Category: Military

Source: United States Air Force

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —  

Assistance to reduce potential impacts in the event of a government shutdown on Airmen, Guardians, civilians, and their families is available through various means. 
 
Those experiencing financial difficulties should contact their chain of command, who can provide more information on the financial aid organizations below. 
 
Compensation:
The Military Leaders Economic Security Toolkit, located on the Military OneSource website, offers information and support. The site is updated regularly to reflect challenges and policy changes related to economic security. 
 
Unemployment Benefits:
Furloughed employees are eligible to apply for unemployment benefits, but excepted employees working on a full-time basis are generally not eligible. Employees who wish to file should do so with the Unemployment Office for the state where the employee worked (i.e., last official duty station prior to furlough). Please be advised, however, that when employees receive retroactive pay, they will be required to pay back any unemployment benefits they received, in accordance with State law. For more information, see OPM guidance and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees. 
 
Personal Financial Readiness: 
The Military and Family Readiness Center personal financial readiness program sustains and improves financial literacy and readiness by offering information, education, training, and free personal financial counseling to Airmen, Guardians, and their families. The DAF has also increased the number of Personal Financial Managers available to assist and enhance financial readiness and money management skills for members and their families. 
 
The Air Force Aid Society continues to support emergent needs such as basic living expenses (e.g., food, rent/mortgage, utilities), vehicle expenses (e.g., payments, repairs, insurance), and child care costs. Airmen and Guardians can submit requests through local Military and Family Readiness Centers and Airman and Family Readiness Centers. 
 
If Airmen, Guardians, or their families are not near an aid organization, they may seek financial assistance from the Red Cross. 
 
Several banking institutions, such as USAA, Navy Federal Credit Union, and Marine Federal Credit Union, have been known to advance military pay to their customers during government shutdowns. Contact your bank to inquire about their policies for situations like these. 
 
Food Insecurity:
First sergeants and Military and Family Readiness Centers assist Airmen, Guardians, and their families in need of food security-related grants and loans with referrals to programs such as: U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Federal Subsistence Supplemental Allowance program, and the Air Force Aid Society. 
 
The FY22 National Defense Authorization Act established a Basic Needs Allowance. The BNA Program provides supplemental income for military members and dependents whose gross household income falls below 130% of federal poverty guidelines. 
 
TRICARE:
In response to the ongoing possibilities of a government shutdown, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) has authorized its TRICARE contractors to continue delivering health care to the 9.4 million beneficiaries of TRICARE. TRICARE beneficiaries seeking medical care from private providers should feel no significant effects. Care at military hospitals and clinics would remain largely unaffected. The TRICARE website includes current information about the impact of the shutdown on TRICARE health plans and military hospitals and clinics. 

Overseas and Remote Commissaries:
Check status of local commissaries to determine the status of your local store. During a shutdown some non-appropriated fund services may continue to operate. Check with your local installation’s website to determine which services will remain open in your area. If able, plan ahead and minimize its impact on day-to-day routine. 
 
To see contingency plans for federal government agencies visit:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/agency-contingency-plans/
 
Additional Helpful Links: 
CONTINGENCY PLAN GUIDANCE FOR CONTINUATION OF ESSENTIAL OPERATIONS IN THE ABSENCE OF AVAILABLE APPROPRIATIONS: https://media.defense.gov/2023/Sep/12/2003299418/-1/-1/1/GUIDANCE-FOR-CONTINUATION-OF-OPERATIONS-DURING-A-LAPSE-IN-APPROPRIATIONS.PDF
 
AFPC TOTAL FORCE SERVICE CENTER: http://www.afpc.af.mil/
 
U.S. OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT: http://www.opm.gov/furlough
 
OMB OVERVIEW & FAQS: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/furlough-guidance/guidance-for-shutdown-furloughs.pdf

Source: United States Air Force

NEW HAVEN, CT —  

The Department of the Air Force (DAF) has agreed to review the discharges of thousands of veterans affected by post-traumatic stress disorder (“PTSD”), Traumatic Brain Injury (“TBI”), or other mental health conditions, or who experienced sexual assault or sexual harassment. The DAF will also implement administrative reforms for individuals who apply to have their discharge statuses upgraded in the future. These reforms follow a settlement reached in the nationwide class action Johnson v. Kendall, brought by Air Force veterans Martin Johnson and Jane Doe.

