Hot Items 2005 Air Force Weather General Visits Norman
Brig. Gen. Thomas E. Stickford, Director of Weather for the United States Air Force, presented a seminar Nov. 3 in Norman, sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Severe Storms Laboratory and the Radar Operations Center.
He discussed “Weather and the Warfighter: How Environmental Intelligence Helps us Win the Nation's Wars."
Stickford is Director of Weather, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Air Force Deputy to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Washington, D.C. As functional manager for the Air Force weather career field, he is responsible for the development of doctrine, policy, requirements and standards for weather support to the Air Force, the Army, unified commands and the national intelligence community.
Modern military operations are highly dependent on timely, accurate, and relevant weather analyses, forecasts, and their effects on both friend and foe, Stickford said.
“Today's weapon systems require a precision in weather information never thought possible in order to deliver the desired effects when and where they are needed. Air Force Weather provides information on the battlespace to military decision-makers at every level,” he said.
His talk included examples drawn from Operation Iraqi Freedom to illustrate how weather information is a force multiplier for troops on the ground, aviators in the sky, and communicators using space.
“Having advance notice of impending weather, and its likely operational impacts, allows military leaders to anticipate and exploit the environment in ways not available to our Nation's adversaries,” he said.
Gen. Stickford’s visit to Norman was part of the National Severe Storms Laboratory’s Colloquium and was supported by the Radar Operations Center and the NSSL Director’s Discretionary Fund.
11/22/2005