The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-03-15
PAGE FOUR
 nitNeeded Says SPootz
 AlP Arm IRsuFaROO
 Against Attack
 KeenIY Advocated
By REURL s, MOORE

(Unted Press Staff COrrespOndent)
 Washington, March i6-(uP)-I Gen. Carl spaats, new commander of the Army Ar Forces, today said that on adequate, alert peacetime air arm-havlng equal status with the ground and Navy services--iS this nations best insurance against surprise attack,
 The atomic bomb has SO increased the effectiveness of military ar power, he said, that "any future conflict will begin with air action and may well be concluded by It."
 New Commands Outlined
 Tn Q statement on the policies Of the peacetime air forces, he out- lined 0 new organization of three combat air commands-stra tegic, defensive and tactical,
 The strategic air command will comprise the combat groups of the long range striking force.
 The air defense command will ''be responsible for the air defense of the continental United States and for the coordination of the continental air units," including the Air Nation al Guard and Air Reserve.
 The tactical air command will be charged with cooperative mis- sions with the surface forces"
 Spaatz preferred one unified de- partment with the air, ground and Navy forces having equal standing If this is not effected, he said. there must be created an air department parallel to the present war and Navy Departments.
 The reorganization provides for an air university to function direct- ly under spaatz The university will provide formal schooling of all air forces officers. It will give pro- fessional training in subjects more advanced than studied by officers when they were acquiring their primary military specialities or rat- ings
 His peacetime organization plan envisaged combat air groups sta- toned on advanced strategic bases where they "can be poised well within reach of the war potential of any possible enemy"
 "It Is extremely unlikely" Spaatz said, that the United States ever again will have time to prepare for war after war actually begins
 Any future attack almost cer- tainly will come from the air. The best insurance against unannounced aerial attack Is an adequate, alert air foTce-in- being"
 He added that the Army Air Forces can discharge its responsibil- itieS. most effectively. only if 1t Is granted full parity and co- equal status with the ground and Naval services"
 The mission of the Army Air Forces in peacetime, Spaatz said, lis to develop and to maintain Q mili- tary air force capable of immediate, sustained and expanding application of the accepted American doctrine of military air power"
 Harmony Needed
 Ths air force, he continued, must "be geared to work in close harmony with the nations ground and Naval services in dischafging the joint responsibility for supporting Ameri- can foreign policy and for maintain ing the peace"
 The number of units held on over- seas bases must be kept to nini- mum to prevent dissipation of l ekrannkhn n he said. A rotation sys- tenn would assure the presence of a strong mobile striking force in the continental United States at all l times.
 The peacetime organization called for five supporting commands in addition to the three combat coTn- mands. The five subordinate com- mands will be:
 1. Air materiel command, includ- ing maintenance, supply, research and development; 2. Training corn- mand, in charge of all except top level and unit training; 3. Air transport command providing glob- al systems of transport, communi- cation, and flight, weather, rescue, safety and aeronautical chart Serv- ices; {. Air university; 5. Air force 1 proving ground command.
 The functions of the last two commands will be to crystalize and disseminate latest air force doctrine through training programs and tactical experiments.
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