The Icemen of the Eielson AFB, Alaska, and airmen and soldiers at Balad AB, Iraq, held memorials for MSgt. Brad A. Clemmons, who was killed Aug. 21 when his convoy vehicle struck an improvised explosive device on the way to Taji, Iraq. Clemmons, who was an explosive ordnance disposal craftsman from the 354th Civil Engineer Squadron at Eielson, had deployed to Balad, where he served as a weapons intelligence flight team leader. The Air Force posthumously awarded Clemmons a Bronze Star. (Read more here from Eielson and here from Balad.)
The Air Force is putting emphasis on operations and maintenance and research and development. The Army and Navy want to go on a buying spree. The Space Force budget is approaching and may yet surpass the Marine Corps. And non-service “Defense-Wide” funding got the biggest bump of all.