The Commandant of the Marine Corps has said that the Marines’ “amphibious readiness may be suffering” after years of fighting on land.  In short, the wars that they are fighting now may be detracting from the tactics and training that the Marines may require to fight a future conflict.

The same is true for the Air Force.  One of the hardest things to do as a fighter pilot is to lead a four-ship of fighters against another four-ship, with each trying to outmaneuver and kill the other.  Air-to-air training requires not only skills in aircraft maneuvering and tactics, but also relies heavily on perishable mental proficiency.

Likewise, SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses, or “SAM-hunting”), deep strike, and even defensive maneuvering against ground threats are all complex skill sets–none of which the Air Force is using right now in either Afghanistan or Iraq.  Fighter units that return from months-long deployments to the two combat areas end up spending weeks regaining their skills in these areas that they haven’t practiced in for months.

General Conway said of the Marines:

We are inherently a maritime force, and we still consider that our primary responsibility, but for all intents and purposes…we have become a second land army…Now, we’re OK with that because that’s what the nation needs right now, but that can’t be the long-term future of the Corps. We’ve got to get back to sea.”

The same is true of the Air Force.  It has become, for all intents and purposes, a variation of airborne artillery for the Army.  That’s what the nation needs right now, so it works.  But that isn’t what the Air Force is all about, and it certainly won’t be that in future conflicts.