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General reflects on changes at Air Mobility

The longest trips Gen. Arthur J. Lichte took growing up in the Bronx were on the subway to different boroughs of New York City. He never gave it a thought that one day he would fly airplanes around the world.

On Friday, Lichte retired from the Air Force as commander of Air Mobility Command, ending a 38-year career that stretched from the Cold War to irregular warfare.

Taking command is Gen.-select Raymond Johns, whose operational career includes mobility and test pilot assignments.

Before leaving, Lichte talked with Air Force Times about changes he’s seen in the mobility world and where the command is heading.

Q. What led you to join the Air Force in 1971?

A. When I enrolled at Manhattan College, they sent me a packet on Air Force ROTC. … To be honest, I didn’t know much about it. My father said … if you join the Air Force, they’ll take care of you well. Father knows best and I went that way. I haven’t looked back. Maj. Tom Hally, my ROTC instructor, was very enthusiastic about flying and why I should become a pilot. He encouraged all of us to “Get up in the Blue”... I can still hear him today. I have stayed in touch with him all these years, and he was there to help pin on my second star and attended my fourth star pinning.

I never left the [New York City] area until I headed off for pilot training in 1971 at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.

Q. How have tanker operations changed since KC-135s started in 1974 as part of Strategic Air Command?

A. In those days of the Cold War, we were sitting on alert every third week. … It was all about getting fuel to the nuclear bombers and being prepared to launch at a moment’s notice.

You would only fly twice a week. You would only get, maybe, 20 hours a month. We had a lot fewer hours than what our aircrews are getting today.

The world has changed a lot. Now [tankers] are constantly deployed in a more tactical role, while at the same time, we still keep the proficiency up for the nuclear mission.

Q. How has the airlift role changed?

A. When you look all the way back, it was kind of standard runs. For example, there were channel missions that supported embassies around the world.

Some of that still exists, but our airlifters are called on to do things in a more tactical environment like you are seeing in Afghanistan.

One of our great strengths is that we can adapt, whatever the mission.

Q. You commanded the 89th Airlift Wing, home of Air Force One, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., during 1997 and 1998. How was commanding the 89th different from other assignments?

A. As the wing commander at Andrews, I used to say that I aged in “dog years.” Because it was such a hectic pace, you always had to catch a nap when you could because you would be meeting and greeting our nation’s leaders as well as world leaders. It helped me see how our Air Force contributed to this overall national security policy and how at that level we build partnerships.

Q. Do any of the visitors stand out in your memory?

A. King Hussein of Jordan was a very impressive person.

First of all, I thought I’d never be greeting a king. But the king was also a pilot, so he would sometimes fly his own airplane in. He would come off that airplane and not only would he greet me at the bottom of the steps, but he would greet the marshallers who marshaled the plane in, he would shake hands with some of the people doing the luggage.

The one story that I told was that it was pouring rain and part of the ritual was that we’d stand there and salute as the head of state would depart. King Hussein rolled down the [cockpit] window and said “General, please don’t stand in the rain for me.”

I said, “Your majesty, I would stand here all day for you.”

Q. Are any of the KC-135s you flew as a young officer still in service?

A. Oh, yes, there are. I saw a few of my old tail numbers when I passed through RAF Mildenhall, England, recently. Whenever I’m out [at a tanker base] I’ll recognize a tail number that I flew.

There are also a few sitting in museums and in the boneyard.

When I went out to Tucson, Ariz., and the Pima Air and Space Museum, I presented a plaque because I happened to have a crew picture of myself, the co-pilot, navigator and boom operator standing in front of the museum’s airplane when I was a captain. I flew it to Europe on my first TDY as a captain.

While I was at Pima, I turned around and there was an EC-121 Super Constellation that I had flown … And then I turned around, and there was a 707 I had flown.

It’s starting to be, I have a lot more planes in museums than I have on the flight line.

Q. Did you think when you were a captain that the Air Force would still be flying KC-135s today?

A. When I showed up at Plattsburgh Air Force Base, N.Y., to fly tankers, the KC-135s were about 15 years old. They were younger than what our KC-10s are today.

Yeah, it’s time that we get a new tanker.

Q. The KC-X tanker gets a lot of attention. Are there other needs for Air Mobility Command?

A. We’re asking the question: What is the airlifter behind the C-17? Should it be some type of hybrid airship? Should it be a standard airplane? Should it be an unmanned aerial vehicle?

We’re trying to keep our eyes on the future and look down the road.

Q. After you leave command, what are your plans?

A. At this point, I don’t know what I’m going to do in retirement, except to spend more time with the family, more time seeing my [six] grandkids and then continue to work.

My wife, Chris, and I joke that I am going to be a burden to my children. We have five children and we’re going to visit them.