The 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth AFB, S.D., has just marked the 10th anniversary of the loss of four of its airmen, when a B-1 crashed during a training flight on Sept. 19, 1997, reports A1C Kimberly Moore Limrick. Killed in the accident were Col. Anthony Beat, pilot and 28th BW vice commander; Maj. Kirk Cakerice, instructor pilot; Maj. Clay Culver, weapons system officer; and Capt. Gary Everett, weapons system officer. “We learned from the crash and changes were made to aircrew training, which has paid dividends in that no B-1 has crashed since then while flying the same mission profile,” said retired Lt. Col. Clete Knaub, who was a 37th Bomb Squadron maintenance officer at the time of the crash.
Unit commanders are being told to separate service members who can’t shave their cheeks and chin for medical reasons for more than a year, according to new guidance from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
