Advanced Study of Air Mobility program visits Yokota

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Sybil Taunton
  • U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, Public Affairs
JOINT BASE McGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Advanced Study of Air Mobility students from the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center applied classroom theories to operational realities during visits with military units throughout U.S. Pacific Command, May 6-18.

With stops at Yongsan Army Garrison and Osan Air Base in Korea; Yokota Air Base in Japan; as well as Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Wheeler Army Air Field and Camp Smith in Hawaii, the students were able to discuss a wide range of mobility challenges being faced by all military branches operating within USPACOM.

"It's very beneficial for us to be able to travel like this because we get the opportunity to see global mobility operations firsthand and meet with commanders in person to have open conversations that don't happen during formal briefings or meetings," said Maj. Shanon Anderson, Advanced Study of Air Mobility student.

The ASAM program is a 13-month course of study in Global Reach concepts, and graduates earn an Air Force Institute of Technology accredited Master of Science in Logistics degree.

Prospective candidates for the course go through a highly competitive Central Designation Board process before being selected as students in the program, and the curriculum is comprised of four additional components including Expeditionary Center courses, Air Command and Staff College courses, a Graduate Research Project, and site visits such as the Pacific trip.

"We see ASAM graduates at every juncture of this trip that have risen to the various levels of leadership," said Mr. Rudy Becker, director of the Expeditionary Center's Mobility Operations School.

"Gen. Folgeman's original vision for ASAM was to create future mobility leaders and to provide logistics experts to combatant commanders. As the program has matured, we've realized both visions--there are a number of commanders that are demonstrating the value of the program with regards to its original vision. These graduates have had direct impact on the success of various operations."

Elaborating on more recent operations, Becker discussed how ASAM alumni who are now serving as commanders of units like Air Mobility Wings and Contingency Response Wings played major roles during Operation TOMADACHI in which the Air Force provided assistance during the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in 2011.

Response efforts for this operation were discussed at every stop along the Pacific tour, as each unit played a key logistical role in ensuring effective rapid mobility operations took place.

During a meeting with Lt. Gen. Burton M. Field, U.S. Forces, Japan, and 5th Air Force commander, operating at Yokota Air Base, Japan, the students discussed Operation TOMADACHI along with other Air Force mobility operations, and how ASAM graduates can apply their degrees and future leadership positions to influence logistical decision making.

Gen. Field challenged the students by asking rhetorical questions involving response to global operations, and knowing what resources are available at any given moment.

"Advanced Study of Air Mobility--you men and women are going to be tasked with answering the hard questions, so you should start thinking about solutions now," said Field. "We need thoughtful leaders."

Upon graduation, students take on assignments serving the Department of Defense, war-fighting commanders, Joint Staff, Headquarters Air Force, Air Mobility Command, Strategic Command, Doctrine Centers, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, and the United Nations.

"The credibility of the program is such that we consistently get requests from hiring authorities that want to hire our graduates, including senior leaders that are ASAM graduates themselves," said Becker.