Hampered last year by a typhoon, the Christmas Drop for 2005–the 53rd anniversary drop–reached people at more than 50 Microsenian islands. Pacific Air Forces officials say airmen from Andersen AFB, Guam, and Yokota AB, Japan, teamed to deliver more than 50 400-pound boxes, containing fishing nets, tools, canned goods, clothing, toys, and more, via three C-130s from Yokota.
Secretary of Defense Austin Lloyd III met with his counterparts from Australia, Japan and the Philippines to discuss bolstering defense ties on May 2. The discussion included plans for joint F-35 exercises with Japan and Australia in the coming years.