Lt. Gen. James Jackson, Air Force Reserve chief, urged members of the congressionally mandated commission studying the Air Force’s structure not to advocate merging the Air National Guard and Reserve. “I believe the nation benefits from the synergistic value of a three-component Air Force consisting of the Active Duty, Air Force Reserve, and Air National Guard,” said Jackson in his Oct. 24 testimony before the commission in Arlington, Va. “I do not believe combining the AFR and ANG is beneficial or value-added to our nation,” he said, noting that the idea has surfaced “many times during the 65 years of our history, yet has never materialized.” The eight-member commission is charged with making recommendations to Congress by Feb. 1, 2014, on how best to configure the Air Force to meet current and future mission requirements with available resources. (Washington, D.C., report by Col. Bob Thompson) (See also Flexibility is the Key.)
After years of experiments and tests, senior Air Force leaders say they're on the verge of using C-17s and other cargo aircraft to launch cruise missiles via airdrop, touting the development as a way to bolster the combat fleet and a major shift in the service’s mindset.