Published Airpower Journal - Summer 1995
I PROUDLY support recent changes in Airpower Journal’s editorial focus to include strategy and policy issues. In 48 years of publication, our professional journal has worked hard to stimulate reading, writing, and reflection by Air Force professionals. Airpower Journal is proving to each of us that the search for excellence is a continuous process and that the way we do business must adapt to meet the evolving needs of the Air Force community.
Gen Larry D. Welch, former chief of staff, told us why Airpower Journal was born:
Our commitment to excellence and the unique sense of dedication reflected by military service in defense of the nation requires continued total dedication to professional values. Along with continued emphasis on our professional values, there is a need for increased appreciation within the Air Force of our basic organizational objectives and concepts of aerial warfare.
Since 1987, Airpower Journal has focused on the war-fighting spirit and application of airpower in combat. APJ's format and editorials have aimed at the level of war known as operational art. This format has served us well and fulfilled its mission of stimulating the professional development of the officer corps. Yet, let me give you a few more thoughts to consider.
There is a continuing need to nurture fresh and innovative ideas in our professional military journals. Introspection, research, and new ideas--subjected to me crucible of criticism--help us expand our horizons, broaden our perspectives, and answer more of our questions. We're not changing our desire to promote the war-fighting spirit. We need a robust, lively dialogue on the profession of arms, leadership, and operational war fighting. But matters of strategy and policy should not be excluded from Airpower Journal. As a result, APJ is expanding its focus.
Give us your thoughts on strategy, policy, operational art, or history as they relate to the potential of air and space to meet our nation's security needs. They will merit the remarks of your peers, who will judge the balance of your argument, the preponderance of your evidence, and the power of your conclusions. If you're ready for the challenge, Airpower Journal is ready for you.
If we do not think prudently about the future, we will not be prepared when it arrives. That is why we are currently reviewing how the Air Force conducts long-range strategic planning. While I do not anticipate changing our overall focus, we need to institutionalize a process to ensure that we fully leverage emerging technologies and capabilities to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. Airpower Journal can contribute to this process. It is an ideal forum to explore bold--even maverick-ideas on how the Air Force of today and tomorrow can best meet our security challenges.
I invite each of you to articulate your thoughts with the same care for our mission and professional values. Become part of our professional dialogue. I look forward to engaging each of you as you nurture ideas in this marketplace of ideas-our new Airpower Journal.
Headquarters United States Air Force
Disclaimer
The conclusions and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author cultivated in the freedom of expression, academic environment of Air University. They do not reflect the official position of the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, the United States Air Force or the Air University.
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