The Air Force’s Thunderbirds air demonstration squadron on Wednesday announced its airshow schedule for 2010, its 57th season of performances. The first of 65 planned shows will kick off March 20-21 at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. In mid-June and mid-August, the team will perform in Quebec City and Abbotsford, Canada, respectively—the only appearances on the agenda next year outside of the US. The 2010 season will conclude with performances Nov. 13-14 at Nellis AFB, Nev., the unit’s home. The Thunderbirds concluded their 2009 schedule, which included a six-week tour of the Pacific Far East, in November.
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…