Maj. William Gottenberg on March 9 returned from completing his 100th combat mission in the high-flying U-2 reconnaissance aircraft on a sortie over Southwest Asia. Gottenberg, who is deployed from Beale AFB, Calif., and switched from the RC-135 to the U-2 in 2005, said the time flying the U-2 at 70,000 feet “goes by really quickly once I get on station … interacting with guys on the ground providing them with actionable, near real-time intelligence.” Lt. Col. Kirt Stallings, commander of the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron from Beale, thanked Gottenberg, saying his “100 [combat] sorties in the U-2 is a big deal.” Gottenberg believes the U-2 “in the last three to four years … has revolutionized itself in how we employ it.” (380th Air Expeditionary Wing report by MSgt. Scott Sturkol)
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
Dec. 30, 2025
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, compared to the 5.4 percent…
