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      Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein discusses the current state and future of the Air Force with former Rep. Jim Talent, the senior fellow and director of the National Security 2020 Project, Marilyn Ware Center for Security Studies, in Washington, D.C., Jan. 18, 2017.  (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)CSAF Conversation of American Airpower
                        
                        
                        Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein discusses the current state and future of the Air Force with former Rep. Jim Talent, the senior fellow and director of the National Security 2020 Project, Marilyn Ware Center for Security Studies, in Washington, D.C., Jan. 18, 2017.  (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein discusses the current state and future of the Air Force with former Rep. Jim Talent, the senior fellow and director of the National Security 2020 Project, Marilyn Ware Center for Security Studies, in Washington, D.C., Jan. 18, 2017.  (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)CSAF Conversation of American Airpower
                        
                        
                        Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein discusses the current state and future of the Air Force with former Rep. Jim Talent, the senior fellow and director of the National Security 2020 Project, Marilyn Ware Center for Security Studies, in Washington, D.C., Jan. 18, 2017.  (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein discusses the current state and future of the Air Force with former Rep. Jim Talent, the senior fellow and director of the National Security 2020 Project, Marilyn Ware Center for Security Studies, in Washington, D.C., Jan. 18, 2017.  (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)CSAF Conversation of American Airpower
                        
                        
                        Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein discusses the current state and future of the Air Force with former Rep. Jim Talent, the senior fellow and director of the National Security 2020 Project, Marilyn Ware Center for Security Studies, in Washington, D.C., Jan. 18, 2017.  (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Goldfein addresses priorities for the 21st centuryPublished Jan. 19, 2017
                    
                    By Tech. Sgt. Bryan Franks
                    
                    
                    Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
            **WASHINGTON (AFNS)  --**Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein outlined his perspective on the future of American airpower and how Airmen “deployed in place” play a vital role in today’s Air Force during his discussion at the American Enterprise Institute Public Forum in Washington, D.C., Jan. 18, 2017.
Since the beginning of the Cold War, Airmen have been in a state of deployment. Today, nearly 200,000 Airmen are “deployed in place,” providing nuclear deterrence, command and control and access to space, all supporting combat missions globally. During his remarks, Goldfein reflected on the fact that since the introduction of the nuclear enterprise, no two nuclear powers have gone to war, and while conventional conflicts continue to take place, the nuclear deterrent has ensured stability. 
“We have Airmen right now, as we speak, defending the homeland, and that nuclear deterrent underwrites every military operation on the globe” Goldfein said. 
The nation’s nuclear triad is composed of three legs: nuclear missiles, nuclear capable aircraft and nuclear submarines, each essential for different reasons, and each needs to be modernized, Goldfein said as he held up an 8-inch floppy disk as one example of outdated technology the nuclear triad operates with.
Goldfein went on to talk about the Air Force’s commitments to operating in space.  
“We’ve been a steward of space since 1954 when a guy named Bernie Schriever started developing the rocket enterprise that has expanded now to the point where we as an Air Force are responsible for 12 constellations,” Goldfein said.   
Goldfein further explained how vital “deployed in place” Airmen at Schriever AFB, Colorado, are to the joint force because of the global effect space provides, and he went on to remind the audience that the Air Force’s work in space impact not just the military, but everyone.  
The general then highlighted the 35,000 Airmen “deployed in place” who work in the cyber domain taking care of all the ones and zeroes the Air Force collects and turning it into quality information for the joint warfighter.
Bringing it closer to home, Goldfein pointed out that “right now, as we sit, we have got Airmen on alert at the four corners of the globe, and that there are Airmen right now at Joint Base Andrews, (Maryland), who are on alert ready to defend the homeland--to scramble if required ... all of these Airmen are contributing to the homeland defense.
“It’s important to understand that these are Airmen that I would not deploy forward if a contingency accrued,” Goldfein continued. “Because they are doing their mission at home ... when you want to talk about striking forces in the fight against (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant), securing the homeland or providing all of this capability, the reality is you can’t find a mission the joint force performs where an Airman is not engaged and is essential for success.”
Throughout the Air Force’s 70-year history, the service has adapted resources to mission requirements; however, that trend stopped about 25 years ago, the general said.
According to the general, most of America still remembers the Air Force during Operation Desert Storm. It was a time when there were 134 fighter squadrons across the total force from which the Air Force deployed 34 squadrons to execute Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Now there are only 55 fighter squadrons total.
“Missions have grown and I predict they will continue to grow; space, cyber, ISR and nuclear – these are not going to go down,” Goldfein said. “So we’ve had 50,000 Airmen leave the Air Force while missions have grown.  So we have a math problem ... where we sit today as an Air Force is we are too big for the resources available, but far too small for what the nation demands of it and what the joint force requires.”
The general made clear that it’s time to once again adapt resources to bring them in line with not only today’s requirements, but those of the 21st century. 
You can find the complete transcript of the general’s remarks to AEI here.21st Century 



CSAF 



Goldfein 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