air force
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Vice President Vance to USAFA grads: Honor tradition, innovate for future
As artificial intelligence and space defense become more prevalent in warfare, Vice President JD Vance told the 2026 Air Force Academy graduating class to uphold their standards while embracing innovation on a cloudy Thursday morning. Marking the academy’s 68th graduating class and the United States of America’s 250th anniversary, Vance told this year’s 931 graduating…
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Academy freshmen know the rules better than Trump, and other beefs | BIDLACK
I wanted to start this essay with a reference to my regular reader, but as it happens, he and his wife are overseas as I type these words. Their trip’s purpose is to scout possible retirement locations outside the United States, should the current imperial Trumpism continue beyond the coming election cycles. I personally am…
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Shall future military leaders be mere ideological drones? | BIDLACK
As my regular reader will recall (Hi, Jeff!) from my mentioning it here dozens of times, I spent the largest part of my 25-plus years as an active-duty Air Force officer teaching at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Though I taught a wide range of courses during the 15 years I spent there…
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Air Force hits recruitment goal with new body fat standards, marijuana waivers and other changes
The Air Force hit its recruiting goal for 2024 after implementing numerous changes such new body fat standards, marijuana waivers and new legal permanent resident requirements. In a written statement, Brig. Gen. Christopher Amrhein, commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service, said no single change made the difference, but numerous factors helped, such as removing…
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Next Air Force Academy superintendent, Tony Bauernfeind, nominated
President Joe Biden has nominated Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind to become the next superintendent of the Air Force Academy, according to a Monday news release. If confirmed by the Senate, Bauernfeind will succeed Lt. Gen. Richard Clark, who made history in 2020 when he was named the Academy’s first Black Superintendent. “I am humbled by…
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Alabama lawmaker tries to push Air Force on Space Command decision
An Alabama lawmaker is pressing the Air Force for answers on a future permanent home for Space Command and proposing to cut the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force’s travel budget until they are provided. The command oversees military deterrence and defense in space and has been at the center of a political…
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Air Force Academy receives record $51.7M in 2022 donations
Donors contributed a record $51.7 million to support Air Force Academy initiatives in 2022. Over 7,500 graduates, parents, families, foundations and corporations contributed funds through the Air Force Academy Foundation, bolstering the total investment in the Defining Our Future campaign to $248.26 million. Defining Our Future campaigns for private funding to support and develop academy…
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Colorado drone mystery: Air Force denies involvement as investigation intensifies
The Air Force issued a “not us” denial Thursday, a week after The Gazette questioned whether a Wyoming base was behind the mysterious sightings of drone swarms over northeastern Colorado in recent weeks. F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, which controls a string of missile silos in an area where drones have been spotted,…
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Congressional deal means Space Force cleared for launch
A rare congressional compromise, backed by the White House and set for a vote this week, will give birth to a new military service for space, with Colorado airmen forming the core cadre of the new Space Force. Details on the new service were sparse Monday, but insiders say it will fall under the Department…
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Colorado politicians make final push to keep U.S. Space Command
With a new defense secretary on the job, Colorado politicians are bombarding the Pentagon with pleas to keep the new U.S. Space Command here. Republican U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner is the latest, a few days behind Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera and the El Paso Board of County Commissioners. The new push is aimed at Defense…