USAF civil engineers at Sather Air Base, near Baghdad Airport in Iraq, are working to complete some $3.3 million in projects to improve the quality of life for US forces deployed to the facility. One key “highly anticipated” project, reports the Sather Pathfinder, is construction of showers and latrines, slated for completion in mid-January. They are also putting up a Services tent, complete with a fitness area, and additional shelters for vehicle maintenance and supply.
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.