The center for Air Force basic training is still reporting a significant number of recruits with adenovirus serotype 14, but the number has come down from earlier this year, reports the San Antonio Express-News. The new strain killed one airman, who had just graduated from basic, earlier this year and another eight people in Oregon, Texas, and Washington, according to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Officials at Lackland do not attribute the situation to anything other than Mother Nature.
Airmen basic rarely go on to become four-star generals, but one who did retired last week after a 42 year career that saw him rise from a lowly slick-sleeve to the head of one of the Air Force’s most important major commands.