Sunday, 8 July 2012

Air Force: Lessons From Michael Donley

 

The Nigerian Air Force is saddled with the responsibility of manning the operation of the air wing of the country’s defence system and structure. It is also laden with the duty of co-ordination, co-operation and collaboration with the other facets of the national security set-up to defend the airspace of the nation from territorial aggression. Since air command and control has proven inestimable in the overall policing and defence of a territory, the expertise and panache of the Air Force would readily come in handy in ensuring a safe and secure territory.
In a democratic setting such as the one we have prevalent, the political supervision of the air force and its sister forces has a lot to contribute in making them a viable and formidable set-up. This is true in the light of the fact that the political climate will determine and influence the personnel, equipping, and even the management of the finances and many such logistics of the air force, which will in turn spell either efficient and effective productivity and viability, or create leeway for a downward slide into doldrumic rot and even corruption in such organizations, the net effect being their inability to hold their own in the comity of nations.
In the United States of America for example, their worldwide acclaim of being the best assemblage of men and material for air assault is the direct consequence of concerted political will and effort in all ramifications that border on their welfare, personnel and equipment. The fact that the United States Air Force can boast of seasoned and experienced breeds of personnel like Michael Donley, secretary of the Air Force, and the best contrivances of fighter jets and arsenal, among other feathers to its nest of achievement are all a living testimony to what sound and spirited political supervision and oversight can do to a system.
In the democratization process, the role of the Air Force, like the army, cannot be over-emphasized. It is one of the major power and security indices, whose negligence or denial would amount to some serious and dire consequences. The aerial advantage in terms of policing and guarding is one that has proven insurmountable over the ages and in different climes of warfare. The Air Force, just like the army, is an indispensable agent of change and more so in the democratisation of a hitherto non democratic government. Its duty of instilling and installing a democracy borders on its ability to effectively manage and monitor, the smooth transition to civil rule by its process and control mechanisms. It has a duty to reflect the national demography of the people, the air force just like the army owes it to the citizenry under its protective wings to be subject to civil authority, at the same time contributing its just quota to the overall national development plan, as well as respecting the civil rights of its people.
The concept of emergency medical response and reaction is one in which the prevalent Air Force needs to draw a lot of lesson using the American model. The air force is one of the key indices in the effective delivery of sound and efficient emergency response, pre-hospital care and even medical evacuation. Sadly, this is one field that is seemingly alien to our clime and version of Air Force operations. Emergency response and safety system has been known to bequeath a myriad of benefits to its recipients and even operators, apart from the traditional salvaging of precious life in disaster situations.
The air force is a major lift asset to a country. Its advantages offer the presidency its movement, as well as the national logistics of security support. It also includes critical national assignments like haulage of election materials and paraphernalia, equipment related to population census, as well as traffic intervention, monitoring and support. Again, the United States air force is a major lesson to our operation of air force both in Nigeria and most of the third world.
With huge capacity and structure, having men and women numbering over 334,000 on active duty, as well as 176,000 members of the National Guard and Air Force Reserve, apart from 170,000 ad hoc civilians, the United States air force is one huge mass of capability, with an annual budget of over 119 billion dollars. The icing on the cake is finally the personality of its leadership, an erudite, seasoned and experienced hand who has had almost a life sojourn of Air Force matters, from the Secretary of Defence to the Pentagon and even the entire American government. His huge managerial ability is depicted in the manner and way he has revolutionized the United States air force in the last couple of years.
The mode of operation of the United States Air Force is a prime case study for most developing countries. There is no telling the effect a sound dose of political will could give to our Air Force. With sound staffing and a coordinated programmes and roadmap aimed at expanding and improving our Air Force, its operations could be a lot embettered.

 

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