Air Force officials are investigating the death of Maj. John Gerrie, 42, who was found dead at Al Udeid AB, Qatar, on Jan. 16. Gerrie, of Nickerson, Kan., was assigned to the 453rd Electronic Warfare Squadron, JBSA-Lackland, Texas, according to the Defense Department. Gerrie was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He died from a “non-combat related incident,” the Pentagon said.
U.S. Air Force F-35s and F-22s regularly deploy deep into the Pacific region from Alaska, Utah, and Hawaii. In the future, though, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command would like to see the Air Force permanently station fifth-generation aircraft west of the international date line—closer to China.