1st Lt. Kenneth Allen, the 493rd Fighter Squadron’s assistant chief of weapons and tactics, was killed in a June 15 F-15C crash over the North Sea, the 48th Fighter Wing announced June 16. Allen, a U.S. Air Force Academy alumnus who arrived at RAF Lakenheath, U.K., in February, is survived by his wife and parents. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Lt. Allen, and mourn with his family and his fellow Reapers in the 493rd Fighter Squadron,” said 48th Fighter Wing Commander Col. Will Marshall in a wing release.

The Air Force needs to study and understand the racial disparity in the way Airmen are disciplined before courts martial, including identifying differences in how minority Airmen are mentored early on in their careers compared to white Airmen, to better create a more inclusive service, the Air Force’s top lawyer told lawmakers. The Air Force’s Judge Advocate General Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Rockwell told lawmakers on June 16 the service has data on courts martial and non-judicial punishment showing that black Airmen with less than five years of service receive non-judicial-punishments and courts martial at a higher rate. However, there is not an understanding of the differences experienced before an Airmen faces this discipline. “Are we mentoring everybody the same? We all feel we probably aren’t, based on biases, but we don’t have specific data to show that,” Rockwell said. A review of USAF judicial punishments and career advancements, which was initiated thanks to ongoing public attention on racism, should be complete by the end of the calendar year.

The Space Force has gathered more data on the hit industry has taken as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, a top policy official said at a June 16 Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies event. About half of respondents indicated their cash flow was at least moderately impacted or worse, according to Shawn Barnes, acting assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration. “It’s not a surprise that those things happened, but it’s certainly important for us to be able to understand,” Barnes said. He did not say how many responses the survey garnered.

The Regional Dental Laboratory at Kadena Air Base, Japan, usually uses its 3D printer to make dental prostheses. But when the new coronavirus pandemic caused Defense Department medical facilities to stop non-emergency procedures, the Airmen of the 18th Dental Squadron decided to start printing nasopharyngeal swabs. The swabs, which resemble large Q-tips, are a critical component of COVID-19 testing.

A new Air Force Recruiting Service app looks to make it easier for prospective recruits to learn more about USAF and the Space Force, help connect them with recruiters, prepare them for Basic Military Training or Officer Training School, centralize Total Force recruiting information in one place, and more. The “Aim High” app launched June 15, and is available in the iOS and Google Play app stores.

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.