Air National Guard Director Lt. Gen. Craig McKinley convened ANG senior leaders from all 50 states to share the plan that will reset the Air Guard for the future. More than 1,000 adjutants general, wing and unit commanders, command chief master sergeants and others attended the conference in Baltimore, according to a Dec. 19 news release. McKinley explained that the combined punch of BRAC 2005, Quadrennial Defense Review, and the Air Force’s own Total Force Initiatives has led ANG to reorganize missions, equipment, and allocation of manpower across the board. He said it had “not been an easy process, [but] … we need to get through it.”
While the Pentagon has signaled its intent to scale technology, field new systems faster, and work more with nontraditional vendors, a new report identifies persistent manufacturing capacity, resourcing, workforce, and modernization challenges that could hinder its ability to deliver on those goals.