Air National Guard Director Lt. Gen. Stanley Clarke—who has served on Active Duty, in the Air Guard, and in the Air Force Reserve—said there are four pillars to a successful Total Force. Addressing AFA’s 2013 Air and Space Conference on Tuesday, Clarke said all three components must operate off the same standards and undergo the same inspections. All three components also must be engaged. “If [the ANG] backs out of that, they might as well put us back in the strategic reserves,” said Clarke. Finally, there must be resources available to ensure that the components can support the first three pillars, said Clarke. “You’ll notice I’ll emphasize the Total Force multiple times. I’m a true believer in it,” he said.
Flying and fixing aircraft remains the Air Force’s reason for being, but protecting air bases from attack is becoming an essential component that makes those possible. Following attacks on air bases across the Middle East during Operation Epic Fury, point defense was among the hottest topics on tap at AFA’s…