CMSgt. Eric Jaren retired as Air Force Materiel Command’s command chief, ending a 30-year career. Then-AFMC Commander Gen. Donald Hoffman (see above) presided over Jaren’s June 1 retirement ceremony at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. A life-long military brat, Jaren followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the Air Force immediately after high school, starting his career as an aircraft maintenance technician. He was selected to become the command chief of the 72nd Air Base Wing at Tinker AFB, Okla., in December 2009, when he got a surprise phone call from Hoffman’s office, asking him to interview for the command chief job at AFMC, a post he subsequently assumed in January 2010. Jaren said the biggest change he has witnessed over his decades of service has been the shift from a “blue collar Air Force” to a more professional workforce. “I’ve learned it doesn’t matter if you are enlisted, officer, or civilian, and that being an airman comes from the heart,” said Jaren. He added, “I leave knowing that younger, brighter, more capable professionals are right behind me. I have great satisfaction knowing the future of the Air Force is secure.” (Wright-Patt report by Jim Palmer)
The U.S. and Sweden signed a bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement on Dec. 5 that will strengthen military ties between them and likely lead to U.S. troops and prepositioned gear on Swedish soil. Swedish Defense minister Pal Jonson said the war in Ukraine prompted Sweden's joining NATO and he laid out…