President Obama Nominates New JAG of the Air Force

President Obama has nominated BGen Chris Burne to be the next The JAG of the Air Force (TJAG):

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced today that the president has made the following nominations:

Air Force Brig. Gen. Christopher F. Burne has been nominated for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and for assignment as the judge advocate general, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Burne is currently serving as the staff judge advocate, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.

Like the retiring LtGen Richard Harding, whom he will replace, BrigGen Burne will skip his second star and go directly to his third.

General Harding is one of the last senior officers from the tenure of former Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz — and one of the last to have a long running, if tenuous, relationship with military religious freedom critic Michael “Mikey” Weinstein. (General Read more

Bird Strike Responsible for T-38 Crash in July

The Air Force has reported that a T-38 that crashed in July near Sheppard Air Force Base was brought down by a bird that shattered the canopy and took out an engine:

Sheppard officials said Tuesday the bird struck the jet’s canopy, shattering it and sending fragments into an engine that then failed.

The incident was compounded by the pilots’ attempts to execute a turn that increased drag. The jet lost airspeed, then stalled.

The crew safely ejected.

The Air Force recently began researching the possibility of updating the canopies on the 50+ year old T-38 fleet. Their T-X replacement trainers have reportedly been held up by government budget issues.

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Air Force Chief of Staff Calls out Leadership

Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh previously told Airmen to stop following guidance that was “stupid.”

“If it doesn’t make common sense, if it doesn’t make the mission better, if it doesn’t take better care of our people, then just don’t do it and tell your boss you’re done.”

Notably, his message was to Air Force leaders, explicitly telling them their people “don’t feel empowered” even to do what seems smart.

General Welsh recently hammered the point again, this time making the parental statement that Airmen should use “common sense:”

Common sense would dictate that if Airmen run across something in their duties that doesn’t make sense, then they should suggest better ways to do them, Welsh said…”If it doesn’t match common sense then I don’t care what it says in the AFI, let’s talk about it.”

There is enough to do, the general said, without Read more

Mikey Weinstein Targets Military Christmas. Again.

FoxNews reports that last Friday Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s “charity” once again attacked the Air Force for erecting a Nativity scene on an Air Force Base. Two years ago, it was Travis AFB in California. This year, they targeted Shaw AFB, SC:

The MRFF’s Paul Loebe wrote in a statement that since the display was not erected near a chapel, it was illegal.

“It was very sectarian in nature and a direct violation of the U.S. Constitution as well as a blatant violation of Air Force Instruction 1-1, Section 2.11,” he said.

Weinstein presumably called the office of LtGen Richard Harding, The JAG of the Air Force, and getting no relief there, called Shaw AFB via their Command Post.

Most civilians who call an Air Force base will probably be directed to Public Affairs, because it is the job of PA to help military commanders interact with the public and ensure the correct message is conveyed. Weinstein was transferred to the Commander’s office, where an “office assistant” reportedly spoke for the Air Force. The assistant told Weinstein the display was erected by “a volunteer group” and it was being taken down. Loebe was free to interpret this as the Air Force agreeing with the MRFF position:  Read more

US Military Homosexuals Find Conflict in Foreign Policies

The Stars and Stripes highlights the issues with open homosexuals trying to obtain official status while serving with US forces in Korea:

Romel Ballesteros can drive on post, drop his sons off at school, sign in guests and use the bank. But he can’t put gas in the family car or shop for groceries.

The stay-at-home father of two won’t even be allowed to watch his sons visit Santa Claus at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan’s post exchange during the Christmas season.

The reason?

Ballesteros is married to a man…

The article seems to imply the US military is to blame:  Read more

AF Band Flash Mobs Smithsonian with “Joy to the World”

Joy to the world
The Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart, prepare Him room…

Joy to the world,
The Savior reigns…

Courtesy of the US Air Force Band at the National Air and Space Museum:

Military members can appreciate a little Christmas cheer, even in uniform — as can some guests of the Smithsonian, who cheered the performance.

Atheists and religious liberty critics were a bit torn.

Also at Fox News, DOD Live, Maggie’s Notebook, The Christian Post, and the Air Force Times.

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ENDA Includes Military Exception

Much has been made of the Senate’s passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which includes sexuality as a protected category.

The Senate approved a bill Thursday outlawing workplace discrimination against gay, bisexual and transgender Americans.

The bill, which passed by a vote of 64-32, will now go to the Republican-controlled House where it faces an uphill battle and may not even come up for a vote.

Somewhat unnoticed in the press has been this caveat:

The bill would exempt religious institutions and the military.

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USAFA Seniors Learn their Fates

Cadets in the US Air Force Academy Class of 2014 were notified of their career fields on Wednesday.

Most notably, of the 1,011 cadets, 456 were selected to become pilots. (That’s 45% for those who grimace at math in public, which is slightly less than 2011.)  41 will become “cyberspace operators,” and 9 will go on to RPAs (and 4 will become “special agents” for OSI). From the official release, the rest of the list follows:  Read more

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