Under the settlement, the Air Force Discharge Review Board (AFDRB) will automatically reconsider decisions on applications received between September 13, 2015 and the effective date of settlement, in which the AFDRB denied the discharge upgrade requests of veterans who claimed their mental health conditions or sexual assault or sexual harassment experiences caused their characterization of service to be Under Honorable Conditions (General) or Under Other Than Honorable Conditions (UOTHC). The settlement also expands the right to reapply for an upgrade to eligible applicants who were discharged and applied to the AFDRB between September 13, 2006 and September 12, 2015, but received an adverse AFDRB decision.

“I am pleased that the Air Force is taking steps through this settlement to make the AFDRB more accessible to veterans like me who love and have served this country,” said Martin Johnson, an Air Force veteran with PTSD who brought the suit on behalf of the settlement class. “I am glad the Air Force is committed to taking less-than-Honorably discharged veterans’ mental health and trauma seriously.”

“The Department of the Air Force’s actions to resolve this case underscore our continued commitment to provide former Airmen and Guardians fairness, due process, equity, and justice in all cases that are submitted to our review boards,” said Mr. Alex Wagner, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

The settlement also ensures that Air Force, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, and Space Force veterans who submit applications for discharge upgrades in the future will benefit from procedural reforms and new protocols for decision-making in cases involving symptoms or diagnoses of PTSD, TBI, other mental health conditions, or evidence of experiences of sexual trauma. The settlement requires the AFDRB to establish a one-year pilot program giving veterans who claim a mental health condition or experience of sexual trauma, but who fail to submit sufficient evidence of the condition or experience an opportunity to supplement the record; to commit required medical opinions to writing; to provide a phone number for applicants to call with inquiries; to train its members and staff on how mental health conditions can lead to misconduct, and how to identify and combat unconscious bias against persons with disabilities or who have had an experience of sexual trauma; to provide a universal video teleconference option for veterans who wish to have a personal appearance but cannot travel to Washington, D.C.; and to advise applicants of their right to request accommodations, including for disabilities.

“The Johnson settlement ensures that veterans who develop disabilities because of their service, such as Mr. Johnson and Ms. Doe, receive the support they have earned from the country they gave years of their lives to serve. We are hopeful this settlement will allow the AFDRB to implement the changes needed to allow veterans with disabilities an equal opportunity to apply for benefits they deserve,” said Grace Fenwick, a law-student intern in the Veterans Legal Services Clinic at Yale Law School, which represents the plaintiffs with co-counsel Jenner & Block LLP.

Veterans of the Department of the Air Force who were discharged with less-than-fully-honorable service characterizations while having a diagnosis of, or showing symptoms of, the conditions or experiences listed above may be eligible for relief. Discharge upgrades are not guaranteed, and applications will be decided on a case-by-case basis. Eligible veterans who have been identified by the Department of the Air Force will receive notice of their rights under the settlement.

However, Department of the Air Force veterans who do not receive notice may still be eligible for relief.

The full text of the settlement can be found at www.JohnsonAirForceSettlement.com. For more information, please contact the Yale Veterans Legal Services Clinic at johnson.settlement@ylsclinics.org.

Class members may wish to become more active in the lawsuit either through joining the final approval hearing or objecting. The final approval hearing for this settlement will be held on December 4, 2023, and all class members are welcome to join. If class members wish to object to the class, they can do so by filing an objection with the court and voicing their argument in the final approval hearing. Judge Charles S. Haight, Jr. of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut will take any objections into account when deciding whether to grant final approval of the settlement.

Source: United States Air Force

WASHINGTON (AFNS) —  

Two BRAVO AI Battle Labs will be established at U.S. European Command and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, in collaboration with the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office‘s Algorithmic Warfare Directorate and the Defense Innovation Unit, to expedite learning from Department of Defense data. Over the next year, the labs will organize multiple U.S. federal government-wide BRAVO Hackathons, including some with coalition partners.

“BRAVO Hackathons represent an opportunity for DoD to practice and proliferate the fundamentals of user-centered design and agile software development,” said Joe Larson, Defense Department deputy chief digital and AI officer for algorithmic warfare. “By providing the seed funding to establish the AI Battle Labs in EUCOM and INDOPACOM, we will be designing and testing data analytic and AI capabilities with warfighters, not for them, informing and strengthening our ability to deliver exactly what they need to win.”

