Letter to Airmen updates force reduction status

  • Published
  • By Janie Santos
  • Air Force News Agency
In the latest Letter to Airmen, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne discusses how force reduction cuts ensure that the Air Force will remain the world's premier air, space and cyberspace force. 

"One of the duties we have as Airmen is assuring future Airmen that they will be as capable and confident to accomplish the mission as we are today," Mr. Wynne said.

Secretary Wynne said that the need to ensure the ongoing war on terrorism operations and personnel readiness against the age and capabilities of current air and space inventories for the uncertain future is an issue the Air Force must address.

"Faced with these competing demands, our options are to either let our unmatched capabilities wither or cut our manning to invest in tomorrow's warfighting capabilities. We must accept the latter - as painful as it is - if we are to remain the world's premier air, space and cyberspace force," Mr. Wynne said.
 
"I know this means more of our fine Airmen will be departing our service early, and I am not happy about it," the secretary said.  "But ultimately, our duty is to answer our nation's call, and to fund our readiness requirements means we must also reduce personnel."

The secretary said that the 40,000 active, Guard, Reserve and civilian cuts highlighted in the fiscal 2007 President's Budget freed critical resources.

"There are no plans to extend our restructuring beyond the current 40,000 reduction; in fact our drawdown is subject to change as we reap the benefits of productivity-enhancing initiatives and as we evaluate Army and Marine Corps end-strength increases," the secretary said.

Secretary Wynne's Letter to Airmen and and other senior leader viewpoints can be found in the Library section of Air Force Link.

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