The Air Force is pushing to get more airmen appointed as joint force commanders, and is working to ensure that they are ready for the job, Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein said at AWS17. Airmen will start out in a specialty, but once identified as having the potential for joint command, will be assigned to jobs that allow them to build expertise in all aspects of USAF competencies, so the “airman at the table” in joint assignments will be able to speak with facility about air dominance, space, and any other aspect of the air domain. They will also be seasoned with joint assignments. “We own space,” Goldfein said, and all airmen, including those assigned to joint commands, will have to be experts in that field, regardless of their original specialty.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
