Heithold prepares to leave AFSOC

Published July 14, 2016
By Staff Sgt. Melanie Holochwost
Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- When Lt. Gen. Brad Heithold took command of Air Force Special Operations Command in July 2014, he said “people don’t care how much you know, till they know how much you care.”

During his time here, he has proven to care a great deal about AFSOC and its people. He focused on four priorities for the command, improved the leadership culture, and created a healthy environment for Air Commandos and their families.

“I’m very pleased with how far and how well the staff has taken the command’s priorities,” Heithold said.

Priority #1: Providing combat ready forces.

“We’ve been crushing the enemy in many ways,” Heithold said. “We have extraordinary people who do extraordinary things. When you call upon an Air Commando, you’ve got someone special that will deliver for you every time.”

Air Commandos can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our joint partners, Heithold added.

Priority #2: Create an environment for Airmen and families to thrive.

“We’ve been working very hard on our leadership culture…to promote servant leadership and create a healthy environment for our Airmen and their families,” Heithold said.

It’s like a fish tank, he explained.

”A fish tank can be a beautiful thing, but it requires constant attention,” he said. “You can’t just ignore it for six months and expect the environment to be free and clear of toxins.

“And, we don’t tolerate toxic elements,” he continued. “We want an environment free of sexual assault, workplace violence, bigotry, racism, sexism, illicit drugs, etc.”

Heithold said the ideal environment starts with a command full of servant leaders.

“We want people who do what’s best for the team, not just themselves,” he said.

Priority #3: Transform training to optimize human performance.

Heithold said world-class organizations focus on people, training and equipment.

“These are the things we’ve been focusing on during my time at AFSOC,” he said. “You’ve got to give the right people the best equipment and train them to use it. And, we do that very well. We shoot more, fly more, jump more and train harder than ever before.”

Priority #4: Modernize and sustain the force.

Most notably, Heithold will be remembered for his tireless efforts to modernize, sustain and recapitalize the entire AFSOC fleet. He has fought hard to have the AC-130J gunship equipped with a wide array of modern weaponry, including drones and lasers that can be launched directly from the gunship.

“Recapitalizing AFSOC during the current fight has been my biggest challenge,” he said. “Every part of our enterprise is going through modernization and/or recapitalization at the same time. And, it’s not like violent extremist organizations are going to take a knee so we can do this easily.”

However, Heithold said the command is in a very good place and its future looks bright.

“The next 15 years will look a lot like the last 15 years,” he said. “AFSOC has a customer, it’s the enemy. We also have a product, it’s violence. We have no problem delivering our product to our customer, anytime…anyplace.”

Although Heithold has been in the Air Force for more than 40 years, he isn’t ready to retire. His next assignment will be as the deputy director of cost assessment and program evaluation in the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve my country,” said Heithold. “My family and I are excited to be returning to our nation’s capital. I plan to bring with me the same passion I’ve had for supporting AFSOC’s Air Commandos to the whole of the Department of Defense.”

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