UH-1N helicopter pilots at Yokota AB, Japan, recently hosted their Japanese Ground Self Defense Force counterparts on a fly-along interoperability sortie. “The objective for this is to help introduce [the JGSDF] to our procedures and how we fly our helicopters and help us understand how they fly theirs,” said Capt. Thomas Powell, 459th Airlift Squadron operations boss at Yokota, in a Feb. 5 release. JGSDF operates similar UH-1 helicopters from neighboring Camp Higashi-Tachikawa, west of Tokyo. “The big thing is to get the terminology correct between the two of us” in the event that the neighboring units need to cooperate on disaster relief, humanitarian, or military missions, Powell said. “For us, it was extremely helpful to have a clear understanding of the tactics and equipment … and how they differ from ours,” said JGSDF pilot Capt. Fujimoto. A pair of USAF UH-1Ns demonstrated various formations and maneuvers during the Jan. 29 sortie.
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…
