Air Force officials at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, have established a Theater Security Cooperation Division to promote bilateral US-Kyrgyz relations through humanitarian assistance, military-to-military activities, and community partnerships. “The TSC will strive tirelessly to build bridges and uncover solutions to important issues for both the United States and the people of Kyrgyzstan,” said Daniel Ginsberg, USAF’s assistant secretary for manpower and reserve affairs, at the division’s stand-up ceremony April 23. Airmen worked 10 months to create the division. Lt. Col. John Elshaw, TSC director, said a top priority is working with local high-ranking Kyrgyz government officials to organize and plan projects. “In the past, we would provide humanitarian assistance anywhere we could,” he said. “Now we’re drafting operating instructions, setting standards and procedures to sustain this operation for the future.” (Manas report by TSgt. Jerome C. Baysmore)
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.