New Jersey’s Ocean County government and local municipalities will receive more than $320,000 from the Air Force to compensate for fire damages caused by a flare during an F-16 training mission last May. Asbury Park Press reports that the money will be dispersed to county road, transportation, and vehicle services departments to cover costs such as vehicle fuel, police overtime, and the expense of temporary shelter for residents at local schools. A flare ejected from a New Jersey Air National Guard F-16 during low-level training ignited the 17,000-acre blaze last spring. An estimated 6,000 residents were displaced in the southern New Jersey communities during the fires, the newspaper states. Some towns in the area are not included in the settlement since they have filed their own claims. Others have already received compensation.
Top Lawmakers Want 15 Percent Pay Raise for Enlisted Troops
April 19, 2024
A new law introduced by Congress would raise the pay rate 15 percent for junior enlisted troops and seek improvements on a range of quality of life issues, such as pay and compensation, child care, housing, health care access, and military spouse employment.