The Total Force Takedown: Air National Guard Chief Lt. Gen. Craig McKinley told the Daily Report that the evolving air and space expeditionary force concept has featured growing “synergy” between the active and reserve cultures. McKinley said, in a Tuesday interview, that the AEF construct has transformed from “unit centric” relationships reminiscent of the Cold War to full integration of the Air Guard and Reserve components. He credited the evolution in successes such as the air strike last month that killed Abu Musab al Zarqawi in Iraq. “We all were part of that operation,” said McKinley. He added that much about that mission “is still classified … but, once that comes to the light of day you will see how integrated our Air Force is—in terms of planes, in terms of people, in terms of mission.”
Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominee to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Defense Department needs to upgrade its electronic warfare capability and its EW training ranges; just as his predecessor said at his own confirmation hearing.