The fire sparked in New Jersey in May by an Air National Guard F-16 prompted not only massive claims against the Air Force for property damage, but also several changes in leadership positions for the units involved, including the Warren Grove training range commander and the 177th Fighter Wing operations group commander, reports the Press of Atlantic City. Brig. Gen. Lawrence Thomas, head of the New Jersey ANG, “We have folks retiring and there are some who won’t fly F-16s again.” He said, too, that a top-to-bottom review was continuing.
F-35As from the Vermont Air National Guard have deployed to Puerto Rico in recent days, continuing a major buildup of U.S. Air Force assets in Latin America aimed at combating drug trafficking and pressuring the regime of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
