The Air Force plans to excise positions for judge advocate generals and personnel, logistics, and communications personnel first in its push to eliminate 40,000 personnel over the next three years. Brig. Gen. K.C. McClain, the service’s force management chief, identified the “targeted” positions in an interview for Associated Press. AP also talked with Air Force Recruiting Service head Brig. Gen. Suzanne Vautrinot, who wanted to dispel any hint that cutting 40,000 means the service doesn’t need new personnel—it does, just in certain fields. We’ve already reported on many of the hot fields, like enlisted aviators and “hot areas” like linguists and special tactics.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.