The Washington Post reported yesterday that the Air Force had arranged a job with a nonprofit for Charles Riechers for a two-month period while he awaited confirmation from the White House for a senior Air Force acquisition position. Reportedly Commonwealth Research Institute, a nonprofit intelligence contractor that works with various federal government entities, paid Riechers, but he actually worked for Sue Payton, USAF’s top acquisition official, on projects not related to CRI contracts. The article questions both the arrangement and CRI’s nonprofit status. It quotes Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) who said that CRI’s parent company, Pennsylvania-based Concurrent Technologies, does “quality work and research” and its “competitive price has saved taxpayers money.”
The 13th Fighter Squadron from Misawa Air Base, Japan, deployed its new F-35A fighters to a major exercise for the first time, sending them to Pacific Air Forces’ premier air combat training event: Red Flag-Alaska.