A C-130H of the Delaware Air National Guard’s 166th Airlift Wing flew past 10,000 hours last month, according to a July 21 Guard release, which noted the event marked a new milestone for the unit’s Hercules tactical transports. According to the release, the unit has another four Herks with more than 9,600 hours. Of note, too, is that #213, a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, has served in combat theaters around the world, including time during recent operations in Afghanistan where it was shot up by ground fire. Col. Daniel Van Wyk, commander of the 166th Maintenance Group, said that after that the aircraft underwent repairs in Portugal over several months. The wing averages a million miles a year among its eight C-130s, and, wing commander Col. Jonathan Groff said, “This milestone highlights the excellent maintenance work performed on these aircraft, and the proficiency and professionalism of the aircrew that have flown them over two decades.”
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.