Air Combat Command boss Gen. Mike Hostage on Monday released “Securing the High Ground: Dominant Combat Airpower for America,” the command’s 2012 strategic plan. The document stresses four priorities for the combat air forces leadership: balance recapitalization and modernization within given resources; develop, retain, and care for innovative, motivated, combat-focused airmen and their families; focus organizations, training, and education to improve combat capability across the entire spectrum of conflict; and improve operational effectiveness and increase integration of Air Force, joint, allied, and coalition capabilities in advanced threat environments. “The men and women of Air Combat Command are the most sophisticated and precious resource we possess,” said Hostage in a release unveiling the plan. He added, “Our sacred bond to our airmen is ensuring they are provided the proper equipment, training, and skills required to achieve success in the missions our nation has asked them to accomplish.” (ACC’s 2012 strategic plan; caution, large-sized file.)
Special-ops aviators, a physicist from the intelligence community, and an enlisted Marine with decades of deployments: U.S. Space Command’s military and civilian leaders who spoke May 7 were as likely to come from strictly space backgrounds as not. These are some of the day’s insights from inside the command, which…