Starting today, the Air Force is realigning its headquarters staff into what it terms the “A-staff” construct to more easily communicate with sister services and the joint staff. Brig. Gen. Marshall Sabol, USAF’s director of manpower and organization, told reporters at the Pentagon on Jan. 31, that USAF functions will mirror the numerical organization of the Joint staff, that is J1 for manpower and personnel, J2 for intelligence, J3 for operations. Only the Air Force will replace the “J” with an “A.” Air Force major commands and warfighting headquarters will implement the new structure by May 1.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
