Air Force Reserve Command’s 555th RED HORSE combat engineers and their active duty cohorts, the 820th RED HORSE, both assigned to Nellis AFB, Nev., have started on a six-month deployment to Balad AB, Iraq. It’s the first time the 555th has deployed since the Vietnam War, reports journalist SrA. Travis Edwards. In Iraq, the RED HORSE airmen will assist the Army in getting ready to sustain a growing number of ground forces and with other Army construction tasks. Before leaving the US, the airmen are going through weapons and other combat skills training at Ft. McCoy, Wis.
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.