The Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command are experiencing some growing pains as a result of Future Total Force initiatives, said Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, AFRC chief. However, he added, the end result will be worth it. Bradley told a Capitol Hill seminar, “The Future Total Force is going to help us organize our force, [providing] the right mixtures of missions at the right levels.” Some of the moves are “painful,” with wing and mission changes affecting ANG and AFRC members who can’t just pack up and leave a community. Bradely said the two reserve components must have the right numbers of aircraft on each base to be economical. Some elements of the Air National Guard have expressed deep reservations about the plan.
Three of four congressional committees with influence over defense policy have voted to change the official name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War—but final approval of the Pentagon rebrand is months away and not yet assured.