The Air Force’s developmental special duties initiative is a significant change for the enlisted corps, said CMSgt. Richard Parsons, Air Combat Command’s command chief, on Monday. “Developmental special duties is about who we select to develop our future leaders,” said Parsons during the command chiefs forum at AFA’s 2013 Air and Space Conference in National Harbor, Md. “We’re saying that we are banking our future leaders on you, and we picked you to build our future,” he said. CMSgt. Richard Kaiser, Air Mobility Command’s command chief, emphasized that enlisted personnel are airmen first, their specialty next. “It’ll be an honor for the airmen, at least that should be their reaction,” when nominated to serve in a developmental special duty, he said.
U.S. Northern Command and multiple research organizations just wrapped up a joint, three-year experiment to test new radar technology that could enable the Northern Warning System to detect incoming threats at longer ranges across Alaska and northern Canada.