Yesterday we reported that the new combat-coded B-52 unit that the Air Force plans to establish at Minot AFB, N.D., will apparently be designated the 69th Bomb Squadron. This was based on a report by a local Minot newspaper, citing a briefing given by a Minot official to the base community’s chamber of commerce. Since our report, we’ve gotten feedback from the Air Force, cautioning that the decision is not yet final. “While the new bomb squadron will very likely be called the 69th BS, we are not publicly announcing or disseminating that information at this time,” 2nd Lt. Kidron Vestal, spokeswoman for Minot’s 5th Bomb Wing told the Daily Report. And, Capt. Elizabeth Aptekar, spokeswoman for nuclear matters at Air Force headquarters, told us that, “All details regarding stand up and activation of the new squadron will not be final or official until approved by the Air Combat Command site activation task force.” This contingent is set to visit Minot in early February to work out the details associated with establishing the new unit at the base. “We anticipate more details will be available following the SATF,” said Aptekar.
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.