Pacific Air Forces boss Gen. Howie Chandler led the redesignation ceremony, transforming 7th Air Force into 7th Air Force, Air Forces Korea, part of the Air Force initiative to establish warfighting components to support specific combatant commanders. Lt. Gen. Stephen Wood, former 7th AF commander, remains in charge and said the new restructured organization would provide “better critical component capabilities” to US Forces Korea. Some 2,000 US and South Korea military personnel and South Korea civilians attended the Jan. 30 ceremony at Osan Air Base. (7th AF, AFK report by Lt. Col. Rene White)
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
