The head of US Forces Korea, Army Gen. Burwell Bell, testified last week at a House Armed Services Committee hearing that it is time to switch the one-year tour to South Korea to a “normal, three-year accompanied tour.” Bell explained, “It’s time to end our one-year war zone rotational tours which needlessly add to our high worldwide operational tempo while handicapping our engagement opportunities with our longtime Korean ally.” Burwell said he is looking for Congressional fiscal support while he pursues the change within Pentagon channels. (Currently, the Air Force permits some personnel to serve 24 month accompanied tours.)
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.