The connection between airmen perhaps has never been more important than it is now as the Air Force moves forward with force-management initiatives to deal with the fiscally challenged environment, wrote CMSAF James Cody in the January issue of Roll Call, released on Monday. As this process unfolds, “we must each commit to supporting our fellow airmen whenever and however we can,” he said. That commitment “will be the fabric that holds us together . . . the force that propels us to victory,” he wrote. Air Force senior leaders are committed to transparency, and sharing information “as early and often as possible,” said Cody. He called on supervisors to “stay well versed” on the initiatives. “You must be honest and straightforward with airmen about where they stand and what options are available,” he said. When airmen depart the Air Force, either voluntarily or involuntarily, “we must be there for them and their families,” wrote Cody. “They do not cease to be wingmen as they begin to move out of the Air Force,” he said. (See also December’s Roll Call.)
The Air Force is planning to invest nearly $1.7 billion to continue modernizing the B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit bombers over the next five years, revising earlier plans to retire those aircraft before the B-21 Raider is fielded in bulk.