The Air Force asked the Air National Guard to cut “approximately 14,000” people from its 107,000 force, according to CMSgt. Richard Smith, ANG’s top enlisted man. Instead, as Guard leaders already have said, Smith told attendees at the Airlift/Tanker Association convention in Orlando, Fla., Oct. 31, that ANG decided to cut things rather than people. The monetary impact facing ANG is “close to $1.8 billion,” acknowledged Smith.
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
