An airman assigned to the 374th Airlift Wing at Yokota AB, Japan, died Dec. 13 after finishing a training mission at Andersen AFB, Guam, according to an Air Force release. The airman was found unresponsive during post-flight inspections; the cause of death is under investigation. The 374th AW had traveled to Guam for Operation Christmas Drop, a humanitarian relief event in which Air Force planes drop critical supplies and donated goods to 56 remote Micronesian islands. The Air Force has not released the name of the airman.
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
