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Everything counts – Let’s Go!

  • Published
  • By Col. Gary Goldstone
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Commander
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  It's here! The event we've been training for! We've traveled down a long road to get to the Operational Readiness Inspection and it's been quite a journey! Everything counts--from performing our mission to the smiles on our faces.

"Let's Go!" is our rally chant as we generate our forces to respond to our nation's call. It signals that we've made our preparations and we're ready for whatever is ahead. We've spent hours pouring over checklists and practicing response procedures. Our focused efforts and hard work have paid off to prepare us to not only be outstanding during the ORI but to improve processes and preparations to deploy and fight our nation's wars.

For me, "Let's Go" is an appropriate rally chant. It signals that we've made our preparations and we're ready for whatever is ahead. Whether it's dealing with sensitivities and threats to freedom throughout the world, responding to natural disasters or supporting humanitarian missions; being ready to go at a moment's notice is something that should be engrained into all of us because when the call comes ... it's time to "Go!"

It's critical that we execute our mission without fail to ensure our nation has the forces and resources available to fight our battles. We must stay vigilant and stand guard for the ideals of freedom. We have seen that if we want freedom to prevail, we must to be willing to fight for it. As Thomas Paine said, "Those who expect to reap the blessing of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."

We have had men and women undergo that fatigue ... at Lexington and Concord, at Antietam and Gettysburg, the trench warfare in Diksmuide, Belgium during World War I, Iwo Jima, the Tet Offensive and the men and women who held the line during the Cold War. Now, our nation is asking many of us to deploy to Afghanistan. "Let's Go!" Our Airmen are ready, more than ever, to answer the call to win the hearts and minds of villagers in the Hindu Kush Mountains and fight this war on foreign soils. We are honored to be among the brave and willing Americans who champion the cause of freedom, labeled by Abraham Lincoln as "the last, best hope of earth."

Now is the time to put all our collective efforts toward the successful execution of our readiness mission. Just like freedom, a successful inspection will not be "bestowed" on us, but rather "achieved." For success we've got to dig deep and keep working hard.

Make sure our attitudes are in check, that we display a sense of urgency. Remember to fight the war and not the inspectors! Keep the communication flowing, maintain our military bearing, know the rules, and be a good leader and follower. Don't forget to put the "O" in ATSO [the Ability to Survive and Operate] and maintain checklist discipline. In short, we need to show the IG we are more capable and able, than ever before, to take this mobility machine to the fight and win our nations wars. If we do this, we'll ensure OUTSTANDING results! We are ready! 375th Air Mobility Wing...Let's Go!