Senior Iraqi air force leaders toured Joint Base Balad to acquire a better understanding of the base layout, runways, facilities, and fighter aircraft operations. This is part of their preparations to retake control of the base when the US military moves out of the country later this year. “This facility will be theirs in a few months and we want to talk about how we are going to hand it over to them and what condition [the base] is in, so we can better understand and plan together as a team on how they can have an effective air base as soon as we leave,” said Brig. Gen. Anthony Rock, director of the Iraq Training and Advisory Mission-Air. If the Iraqi government goes forward with the planned purchase of F-16 fighters, they would likely call Balad home, said Rock. (Balad report by SrA. Tong Duong)
Amid a high-profile recruiting crisis, Air Force leaders and experts have increasingly noted the challenging long-term trends the service will face in enticing young Americans to sign up—decreasing eligibility to serve, less propensity to do so, and less familiarity with the military. But while those same leaders say there’s no “silver…