Asked at a Sept. 15 press availability at AFA’s Air & Space Conference if the service can award a contract in the Combat Search and Rescue helicopter competition this year, Acting Air Force Secretary Michael Donley, said, “I believe so.” Lessons learned from the arduous and thrice-protested CSAR-X competition should bear fruit before the end of December and will be applied to the upcoming tanker competition redux, Donley asserted.
When acting Air Force Secretary Gary A. Ashworth rescinded service-wide “Family Days” last week citing the need to build readiness, he left it up to commanders, directors, and supervisors to decide if they would still permit extra days off. Here’s how Air Force major commands are taking that guidance.