When Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James told a virtual town hall audience Dec. 16 “enough is enough” on involuntary force management, the civilian force was not included. According to Air Force officials, USAF will continue to work the drawdown of civilian positions through Fiscal 2015. That will include “multiple rounds of civilian workforce shaping measures to include maximum use of pre-RIF placement flexibilities to help properly place and shape the civilian workforce,” according to an October release. A Sept. 30 RIF is planned as a last resort. “Our hope is that through multiple rounds of voluntary civilian workforce shaping measures and the use of pre-Reduction in Force placement flexibilities we should be able to offset most of our civilian impacts,” said Air Force spokeswoman Rose Richeson. Richeson said the Air Force is making an effort to reassign civilian employees “into vacant positions without negatively affecting pay or benefits.”
KC-135 Crashes In Iraq While Supporting Iran Ops
March 12, 2026
A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker supporting Operation Epic Fury against Iran crashed during a refueling incident involving two aircraft over Iraq March 12, U.S. Central Command announced. The aircraft were not shot down, CENTCOM added.