Air Force civil engineers at Bagram AB, Afghanistan, have made more than 200 repairs on the base’s Soviet-era runway in the last two months—trying to keep it operational until a new runway gets finished. (DR, 09/20/05) A nine-man spall-repair team from the 455th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron spends more than two hours a day maintaining the runway, said TSgt. Jason Benbrook, the NCOIC of airfield maintenance. Lt. Col. Mark Danigole, the 455th EOG deputy commander, calls Benbrook and his team “critical to our operations at Bagram. Without constant runway repair, flight operations would stop within a few days, he said. The airfield runs more than more than 3,000 operations a week—that and age and weather are taking their toll.
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.