Airmen of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard’s 111th Fighter Wing at Willow Grove may have made the unit’s last deployment with its A-10 Warthogs, serving in Afghanistan for the past 45 days. Under BRAC 2005 provisions, the wing lost its A-10s and will start dispersing them next spring. Wing members deployed to Bagram Air Base under the 103rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron dropped more than 30,000 pounds of ordnance and fired more than 25,000 cannon rounds during close air support missions. Some unit members were on their second deployments to Bagram, including Lt. Col. Thomas Fennell, who said, “Everyone focuses on the task at hand and the things we can control vs. those we can’t.” He added, though, “It saddens me that they are eliminating a combat squadron—a very capable one.” (Bagram report by SSgt. Rachel Martinez)
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…
