The Air Force won nearly one-third of the 25 Federal Energy Management Program awards this year, with initiatives that are saving the service and the taxpayers tens of millions of dollars yearly through reduced energy and fuel consumption, according to an Aug. 6 release. The awards were announced by the Department of Energy and honored eight of the 15 projects submitted by the Air Force Civil Engineer Center. “The Air Force is doing great things to save energy, water, and money,” AFCEC Director Joe Sciabica said. “Work by airmen, civilians, and contractors over the past two decades has created a cost avoidance of $626 million, money that can be better spent executing the Air Force mission.” Programs honored include the Air Force Space Command Energy Program; the Air Force Secretary’s Installations, Environment, and Logistics Energy Analysis Task Force; Steve Perry, energy manager at RAF Mildenhall, England; and projects at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Hurlburt Field, Fla.; Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., and an Air Mobility Command and Air Force Material Command team. An award ceremony will be held in Washington later this year.
Seven F-22 Raptor pilots have recently been awarded one of the military’s highest decorations for their actions during operations in the Middle East. Six of the pilots were decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross for their role in Operation Midnight Hammer, the June 2025 strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.