Air Force and other service medical teams are operating “closer to the front than ever before,” USAF’s Surgeon General told the House Appropriations defense panel last week. Lt. Gen. James Roudebush said the new system of joint en route care has meant that wounded warriors are moved, on average, from the battlefield to definitive care in the States in “three days or less.” He compared that to the up to 14 days required during Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and 45 days during the Vietnam War. The Air Force medics, alone, said Roudebush, have “treated and safely evacuated more than 41,000 patients since the beginning of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.”
Work Has Begun to Adapt Qatari 747 to Fly as Air Force One
Sept. 15, 2025
The Air Force has started modifying a Boeing 747 donated by Qatar for "executive airlift," a spokesperson said Sept. 15. President Donald Trump has said he wants to fly the jet as “Air Force One” since new presidential transports, held up by delays, won't be ready until after his term…