Wilsbach Wants Air Force Leaders to Get Back in the Cockpit
Air & Space Forces Magazine | December 23, 2025
[Part 1] “There I was!”: Stories from the Cockpit and Space with the Mitchell Institute
Over the holiday season, we decided it was time to kick back and reflect upon the high adventures of past years. Lt. Gen. David. A. Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Lt. Gen. Burton Field, USAF (Ret.), JV Venable, and Heather Penney share some of their most memorable experiences from their time in uniform.
Even Aces Have Heroes: Major Bob Lodge’s Ultimate Sacrifice
We chat with Ace Colonel Chuck DeBellevue, USAF (Ret.) as he reflects upon Major Bob Lodge, a fighter pilot from the famed 555th Fighter Squadron who made the ultimate sacrifice over North Vietnam. Lodge developed cutting edge tactics, harnessed new technologies, and personally took the fight to the enemy in ways that were truly above and beyond.
U.S. Pours More Firepower Into the Caribbean as Trump Ramps Up Threats
The Wall Street Journal | December 13, 2025
Investing in Airlift: The Price of Tomorrow’s Victory
The U.S. Air Force doesn’t have enough airlift. Today’s inventory is half the size of what it was in the Cold War, but current demands are far higher and more complex. This isn’t just an Air Force problem; it impacts the entire Department of War.
More Issues
Acquisition
Empowering actors at all levels with a smart set of options at the right time and place demands procuring the most effective, efficient, and resilient set of tools.
Budgeting
Resource investment must prioritize investments that will yield best value for the Air Force, Space Force, and national security establishment as a whole.
Nuclear
Strategic deterrence is the bedrock of the national security enterprise thanks to the virtues and value of the triad.
Space
National security space activities are essential facets of any military operation, while also creating conditions essential for the civilian economy.
Strategy
Meeting national security requirements today and tomorrow requires insightful, creative approaches that prioritize America’s strengths, while not projecting undue vulnerability.