Supporters of America’s Guardsmen don’t like what they’re hearing about upcoming QDR-induced force cuts, and they aren’t pulling any punches. Brig. Gen. Stephen M. Koper (USAF, Ret.), president of the 45,000-member National Guard Association of the United States—wrote in a Dec. 21 letter to Congress that he has “grave concern” that “dramatic” cuts may fall primarily on the Air Guard and Army Guard. “Should the American people calculate the threat to their security is better served by reducing military manpower as a cost-savings measure, then it seems obvious that the most expensive forces (the active component) should be sacrificed first, followed by the least expensive (the Guard and Reserve).” Koper hastened to add that he didn’t advocate doing either until there had been a “full, open debate,” but the message was clear.
The Air Force’s study of possible links to elevated rates of cancer among personnel who worked on intercontinental continental ballistic missiles has begun, the commander in charge of the U.S. ICBM fleet confirmed March 28. The initial phase of that study will mine cancer registries for information and compile a…