USAF A-10 plans will “create more Gold Star families”
As the United States Air Force “steers” the Close Air Support summit message, more details emerge as to its ability to fight the battles at hand and its maneuvers to fight a war that might never occur. Those maneuvers shook up a group of JTACs a week before the summit in their meeting with Secretary of Air Force Debra James and Air Force Chief of Staff, General Mark Welsh.
On February 27, Welsh, James and members of the JTAC community met at the Pentagon to discuss Close Air Support and the role of the A-10. According to Charlie Keebaugh, former JTAC and head of the TACP Association, Welsh and James met at the request of JTACs, who were concerned about the USAF plans to mothball the A-10.
Keebaugh, a Ranger qualified JTAC who served on active duty for 10 years as an Air Force JTAC and TACP Instructor, was joined by two Silver Star winners and one 30 year Chief Master Sergeant among others in the hour long meeting with James and Welsh. He described the at times tense meeting in a recent interview on the James T. Harris radio show out of Tucson, AZ. (Listen to interview here.)
In his interview Keebaugh, confirmed reports there exists an unofficial pro-A-10 gag order placed on members of the Air Force. “Well, we went up with some guys, who had won Silver Stars for their actions in battle,” and “took a 30 year retired Chief Master Sergeant,” stated Keebaugh. “A lot of the guys we invited to go, were basically told they couldn’t go. There is an unofficial gag order out there,” stated Keebaugh.
Keebaugh said the group met for about an hour. “We gave them out thoughts,” said Keebaugh. “They were very receptive. They listened to our opinions, but like I said – as we just get past Major General Post’s statements – who called guys traitors for discussing the capabilities of the A-10 with Congress – we’ve got senior leaders trying to squash opinions of guys, and we told the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff that a lot of guys are being told that they can’t give their opinion, and they seemed surprised by that and it doesn’t make – doesn’t make sense – because Major General Post is at work today,” said a frustrated Keebaugh.
Many believed, like Keebaugh that Post should have been fired for his comments made at the Tactics Review Board at Nellis Air Force Base in January. The USAF leadership came under fire for the comments after Senator Kelly Ayotte called for an investigation.
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