AF chief of staff releases 2013 reading list

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AF chief of staff releases 2013 reading list

Posted 2/6/2013

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2/6/2013 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The Air Force chief of staff published his professional reading list Feb. 1.

In a message on the website, Gen. Mark A. Welsh III said, "We are the world's greatest air force because of our Airmen...and we must continue to strengthen that team."

He asks Airmen to take a look at the list that highlights the Air Force's heritage and fighting spirit, and encourages innovation and forward thinking.

This year's list contains 14 books, seven films, seven TED talks, web-based resources, and for the first time, artwork, music and photography selections.

The books in this year's reading list are:

"Hat in the Ring: The Birth of American Air Power in the Great War" by Bert Frandsen
"West with the Night" by Beryl Markham
"The Dead Hand: The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race and Its Dangerous Legacy" by David Hoffman
"Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers, 1941-1942" by Daniel Ford
"Leading With Honor" by Lee Ellis
"Dressmaker of Khair Khana" by Gayle Lemmon
"The Sovereignty Solution" by Anna Simons, Joe McGraw, and Duane Lauchengco
"I Always Wanted to Fly: America's Cold War Airmen" by Col Wolfgang Samuel
"Realizing Tomorrow: The Path to Private Spaceflight" by Chris Dubbs and Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom
"Counterstrike: The Untold Story of America's Secret Campaign Against Al Qaeda" by Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker
"China Airborne" by James Fallows
"Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
"No One's World: The West, the Rising Rest, and the Coming Global Turn" by Charles Kupchan
"Need, Speed, and Greed" by Vijay Vaitheeswaran

More information on the 2013 reading list can be found at: http://www.af.mil/specials/csafreadinglist/index.html

Comments

2/13/2013 3:33:35 PM ET
Several different perspectives posted here. I was actually pleased to see the list come out. Over the years Ive read 2 or 3 books a year from the list. This year I started a group dedicated to the Reading List. Come check it out. Itll be under your Personal Space on the Portal just search the groups for CSAF Reading List 2013. Hope to see you there.

Val Harrison, Joint Base San Antonio

2/13/2013 8:12:00 AM ET
I commend Gen. Welsh on his list. IMHO this is the best USAF list yet.

retANG, WPAFB

2/12/2013 10:29:22 AM ET
I cant believe some of the reactions to this recommended reading list. The key word is recommended not mandatory. This is an all-volunteer force. At least it was last I checked. As such I would think that the professional would want to remain well informed on changing parameters that impact the mission and the ability to wage war in hostile conditions whether those conditions are at home or in theater. Knowledge is the strongest weapon that any professional possesses. I would think the professional would embrace not whine.

SNCO Ret, Scott

2/11/2013 10:51:30 AM ET
Holy crap people. The Chief of Staff just recommended some books and movies that's all. They're not mandatory it's not going to reflect on your performance report. It's just the man saying Hey you guys might wanna check this stuff out I got a lot out of it and you might too We're all busy. Get over yourselves.

JG Buzanowski, Fairchild AFB Wa

2/10/2013 6:50:19 PM ET
This looks like a nice list but I'll be sticking with Don Pendleton's Mack Bolan Executioner Series. Actually they're more realistic than the pipe dreams the politicians are trying sell us.

Dave, Florida

2/8/2013 3:37:29 PM ET
@Steve-- That is exactly what is wrong with the AF. No one wants to hear anything negative even when it is the truth. Everyone wants to hear that all is puppies and flowers rainbows and unicorns. Additionally people can express any opinion they wish. For those who did comment negatively about the reading list it is not mandatory. We are all busy. High five.

Brian, FL

2/8/2013 2:50:53 PM ET
Folks you have to realize there are a group of people that are willing to sacrifice their family lives for the AF and consequently spend 16-18 hours a day doing AF things. There are also a group of people who want to go to work for 8 to 12 hours a day and do their jobs and then when they go home their families are the most important thing. Both are in keeping with our core value of Service before Self. It does not say Service before Family. There are a lot of people in both categories that need to understand and appreciate the folks in the other category.

Maj, Home for a change

2/8/2013 1:52:44 PM ET
I have been retired since Sept 2006 and I'm busy too...yet still had the opportunity to read Killer Angels which was on my list when I went to the SNCOA. We are and were all busy while in the Air Force. Yet there are chances to improve ourselves. If you're attending college PME etc...very good but have the accountability and integrity to say something positive about your Air Force and its leaders rather than spout off behind a fake name as if this is Facebook.The comments section at times seems to have become a place to whine. I sure hope the workplaces aren't now filled with the same.

Steve Long SMSgt Ret, Palmyra PA

2/8/2013 12:55:05 PM ET
As Airmen we're all warfighters innovators and thinkers otherwise we wouldn't have joined the service. Were not naysayers. No one is asking you to put more into what you do. This reading list is merely a suggestion to gain intellect insight and inspiration as not just an Airmen but as Americans. Take it as you may. I for one am grateful we have leadership that seeks to reach out to their people and provide these books films and artwork to further ourselves.

Drew Buchanan, Beale AFB Calif

2/8/2013 7:57:40 AM ET
I suggest a movie list start with Clueless.

Fireball Chief, Aliquippa Pa.

2/7/2013 8:56:44 PM ET
YOU CAN'T MAKE ME READ

R.T., Republic of Texas

2/7/2013 5:34:32 PM ET
I agree with Realistic. My daily schedule consists of working 12-hr shifts with 40 percent authorized manning PT attending college classes studying for promotion spending quality time with my family and maybe squeezing in 4 or 5 hours of sleep. Consequently I couldn't care less about the CSAF reading list.

Bob, USA

2/7/2013 12:45:25 PM ET
RealisticThanks for the rundown on how busy you are. Before commenting on the CSAF Read list maybe you should explore it's intent a little further. I appreciate these listings as they provide some common grounds between all Airmen if applied correctly.BlueReb

BlueReb, D.C.

2/7/2013 2:55:34 AM ET
Seriously I'm a little too busy doing more with less while double tapping PME and advanced academic to broaden my intellect on artwork music and photography reading. Maybe we should include these categories in the next revision of PME Then we'll have it covered

Realistic, Remote

2/6/2013 11:03:05 PM ET
West with the Night by Beryl Markham Glad to see this book on the list. I have several books by aviators who just happened to be women. All great reads because of the life they lead.

Bonnie Johnson, Valley Center KS

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