Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld paid a surprise visit to troops in Iraq this past weekend, thanking them for their service as he prepares to leave office. Hundreds of US forces lined up to take pictures with Rumsfeld, who told them, “For the past six years, I have had the opportunity and, I would say the privilege, to serve with the greatest military on the face of the Earth.” He continued, “For your service, your sacrifice, and for the professionalism and the dedication you demonstrate every day, you have my profound admiration and my deep and everlasting respect.”
Trainees in Basic Military Training and technical school no longer have the option to try alternate PT drills if they fail an initial assessment, according to a policy change the Air Force made in April. The move is part of a larger shift out of the classroom and into hands-on,…