News From USJFCOM: USJFCOM commander speaks before House Armed Services Committee

USJFCOM commander speaks before House Armed Services Committee

Air Force Gen. Lance Smith, commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command, spoke before the House Armed Services Committee on how USJFCOM supports the joint warfighters fighting the Global War on Terrorism every day.

By Robert Pursell
USJFCOM Public Affairs

(WASHINGTON – March 15, 2007) -- The commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) spoke before the House Armed Services Committee today emphasizing the progress the command has made in supporting the warfighter.

Air Force Gen. Lance Smith testified before the committee, along with the commander of the U.S. European Command (EUCOM), Army Gen. John Craddock

"My message to the committee today is that Joint Forces Command wakes up every morning dedicated to the purpose of successfully pursuing the Global War on Terrorism, strengthening joint warfighting capabilities, providing trained and ready conventional forces to the combatant commanders, and transforming the joint force."

Over the course of his testimony, the general explained how much USJFCOM's success over the past year is credited to its partnerships.

According to his written statement submitted before the committee, Smith said that 2006 was highlighted by "great partnerships with the combatant commanders, the services, federal agencies, academia and industry, and our components: Air Combat Command, Marine Forces Command, Fleet Forces Command, and Army Forces Command."

Additionally, Smith discussed how USJFCOM has taken a multinational approach in helping EUCOM set up U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), a new command aimed at providing diplomatic, economic and humanitarian aid, to prevent conflict throughout the region.

Smith also discussed the importance of working with the other COCOMs in the delivery of capabilities, such as the Joint Precision Airdrop System (JPADS), a combination of systems to deliver supplies guided by global positioning system technology and parachutes.

Prior to JPADS, an air crew would deliver supplies and vehicles of various weights at low altitudes putting the aircrew in harm's way of ground fire and possibly compromising ground forces locations. If the loads were then dropped at higher altitudes to avoid both issues, it severely hampered accuracy and reduced the probability of supplies getting to intended forces.

Additional drops would be needed or more ground convoys would be deployed to deliver supplies.

Another disadvantage was the inaccuracy of higher altitude drops, which meant ground forces would have more distance to travel to recover deliveries. All of this expanded the window of opportunity for an enemy to attack aircrews or ground forces.

"Right now, we have a capability to deliver joint precision airdrop from a parachute on a pallet through the weather in Afghanistan," said Smith. "Special Operation Command wanted to move it quickly, so we used our limited acquisition authority to get it moving and now we've given them systems. Central Command has 50 and we're working on a ten thousand- and a twenty thousand-pound model."

The general also stressed how the command's work with the interagency community of other U.S. and international government and non-government agencies has yielded dividends which will continue to pay off in today's multi-faceted joint and combined operations around the world. "Through the whole training experience, we have seen more and more involvement with interagency as well as an increase in the level of people that are coming. We're seeing much more senior people."

Smith also commented on the dedication and performance of the warfighters USJFCOM supports. "I can report to you that your support, as well of that of the Congress and the American people, has borne fruit in the best trained, best equipped and best led joint force that I have ever seen in my professional career. I consider it a privilege to serve with the young men and women of our nation at this critical time in our nation's history.