Despite recent statements from senior Air Force leaders that it is time for the Army to take back the war on terror jobs being conducted by airmen “in lieu of” soldiers, the Air Force doesn’t plan to cut back on its ILO training regimen. Instead, the service recently gathered functional experts at Keesler AFB, Miss., to discuss further changes to ILO training and equipment “to ensure all airmen are fully trained and equipped to perform new ‘outside the wire’ missions they’re being asked to do in-lieu-of land forces in the area of responsibility,” said Maj. Gen. Michael Gould, commander of 2nd Air Force. The Air Force’s top personnel officer, Lt. Gen. Roger Brady, has even suggested that the number of ILO airmen could go up during the ground force surge in Iraq.
The Air Force has finished modifying and testing the new VC-25B Bridge aircraft that will serve as a temporary Air Force One, the service announced May 1. All that’s left now is to finish painting the jet before it starts flying this summer.