Air Force Secretary Deborah James approved a new decoration for Active Duty airmen, Air National Guard members, and Air Force Reservists directly involved in the strategic nuclear deterrence mission, announced service personnel officials on Monday. Dubbed the Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal, this decoration is aimed at “attracting and retaining high-caliber airmen in the nuclear mission,” states the June 2 release. Air Force officials at the Pentagon have not yet finalized eligibility criteria, according to the release. This announcement closely follows Air Force Global Strike Command’s efforts to reform the ICBM and nuclear-capable bomber career fields and fix assessment standards in the wake of the command’s missileer cheating scandal last year. Approval for the medal came on May 27.
The new defense reconciliation bill includes $7.2 billion for Air Force and Navy aviation accounts, almost half of which will buy more F-15EXs. While electronic warfare, drones, connectivity and airlift all get attention, the F-35 was conspicuously absent from the package, with no explanation given.