Stephen Losey, Air Force Times

Tops in Blue, the Air Force’s traveling musical performance troupe, will kick off this year’s 85-show tour May 17 — and earlier this month, got encouragement and advice from a surprise visitor.

Famed comedian and Tops in Blue alum Sinbad met with the group’s current members April 2 at a San Antonio hotel. After greeting the Tops in Blue members, according to an April 9 release, Sinbad launched into an impromptu, hour-long routine.

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – The 5th Combat Communications Group has received its second Air Force Meritorious Unit Award.  The 5th CCG, also known as the 5th "MOB," has won numerous unit awards, but the Meritorious Unit Award is unique because it specifically honors service in direct support of combat operations.

Created by the Secretary of the Air Force in 2004, the Meritorious Unit Award recognizes units for service either in a combat zone or directly in support of combat operations.

The award is given to units that display "outstanding devotion and superior performance of exceptionally difficult tasks as to set it apart and above other units with similar missions." 

The award recognized the 5th MOB's efforts from 5 Oct 2011 to 4 Oct 2013.  During this period, the MOB logged over 32,000 deployed man-days across 27 sites in 14 nations.

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- While the Air Force recently announced it's using another round of VERA/VSIP (Voluntary Early Retirement Authority/Voluntary Separation Incentive Program) offerings to rebalance and reduce the size of the operation and maintenance- funded civilian workforce, those offerings are not expected to be extended to most employees here. 

The majority of civilian employees at Robins (9,985 of 12,970) fall under the Air Force Sustainment Center (AFSC). Offers are expected to be extended to a minimal number of employees throughout the entire AFSC organization nationwide. 

AFSC officials say they're basing that estimate on a number of factors associated with ongoing Air Force workforce shaping efforts. They add that employees affected by these workforce shaping efforts will be contacted directly by their supervisor or a representative of the local Civilian Personnel Office.