Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has ordered a review of the military awards and decoration process, Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said. “Now that we’re getting towards the end of the combat mission in Afghanistan, [Hagel] wants to take a more holistic view of the awards process and the decoration process,” Kirby said. The review is slated for completion by “the end of the year or early 2015,” said Kirby. While all services are expected to participate, the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness will lead the effort, according to a Jan. 29 release.
Trainees in Basic Military Training and technical school no longer have the option to try alternate PT drills if they fail an initial assessment, according to a policy change the Air Force made in April. The move is part of a larger shift out of the classroom and into hands-on,…