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Enola Gay Controversy

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USAF, Australian, and Japanese combat aircraft have been participating since mid February 2012 in the Cope North 2012 exercise in the skies above and around Guam in the western Pacific. USAF B-52s, F-15s, F-16CJs, KC-135s, and AWACS have faced off daily against Pacific Air Forces aggressor aircraft and other red team players in large-force drills meant to build interoperability and hone skills. Cope North concludes on Feb. 24, 2012. Here, an F-16 aggressor aircraft takes off from Andersen Air Force Base on the island during the exercise, Feb.15, 2012.

Air Force photo by SrA. Carlin Leslie

On the Record

Mission One
"The health and safety of our pilots—all of our pilots—is our utmost priority. Our operational flight surgeons and our medical staff interact with our pilots on a daily basis."
—Brig. Gen. Daniel Wyman, Air Combat Command command surgeon, speaking to reporters during a teleconference, May 9, 2012. He was emphasizing that the Air Force is doing all it can to ensure the safety of F-22 pilots as service officials continue to home in on the cause of why some Raptor pilots have experienced hypoxia-like symptoms in the cockpit like difficulty concentrating, fatigue, headaches, and nausea.

On the Record

Message to Congress
"If you give us force structure back, give us the money, too. Because the quickest way I know to a hollow force is to give us structure without money. Simple as that. . . . 'Make it work' is not a satisfactory solution."
—Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz articulating his message to lawmakers on the Air Force's Fiscal 2013 budget proposal during a speech at the Stimson Center in Washington, D.C., May 1, 2012. The Air Force leadership has proposed reducing force structure and personnel next fiscal year in order to maintain a ready and capable force as the service absorbs significant spending cuts.