Category Added in a WPeMatico Campaign
Source: United States Air Force
Embracing the Department’s three-year theme of “Powering Possibility,” the installation energy program is pursuing a series of pilot initiatives that showcase the department’s forward-looking approach to energy innovation and powering the future force in the face of growing operational threats.
Source: United States Air Force
Embracing the Department’s three-year theme of “Powering Possibility,” the installation energy program is pursuing a series of pilot initiatives that showcase the department’s forward-looking approach to energy innovation and powering the future force in the face of growing operational threats.
Source: United States Air Force
TEMPE, Ariz. (AFNS) —
Leaders from the Secretary of the Air Force Diversity and Inclusion office played pivotal roles at the Defense Department’s “Taking the Pentagon to the People” event Sept. 12 to 13 at Arizona State University in Tempe.
The event aimed to enlighten students on employment, internships, scholarships and the vast opportunities within the DoD, spanning various fields including STEM, business and arts.
Spearheading the Department of the Air Force’s involvement, Col. Jenise Carroll, Secretary of the Air Force Diversity and Inclusion deputy director, and Kristine Billings, SAF/DI’s Affirmative Employment Program manager, made significant contributions to the event’s success.
Carroll was part of the Presidential Roundtable discussion where representatives from different agencies shared best practices on what they are doing to increase representation and opportunities for people in underserved communities through a united DoD effort.
According to Carroll, connections at these events are pivotal and help deliver tomorrow’s leaders within the DAF.
“Connecting with future leaders at academic institutions like ASU is pivotal,” she said. “It bridges the gap between the Department of Defense and potential bright talent, fostering an environment of growth and opportunity for the DAF.”
A recruitment squad from Air Force Personnel Center elaborated on the range of internships available alongside representatives from the 348th Recruiting Squadron and Air Force Reserve Command’s 944th Fighter Wing, who discussed officer and reserve enlisted opportunities.
Billings, who coordinated DAF recruiters for this initiative, said the event was a cornerstone in bridging the gap between the academic realm and the opportunities within the DAF and DoD.
“Our primary goal was to help unveil the myriad of opportunities within the DAF,” she said. “We’re not only educating students and faculty about the multifaceted career opportunities we offer, but also fostering a spirit of collaboration. Events like this empower our youth, equipping them with the knowledge they need to align their career decisions with their unique interests, strengths, and skill sets.”
Concluding the two-day outreach, Carroll expressed confidence that the event made a lasting impression on all attendees. The DAF’s diverse opportunities were showcased, captivating the attention and imaginations of over 200 participants.
In her post-event reflection, Carroll confirmed the event’s success and emphasized a commitment to improving data analytics and ensuring consistent representation in future events.
Source: United States Air Force
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) —
The Air Force selected 292 active-duty officers for promotion to colonel, lieutenant colonel and major during recent CY23A, CY23C and CY23D central selection boards.
In total, the Air Force selected 114 lieutenant colonels for promotion to colonel (LAF-J, BSC, DC, MC, and NC), 47 majors to lieutenant colonel (LAF-J and Chaplain) and 131 captains for promotion to major (BSC).
Colonel (M0623A) selection statistics:
Colonel (P0623C) selection statistics:
Lieutenant Colonel (P0523C) selection statistics:
Major (P0423D) selection statistics:
The complete list of Airmen selected for promotion is available online by visiting AFPC’s Officer Promotion webpage.
For more information about Air Force personnel programs, visit the AFPC public website.
Source: United States Air Force
WASHINGTON (AFNS) —
I welcome congressional action tonight to avert an unnecessary and destructive government shutdown that would have had a profound impact on the lives our troops and civilians who work and sacrifice to defend this country every day. But I also urge Congress to live up to America’s commitment to provide urgently-needed assistance to the people of Ukraine as they fight to defend their own country against the forces of tyranny. America must live up to its word and continue to lead.
