A Rite of Passage: Eglin’s New Senior NCOs Complete Forge Week
Eglin Air Force Base’s newest senior NCOs completed Forge Week, a week-long professional development course focused on leadership. The technical sergeants faced a field training exercise before participating in a senior NCO induction ceremony the following day, marking an important milestone as they stepped into greater enlisted leadership responsibilities.
Eglin Fighter Jets Set for Training Flights Aug. 4-6
Residents near Eglin Air Force Base may hear fighter aircraft overhead during nighttime hours Aug. 4-6. The 60th Fighter Squadron will conduct training missions between 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Eglin officials said the nighttime flights are required for training operations and may result in increased aircraft noise.
Eglin Gives Airmen a Place to Build Better Solutions
Eglin Air Force Base’s Emerald Spark Cell is helping Airmen turn everyday workplace frustrations into innovative solutions that improve efficiency across the Air Force. From cutting fuel sampling times by 75% to redesigning equipment inspections, the program is proving that some of the military’s best ideas come from the people doing the work every day.
Eglin Child Neglect Investigation Results in Federal Guilty Plea
An Ohio woman has pleaded guilty to felony child neglect after a welfare investigation on Eglin Air Force Base led investigators to rescue a child from her home in 2023. Devon Mae Witryk faces up to five years in federal prison, with sentencing scheduled for Sept. 17 in Pensacola.
Eglin’s VENOM Program Achieves Major AI Flight Breakthrough
AI-powered F-16 fighter jets are now flying at Eglin Air Force Base as the VENOM program reaches a major milestone in autonomous military aviation.
Critically questioning AI: Here’s a radical new plan for local schools
Northwest Florida educators are teaching students to question AI while preparing them for future careers in aerospace, defense, and advanced technology.
HISTORY: Okaloosa finally integrates its schools
Twelve years after the Brown v. Board ruling, Okaloosa County Schools finally voted to integrate on July 13, 1966. While initial resistance was strong—backed by local politicians and the “Pork Chop Gang” in the state legislature—the district eventually conceded to federal integration mandates to avoid losing critical funding.
Eglin’s New F-15EX Takes Critical Step Toward Future Pacific Operations
Eglin Air Force Base’s F-15EX Eagle II returned to the Indo-Pacific to help prepare Kadena Air Base for the fighter’s future permanent arrival.
Eglin Announces Choctawhatchee Bay Munitions Testing Schedule
Boaters are urged to avoid portions of Choctawhatchee Bay as Eglin Air Force Base conducts scheduled munitions testing through July 2.
Today in History: The Mid-Bay Bridge opens with stampede of runners
On June 27, 1993, 5,200 runners from across the country came to inaugurate the Mid-Bay Bridge with a 5K run across the span. Florida Governor ‘Walkin Lawton’ Chiles pulled the trigger on the starting gun and set the runners on their way to Destin across the 3.6 mile structure above the Choctawhatchee Bay. The bridge, which was built for $81 million and initially cost $2 to cross each way, cut off about 25 minutes of travel time and was finished five months ahead of schedule.
