As Gen. Norton Schwartz, head of US Transportation Command, presided over the retirement of Air Force Reserve Command Maj. Gen. James Czekanski, he noted the effort expended by reserve forces: “Well over half—and in some cases, substantially more than half—of our national [military] capability resides in the reserves.” Command officials said that, over the past fiscal year, reservists provided more than 34,000 days worth of support to TRANSCOM. Helping orchestrate that effort was Czekanski, who established the J9 (Reserve Component Directorate) at TRANSCOM.
The new defense reconciliation bill includes $7.2 billion for Air Force and Navy aviation accounts, almost half of which will buy more F-15EXs. While electronic warfare, drones, connectivity and airlift all get attention, the F-35 was conspicuously absent from the package, with no explanation given.