Airmen can no longer bring their families with them on deployments to Turkey. Beginning Sept. 21, Air Force assignments to Turkey are now unaccompanied, 12-month tours, according to the announcement. Two-year accompanied deployments or 15-month unaccompanied tours will no longer occur. Airmen currently serving a 15-month tour will complete their assignments without curtailment or no later than Aug. 31, 2017. Civilians will also no longer be able to deploy to the country that borders Syria for 24 months, and any such tours will automatically be changed to a 12-month tour. The changes were “made taking into account the region’s current security environment and in consultation with the State Department and Turkish government,” according to the release. Turkey has been rocked by bombings and a ?failed coup attempt in recent months. In March, the Pentagon ordered the families of military personnel assigned to southern part of the country to leave due to security fears.
Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III outlined Dec. 4 the vital importance of U.S. defense investment keeping pace with that of China before issuing a statement warning that such competition would suffer “irreparable” damage if Congress opts for a yearlong continuing resolution, a real possibility being discussed by lawmakers after…