Air Combat Command now has enough of the new earplugs developed by Air Force Research Lab and commercial companies for all its pilots, who praise the plugs because they not only block noise but also enable radio communication. Before the custom-molded Attenuating Custom Communications Earpiece System, USAF used foam sound-blocking plugs that unfortunately also hampered voices coming over the pilot’s headset. Working with Westone Labs, which also markets the earpieces to commercial customers, the Air Force now is getting the devices for less than $300 per set. (ACC report by A1C Kate Lozier)
The Pentagon’s new Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military has 90 days to find ways to combat the problem within the ranks, and the group will consider all options to address an issue that has “shattered the dreams” of many service members who joined with optimism about…