Air Force wants to prove it’s ‘all in’ the Middle East conflicts

General expects leadership to return to Sumter eventually

By CHUCK CRUMBO - ccrumbo@thestate.com

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SUMTER — Perception, more than reality, is driving the Air Force’s decision to temporarily move his command headquarters to the Middle East, Lt. Gen. Gilmary Hostage III said Thursday.

Meeting with reporters shortly before starting a journey that will take him to his new home in the Persian Gulf region, Hostage said his bosses want to show the other services that the Air Force is “all in” fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“It’s not a reflection on the job we’re doing,” said the 54-year-old three-star leader. “It’s a reflection on the perception. Quite frankly, it’s really more of a perception in Washington.”

What is irregular warfare?

Hearing a fighter jet flying overhead might be enough to scare off the Taliban in Afghanistan, said the Air Force’s new commander of air operations in the Middle East.
“Sometimes, that’s enough. That ends the fight” Lt. Gen. Gilmary Hostage III said Thursday. “They vamoose and the ground force continues to do what they’re trying to do.”
Using as little force as possible is part of what’s called irregular warfare.
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, wants his forces to minimize civilian casualties.
With the Taliban living and hiding among the general population, that sometimes rules out even dropping precision-guided bombs.
But just the ear-splitting whine emitted by an A-10 fighter can be enough to prompt the enemy to run, Hostage said.
“The canon of the A-10 is horrifically capable and our adversaries know it,” Hostage said. “And when they hear the sound of the A-10, they scatter.”
— Chuck Crumbo

Hostage is commander of the Air Forces Central Command, which oversees air operations in the 20-nation U.S. Central Command region that includes Iraq and Afghanistan.

For years, the unit was a component of the 9th Air Force headquarters at Shaw, which also is responsible for six state-side wings, and 14 Reserve and Air National Guard units.

And, since 1990, when U.S. forces started the buildup toward the first Iraq war, 9th Air Force commanders have shuttled between the Middle East and Shaw, running both the air war and taking care of administrative chores at home.

But after the Iraq invasion in 2003, the Army bolstered its status in the region, assigning four-star generals to command ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Navy and Marine Corps have three-star commanders deployed to the Gulf region.

Until Hostage assumed command last week, the Air Force was still having its three-star leader commute, raising questions at the Pentagon about the service’s commitment, according to observers.

It also surprised local and state leaders who thought the 3rd Army, which oversees ground operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, was moving to Shaw so soldiers and airmen could work and live together at the same base.

Part of the perception problem is cultural, Hostage explained. The Air Force is used to “doing things in a distributive fashion,” that is in smaller units that are not physically connected.

“In the ground battle, you are engaged right there with the enemy, face to face, nose to nose,” Hostage said. “So what you can see and touch is what you have the most faith in.

“Airmen, we’re much more culturally comfortable with being able to trust that the piece that’s not near you is able to support you.”

Hostage said he hasn’t decided how many members of his staff he will take with him to the Gulf region, but he noted Air Force leaders have said only 20 to 40 would be affected.

About 1,000 airmen and civilians are assigned to the 9th Air Force.

Hostage expects the three-star flag will return to Shaw once the Iraqis and Afghans can man their own air forces.

“I’d dearly love to be able to say I’m moving to Shaw and moving in, because this is a wonderful community,” Hostage said.

Instead, Hostage will be assigned to the Gulf region for two years.

Reach Crumbo at (803) 771-8503.

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