The Air Force is taking a “strategic pause” in its force management programs in order to “evaluate potential changes to the timing, composition, and eligibility criteria for each program,” states an Air Force release. “Complex strategies are rarely perfect from their inception but evolve as new information and feedback allows them to be refined and improved,” said Lt. Gen. Sam Cox, USAF deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel, and services. “The same is true of the Air Force’s current force management programs.” Eligible officers and enlisted airmen may still apply for the temporary early retirement authority and voluntary separation pay programs until March 26 and May 1, respectively. “Today, in some specific categories, the applications are being fully processed and approved; for other categories we are very close on final programmatic decisions and delegated decision authorities which will allow us to finish processing applications and begin notifying airmen of the status of their applications,” Cox said.
“Military history shows that the best defense is almost always a maneuvering offense supported by solid logistics. This was true for mechanized land warfare, air combat, and naval operations since World War II. It will also be true as the world veers closer to military conflict in space,” writes Aidan…