The Senate Armed Services Committee appears likely to maintain its status quo, as the prospect of Democratic control of the Senate has dimmed after Election Day. SASC Chairman Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Ranking Member Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) won reelection by wide margins on Nov. 3. That positions Inhofe to begin his first full term as committee chairman, after taking over when Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain died in 2018. The GOP’s path to retaining control of the Senate runs through the chamber’s military affairs panel. Eight of the 14 Republicans and three of the 13 Democrats who sit on SASC are up for reelection this year.
The House Armed Services Committee next year will be shaped not only by which members win reelection this week, but also by the members who won’t return and a potential ally in the White House. HASC leadership will remain largely intact, while Republicans will see the most turnover on the committee. Democrats are expected to retain control of the House with a slimmer majority.
About 80 aircraft have come together for Checkered Flag 21-1—a large-scale, air-to-air exercise off the coast of Florida. The exercise, which focuses on integrating fourth- and fifth-generation fighters in several scenarios, runs until Nov. 14 at Tyndall Air Force Base. Participating aircraft include Tyndall’s F-22s and T-38s; F-22s from the 3rd Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; F-35s from the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah; F-15Es from the 366th Fighter Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho; California Air National Guard's F-15s; and F/A-18s from Strike Fighter Wing Pacific at Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., according to Tyndall.
The Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Flight Academy—which lets qualifying youth become certified as private pilots and start their collegiate studies for free—is returning in 2021 after a pandemic-induced hiatus, according to a Nov. 2 release. AFJROTC high school cadets who will be at least 17 years old by July 9, 2021, and who have at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale, may apply for a spot by Nov. 25. “Cadets must be in good standing in their unit, take an Air Force aviation aptitude test, provide instructor and school endorsements, and must have a strong interest in aviation and a ‘never-quit’ attitude,” the program’s web page adds.
Troops can now wear their physical fitness clothing inside base commissaries and exchanges, according to a memorandum from Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper released this week.
