New Jersey’s Ocean County government and local municipalities will receive more than $320,000 from the Air Force to compensate for fire damages caused by a flare during an F-16 training mission last May. Asbury Park Press reports that the money will be dispersed to county road, transportation, and vehicle services departments to cover costs such as vehicle fuel, police overtime, and the expense of temporary shelter for residents at local schools. A flare ejected from a New Jersey Air National Guard F-16 during low-level training ignited the 17,000-acre blaze last spring. An estimated 6,000 residents were displaced in the southern New Jersey communities during the fires, the newspaper states. Some towns in the area are not included in the settlement since they have filed their own claims. Others have already received compensation.
The Air Force displayed all the firepower it has amassed on Okinawa in an unusually diverse show of force this week. IIn a May 6 “Elephant Walk,” Kadena Air Base showcased 24 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters, eight F-15E Strike Eagles; two U.S. Army Patriot anti-missile batteries near the runway; and…