Gen. Michael Moseley told the House Armed Services Committee Wednesday he is concerned about the service’s plan to reduce flying hours by 10 percent in Fiscal 2008. “I’m on the verge of being not comfortable with this, and I’ve asked our folks to look at is there not some way to begin to migrate that money back,” said the Chief of Staff. He went on to say that while the simulator is “interesting,” it’s not sufficient to ensure airmen are fully prepared for battle. “Simulators are not a complete substitute for flying hours. You have to actually be able to fly the aircraft in a combat setting.”
Amid a high-profile recruiting crisis, Air Force leaders and experts have increasingly noted the challenging long-term trends the service will face in enticing young Americans to sign up—decreasing eligibility to serve, less propensity to do so, and less familiarity with the military. But while those same leaders say there’s no “silver…