Air Force Gen. Lance Smith, head of US Joint Forces Command, told defense reporters in Washington yesterday that commanders, including Air Combat Command chief Gen. Ronald Keys, “understand” that airmen and sailors are needed to fill “skill shortages,” i.e. to serve in-lieu-of soldiers in the war on terror. (Keys has stated that the ILO effort is costing him money he doesn’t have.) Smith said, “In areas where they can contribute, they will likely be asked to continue to contribute,” despite news reports to the contrary. In fact, the Air Force personnel chief, Lt. Gen. Roger Brady, believes the call for ILO airmen could go up.
An F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the Texas Air National Guard’s 149th Fighter Wing crashed during a training mission in Michigan on Sept. 17. The fighter's sole pilot ejected and is in stable condition at a local hospital.
