Air Force Featured Stories

Former AF chief of staff recognized for analysis legacy

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Joshua L. DeMotts
  • Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs Command Information
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  Former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper was honored for his analysis work with the Lt. Gen. Glenn A. Kent Leadership Award, presented by Kevin Williams, the director of Air Force Studies, Analyses and Assessments, during a July 11 ceremony at the Pentagon.

The Kent award recognizes influential leaders who’ve had substantive analytic responsibilities during their career and whose vision and leadership have had a significant and lasting effect on the achievements of Air Force analysis.

According to the award citation, Jumper revitalized the Air Force Studies and Analyses Agency’s relevance with bold and visionary actions that led to the elevation of the agency to an air staff directorate -- Air Force A9. Jumper’s advocacy for analyses factored prominently in decision-making and his vision for enhancing the analytical capability in the Air Force will continue to have impact for years to come.

“While the world changed forever after 9/11, you (Gen. Jumper) embarked on a course that would re-energize the Air Force analytic community to bring gold standard, decision quality analysis to senior leaders,” Williams said. “Thank you Gen. Jumper for all you have done for Air Force studies and analyses and specifically for setting the conditions for success we enjoy to this day.”

Serendipitously, Jumper received the very award he created to honor Kent’s legacy to serve as inspiration for others to follow.

“I think it is imperative we have hardcore, fact-based analysis to be able to present for what we believe and what we think, and it’s backed up by the sort of strategy and concept of operations that are important and relevant to the type of war we are fighting today,” Jumper said. “If we’re still arguing for platforms because we’ve lost the argument for the previous ten years but the idea of this platform was gone five years ago, then we’re fighting the wrong fight.”

Jumper closed his remarks and the ceremony by thanking those in attendance, many of whom prominent members of the analytics community, before he quoted his mentor.

“Going back to the days of Kent, he would’ve said, ‘Let’s go get ourselves a case, let’s analyze it and present the facts,’ and that’s what I believe,” he said.