The Air Force has asked for $50 billion in emergency funding for Fiscal 2008, service spokeswoman Capt. Anna Carpenter confirmed Wednesday when questioned by the Daily Report. The huge request follows on the heels of an Oct. 25 directive from Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England that instructs the services to include the entire “long war” on terror not just current operations in Afghanistan and Iraq when formulating emergency funding requests. Carpenter would not discuss details of the 2008 request or an under-review additional request—beyond the $17 billion already submitted—for Fiscal 2007. Congress likely will take a dim view of the new instruction, since it already has signaled its displeasure of the Administration’s practice of funding the war on terror through emergency supplementals rather than within the primary defense budget.
Airmen and Guardians in the Active and Reserve component, as well as civilian employees, in “mission critical and high-risk populations” are now required to receive influenza vaccinations annually to “preserve force readiness,” according to a recent Department of the Air Force memo.