Two B-52s from Barksdale AFB, LA., completed a 44-hour, nonstop mission to Australia and back, according to a US Strategic Command release. “These flights are one of the many ways the United States demonstrates its commitment to a stable and peaceful Indo-Asia Pacific region,” said Adm. Cecil Haney, STRATCOM commander. During the mission, which concluded on July 2, the B-52s of Barksdale’s 2nd Bomb Wing integrated with Australian airmen on the ground, dropped inert conventional weapons on the Delamere Air Weapons Range in northern Australia, and performed a low approach over RAAF Base Tindal, states the release. The base is north of the range. Since 2010, the Air Force has periodically deployed B-52s to Australia for short training stints. B-52s have been frequent world travelers this year. For example, in June, three B-52s from Minot AFB, N.D., operated for a while from RAF Fairford, Britain, supporting NATO training exercises in the Baltic Sea area.
The Air Force is promoting 22.5 percent of eligible senior master sergeants to chief master sergeant in 2023, the service announced Nov. 28—the highest rate for E-9s in seven years. All told, 506 Airmen were selected from a pool of 2,249 eligible candidates. The full list of those selected will be…