50 years ago it was different. At my (all male, exam public school) they were reading Roth, Kosinski, Joyce, Barthelme, Malraux, Mailer on their own. Plus Mario Puzo, Leon Uris, Asimov, EE 'Doc' Smith, 'Mack Bolan' etc.
So the original report by @NatashaBertrand in Politico was false. It was routine, set up during the Obama administration, and a good deal for the aircrew and the US government