Those former CIA employees of the iconic “Air America” clandestine flight service who were not already military veterans have been trying to get the Air Force to recognize their efforts in Southeast Asia as active duty service—making them eligible for veterans benefits, according to National Journal. An Air Force review board turned them down once for lack of evidence they actually supported military missions, but it is now reconsidering based on newly revealed documentation. The effort parallels one by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Rep. Shelley Berkeley (D-Nev.) to give the AA crowd civil service benefits.
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.