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People on the Move: U.K.’s liaison officer Rick O’Keefe

  • Published
  • By Bob Fehringer
  • U.S. Transportation Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  While he may not be from around here, Royal Air Force Wing Cmdr. Rick O'Keefe enjoys the Midwestern lifestyle and working for the US Transportation Command as the United Kingdom's liaison officer, or LNO. 

Commander O'Keefe was originally assigned to the British embassy in Washington D.C., where he performed as LNO for USTRANSCOM on a part time basis.
"It became very obvious that 90 percent of my work was with TRANSCOM and I was in the wrong place," Commander O'Keefe said. "So after six or seven months in D.C., I ended up here. 

"Basically the United Kingdom and United States are as one, in international operations," Commander O'Keefe continued. "We've got things going on in Iraq, in Afghanistan, but more than that we've got cooperation in a lot of other areas." 

According to Commander O'Keefe, his job is to help coordinate and integrate British forces into the U.S. movements. "I would hope that TRANSCOM would use my experience and reach-back to the UK MOD (Ministry of Defense)," he said. "If my hierarchy in the UK wants me to knock on someone's door in USTRANSCOM, that's what I'm here for. 

"All the strands of the U.S. military movements and distribution piece come together at USTRANSCOM and it's as joint as you get in the U.S. Forces," Commander O'Keefe continued. "Compared to the way we operate in UK, you have a huge organization and it's often hard to find the right person to help with a problem. However, people are invariably friendly and eager to point me in the right direction. I'm delighted to be here representing my country." 

With 25 years in the Royal Air Force, Commander O'Keefe knows his way around the logistics field. 

"I have worked in single-service and joint logistics stationed in Great Britain, Germany, Northern Ireland, the Falklands and Cyprus," he said. "My jobs have varied from being in charge of all the fuel in the Falklands as a junior supply officer, to running an air terminal in Germany, to commanding the logistics squadron supporting the Joint Helicopter Force in Northern Ireland. 

"I have also worked as the staff officer for field helicopter logistics in the ACE (Allied Command Europe) Rapid Reaction Corps Headquarters and as the chief of the Freight Operations Branch in our UK equivalent of USTRANSCOM." 

When asked to compare the British and U.S. military establishments he said, "The UK and U.S. have been operating continuously together since half-way through the Second World War, so there are far more similarities than differences. 

"However, lack of defense funding has resulted in the UK having to find imaginative ways of saving money," Commander O'Keefe continued. "As a result, the UK trains and operates on a far more joint basis than the U.S. which still tends to stick to single-Service stovepipes. Wherever possible, the UK now has joint doctrine, training and procedures, particularly in the area of logistics. There is huge scope for rationalization here and it's inevitable that the U.S. military will go the same way." 

Commander O'Keefe sites as an example of rationalization the different battle dress uniforms worn by each branch of service. He says he finds it astonishing that a member of Congress has not noticed and done something to standardize the uniform and save the Department of Defense a great deal of money. 

As for living in this foreign country, O'Keefe, his wife Lynne and their children, Heather, 10 and Philip, 7, enjoy the vastness of the United States and visit attractions many American often take for granted. "You have so much space here," Commander O'Keefe said. "I love the space, the quality and size of the housing, the ability to travel around and see new things. It's a great place to bring up children. There's so much to see and do. 

"The free Zoo and museums are fantastic," Commander O'Keefe continued. "We made a road trip to the Grand Canyon and it was astonishing. It has been a great experience for my children." 

Although he has enjoyed his stay so far, Commander O'Keefe says he misses much about home. "Family and friends of course, but it's often the small things that matter like quality TV without constant interruptions for advertising, Rugby Union, cricket, good Indian restaurants and proper beer."