LeMay Doctrine Advisory Group resumes dialogue Published May 2, 2014 By Donovan Jackson 42nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Command and control concepts, methods of Air Force planning and operations, and ways to provide quality strategic options and doctrinal guidance to the Air Force chief of staff were topics of the second Doctrine Advisory Group meeting held April 23 and 24 at the Curtis E. LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education. More than a dozen Air Force generals, colonels and civilian air power advocates attended the meeting, hosted by Maj. Gen. Steven Kwast, commander of the LeMay Center and vice commander of Air University. As Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh's executive agent for doctrine, Kwast sought the group's counsel on issues pertaining to the currency and relevancy of the war-fighting principles contained in Air Force doctrine. Additionally, Kwast emphasized the importance of further exploring ways to create future ideas and concept development enterprises capable of providing information, counsel, evidence and strategic advice to Air Force leaders to better inform strategic choices and support adaptive, long-term Air Force strategy. "I can envision the possibility of the LeMay Center as part of an AU team, sitting at the convergence of Air Force doctrine, strategy, concept development, analysis, experimentation, transformation and innovation as part of this vision," Kwast said. Insights from the group stressed the need for the Air Force to consider the development of a more adaptable command and control structure in order to operate effectively in future contested environments. "There was wide agreement from the attendees on the need for a more adaptive and robust command and control structure," said Bob Poynor, a LeMay Center doctrine analyst. "The good news is that the current Air Force doctrine supports the need and does not impede the investigation of alternative command control arrangements." Col. Todd Westhauser, director of doctrine development at the LeMay Center, said he was very impressed with the turnout of the second meeting, deeming it a success. "The meeting was again a huge success, and we don't want the discussion to stop with the end of the formal meeting," Westhauser said. "The goal is to establish a collaborative online forum for the group to continue discussing issues important to doctrine development and invite the attendees back next year for a third meeting." Kwast will brief Welsh and other senior leaders in the fall at this year's Doctrine Summit at the U.S. Air Force Academy.