February 4, 2008 - Air Force Magazine

F-15 Crashes in Hawaii:

An Air National Guard pilot ejected safely from his F-15D on Friday afternoon during a training flight when he found he could no longer control the fighter and was losing altitude, reports the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. The two-seat version of the...

“Corrosive” and “Flat-out Wrong”:

Those are descriptors the leaders of the powerful Senate National Guard Caucus use to describe some of the recommendations from the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves, which released its final report just last week. Co-chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said in a joint statement that the commission had recognized "some of the general issues" that the caucus has "spotlighted over the years," however, "that is why it is so puzzling that the commission has disconnected its findings from its recommendations." Leahy called such recommendations as one that would remove the directors of the Air National Guard and Army National Guard from the National Guard Bureau "unjustified, counterproductive, and corrosive to effective decision-making." His co-chair Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.) agreed, stating, "While this report recognizes some of the challenges unique to the Guard, much of its is not only short-sighted but flat-out wrong." Earlier the commission seemed to agree with much of the Leahy-Bond Guard empowerment act, a key provision of which survived in the 2008 defense authorization bill and will elevate the NGB Chief to four-star level. Leahy believes the commission now is calling for a "retreat" from such newly enacted reforms. The commission's 448-page final report contains 95 recommendations, #94 would have Congress establish office's within the Air Force and Army for the Guard directors, giving them "responsibilities similar to those held" by the chief's of the Air Force Reserve and Army Reserve. The Guard directors would have "reporting responsibilities" to both the service Chiefs of Staff and the NGB Chief. (We will have more coverage of the commission report.) Full report and Executive Summary

Recruiting Will Get Tougher:

All the heads of the military recruiting agencies expressed optimism about their service efforts to meet recruiting goals, however they also acknowledged that the likely resource pool is shrinking. During a Senate Armed Services panel hearing last week, Air Force...

No Dice:

The Air Force will not get its wish that the Government Accountability Office take another gander at its decision upholding the protest over the KC-135 depot maintenance contract, reports Reuters news service. A “source familiar with the decision” told Reuters...

Get the Mission Out There:

The Marine Corps remains committed to its top aviation priority, a full complement of the F-35B Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing variant to replace its AV-8B Harriers and F/A-18s, so Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway told the Defense Writers...

“Pretty Pleased” With Osprey in Iraq:

The Marine Corps sent the MV-22 Osprey to Iraq last fall, as promised, for the aircraft’s first combat deployment, but news of the tilt-rotor’s performance has been muted for a reason, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway told the Defense...

First New F-22 Crew Chiefs in Training:

The Raptor Maintenance Training Facility at Sheppard AFB, Tex., has taken in its first class of novice F-22A Raptor crew chiefs. The first class comprises seven new enlistees and one Air National Guardsman cross-training into the program. Construction for the...

Reserve Tankers Leave Beale:

Air Force Reserve Command’s 940th Air Refueling Wing at Beale AFB, Calif., last week sent off the first two of its eight KC-35 tankers mandated for transfer under BRAC 2005. AFRC’s 916th ARW at Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C., is the...

CSAF 2008 Reading List:

Gen. Michael Moseley, Chief of Staff, has issued the list of books that he recommends to airmen this year. “Developing Airmen remains one of my key priorities,” Moseley said in the release describing the 11-book collection. “Victory—whether on the front...

Manpower Post Filled:

Craig Duehring became the assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and reserve affairs during a recent ceremony. He is a 28-year Air Force veteran. “There is the continuing challenge of providing qualified personnel to continue to fight in...