Ever single line item under the budget remains under heavy review, as the Defense Department and the rest of the federal government look to shave costs and reduce the nation’s debt, said Air Force Secretary Michael Donley at AFA’s Air & Space Conference Monday. Roughly 40 percent of the Air Force’s budget is dedicated to personnel costs, so that means coveted items such as health care and benefits must also be considered, he added. “We need to make sure that the compensation earned is sustainable over the long haul,” said Donley. However, he echoed previous comments by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, saying any changes to pensions and other benefits are likely to be grandfathered for today’s airmen.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the country, the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center—which recently treated President Donald J. Trump after he contracted the new coronavirus disease—told Air Force Magazine it is poised to handle the surge predicted to grip the nation this holiday season. The Bethesda, Md.-based…