The Air Force Association bestowed its Lifetime Achievement award on retired CMSAF Paul Airey, presenting the award to the 85-year-old top airman at the Senior NCO Academy in Alabama last week. Airey is the first enlisted person to receive the prestigious award, reports Carl Bergquist. According to AFA Chairman of the Board Bob Largent, the award to Airey is “past due.” At the ceremony, current CMSAF Rodney McKinley said, “In my opinion, Chief Airey is the most respected enlisted airman in the Air Force.”
A provision in the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill will require the Defense Department to include the military occupational specialty of service members who die by suicide in its annual report on suicide deaths, though it remains to be seen how much data the department will actually disclose.