Gen. William Looney, head of Air Education and Training Command, just visited Pacific Air Forces headquarters at Hickam AFB, Hawaii, where he met with representatives of other countries’ air forces. Chief topic: how training must change to meet the demands of current missions. He talked about AETC’s evolution since the beginning of the war on terror, saying his command has shed its Cold War focus and embraced training that provides airmen some initial measure of combat skills. AETC has revamped basic military training, now an 8.5-week program that includes a week-long exercise where the trainees employ their new skills.
Members of the Air Force Reserve’s 920th Rescue Wing helped save 11 airplane crash survivors off the coast of Florida on May 12. The Reserve Airmen were flying an HC-130J Combat King II and an HH-60W Jolly Green II on a routine training flight when a Coast Guard call diverted…