Almanac: Structure

A provision in the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill will require the Defense Department to include the military occupational specialty of service members who die by suicide in its annual report on suicide deaths, though it remains to be seen how much data the department will actually disclose.

When 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh became the first ever active service member crowned Miss America on Jan. 14, top Air Force officials recognized a rare opportunity to reach women and girls who otherwise might not consider military service as an option.

An effort at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., to bring in medical specialists from afar seems to be paying off, with families driving less and requesting fewer travel vouchers to access care.

The Air Force recently expanded its waiver tolerances for asthma, food allergies, and hearing loss. The move should bring in between 600 and 1,000 more recruits a year, though they would be restricted from certain jobs or duty stations.

Space Force leaders are contemplating separating out the service’s boot camp from the Air Force and moving it to a new location. 

Senate and House lawmakers released their compromise 2025 National Defense Authorization bill on Dec. 7—the proposed legislation would give a 14.5 percent pay raise to junior enlisted Airmen and Guardians and prohibit the Air Force from retiring any F-15E or F-22 fighters.

The Air Force’s first new warrant officers in 66 years graduated Dec. 6 at a ceremony at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., the inaugural class of the new Warrant Officer Training School.

A pair of Air Force major generals have been nominated to become three stars and the first commanders of new centers formulated as part of the service’s “Great Power Competition” changes. 

The Air Force has begun a sweeping overhaul of its education and training programs with the standup of new centers that will be part of the future Airman Development Command that is scheduled to come online next year, service officials said.