Thank You For Your Service
I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve as the 23rd Air Force Chief of Staff and I’m thankful for Secretary Meink, Secretary Hegseth and President Trump’s faith in me to lead our service. … More than anything, I’m proud to have been part of the team of Airmen who live out our core values of integrity, service, and excellence every day as we prepare to defend this great nation.
—Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin on Aug. 18 announcing his plan to retire in November.
Observe
The victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression is the first complete victory won by China in its resistance against foreign aggression in modern times. … [It] re-established China as a major country in the world … opened up bright prospects for the great renewal of the Chinese nation and set our ancient country on a new journey after gaining rebirth. … The Chinese people will always remember what the people of other countries did for the victory of their War of Resistance. … Today, peace and development have become the prevailing trend, but the world is far from tranquil. War is the sword of Damocles that still hangs over mankind.
—Chinese Premier Xi Jinping on the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War I, Sept. 3, before 12,000 military troops took part in this year’s Victory Day parade, a show of military force that included advanced weapons, ICBMs, and aircraft, before a host of foreign dignitaries, including Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.
The TV is Always On
I thought it was very, very impressive, but I understood the reason they were doing it, and they were hoping I was watching. And I was watching.
—President Donald Trump, responding to questions about China’s Victory Day parade held on Sept. 3.
Thinking Out Loud
It is very difficult, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invader’s country. It is like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning! That is how it is with Ukraine and Russia.
—President Donald Trump in a Truth Social post Aug. 21. Whether Trump was suggesting he might lift restrictions on Ukraine, in effect warning Russia’s Vladimir Putin of attacks to come, or chiding Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the effect of those restrictions was never clear.
Start Over
JCIDS was in significant need of reform. The answer was, ‘Let’s just get rid of it and think of different ways to do the business.’
—Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Adm. Christopher W. Grady Aug. 27, on Secretary Pete Hegseth’s decision to revamp the joint requirements and review process, the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System.
Gear Up
I truly believe that ACC is the heart and soul of our Air Force. We have a lot to focus on, but our primary focus must be on readiness—readiness of our aircraft, readiness of our aircrew, readiness to dominate the electromagnetic spectrum, readiness of all our Airmen and their families. … I’m not interested in arbitrary timelines or functional efficiency at the expense of warfighting effectiveness. We’ll get a little bit better today, so we are a little more ready tomorrow.
—Gen. Adrian L. Spain after taking over as Commander of Air Combat Command, speaking Aug. 11 at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
Space Revolution
China has almost 1,000 satellites, we think, up in the orbits where they didn’t 20 years ago. They have an ability to interrupt our signals across the globe—we have to assume that. And so I think that’s a domain, the space domain, where this contest might even happen first, where they contest communications or ability to command and control before any shot gets fired. That’s a potential. … We anticipate having this problem in a potential crisis … a contested environment that we haven’t had to think about quite frankly since the Cold War.
—Army Lt. Gen. Joel “JB” Vowell, deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific, speaking to reporters during a Defense Writers Group event [July 22].
