President Obama has extended the deadline to claim retroactive stop loss payments until Dec. 3. Active and retired airmen as well as former members of the National Guard or reserve may be eligible for the payments if they served in Operation Enduring Freedom from Oct. 2, 2001, to Jan. 31, 2003, or Operation Iraqi Freedom from May 2, 2003, through Dec. 31, 2003, according to Air Force Personnel Center officials at Randolph AFB, Tex. Obama signed a resolution on Sept. 30 extending the application deadline, which was originally set to expire on Oct. 21. If approved, airmen could be eligible for up to $500 in retroactive special pay for each month that they were affected by the stop loss. Those who accepted a selective re-enlistment bonus subsequent to being affected by stop loss are not eligible for the retroactive pay. (Randolph report by Daniel P. Elkins)
Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominee to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Defense Department needs to upgrade its electronic warfare capability and its EW training ranges; just as his predecessor said at his own confirmation hearing.