President Obama on Thursday signed legislation into law that provides funding to cover the death gratuities paid to the grieving families of fallen service personnel, reported NBC News. The federal government’s partial shutdown had disrupted these payments. The House unanimously passed the legislation on Oct. 9. The Senate followed suit on Oct. 10. The bill’s enactment came one day after the Pentagon announced a workaround solution with the Fisher House Foundation, whereby the foundation would cover the costs of the death benefits up front to aid the families and DOD would reimburse the Fisher House at a later point.
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.