An MQ-9 Reaper sits on the flight line at Hurlburt Field, Fla., May 3, 2014.The MQ-9 Reaper is an armed, multi-mission, medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft that is employed primarily as an intelligence-collection asset and secondarily against dynamic execution targets. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration/Staff Sgt. John Bainter)

Commentaries

A time for 'burning the boats'

  • Published
  • By Col. Jim Phillips
  • 919th Operations Group commander
DUKE FIELD, Fla. --  Our group and the 919th Special Operations Wing as a whole are facing challenges I haven't seen in the 17 years I've been at Duke Field.

I first came here during the reorganization from an AC-130A wing to one that flew MC-130Es and MC-130Ps, and that mission change pales in comparison to what the wing is going through at this time. Almost every unit will be affected with this remissioning, not just the operations units like during the last one.

It's human nature to be fearful of change and to want to cling to the past. We must fight against this tendency and embrace the future missions of the 919th SOW.  It's  time to "burn the boats.' 

The phrase comes from a historical event that took place in the early 1500s. Hernando Cortez, a Spanish conquistador, landed in Mexico with 11 ships and approximately 500 men. The goal of this army was to seize the Aztecs' treasure but his plans ran into difficulties shortly after landing at Veracruz. Some versions of the tale state that Cortez faced a mutiny from his men who didn't like Mexico and were fearful of the coming campaign.

Other versions state that Cortez wanted to ensure that he had the full attention of his men. No matter the cause, he assembled his army on the beach and instead of firing them up with a rousing speech he ordered them to "burn the boats."
 
With this act, Cortez ensured the whole-hearted commitment of his men to the cause. With their only means of escape destroyed, the small army went on to conquer the Aztecs and to seize the riches they had set out to capture.

As the Talon mission comes to a close and the Talons themselves fly off into retirement, it's time to close that period of the 919th SOW history and look forward to the future. And there's plenty to look forward to. The 2nd SOS will be expanding their remotely piloted aircraft role at the same time they move from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. to Hurlburt Field in 2014.
 
The 5th SOS continues to grow and to stand up their detachment at Duke instructing pilots and loadmasters in the C-145. The 711th SOS is in the process of training members in combat aviation advisor roles and also C-145 aircraft.

The 919th Operations Support Squadron is absorbing the command and control requirements from a dwindling 623rd Air Operations Center. There are even more missions and roles waiting in the wings for the approval processes to run their course.

On the way to the foreseen end state, we have many hurdles that need to be overcome. The wing has a major inspection coming up in just a few months; just 16 days in Reserve time! Each squadron in the OG has at least part of their unit currently working from temporary facilities.

Over the next year there will be many people moving into new working locations, with all the chaos and confusion that goes along with a move. These moves need to be done as expeditiously as possible in order to get the focus back onto preparation for the inspection and re-missioning.

With all that is happening, don't forget the first of the Special Operations Force Truths: humans are more important than hardware. We need to take care of the people in our units and help each other through these challenging times. In addition, we need to recruit a large number of quality people and train them not only in the wing's missions but in how to be SOF warriors and professional Reservists.

Realities of the world are forcing us to become a more efficient Air Force. While numerous other units are facing downsizing we are fortunate to have the opposite situation. We are being given these opportunities largely due to our past successes but we cannot rest on our laurels.
 
Let us burn the boats and get on to the future.