Airmen are once again embarking on an unusual mission, as 12 security forces airmen from Nellis AFB, Nev., volunteer to take over security duties in an area of Baghdad once patrolled by US Army troops. The airmen will serve in Iraq for 15 months, first going to Ft. Hood, Tex., for team training with the Army. SSgt. Robert Leighton, 99th Security Support Squadron area supervisor at Nellis, told the Bullseye base newspaper, “From what we understand, this is the first time we, the Air Force, have taken this type of role over from the Army.” The Nellis airmen are being joined by security forces volunteers from other bases, forming three USAF flights.
The Air Force wants to pump more than $12 billion over the next five years into its new affordable long-range missiles program and recently asked industry to push the flights of some of those munitions beyond 1,200 miles.