Five geographically separated Florida Air National Guard units were recently consolidated under the 125th Fighter Wing in Jacksonville, Fla., in conformity with standard Air Force organizational structures. “This reorganization will enable all of us to work as one team to accomplish our missions more effectively,” 125th FW Commander Col. Brian Simpler said in a Nov. 25 release. Before the reorganization in November, Florida was one of only two states with geographically separated units that reported directly to the Joint Forces Headquarters, according to the release. Under the reorganization, the state’s communications and REDHORSE squadrons will now fall under the 125th FW’s mission support group, while its space control squadron, weather, and training flights will be assigned to the wing’s operations group. Florida’s 101st Air Operations Group and headquarters detachment at Tyndall Air Force Base are unaffected. The shift will impact some 500 air Guard personnel, officials stated.
The use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border this week—which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas—will be a “case study” on the complex web of authorities needed to employ such weapons near civilian areas and the consequences of agencies…
