President Bush on Sept. 30 signed into law H.R. 2638, an omnibus appropriations act for Fiscal 2009, that includes $488 billion for the Department of Defense. Included in its earmarks are $27 billion for Air Force research and development and roughly $19.4 billion for USAF to buy aircraft, missiles, and ammunition. There is also $16 billion for “other” USAF procurement, approximately $43.8 billion for operations and maintenance, and $29.2 billion for Air Force personnel. Bush has yet to sign the defense authorization bill, passed by the House on Sept. 24 and the Senate on Sept. 27.
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.
