The Thunderbirds are back after a one-year hiatus due to sequestration. The demonstration team will kick off its 2014 season with a Jan. 1 flyover of the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif. Other high-profile events include, a Feb. 23 flyover at the Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, Fla., and a March 9 flyover during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in Las Vegas. The annual show will wrap up in November at Nellis AFB, Nev.—home of the Thunderbirds, states a Dec. 11 release. The Air Force canceled the 2013 season due to budget constraints, but “we’re glad to be back,” said Thunderbirds commander and lead pilot Lt. Col. Greg Moseley. “Right now, we’re focused on training. While we’re excited to know we’ll be able to tell the Air Force story on the road, we’re completely focused on ensuring we have a safe show season,” he said. The 2014 season marks the team’s 32nd year.
The Air Force has dispatched an element of its Natural Disaster Recovery Team to Guam in the wake of Super Typhoon Mawar, which has caused widespread damage on the island and at Andersen Air Force Base. The team will assess the damage and put together a recovery cost estimate for…