The second and final Air Force Week of 2010 officially kicks off on Tuesday in Cocoa Beach, Fla. Air Force Under Secretary Erin Conaton will speak at the proclamation ceremony at the Cocoa Beach pier. During the course of the week, there will be free concerts, barbecues, and numerous other activities to celebrate airmen and foster ties with the local central Florida community. There will be an “Air Force Day” Tuesday at Disney World in Orlando, Wednesday at Orlando’s SeaWorld, and Thursday at Kennedy Space Center. The week’s festivities will conclude on Saturday and Sunday with the Cocoa Beach air show. Already on Oct. 23, the University of Central Florida celebrated the Air Force during its homecoming football game. The first Air Force Week of 2010 took place in August in New York City. (Patrick report by 1st Lt. Karl Wiest) (Air Force Week Cocoa Beach web page)
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.