The 62nd Airlift Wing at McChord AFB, Wash., shone in the newly completed no-notice limited nuclear surety inspection carried out by Air Mobility Command, receiving a “satisfactory” rating, the highest grade possible for this type of demanding going-over. Despite the no notice, the wing was “completely ready” to perform its nuclear mission “at a high level of expertise,” said Col. Jerry Martinez, AMC inspector general. This is even though the wing’s commander and all of its group commanders are new and weren’t even present at the unit’s last NSI in January. (It received a satisfactory rating then, too.) The wing, which operates C-17s, is the nation’s primary nuclear airlift force, with responsibility for transporting nuclear weapons, when called upon. This is in addition to its daily cargo and personnel hauling duties. (Scott report by TSgt. Scott T. Sturkol)
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.