Officials at JB San Antonio, Tex., recently consolidated two First Term Airmen Centers and have begun merging two Airmen Leadership Schools on the sprawling joint complex, which comprises Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base, and Fort Sam Houston. These moves are meant to save money and enable more efficient operations. Lackland’s and Randolph’s FTACs combined resources in May, with Lackland chosen to host the center for airmen from both installations. “The main challenge was transportation, getting the Randolph students over here, but we worked that out,” said SSgt. Joshua Biggs, Lackland FTAC noncommissioned officer in charge. Lackland also will host the combined ALS, the phased merger of which began in early June. “Eventually, the school at Randolph will close down and all the students will move to Lackland,” said CMSgt. Juan Lewis, command chief for San Antonio’s 502nd Air Base Wing. (Lackland report by Mike Joseph)
Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III chaired a China-focused military briefing Oct. 27, part of a biweekly series of briefings with senior military commanders about China’s growing threat in the wake of an orbital hypersonic weapon test that elicited public worries from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. “What we…