Although the Air National Guard did not have to stand down any of its combat squadrons like Air Combat Command following the implementation of budget sequestration, it’s still feeling some effects, said ANG Director Lt. Gen. Stanley Clarke in his address on Tuesday at AFA’s 2013 Air and Space Conference in National Harbor, Md. “We have really backed out of a lot of the training we used to do,” such as Red Flag, said Clarke. He added, “We’re not as connected to the Total Force from a training perspective.”
Earlier this week, the People’s Republic of China confirmed it is halting its nuclear arms control talks with the U.S., in retaliation for the U.S. continuing to sell arms to Taiwan. The move reinforces a “pattern of behavior” from Beijing, experts say.