Defense Secretary Ash Carter, during a visit to Iraq on July 11, promised new support to the Iraqi government to help counter ISIS attacks on civilians. Carter directed the Defense Department’s Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Agency, which was formed in 2006 to help defeat the scourge of improvised explosive devices hitting US troops in Iraq, to “provide additional assistance that could enhance security in Baghdad,” according to a Defense Department statement. Multiple large-scale bombings have rocked Baghdad recently, including a massive July 3 truck bombing that killed 292, according to CNN.
Airmen and Guardians in the Active and Reserve component, as well as civilian employees, in “mission critical and high-risk populations” are now required to receive influenza vaccinations annually to “preserve force readiness,” according to a recent Department of the Air Force memo.