His southern drawl isn’t particularly deep but certainly noticeable — smooth with a bit of an imposing edge. A firm grip and a strong handshake, but I wouldn’t have expected anything less from a Texan. “C’mon in. I was hoping you might be able to help me.”
My journey into the heart of the Air Force’s crown jewel began with Colonel Garland’s statement echoing in my head. How can I help him?
He began to explain that, without any doubt, the Department of Defense is facing a tremendous budget crisis. The fear is that if not appropriately managed, there will be catastrophic repercussions for our national security.
Facing the Budget Crisis
Before he departed from service, then-Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates repeatedly warned of a “hollowing out” of our military capabilities if proposed budget cuts are enacted.
His sentiments have been echoed by senior leadership in the military, and that grave concern is trickling downhill to the men and women on the front lines of our national defense. “It’s really simple,” Garland explained. “The writing is on the wall. Folks need to know why we’re here and why it’s important. If they don’t, even a Priority Zero asset like the Weapons School faces significant cuts that could have catastrophic effects on our national defense.”
The reality, both then and now, is that our military forces are already facing significant, even debilitating fiscal challenges.
The Air Force, for example, has been sustaining combat operations for the past 23 years; the wear and tear on its equipment and capabilities are undeniable. Most importantly, the military service is hemorrhaging talent at an alarming rate, because its personnel and their families are weary of an operations tempo that is disintegrating the glue holding them together.
The service, since its inception, has never been in a predicament quite like this, which has many general officers lying awake at night with worry.
The USAF Weapons School’s Crucial Role
Even facing such challenges, the Weapons School is undeterred in its mission. The School’s commandant has a responsibility far beyond what any fact sheet could convey of the institution itself.
The effects of his choices and the quality of the graduates that the school produces will determine the direction, sustainability, and combat effectiveness of the United States Air Force well into the future.
Boosting the Force: The Weapons School’s Impact
The USAF Weapons School provides a booster shot to our force every six months: it refreshes our knowledge of the best tactics, techniques, and procedures across all of our air, space, and cyberspace capabilities to deal with the current threat in today’s battlespace.
Without the Weapons School running at full capacity, our Air Force’s knowledge and skill level will atrophy over time, and the associated risks will grow.
Stay tuned! Part Two continues with a closer look at the history of the United States Air Force Weapons School.
Editor’s note: This article was written by Scott Wolff and was originally published in March 2020. A freelance photojournalist, Wolff holds a private pilot certificate and draws on his experience as a flight operations director in the airshow industry, as well as 14 years spent in public service generating military and government-related content. Scott has received military altitude chamber training, emergency egress training, and has logged time in a variety of civilian and military aircraft.
This article has been reviewed and updated by the SOFREP News Team.
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Disclaimer: SOFREP utilizes AI for image generation and article research. Occasionally, it’s like handing a chimpanzee the keys to your liquor cabinet. It’s not always perfect and if a mistake is made, we own up to it full stop. In a world where information comes at us in tidal waves, it is an important tool that helps us sift through the brass for live rounds.
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