Local officials from Grand Forks, N.D., have started exploring options for the post-BRAC life of Grand Forks Air Force Base, according to the Grand Forks Herald. Grand Forks, the base, will lose its KC-135 tanker mission as part of BRAC 2005 actions, but it is slated to pick up a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle operation. City officials say they plan to work with DOD’s Office of Economic Adjustment and other nearby communities. The Air National Guard unit at Fargo, N.D., already is looking to piggyback on the Grand Forks Predator mission. And, the state is setting up a UAV center of excellence at the University of North Dakota, which has enlisted the aid of Lockheed Martin. It would seem North Dakota is well ahead of the game.
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,…