Airmen of the 723rd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron—also known by their Army pseudonym of 1058th Gun Truck Company—recently passed the four-million-mile mark shepherding convoys across Iraq for the past two years. During that time, two of the unit’s gunners—SSgt. Dustin Peters and A1C Carl Anderson—were killed in action. The gun truck airmen now are transitioning the mission back to the Army.
Amid a high-profile recruiting crisis, Air Force leaders and experts have increasingly noted the challenging long-term trends the service will face in enticing young Americans to sign up—decreasing eligibility to serve, less propensity to do so, and less familiarity with the military. But while those same leaders say there’s no “silver…