WASHINGTON, March 18 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service announced that it expects to award up to 52 grants or cooperative agreements for agricultural conservation in Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. The estimated total program funding available was cited as $123 million with a ceiling of $1 million. The categories of funding activity are a) agriculture, b) environment and c) natural resources. The funding is open to: County governmen  more

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Nebraska, March 19 -- The U.S. Strategic Command issued the following news: Two U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit aircraft from the 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, and the 131st Bomb Wing, Missouri Air National Guard, operating out of RAF Fairford, U.K., conducted an Icelandic Air Policing mission March 16, 2020. The flight included integration and interoperability training with F-35 Lightning II aircraft from the Norwegian air force, and F-15 Eagle aircraft   more

OMAHA, Nebraska, March 19 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers the following news release: Due to health and safety precautions regarding COVID-19 (coronavirus), all U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Omaha District Visitor Centers will be closed and all public group tours and events and have been cancelled until further notice. This is strictly a preventative measure. The health and safety of the public, employees, contractors and volunteers is our top concern. The Omaha District is monitoring the   more

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following news story: U.S. Strategic Command is ensuring the U.S. nuclear deterrent is strong, even during the coronavirus pandemic, Stratcom's commander told reporters at the Pentagon in a telephone briefing from the command's headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. Navy Adm. Charles A. Richard said in today's briefing that Stratcom is putting plans in place that ensure the nuclear triad of manned bombers, intercontine  more

LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas, March 17 -- The U.S. Air Force (16th Air Force) issued the following news: Members of the Air Force's 55th Wing, out of Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, stopped by JBSA-Lackland, to demonstrate the unique capabilities of the RC-135, known as Rivet Joint. The Rivet Joint is one of several Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance aircraft used, in part, to collect, survey and analyze data. "The plane can be best described as a vacuum," said Maj Jos  more

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Nebraska, March 21 -- The U.S. Air Force (55th Air Wing) issued the following news: Following the directions of the President and Governor Ricketts, in response to the CoronaVirus pandemic, the base chapel here is changing the format of all worship services from in-person to virtual worshipping through the Offutt Facebook page. This format will not include the daily masses held at the base chapel since the number of worshippers that attend is within acceptable limits. "  more

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Nebraska, March 20 -- The U.S. Air Force (55th Air Wing) issued the following news: The annual Air Force Assistance Fund campaign began March 9 with the focus on Airmen helping each other through four affiliate charities. Offutt's goal for this year's campaign is $85,798. AFAF kicked off March 9 and will end April 17. The charities included in the AFAF are the Air Force Aid Society, Air Force Villages Charitable Foundation, General and Mrs. Curtis LeMay Foundation and t  more