Reoptimization for Great Power Competition

GPC Key Decisions

USAF Case for Change

Air Force FAQ for Reoptimizing Great Power Competition

“We need these changes now; we are out of time to reoptimize our forces to meet the strategic challenges in a time of great power competition.”

~ Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall

The United States faces a time of consequence marked by significant shifts in the strategic environment. To remain ready, the U.S. Air Force must change.

In early 2024, the Department of the Air Force unveiled sweeping plans for reshaping, refocusing, and reoptimizing the Air Force and Space Force to ensure continued supremacy in their respective domains while better posturing the services to deter and, if necessary, prevail in an era of Great Power Competition. Through a series of 24 DAF-wide key decisions, four core areas which demand the Department’s attention will be addressed: Develop People, Generate Readiness, Project Power and Develop Capabilities.

Today, the Air Force once again finds itself at a critical juncture—an era of Great Power Competition marked by a new security environment, a rapidly evolving character of war, and a formidable competitor. This new era requires understanding its challenges and the attributes needed to succeed.

Embracing change is not a choice; it is a necessity. The Air Force must “reoptimize” into an enterprise prepared for high-end conflicts and long-term strategic competition.

Veterans in Blue 2017 - Janet Pattison

3d Audiovisual Squadron

Video by Courtesy

June 16, 2017 | 2:25

Veterans in Blue is a multimedia collection showcasing men and women who have contributed to the legacy of the Air Force.

Janet Pattison joined the Air Force in June 1992 and retired as a lieutenant colonel in February 2012. Pattison joined the Air Force partially due to her father, a Navy veteran. Pattison started as a missileer at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. She spent most of her career in Air Force Space Command, but her favorite job was as the 81st Training Support Squadron commander at Keesler AFB, Mississippi. Today, Pattison co-owns and operates T&J Island Cruises out of Biloxi, Mississippi, with her husband, Ted. She started the business to be closer to her family and because of her roots. “Growing up I spent a lot of time on the water, my dad had a boat, and I spent a lot of time on the boat.” Pattison owes the success of her business to her time in the Air Force and said that it gave her confidence in the skills necessary to be a successful entrepreneur.

Created by: 81st Training Wing Public Affairs, Keesler AFB, Mississippi

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