To reduce the exposure of ground troops in Iraq, the Air Force has been flying more and more people and gear that otherwise would travel by truck convoy. Gen. Michael Moseley, Air Force Chief of Staff, told Pentagon reporters yesterday that “100 percent of what can fly has been off the road since September [2006].” That’s a lot of cargo and a lot of people. In the peak month, Moseley said USAF flew 9,000 troops who otherwise would have gone by convoy; the load averages about 4,500 people a month.
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.