Col. Michael Vaughn, head of 20th Air Force operations, said that if you asked the missileers how they felt about changing to 72-hour shifts in October, they “wouldn’t have been very happy.” (See two items above.) Now however, most are looking forward to the greater schedule predictability the change will bring—something made possible through “protected time off” when missileers return from their three-day shifts. AFSPC plans to convert every missile squadron to the new schedule during April.
The 301st Fighter Wing in Fort Worth, Texas, became the first standalone Reserve unit in the Air Force to get its own F-35s, welcoming the first fighter Nov. 5.