Finally, I urge Congress to get back to regular order on appropriations. We need on-time appropriations in order to advance our National Defense strategy and position our military to meet the complex challenges of this century. I will continue to work with members of Congress to do what is necessary to defend this nation, our values and our interests.
Source: United States Air Force
ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —
As Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. closes out his three-year tenure as the Air Force’s highest-ranking officer and braces for a new, even more challenging assignment as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, it’s worth recalling advice he got from his father as a teen in the 1970s.
“Four years in the military won’t kill you,” his father, a retired Army colonel also named Charles, told him.
His father was proven right, though he was off on the timeline – Brown is now at 38 years of service and counting. Yet, as Brown leaves his seat as Air Force chief of staff, the imprint he leaves behind will continue to shape and influence the service for years to come.
Foremost is his signature strategic approach, Accelerate Change or Lose, released soon after he succeeded Gen. David Goldfein as chief of staff in in 2020. That document, along with corresponding “action orders,” provided a blueprint to Airmen, senior leaders and even industry partners for pressing the operational, technical and cultural changes necessary to meet global threats and do it at a speed that ensures U.S. airpower remains supreme.
It was an unrelenting focus for Brown as CSAF and one he is likely to embrace in his new job as well.
“I am committed to addressing today’s challenges while preparing for the future so we can better compete, deter and win,” Brown said during a change of responsibility ceremony in which he was installed as the service’s 22nd chief of staff. “To do so, we must no longer defer, but must accelerate the needed change and tough choices we’ve often discussed. We must develop and empower leaders and provide the quality of service and quality of life where our Airmen and families can reach their full potential.”
Brown underscored these sentiments in a 2021 speech to the Nation Press Club. “Airpower has become as reliable as the breath you just took; you don’t need to think about it, you count on it, and you can’t live without it,” he told the press club audience. “The question that keeps me up at night is, what happens when our diplomats no longer have the might of the U.S. military or the power of the U.S. economy as their backstop? This is a world that none of us want to live in.”
Brown worked tirelessly to shift the culture to allow innovative ideas and actions to bubble up from anywhere across the Total Force. “Our goal is empowering Airmen to innovate and find solutions to our Air Force problems. From the majcom down to the squadron level we’ve found that good ideas have no rank.”
He aimed to develop Airmen with the attributes needed for what he described as “a high-end fight.” He was tenacious at reducing bureaucracy and streamlining decision-making processes. He pushed to reshape the service’s mindset to address strategic competition and challenges posed by China and other nations. And he advocated to design the force required to maintain the U.S. Air Force’s position as the most respected in the world.
He pursued goals to infuse speed, innovation, and efficiencies while fostering collaboration at every opportunity. One example he often cited was rewriting service’s official doctrine and condensing it to 16 pages from 200.
On large questions, such as ensuring the B-21 Raider remained on schedule and budget, Brown was meticulous and driven. The same is true on complicated modernization efforts such as the Sentinel ground based intercontinental ballistic missile upgrade that will be the backbone of the nation’s nuclear deterrent.
Yet, he was also driven to force change in areas that are less obvious to many people. Foremost were those directly affecting Airmen, such as evolving the “command and leadership selection processes” and changing “enlisted promotions to better value experience,” among others.
On efforts to reduce bureaucracy, Brown helped reform the service’s tattoo policy, leading to an average of 1,300 more recruitment-eligible Americans a year. And he supported efforts to make acquisitions more rapid and maximize multi-year procurement benefits by “making sure we can seize opportunities when we see them and giving clear demand signals to industry.”
He valued candor, often telling Airmen and leaders he wanted them to be free to discuss “in the meeting” matters usually voiced “after the meeting.”
Of his focus on “competition,” Brown pursued change based on his belief that the definition needed to be applied broadly.
“Competition isn’t just about orders of battle, operations, activities, and investments. It is how we accelerate our understanding of our adversaries, how they make decisions through an emphasis on competitive thinking and comparative analysis so that we can better deter and be prepared for conflict,” he said earlier this month in a speech at the Air and Space Forces Association conference.
