Moving Aussies:
Two of the newly arrived C-17s at Hickam AFB, Hawaii, are on the wing—this time aiding the short-notice movement of Australian forces from the Solomon Islands to Australia, as the Aussies mobilized their forces to support international peace operations in East Timor, which is awash in civil unrest. Pacific Air Forces has been employing the new airlifters and recently indoctrinated air and ground crews in real world contingencies since the aircraft first started calling Hawaii home earlier this year. For this latest mission, PACAF quickly dispatched about 25 active and Air National Guard airmen from Hickam and contingency response forces from Andersen AFB, Guam, to the Solomon Islands and Australia.
The Air Force is conducting a detailed investigation of environmental hazards at ICBM bases as part of its broad study of cancer risks at the facilities. There is an improved understanding of the environment and factors that can affect the issue, as well as better technology and “access both to…