Members of the Kazakhstan air defense force visited the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C., to learn about the base’s flight safety program. During their Sept. 21 visit, they toured the base and got to see F-15E operations up close, according to a base release. “There were a lot of very helpful people,” said Lt. Col. Aidar Zhaukin, one of the visiting Kazakhs. He added, “Everything we’ve seen are things we can take back home.” This visit is part of a larger exchange program to expose the Kazakhs to how the Air Force runs its safety programs, states the release. The Kazakhs are visiting various Active Duty fighter wings to learn about the Air Force’s flying safety standards and operations; ground, weapons, and range safety; operational risk management; standardization, and quality assurance. “We’re giving them the opportunity to see how safety integrates with everything in the Air Force,” said Lt. Col. Heather Alexander, an Air Force flight safety official. “When they can see it, it makes a lasting impression.” (Seymour Johnson report by SrA. Samantha Konieczny)
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.