Within a day of the religious intolerance lawsuit filed by Air Force Academy graduate Mikey Weinstein (DR, 10/07/05), Colorado Rep. Joel Hefley (R) asserted that the religious guidelines developed by the Air Force—and ridiculed by Weinstein as too little—go too far in restricting religion in the service. “We don’t want to do something that keeps someone from living their faith,” Hefley said at a meeting in Washington, D.C., of the academy’s oversight group. Hefley continued: “We see this in schools across the country. They’re so afraid of anything religious.”
The Air Force is spending heavily on F-22 improvements through the end of the decade, suggesting it may not retire the jet in 2030 as it previously planned. New sensors, fuel tanks, communications, and electronic warfare systems are among the upgrades that comprise the package.