In the same speech, Brown harkened toward the implementation of the Air Force’s Force Generation model, publication of the Air Force Future Operating Concept, and establishment of the Department of the Air Force’s seven Operational Imperatives as evidence of the service’s transition from the present-day force to the force required for the future.
Throughout his career, Brown has been guided by what he describes as his “four tenets” – pay attention to detail; execute at a high standard; be disciplined in execution; and, have fun.
“Regardless of our respective ranks and positions, we must execute to the best of our abilities, and we must do it right the first time because the application of Airpower is serious business where half-hearted efforts and playing for second place are not options,” he has said.
Those beliefs and leadership perspective remained in place throughout his tenure as chief of staff, and the effects will remain with the U.S. Air Force even as Brown moves on.
With Brown’s departure, Gen. David Allvin becomes acting Air Force chief of staff. It is expected to be a smooth and seamless transition. Allvin, who worked closely with Brown as Air Force vice chief of staff, has been nominated to replace Brown and is awaiting Senate confirmation.
“When I became chief of staff of the Air Force three years ago, I expressed the need to accelerate change,” Brown said Friday at an event to mark the beginning of his term as chairman. “My conviction to this premise has not waivered. The journey of change must continue … to strengthen our national security.”
Source: United States Air Force
ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —
Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall directed changes to bolster the Department of the Air Force’s domestic violence prevention and response efforts. In alignment with Domestic Violence Awareness Month, these changes highlight the DAF’s ongoing commitment to focusing on the experience of survivors and reducing instances of domestic violence. These programs and services will improve trust and transparency, ensuring that survivors know the DAF is doing everything possible to take their concerns seriously.
The DAF actions are the result of a 90-day cross-functional review directed by Kendall in January after an Inspector General investigation was initiated in response to allegations concerning the handling of domestic violence incidents. This investigation found areas for improvement in establishing trust and rapport with survivors.
“There is no place in our Air Force and Space Force family for domestic violence or interpersonal violence in any form,” Kendall said. “While we have taken important steps to better support domestic violence survivors, we must do more to establish trust and build a foundation of respect, responsiveness, and support for survivors of violence. Our review revealed areas where we could clearly improve our efforts to prevent violence and support those impacted by domestic violence. We listened to survivors and are deeply appreciative of the candid insights they provided—their candid perspectives have informed our efforts as we work to create more effective solutions to this heart-breaking issue.”
The DAF will:
• Hire additional domestic abuse victim advocates to serve at the installation level providing needed support to domestic abuse victims and command teams.
• Hire additional civilians to the DAF Family Advocacy Program headquarters staff to improve education and training on domestic violence prevention, awareness and response.
• Establish the Coordinated Community Response Senior Steering Group on Domestic Abuse at the headquarters level, which will meet quarterly starting in FY24 and which will be led by the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs and include the inspector general, legal, security forces, medical, personnel, Reserve and Guard advisors. The CCR is central to our strategy for addressing the complex nature of domestic abuse and helping prevent, identify, and respond to domestic and interpersonal violence.
• Require the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s “FAP for Leaders” training for all commanders, first sergeants, and senior enlisted leaders and disseminate the updated response toolkits to command teams.
• Update Department of the Air Force Instruction 51-207, Victim and Witness Rights and Procedures, to ensure that notification of significant events are the same for domestic violence and sexual assault cases.
• Implement an annual domestic violence or intimate partner violence exercise. The exercise will be mandated by DAFI 90-302, the Inspection System of the DAF, and participants will include security forces, Office of Special Investigations, legal offices, FAP personnel, and command teams. Installations are encouraged to include local civilian law enforcement, if available.
For more information on the DAF Domestic Abuse Prevention Program, see their website here. Military One Source also provides Domestic Abuse Prevention materials here.
Source: United States Air Force
FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) —
In this week’s look around the Air Force, the Enlisted Airmanship Continuum aims to provide new development opportunities for Airmen, there’s a new roadmap for training Multi-Capable Airmen, and the Air Force has a new website with resources to help find or become a professional coach. (Hosted by Staff Sgt. Jazmin Granger)
Watch on DVIDS | Watch on YouTube
For previous episodes, click here for the Air Force TV page.
