The Governor of Guam has created a civilian-military task force to oversee arrival and permanent beddown of some 8,000 US Marines being transferred from facilities on the Japanese island of Okinawa, reports KUAM-TV. Gov. Felix Camacho wants the group to develop a master plan for the island’s military expansion, including the ongoing construction by the Air Force to upgrade Andersen Air Force Base. USAF plans to base Global Hawk UAVs and possibly aerial refueling aircraft at Andersen, in addition to continuing to use it as a rotational base for fighters and bombers.
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.