A Self-Defeating Force

? Defense budget cuts under sequestration “constitute a serious strategic misstep” and “are ultimately self-defeating” for the United States, warned the bipartisan National Defense Panel on Thursday. Attempts to fix the nation’s fiscal challenges by slashing defense will lead to...

USAF Leadership Sees Opportunity in New Programs

By Marc V. Schanz
A key aspect of the Air Force’s newly unveiled strategic document is building modularity and flexibility into its platforms and capabilities, and allowing for “decision points” in acquisition programs to introduce new tools and technologies efficiently. “Our best opportunities are...

Stopping Sexual Assaults

By Otto Kreisher
The Air Force is “making good progress” on its efforts to eliminate sexual assault, but that is not good enough, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said. Her conclusions are based on her discussions with commanders, Sexual Assault Response Coordinators,...

Bolstering F-22 Pilot Training

The flow of trained F-22 Raptor pilots into the Combat Air Force this year is more than double that of any previous year and is expected to grow even more, according to a July 30 Air Combat Command release. Due...

Major Changes Coming in Enlisted Promotion System

The Air Force announced July 31 major changes in the Enlisted Evaluation and Weighted Airman Promotion systems, which are intended to make job performance the driving factor for promotion. The changes will be implemented incrementally beginning in August and continue...

Iraq F-16 Pilot Program Slows Due to Unrest

By Marc V. Schanz
Some Iraqi pilots slated to graduate from the F-16 schoolhouse in Tucson, Ariz., later this summer are staying put for the time being, pending the resolution of security conditions in Iraq, a Defense Department official told Air Force Magazine. After...

House Passes VA Reform Bill

The House overwhelmingly voted to approve VA reform legislation Wednesday afternoon. The $17 billion compromise bill was unveiled Monday by Senate VA Committee Chair Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and House Veterans Affairs Committee Chair Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) and was...

AFSPC Preparing to Launch GPS IIF-7

By Autumn A. Arnett
The Air Force is planning to launch a Global Positioning System IIF satellite aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on Aug. 1 from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., making it the third GPS IIF satellite launched this year and...