The 62nd Airlift Wing, a C-17 unit at JB Lewis-McChord, Wash., has received “the highest grade possible” in the nuclear surety inspection held at the base from June 1-7. Col. Thomas Freese, Air Mobility Command’s deputy inspector general, led a contingent of inspectors that scrutinized the ability of these airmen to execute nuclear operations in a safe, secure, and reliable manner. The 62nd AW is the nation’s primary nuclear airlift force, responsible for transporting nuclear weapons and associated equipment and personnel. This is in addition to its daily duties of hauling routine cargo and personnel around the globe. The unit passed a no-notice limited NSI last August and a full-up NSI in January 2009. (Lewis-McChord report by MSgt Chris Haylett)
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.