Source: United States Air Force
ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —
Assistance to reduce potential impacts in the event of a government shutdown on Airmen, Guardians, civilians, and their families is available through various means.
Those experiencing financial difficulties should contact their chain of command, who can provide more information on the financial aid organizations below.
Compensation:
The Military Leaders Economic Security Toolkit, located on the Military OneSource website, offers information and support. The site is updated regularly to reflect challenges and policy changes related to economic security.
Unemployment Benefits:
Furloughed employees are eligible to apply for unemployment benefits, but excepted employees working on a full-time basis are generally not eligible. Employees who wish to file should do so with the Unemployment Office for the state where the employee worked (i.e., last official duty station prior to furlough). Please be advised, however, that when employees receive retroactive pay, they will be required to pay back any unemployment benefits they received, in accordance with State law. For more information, see OPM guidance and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees.
Personal Financial Readiness:
The Military and Family Readiness Center personal financial readiness program sustains and improves financial literacy and readiness by offering information, education, training, and free personal financial counseling to Airmen, Guardians, and their families. The DAF has also increased the number of Personal Financial Managers available to assist and enhance financial readiness and money management skills for members and their families.
The Air Force Aid Society continues to support emergent needs such as basic living expenses (e.g., food, rent/mortgage, utilities), vehicle expenses (e.g., payments, repairs, insurance), and child care costs. Airmen and Guardians can submit requests through local Military and Family Readiness Centers and Airman and Family Readiness Centers.
If Airmen, Guardians, or their families are not near an aid organization, they may seek financial assistance from the Red Cross.
Several banking institutions, such as USAA, Navy Federal Credit Union, and Marine Federal Credit Union, have been known to advance military pay to their customers during government shutdowns. Contact your bank to inquire about their policies for situations like these.
Food Insecurity:
First sergeants and Military and Family Readiness Centers assist Airmen, Guardians, and their families in need of food security-related grants and loans with referrals to programs such as: U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Federal Subsistence Supplemental Allowance program, and the Air Force Aid Society.
The FY22 National Defense Authorization Act established a Basic Needs Allowance. The BNA Program provides supplemental income for military members and dependents whose gross household income falls below 130% of federal poverty guidelines.
TRICARE:
In response to the ongoing possibilities of a government shutdown, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) has authorized its TRICARE contractors to continue delivering health care to the 9.4 million beneficiaries of TRICARE. TRICARE beneficiaries seeking medical care from private providers should feel no significant effects. Care at military hospitals and clinics would remain largely unaffected. The TRICARE website includes current information about the impact of the shutdown on TRICARE health plans and military hospitals and clinics.
Overseas and Remote Commissaries:
Check status of local commissaries to determine the status of your local store. During a shutdown some non-appropriated fund services may continue to operate. Check with your local installation’s website to determine which services will remain open in your area. If able, plan ahead and minimize its impact on day-to-day routine.
To see contingency plans for federal government agencies visit:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/agency-contingency-plans/
Additional Helpful Links:
CONTINGENCY PLAN GUIDANCE FOR CONTINUATION OF ESSENTIAL OPERATIONS IN THE ABSENCE OF AVAILABLE APPROPRIATIONS: https://media.defense.gov/2023/Sep/12/2003299418/-1/-1/1/GUIDANCE-FOR-CONTINUATION-OF-OPERATIONS-DURING-A-LAPSE-IN-APPROPRIATIONS.PDF
AFPC TOTAL FORCE SERVICE CENTER: http://www.afpc.af.mil/
U.S. OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT: http://www.opm.gov/furlough
OMB OVERVIEW & FAQS: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/furlough-guidance/guidance-for-shutdown-furloughs.pdf
Source: United States Air Force
NEW HAVEN, CT —
The Department of the Air Force (DAF) has agreed to review the discharges of thousands of veterans affected by post-traumatic stress disorder (“PTSD”), Traumatic Brain Injury (“TBI”), or other mental health conditions, or who experienced sexual assault or sexual harassment. The DAF will also implement administrative reforms for individuals who apply to have their discharge statuses upgraded in the future. These reforms follow a settlement reached in the nationwide class action Johnson v. Kendall, brought by Air Force veterans Martin Johnson and Jane Doe.
