ExecutiveGov unveiled a number of timely and important news items this week geared toward the government and government contracting executive. 
Two of the most vital stories the website published included a story about Air Combat Command restoring its flying hours program after grounding its units for three months.
Returning to flying is an important first step, but what we have ahead of us is a measured climb to recovery,” ACC Commander Gen. Mike Hostage was quoted as saying, noting that the flying hours are only assured for fiscal 2013.
“(For fiscal 2014 and beyond) budget uncertainly makes it difficult to determine whether we’ll be able to sustain a fully combat-ready force,” he added.
According to the article, the operations will run until October 1, using funds from a Congress-approved $1.8 billion reprogramming allocation.
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ExecutiveGov also published a story on asking the White House decide on a definite number of U.S. forces that will remain in Afghanistan.
“The lack of clarity on this point has led to too much hedging in the region,” Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) told administration officials at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing Thursday.
“Afghans who may otherwise be interested in building a fledgling democracy want to know that they will not be abandoned by the U.S. as the Taliban claims they will be,” the committee chairman added.
Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) told the committee the “continued navel-gazing” is affecting not only U.S. efforts in Afghanistan but also the military and the nation’s allies.
Both lawmakers indicated they would rather see President Barack Obama safeguard the integrity of Afghanistan’s presidential elections in October than focus on pursuing peace talks with the Taliban.
James Dobbins, White House special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, told the committee that the president was “still reviewing his options” on the military presence.
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