The 
Air National Guard honored its six 2012 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for their achievements during an awards ceremony at JB Andrews, Md. “It seems like every year we get better and better quality,” said Lt. Gen. Harry Wyatt, ANG director, during the Aug. 22 event. These outstanding enlisted Air Guardsmen are: senior non-commissioned officer: SMSgt. Luke W. Thompson, Oregon’s 125th Special Tactics Squadron; non-commissioned officer: TSgt. Jacob S. Curtis, Illinois’ 126th Air Refueling Wing; first sergeant: MSgt. Fred W. Hudgins Jr., Arizona’s 161st ARW; airman: SrA. Michael D. McCaffrey, Washington’s 194th Regional Support Wing; honor guard program manager: MSgt. Jeffrey L. Lamarche, Eastern Air Defense Sector, New York; and honor guard member: SSgt. Carrie M. Kline, Indiana’s 122nd Fighter Wing. Their accomplishments include decorated combat service supporting operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, volunteer work in their communities, and educational excellence. “These are American heroes,” said CMSgt. Christopher Muncy, Wyatt’s command chief master sergeant. “They represent the best of the best of the 92,000 enlisted members that currently serve in the Air National Guard.” Thompson is also one of the Air Force-wide 2012 outstanding airmen. (Andrews report by SMSgt. Jerry Bynum)
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…