Pentagon acquisition boss Ash Carter said the 2011 budget would employ the same guiding principles—performance, adaptability, and quantity—that led to the 2010 program cuts, and he said Defense Secretary Bob Gates is committed to “continued real growth” to maintain skills and capabilities he believes are needed now. Speaking Jan. 20 at a Washington defense conference, Carter said the topline will not grow at the double-digit clip of the immediate post-9/11 years, but DOD expects more program stability. The Administration knows, said Carter, that the investment part of the budget is “differentially damaged” in times of flat or reducing budgets. However, the Gates Pentagon, he said, wants programmers and acquisition officials to put an end to the “erosion of discipline” prompted by abundant funding. No matter how great a program is, if it is not performing it will get deserved extra scrutiny, Carter said.
Dozens of former Airmen are running for Congress in the 2026 midterms, with Election Day fast approaching on Nov. 3. But the potential impact of the election for the Air Force and Space Force goes beyond just the number of former service members on Capitol Hill—the results will also decide…