Hagel: Most DOD Civilians Coming Back to Work

The Defense Department will ask “most”—but not all—of its civilian employees to return to work the week of Oct. 7, announced Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. DOD is calling back “employees whose responsibilities contribute to the morale, well-being, capabilities, and readiness...

Government Shutdown Drives Lockheed Martin Furlough

Starting on Oct. 7, Lockheed Martin will furlough approximately 3,000 employees from across all of its business areas due to the federal government’s shutdown, announced the company on Friday. In a separate memorandum for all US-based, non-union employees on Oct....

US, Japan Expand Defense Cooperation

The United States and Japan on Thursday announced an expansion of military cooperation—including rotational deployments of Air Force Global Hawks to Japan—at the conclusion of a “two-plus-two” security dialogue in Tokyo featuring Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, Secretary of State John...

Welsh Returns from China

Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh and CMSAF James Cody returned to Washington, D.C., from their historic weeklong visit to China. Welsh, Cody, and Pacific Air Forces Commander Gen. Hawk Carlisle met with Chinese military officials in Beijing, Hangzhou, and...

Targeted Approach

The Republican-led House on Thursday passed two pieces of legislation that would pay National Guard and Reserve personnel and fund veterans benefits, respectively, during the government shutdown. H.R. 3230, the “Pay Our Guard and Reserve Act,” passed by a vote...

US, South Korea Announce Tailored Deterrence Strategy

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the United States and South Korea would establish a tailored, bilateral deterrence strategy opposing North Korean nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. The announcement came on Oct. 2 during a joint press conference...

Tuition Assistance Suspended . . . Again

Airmen are going to have to find another way to pay for college classes, at least for now. That’s because all military tuition assistance is suspended “until further notice” due to the lack of an approved Fiscal 2014 defense budget,...

Specialized Contracting Squadron Activated at Ramstein

US Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa officials activated the 764th Specialized Contracting Squadron at Ramstein AB, Germany, according to a base release. “Today, the 764th is the first specialized contracting squadron to officially stand up,” said Col. Mario Troncoso,...

Global Hawk Engine Overhaul Facility Coming to Tinker

Rolls-Royce will open an engine depot services facility at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex at Tinker AFB, Okla., for overhaul of the company’s AE 3007H engines that power the Air Force’s Global Hawk aircraft, announced the company. Rolls-Royce expects...

Ghana Air Force Delegation Visits Ramstein

A Ghana air force delegation, led by Col. Mike Kwame Appiah-Agyekum, visited Ramstein AB, Germany, for a first-hand look at how the Air Force trains its enlisted personnel. During the three-day visit in late September, Appiah-Agyekum, GAF director of administration,...

Test Pilot School Bids Farewell to T-38A

The Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB, Calif., bid farewell to its last T-38A trainers, according to a base release. T-38As had been a part of the school’s training curriculum for decades, but on Sept. 23, its last...

Getting Resourceful

Efforts by the Air Force Civil Engineer Center’s fire emergency services division reaped more than $323 million in cost savings that have enabled the Air Force to field new firefighting technology sooner, according to a center release. Some seven years...

Vietnam War Airmen’s Remains Identified

Defense Department forensic scientists identified the remains of Lt. Col. Robert E. Pietsch, 31, of Pittsburgh, and Maj. Louis F. Guillermin, 25, of West Chester, Pa., two airmen missing in action since the Vietnam War, announced the Pentagon. DOD officials...