Three airmen died Jan. 5 in Shir ghazi in Helmand province, Afghanistan, when their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device, announced the Defense Department. Killed were: TSgt. Matthew S. Schwartz, 34, of Traverse City, Mich.; SrA. Bryan R. Bell, 23, of Erie, Pa.; and A1C Matthew R. Seidler, 24, of Westminster, Md. Schwartz was assigned to the 90th Civil Engineer Squadron at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. Bell was a member of the 2nd CES at Barksdale AFB, La. Seidler’s home unit was the 21st CES at Peterson AFB, Colo.
The Air Force Personnel Center announced that just 14.8 percent of eligible tech sergeants were selected for promotion to master sergeant in the 22E7 promotion cycle, marking the service’s lowest E-7 promotion rate since at least 2010. All told, 4,040 technical sergeants were selected to become master sergeants out of…