Some Air Reserve Technicians are balking at the recent rule change that means they would have to don Air Force uniforms—and embrace all that goes with that—to go to work every day. The Delaware State News reports that ARTs at Dover AFB, Del., where they are employed in full-time civilian jobs, believe the Air Force has gone to far. The recent rule change means they would have to wear their uniforms while working in their civilian status instead of just during their actual Reserve duty. The Air Force sees the move as extending its effort to make the active and reserve components more “seamless.” However, the Delaware newspaper indicates there could be union concerns and that the change has sparked Congressional interest.
The Air Force on March 12 awarded contract modifications worth a combined $2.4 billion to Boeing to procure an undisclosed number of E-7 Wedgetail as part of the program's engineering and manufacturing development phase and continue work on the airborne battle management aircraft’s radar.