These multi-classification labs will collect operational theater data — ranging from logistics to cyber — and share it with the DoD enterprise, providing central hubs for digital integration among federal entities, industry, coalition partners and American citizenry. The BRAVO Hackathon series will continue organizing one-week events to integrate data at any classification within a software development environment that permits untrusted licensed open-source and commercial software and data otherwise not approved for production systems.

“On behalf of the DoD, we will deploy BRAVO’s awesome development experience to combatant commands to host timeboxed hackathons and continuously develop and integrate capabilities developed from operational theater data,” said Dr. Stuart Wagner, Air Force Chief Digital Transformation officer and BRAVO AI Battle Labs executive agent. “Given that a free society’s largest competitive advantage is innovation and collaboration, the labs will provide a physical and digital space for serendipitous social collisions as DoD, industry, and coalition partners prototype solutions to challenges from peer competitors. Any U.S. citizen remains eligible to apply to participate in public BRAVO hackathons.”

Federal government employees and federal contractors are encouraged to share use cases, data, infrastructure, or potential collaborations with these labs by email (saf.cn.bravo@us.af.mil) here. U.S. citizens and U.S. industry seeking to collaborate with these labs are encouraged to contact the Defense Innovation Unit (onramp-hack-bravo@diu.mil) here.

“We look forward to working with the BRAVO labs to ensure that developers and companies who want to work with DoD data can rapidly access the environments they need to demonstrate operational relevance,” said Doug Beck, Defense Innovation Unit director.

The labs will continue the series’ bottom-up approach to problem solving, where military members, civilians and federal contractors propose projects and form self-organizing teams that develop prototypes inside combatant commands.

“The use of emerging AI tools to quickly analyze and leverage data for decision advantage is critical in today’s increasingly complex threat environment,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Peter Andrysiak, USEUCOM chief of staff. “Establishing one of the BRAVO AI Battle labs within in the USEUCOM region is an important investment for this command. The lab will enable greater innovation at the edge, with our allies and partners, against a range of challenges at a pivotal time for the command.”

The labs seek to interconnect combatant command, enterprise DoD and coalition partner capabilities from data ingestion and system integration to approved employment. The Air Force’s system-of-systems technology integration toolchain for heterogeneous electronic systems, or STITCHES, will integrate various Combatant Command and service level systems directly to the labs.

Across three BRAVO hackathons at six separate sites, 81 operational prototypes have been produced at three classifications from operational DoD data at approximately 2% the cost of existing DoD minimum viable product innovation pipelines such as Small Business Innovation Research Program Phase II grants.

Since the BRAVO 10 hackathon in March 2023 at Hurlburt Field, Florida, 33% of those projects have been utilized in production or received follow-on funding commitments that totals over 75 times the cost of the hackathon itself. Dozens of prototypes from prior events have been further resourced and impacted major defense programs in areas including large language models, space launch, flight telemetry and biometrics, radar resiliency, unmanned systems, personnel recovery, sensing and targeting, user experience, intelligence analysis, situational report automated analysis, battle damage assessment, critical communication system reliability and legal and administrative operations among others.

“Despite the speed and impacts from BRAVO hackathons, we are still finding the time from development of capabilities, calibrations, or tactics with operational data to employment in theater to be on the order of months or years,” Wagner said. “We are deploying these labs to drop this timeline by a factor of 100 — from months or years to days and eventually hours — by increasingly automating bureaucratic processes such as data classification determinations and authority to operate applications. If successful, we will adapt our capabilities and tactics to our strategic competitors faster than they can adapt to us.”

Named from Billy Mitchell’s controversial 1920s Project B battleship bombing trials that creatively disproved the top funding priority of the Secretary of War by demonstrating bombers sink battleships, BRAVO seeks to empower government, academia, industry, citizens and foreign partners to rapidly develop capabilities from existent IT systems while encouraging psychological safety and rank-agnostic innovation.
 

Source: United States Air Force

WASHINGTON (AFNS) —  

The Department of the Air Force gathered key leadership and stakeholders for its premier Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Conference Sept. 18-20 at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

This year’s theme, “Respect, Recruit, Retain and Ready,” aimed to empower all Airmen and Guardians, emphasizing the need for inclusive leadership, trust and belonging amid an evolving battlefield.

Marianne Malizia, Secretary of the Air Force Diversity and Inclusion director, stressed the critical importance of the conference themes.

