Air Force trying to stay relevant - Part 2

As I concluded in Part 1, the Air Force doesn’t have a role in dealing with a rogue leader “who wants to flex his muscles.” So why then are they running an ad suggesting that they do?

I’m sure you’ve seen other variations of the Air Force’s new ad campaign. There’s one where a satellite is shot down and another where the Pentagon is under a cyber attack. Both of these ads conclude that space and cyber warfare are the Air Force’s domain.

So when I saw this latest ad, it started to become clear what the Air Force was doing. Cyber, space, and rogue leader warfare are not the responsibility of any one military service today. Yet presumably they are increasing threats to US national security.

I don’t think the Air Force has any role in dealing with rogue leaders, but the reality is that the more appropriate services to deal with this type of problem (Army and Marines) are busy in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Air Force is supporting the other services there, but they aren’t consumed in these conflicts.

And here the Air Force’s problem begins to emerge. Their budget is getting cut to support the war effort in the Middle East. Recently, the LA Times attached this trend to these ads:

Some lawmakers perceive the ads as an Air Force effort to acquire newer equipment. And, in rare criticism from others in the military, some Pentagon officials believe that the ads are meant to buck Bush administration spending priorities and to push the Air Force’s agenda. “It doesn’t look like a recruiting ad,” said a senior Pentagon official. “The Air Force does appear to be pushing the envelope.”

The ads are part of a $25-million campaign called “Above All,” for television, radio, the Internet and newspapers. Unlike traditional recruiting campaigns, the ads do not highlight what the military offers individuals who join. Instead, they stress how the Air Force protects the nation.

This makes it clear that these ads are an attempt by the Air Force to keep its largess relevant. While they do perform a vital duty, it’s a stretch to say that we need to spend grand sums to wage space warfare — considering the space capabilities of other countries are primitive. Cyber warfare is much more justifiable, but considering our current conflicts, it’s also on the back burner. Rogue leaders are a problem, but it’s unclear on what the Air Force has to contribute, other than generating support for the enemy.

What should also be noted is how much the Air Force is spending on itself. $25 million this year and $50 million next year. These aren’t recruiting ads. The Air Force has no problem meeting its recruiting goals. The Air Force is spending taxpayer money to argue for getting more taxpayer money. Outrageous.