The Air Force announced Jan. 2 that the airmen of the 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nev., who are known as the Lions, have won the 2008 International Test and Evaluation Association’s Special Achievement Award for extraordinary achievement in test and evaluation. “The Lions provided our combat air forces with the weapon systems they needed to find, fix, track, and destroy fleeting urban and fast moving targets,” said Lt. Col. Daniel Holmes, former commander of the unit. He continued, “Testing new aircraft, weapons and sensor upgrades is normally a three- to five-year process, but we tested and fielded several new systems in a matter of months.” The squadron conducts operational tests for new systems on A-10, F-15, F-16, and F-22 aircraft.
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…
