Some 50 US airmen and four A-10s flew to Namest Air Base in the Czech Republic for close air support training with Czech personnel, announced US Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa on Tuesday. Back in February, an expeditionary force of 12 A-10s and some 300 airmen left Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., on a 90-day deployment to Spangdahlem AB, Germany. In late March, the contingent flew to Romania to take part in Exercise Dacian Thunder. On April 8, the subset of the larger force flew to Namest. The presence of this rotational expeditionary force, known as a theater security package, is meant to reinforce the US commitment to NATO allies and partner nations in Eastern Europe in the wake of Russian aggression in Ukraine. A second TSP contingent of F-15Cs from the Florida Air National Guard arrived at Leeuwarden AB, Netherlands, in late March for a six-month tour, including time in Bulgaria.
Air Force Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost—a trailblazer and one of the first 10 women to reach a four-star rank across the U.S. military—retired and passed control of U.S. Transportation Command to Air Force Gen. Randall Reed on Oct. 4, finishing an eventful tenure at TRANSCOM.