In a report to be released Wednesday, retired Air Force Gen. Joseph Ralston and retired German Gen. Klaus Naumann condemn European leaders for a lack of determination to improve their collective military capabilities. According to the London Financial Times, which obtained a copy of the 97-page report, the two generals plan to brief European defense officials within the next two weeks and Washington in November. The conclusion of the report is that the situation is dire unless Europeans work together and provide additional defense funding—with at least 25 percent going to research and acquisition. Remaining on the present course “is not an option—indeed it is a recipe for disaster,” states the report. Ralston was Supreme Allied Commander Europe (2000-2003) and Naumann was Germany’s chief of defense and head of NATO’s military committee.
Trainees in Basic Military Training and technical school no longer have the option to try alternate PT drills if they fail an initial assessment, according to a policy change the Air Force made in April. The move is part of a larger shift out of the classroom and into hands-on,…