Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the Air Force's presumptive next Chief of Staff, talked about what's on his mind as Congress considers his historic nomination to be the first black leader of any military service while racial tensions flare across the country following the Memorial Day death of a black man at the hands of white police officers. In a powerful personal message posted June 5, Brown recalled feeling ostracized and trying to fit in throughout his life. “I’m thinking about a history of racial issues, and my own experiences that didn’t always sing of liberty and equality. I’m thinking about living in two worlds, each with their own perspectives and views," he said.

The Air Force needs to address the disparity in judicial punishments between white and black Airmen, and use this discussion as a catalyst for a broader conversation for how people are valued within the service, the Air Force’s top lawyer argues in a recent letter. Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Rockwell, the Air Force’s judge advocate general, details in a June 3 letter the extent to which different races are punished differently within the service. “The statistics show that black male Airmen under the age of 25 and with less than 5 years of service receive NJP and courts-martial actions at a higher rate than similarly situated white male Airmen,” Rockwell wrote in a letter to all Air Force JAG personnel. The information supports Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein’s recent call for the Air Force Inspector General to review the military justice system.

The Air Force is looking to acquire a new fleet of hunter-killer drones to replace the MQ-9 Reaper circa 2031, according to a solicitation issued June 3. The new aircraft needs to be stealthy and autonomous, the better to survive and function in well-defended airspace, and USAF plans to compete the various pieces and rely on small businesses as much as possible. It isn't clear yet how these will partner with the low-cost attritable platform the Air Force is also working on.

An Air National Guard RC-26 aircraft that was tracked over the nation’s capital last week amid civil unrest following the Memorial Day killing of George Floyd in police custody belonged to the West Virginia Air National Guard, ANG spokesperson Lt. Col. Devin Robinson told Air Force Magazine on June 5. The aircraft—the presence of which over the District of Columbia prompted Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) to take to Twitter in search of answers—“is responding to a District of Columbia National Guard request to provide airborne situational awareness of key lines of communication and critical infrastructure within the District," Robinson wrote in response to a query from the magazine. A second RC-26 that was tracked over Las Vegas on June 2 also belongs to the Air National Guard, but its mission was unrelated to civil disturbances in Nevada, Robinson wrote.

President Donald Trump nominated Maj. Gen. Kirk Pierce for a third star and assignment as commander of 1st Air Force at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. If confirmed, he will replace Lt. Gen. Marc Sasseville, who has been tapped to serve as Vice Chief of the Air National Guard. Pierce currently serves as deputy commander of the ANG.

On March 23, the Air Force Association's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies will host a virtual Nuclear Deterrence Series event featuring Scowcroft Group Principal Frank Miller. At a time when nuclear modernization programs are accelerating around the world, proposals to recapitalize the U.S. nuclear arsenal are at the forefront of debates over defense spending. Miller will share his insights into the prospects for U.S. nuclear modernization programs and the value of nuclear deterrence in today's competitive security environment. The think tank will post event video on its website and YouTube page after the live event.