Congress Approves Final Version of Defense Policy Bill

The Senate passed the conference version of the Fiscal 2013 defense authorization bill, clearing the legislation for President Obama’s desk and his signature. Senators approved the bill on Dec. 21 by a vote of 81 to14. Their action came one...

Obama Picks Kerry for State Department

President Obama tapped Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) to be State Secretary during Obama’s second term, replacing Hillary Clinton, who plans to step down in January. “In a sense, John’s entire life has prepared him for this role,” said Obama on...

Space Core Work

The Air Force expects to conclude negotiations by next spring with United Launch Alliance, supplier of Atlas V and Delta IV rockets, for the booster cores to support 28 national security space launches between Fiscal 2013 and Fiscal 2017, service...

Congress Establishes Retirement Commission

Lawmakers who hashed out the final version of the Fiscal 2013 defense authorization bill established an independent panel to review the Defense Department’s military compensation and retirement benefits. The nine-member Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission will stand up within...

House Passes Spending Reduction Act

The House last week passed H.R. 6684, the Spending Reduction Act of 2012. Among its numerous provisions, this legislation would eliminate the planned cuts to the Defense Department in Fiscal 2013 under the looming budget sequester. House Majority Leader Rep....

Warthog Pilot Hits Combat Milestone

Lt. Col. James Roy, an A-10 pilot from Moody AFB, Ga., recently reached 1,000 combat flying hours in the cockpit of the A-10 ground-attack aircraft, according to officials at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, where Roy is currently deployed. “It is a...

Pave Hawk Squadron Gets New Patch

The 823rd Maintenance Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nev., which maintains and repairs engines and auxiliary power units on HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters, has a new unit patch. It features a green border on a white and blue interlocking disc,...

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!

Registration for the 2013 Air Force Marathon in Dayton, Ohio, opens on Jan. 1 with a special one-day discount, according to event organizers. The marathon kicks off with a 5k race on Friday, Sept. 20, 2013, at Wright State University,...