Officials at Eglin AFB, Fla., have improved the base’s BASH—for Bird and wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazard—program, reducing strikes by almost 75 percent over the past year. The base started its renewed effort by teaming with Agriculture Department wildlife biologists to develop a comprehensive assessment that lead them to identify not only what wildlife was on hand but also why they frequented the base. One outcome was to let grass around the airfield grow longer, since cutting it shorter had made it more ideal for flocking birds.
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
Dec. 30, 2025
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, compared to the 5.4 percent…

