A C-17 from JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, on June 24 dropped more than 25,000 pounds of supplies to Marines on the island of Hawaii as part of the Rim of the Pacific exercise. This marked the first time in RIMPAC’s 22-year history that C-17s are participating. Members of the 535th Airlift Squadron delivered the supplies using improved container delivery system (ICDS) bundles, an airdrop method utilized by C-17s over Afghanistan. “This type of training is not done typically in Hawaii, so it was good for our pilots and loadmasters to be able to conduct this type of real-world training,” said aircraft commander Maj. Paul Anderson. RIMPAC is the largest maritime, biennial exercise in the world. This year’s iteration runs from June 23 to August 1 in and around the islands of Hawaii. Fourteen nations are taking part. (Pearl Harbor-Hickam report by TSgt. Cohen Young)
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.