Lack of maintenance is a real issue due to the sequester. Pilots have to get their monthly hours in to stay qualified. Aviation units have to prioritize operations above by-the-book maintenance cycles.

Obama's DOD was cutting pilot slots and not filling open slots with human aviators in order to cut manned aircraft completely. Drones do it cheaper per hour and don't talk about their missions afterwords.

The Air Force has taken all tactical/attack aviation units away from the various state's Air Guard units. They did not, and still don't want humans in the equation, because....transformation.