The Air Force deployed A-10s from Moody AFB, Ga., to Incirlik AB, Turkey, to join in the fight against ISIS. The jets are part of a “regular rotation” to the base and will replace F-16s that have been deployed to Turkey in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said Oct. 20. Twelve Warthogs already are scheduled to begin flying missions targeting ISIS in Iraq and Syria, according to Agence France-Presse. A-10s deployed in November 2014 as part of Operation Inherent Resolve; however, they only flew strikes in Iraq. The new deployment focusing on strikes in Syria shows the changing dynamic of the conflict, with continued need for airstrikes and a new agreement with Russia regarding flight safety. In July 2014, retired Gen. Michael Hostage, then commander of Air Combat Command, said “I could not send an A-10 into Syria right now. They’d never come back. I would have to conduct three weeks of very significant [integrated air defense system] degradation before I could think about sending a fourth gen platform and I sure as heck wouldn’t send an A-10 in because the rate of fire that would come in at low altitude would be unsustainable.”
A new law introduced by Congress would raise the pay rate 15 percent for junior enlisted troops and seek improvements on a range of quality of life issues, such as pay and compensation, child care, housing, health care access, and military spouse employment.