Under the settlement, the Air Force Discharge Review Board (AFDRB) will automatically reconsider decisions on applications received between September 13, 2015 and the effective date of settlement, in which the AFDRB denied the discharge upgrade requests of veterans who claimed their mental health conditions or sexual assault or sexual harassment experiences caused their characterization of service to be Under Honorable Conditions (General) or Under Other Than Honorable Conditions (UOTHC). The settlement also expands the right to reapply for an upgrade to eligible applicants who were discharged and applied to the AFDRB between September 13, 2006 and September 12, 2015, but received an adverse AFDRB decision.
“I am pleased that the Air Force is taking steps through this settlement to make the AFDRB more accessible to veterans like me who love and have served this country,” said Martin Johnson, an Air Force veteran with PTSD who brought the suit on behalf of the settlement class. “I am glad the Air Force is committed to taking less-than-Honorably discharged veterans’ mental health and trauma seriously.”
“The Department of the Air Force’s actions to resolve this case underscore our continued commitment to provide former Airmen and Guardians fairness, due process, equity, and justice in all cases that are submitted to our review boards,” said Mr. Alex Wagner, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.
The settlement also ensures that Air Force, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, and Space Force veterans who submit applications for discharge upgrades in the future will benefit from procedural reforms and new protocols for decision-making in cases involving symptoms or diagnoses of PTSD, TBI, other mental health conditions, or evidence of experiences of sexual trauma. The settlement requires the AFDRB to establish a one-year pilot program giving veterans who claim a mental health condition or experience of sexual trauma, but who fail to submit sufficient evidence of the condition or experience an opportunity to supplement the record; to commit required medical opinions to writing; to provide a phone number for applicants to call with inquiries; to train its members and staff on how mental health conditions can lead to misconduct, and how to identify and combat unconscious bias against persons with disabilities or who have had an experience of sexual trauma; to provide a universal video teleconference option for veterans who wish to have a personal appearance but cannot travel to Washington, D.C.; and to advise applicants of their right to request accommodations, including for disabilities.
“The Johnson settlement ensures that veterans who develop disabilities because of their service, such as Mr. Johnson and Ms. Doe, receive the support they have earned from the country they gave years of their lives to serve. We are hopeful this settlement will allow the AFDRB to implement the changes needed to allow veterans with disabilities an equal opportunity to apply for benefits they deserve,” said Grace Fenwick, a law-student intern in the Veterans Legal Services Clinic at Yale Law School, which represents the plaintiffs with co-counsel Jenner & Block LLP.
Veterans of the Department of the Air Force who were discharged with less-than-fully-honorable service characterizations while having a diagnosis of, or showing symptoms of, the conditions or experiences listed above may be eligible for relief. Discharge upgrades are not guaranteed, and applications will be decided on a case-by-case basis. Eligible veterans who have been identified by the Department of the Air Force will receive notice of their rights under the settlement.
However, Department of the Air Force veterans who do not receive notice may still be eligible for relief.
The full text of the settlement can be found at www.JohnsonAirForceSettlement.com. For more information, please contact the Yale Veterans Legal Services Clinic at johnson.settlement@ylsclinics.org.
Class members may wish to become more active in the lawsuit either through joining the final approval hearing or objecting. The final approval hearing for this settlement will be held on December 4, 2023, and all class members are welcome to join. If class members wish to object to the class, they can do so by filing an objection with the court and voicing their argument in the final approval hearing. Judge Charles S. Haight, Jr. of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut will take any objections into account when deciding whether to grant final approval of the settlement.