A team from Travis AFB, Calif., has just won a fourth consecutive Scott World Firefighter Combat Challenge. The team’s time was 4 minutes, 37.89 seconds. SSgt. Matt McGovern reports that the nine-year team captain for Travis, civilian Mike Melton, said they were the “underdogs” in this competition because a top competitor broke his hand and they lost key team member Harry Meyers. Firefighters from around the world came to a more difficult competition this year—they had to wear their full gear while completing five tasks, from climbing a five-story tower to rescuing a 175-pound “victim.”
The U.S. military is sending more fighter jets to the Middle East to step up its war with Iran, adding to what is already the largest buildup of airpower in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. For now, the operation shows little sign of coming to a quick…