The Daily Report got a glimpse yesterday of the world of Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2006 at the Air Force’s Pentagon Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Center. Kicking off a briefing for reporters, Lt. Gen. Kevin Chilton, commander of 8th Air Force and the Combined Force Air Component Commander, described this year’s key goal—to enhance the performance and capability of combined air and space operations centers (CAOCs). Chilton explained that testers planned to expand the use of data links, extend networks to link operational and tactical levels of execution, and refine the coordination process for collecting, fusing, and distributing information. He noted that, over the last few months, the JEFX team has been slowly making project “tweaks,” including key software upgrades for CAOC command and control (C2) processes—all with a view toward increasing the speed of data flowing to decision-makers.
Gene Smith, Former POW and AFA Chair, Dies at 91
Jan. 19, 2026
Lt. Col. Richard “Gene” Smith, who overcame five and a half years as a prisoner of war in the notorious Hanoi Hilton from 1967 until 1973, died Jan. 16. He was one day short of his 91st birthday.