 “In the vast expanse of air and space, diverse perspectives and inclusive strategies are paramount. Our mission revolves around nurturing a culture where everyone feels valued and knows they belong. Their voices, ideas and insights aren’t merely heard—they’re actively pursued to enhance our mission.” -Secretary of the Air Force Diversity and Inclusion Director Marianne Malizia

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall initiated the conference with an opening day keynote, underscoring the pivotal roles of respect and readiness in accomplishing the mission.

“For me, it’s always all about readiness, it’s all about capacity [and] capability,” he said. “It’s about deterrence, and it’s about the ability to win if we have to fight. You win when you have the strongest team on the field, and you win when you have a team where everybody can trust everybody else and work together as a team to achieve a common goal.”

Kendall stressed the link between mutual respect and readiness, stating that by fostering a sense of worth in every team member, mission success is inevitable.

“That’s what we’re trying to build, and you build that by making sure everybody feels valued,” he said. “You build it by making sure everybody gets to work to their full potential, everybody is treated fairly and equally so they want to be on the team, and you’re invested in them and their level of capability.”

Speaking on the essence of leadership, Kendall offered an insightful perspective to leaders on empathy and inclusivity.

“It’s important for leaders to understand and have empathy for the people they lead as much as possible,” he said. “You can be a much more effective leader if you do that. If you start to be more inclusive and bring people into the conversation, you’re going to get better ideas and better solutions.”

DAF Diversity and Inclusion leaders later unveiled the Department of the Air Force Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Strategic Plan, formalized mere hours before the event’s commencement.

“The the elements of  the strategy we just signed, are incredibly sound and focus on the mission, focus on culture and focus on institutionalizing things we believe in,” Kendall said.” All these things are going to pay dividends as we move forward.”

Col. Jenise Carroll, SAF DI deputy director, and Chief Master Sgt. Don Pedro, SAF DI senior enlisted leader, addressed stakeholders on the value and importance of the SAF DI Mission and Strategy.

According to Carroll, SAF DI’s Mission and Strategy evolve around the understanding that the strength of the DAF doesn’t just lie in our technological prowess or advanced weaponry, but in Airmen and Guardians who volunteer to serve. 

“The essence of Respect, Recruit, Retain and Ready is intertwined deeply within the SAF DI mission and strategy,” she said. “By respecting and valuing the unique perspectives of every individual, we lay the foundation for recruiting a diverse, dynamic workforce. This, in turn, ensures we retain world-class talent that’s always ready to meet and overcome any challenge.”

Carroll stated embedding these principles into strategy ensures the DAF isn’t just preparing for today’s threats but innovating for tomorrow’s challenges.

Pedro said the heart of the SAF DI mission and strategy is an understanding that our true might comes from our diversity.

“I’ve served alongside some of the most dedicated individuals in my career, and what stands out is not just their dedication to the mission, but their diverse backgrounds, their stories and their challenges,” he said. “Our SAF DI mission recognizes this. It ties directly to ‘Respect, Recruit, Retain and Ready’, ensuring that every individual, irrespective of their background, feels respected, is actively recruited, is retained for their unparalleled skills, and is always ready to rise to the challenges we face.”

In a question-and-answer session with Malizia, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller and performing the duties of Under Secretary of the Air Force Kristyn Jones said recruiting a diverse group and focusing on retaining both Airmen and Guardians, especially during times of heightened global competition, is of paramount importance.

“We need you. We need all of you. We need the talents of our great American population in order to be ready for the future, and  that is where we’re required to think about retention and recruitment,” said Jones. “Everything that you all are doing here is breaking down those barriers.”

Jones also spoke on mentoring and sponsorship, two crucial components for the Department of the Air Force in its recruitment and retention initiatives.

“Culturally, I think we still have a way to go to be able to get those mentoring and sponsorship programs in place,” she said. “Even without a program, people can to reach out to somebody who doesn’t look just like you–they have a different background, different race, different gender—and you’re taking the time to get to know them and able to represent them when they’re not in the room.”

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass closed out the conference with a session addressing questions from the Airmen and Guardians, and ending the conversation with heartfelt gratitude and a powerful message.

“Leaders, thanks for investing in yourself and thanks for spending three days to make yourself better again in order to make our Air Force better, “she said. “I very much appreciate seeing these senior leaders throughout the audience who are working incredibly hard to help build the Force of the Future.”

