Valiant Shield is done and the airmen at Kenney Headquarters in Hawaii believe the air operations portion went well. They orchestrated some 2,000 sorties from Kenney’ Pacific Air Operations Center for one of the largest joint exercises in the Western Pacific. Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula, the Kenney HQ commander, said the exercise was an opportunity to work out some of the “frictions” that arise in a joint combat environment, allowing planners to work out those challenges in advance.
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
Dec. 30, 2025
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, compared to the 5.4 percent…

