Air Force Secretary Michael Donley on Tuesday visited Whiteman AFB, Mo., to get a close-up look at the 509th Bomb Wing and B-2 stealth bomber operations. “It’s been a great visit,” he said. This was his first visit to Whiteman since assuming the service’s top leadership post in late 2008. “I’ve been looking forward to this for many years, wanting to see the B-2 at its home here at Whiteman,” Donley said. The B-2, he noted, “has continued to evolve over the years and remains a cutting-edge capability for our Air Force and the nation.” The Obama Administration intends to retain the B-2 fleet in a dual role, able to perform conventional or nuclear missions, under the new nuclear force posture released in May. (Whiteman report by A1C Montse Ramirez)
A provision in the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill will require the Defense Department to include the military occupational specialty of service members who die by suicide in its annual report on suicide deaths, though it remains to be seen how much data the department will actually disclose.