Bass emphasized unity and the shared responsibility towards an inclusive environment.

“These aren’t women challenges, male challenges, Asian-American challenges, African-American challenges, or LGBTQI+ challenges,” she said. “These are people challenges, and all of us have a responsibility to create an environment where every single one of us can thrive.”

Source: United States Air Force

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFNS) —  

Sept. 23 may have marked the close of Maj. Gen. Jeannie Leavitt‘s distinguished career, but the legacy she’s crafted and the lives she’s influenced will undoubtedly resonate for generations, U.S. Transportation Command‘s top general said during Leavitt’s retirement ceremony. 
 
Officiating the event, USTRANSCOM Commander Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost recounted the hurdles and triumphs that defined Leavitt’s storied 31-year journey. From being the Air Force’s first female fighter pilot to being the first woman to command the 57th Wing at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. 
 
Leavitt’s tale is etched with many “firsts,” yet beyond the accolades and achievements, what truly propelled her was her character, Van Ovost said. 
 
“As her character was being shaped in those early years,” Van Ovost continued. “She had every opportunity to choose an easy path. To take roads well-traveled, but that’s not who she is.” 
 
From her early aspirations in aerospace engineering to confronting policies that once barred women from combat-coded fighter aircraft roles, Leavitt’s resolve knew no bounds. With the unwavering support of her parents, she overcame challenges and pioneered new paths.

However, recalling the obstacles faced by women in combat roles in the early nineties, Van Ovost emphasized that policy change alone was insufficient. Acceptance and recognition were battles unto themselves, and Leavitt was at the forefront of these transformative times. 
 
To help reshape misguided perceptions, Leavitt would venture to Hollywood, where she’d work with Disney on the captain movie project. This opportunity would give Leavitt a stage to tell her Air Force story and provide a better representation and window into what a lifetime of service looked like. 
 
“[Jeannie] had to cope with a constant demand to be in the spotlight, because of her many firsts, something that’s not really representative of who Jeannie is,” Van Ovost said. “She much prefers to stand back, behind the scenes to guide and mentor. To take care of the people and the mission – [that’s] the true purpose behind her continued dedication to service.” 
 
Leavitt’s aspirations were never solely for herself, but about lifting an entire community. And through her tenacity and resilience, Leavitt laid the foundation for future generations to tread. 
 
“On behalf of all of those who journeyed beside and behind you, thank you for having the courageous character necessary to pave new roads for others to follow,” Van Ovost said.

 

Source: United States Air Force

GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) —  

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass returned to Goodfellow Air Force Base to join service members in celebrating the 30th anniversary of Goodfellow AFB being the home of the 17th Training Wing.

Students and permanent party members had the opportunity to meet with Bass, a former 17th Training Wing command chief, multiple times throughout her visit. Bass invited service members to discuss how the Air Force is constantly evolving and progressing, with the new technological advances being made by both the U.S. and our adversaries, to continue to be the world’s greatest Air Force.

“The Air Force I grew up in 30 years ago is very different from the Air Force today,” Bass said. “We have got to get faster at change.”

Bass discussed the implementation of emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, and their impact on the future of the workforce. She also opened the floor to any questions that both permanent party and students may have had about the effects these technologies may have on their careers.

Bass ended her visit with the Airmen by encouraging them to constantly challenge the status quo set before them in their units, on their bases, and throughout the Air Force as they move through their careers. 

Source: United States Air Force

GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) —  

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass returned to Goodfellow Air Force Base to join service members in celebrating the 30th anniversary of Goodfellow AFB being the home of the 17th Training Wing.

Students and permanent party members had the opportunity to meet with Bass, a former 17th Training Wing command chief, multiple times throughout her visit. Bass invited service members to discuss how the Air Force is constantly evolving and progressing, with the new technological advances being made by both the U.S. and our adversaries, to continue to be the world’s greatest Air Force.

“The Air Force I grew up in 30 years ago is very different from the Air Force today,” Bass said. “We have got to get faster at change.”

Bass discussed the implementation of emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, and their impact on the future of the workforce. She also opened the floor to any questions that both permanent party and students may have had about the effects these technologies may have on their careers.

Bass ended her visit with the Airmen by encouraging them to constantly challenge the status quo set before them in their units, on their bases, and throughout the Air Force as they move through their careers.