The 361st Recruiting Squadron from McChord AFB, Wash., brought in 151 recruits from Oregon and Washington on July 19, thereby setting a record for the largest delayed-entry-program swear-in at an air show. The ceremony took place during the McChord Air Expo that ran July 19-20. Lt. Col. Greg Thomas, Thunderbirds commander, led the young men and women in the recitation of the oath of enlistment. The air expo also set a record for attendance with 377,616 visitors, eclipsing the base’s previous record of 150,000 attendees set in 2005. So far this year, the Air Force has done well recruiting overall, either meeting or surpassing its goals through June. (McChord report by Lt. Col. Andrew O’Neel)
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.
