MSgt. Anthony Acciani, an EC-130H Compass Call flight engineer, flew his 1,000th career sortie May 7 during a mission over Iraq. Acciani, a 21-year Air Force veteran, is deployed from Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., with the 43rd Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron. Serving initially as an F-16 crew chief, he made the switch to flight engineer 14 years ago, training first in the now-retired C-141 cargo aircraft. “My first sortie was the beginning of something that is pretty special to me,” he said. Since he transitioned to the EC-130H, he has flown more than 200 combat sorties. (386th AEW report by Capt. Jason McCree)
The emphasis on speed in the Pentagon’s newly unveiled slate of acquisition reforms may come with increased near-term cost increases, analysts say. But according to U.S. defense officials, the new weapons-buying construct provides the military with enough flexibility to prevent runaway budget overruns in major programs.
