Hurlburt Field, Fla.  -- One of the last surviving Doolittle Raiders visited Air Commandos here Dec. 9. Retired Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole, co-pilot to Lt. Col. James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle during the Doolittle Raid, was at the 319th Special Operations Squadron for a Q&A session.

Hurlburt Field, Fla. -- The Department of Defense named the 801st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron the 2015 winner of the Phoenix Award for Maintenance Excellence, during this year’s secretary of defense awards ceremony held Dec. 8.

Hurlburt Field, Fla. -- The 1st Special Operations Wing employs more than 8,500 military members and close to 2,000 civilian Air Commandos. Additionally, the wing hosts 34 partner units from six different major commands.

Hurlburt Field, Fla., -- After an explosion, when the smoke settles and the blaze has been contained, a new mission begins. Like a puzzle, shrapnel blasted in every direction can be pieced together to uncover the mode of detonation. The 1st Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal airmen are trained to do just that. 

Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. -- An explosive ordnance disposal airman here was awarded the 2015 Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs Grateful Nation Award in Washington, D.C., Nov. 16.

Hurlburt Field, Fla -- Col. Ted Corallo, Air Force Special Operations Command chief of staff, held his retirement ceremony at the Soundside Club on Hurlburt Field, Fla., Nov. 20, 2015. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1989 and went on to undergraduate pilot training at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. In his career, Corallo piloted 10 different aircraft platforms including the Cessna T-37, MC-130H Combat Talon II, and the Osprey and logged more than 3,600 flying hours. Most recently he served as the AFSOC chief of staff for the last 18 months.

Hurburt Field, Fla. -- The 1st Special Operations Wing returned this week from an exercise at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

The health care program for more than 9.5 million world-wide beneficiaries is changing the pharmacy benefit portion of its coverage.  According to a TRICARE announcement, beginning Oct. 1, TRICARE beneficiaries using select name-brand maintenance drugs will be forced to switch their prescription to a military pharmacy or the program’s home delivery service known as Express Scripts or face paying full price for the prescription.  Select maintenance drugs are medications taken for chronic conditions, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.  The ruling does not affect medications for acute conditions, such as cases where antibiotics are needed short-term.