During a visit to Powidz AB, Poland, on June 21, the 86th Airlift Wing at Ramstein AB, Germany and the Polish air force’s 3rd Airlift Wing became sister units. Brig. Gen. Mark Dillon, 86th AW commander and his counterpart Brig. Gen. Tadeusz Mikutel, 3rd AW commander, signed a letter of intention during the visit, pledging both organizations to strengthen their alliance, advance interoperability, and improve mutual security and cooperation. Mikutel said his airmen “appreciate the cooperation with Ramstein” and “are looking forward to expanding that cooperation.” Powidz is home to Polish air force C-130Es that were formerly operated by the 86th AW before Ramstein transitioned to its new fleet of C-130Js and the phased out the C-130Es. (Powidz report by SrA. Amanda Dick)
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.