Lt. Gen. Charles Stenner, Air Force Reserve chief, highlighted the importance of the Reserve’s partnership with Air Education and Training Command during a visit to the 340th Flying Training Group, a Reserve unit, at JBSA-Randolph, Tex. Air Force Reserve Command is a large part of the education and training mission, and the front end of undergraduate pilot training on some platforms, said Stenner. It is starting training efforts with the C-130 and F-16 pipeline as well, he added. The Reserve is also building a presence in aircrew training at Altus AFB, Okla., and Little Rock AFB, Ark., and will reach full capacity at those bases by Fiscal 2014, he said. A Reserve presence at Active Duty bases is key to retaining valuable skills in the Total Force, as active airmen separate, he noted. Reservists, as “trained and ready assets,” are “very necessary to continue the mission and, in a part-time capacity, they are very efficient,” said Stenner during his April 4 visit. (JBSA-Randolph report by SSgt. Clinton Atkins)
A recent seven-day exercise sent Air Force F-22s—along with other USAF aircraft—to austere, challenging environments across Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Agile Reaper, taking place for the second time after its inaugural edition last year, featured 800 Airmen and 29 aircraft across five different locations from April 10-16, training…