A pioneer in linear programming and former USAF mathematician, Alex Orden, died Feb. 9 in Chicago at age 91. After receiving a Ph.D. in Mathematics from MIT in 1950, Orden became a member of the Air Force’s Project SCOOP, for Scientific Computation of Optimum Programs, a task force that pioneered the development of linear programming models for logistical planning. Task force leader G.B. Dantzig cited Orden for providing a computation breakthrough in solving large logistics movement and operations scheduling problems of that time.
Planning an Air Show Is Hard. At Andrews, It’s Even Harder
Sept. 17, 2025
Joint Base Andrews opened its flightline this month to thousands of civilians, exposing a normally restricted airbase that regularly hosts the president and foreign dignitaries to a curious public eager to see current and historic military aircraft up close and in action.