The Defense Department is rescinding its travel restrictions for troops in nearly four dozen places, though several appear to fall short of the Pentagon’s requirements for freer movement. The directive allows some military personnel to head to new jobs and temporary assignments, as well as for personal travel outside of work. A stop-movement order was in place from mid-March through May 26 to limit troops’ exposure to the coronavirus as it spread around the world.

A C-130H caught fire after it overran a runway at Camp Taji, Iraq, on June 8 and struck a wall. Four service members received "non-life-threatening injuries" and are being treated at the base's medical facility, according to Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve. The C-130 was deployed to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait. Enemy activity is not suspected, though the incident remains under investigation.

An F-35A fighter jet’s landing gear collapsed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, on June 8 when the aircraft was returning from a routine training flight, according to a base spokesperson. The accident occurred at 10:45 a.m. local time. The pilot, part of the 388th Fighter Wing, was able to exit the aircraft and is undergoing a medical evaluation. Safety investigators will look into the incident, Hill Public Affairs Director Thomas Mullican said in an email. Training flights are paused until the runway reopens.

The F-15E Strike Eagle is the first Air Force aircraft to prove it is compatible with the refurbished B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb, Sandia National Laboratories announced on June 8. “We were able to test the B61-12 through all operational phases and we have extremely high confidence the B61-12 is compatible with the F-15E Strike Eagle,” said Steven Samuels, a manager on the bomb program's team at Sandia. Two flights at the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada marked the last of six flight tests and wrapped up demonstrations with the full weapon system.

Senators on June 8 started the monthslong process of crafting the annual defense policy bill, trying to stick as close to their normal legislative duties as possible despite the global coronavirus pandemic. House lawmakers will begin their own markup sessions for the fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act on June 22. The NDAA will tackle the typical issues of what weapons and platforms the armed forces should buy, emerging technology and policy areas to study, and how to treat service members and their families fairly. Some language will be more reactive to current events, such as a provision looking to ban live nuclear testing that could be attached to the NDAA, or text to stop the military from using force against Americans protesting under their First Amendment rights.

On March 23, the Air Force Association's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies will host a virtual Nuclear Deterrence Series event featuring Scowcroft Group Principal Frank Miller. At a time when nuclear modernization programs are accelerating around the world, proposals to recapitalize the U.S. nuclear arsenal are at the forefront of debates over defense spending. Miller will share his insights into the prospects for U.S. nuclear modernization programs and the value of nuclear deterrence in today's competitive security environment. The think tank will post event video on its website and YouTube page after the live event.