The Pentagon issued a release on Friday saying that a coalition air strike in Iraq on Oct. 11 had killed 15 terrorists that were attacking coalition ground forces and “also claimed the lives of a large number of innocent victims.” After the strike, coalition ground forces found that in addition to the 15 terrorists, six women and nine children had been killed and one woman and three children wounded. Army Maj. Brad Leighton, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman, said the coalition would work with Iraqi officials to investigate. He added, “These terrorists chose to deliberately place innocent Iraqi women and children in danger by their actions and presence.”
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.