Air Force Weather Director To Speak In Norman

 

By Keli Tarp

 

Brig. Gen. Thomas E. Stickford, Director of Weather for the United States Air Force, will present a seminar Nov. 3 in Norman, sponsored by  the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Severe Storms Laboratory and the Radar Operations Center.

 

He will discuss “Weather and the Warfighter: How Environmental  Intelligence Helps us Win the Nation's Wars,” at 3:30 p.m. Thursday,

Nov. 3, in Meacham Auditorium located in the University of Oklahoma Memorial Union, 900 Asp Ave.

 

Stickford is Director of Weather, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and  Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Air Force Deputy  to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Washington, D.C. As functional manager for the Air Force weather career field, he is responsible for the development of doctrine, policy, requirements and standards for weather support to the Air Force, the Army, unified commands and the national intelligence community.

 

Modern military operations are highly dependent on timely, accurate, and relevant weather analyses, forecasts, and their effects on both friend and foe, Stickford said.

 

“Today's weapon systems require a precision in weather information never thought possible in order to deliver the desired effects when and where they are needed. Air Force Weather provides information on the battle space to military decision-makers at every level,” he said.

 

His talk will include examples drawn from Operation Iraqi Freedom to illustrate how weather information is a force multiplier for troops on

the ground, aviators in the sky, and communicators using space.

 

“Having advance notice of impending weather, and its likely operational  impacts, allows military leaders to anticipate and exploit the

environment in ways not available to our Nation's adversaries,” he said.

 

Gen. Stickford’s visit to Norman is part of the National Severe Storms Laboratory’s Colloquium and is supported by the Radar Operations Center and the NSSL Director’s Discretionary Fund.

 

 

On the Web:

NSSL Colloquium: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/seminars/

NSSL: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov

NOAA: http://www.noaa.gov

 

 

For more information please contact:

Keli Pirtle Tarp

Public Affairs Specialist

NOAA Weather Partners

1313 Halley Circle

Norman, OK 73069

(405) 366-0451

CELL (405) 203-4839

FAX (405) 366-0457

keli.tarp@noaa.gov