The Defense Department has sent Congress an action plan to address the shortfalls in mental health care identified in June by the DOD Task Force on Mental Health, a Congressionally chartered group. The task force made 95 recommendations, including a need for a culture change to remove the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. The 37-page action plan states that “DOD has embraced the vision and the spirit embodied in the recommendations.” The plan notes that the Pentagon and individual services actually began steps to “create a culture that develops and supports a state of robust psychological health” immediately after the task force released its report.
The Air Force is placing Air Combat Command in charge of teaching combat tactics to fighter and remotely-piloted aircraft units, according to a May 12 announcement. Beginning this summer, the service will reassign the formal training units for the F-35, F-16, and MQ-9 from Air Education and Training Command to…