Despite a rise in F-16 crashes this past fiscal year, the commander of the Montana Air National Guard’s 120th Fighter Wing, Col. Mike McDonald, believes the F-16 has “an excellent safety record given the demanding missions in which it is flown every day.” In an interview with the Great Falls Tribune, McDonald called the sleek fighter the Air Force’s “workhorse.” The Montana Air Guard has flown Vipers, in various models, since 1987. Under BRAC 2005, the unit must switch its F-16s for F-15s.
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.