Reporter after reporter recently cornered Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to ask him to defend US presence in the middle of an Iraq civil war. Rumsfeld’s repeated response—with slight variations—“Iraq is not in the middle of a civil war.” He calls the situation “subterranean strife” and says “there is tension.” But, he says, the insurgents and terrorists are “trying to start a civil war.” So far, maintains Rumsfeld, the Iraqi leadership has been “very professional and very responsible.”
Airmen and Guardians in the Active and Reserve component, as well as civilian employees, in “mission critical and high-risk populations” are now required to receive influenza vaccinations annually to “preserve force readiness,” according to a recent Department of the Air Force memo.