Air Force Comptroller to Step in as Acting Secretary After Inauguration

By Rachel S. Cohen

Air Force comptroller John P. Roth will temporarily take over as acting Air Force secretary before President-elect Joseph R. Biden names his pick to run the department, among a slew of other fiscal officials who will oversee their respective services. Defense News reported the information Jan. 14. The Biden team said in a statement it had “nothing to share for now” and the Air Force declined to comment. Roth is slated to leave the Air Force alongside multiple other high-ranking service officials, but will stick around at least briefly to manage the daily civilian oversight of the Air Force and Space Force.

DOD Grapples With Extremist Troops as Congress Urges Investigation

By Brian W. Everstine

The Pentagon is reckoning with the growing presence of ideological extremists in its ranks, especially white supremacists and militia members who target troops to bolster their organizations’ credibility. A group of lawmakers on Jan. 14 called on the Defense Department to launch a “comprehensive” investigation into the problem. The issue is a top concern in the aftermath of the deadly Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, in which multiple veterans and at least one Active-duty service member took part.

Guard to Send 21,000 Troops to D.C. for Inauguration

By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

National Guard Bureau Chief Army Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson on Jan. 14 told government leaders to expect 21,000 Guard troops to be on the ground within the National Capital Region by Inauguration Day—an approximately threefold increase over the number of troops mobilized in Washington, D.C., as of Jan. 14. “Right now we have approximately 7,000 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen on the ground in support of the Federal lead agency [the U.S. Secret Service], and we're building to 21,000 for the upcoming inauguration,” he said during a briefing at the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Washington. “They're under the command and control of Maj. Gen. William Walker, the commanding general of the D.C. National Guard and are …. providing security, communications, logistics in coordination with all supported agencies.”

ABMS, Digital Engineering Decisions on Roper’s Final To-Do List

By Rachel S. Cohen

Air Force acquisition boss Will Roper told reporters Jan. 14 he hopes to wrap up at least two final items in his last week on the job: signing a strategy to develop and buy a mini-internet for the military to use in flight, and finishing new guidance on digital engineering to carry that practice into the future. “What I would like to see get over the goal line would be taking digital engineering to its most fulsome representation in Next-Generation Air Dominance, because it matters for so much more than building a next-generation tactical airplane,” said Roper, who is leaving the Air Force after nearly three years when the Biden administration is sworn in Jan. 20. His successor will take on a daunting list of modernization projects spanning nuclear weapons and bombers, a new tanker, wingman drones, and more. But to move the $60 billion acquisition portfolio forward, the Air Force will need to work smarter, not harder.

30th Anniversary of Desert Storm

By John A. Tirpak

Operation Desert Storm, the six-week conflict that redefined modern warfare and introduced elements such as stealth, large-scale use of precision weapons, and space support, began 30 years ago Sunday. The operation shaped the world's militaries, which underwent a “revolution in military affairs” in its aftermath.

30 Years After Desert Storm

In commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of Operation Desert Storm, Air Force Magazine will post a daily recollection from the six-week war, which expelled Iraq from occupied Kuwait. This first post includes several days of events. Most future posts will just include a single day.

Virtual Events: USAFA Superintendent on Mitchell’s ‘Aerospace Nation,’ and More

By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

On Jan. 21 at 11 a.m. EST, the Air Force Association's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies will host USAFA Superintendent Lt. Gen. Richard M. Clark on the next installment of its “Aerospace Nation” series. Clark will share his insights into how the Academy is preparing cadets to face today's global challenges, the implications of the creation of the Space Force for the Academy, what it means to accelerate change in an educational institution, and other Academy priorities. Advanced registration is required. Sign up here.