Sixty-two airmen have committed suicide so far this year, said Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh in his opening remarks at the Spouse and Family Forum at AFA’s Air & Space Forum last week. The number is not much different from last year, and though it declined slightly from two years ago, “anything above zero is unacceptable,” he said. This year’s forum’s theme is of resiliency and Welsh praised the theme for being so well fitted. CMSAF James Cody said in the same remarks that Air Force senior leaders and their spouses “know better than anybody [that] without family members generating these young men and women to put the uniform on,” airmen have no reason for serving. “This is family business and … this idea of resiliency [within airmen, families, and community] is so important,” said Cody.
Airmen and Guardians in the Active and Reserve component, as well as civilian employees, in “mission critical and high-risk populations” are now required to receive influenza vaccinations annually to “preserve force readiness,” according to a recent Department of the Air Force memo.