Every couple of weeks I have the pleasure of briefing Ellsworth Air Force Base's newest first-term Airmen. Every time I brief these young Airmen, I make the point that the majority of our day-to-day focus here in the 28th Bomb Wing is to put "Bombs on Target from B-1 Bombers."
However, since Sept. 11 many Ellsworth Airmen have participated in combat operations that do not have anything to do with putting bombs on target from B-1s. In fact, Airmen from across Ellsworth have filled ground force combat gaps and taken part in harrowing firefights and missions in support of ground (mostly Army) forces through "in-lieu-of" taskings. I deeply respect the Airmen from Ellsworth who are, in many cases, heroically supporting our current wars on the ground. It is a fortunate situation that Air Force Airmen can support the joint fight and add to America's security in ways we did not imagine in the past. It is also fortunate for the other services' ground forces that we can "prop up" their capabilities by supporting them through these "in-lieu-of" taskings.
These kinds of taskings are not what most of us expected when we joined the Air Force. However, these are taskings that we are now being given and it is reassuring to me that we, as professional Airmen, will continue to carry them out with the same professionalism and dedication we aspire to when we "put bombs on target" from B-1s. This dedication and professionalism is what makes me feel fortunate to be part of the Ellsworth team and a Service, the U.S. Air Force, which has so selflessly supported these taskings. However, at some point the military community as a whole will need to take a hard look at the "in-lieu-of" taskings concept, and determine if Airmen should continue to perform these kinds of taskings.
Personally I do not like either the USN or USAF augmentee program. It really shows the Bush administration shortsideness on this war in Iraq. 
