Although relatively few active duty personnel have signed up for the “Blue to Green” Program since its inception in July 2004, officials say the program will continue. According to a San Antonio Express-News report, the program, which offers airmen and sailors—the blue—the opportunity to switch to the Army—the green—rather than get cut in service force-shaping efforts, has attracted only 417 personnel. Considering the Air Force will be cutting up to 50,000 active, reserve, and civilian personnel over the next five years, there may be new interest in Blue to Green.
With upgrades, F-16s can serve as a numbers-builder in the combat air forces until the 2040s, and it’s not necessary to launch its successor yet, program officials said at an industry conference. “We anticipate hundreds of F-16s in active service for decades to come,” meaning into the 2040s, Col. Tim…