An Air Force combat controller will receive the Silver Star on Nov. 22 for his actions in Afghanistan last year, in which he fended off enemy ambushes with danger close airstrikes. TSgt. Cody Smith, who is assigned to the 26th Special Tactics Squadron at Cannon AFB, N.M., will receive the award for “securing the safety of his joint and partner force members by preventing enemy forces from overrunning friendly positions” during a fierce fight that took place during Afghanistan’s national parliamentary elections in October 2018, according to an Air Force Special Operations Command release. Smith was injured during the intense fighting, and fought off the advance by calling in several airstrikes from AH-64 Apaches and F-16s.
Lawmakers could wrap up negotiations over the fiscal 2020 defense policy bill by Nov. 22, signaling that the legislation may soon begin moving forward, about two months after the start of the fiscal year. Monica Matoush, communications director for the House Armed Services Committee, told Air Force Magazine on Nov. 19 that Chairman Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) is “optimistic” about the prospect that negotiations on the draft National Defense Authorization Act—not the “skinny” version floated earlier this fall—will finish this week. Bloomberg reported that Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the heads of the Senate Armed Services Committee, also believe a final agreement will come by the end of the week. A congressional staffer noted that lawmakers still have much to do to come together on a final conference report.
The Air Force’s timeline for choosing winners in its premiere launch program is slightly delayed, following the Government Accountability Office’s Nov. 18 decision to uphold Blue Origin’s recent bid protest. The National Security Space Launch program aims to hire two companies to carry military and intelligence systems into space through 2027, and is exploring new ideas like reusable rockets. Blue Origin filed a protest with GAO in August, arguing that the Air Force’s solicitation was unclear, ambiguous, discriminatory against new players, and would restrict competition. The Air Force on Nov. 19 told Air Force Magazine it expects to award a contract for NSSL’s second phase in the third quarter of fiscal 2020, one quarter later than previously anticipated.
Air Force Special Operations Command is looking forward to a future replacement for the CV-22 Osprey, a revolutionary capability that is still new to the command. Brig. Gen. David Harris, the director of strategic plans, programs, and requirements at AFSOC, said the Osprey’s advancement changed how the Air Force is able to insert special operators by being able to fly faster and higher, and carry more. A future replacement will be expected to fly faster, have stealth capability, and be able to carry more materiel.
The Air Force is warning its airmen not to join in on the CBD craze, saying the popular cannabis-based products can cause them to test positive for marijuana. Cannabidiol—an extract from cannabis that does not include the psychoactive THC component of marijuana—has emerged as a hugely popular ingredient in oils, teas, lotions, and many other products. The Air Force, in a Nov. 19 statement, said the products are largely unregulated and could still contain traces of THC that would cause airmen to test positive during a urinalysis test. “It’s important for both uniformed and civilian airmen to understand the risk these products pose to their careers,” Maj. Jason Gammons, spokesman for the Air Force Office of the Judge Advocate General, said in a release. “Products containing unregulated levels of THC can cause positive drug tests, resulting in the same disciplinary actions as if members had consumed marijuana.” The Air Force cites a 2017 study, which stated that only 31 percent of tested products accurately reflected the CBD content, and 21 percent still contained THC.
