Your Air Force

Tyndall Air Force Base recovering after Hurricane Michael, officials say

By The Associated Press

Sun Jan 13 2019 06:15 PM

Tech. Sgt. Marquelle Willis stands next to a trench used to house high-voltage power lines supplying electricity to a tent city at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Oct. 28, 2018. Support personnel from Tyndall and other bases are working to repair base infrastructure and build bare-bones facilities after Hurricane Michael. (Airman 1st Class Kelly Walker/Air Force)

PANAMA CITY, Fla. — Officials say a Florida Air Force base heavily damaged by Hurricane Michael is well on the road to recovery.

Col. Brian Laidlaw told local chamber of commerce members that Tyndall Air Force Base has now been open for a month since the powerful storm struck the Panhandle in October.

Air Force announces return of many airmen and missions to Tyndall — but questions remain on fate of F-22s

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said that all but about 500 evacuated airmen will return to Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida or the surrounding area in the next few months as the base continues recovering from Hurricane Michael.

By Stephen Losey

The Panama City News Herald reported Saturday that much remains to be done in rebuilding damaged or destroyed structures. But most units at Tyndall are fully operational, including First Air Force headquarters, the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group, the 823rd Red Horse engineering squadron and the 337th Air Control Squadron.

Laidlaw says there are 48 separate repair projects under way affecting 144 different base facilities. To date, he added, officials have issued $175 million in contracts for the work.

Air Force wants to house three F-35 squadrons at rebuilt Tyndall, move Raptors permanently

The change in plans, if approved, would mean operational F-22 Raptors from the 95th Fighter Squadron would not return to Tyndall.

By Stephen Losey

Tech. Sgt. Jordan Mcguirt and his wife Rebecca clean debris from Under the Palms Park in Mexico Beach, Fla., Dec. 16, 2018. Thirty nine volunteers from Tyndall and Eglin Air Force Bases came together to help clean Mexico Beach, one of the communities hit the hardest by Hurricane Michael. (Tech. Sgt. Sara Keller/Air Force)

More In Your Air Force

Lawmakers protect C-130 fleet, push for new propellers in annual legislation

The Air Force wants to retire 13 older C-130Hs and bring in five new C-130Js.

Trio of exercises had soldiers and airmen island-hopping in the Pacific this summer

Soldiers and airmen conducted large-scale logistics, maneuver, air defense and parachute training during Exercise Forager 21 and Pacific Iron 21 on Guam and Oceania islands in July.

Breakneck pace of crises keeps National Guard away from home

Beyond overseas deployments, Guard members have been called in to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters and protests against racial injustice.

US Navy says drone strike hit oil tanker off Oman, killing 2

Navy EOD techs believe a “drone strike” targeted an oil tanker that came under attack off the coast of Oman.

How World War II led to the invention of super glue

Though discovered by accident, super glue has become a staple of American households.

In Other News

Officer dead after burst of violence outside Pentagon

Gunshots were fired Tuesday morning near the entrance of the Pentagon, resulting in multiple injuries.

The National Guard needs funding, not platitudes

Can the National Guard continue to retain talent at the level needed in the era of “great power competition” when more lucrative, time-saving opportunities present themselves in the civilian world?

For first time, some burn pit victims will get presumptive status for disability benefits

An estimated 3.5 million veterans suffered some burn pit exposure overseas during deployments in the last 20 years.

House panel demands another investigation into F-35 pilot breathing system problems

More than 40 physiological episodes have occurred in the F-35. Congress wants to know why.

Gillibrand: UCMJ changes needed to ensure fairness for all troops

Military Times sat down with the New York Democrat to talk about her proposal to overhaul the military justice system to ensure sexual misconduct crimes are handled properly.