Editor’s Note: The “People First” section is compiled from information from the Air Force Personnel Center, TRICARE, 56th Force Support Squadron, Airman and Family Readiness Flight, Veterans Affairs, the civilian personnel office and armed forces news services. For the complete story, go to the web address listed at the end of the story.
AF official optimistic about airpower future
Equal parts challenge and opportunity — that’s how Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein described as the current state of the Air Force March 10 during a Defense Programs Conference in Washington, D.C.
“As I stand here today, I could not be more optimistic about our future,” Goldfein said to the defense industry audience. “Your Air Force today is too small, too old, less ready and out of balance for the challenges that we as a nation are going to face for the next decade to two decades and what the Air Force brings to the joint team … but also, as I stand here today, we have unlimited opportunity right now.”
Most of America, he said, still remembers the Air Force of Operation Desert Storm. It was a time when there were 134 fighter squadrons across the total force from which the Air Force deployed 33 squadrons to execute operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Now there are only 55 fighter squadrons, he added. The Air Force has nearly 240,000 less total force Airmen than during those operations.
Sleep is serious: Catch your Zzzs
“Beep. Beep. Beep,” the alarm blares. Time to get up. Do you hit snooze?
On average, we spend 33 percent of our lives asleep. When assessing your overall health, have you considered your sleep habits?
Sleep hygiene, as researchers call it, involves a variety of different behavioral practices which are necessary for quality sleep and full alertness during waking hours.
“One of the most beneficial ways to ensure a healthy lifestyle is to prioritize your sleep, the same as you do your best eating and exercise habits,” said Maj. Jaime Harvey, chief of Human Factors and Operational Safety Issues, Headquarters Air Force Safety Center. “And one of the key ways you can do that is by trying your best to maintain a regular wake and sleep pattern, every day of the week.”
The ABCs of Zzzs
Sleep allows our bodies to rest and refuel for the next day. The sleep process is complex and active. As we sleep, there is important internal restoration and recuperation taking place.
http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/690605/sleep-is-serious-catch-your-zzzs.aspx
Domain on demand’ part of Air Force future
Air Force vice Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein told members of 25th and 24th Air Forces that the future of the service is “domain on demand.”
Goldfein visited the two Numbered Air Forces for a firsthand look at the advances they’ve accomplished together in building multi-domain synergy between Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and cyber forces.
A day full of intense briefings demonstrated that synergy to the general, who commented that his visit was very timely.
He explained that we first used nuclear deterrence as an offset strategy to protect our national security during the Cold War with the Soviet Union. The second offset strategy was stealth and precision, capably demonstrated during the first Gulf War.
During his visit to the 25th Air Force, Goldfein took time to “coin” three outstanding Airmen: Capt. Andrew, a flight commander assigned to the 70th ISR Wing; Staff Sgt. Elizabeth, a unit deployment manager assigned to the 363rd ISR WG; and Staff Sgt. Salvatore Guerriero, an executive communications technician, assigned to headquarters 25th Air Force.
AF continues to pursue total force integration
The Air Force continues to make strides toward total force integration, according to an annual report submitted to Congress March 4.
The report is based on recommendations from the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force and focuses on how the force structure should be modified to best fill current and future mission requirements, an area Air Force senior leaders have been vocal about, expressing their desires to continue to expand total force integration.
“We are one Air Force,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh III. “We’re committed to this idea and it’s foundational to the way we present our capabilities. We’re not going to be operationally successful any other way.”
The service recently completed an intensive analysis of all Air Force primary mission areas. The analysis provided active and air reserve component force-mix options and reliable data to inform future acquisition decisions. As a result, more than a dozen force-mixing recommendations were carried into the fiscal year 2018 strategic planning process.