Retired Gen. Ronald Keys, former leader of Air Combat Command, was the first person inducted as an AFROTC Distinguished Alumni, a program initiated by the Holm Center for Officer Accession and Citizen Development at Maxwell AFB, Ala. The retired four-star general, a distinguished graduate of the Kansas State University ROTC program, said during the Aug. 14 ceremony at Maxwell, that he was “overwhelmed by this tribute.” He also praised the airmen of today who are “broader in their thinking” and “understand technology to much better” than he did. He also acknowledged the rapid pace of change, including the “real strategic advantage” now offered by unmanned aerial vehicles. He said, “As long as we do the math and do things for the right reason, the Air Force will prevail.” (Maxwell report by Carl Bergquist)
Amid a high-profile recruiting crisis, Air Force leaders and experts have increasingly noted the challenging long-term trends the service will face in enticing young Americans to sign up—decreasing eligibility to serve, less propensity to do so, and less familiarity with the military. But while those same leaders say there’s no “silver…