USTRANSCOM CC visits ASAM students

  • Published
  • By Capt. Matthew Chism
  • USAF Expeditionary Center Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Air Force Gen. Paul J. Selva, commander, U.S. Transportation Command, briefly visited with the incoming and graduating classes of the Advanced Study of Air Mobility at the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center Friday.

Selva discussed the ASAM course's role in developing leaders and challenged the students to prepare well, because the expectations are high for graduates of the program.

Graduates of the program have received follow on assignments to Combatant Commands, Joint Staff, Headquarters USAF, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and the United Nations.

"The ASAM course prepares students for some of the most challenging assignments in the Department of Defense," said Maj. Gen. Rick Martin, USAFEC commander. "The instructors of this program work extremely hard to deliver a world class education to these individuals, because they understand the impact that this course has on the future of not only Air Force mobility, but our nation's readiness."

As an Intermediate Developmental Education program for mobility officers, the ASAM course delivers a 13 month educational program to 16 in-residence students per year. The program focuses on providing a joint perspective of transportation and logistics management by administering Air Force Institute of Technology and EC courses, as well as site visits to Department of Defense, allied and corporate logistics locations to build upon lessons learned in the course.

Retired Gen. Ronald R. Fogleman, then USTRANSCOM and Air Mobility Command commander, developed the program in 1995 to bridge the tanker and airlift missions and arm students with the tools and training to lead AMC into the future.

Rudy Becker, Mobility Operations School director, said that the course thrives on the ever changing nature of global logistics.

"ASAM exists to ensure these officers are ready to take on leadership roles," Becker said. "We equip them with the tools and experiences necessary to shape future decision making. In the ASAM program the students are grounded in logistics, both corporate and defense, to prepare them to deliver sound recommendations to war-fighting commanders."