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.”
The Air Force will promote 11.07 percent of eligible master sergeants to senior master sergeant this year, a decline from last cycle that snaps a four-year streak of increases. Out of a pool of 13,315 eligible individuals, 1,474 new E-8s were selected.