JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh and CMSAF James Cody arrived here on the first stop of their first leadership tour of the Asia-Pacific region. They touched down late on Aug. 18 local time; on Monday’s agenda were visits with Pacific Air Forces leaders and airmen here as well as US Pacific Command leadership. Welsh and Cody will also visit Japan and South Korea, during which they will meet with military counterparts and government officials in those nations. Stops in Alaska are also planned, including meetings with elected and civic leaders. This trip, which is scheduled to run through the end of the month, is Welsh’s and Cody’s first one to the region in their current positions. Welsh said the trip is an opportunity to visit and get face time with some of the more than 43,000 airmen stationed in the region. The Air Force’s presence and unique capabilities are an “invaluable part of [the Pentagon’s] rebalance to the Pacific,” said Welsh. He said he and Cody would be taking a close look at how to prepare and care for airmen as the rebalance proceeds, and to thank them for their dedication to the mission.
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…
