Air Force Reserve Command’s 911th Airlift Wing christened a new $8.5 million base lodging facility in conjunction with a wing change-of-command at Pittsburgh ARS, Pa. The 50-room, three-story dormitory will house Reservists coming from across the region for drill, in addition to visiting contractors and Defense Department civilians, said wing officials. Targeted for closure as part of Air Force cost cutting next fiscal year, Pittsburgh faces stiff “headwinds,” Col. Craig Peters told Reservists after assuming command of the wing on May 6, reported the Pittsburgh Tribune. “The big thing is to try to keep morale going strong” as Congress and the Air Force hammer out the installation’s eventual fate, added Peters. Unit officials hope that the new energy-efficient lodging will help tip the scales in favor of keeping the base open, according to the newspaper. (Pittsburgh photo caption by TSgt. Ralph Van Houtem)
Members of the House Armed Services Committee say the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile program has been set back three months due to the ongoing government shutdown. The comment is noteworthy because the JATM's status has been kept tightly under wraps.
