NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Airman killed in car accident

    One airman was killed and another critically injured Aug. 13 in a car accident 40 miles south of Omaha, Neb. Airman 1st Class Ellee Smathers, 20, of Deland, Fla., was killed, and Airman Charles Capobianco of Bradenton, Fla., was injured.The airmen had just finished participating in the

  • Rumsfeld: Terror war drives transformation

    The ongoing global war against terrorism makes U.S. military transformation efforts an imperative goal, Department of Defense’s top civilian and uniformed officer said here Aug. 14.Gen. Richard B. Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, accompanied Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to a

  • Rocket-propellant leak cleaned

    Officials completed cleanup efforts Aug. 14 after rocket propellant leaked Aug. 12 as it was being loaded onto a Titan IV rocket.Base officials said no one was injured, and there was no damage to the launch vehicle. Preliminary findings indicate that during the load of the propellant, an oxidizer

  • AF works to demobilize Guard, Reserve

    The Air Force is working to return the nearly 28,000 mobilized Guard and Reserve airmen to their families and civilian jobs as quickly as possible, according to the service’s senior manpower official.“There are a full range of initiatives that we’re undertaking to accomplish the mission without

  • Team evaluates combat identification

    Nearly 2,000 people participated in a joint combat-identification exercise at the Combat Readiness Training Center here Aug. 4 to 14. The exercise focused on identifying targets when systems disagree on the target’s coordinates.An example might be when an E-8C Joint Stars and a RQ-1 Predator

  • AF students bound for space camp

    Last year, the Military Child Education Coalition had only enough money to send one student of military parents to the U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala. But this year, two Air Force children are among five youngsters to experience the camp thanks to a $5,000 corporate donation.London H. Durand,

  • Major decision changes, saves lives

    On Sept. 11, 2001, Dr. Lidia S. Ilcus was driving to her office to see patients and lead clinicals as an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Houston. When Ilcus arrived at work, a nurse approached her with some unexpected news.Like most people in the country that morning, the two of

  • Volunteers bring ‘home’ to airmen

    They live in conditions their counterparts back home would frown upon. They are aware they could come under attack at any time and possibly lose their lives. They endure the fatigue from working long hours in temperatures hotter than 100 degrees. But one thing makes them different from the

  • Marathon registration deadline approaches

    With the Sept. 5 registration deadline approaching for the seventh annual Air Force Marathon, more than 1,800 people have registered to compete. The event will take place here Sept. 20.According to marathon officials, 1,832 people had registered to compete as of Aug. 12, including 1,758 in the

  • AF offers short-term enlistments

    Beginning in October, 1 percent of new fiscal 2004 Air Force enlisted accessions, or about 370 recruits, will be able to sign up for a 15-month enlistment, as part of the National Call to Service program.The congressionally mandated program is designed to let people serve their country who might

  • CSAF talks changes in Air Force

    New demands on today’s airmen are driving changes to the Air Force physical fitness program and a possible new uniform, said the service’s senior leader during a visit here Aug. 13.As the Air Force’s needs and demands change, so should airmen, said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper. “I

  • Celebration in NY recalls 100 years of flight

    Thousands of people are celebrating the Centennial of Flight during events through Aug. 18 in Rockefeller Center here.Among the crowds are parents being dragged by their children who are eager to see the full-scale replicas of the F-16 Fighting Falcon or RQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle.

  • Pilots test collision-avoidance system

    The Air Force's Automatic Air Collision Avoidance System successfully put two F-16 Fighting Falcons into automated maneuvers Aug. 7 to avoid collision during tests at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Maj. James Less and Swedish air force Maj. Richard Ljungberg flew a specially equipped research

  • Airman saves heart-attack victim

    To just go in, vote and get back to work seemed like a reasonable expectation for Senior Master Sgt. Glenn Parsons, ground safety supervisor for the Air National Guard’s 193rd Special Operations Wing here.But on his way from his job at the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections to a lunchtime

  • Robots display force-protection prowess

    A demonstration of the latest in robotics and sensor technology gave security forces directors from Air Force commands worldwide some new ideas in how to protect bases and people without endangering personnel.Robotics experts put 12 robots through some amazing paces during the Aug. 6 demonstration

