Air Force, TAGS Summit Is Inconclusive

Air Force, TAGS Summit Is Inconclusive: State Air National Guard officials aren’t happy, to say the least, about USAF plans to cut roughly 14,000 ANG positions over the next few years, and are trying to do something about it. (USAF plans to cut up to 50,000 active, reserve, and civilian personnel.) Many of the nation’s 54 adjutants general were in Washington yesterday for a session with Air Force leaders, who were available to hear their complaints. According to one report (in today’s National Journal’s CongressDaily), Air Force officials lifted the veil on some “new missions” slated for the Guard. Evidently, they hope this will be enough to get the TAGs on board with the force structure cuts, but the TAG leader, Maj. Gen. Roger Lempke of Nebraska, was noncommittal. He said it would be “premature” for him to discuss these missions. The Air Force has been saying for some time, however, that ANG members would be involved in “every” combat mission, and that they would be counted on to play major roles in many “new and emerging” missions, such as the operation of UAVs, space operations, and so on.