USAF wants combat systems officers—lieutenants through majors—to fly remotely piloted vehicles. Those airmen who qualify have until Nov. 20 to volunteer. Those who are selected will be notified in December and begin training in January. Once trained, they “will possess the 18X Air Force specialty code and become permanent [unmanned aircraft system] assets,” said Lt. Col. Jeffrey Kwoka, UAS career field manager. The Air Force leadership announced the creation of the 18X specialty code in September. CSOs without a commercial instrument rating are eligible to apply, but those with such a rating have only until Dec. 31 to apply and be able to go directly to a formal training unit, bypassing the full UAS pilot training course, said Maj. Gregory Nita, chief of UAS and intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance assignments, noting a policy change. (Air Force release)
Clarence E. “Bud” Anderson, the only living American triple ace pilot, was honorarily promoted from colonel to brigadier general in a rare and historic ceremony presided over by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. Brown called Anderson, 100, a “wrecking ball” of a pilot who “many of…