Reoptimization for Great Power Competition

“I’m extremely proud of the Space Force and all the good it has accomplished. But, as good as we are, as much as we’ve done, as far as we’ve come, it’s not enough. We are not yet optimized for Great Power Competition.”

~ Chief of Space Operations
Gen. Chance Saltzman

The establishment of the U.S. Space Force was a direct response to threats arising from Great Power Competition in the space domain. Nevertheless, our legacy roots leave us sub-optimized for the security environment confronting us today, and we must finish fine-tuning the service to continue meeting its National Defense Strategy responsibilities

In early 2024, the Department of the Air Force unveiled sweeping plans for reshaping, refocusing, and reoptimizing the Air Force and Space Force to ensure continued supremacy in their respective domains while better posturing the services to deter and, if necessary, prevail in an era of Great Power Competition. Through a series of 24 DAF-wide key decisions, four core areas which demand the Department’s attention will be addressed: Develop People, Generate Readiness, Project Power and Develop Capabilities.

The space domain is no longer benign; it has rapidly become congested and contested.

We must enhance our capabilities, develop Guardians for modern warfare, prepare for the high intensity fight, and strengthen our power projection to thrive and win in this new era of Great Power Competition.

Video by 1st Lt. Katherine Bustos Chaves

BROLL: African Lion 24 features forensics classes on fingerprinting and tool markings in Bizerte, Tunisia

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

May 1, 2024 | 2:48

Members of the U.S. Forensic Exploitation Department, based at the Djibouti Joint Theater Forensic Analysis Center, instruct the Tunisian Armed Forces on transferring fingerprints to paper and examining tool marks on evidence during African Lion 2024 on April 30, 2024. This marks the 20th anniversary of U.S. Africa Command’s premier joint exercise led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), running from April 19 to May 31 across Morocco, Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia, with over 8,100 participants from 27 nations and NATO contingents. (U.S. Army video by 1st Lt. Katherine T. Bustos Chaves)

Shot List
(00:00) WIDE SHOT: Megan Staudenmaier, laten print examiner, instructs Tunisian Armed Forces (TAF) how to put fingerprints on paper.
(10:00) CLOSE UP SHOT: A member of TAF uses his hands to control the finger printing process of another member of TAF.
(17:00) CLOSE UP SHOT: Staudenmaier instructs members of TAF how to properly assist another person with finger printing on paper.
(25:00) CLOSE UP SHOT: A member of TAF uses his hands to control the finger printing process of another member of TAF.
(35:00) MEDIUM SHOT: Staudenmaier instructs TAF how to properly assist another person with finger printing on paper. TAF take the feedback and try again.
(55:00) MEDIUM SHOT: Staudenmaier demonstrates using fingerprinting tape to read fingerprints.
(1:22:00) WIDE SHOT: Mary Ulloa, firearms and toolmarks examiner, gives class on using tool marks found on evidence to find the tools used.
(1:35:00) WIDE SHOT: Ulloa gives class on tools markings.
(1:59:00) CLOSE UP SHOT: Ulloa and TAF’s hands while Ulloa gives class on tools markings.
(2:17:00) CLOSE UP SHOT: Ulloa gives class on tools markings, shot shows the hands of member of TAF.
(2:22:00) CLOSE UP SHOT: Ulloa cutting up blue tube to use in tools marking class.
(2:31:00) CLOSE UP SHOT: Closer shot of Ulloa hands cutting up blue tube to use in tools marking class.