We learned late Wed
nesday that Paul W. Airey, the first Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, died Wednesday morning in Panama City, Fla. Airey served as a B-24 aerial gunner during World War II but spent much of his 27-year career as a first sergeant in various units. He was installed as USAF’s top enlisted man in the newly created CMSAF position on April 3, 1967. He retired in August 1970. In 2007, the Air Force Association awarded then 85-year-old Airey its Lifetime Achievement Award. Among the many services he provided AFA and the Air Force, Airey served on the Air Force Memorial Foundation’s site and design committee and inscription committee. This Airey quote appears on the Air Force Memorial’s North Inscription Wall: “When I think of the enlisted force, I see Dedication, Determination, Loyalty, and Valor.” (For more on Airey, read Air Force Magazine’s 1997 article “Chief Airey“)
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.