Seven 
aircraft maintainers from the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., arrived at the Navy’s test site at Patuxent River, Md., to get hands-on experience with the F-35 strike fighter. These airmen will spend 75 days at Pax River working on the Marine Corps F-35Bs and Navy F-35Cs undergoing testing there. This will help prepare them for the arrival of the first Air Force F-35As at Eglin later this year as part of the initial joint F-35 schoolhouse. “It is beneficial working around the F-35B and F35C variants,” said MSgt. Timothy Weaver, a 33rd FW crew chief. Although each F-35 variant has different design features—such as the F-35C having larger wing surfaces—they are similar enough that the Eglin airmen will benefit from performing basic maintenance, such as refueling and launch and recovery, said Weaver. (Patuxent River report by Andrea Watters)
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
Dec. 30, 2025
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, compared to the 5.4 percent…
