Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Deborah Lee James, Secretary of the Air Force, talks to Airman 1st Class Nathaniel Ripp and Airman 1st Class Kaitlyn Ramstead after receiving a post briefing from the Security Forces defenders at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, March 22, 2014. Ripp and Ramstead were providing security for a venue that James was speaking at during her first official visit to Afghanistan.(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Gary J. Rihn)140322-F-BJ707-351
                        
                        
                        Deborah Lee James, Secretary of the Air Force, talks to Airman 1st Class Nathaniel Ripp and Airman 1st Class Kaitlyn Ramstead after receiving a post briefing from the Security Forces defenders at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, March 22, 2014. Ripp and Ramstead were providing security for a venue that James was speaking at during her first official visit to Afghanistan.(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Gary J. Rihn)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James talks with Airmen from the 451st Air Expeditionary Group during a stop at a static display on the flightline March 20, 2014, at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. James received a short briefing about each aircraft and held a question and answer session after the briefings. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Brian Wagner)SecAF visits Kandahar
                        
                        
                        Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James talks with Airmen from the 451st Air Expeditionary Group during a stop at a static display on the flightline March 20, 2014, at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. James received a short briefing about each aircraft and held a question and answer session after the briefings. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Brian Wagner)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Deborah Lee James, Secretary of the Air Force, watches as personnel from the 455th Expeditionary Medical Group wheel a patient to the hospital after being unloaded from a Blackhawk medevac helicopter as part of an exercise at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, March 22, 2014. The EMDG simulated taking a patient through the entire process of medevac to the recovery room for James as part of her first official visit to Afghanistan.(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Gary J. Rihn)140322-F-BJ707-267
                        
                        
                        Deborah Lee James, Secretary of the Air Force, watches as personnel from the 455th Expeditionary Medical Group wheel a patient to the hospital after being unloaded from a Blackhawk medevac helicopter as part of an exercise at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, March 22, 2014. The EMDG simulated taking a patient through the entire process of medevac to the recovery room for James as part of her first official visit to Afghanistan.(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Gary J. Rihn)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James visits Airmen assigned to the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing/NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan March 21, 2014, in Kabul, Afghanistan. James was on a three-day visit with Airmen in Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jason Robertson)140321-F-XT249-130
                        
                        
                        Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James visits Airmen assigned to the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing/NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan March 21, 2014, in Kabul, Afghanistan. James was on a three-day visit with Airmen in Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jason Robertson)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Deborah Lee James, Secretary of the Air Force, watches an exercise in the emergency room of the Craig Joint Theater Hospital, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, while being briefed about the process by Maj. Sarah Abel, March 22, 2014. CJTH is a Role III trauma center with full emergency and operating room capabilities.(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Gary J. Rihn)140322-F-BJ707-630
                        
                        
                        Deborah Lee James, Secretary of the Air Force, watches an exercise in the emergency room of the Craig Joint Theater Hospital, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, while being briefed about the process by Maj. Sarah Abel, March 22, 2014. CJTH is a Role III trauma center with full emergency and operating room capabilities.(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Gary J. Rihn)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Dr. Pamela Tucker and John Jones, who teach English to Afghan pilot students, assist Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James in landing a Cessna 182 on a flight simulator used to train prospective Afghan pilots and aircraft maintainers at Shindand Airfield, Afghanistan, March 19, 2014. James toured the flight training facility on her first official Afghanistan tour.(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joshua Drake)140319-F-ZZ999-005
                        
                        
                        Dr. Pamela Tucker and John Jones, who teach English to Afghan pilot students, assist Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James in landing a Cessna 182 on a flight simulator used to train prospective Afghan pilots and aircraft maintainers at Shindand Airfield, Afghanistan, March 19, 2014. James toured the flight training facility on her first official Afghanistan tour.(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joshua Drake)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

SecAF wraps up Afghanistan tourPublished March 24, 2014
                    
                    By Capt. Brian Wagner
                    
                    
                    455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
            **BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan  (AFNS) --**Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James visited multiple Air Force units at five bases in Afghanistan, March 19-22. This is her first official visit outside the United States since being appointed in December 2013.
                                    Her stops included Shindand Airfield, Kandahar, two locations in Kabul and Bagram Airfield.
                                    At Shindand Airfield, she met with Airmen training the Afghan Air Force airmen in English language skills, aircraft maintenance and pilot training in both fixed and rotary wing aircraft.
                                    She then headed to Kandahar Airfield for an update on retrograde operations and remotely piloted aircraft operations and spent time with Air Force senior noncommissioned officers.
                                    In Kabul, James met with Marine Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., International Security Assistance Force and United States Forces-Afghanistan commander, and discussed the importance of the military's support of the upcoming Afghan elections. She also held an Airmen's call with Airmen serving in the capital region.
                                    She concluded her Afghanistan trip at the largest base in Afghanistan, Bagram Airfield, where she visited with multiple units. She received an airfield operations flightline tour, a hospital patient reception and treatment demonstration, and a walk through the Air Force's Camp Cunningham area.
                                    After the unit tours, she held an Airmen's call to talk about her priorities of taking care of people, balancing today's readiness with tomorrow's modernization, and making every dollar count; to reemphasize the core values and further explain force management and compensation issues.
                                    One of the main discussion topics during meetings with deployed Airmen was explaining the current force management programs, including the recent two-week pause.
                                    During the pause, senior Air Force leaders wanted to ensure the numbers were correct and the process of reducing the overall numbers was being done right, said James.
                                    "The key thing that came out of the pause is that rather than doing one round of involuntary boards, we will now do two rounds," said James. "The two rounds will take place over roughly a 15-month period and if you go through round one, you're done."
                                    "The only exception is if you go through round one and there's a discipline issue, then it is possible to go to round two," said James. "We have to do this right because this is so important for the future of our Air Force."
                                    During her departing remarks she praised all Airmen serving in Afghanistan.
                                    "I have seen the Air Force in action in each of the Air Force's core missions: air and space superiority, command and control, ISR, global strike and mobility," said James. "You are coming up with solutions, at times on the fly. Solutions on how to do things better, how to save our government money and how to support the Afghan military.
                                    "I am thoroughly impressed by all of you. What a terrific week this has been; how valuable to see all of you in action to help me tell your story back in Washington."tabCommentsDeborah Lee James 



Afghanistan 



Secretary of the Air Force Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF Kendall visits Bangor ANG Base
                    
                    Vice President Harris congratulates USAFA Class of ‘24
                    
                    Senate confirms Melissa Dalton as next Under Secretary of the Air Force
                    
                    ‘One Team, One Fight’: SecAF visits Keesler AFB
                    
                    SecAF Kendall experiences VISTA of future flight test at Edwards AFBInnovation
                AFSFC reaches final phase of fielding Model Defender gear
                    
                    Around the Air Force: PCS Allowances, Air Task Forces, All-Volunteer Force
                    
                    AFIMSC focuses I-WEPTAC topics on GPC solutions
                    
                    Optimizing AI, Air University hosts Artificial Intelligence Symposium
                    
                    AFIMSC tools deliver data-driven solutions across DAFMAJCOM News
                AFMC to expand AcqDemo workforce
                    
                    AFMC empowers small businesses for Air Force reoptimization
                    
                    Acquisition Instructor Course Class 25A open for nominations
                    
                    Air Guard leaders host 2024 Wing Leader Conference
                    
                    Referral bonuses aim to help fill mission-critical vacancies
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil