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Letters

Cut academy grads’ leave

As an ROTC graduate, I enjoy the rivalry among the Air Force Academy, ROTC, Officer Training School and Academy of Military Science commissionees. It is a fun part of being an officer, and I hope the tradition of cracking on each other never goes away. The list of annoyances that “non-academy” officers has against academy grads is almost as long as their egos are wide. But in light of the tight budget constraints that we are all now sharing, I felt compelled to write.

Why does the Air Force pay new academy officers for two months of leave immediately after graduation, at full lieutenant’s pay? It costs the Air Force almost $5 million a year, yet nobody bats an eye. The argument for it is that they have earned a rest. I do not disagree. But our war fighters earn it every day, and they are not normally allowed to accrue leave like that, and academy cadets are in fact allowed to take leave during the summer like normal service members do.

Also, since they earned that leave as cadets, not officers, why not pay them as cadets until they report to their duty station? This change alone could save around $3 million. As an ROTC graduate, I earned no pay until I reported to my duty station. I did not suddenly want to resign my commission because of that, and I would suggest the many fine new officers coming from the academy would not want to do so either.

When our leaders start talking about solving the budget crunch, they should look at all aspects of waste — even the sacred cows. Let’s save the many millions of dollars and spend it more wisely.

2nd Lt. Stuart T. Meyers

MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.

Del Toro Shows Heroism

I was the recipient of a command-level award earlier this year and, needless to say, it stands as a career highlight. But after reading Tech. Sgt. Israel Del Toro’s incredible story and seeing the amazing photos [“Fighting to stay in,” June 11], I can honestly say that meeting him and his family would be the absolute pinnacle of my 19-plus years. Thank you, “D.T.,” and I know you have heard it before, but you are a true hero.

Tech. Sgt. Charles K. Miller

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

Clarifying P-40’s history

Robert F. Dorr’s and Fred L. Borch’s History in Blue column [“P-40 Warhawk left its mark on WWII,” June 25] contains a number of statements of questionable accuracy.

Although Britain’s Royal Air Force used the P-40 in the tactical reconnaissance role from England until replaced by the P-51, the U.S. Army Air Forces did not fly it. The 31st Fighter Group was equipped with Spitfire Vs upon arrival. The 4th Fighter Group was created from the “Eagle Squadrons” that had been fighting for the RAF. If the AAF flew one combat sortie over France in a P-40, I have never heard of it.

The RAF sent most of its Kittyhawks (P-40D/E) and Tomahawks to Egypt, where, as another historian wrote, “they kept occasional German air superiority from turning into permanent air supremacy.”

The American Volunteer Group first engaged the Japanese on Dec. 20, 1941. Although technically they were “civilians,” all the pilots were former U.S. officers who had resigned their commissions under a policy designed by President Roosevelt to keep China in the war. They wore uniforms and had a rank structure.

On Dec. 7, 1941, the Hawaiian Air Force had 99 P-40s (12 Cs and 87 Bs), about two-thirds of which were operational. The Japanese destroyed 32 P-40s.

On Dec. 8, 1941, the Far East Air Force in the Philippines had 90 P-40s left. The first B models sat unused for seven weeks because the air conditioner was shipped without coolant. The E models were brand new and had no belly fuel tanks, and some had only two hours break-in time on the engine. Their guns were unfired, untested and unreliable, due to the worldwide shortage of .50-caliber ammunition.

The Packard-Merlin-equipped P-40F (about 1,400 were built) fought in large numbers in Northwest Africa after the November 1942 invasion. Groups included the 57th, 325th “Checkertail Clan” and the original Tuskegee Airmen.

The P-40 was an important part of our eventual victory, but it was kept in production a lot longer than was advised after 1943.

Capt. Larry M. Robinson (ret.)

Greenville, S.C.

Air Force losing focus

Perhaps the Navy is capturing top defense leadership posts because it is avoiding distractions such as developing new uniforms and training sailors to be soldiers. The senior leadership of the Air Force sound and act like defense contractor sales reps. Of course they lack big-picture thinking. Strategic Air Command, the only essential reason for an independent Air Force, was scuttled at the first opportunity. The insanity of training airmen to be soldiers further erodes the need for an Air Force at all.

The nature of the Air Force is to be a large organization supporting a handful of people who do direct combat with the enemy. We are not the Marine Corps or Army Rangers. Sorry, but “grunt envy” is not what we need. Why waste thousands of man-hours in close-combat training? You can’t escape the lack of a real need except to puff up some egos. The time is coming for a serious re-examination of the need for an independent air force. The leadership needs to wake up.

Col. Michael R. Gallagher (ret.)

Hillsboro, Ore.

