The Air Force’s only forensic toxicology drug testing laboratory recently opened its doors at Lackland AFB, Tex., a part of Joint Base San Antonio. The new Headquarters Air Force Drug Testing Laboratory, a 22,000-square-foot building, is one of just six such labs in the Defense Department. Its mission is to deter illicit drug use in the service. Per BRAC 2005, the lab moved into the new facility at Lackland from Brooks City-Base, also in Texas. “The project is the closest thing I have ever experienced to building an airplane, in the air, with passengers on board, while flight attendants serve coffee,” said Lt. Col. Kabrena Rodda, the lab’s commander. The building came in $3.5 million under budget and went online on June 30, a month ahead of schedule. (Lackland report by Maj. Travis Herbelin)
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.