The Air Force on Wednesday took over control from the Army of the special operations terminal attack controller course offered at Yuma Proving Grounds in Yuma, Ariz. Yuma’s local KSWT TV news reported that a change-of-command ceremony was held that day. According to the Yuma Sun’s July 7 report, Air Force Special Operation Command’s Special Tactics Training Squadron will now manage the roughly four-week course, which trains troops from all of the military branches to be joint terminal attack controllers so that they are skilled in how to direct close air support of ground troops. “We are taking over exactly as the Army has done it for the last five or six years,” said Air Force Col. Paul Harmon in the KSWT report.
The Air Force has finished modifying and testing the new VC-25B Bridge aircraft that will serve as a temporary Air Force One, the service announced May 1. All that’s left now is to finish painting the jet before it starts flying this summer.