News/Features

Let’s Go: Air Mobility commander lays out mobility warrior creed

by Maj. Hope Cronin

Air Mobility Command Public Affairs

ORLANDO, Fla.—A new mobility mantra began to echo between Airmen attending the Airlift/Tanker Association conference hosted in Orlando, Florida, Oct. 28-30 following AMC Commander Gen. Mike Minihan’s remarks during the first evening: “Let’s Go.”

“It’s a contract between us,” said Minihan. “It’s the mobility contract.”

Minihan outlined three layers of meaning behind the phrase, which he characterized as a warrior’s creed, during his virtual keynote speech with Airmen at the event.

“The first level of understanding is that you need to know that when I say “Let’s Go” to you, it means I appreciate the oath you took, I appreciate the uniform you wear, and I appreciate the fact that it takes all of us to get this done – and I’m expecting that it’s coming back that way to me,” said Minihan.

See AMC, Page 10

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Zachary Boyer

U.S. Air Force airmen attend Air Mobility Command commander Gen. Mike Minihan’s keynote speech during the 53rd Airlift/Tanker Association Convention in Orlando, Florida, Oct. 28th.

MacDill celebrates National Indian Heritage Month

by 6th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

November is National American Indian Heritage Month, recognizing American Indians and Alaska Natives for having served with valor in our nation’s conflicts and for their many distinct and important contributions to the United States.

The theme this year is “Grounded in Tradition, Resilient in Spirit.”

According to the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, American Indians and Alaska Natives serve in the United States’ Armed Forces at five times the national average.

For a community that has persevered through decades of challenges, American Indians and Alaska Natives have remained steadfast in their defense of the United States as members of the Armed Forces for centuries.

Currently, there are 574 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and more than 100 state-recognized tribes across the United States. Each have their own unique history, beliefs, governance structure and culture.

Their significant contributions have been recognized in part by the naming of military installations, with examples such as Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, named for Maj. Gen. Clarence L. Tinker, Osage Indian and first American general killed in World War II, while personally leading a dangerous mission.

American Indians and Alaska Natives have bravely defended and shaped our country’s character and our cultural heritage and continue to build on legacies of freedom and diversity. They are leaders in every aspect of our society—from the boardroom to the battlefield, from Secretary of the Interior to the U.S. Poet Laureate.

The observation of National American Indi-