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)

Military Construction hearing

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III testifies before the House Appropriations Committee's Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, March 5, 2013, in Washington, D.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)

Military Construction hearing

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III testifies before the House Appropriations Committee's Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, March 5, 2013, in Washington, D.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)

Undersecretary of the Air Force nominee

Eric Fanning, deputy under secretary of the Navy, testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington, D.C., Feb. 28, 2013, as part of the confirmation process to serve as the under secretary of the Air Force. If confirmed, Fanning will replace Dr. Jamie Morin, who has been the Air Force’s acting under secretary since July 3, 2012. Additional witnesses before the committee were Alan Estevez, who is nominated to be the principal deputy under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics; and Frederick Vollrath, who is nominated to be the assistant secretary of defense for readiness and force management. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)

Undersecretary of the Air Force nominee

Eric Fanning (right), deputy under secretary of the Navy, prepares to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington, D.C., Feb. 28, 2013, as part of the confirmation process to serve as the under secretary of the Air Force. If confirmed, Fanning will replace Dr. Jamie Morin, who has been the Air Force’s acting under secretary since July 3, 2012. Additional witnesses before the committee were Alan Estevez, who is nominated to be the principal deputy under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics; and Frederick Vollrath, who is nominated to be the assistant secretary of defense for readiness and force management. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)

CSAF testifies at Sequestration hearing

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III greets Rep. C.W. Bill Young, chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, before testifying on Capitol Hill, Feb. 26, 2013. During his testimony, Welsh talked about the negative impacts sequestration and a full-year continuing resolution would have on the service's people, readiness, modernization programs, and infrastructure. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)

CSAF to Congress

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

SecAF speaks at AFA symposium

Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley delivers his keynote speech on the State of the Air Force during the Air Force Association's Air Warfare Symposium & Technology Exhibition in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 22, 2013. In his remarks, Donley talked about the service's need to balance the size of its force with readiness and modernization needs in the face of sequestration. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)

Sequestration looms

Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley delivers his keynote speech on the State of the Air Force during the Air Force Association's Air Warfare Symposium & Technology Exhibition in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 22, 2013. In his remarks, Donley talked about the service's need to balance the size of its force with readiness and modernization needs in the face of sequestration. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)

Order of the Sword

Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley accepted the Air Force Order of the Sword nomination from Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy at a meeting with former chief master sergeants of the Air Force and current combatant-level and major command-level command chief master sergeants at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Jan. 23, 2013. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jim Varhegyi)

Order of the Sword

Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley accepted the Air Force Order of the Sword nomination from Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy at a meeting with former chief master sergeants of the Air Force and current combatant-level and major command-level command chief master sergeants at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Jan. 23, 2013. The Order of the Sword has been given to 246 people. Donley is the third secretary of the Air Force to be inducted into the order. He follows the Honorable F. Whitten Peters, inducted in 2000, and the Honorable James A. Roche, inducted in 2003. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jim Varhegyi)

AF leaders address sexual misconduct to Congress

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr., commander of Air Education and Training Command, appear before the House Armed Services Committee on Jan. 23, 2013, for a hearing on sexual misconduct at Basic Military Training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Welsh and Rice discussed the findings of the Basic Military Training commander-directed investigation and efforts to stop sexual assault within the service. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)

AF leaders address sexual misconduct to Congress

Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr., commander of Air Education and Training Command, testifies before the House Armed Services Committee on Jan. 23, 2013, for a hearing on sexual misconduct at Basic Military Training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)