State of the Air Force

Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III field questions from members of the Pentagon press corps at the Pentagon, May 24, 2013. During the press briefing, Donley and Welsh addressed the force structure, readiness and modernization challenges the Air Force is facing in the current fiscal environment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)

State of the Air Force

Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III field questions from members of the Pentagon press corps at the Pentagon, May 24, 2013. During the press briefing, Donley and Welsh addressed the force structure, readiness and modernization challenges the Air Force is facing in the current fiscal environment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)

New under secretary of the Air Force

Mr. Timothy Beyland, (left), the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, delivers the oath of office to Mr. Eric Fanning installing him as the new Under Secretary of the Air Force at a ceremony at the Pentagon on April 29, 2013. (U.S. Air Force photo/Michael J. Pausic)

New under secretary of the Air Force

Mr. Eric Fanning was sworn in April 29, 2013, as the next under secretary of the Air Force during a Pentagon ceremony. (Courtesy image)

Sequestration

Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Larry Spencer (right) answers a question posed to him by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. (left), during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support. April 18, 2013, in Washington, D.C. During the hearing, Spencer said low readiness levels resulting from two decades of sustained combat operations and further hindered by sequestration will impact the Air Force's ability to adequately perform its mission. Seated at the table with Spencer are from left: U.S. Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John Campbell, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Mark Ferguson and Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. John Paxton. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jim Varhegyi)

Combat aviation testimony on Capitol Hill

Air Force Lt. Gen. Burton Field looks on while U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Charles Davis answers a question posed to him about combat aviation programs being budgeted for fiscal year 2014 during a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee's Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C., April 17, 2013. Davis is the Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. He is responsible for research and development, test, production and modernization of Air Force programs. Field is deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements and also serves as the Air Force operations deputy to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. . (U.S. Air Force photo/Jim Varhegyi)

Reserve, Guard leaders discuss FY14 budget at Senate

Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., (left) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), listen to testimony from Reserve and National Guard leaders April 17, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. The senators lead the largest committee in the U.S. Senate. They are responsible for reviewing the FY14 President's Budget Request, hearing testimony from government officials and drafting the spending plans for the coming fiscal year. Mikulski is the chairwoman of the full U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations and Durbin is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Defense. (U.S. Air Force photo/Col. Bob Thompson)

Reserve, Guard leaders discuss FY14 budget at Senate

Lt. Gen. James F. Jackson testifies during a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense April 17, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Reserve Component leaders testified to the committee about the FY14 President's Budget request. The proposed budget has about $5 billion to fund Air Force Reserve requirements. This includes the operation and training of 34 wings, funds 102,212 flying hours, maintains 362 aircraft, and provides for the readiness of 71,400 Citizen Airmen. Jackson is the chief of the Air Force Reserve. (U.S. Air Force photo/Col. Bob Thompson)

Budget testimony to Congress

Ms. Kathleen Ferguson, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for installations, Environment and Logistics, testifies before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction-Veteran Affairs, April 12, 2013. Ferguson’s statement included topics as military construction, military family housing, environmental, energy and base realignment and closure. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Carlin Leslie)

Fiscal 2014 budget

Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley gives his opening statement during a hearing with the House Armed Services Committee, April 12, 2013, in Washington, D.C. Both Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III were on Capitol Hill to discuss the Air Force's fiscal 2014 budget. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)

Reserve Components

(U.S. Air Force graphic, photo/Scott Ash)

Congress reviews reserve forces equipment needs

Lt. Gen. James F. Jackson discusses equipment and budget needs with the congressional Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces March 19, 2013, at the Rayburn Building, Washington D.C. The committee members talked with the reserve component leaders about strategies for tightening federal budgets and how to best capitalize on the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of the reserve forces. General Jackson is the chief of the Air Force Reserve. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott Ash)