Air Force Wants 350K Airmen by 2024 | Military.com
The Air Force is putting forth its wishlist to expand its active-duty force to 350,000 airmen over the next seven years, two senior service officials have disclosed to Military.com
"I'm convinced that the Air Force we need is going to be about 350,000 airmen," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein said in a statement that first appeared in USA Today.
"We got too small, too fast. We're too big an Air Force with too many programs for the budget that we have, and way too small an Air Force for what the nation is asking its Air Force to do," Goldfein said.
The Air Force is doubling down on its quest to expand the force after years of cutbacks. The push for the increase comes as President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to rebuild and increase the size of the military.
"This is what we think we need as an Air Force," one official later said on Wednesday during a phone call.
The officials said without the "balanced increase," leadership will have to look at eliminating some mission sets.
