USAF mobility airmen from stateside and European air bases—and even the US Air Forces in Europe outpost at Lajes Field, Azores—rotate in and out of NAS Rota, Spain throughout the year to manage the flow of mobility aircraft transiting Rota to support war on terrorism operations. Air Force journalist A1C Jimmy McGuffin reports that 50 airmen on average are on temporary duty at Rota at any one time. For the airmen from Lajes, the duty provides an opportunity to work on the service’s strategic airlifters, the C-5 and C-17, aircraft they don’t routinely see in the Azores.
US Space Command Should Always Be Led by a Guardian
Sept. 12, 2026
General Stephen Whiting took command of U.S. Space Command in January 2024, and if customary three-year tenures hold, his tour would end in January 2027. The question now before the President and Senate is who should follow him? Whoever they choose, it has to be a Guardian—and so should every successor…
