Air Force Special Operations Command has begun a new training program for a select group of its security forces airmen. AFSOC plans to use an 11-week course to “fill a capabilities gap that existed between the [Phoenix] Raven’s training and combat operations found in Iraq and Afghanistan,” says Lt. Col. Erik Rundquist, program manager for the new training for a Deployed Aircraft Ground Response Element, or DAGRE. Phoenix Raven is the training program developed by Air Mobility Command for security forces that fly with mobility aircraft into high threat areas. Maj. Scott Covode reports that the first class of 18 airmen graduated from DAGRE on Friday.
2026 NDAA: 5 Highlights for Airmen and Guardians
Dec. 18, 2025
President Donald Trump signed the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act on Dec. 18, a day after Congress passed the annual defense policy bill for the 65th consecutive year. Here’s what it means for the Air Force and Space Force.

