The nations of the Collective Security Trade Organization—Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan—are considering establishing a collective air force, reported the Russian state news agency ITAR-TASS on Monday. Discussions on this topic were expected to take place during the gathering of CSTO foreign and defense ministers and secretaries of the organization’s security councils in Moscow this week. “A plan of joint events in operational and combat training for 2015 is expected to be approved,” stated the Russian defense ministry. CSTO is meant to promote regional security in Russia’s sphere of influence and to protect member-states’ independence and territorial integrity through collective defense.?
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.