Eighth Air Force headquarters operations moved back to Barksdale AFB, La., into a temporary facility pending the completion of renovations and upgrades to its permanent HQ on the base, announced Barksdale officials. “With us moving back to base, we can build on the collaboration between Air Force Global Strike Command staff, the 608th Air Operations Center, and our other mission partners,” said Lt. Col. Deborah Dusek, 8th AF information systems director, in Barksdale’s Feb. 13 release. “This move will help facilitate command and control relationships,” she added. Staff moved into the interim facility on Feb. 11, according to the release. Personnel from the numbered air force, which controls the Air Force’s dual-capable bomber assets, moved off site in 2010 to facilitate security upgrades to the headquarters building. The renovations are projected for completion in Jan. 2014 and, thereafter, 8th AF staff will migrate into the permanent facility in phases, states the release. In addition to AFGSC, to which 8th AF reports, the NAF’s subordinate 2nd Bomb Wing also resides at Barksdale. (Barksdale report by SSgt. Jason McCasland)
An Air Force F-16 pilot designed a collapsible ladder that weighs just six pounds and folds into the unused cockpit map case.