Roche was in Los Angeles Nov. 16 when he addressed military and industry partners at the Air Force Association National Symposium.

"Since I became secretary of the Air Force almost six months ago, I've spent a lot of time on the road, meeting many people across the Air Force, industry and our communities. But wherever I go, I've engaged with folks about how we intend to shape our Air Force so it is poised for the current century," he said.

Roche briefly commented on the situation in Afghanistan and said that America is united in a war for liberty and "for all of the same freedoms and values that mark our manner of life."

He went on to say that in the months ahead he will continue the enormously important work to make changes that are necessary to adapt and strengthen the air and space contributions to the national defense.

"It seems to me, as we look at space and the future of the Air Force, our performance in the space arena will prove to be a key indicator of how well the Air Force as a whole will fulfill our responsibilities for the 21st century," he said.

With that in mind, Roche singled out four general categories he will focus on: strategy, people, efficiency and the industrial base.

He said his first priority is to work with his colleagues to adjust strategic parameters to fit the challenges and opportunities of a new security environment.

Then, as part of the overall imperative to attract and retain the best people in a high-technology world, he will accelerate efforts to developing a space cadre for the Air Force. "And this includes developing a career progression, educational opportunities and other tangible measures of affirmation that capitalize on the brilliance and expertise of our airmen and civilians," he said.

His third priority is to recognize how we must be efficient and cost-effective, in part by looking to best business practices and processes in acquisition programs and operations.

"We simply must find ways to get more out of our space assets -- through horizontal integration of systems, best practices and smarter management of the information we obtain from space systems."

He said that employing space assets seamlessly with air and ground will enhance the conduct of global operations.

"Finally," Roche said, "there is the critical need our nation faces to provide more incentive in industry for innovation. Over the past several years, the number of suppliers to the Air Force missions in space has dwindled from the double digits to only a handful.

"If we can begin to solve these issues in the space domain, we will be well on our way to completing the transformation of the Air Force we began years ago, and which our president and (Defense) Secretary (Donald) Rumsfeld have envisioned for the future."

Roche said he will stay the course with these efforts, even as the Air Force continues to patrol the skies over Iraq for Northern and Southern Watch, protects the airspace above America, conducts combat operations over Afghanistan and provides humanitarian support to people all over the world.

"It is a great day to be an American, with many of the dividing lines and distinctions between us all fading away," Roche concluded. "It is a great day to be an airman in today's Air Force, with an incredible sense of purpose and knowledge of our place in history. It is also a great day to be a part of the Air Force family. I want to thank you for your support to the Air Force and our mission. We cannot do it without you."

Related Links
SpaceDaily
Search SpaceDaily
Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS Solar Energy Solutions Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ... Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News