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

Preventive Medicine conducts data collection and training at African Lion 2024

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

April 30, 2024 | 3:07

U.S. Army Maj. Emily Allsop, environmentalist scientist with the 1863rd Medical Detachment Preventive Medicine, and Sgt. Rock Wester, a preventive medicine specialist with the 983rd Medical Detachment Preventive Medicine, 12th Medical Detachment Preventive Medicine, conduct entomological and water data collection at the 61st Officer’s Mess, in Bizerte, Tunisia, April 30, 2024. African Lion 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of U.S. Africa Command’s premiere joint exercise led by 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 photo by 1st Lt. Katherine T. Bustos Chaves)

Shot List:
(00:00) WIDE SHOT: SGT Wester and MAJ Allsop fill out public health data sheet .
(05:00) CLOSE SHOT: SGT Wester and MAJ Allsop fill out public health data sheet .
(09:00) CLOSE SHOT: SGT Wester and MAJ Allsop fill out public health data sheet .
(18:00) MEDIUM SHOT: SGT Wester describes part of their unit’s tasks.
(26:00) WIDE SHOT: SGT Wester and MAJ Allsop look for mosquito larva in still water.
(33:00) MEDIUM SHOT: SGT Wester and MAJ Allsop look for mosquito larva in still water.
(37:00) MEDIUM SHOT: MAJ Allsop annotates entomological activity in the area.
(46:00) WIDE SHOT: SGT Wester and MAJ Allsop look for entomological activity in the area.
(52:00) WIDE SHOT: SGT Wester and MAJ Allsop look for entomological activity in the area.
(58:00) MEDIUM SHOT: SGT Wester and MAJ Allsop look for entomological activity in the area.
(1:03:00) WIDE SHOT: SGT Wester looks for entomological activity in the area.
(1:00:07) MEDIUM SHOT: SGT Wester and MAJ Allsop look for entomological activity in the area.
(1:09:00) MEDIUM SHOT: SGT Wester and MAJ Allsop prepare sample containers for water collection.
(1:11:00) MEDIUM SHOT: SGT Wester and MAJ Allsop prepare sample containers for water collection.
(1:24:00) MEDIUM SHOT: SGT Wester and MAJ Allsop prepare sample containers for water collection.
(1:35:00) CLOSE UP SHOT: SGT Wester and MAJ Allsop label sample containers for water collection.
(1:41:00) CLOSE UP: SGT Wester handles a colorimeter to prepare for water collection. It shoots laser into the water with a special chemical to read the refraction of light and calculate the chemical compounds within the water.
(1:42:00) CLOSE UP SHOT: MAJ Allsop takes out gloves from kit bag.
(1:45:00) CLOSE UP SHOT: SGT Wester puts on gloves.
(1:50:00) CLOSE UP SHOT: SGT Wester puts on gloves.
(1:54:00) CLOSE UP SHOT: MAJ Allsop goes through kit bag.
(2:00:00) CLOSE UP SHOT: MAJ Allsop handles a Kestrel 5700, a weather reading device designed to read and calculate heat index and wind.
(2:07:00) CLOSE UP SHOT: MAJ Allsop handles a Kestrel 5700, a weather reading device designed to read and calculate heat index and wind.
(2:08:00) CLOSE UP SHOT: MAJ Allsop handles a Kestrel 5700, a weather reading device designed to read and calculate heat index and wind.
(2:11:00) CLOSE UP SHOT: MAJ Allsop annotates Kestrel readings.
(2:16:00) CLOSE UP SHOT: MAJ Allsop handles a Kestrel 5700, a weather reading device designed to read and calculate heat index and wind.
(2:25:00) MEDIUM SHOT: SGT Wester, MAJ Allsop, and CPT Balke discuss radioactive materials service members may be exposed to during CBRN training.
(2:44:00) WIDE SHOT: Mobile water collection laboratory where all water testing and data collection are completed in Bizerte hotel room. Shot showcases incubator, specimen containers, and DR890 water colorimeter.
(2:46:00) MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT: Mobile water collection laboratory where all water testing and data collection are completed in Bizerte hotel room. Shot showcases incubator, specimen containers, and DR890 water colorimeter.
(2:50:00) MEDIUM SHOT: Mobile water collection laboratory where all water testing and data collection are completed in Bizerte hotel room. Shot showcases incubator, specimen containers, and DR890 water colorimeter.
(2:52:00) WIDE SHOT: Mobile water collection laboratory where all water testing and data collection are completed in Bizerte hotel room. Shot showcases incubator, specimen containers, and DR890 water colorimeter.
(2:57:00) MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT: Mobile water collection laboratory where all water testing and data collection are completed in Bizerte hotel room. Shot showcases incubator, specimen containers, DR890 water colorimeter, free chlorine/ total chlorine powder packs and a white bottle of phenol.
(3:03:00) CLOSE UP SHOT: SGT Wester demonstrating bacteriological and E.coli test showing water at the hotel has tested negative for E.coli (A positive E.coli test put under UV light would glow fluorescent green).