Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said the Total Force will continue to remain a priority even as the service moves into a contentious budget environment. Today, 58 percent of combat forces are on active duty, but 42 percent are Air Force reservists. The majority of mobility airmen—51 percent—are reservists, while 49 percent are active duty, said Donley at AFA’s Air & Space Conference at National Harbor near D.C., Monday. “I am proud of the way the Total Force is working together,” said Donley, who added that USAF needs to continue to improve the relationships between the active duty Air Force and its Air Reserve Components. “It’s all about balance,” he said.
The Air Force is renaming its traditional aviation bonus program in 2024 and continuing a new, experimental second program, ordered by Congress, aimed at getting aviators to extend their commitment sooner and for longer. While the programs can’t be doubled-up, aviators may be able to move from one to the…