The 361st Recruiting Squadron from McChord AFB, Wash., brought in 151 recruits from Oregon and Washington on July 19, thereby setting a record for the largest delayed-entry-program swear-in at an air show. The ceremony took place during the McChord Air Expo that ran July 19-20. Lt. Col. Greg Thomas, Thunderbirds commander, led the young men and women in the recitation of the oath of enlistment. The air expo also set a record for attendance with 377,616 visitors, eclipsing the base’s previous record of 150,000 attendees set in 2005. So far this year, the Air Force has done well recruiting overall, either meeting or surpassing its goals through June. (McChord report by Lt. Col. Andrew O’Neel)
USAF F-35 Squadrons at Lakenheath Near Full Readiness
April 5, 2025
The U.S. Air Force is poised to fill out its full complement of F-35 fighters and reach full operational capability with two squadrons at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom this year, according to the head of the U.S. European Command.