Airmen serving as “in lieu of” convoy drivers drove a total of more than six million miles in Southwest Asia last year, according to Air Force data. These airmen working in traditional Army jobs handled 393 convoys, during which they came under attack 138 times from small arms fire, rocket propelled grenades, and improvised explosive devices. (They also drove another 495 convoys within Kuwait.) And, if the Air Force’s senior personnel official, Lt. Gen. Roger Brady, is correct, more airmen would be diverted to ILO duty during President Bush’s plan to increase the number of soldiers and marines in Iraq.
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…

