Based in Washington, Jen manages Aviation Week’s worldwide defense, space and security coverage.
Prior to taking on her current role, Jen was Aviation Week's Congressional Editor. Jen came to Aviation Week in March 2011 from Politico, where she covered the intersection of defense and politics. She also worked as a reporter and editor for Defense Daily, Inside the Army, The Other Paper and The Columbus Dispatch.
Jen received a Master’s degree in journalism as a Kiplinger Fellow at the Ohio State University. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in history and journalism from the University of Michigan.
When it comes to campaign air travel, incumbents have a clear advantage. Each hour, the cost to fly Air Force One is $179,750, according to a new Congressional Research Service report. But when traveling to a campaign stop, the president and his assistants reimburse the government for a mere fraction—the price of a commercial air ticket. The government picks up the tab for the president's security staff, who are always considered on official duty. The cost per flight hour is so high because when the president flies, there's an advance team to consider.
The Air Force suffered a back-to-back pummeling by two House committees over its proposal for deep cuts to the Air National Guard (ANG). Now the Senate is piling on. Senators are dismissing the Air Force's plan to scale back Guard forces to help meet federally mandated budget reductions, complaining that it was hastily made without adequate supporting analysis.
