The Air Force built its Fiscal 2015 budget request around what it must be able to do in 2023, based on various studies the service has undertaken over the last year, said service budget director Maj. Gen. James Martin. Alongside its traditional missions of global reach, power, and vigilance, by 2023 USAF must be able to “respond in hours, not days” to an order to act; to “fly, fight, and win from home to anywhere on the globe;” and “win against any adversary in a highly contested environment.” Guiding principles for the budget dictated that “when forced to cut capabilities (tooth), we must also cut the associated support structure and overhead (tail),” said Martin. Also, USAF will “maximize the contribution of the Total Force,” and fashion itself to be able to counter a “full-spectrum threat.” The bottom line, Martin said, is that “we will keep no more force structure than we can afford to keep ready.”
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
Dec. 30, 2025
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, compared to the 5.4 percent…
