America can ill afford to lose its military superiority, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said Sept. 30, his last day as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Speaking to the audience gathered at Virginia's Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall here to watch him transfer the chairmanship to Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, Mullen said decisions made in the coming months will determine what kind of military the nation will have during the next 20 to 30 years.
The admiral noted the U.S. military forces have fought for a decade in Iraq and Afghanistan, and now face "looming threats" posed by Iran and North Korea, challenges in cyberspace and China's growing military capabilities.
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The Defense Department issued guidance saying decisions for use of DOD property should be made on a "sexual-orientation neutral" basis, and that military chaplains do not have to officiate at ceremonies that go against their religious tenets.
The memos -- signed by General Counsel Jeh Johnson and Clifford L. Stanley, the defense undersecretary for personnel and readiness -- have been sent to the field. They are part of the revamp of policies, regulations and guidance brought on by repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy Sept. 20.
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This week's photo highlights feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.
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To the men, women and families of the armed forces of the United States,
It has been the greatest privilege of my life to serve as your Chairman for the last four years. Everywhere Deborah and I went to see you and your families we walked away humbled by the magnitude of the responsibility you have volunteered to carry and strengthened by the willingness and dignity with which you carry it.
From my first day on the job, I pledged to ensure you had the right strategy, leadership and resources to accomplish your missions. I believe we worked hard to get that right. But you are the ones who turned back the tide of violence in Iraq, made huge strides towards a more secure Afghanistan and defended our Nation's interests around the globe. Even with all the demands we've placed on you, you still look for ways to do even more to help those in need.
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The Defense Department has made saving energy a priority in everything it does, the deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment said Sept. 29.
Dorothy Robyn manages and oversees permanent military installations worldwide and manages installations programs that involve energy, the environment, safety and occupational health. She spoke here at the 2011 Washington Energy Summit, whose theme was Powering Cities of the Future.
"We are committed to improving our energy performance for mission reasons, (and) we're taking energy into account in everything we do," Robyn said.
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Military retirees enrolling in the TRICARE Prime health plan after Oct. 1 will begin paying slightly higher annual fees, Pentagon officials announced Sept 30.
The fee change for fiscal 2012 means the plan will cost $260 per year for members and $520 per year for members and family. The increase amounts to an additional $2.50 per month for individual members and $5 per month for members and family, officials said. Active duty service members receive health care with no out-of-pocket costs.
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The Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency now has the trifecta of cryptologic machines on display.
Working in concert with the National Security Agency's National Cryptologic Center Museum at Fort Meade, Md., the AFISRA History Office received on loan an M-125 Fialka, which is a 10-rotor cipher machine developed by the Soviet Union in the late 1950's and used during the Cold War until that country's collapse in 1991.
The Fialka, which in English means "violent," was unveiled at a ceremony Sept. 22 in the AFISRA Heritage Center here. It joined Nazi Germany's Enigma and the United States' Sigaba, as the only known co-located display of the three encryption/decryption devices.
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Remarks from Lt. Gen. James Kowalski concerning the state of Global Strike Command during the Air Force Association Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition, National Harbor at Oxon Hill, Md., Sept. 21, 2011.
Below is the transcript:
I had sort of hoped that after you heard the Secretary yesterday talk about the importance of the Triad everybody would be happy and there would be nobody here. [Laughter]. But then I guess the flip side of that is I heard the applause and I thought well, on the other hand, there could be a lot of people interested in this.
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Remarks from General Duncan McNabb concerning the state of USTRANSCOM during the Air Force Association Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition, National Harbor at Oxon Hill, Md., Sept. 21, 2011.
Below is the transcript:
It's great to be back with you all. I can, once again the lights are so bright I can't tell who's sleeping, so I know getting this coveted right after lunch slot always really helps. Everybody's feeling really good and ready to rest up.
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Remarks during the Air Force Association Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition, from Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt, concerning the state of the Air National Guard, National Harbor at Oxon Hill, Md., Sept. 20, 2011.
Transcript follows:
I'm very proud of the Air National Guard. I'm going to talk a little bit later on about where the Air National Guard is positioned right now, at this particular time in history, and how it relates to some of the challenges that the country faces and the Department of Defense faces.
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