Category: Air Force

Appeals Court Rejects Air Force’s Effort to Lift COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Injunction

The Air Force improperly adjudicated requests for exemptions to its COVID-19 vaccine mandate and has illegally only handed out exemptions to members who are on their way out, an appeals court said on Nov. 29 as it rejected the military branch’s bid to lift an injunction against punishing thousands of unvaccinated members. Eighteen members brought…


Air Force F-35 Crashes at Base in Utah: Officials

An F-35 fighter jet crashed at an Air Force base in Utah on Wednesday, with the pilot having ejected from the aircraft prior to the crash, officials said. “At approximately 6:15 p.m. an F-35 A Lightning II crashed at the north end of Hill Air Force Base runway. On and off base emergency crews responded…


‘It’s Never Too Late’: Retired Air Force Pilot, 58, Returns to the Cockpit After Raising 4 Kids

A trailblazer who was an Air Force pilot for more than seven years and then quit as a T38 instructor to raise her children has returned to the cockpit after a 24-year hiatus, alongside her husband, a commercial jet pilot. Her reentry into the world of flying has left her “grinning ear to ear.” Mom-of-four…


US Army Misses Recruiting Goal, Secretary Confirms

The Army failed to meet its recruitment goal, officials confirmed on Sept. 30, after the military refused to heed calls to roll back its COVID-19 vaccine mandate. “In the Army’s most challenging recruiting year since the start of the all-volunteer force, we will only achieve 75% of our fiscal year 22 recruiting goal,” Army Secretary…


China Investing in Military Capabilities to Topple US Defenses: Air Force Secretary

China’s communist regime is the leading threat to the United States and is operating with the intent of displacing the United States as a global superpower, according to a senior Pentagon official. “The reason I came back into government, more than any other by far, is my concern about China’s military modernization program,” said Secretary…


Air Force Academy Defends Telling Cadets to Replace ‘Mom and Dad’ With ‘Gender-Neutral Language’

The U.S. Air Force Academy has defended its teaching cadets to avoid “gender-specific terms” such as “mom” or “dad,” saying that “inclusive language” is important to its mission of training leaders capable of winning wars. The Colorado Springs-based military school recently met with criticism over a slide that instructs cadets to replace gender-specific terms with…


Snowbirds Allowed Back in the Air After Probe Finds Oil Filter Caused Latest Crash

The Snowbirds have been cleared for takeoff after a crash in B.C. last month forced the military’s famed aerobatics team to cancel appearances at several air shows. Military investigators say the crash near Fort St. John on Aug. 2 was caused by an improperly assembled oil filter. The crash happened when one of the Snowbirds‘…


‘Significant Proof’ Air Force Has Discriminated Against Troops Seeking Religious Exemptions to Vaccine Mandate: Court

Air Force members seeking religious exemptions from the U.S. military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate have provided “significant proof” that the military branch has discriminated against them, a federal appeals court ruled on Sept. 12. A U.S. district court in July blocked the mandate for thousands of Air Force members who remain unvaccinated and have had their…


Vietnam War Veteran: Surviving Hanoi Hilton as POW for Over 6 Years

A Vietnam Air Force pilot tells his story of surviving Hotel Hanoi as a prisoner of war. His F-4 was shot down by SAM missiles, landing at Hanoi Hilton, where American soldiers were kept as POWs. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Barry Bridger is retelling a story of hope, remembering how he and others survived in the…


Vietnam War Veteran: Surviving Hanoi Hilton as Prisoner of War for Over 6 Years

A Vietnam Air Force pilot tells his story of surviving Hotel Hanoi as a prisoner of war. His F-4 was shot down by SAM missiles, landing at Hanoi Hilton, where American soldiers were kept as POWs. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Barry Bridger is retelling a story of hope, remembering how he and others survived in the…