The Air Force Reserve is “in a good place,” said Lt. Gen. James Jackson, AFR chief, on Monday in his speech at AFA’s Air & Space Conference in National Harbor, Md. “Seventy-five percent of our Air Force Reserve forces have joined since 9/11,” so they don’t know any different environment, he said. Despite the constrained budget environment, “there’s not been any further discussion” about eliminating Air Force Reserve Command, he said. “Eliminating Air Force Reserve Command and eliminating the organizational structure” to support it are two cost-saving suggestions both Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and Chief of Staff Mark Welsh oppose, he noted. However, the command, in accordance with efforts across the Total Force, will make an effort to consolidate infrastructure and will continue to try to maximize the value of its “citizen airmen,” said Jackson.
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.