Daily Report

June 27, 2016

Welsh Retires as Chief

Gen. Mark Welsh, the Air Force’s 20th Chief of Staff, retired June 24, leaving a service dramatically changed since he took office in 2012, yet still in war and in transition. “Our Air Force is always focused on moving forward,”...

Goldfein Steps in As Welsh Steps Down

The retirement of Gen. Mark Welsh, whose Active Duty career officially ends July 1, means the presumptive 21st Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein is now USAF’s most senior uniformed officer. The Air Force will not appoint an...

Nexit After Brexit

Britain’s vote to depart the European Union won’t have any big immediate effect on European defense, but it complicates the continent’s security picture. Look for a clearer way forward after upcoming meetings of the EU defense committee (June 28) and...

Set Sail for Brigadoom

Britain has played a very minor role in the still-nascent European Union military—which is separate from NATO—and its few dedicated officers and assets involved with the EU will likely revert to being part of NATO only. Most forces associated with...

Pegasus Candidate Bases Announced

The Air Force announced five candidate bases for the next round of Active Duty-led KC-46A basing. They include, Dover AFB, Del.; Fairchild AFB, Wash.; Grand Forks AFB, N.D.; Travis AFB, Calif.; and JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., according to the June 23...

US Aircraft Target Taliban in Afghanistan

US aircraft recently conducted multiple airstrikes targeting the Taliban in southern Afghanistan, the first new operations under expanded authority as part of Operation Resolute Support. Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said “the first use of these authorities involved airstrikes” in...

US Forces Conduct Defensive Strike in Somalia

US forces carried out a defensive strike against al-Shabaab fighters in Somalia earlier this week, killing three. The June 21 defensive fire came after it was determined the group was planning to attack US forces who are supporting Somalia’s government,...

The Best Ideas Aren’t Free

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center is seeking ideas on how to improve efficiency, and the best will receive a financial reward. Until July 16, service members and civilians, as individuals or teams, can submit their ideas on how...

Hawaii Guardsmen, Tankers Return Home

More than 50 airmen and three KC-135s from the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 203rd Air Refueling Squadron returned to JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam earlier this month from a deployment to Southwest Asia. The airmen, including support personnel from the 154th Wing,...