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Peace at any cost is a Prelude to War!
1342. Secretary, chief of staff: A higher calling awaits
by Master Sgt. Rick Burnham
Air Force Print News
WASHINGTON -- When he took the reins of the U.S. Air Force chief of staff
Sept. 6, Gen. John Jumper hardly could have imagined what the future would
hold. That a ruthless band of terrorists would attack in less than a week
... that he and wife, Ellen, would attend a stirring presidential address to
the Congress, essentially declaring war on terrorists everywhere ... that
his Air Force would likely play a key role in that war.
Yet, those were the realities as the new chief of staff spoke before a group
of more than 100 Air Staff officer and enlisted people Sept. 21 at the
Pentagon. The general, formerly commander of Air Combat Command at Langley
Air Force Base, Va., was introduced by Dr. James Roche, secretary of the Air
Force.
The events of last week opened up a period for us in the Air Force where we
have to adapt what we do well to the circumstances and threats we face,
said the secretary. I can tell you that we are blessed that we have a
terrific team, and a terrific uniformed leader in John Jumper, to get the
job done. I have the greatest confidence in him, and I think, together with
you, he will serve our country very well in the years to come.
Following his introduction by the secretary, Jumper spoke of the events of
the week before, saying that the world changed for everyone on Sept. 11.
We're in a different mode, he said. The president said it better than
anyone else could -- we are going to march forward in a very determined
way.
The U.S. Air Force, he added, is ready for the challenge.
We were on a very great path already, he said. In 1997, General Ryan said
we're going to take this AEF idea and make it work for the whole Air Force.
So we've been in this period of transition for an extended period of time,
and in doing so we've made ourselves ready for the events that confront us
today.
It helps, he added, that the entire country is now once again behind the
U.S. armed forces, with a single objective in mind: eradicate terrorism and
the people and organizations who generate it. Sitting with the Joint Chiefs
of Staff during President Bush's Sept. 20 address to Congress, he saw
firsthand the solidarity behind this most important cause.
If there is any one place where you can feel the power of the nation's
work, it's in that body, he said. And what you saw was a very diverse
group of people come together behind the president.
The president's speech, he said, was extremely effective, for a very simple
reason.
His heart is in this, Jumper said. You get the feeling there is a passion
involved in this ... there is nothing clinical about it. Of course, we're
used to that. We do business on that basis all the time, or we would not be
wearing the suit. But the nation has it now. You get this profound sense
that we have just crossed this very difficult bridge ... civilians are now
as much a target as people in uniform. It's frightening, but it's also
galvanizing.
The whole nation is looking at us in uniform to do the nation's business.
Is there any higher calling than that? I don't think so.
Then, turning to Roche, Mr. Secretary, I am proud to be a part of this
team. We have before us today, the greatest Air Force in the world. And we
are soon going to be able to demonstrate that fact once again. We will soon
have to go into harm's way once again, and the men and women of the U.S. Air
Force are going to make it happen. It is going to be magnificent, because
we're going to do it standing side-by-side.
Down the road, the general said, today's airmen are going to look back at
this time with pride.
The things you tend to look back on are the things most important to you,
he said. I can't remember every year I got a pay raise, but I remember the
11th of September.
1341. Jumper addresses terrorist attacks
by Tech. Sgt. Dee Ann Poole
509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. (AFPN) -- Gen. John P. Jumper, Air Force chief
of staff, and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Jim Finch visited here
Sept. 20 to update the base's people about America's response to the Sept.
11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.
I'm here to tell you what's going on, and thank you for what you're doing
for your nation, Jumper said.
The terrorists tried to unnerve America but were not successful, he said.
What they don't understand is that hitting our symbols isn't the same as
hitting our spirit, and our spirit can't be squelched, said Jumper, who was
in the Pentagon when it was hit by American Airlines Flight 77. The attack
took 189 lives, including 64 on the plane.
We're going to take care of business in a profound way. We're going to
teach the people of the world that America's spirit is unbreakable, Jumper
said, earning cheers from the base's people.
Jumper reminded
