A-10s from the 81st Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem AB, Germany, flew top cover for Romanian air force helicopters in rescue scenarios during exercise Dacian Thunder, at Campia Turzii AB, Romania. In one of the combat search and rescue scenarios practiced on July 19, the A-10s located a US airman and guided a Puma helicopter carrying Romanian special forces to retrieve this mock survivor. “If a coalition contingency operation happens, we already have unified tactics, techniques, and procedures established. We won’t have to establish these in a real-world situation because we’re already familiar with one another,” said Capt. Maureen Hartney, 81st FS executive officer, in a July 23 release. British and Romanian airmen as well as US marines are participating in the month-long exercise, alongside pilots; support personnel; and survival, evasion, resistance, and escape specialists from Spangdahlem, according to the release. (Campia Turzii report by SrA. Natasha Stannard)
How Miss America 2024 Took the Air Force Somewhere New
Dec. 20, 2024
When 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh became the first ever active service member crowned Miss America on Jan. 14, top Air Force officials recognized a rare opportunity to reach women and girls who otherwise might not consider military service as an option.