Two B-52H Stratofortresses flew home to Minot AFB, N.D., on June 23 after completing a roughly one-month deployment to RAF Fairford, United Kingdom. While in Europe, the bombers participated in exercises Baltops 16 and Saber Strike 16, flying a total of 25 sorties in countries such as Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, France, Germany, and Italy. The heavy bombers also participated in airshows around Europe, including shows in Paris and Berlin. “The B-52 is a great sign of America’s presence for assuring allies and deterring potential enemies,” said Col. Kieran Denehan, 5th Expeditionary Operations Group commander, in a June 23 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,…