The Air Force Personnel Center yesterday announced the names of the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2008. They are: SMSgt. Donna Goodno, San Diego ANGS, Calif.; MSgt. Carla Curry, Randolph AFB, Tex.; MSgt. George Price Jr., Patrick AFB, Fla.; TSgt. James Caughron, McConnell AFB, Kan.; TSgt. Earl Covel Jr., Ft. Lewis, Wash.; TSgt. Jason Hughes, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska; TSgt. Tammy Shaw, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; TSgt. James Weltin, Patrick AFB, Fla.; SSgt. Eric Eberhard, Hill AFB, Utah; SrA. Mary Bullock, Hurlburt Field, Fla.; SrA. Alicia Goetschel, RAF Mildenhall, Britain; and SrA. Shawn Ryan, Sheppard AFB, Tex. The Air Force Association will honor them at its Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition in Washington, D.C., in September.
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.