The First Six:

The First Six:

June 13, 2007

The Air Force presented its new Combat Action Medal for the first time during a special ceremony June 12 at the new Air Force Memorial honoring six airmen. They are: Maj. Steven Raspet, an A-10 pilot; Capt. Allison Black, an AC-130H gunship navigator; SMSgt. Ramon Colon-Lopez, a pararescueman; MSgt. Charlie Peterson, an Air National Guard vehicle operator; MSgt. Byron Allen, an MH-53 Pave Low aerial gunner; and SSgt. Daniel Paxton, an aeromedical evacuation technician. Among the VIPs attending the ceremony were members of the family of Air Force legend Gen. Billy Mitchell, whose personal aircraft insignia inspired the new medal’s design, reports SSgt. Monique Randolph.

Now Enlisted Airmen Can Stay in Uniform Longer

Dec. 8, 2023

The Air Force is extending the amount of time Airmen can spend at most enlisted ranks by two years, as the service looks to combat sluggish recruiting and balance its force structure. The High Year of Tenure (HYT) program sets limits on how long service members can spend in each grade…

‘Presence Matters’: Space Force Activates New Component for Europe and Africa

Dec. 8, 2023

The U.S. Space Force, U.S. European Command, and U.S. Africa Command activated their newest service component on Dec. 8, in an expansion of USSF’s growing reach into combatant commands.

Here Is How Congress Plans to Keep Tight Oversight of New Fighters and CCAs

Dec. 8, 2023

Lawmakers want very tight oversight of the Next Generation Air Dominance fighters and Collaborative Combat Aircraft drones, demanding detailed six-month updates on their progress across a myriad of component categories, according to the 2024 compromise National Defense Authorization Act.

Air Force to Start Tracking Why Some Recruits Back Out Before Joining Up

Dec. 8, 2023

Starting in January, the Air Force Recruiting Service will track why applicants leave the accessions process before signing the dotted line. The goal is to understand what makes people who are interested in serving decide to leave.

US, UK, Australia Agree to New Space Tracking System: What It Means, When It’s Coming

Dec. 8, 2023

The U.S., U.K., and Australia have agreed to place advanced space tracking radar sites in their countries in a major new initiative that will expand the AUKUS agreement. The three countries will host and operate the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC), a state-of-the-art ground-based radar system by the end of…

Britain’s Cameron Urges More Aid for Ukraine: ‘Good Investment’ for Degrading Russia

Dec. 7, 2023

Former British prime minister and now foreign minister David Cameron urged the U.S. Congress not to stop supporting Ukraine, saying the West has gotten a bargain in dramatically reducing Russia’s military power for a fraction of the U.S. defense budget.

44 Guardians Selected for Promotion to E-8, E-9

Dec. 7, 2023

The Space Force’s top enlisted ranks are poised to grow by 14 chief master sergeants and 30 senior master sergeants, the Air Force Personnel Center announced Dec. 7. Competition for the service’s E-8 grade in particular continues to grow fiercer with each passing year as more Guardians join and move…

Congress to Air Force in NDAA: Slow Down Fighter Retirements

Dec. 7, 2023

Senate and House leaders unveiled their compromise conference report for the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act on Dec. 7—and the annual defense policy bill is poised to pump the brakes on the Air Force’s plans to retire dozens of F-15E, F-16, and F-22 fighters in the coming years. The report, a combination…

After Link 16 Success, SDA Boss Expects More Advanced Datalink Tests to Come

Dec. 7, 2023

After proving last month that the Link 16 data network can broadcast from space to the ground, the director of the Space Development Agency expects to test similar connections for datalinks that are more advanced than the 1980s-era Link 16.

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