interior. Before retiring from the US Marine Corps, assignments included Commanding Officer (CO), Headquarters and Service Bn, 1st Force Service Support Group, which deployed to the Gulf War, CO Brigade Service Support Group – 9, which deployed to Somalia and CO MAU Service Support Group – 33, which deployed to The Philippines and Korea. He was Branch Head, Headquarters Marine Corps, Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict (SO/LIC), and Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for SO/LIC with assignments to Central America. He has participated in combat operations or contingency operations in the Republic of Vietnam, Central America, Gulf War, Somalia, and Columbia. Tom has a MBA, MA in International Relations, and a PhD candidate in Business Management. He is the author of two books and is currently writing a third: SHADOW WAR: Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict; WARFIGHTING: Maneuver Warfare in the US Marine Corps. He has published over 40 articles and has been awarded the Navy League’s Alfred Thayer Mahan award for literary achievement.
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Isn't it time for the U.S. Air Force to really share the burden in Iraq, on the ground?
How about taking some of the USAF Active Duty, Guard and Reserve units that are not all that busy with the war in Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom, and turn them into ground security forces?
Let's call it the USAF 1st Division. I thought about the 1st USAF Infantry Division, but quickly realized that would never work. Then I thought of the 1st USAF Security Division, but that would mean mostly Air Police. So I settled on USAF 1st Division.
USAF men and women have been trained on small arms and infantry-type weapons, if only for "familiarization fire" at one time in their service.
There will be two great benefits of this move: (1) The USAF may get a real appreciation of the ground war (instead of John Warden's circles of shame), and (2) the USAF can really help the Army and the Marine Corps with their over extended deployment problems.
During World War II, at the Battle of the Bulge, Gen George S. Patton broke up a number of non-infantry units and made them into infantrymen.
No one would ever ask the USAF 1st Division to attack targets in Najaf or Falluja. However, they certainly can do convoy escort, base security, guard post, etc.
I sure hope they bring the Harvest Eagle Base Camp that normally goes with deployed Air Force units. For those not familiar with the Harvest Eagle, all tents (sand colored to help ward off the sun) have air conditioners or heaters, depending on climate. Showers, wash areas and latrines are stainless steel (really spiffy), and the mess halls are like in the movies - really clean and first class. Also, with the Harvest Eagle package is a movie theater, club (read: beer hall), and recreation center.
I would bet that there are some airmen out there who, if given the chance, would just love to help their Army and Marine buddies. One of the most important assignments would be convoy security. Put Airmen with M-16s, SAWs, and .50 Cal machine guns on top of trucks in convoys, teach them the tactics of repulsing convoy ambushes and let the USAF provide Close Air Support, and see how it works.
It has long been felt by some in the Army and Marine ground forces that USAF pilots do not have a real appreciation of ground combat. The 1st USAF Division must be manned with pilots as Platoon and Company Commanders. They would gain much-valued experience from the ground eye view rather than fleeting targets at 250 mph and 10,000 feet.
The Army has adopted the slogan, long traditional in the Marine Corps, "Every Soldier a Rifleman." And what about those newly designed "tiger stripped" utilities, also known as BDUs, for the USAF? I still have a tiger stripped uniform that many of us wore in Vietnam. Their new uniforms make the airmen and women look more like warriors -- now they need a real mission to make them warriors. Every Airman a Warrior!
I don't know about you, but I'm fearless - and a bunch of Airmen wearing tiger striped uniforms with loaded M-16s would scare the hell out of me.
The USAF awards system would not have to change much from what it is now. Bronze Stars for all who lead a convoy that has contact with the enemy, Commendation Medals for all who fired their weapons during contact with the enemy, and Air Medals for all who fire or drop ordnance when the USAF 1st Division is in contact. Then of course there has to be medals for all who plan these missions from Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio.
There would have to be a new USAF recruiting slogan since they would not be able to use "AIM HIGH." The new slogan could be "AIM STRAIGHT!"
BREAK-BREAK:
The last time I tried a little tongue-in-cheek humor, (remember my column of not buying French or German products?) I got lambasted in the "Comment" section, and the "letters to the editor" were really mean and nasty. Last time, it was a joke. This time I'm only half-joking.