  • Security forces ensure airmen return safely

    In the upcoming weeks, the 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing will inactivate, ending the American presence here.By then, most of the deployed airmen here will have already rotated home or to other forward locations.However, the airmen of the 363rd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron will be on guard

  • Deployed airmen getting small-town living

    Airmen deployed here will soon be saying farewell to their tents and hello to small-town living.This welcome change for airmen is just part of the transformation of this expeditionary base into a permanent air base with most of the amenities found at home.“We’re in the process of building a small

  • Memorial-fund contributions continue

    Airmen around the world can help create a memorial dedicated to the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the Pentagon.The campaign goal was to raise $1 million from July 21 to Aug. 8, however the fund is hundreds of thousands of dollars shy of that goal, according to Steve Kelly, of

  • DOD is transforming training

    A Marine unit facing combat runs into opposition. The call goes out for fire support. In the past, the call would likely have gone to a Marine artillery unit or air asset.Today, that call could go to an Army helicopter unit or an Air Force precision- strike aircraft. It could go to a Navy

  • Shuttle investigation gives airmen knowledge

    Following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in February, NASA officials activated a 13-member board to determine the cause of the accident.Three of those board members are bluesuiters. They said they believe some of the lessons learned while working with NASA can be brought back with them to the

  • AF announces staff sergeant promotions

    The Air Force has selected 13,651 of 27,416 eligible senior airmen for promotion to staff sergeant, a 49.79-percent selection rate.The Air Force will release the promotion list the first duty hour Aug. 13 (Aug. 14 for Western Pacific bases). The complete list of selectees will be posted Aug. 15 to

  • Feedback vital to uniform test

    Feedback will be key for Air Force leaders making their decision on the newly proposed utility uniform, said the Air Force’s top enlisted airman. “We want airmen’s feedback,” said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray during his visit here Aug. 6 to 10. “We don’t want

  • Vietnam veteran serves in Iraq

    Master Sgt. Terry Upchurch has a unique perspective serving in Iraq. He can compare his experiences here with those he had 35 years ago as an 18-year-old airman in Vietnam."I had been married only three months," said Upchurch, who is with the 506th Operations Support Squadron. "I was an air

  • Officials cancel Bright Star 2003

    Department of Defense officials announced the United States will not participate in this year's Bright Star exercise scheduled for September. The decision was made in view of continued operations in the global war on terrorism in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere by the United States and other

  • Airmen recognized for dispute resolution

    Air Force legal teams have earned a unique award for excellence in alternate-dispute resolution.The American Bar Association presented the Lawyers as Problem Solvers Award to the Air Force at a conference in San Francisco on Aug. 8. In the past, the award was given only to individuals. This year

  • First production Global Hawk rolls out

    The first production RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle rolled out in ceremonies held Aug. 1 at prime contractor Northrop Grumman’s Antelope Valley Manufacturing Center at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif. Drawing back a large curtain, program officials unveiled Global Hawk in its

  • B-2 drops 80 test bombs

    In an effort to increase the B-2 Spirit's operational capability, a test force here conducted an airborne release of 80 Joint Direct Attack Munitions separation test vehicles. The separation test vehicles are inert weapons used to collect data.The Aug. 6 test was one of more than nine sorties flown

  • Female firefighter up for challenges

    Many people think of firefighters as burly men with the strength of the Incredible Hulk. One female here breaks that mold. Staff Sgt. Suzanne Blundell, from the 45th Civil Engineer Squadron, is the only female firefighter at the base fire station. It is a job that sets her apart from her peers

  • Combat Shadows helping with Liberia

    Airmen from the 398th Air Expeditionary Group embarked on a refueling flight Aug. 6 in an MC-130P Combat Shadow, originally from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, now supporting operations in Liberia. The mission was to refuel three HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, also part of the 398th AEG, from

  • Airmen keep planes, spirits flying high

    Eglin airmen working at Baghdad International Airport, Iraq, are wearing various hats to keep the airplanes in the air and airmen on the ground safe.Airmen from the 728th Air Control Squadron deployed more than three months ago and have had to learn to deal with the danger and boredom that accompany

  • Report lauds suicide prevention program

    The Air Force’s Suicide Prevention Program has been hailed as a “model program” in a landmark report released by the president's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health.The 113-page report, titled “Achieving the Promise: Transforming Mental Health Care in America,” cites an “urgent need for action

