A USAF aeromedical evacuation control team flew 11 of the 14 survivors of the Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter that crashed in Afghanistan on Feb. 18 to Germany within hours of the crash that killed eight personnel, including Air Force TSgt. Scott Duffman. The airmen kept the troops stable during the long flight to Germany aboard a C-17 airlifter. The survivors had head and chest injuries as well as multiple fractures.
The Air Force is requesting about $141 million for initial enlistment bonuses in its fiscal 2026 budget, while Space Force wants $13 million.