In a visit with the Alabama Air National Guard’s 187th Fighter Wing, Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein promised to seek ways to preserve the heritage and culture of the Guard units and find the proper missions for them. Goldfein also expressed his optimism on the status and future of the Air Force during the July 21 stop at the Montgomery Regional Air National Guard Base. Asked by a unit member if he would continue to emphasis the Total Force association between the Active Air Force and the Guard and Reserves, Goldfein said: “This unit has a long history, culture, and heritage that we don’t want to lose.” He said he would look for “the sweet spot in preserving that heritage and associating in missions that are suited for that.” He also said the recognition of what the Air Force brings to the fight and the joint force “will result in greater and greater demand in the future,” and he was “as optimistic as I’ve ever been, in terms of the future,” according to a release.
The U.S. continued to move a significant amount of airpower toward the Middle East in recent days as talks to forge a nuclear deal with Iran hung in the balance. Flight tracking data indicate there was unusually heavy movement of dozens of fighter jets and other assets that might be…
