When USAF created Air Force Global Strike Command earlier this year at Barksdale AFB, La., the new command took over the headquarters building of one of its units-to-be, 8th Air Force, scattering 8th AF staff around Barksdale, but now USAF has received permission to collect the 8th AF folks temporarily into leased space in one building of the new Cyber Innovation Center in Bossier City. The lease arrangement took months to work out, according to the Louisiana Congressional Delegation. In a joint statement, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) cited the move’s “logistical sense” for 8th AF and “fiscal sense” for Louisiana, which, the Shreveport Times reports, will collect $8.5 million on the one-year lease, with an option for two years. During that time, Barksdale will be renovating a building to serve as permanent headquarters for 8th AF, which transfers to AFGSC in February.
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.