For the past four years, the Air Force has paid command responsibility pay to officers in selected command billets but will now stop the practice as one more cost-saving measure. The service has had the authority to pay CRP for some 50 years, but officials only instituted the practice in 2002. Now, they say the service needs those dollars for recapitalization. An official statement says that the service’s “budget priorities have changed dramatically” since 2002. Most commanders will see an end to CRP on Sept. 30, 2007, while others, including those rotating between command assignments will not receive CRP, effective Jan. 1.
Earlier this spring, the 388th Fighter Wing proved just 12 Airmen can operate an F-35 contingency location, refueling and rearming the fighters at spots across Georgia and South Carolina. The demonstration, part of exercise Agile Flag 23-1, marks yet another proof of concept for the Air Force’s plan to send…