Where US Troops Come From

“Bamboo Eagle,” the Air Force’s new advanced combat-readiness exercise, returned for its second year in recent weeks, featuring more than 175 aircraft and 10,000 personnel from four countries for the service’s latest large-scale exercise.

The Air Force's mission capable rates declined again in fiscal 2024, indicating the service has work to do to adequately fund spares and maintenance. The F-22 fighter and B-1 bomber both were available less than half the time.

Two U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratrofortress bombers flew over the Middle East on Feb. 17 in a “force projection” demonstration, U.S. Central Command announced. The mission also included live munitions drops and fighters escorts from regional partners, according to CENTCOM.

A production superintendent with the Ohio Air National Guard, Master Sgt. Todd Parkison has brought in more Airmen than any other Air National Guard recruiter in history, and perhaps more than any Air Force recruiter period.

A new Department of the Air Force memo clarifies that civilian employees must either work or use accrued leave on Family Days. The memo also notes Family Days will be evaluated in the coming weeks, sparking concerns regarding changes around the tradition.

The Space Force added to its effort to "speed run” satellite launches with the latest in a series of Tactically Responsive Space missions announced Feb. 13. 

As the number of crewed spaceflights ticks up, the Air Force expects to train more of its C-17 transport crews to help pluck astronauts out of the water as part of its Human Space Flight Support mission

A new paper from the Hudson Institute argues that the Pentagon should dump the entire Joint Capabilities and Integration Development system, saying it has irretrievably failed and does more harm than good. In its place, the authors suggest a more service-oriented, bottom-up system that sets requirements through experimentation and prototyping.

F-35s from the United States, Australia, and Japan are all soaring above Andersen Air Force Base in Guam as part of Cope North, Pacific Air Forces’ largest annual multilateral exercise.