BLAZE Team members attend Airlift/Tanker Association

  • Published
  • By Major Joseph Rucker
  • 14th Operations Support Squadron
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Fifty BLAZE Team members traveled to Nashville, Tenn. to attend the four-day Airlift/Tanker Association annual symposium on Oct. 29.

The symposium kicked off with a meet and greets Thursday night where members were given an opportunity to rub shoulders with many general officers and leaders from the aerospace and defense communities. Friday morning started with seminars on a variety of air mobility subjects and concluded with a keynote address from the commander of Air Mobility Command, Gen. Arthur Lichte and CMSAF James A. Roy. Saturdays' activities included more seminars and an inspiring address from CSAF Gen. Norton Schwartz.

The Airlift/Tanker Association is dedicated to ensuring that American military forces continue to have the air mobility capability required to implement U.S. national security strategy. International in scope, the Association has chapters and members throughout the world. Association membership includes active duty, reserve and retired military personnel, both officer and enlisted, as well as civilian and industrial supporters of the air mobility mission.

However, A/TA is not just limited to the mobility side of the Air Force. This year Columbus AFB sent five members from the T-38 training squadron to introduce them to the air mobility issues and culture.
"I was very appreciative of the opportunity to attend the A/TA convention to get the latest update on the status of our mobility air forces," reflected Lt Col Steven Ankerstar, 50th Flying Training Squadron commander. "The five that attended from my squadron will now be able to better advise their students about selecting heavy aircraft out of the T-38 track." The T-38 track of Pilot Training is traditionally for fighter and bomber pilot assignments. "Lt Ben Malott, a recent T-38 track graduate with a C-17 assignment, was able to gain tremendous insight into the crucial role of C-17s in our Air Force directly from both the CSAF and the CMSAF," continued Ankerstar. "What an opportunity for this young lieutenant!"

The weekend culminated with the annual awards banquet Saturday evening attended by CSAF General Schwartz and CMSAF Roy and many other key general officers and mobility leaders. A beautiful fall Nashville morning welcomed us Sunday as the group prepared to travel home back to Columbus educated and energized in the mobility mission.