Hayden said the intelligence problem manifests itself at a lower level as well. Some Air Force intelligence officers are grumbling about a lack of advancement opportunities, with a perception that no one can get beyond 0-6. This has an element of whining to it, the four-star said, but the complaint also holds a grain of truth. The Air Force should therefore foster a cross-flow of intel officers through other commands. Hayden said he benefited from a tour as Chief of Staff for US Forces Korea, and, similarly, Air Intelligence Agency chief Maj. Gen. John C. Koziol was most recently a wing commander for ACC. These are the types of assignments that better integrate intelligence with the operational military.
The U.S. supports “a stronger and more capable” European defense, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said during an Oct. 22 press conference in Brussels—but that defense should not duplicate the functions and capabilities of the NATO alliance.