Lt. Gen. Brad Heithold becomes 10th AFSOC Order of the Sword recipient

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Krystal M. Garrett
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD. Fla. --  Lt. Gen. Brad Heithold, former commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, became the 10th person to receive AFSOC’s Order of the Sword in an official ceremony here, Nov. 18.

The Order of the Sword is the highest award the enlisted corps can bestow upon an officer for significant contributions to the enlisted corps.

Chief Master Sgt. Matt Caruso, the senior enlisted leader of U.S. Transportation Command and former command chief of AFSOC, shared a special memory of a conversation between him and Heithold, during their time at the command, regarding the state of the enlisted force and how hard they work.

“…he looked me in the eyes and in his softest and most caring voice he said, and I will never forget this, he said ‘Chief, I know just how hard they work and the incredibly hard things we ask them to do,’” said Caruso. “’I have worn this uniform for 40 years and I have walked in their shoes as a young airman. Not a day goes by that I don't forget about our enlisted and their sacrifice, and I pray to God every night for their safekeeping and for me to be strong for them. That to me, said it all, and I hope it clearly demonstrates to you how he feels about us.’”

Heithold served as the commander of AFSOC from July 2014 until July 2016, and this honor recognizes his conspicuous and significant contributions to the welfare and prestige of the Air Force enlisted force, mission effectiveness as well as the overall military establishment.

More than 300 Air Commandos gathered to experience the ceremony patterned after two orders of chivalry founded during the Middle Ages.

In 1522, King Gustavus I of Sweden created a system of appointments that worked so well it was incorporated into the Swedish Army as a way to establish and maintain a cohesive, disciplined and well-trained force for protection of lives and property in the kingdom. Swedish noncommissioned officers would honor their leader and pledge their loyalty by ceremoniously presenting him with a sword to serve as a token for all to see and know that here was a "leader among leaders." This ceremony became known as the Royal Order of the Sword.

“When you’re young, you spend a lot of your time looking forward,” said Heithold. “The truth of the matter is when you get a little more senior, you spend the majority of your time looking back. It’s nights like this, when you honor the old man and the things that I tried to do and do well. I will look back on this night the rest of my life.”

The Royal Order of the Sword ceremony was revised, updated and adopted by the NCOs of the United States Air Force in 1967. Since it is the highest award an enlisted member may impart to an officer, the criteria for nominees is stringent.

“You have served our command and specifically our enlisted corps greatly in the most challenging times in our history,” said Chief Master Sgt. Gregory Smith, the command chief of AFSOC. “You have led us to a point where we can look into the future, we can see the challenges ahead of us, and yet know we can meet any challenge and win any fight because we’ve had you as a leader.”

One must possess outstanding leadership, tireless commitment and unwavering devotion to those serving under him or her. It is up to the enlisted force to nominate this individual.

Heithold, who is currently serving in the Office of the Secretary of Defense as Principal Deputy Director, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, concluded his comments with a task and a promise for the enlisted force.

“Airmen, stay locked on, stay switched on, we need you more than ever to stay in this extraordinary service," he said. “You are the back bone of our Air Force, the most powerful Air Force on the planet. I often talk about our customer being the enemy and our product being violence. I say those same words in Washington D.C. because I believe it. You are a force for good around the world. Here is my commitment to all of you. I will continue to do all that I can do for as many of you as I can for as long as I can.”

In the Air Force, the Order of the Sword remains the highest and only honor presented by the enlisted force to a senior ranking officer and is maintained by the command chief master sergeant of the designated command.