It seems the two Senators from New Mexico who announced to the world that the Air Force had found a “candidate mission” for Cannon AFB, N.M., were getting their information from a draft of a letter sent for review to Gen. Michael Moseley by his staff. The Portales News-Tribune cleared up the confusion by uncovering the “real” letter, which was signed by the USAF Chief of Staff and addressed to Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee on defense. In it, the candidate line is gone, and, instead, Moseley says USAF will complete a “comprehensive reuse study” with “all appropriate speed.” Our apologies to Mr. William Anderson, who did not get the cart before the horse.
Secretary of Defense Austin Lloyd III met with his counterparts from Australia, Japan and the Philippines to discuss bolstering defense ties on May 2. The discussion included plans for joint F-35 exercises with Japan and Australia in the coming years.