State of Keesler Airforce Base Address
The Biloxi Chamber of Commerce hosted the ‘State of Keesler Air Force Base’ annual morning call.
The morning call was held in the Bay Breeze Event Center on the base. During the event, commanders shared information on the Air Force, but stressed the importance of being vigilant of potential foreign threats.
The commanders also discussed the drop in recruitment to the Air Force over the past year and how they are working towards reversing the trend.
Colonel Billy Pope Jr., commander of the 81st Training Wing, had this to share on the address. “The Secretary of Defense has put us on a really clear standing to focus on that near peer competitor that is China. You heard her, the general said China, China, China, right? And so, this is, it’s a whole nation, problem, and as we look at it from a Department of Defense perspective. From an Air Force perspective, we’re focused on how we build and mature and train that force that’s necessary to meet those near peer threats. Right, so recruiting and training become huge challenges.”
To combat the downtrend in recruitment, Col. Pope discussed in depth how the Air Force is tailoring its development process to be more immersive for younger cadets to make being an airmen more attractive for potential recruits.
