Paul Airey, the first Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, received a memorable birthday present when Tyndall AFB, Fla., officials renamed the NCO Academy there in his honor. The dedication ceremony also marked the beginning of the academy’s 50th year of service. Airey, who retired at Tyndall in 1970, said, “I am proud and a little in awe,” while CMSgt. Thomas Schwenk, commandant of the NCOA, called him a “trailblazer for the enlisted corps.”
When Lt. Col. Dustin Johnson was ordered to deploy to the Middle East last year, he and his fellow F-22 Raptor pilots prepared for an unusual challenge. As America’s premier air superiority fighter, the F-22 was designed to take on advanced enemy aircraft, capable of maneuvering stealthily and cruising at supersonic…