There is a flip side to the planned increases for the Army and Marine Corps that also has raised some concern within the Air Force. With the number of 18 to 20 year olds shrinking, said Maj. Gen. Frank Faykes, Air Force budget director, the competition for these young people will increase within the military and the private sector. He said that it would be tougher for the Air Force to hit recruiting goals in the future. However, Faykes insisted, “We do not intend to lower our standards in any way.” USAF plans to bring on 43,000 new recruits in Fiscal 2008.
Air Force Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost—a trailblazer and one of the first 10 women to reach a four-star rank across the U.S. military—retired and passed control of U.S. Transportation Command to Air Force Gen. Randall Reed on Oct. 4, finishing an eventful tenure at TRANSCOM.