The Air Force should systematically evaluate a pilot program that funds its civilian space acquisition workforce from research and development accounts to determine if there’s merit in applying this approach to more of its civilian employees, recommended Government Accountability Office auditors. Nearly 1800 civilians at the Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles manage the acquisition of the service’s space assets, and in 2012, the Air Force began the pilot program, which moved the funding for them from operation and maintenance coffers to the R&D accounts, according to the summary of GAO’s new report, issued on July 8. However, the Air Force did not define clear and consistent goals, and, as a result, “anecdotal opinions on the advantages or disadvantages of the pilot varied significantly,” states the summary. Without a thorough evaluation, the Air Force cannot gauge if there’s is an advantage to expanding this initiative, states the summary.
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
Dec. 30, 2025
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, compared to the 5.4 percent…
