Air Force Special Operations Command says that its CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor have all been inspected and cleared of the problem that befell some Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys, prompting a temporary grounding earlier this week, reports Stars and Stripes. The Marine Corps found that four of its MV-22s deployed to Iraq had several loose bolts in components that control the propeller rotors, Naval Air Systems Command spokesman Michael Welding confirmed in an Amarillo Globe-News report. Welding said 77 of the USMC Ospreys had been cleared in inspections by Wednesday. Marine crews in Iraq discovered the problem during ground inspections after weekend missions. AFSOC reached its initial operational capability milestone earlier this month, clearing the command’s CV-22s for worldwide combat operations. It sent four Ospreys to Africa last fall for an allied exercise.
Airmen and Guardians in the Active and Reserve component, as well as civilian employees, in “mission critical and high-risk populations” are now required to receive influenza vaccinations annually to “preserve force readiness,” according to a recent Department of the Air Force memo.