AFGSC

Concerns amongst the Air Force’s Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) community in 2023 about exposures in the field being tied to numerous cancer diagnosis as presented to the Department of the Air Force and General Thomas Bussiere (AFGSC/CC) initiated the first Missile Community Cancer Study.

“I’m the commander of this mission, and if I don’t care, who does?” said Bussiere, a cancer survivor himself. Airmen who served in bunkers and missile fields had suspected cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma might be service-related, but the Air Force had earlier dismissed those concerns based on 2001 and 2005 studies.

Bussiere said he wasn’t happy with those reports.

“I read the two previous reports, and to say they were wanting in their deliberate, disciplined approach to review the issues in that career field is an understatement,” said Bussiere. The study has found higher rates of prostate and breast cancer among Airman at the missile installation and hazardous chemicals at from a small sampling of the ICBM bases.

Air Force Global Strike holds regular town halls to update the community on the Missile Community Cancer Study and will soon transition to platforms allowing members who no longer serve or associate in a government entity to participate.

AFRC

Two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, two HC-130J Combat King 11 aircraft and two teams of combat rescue officers and pararescuemen based out of Patrick Space Force Base, assisted in the airlift a mother and her child in crisis. “These real-world missions are what our countless hours of training have prepared us for,” said Lt. Col. John Lowe (920th OG/CC). “Rescue was able to plan and execute this mission without hesitation.”

According to Capt. Dylan Gann (301st RS pilot), “Everyone in the wing mobilized with exceptional speed. By uniting our efforts, we saved crucial time, delivering life-saving assistance six hours ahead of other response teams.”

The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, a reserve unit from Keesler Air Force Base, is made up of 10 full time and 10 part time aircrews. They operate 10 WC-130J aircraft, equipped with weather monitoring equipment and are tasked with providing weather reconnaissance for hurricanes and winter storms.

A prediction of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, made in April by forecasters at Colorado State University, stated that the hurricane season will become “extremely active” due to warm seawater and less wind shear to disrupt storms. The impact of increased storm seasons has had its effect on the Hurricane Hunters.

“If you ask the wing commander at Homestead [Air Reserve Base], at Tyndall [Air Force Base], at [Joint Base] Charleston, any coastal installation, they’ll tell you the same thing. They rely on that hurricane center forecast that tells them what’s going to happen,” said Maj. Chris Dyke (A3/A3OW). “Like any good reconnaissance mission, our job is to create certainty out of uncertainty.”