Note to Air Force Magazine Readers

With the upcoming issue, Air Force Magazine begins rolling out changes that will take effect over the next year. First, you will notice that this issue bears the cover date “November/December.” Here’s why: In 2017 we expect the magazine to go on sale at selected commercial newsstands. This issue is akin to a “change step” while marching, and brings us in line with other retail-sale magazines—which typically carry a date one month later than their publication. Your next issue of the magazine, arriving on the regular schedule in December, will be dated January 2017. Going forward, Air Force Magazine covers will always show the month after the magazine arrives. The main noticeable difference is that (for example), when you receive the annual USAF Almanac in May—same as in previous years—the cover will say June. Second, we are changing to 10 print issues and two digital-only issues per year. In March you will receive your April/May 2017 issue, which will be followed the next month by an online-only special edition covering all the news from the Air Force Association’s annual Air Warfare Symposium. Similarly, in September, Air Force Magazine will publish a combined October/November issue, which will be followed the next month by a digital-only special edition with the news from AFA’s annual Air, Space & Cyber conference. These digital-only editions will allow us to provide you with comprehensive coverage from AFA’s premier events weeks sooner. These marquee events are attended by all the top Air Force leadership and always produce a large amount of important news. In conclusion, AFA members will still receive 12 issues of Air Force Magazine per year. Ten of them (including the June USAF Almanac and our October/November double issue) will be in print. Two issues, delivered electronically in April and October, will be digital-only. We welcome your feedback and suggestions for the future as we work to make Air Force Magazine ever more timely, comprehensive, and responsive. As always, you can reach the editors at afmag@afa.org.