Give C-5As to the Air Guard

Regarding the July 2 issue in which Robert F. Dorr made his usual thoughtful appraisal of problems in need of address: His column “Not all C-5 Galaxies are worth modernizing” merits comment. As a former maintenance engineering officer for Military Airlift Command, I was concerned when we were operating the C-5A by its comparatively low in-commission rate of 67 percent. A study showed not nearly enough spares were bought at the time of acquisition of the aircraft. But there was one bug in our findings. The Air National Guard units operating the same aircraft were achieving an in-commission rate about 10 percentage points above ours.

After further study, we decided that since the Air Guard has a more captive work force, its technicians work on the same aircraft for decades and become intimately familiar with the problems we had to research. It occurs to me that the dilemma Dorr describes could be most easily solved by upgrading only the newer C-5B aircraft, assigning the C-5A aircraft to the Air Guard and allocating the C-5A parts to the Guard also — that is, the parts that are not common to both airplanes. Then we can use the unexpended monies on more critical issues, though there are not any in my opinion. The C-5 is an irreplaceable asset.

Maj. Taylor B. McKinnon (ret.)

San Bernardino, Calif.

Don’t let Metzger story die

I just read a quote from Maj. Jill Metzger’s mother saying she was “taking an 18-month leave of absence” from the military to figure out whether she wants to stay in. As a former Air Force officer, that caught my attention. What is an 18-month leave of absence? I’ve never heard of that. And what was the result of the investigation into her story about being abducted in Kyrgyzstan? Hasn’t it been almost a year since that happened? Her story caused international news and strained relations between the U.S. and one of our key allies. The people of America who pay this officer’s salary and depend on her to lead the troops deserve to hear the truth, as do the people of Kyrgyzstan.

If she really was kidnapped and tortured, and then ran 30 miles to safety, why hasn’t she been awarded a medal? If she lied to cover up some kind of personal transgression, why haven’t we heard that she is coming up on charges?

This story really smells fishy and makes me question once again the integrity of Air Force leadership. Is the story just too embarrassing for them to tell? The public will not let this one slip by with no explanation.

Former Maj. Valerie Ross

Pearland, Texas

Medal not for aircrews

I was astounded to read in Air Force Times that aircrews have been found eligible to earn the new Combat Action Medal [“What it takes,” June 25]. When the idea of the medal was first mentioned, many folks were finally nodding their heads to an idea that was many years too late. The same folks were also nodding their heads in unison as it would be the first time nonfliers would be recognized for combat in situations “other than air.”

What is the point of giving aircrew members a medal that was intended only to recognize those “on the ground” who have contributed in a situation where they have come under direct attack by an enemy force? When this medal was being considered, it was going to be for those of us who couldn’t earn Air Medals, Distinguished Flying Crosses and such that the aircrew personnel have always been eligible to receive.

I also read some of the eligibility criteria and examples for the award, which are more stringent than even the Marine Corps criteria to earn its Combat Action Ribbon.

I was a Marine serving during the Grenada invasion, and all you had to do was “get to the beach” and you were awarded your CAR. I don’t see a difference between being in a convoy and getting shot at and being at Baghdad International Airport or Balad Air Base, Iraq — I was there in both places during 2003-04 — and getting the crap mortared out of you on a nearly everyday basis. Can’t we die just as easily from a mortar or rocket attack as we can when doing convoy duty? I remember an airman was killed in his tent at Balad just one month after I departed due to a mortar/rocket attack. The enemy has to get lucky only once.

Call me disgruntled if you will, but there seems to be a double standard here. I hope someone higher up will fix what I see as an injustice. Why are aircrews now included in something that was intended to be a ground combat action award?

Tech. Sgt. Aaron C. Reynolds III

Milton, Fla.

Medics deserve own creed

The recent appearance of “The Airman’s Creed” serves to illustrate, once again, the fundamental differences between the war fighter and the medic. That creed is written for the fighter, but completely fails to recognize or describe the medic. We medics are, by law, in a special category. We are non-combatants. We take two oaths, that to serve the profession of arms, and that to serve humanity. And the second trumps the first, whenever conflicts might arise. So I humbly offer the following, as our creed:

I am an American military medic.

I am a proud non-combatant.

I have answered my nation’s call.

I am an American military medic.

My mission is to heal the sick and

To support our war-fighter force.

I treat all with compassion and care.

Even the enemy.

I am faithful to a proud heritage,

A tradition of honor,

And a legacy of valor.

I am an American military medic,

Guardian of health and welfare,

I strive to lift up humanity,

To follow the teachings of Hippocrates and Larrey.

I will defend my patients with my life.

I am an American military medic.

Corpsman, nurse, dentist, physician,

I am devoted to the healing of all who suffer.

I will strive to never falter,

And I will do my very best in my quest for excellence.

Col. David Welling (ret.)

Gaithersburg, Md.