The Air Force plans to reduce the number of airmen who support retiree funerals from 10 to seven, beginning Nov. 1. SSgt. Madelyn Waychoff reports that three factors affected this decision: the service’s drawdown of airmen, a continuing high operations tempo, and an increasing number of retiree funerals. Those seven airmen from a base honor guard will serve as pallbearers, flag folders, flag presenter, bugler, spare and firing party.
Every year, Congress and the military debate which combat assets should head to the boneyard and which have more life left in them. Lawmakers often opt to keep Air Force systems that bring jobs to their districts, which complicates matters as the service looks to modernize and ditch certain platforms.…