ARLINGTON, Va. — The third and fourth squadrons of F-22 fighter jets will be located at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., and Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley announced Wednesday.

Those two bases are the “preferred third and fourth bed-down locations for the F-22A,” Moseley said in a prepared Air Force announcement.

However, “We still must complete the environmental analysis required [by federal law] before finalizing our decisions,” Moseley said.

The first squadron of 12 F-22 Raptors, at Langley Air Force Base, Va., was declared operational on Dec. 15.

Air Force leaders plan to locate the second F-22 squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, which is undergoing an environmental analysis.

USS Gonzalez rescues marinersThe guided-missile destroyer USS Gonzalez on Tuesday rescued six Iranian mariners who had been adrift for 10 days in the Persian Gulf, according to a U.S. Navy news release.

The Gonzalez changed its course to help the mariners of the crippled dhow, which experienced engine and rudder failure on Feb. 18, according to information from the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.

“Patrolling warships are sometimes called on for humanitarian interventions,” Cmdr. Robert D. Randall, the ship’s commander, said in a statement.

The Gonzalez’s crew gave the Iranian mariners food and water. Engineers couldn’t repair the engine, so the ship coordinated with coalition forces and Iranian authorities to have the mariners returned home.

The crew of the Norfolk, Va.-based warship deployed last month to the Mideast as part of the Navy’s “sea swap” program, in which destroyers are left out to sea while the crews are swapped in and out.

Gaeta housing office relocatesThe Gaeta, Italy, housing office moved Wednesday from the town to the U.S. Navy base called Monte Orlando. The housing office used to be on Corso Italia near the Lion’s Hotel.

It now occupies what used to be the security building at the front gate. Anyone in need of information should call DSN 627-7812 or commercial (+39) 0771-740-906.

The phone numbers might change during the office’s transition.

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