US Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command decided to restore Misawa AB, Japan, as a stop for Patriot Express, contracting with North American Airlines to fly from Seattle to Misawa, Yokota, and Iwakuni in Japan. The Misawa stop starts Oct. 5 and will eliminate the need to take a fairly expensive commercial route through Tokyo via bus—a 12-hour trip—train or domestic flight. USTRANSCOM and AMC eliminated a number of Patriot Express flights, which provide both official and, when possible, space available seats, during a major restructuring of the program several years ago. (Misawa report by SrA. Stefanie Torres)
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
