Pacific Air Force’s 13th Air Force has taken over the 1st Air Support Operations Group from Air Combat Command’s 12th Air Force. The formal switch took place Oct. 1 at Ft. Lewis, Wash., the home base for 1st ASOG, which also incorporated three new squadrons as a result of the move. It picked up the 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron at Ft. Wainwright, Alaska, 16th ASOS at Ft. Richardson, Alaska, and 25th ASOS at Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii. The 1st ASOG, now comprising some 400 personnel, also retains the 1st Weather Squadron and 5th ASOS, both at Ft. Lewis. Lt. Gen. Chip Utterback, 13th AF commander, said, the 1st ASOG will “bring the finest in combat capability to Army combat operations across the world, from joint tactical air control to battlefield weather.” (13th AF report by Capt. Genieve David)
In the wake of a major Chinese military shakeup, the head of U.S. Space Command warned of China’s “breathtakingly fast” advances in space during visits to Japan and South Korea. Gen. Stephen N. Whiting’s trip to the Indo-Pacific is his first overseas visit since taking command of SPACECOM in January.