JCS Chairman Gen. Peter Pace told defense reporters in Washington yesterday he thinks finding a way to settle inequities between the services is “worth taking a look at.” Pace said the Air Force and the Navy have been “extremely forthcoming” in finding service members to ease some of the pressure on ground forces in the war on terrorism. However, he wants to make sure the right people are in the right jobs. As for control of unmanned aerial vehicle operations (see above), “If that’s a place where the Air Force could free up Army troops to do other things, it’s worth the discussion.”
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.