john danner. please hold your applause to the end. josh broken, which writes a blog on foreign policy and national security. stephen trimble, a reporter with flight international. jim michaels, a defense reporter for ""usa today." christopher castelli, chief editor, "inside the pentagon." andrew schneider, associate editor and chairman of pc's speaking committee. jim asker, executive editor of "aviation week." kristin is a new member of the national press club cb. vick sestead at morgan stanley. >in june 2008, the air force was in trouble. relations with congress, the defense secretary, and other services were strained for a variety of reasons. the multibillion-dollar refueling program was grounded. calls were mounting to stop buying the costly f-22 fighter jet. personal recently lost track of nuclear weapons in transit. defense secretary robert gates had had enough. he ousted the air force secretary and chief of staff. the new choice was a general norton schwartz who is today's speaker. in choosing him, president obama wanted to sign