The United States and Australia on Monday concluded Exercise Talisman Saber 2013, a 21-day training event that brought together more than 28,000 US and Australian military personnel at locations across the Australian continent. Among the activities, on July 23, US and Australian C-17s conducted their first “interfly” mission, executing a joint cargo airdrop from RAAF Base Amberley, according to an Air Force release. Also, airmen from the 36th Contingency Response Group at Andersen AFB, Guam, collaborated with the RAAF’s 382nd Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron from Amberley to carry out an air base opening and sustainment exercise, states a separate release. The CRG airmen and their Australian counterparts helped open up an initial “airhead”—an area secured in hostile territory. Arriving on an Australian C-130J, the CRG airmen helped assume control of the airfield from the US Army airborne troops who had seized it, according to the release. Exercise activities took place in Queensland and Australia’s Northern Territory as well as over the Coral Sea.
Unit commanders are being told to separate service members who can’t shave their cheeks and chin for medical reasons for more than a year, according to new guidance from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
