Some Air Force reservists may reach the new extended maximum man-days, requiring them to get waivers to serve additional days this year. Prior to passage of the 2005 defense authorization act, reservists could only serve 179 man-days per year without a waiver, but just over three years later, Air Force Reserve Command officials say scores could overshoot the new max of 1,095 days in a rolling four-year calendar in October 2008. Defense personnel chief David Chu had called the 179-day rule an impediment “to effective reserve force use and total force integration.” For one thing, the extended rule has enabled USAF to keep volunteer reservists on active duty tours across fiscal years without counting them against the service’s active end strength. (AFRC report by MSgt. Chance Babin)
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