  • Air Force leads EUCOM transformation

    U.S. European Command’s deputy commander wants the command to become a more flexible, expeditionary-based fighting force for the 21st century.Key issues within the plan that will affect airmen include securing better training areas, airspace for fighter training and new forward locations for

  • New service-commitment policy coming

    Starting Oct. 1, Air Force Reserve Command will implement a comprehensive, service-commitment directive for certain kinds of training, education and promotions.“The Reserve Service Commitment policy accomplishes two goals," said Lt. Gen. James E. Sherrard III, AFRC commander. "First, the RSC

  • Civil engineers build Iraqi base

    Everything that does not move is covered in a grayish-brown, powdery dust. The heat is oppressive -- more than 120 degrees in the shade. Open fields and roads bear craters large enough to swallow small trucks.In March, the area around Tallil Air Base looked more like the surface of the moon than

  • CAP recognized for post-9/11 work

    For its work in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Civil Air Patrol has been selected to receive the Associations Advance America Summit Award.CAP is one of only six associations chosen for this award, the highest honor bestowed by the American Society of Association Executives

  • BMT sets new fitness standards

    Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper announced July 30 the Air Force would be raising fitness standards in January. More rigorous basic military training graduation standards will take effect here Oct. 12.Basic military training daily physical fitness regimens are now tougher and more focused on

  • Airmen support operations in Liberia

    Far from the forests and castles of Germany, a handful of security forces airmen from the 52nd Security Forces Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base are deployed to the palm trees and jungle canopy of Africa supporting operations in Liberia. The airmen deployed to Dakar, Senegal, on July 13 and set up

  • Security forces ensure convoy safety in Iraq

    Convoys have been the lifeblood for operations here ever since coalition forces took control of this former Iraqi air force field at the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom.The job of the 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron is to ensure that the convoys get through. Since March, the defenders

  • Cadet, falcon will appear on ‘Today’

    An Air Force Academy cadet and academy falcon mascot will go national Aug. 8 with a live appearance at Rockefeller Plaza on NBC’s “Today” show.Cadet 2nd Class Krysta Peltzer, a junior and academy cadet falconer, will make the live appearance with Echo, a prairie falcon and academy mascot.Peltzer and

  • Now showing: Aug. 4 edition of AFTV News

    The changing face of the Air Force overseas is highlighted in the latest edition of Air Force Television News.Tech. Sgt. Matt Lomba visits Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, once the focal point for Air Force operations in Southwest Asia. Now the base is a mere shadow of its former self as the

  • Ganci AB supports flood of soldiers

    A flash flood of fully armed, desert-camouflaged warriors swept through the flightline here this week, leaving the base’s passenger and cargo moving experts wiped out.The huge influx of Army troops stopped here briefly before heading to Afghanistan to relieve troops already in place. At times, the

  • Mother, daughter promoted together

    An Air Force mother and daughter shared a unique moment Aug. 1 when they were promoted together.Kareema Palmer-Johnson pinned master sergeant stripes on her mother, Sharita Johnson, then she received airman first class stripes of her own after her graduation from basic training earlier that day.Four

  • Promotion study list now available

    Promotion-eligible enlisted people can now find out which materials to study for the 2004 testing cycles.The most current Weighted Airman Promotion System catalog, which lists the materials used by test writers to develop the 2004 promotion tests, is now available on the Air Force Personnel Center

  • Chaplain’s Bible study a big hit

    Most people would not associate the somewhat irreverent nature of the long-running sitcom, “The Simpsons,” with church.However, Chaplain (Maj.) Steve Schaick, 39th Air Base Group senior Protestant chaplain here, is not most people. He not only managed to create a tie between a dysfunctional cartoon

  • Cadet court-martialed for cocaine use

    Cadet 1st Class Seth S. M. Tuatoo was sentenced by general court-martial Aug. 6 to 90 days confinement and dismissal from the Air Force, after pleading guilty to one count of illegal use of cocaine.Illegal use of cocaine is in violation of Article 112a of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.The

  • Lightning strikes tanker -- twice

    Twenty minutes before landing, all systems were normal, the mission had gone flawlessly and the crew of “Shell 02” was ready to complete another successful refueling flight supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. But 10 minutes and two lightning strikes later, the only thing resembling “normal”

