MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Through the collaborative effort of Air Mobility Command and Air Education and Training Command, Air University and the 6th Air Refueling Wing hosted a ROTC mentorship session and Tuskegee Airmen Heritage Site tour, Nov. 16, 2023.
The day kicked off with an ROTC mentorship session onboard four AMC and AETC aircraft. Among the mentors was Gen. Mike Minihan, commander of Air Mobility Command, Col. Adam Bingham, 6th ARW commander, Col. Abigail Frander, 42nd Air Base Wing deputy commander, and Col. Christopher Bromen, Jeanne M. Holm Center For Officer Accessions and Citizen Development deputy commander.
Minihan and Bingham focused on presenting the AMC mission set, sharing their experience piloting and commanding global air refueling hubs.
“The Air Force needs Airmen that are bold and driven, and I can’t think of a better group of people to join the Air Force than the ROTC cadets that are around us today,” Minihan said. “We’re here showing them our team- the Air Mobility team- and some of the amazing aircraft we fly. These cadets, whether they be ROTC or Junior ROTC, are invited in to come in, ask questions and get a feel for what they want to do in the Air Force.”
Among the aircraft was a 6th ARW KC-135 Stratotanker, a 437th Air Wing C-17 Globemaster III, a 19th Air Wing C-130J Super Hercules and a 14th Student Squadron T-1, each accompanied by a pilot to answer any questions for the students in attendance.
Following the mentorship session, the group relocated to Motor Field in Tuskegee, Alabama for a Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site tour and remarks from Brig. Gen. Terrance Adams, Deputy Principal Cyber Advisor to the Secretary of Defense and Senior Military Advisor for Cyber Policy.
Adams, a Tuskegee native, shared his experience growing up in Alabama, joining the Air Force and rising to the rank of brigadier general. During his remarks, Adams shared his view on the future of recruiting for the Air Force.
“If we want to get more people into our United States military, we can’t continue to ‘fish in the same fishing hole, we need to find new areas to fish in,” Adams said. “That’s something that is going to be important for us- to go to every corner of America and give all of those individuals an opportunity to serve.”
The tour provided cadets with an opportunity to better understand how the Air Force operates, with Minihan providing insight on how major commands- like AMC- localize initiatives.
During a questions and answers session, he addressed the introduction of Gen. David W. Allvin, the new Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and how his “follow through” ideology will apply to future AMC operations.
“‘Follow through’ for mobility Airmen means we’re going to continue with the aggressive path that we have set,” Minihan said. “We are driving hard to close the gaps on what it means to be ready, to deter and to win decisively. That means each and every Airman understands their role, how they get after their jobs and they understand what our mission is. It’s our aim to make everybody else successful and we take that seriously.”
Furthering the conversation, Adams elaborated on the future battlespace many of the cadets may enter. In his role as the Deputy Principal Cyber Advisor to the Secretary of Defense, Adams provided a unique perspective to the military’s interconnected nature and painted a picture of the discussions had at the higher Air Force level.
“If you can imagine all things that are connected to cyberspace today, and you can envision what more is going to be connected- as many things that are connected will have to be defended,” Adams said. “As we think about just AMC’s mission, most of the things that we do are connected through unclassified sources which gives our adversaries an opportunity to really connect in and impede our ability to move the nation’s military when we need to move it.”
The day ended with a Tuskegee Airmen Historic Site tour with the intent to better connect cadets with the Air Force’s rich legacy. Minihan and Adams accompanied the tour, providing their insight living in Alabama during the early stages of their lives.
Adams left the cadets with a parting piece of advice as the day came to an end, “you can achieve anything. Once you gain perspective about life, do you think life represents a glass half full or a glass half empty? There will always be people around you to support you, your job is to stand up and speak. Speak your voice and wait for someone else to answer.”
Tours and engagements like this serve in support of AMC’s ongoing commitment to empowering Airmen everywhere, even before they join the force.
For more information on how to join the Air Force visit, https://www.airforce.com/find-a-recruiter.