The 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth AFB, S.D., has just marked the 10th anniversary of the loss of four of its airmen, when a B-1 crashed during a training flight on Sept. 19, 1997, reports A1C Kimberly Moore Limrick. Killed in the accident were Col. Anthony Beat, pilot and 28th BW vice commander; Maj. Kirk Cakerice, instructor pilot; Maj. Clay Culver, weapons system officer; and Capt. Gary Everett, weapons system officer. “We learned from the crash and changes were made to aircrew training, which has paid dividends in that no B-1 has crashed since then while flying the same mission profile,” said retired Lt. Col. Clete Knaub, who was a 37th Bomb Squadron maintenance officer at the time of the crash.
Lloyd Austin, President-elect Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Pentagon, spent his Senate confirmation hearing on Jan. 19 pressing his civilian bona fides to lawmakers, with some pledging opposition to the waiver Austin would need to become the nation’s first Black Defense Secretary. Austin spent 40 years in the military…