Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Tom Kelly hosted a delegation of Vietnamese government officials led by Vice Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc for security talks in Washington D.C. The Oct. 1 meeting, the sixth US-Vietnam political security and defense dialogue, was the first such get-together since President Barack Obama and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang announced a new comprehensive partnership between the two countries in July. In a joint statement released after the meeting, the two parties noted the progress they have made in negotiating a civil nuclear agreement. They pledged to advance nonproliferation issues and strengthen cooperation in cyber defense, disaster response, and search and rescue. The two countries also promised to continue cooperation in resolving legacies of the Vietnam War, such as POW/MIA accounting, dioxin and Agent Orange contamination, and unexploded ordnance. The seventh US-Vietnam PSDD will take place next year in Hanoi.
Air Force Changes Rules for Pregnant Aircrew—Again
April 3, 2025
The Air Force is changing its policy for pregnant aircrew, generally reverting to rules set in 2019 that barred female aviators from flying during the first trimester—or from flying in aircraft with ejection seats at all—due to potential risks to the pilot and her unborn fetus.