On 9 April 2024 the President of the United States nominated Colonel Brian Filler for the rank of Brigadier General.  

Colonel Brian A. Filler is the Director, Air Force Colonels Management. He leads the team coordinating personnel actions for over 4,000 Active Duty Colonels and Colonel selects for the Deputy Chief of Staff, Manpower, Personnel and Services. He advises the Chief of Staff, Secretary of the Air Force, and senior leaders on assignments, retirements, professional education and development opportunities, and implements force management policies, long range plans, force analysis and joint officer management.

Colonel Filler graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1999. He previously commanded the 99th Ground Combat Training Squadron at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada and the 741st Missile Security Forces Squadron at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana where he also served as the Deputy Commander, 341st Security Forces Group. Additionally, he served as the Vice Commander, 39th Air Base Wing, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. He completed staff tours as an Antiterrorism Officer at U.S. European Command, Chief, Nuclear Security Division on the Air Staff, and Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Colonel Filler deployed to Qatar in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, to Iraq in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and supported Operation INHERENT RESOLVE from Turkey. Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Filler was Commander, 501st Combat Support Wing, RAF Alconbury, UK.

Assignment Incentive Pay to be Authorized for Airmen, Guardians Stationed at Extremely Cold Locations

Published April 2, 2024, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- 

Effective April 1, the Department of the Air Force approved a new incentive pay for Airmen and Guardians assigned to qualifying bases in the U.S. where the temperature is expected to drop below minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cold Weather Assignment Incentive Pay is a single lump sum payment given to Airmen and Guardians after signing an agreement to serve a prescribed tour length of at least 12 months, depending on qualifying location. 

Instructors with the 354th Security Forces Squadron Combat Arms Training and Maintenance unit oversee airmen preparing to fire an M-249 squad automatic weapon at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Jan. 9, 2020. (Beaux Hebert/U.S. Air Force)

Locations that meet this threshold include Minot and Grand Forks Air Force Bases and Cavalier Space Force Station in North Dakota, Clear Space Force Station, Eielson Air Force Base and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, as well as Malmstrom AFB, Montana. 

“Airmen and Guardians living in extremely cold conditions faced unique out-of-pocket costs,” said Alex Wagner, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. “In addition to the assignment and retention benefits of the pay, it also comes down to making sure we do our best to take care of our service members and their families stationed at these critical installations.” 

This payment intends to ease the financial burden of purchasing certain cold weather essentials, such as extreme cold weather gear, all-season and/or snow tires, tire mounts and alignments, engine block heaters and emergency winter car kits, as well as further incentivizing assignments.

Although AIP-CW is effective April 1, the first pay date is anticipated for July 1, 2024, meaning Airmen and Guardians who move to a qualifying location between April 1 and June 30 will receive payment retroactively. 

The amount of AIP-CW Airmen and Guardians are eligible to receive is based on criteria in the five pay levels outlined in the table below and is subject to change.

 This change follows the Department of Defense implementation of the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, which included language authorizing special duty pay for members based in cold-weather climate conditions and the FY24 NDAA, which clarifies the temperature parameters that qualify an area as a cold-weather location.

“We want to ensure Airmen, Guardians and their families have the resources needed to safely live and work in an extreme cold-weather environment,” Wagner added. 

  Air Force Security Forces: A year in review highpoints

By, Major General Thomas Sherman, Mr. Timothy Gerald, Chief Master Sergeant Donald Gallagher
Air Force Security Forces
WASHINGTON

Defender Family,

2023 was a fast-paced year for our Defender Family. Strategic competition was the central context for the future of air and space power; the Department of the Air Force is doing more than ever  to optimize for the strategic environment we face with a unique focus on deterring aggression against the United States, our allies and partners, and our interests. The drumbeat of change, brought on by our pacing competitor, across the strategic environment is allowing the threat to advance more dynamically than ever. This complex and evolving environment requires a different approach to guarantee our national security and livelihood. Therefore, we must change the way we think, fight, and modernize key capabilities to maintain our effective edge. We recognize the risk if we do not adjust course to meet our future obligations for our department and joint force to protect, defend, and project air power around the world. Strategic competition was present in 2023 and it will be the context for 2024 air and space power.

Defenders answered the call in 2023, culminating in groundbreaking events such as Defender Flag and a refocused Defender Challenge. The hard work across the SF enterprise delivered results both in our base defense operations and in our ability to shape and influence the work being done for the Agile Combat Employment scheme of maneuver. These events helped to demonstrate that with the right mindset and focus, SF is a combat-capable and lethal expeditionary force relevant for 2024 and beyond.

Below are a few areas that show the elements we are prioritizing for success:

Soesterberg Reunions Planned

Two reunions for cops that ever served at Soesterberg Air Base as well as anyone else who worked with, or were friends with, cops who served at our base are being planned for 2024 … both will be held in May.

The Dayton, OH Reunion will be held 13-15 May 2024. The POC for that reunion is SSgt Arthur Tabachneck, aka:Dr. Arthur Tabachneck.

The other reunion will be held in Rapid City, SD 16-19 May 2024.

The Facebook groups are:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/252933801520409?sorting_setting=RECENT_ACTIVITY

and

https://www.facebook.com/groups/68751031667/?sorting_setting=RECENT_ACTIVITY

They are looking for any help they can get identifying and contacting troops who were stationed there. Unfortunately, not everyone uses Facebook and some have even totally avoided email.