The Air Force has implemented a series of new steps to improve base security following an order from Defense Secretary Ash Carter to improve the safety of military facilities following the July shooting at a recruiting center in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Air Force has increased the number of armed security forces on bases through multiple programs, expanded force protection measures at off-installation facilities, and is working on a long-term mass notification system, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said in a Dec. 3 release. “Commanders remain fully empowered and are expected to make arming decisions for off-installation facilities consistent with existing authorities,” James said. “They are also best positioned to balance the mission with the threat and determine the appropriate level of security required for a given facility.” As a part of the new protocols, off-base facilities need to establish and maintain emergency action plans, which have to be practiced at least twice per year, according to the release. (See also: Heightened Base Defense Level to Stay)
Billy Mitchell: Lessons a Hundred Years Hence
Dec. 16, 2025
Exactly 100 years ago, on Dec. 17, 1925, Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell was convicted by court-martial for violating an order that required approval before he could engage with the media. Mitchell’s provocative thoughts and unorthodox methods sought attention for a cause that he saw as uniquely American.
