Airmen in several locales have been supporting the memorial services for former President Gerald Ford, who died Dec. 26 at the age of 93. The Presidential-support 89th Airlift Wing, Andrews AFB, Md., flew the casket from California to Washington and finally to Michigan. Airmen from the Air Force Honor Guard participated in various memorial services in the nation’s capital and California, while Air Force band members performed during ceremonies in Michigan. And, in Michigan, where Ford will be buried on Jan. 3, members of the Air and Army National Guard are providing logistical, medical, and security support.
The U.S. supports “a stronger and more capable” European defense, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said during an Oct. 22 press conference in Brussels—but that defense should not duplicate the functions and capabilities of the NATO alliance.