The 451
st Air Expeditionary Group at Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan, officially became the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing on July 2 during a ceremony led by Lt. Gen. Gary North, commander of Air Forces Central. Brig, Gen, Guy Walsh is the wing’s new commander. He previously led the Maryland Air National Guard’s 175th Wing. Kandahar is the site of increased Air Force activity for the US troop buildup in Afghanistan. Back in March, for example, the 772nd Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, a C-130J unit, was established at the base under the then-451st AEG to handle the increasing tactical airlift demands. (Air Force photo caption by 1st Lt. Noelle Caldwell)
The U.K. and the U.S. will continue to enjoy access to the ports, airfield, and workshops at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for at least another century, under a deal inked between the U.K. and Mauritius May 22.