  • Chief facing court-martial found dead

    A chief master sergeant facing a court-martial was found dead here Aug 7. Winfred B. Harrison, from the 374th Civil Engineer Squadron, failed to appear for court-martial proceedings, prompting a search by base and law enforcement officials. A squadron member found the chief's body in one of the

  • American forces unearth hidden aircraft in Iraq

    American forces have found Russian fighter jets buried in the Iraqi desert, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said in an Aug. 5 press briefing. "We'd heard a great many things had been buried, but we had not known where they were, and we'd been operating in that immediate vicinity for weeks and

  • Civilian processes become ‘lean’

    Air Force civilian personnel leaders want to eliminate procedural bottlenecks and waste by applying a concept called “lean.”Lean is a way of streamlining processes and making them more efficient by removing waste, reducing cycle time and improving customer satisfaction, according to David W.

  • Program desperately needs blood

    The Armed Services Blood Program needs eligible Type O blood donors to support ongoing military operations worldwide and to replenish the military's frozen blood reserves.A single battlefield injury victim can require more than 40 units of blood in an emergency. Type O donors are especially

  • Air Force unveils new uniform plan

    Air Force officials announced Aug. 6 plans for the wear test of a new utility uniform to possibly replace the current battle dress uniform.The blue, gray and green tiger-stripe camouflage ensemble is a departure from the current woodland pattern uniform and includes many new features that are

  • Airmen get peek at new uniform

    A prototype of the new Air Force utility uniform was unveiled July 9 in various duty sections at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and Bolling AFB, D.C.Senior Master Sgt. Jacqueline Dean, from the Air Force uniform board, enlisted the aid of eight airmen to demonstrate both the men’s and women’s version

  • Vandenberg air tower goes civilian

    The airfield tower here has become the first active-duty Air Force tower to be manned by contract civilian air traffic controllers. The switch took place Aug. 1.The bottom line for the change boils down to manning and bucks."Switching to civilian air traffic controllers frees slots in a critical

  • August Airman now available

    The August issue of Airman features “aces,” snipers at Bashur Airfield, the upcoming Air Force Academy football season and road maintenance airmen in a Washington national forest. These stories and more can be found in this month’s magazine, now available in print and online.Ace in the Sky -- World

  • Combat communicators keep airmen in touch

    As the fourth aircraft touched down after the Army seized the airfield here, the base gained one of its mission essential teams -- combat communicators.The team’s sole purpose is to deploy into a bare-base environment and set up expeditionary communications. For them it is not a challenge. It was

  • Civilians authorized exercise time

    Air Force appropriated-fund civilian employees are now authorized to take up to three hours off each week to exercise according to a policy change memorandum issued June 23.It is all about encouraging employees to adopt lifestyles that support healthy working environments, said Maj. Gen. John M.

  • New pamphlet explains transformation

    Transformation is on the mind of every Air Force leader, but for many airmen, understanding the Air Force's plan for transformation proves difficult.The Air Force hopes a new 20-page booklet called "The Edge" will explain the concept of transformation to the service's uniformed airmen and civilian

  • Americans bring peace, stability to Afghanistan

    For the first time in more than 30 years the people of Afghanistan are beginning to see signs of peace and stability.Elders and leaders from local villages in the Bagram area of Afghanistan said the U.S. military and coalition partners have enabled them to begin living without the fear that comes

  • McChord couple overcomes tragedy

    Reserve Senior Airman Chris Murphy was in the hospital operating room to see the birth of his daughter, Katie, at 11:34 a.m. May 1. Moments later, he told his wife, Reserve Staff Sgt. Becky Murphy, one last "I love you," before he was told to leave so the oncologist could start the fight to save

  • Airman swaps stripes for wings

    Less than two years ago, Staff Sgt. Jerry Bennett raised his eyes to the sky as a weather forecasting instructor. Today, he takes to the sky as an Air Force pilot.On Aug. 8, the second lieutenant will complete three weeks of C-21 training with the 45th Airlift Squadron, just blocks away from the

  • Myers convinced of coalition progress in Iraq, Afghanistan

    The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff came away from his just-concluded Iraq and Afghanistan visit pleased with the progress the coalition is making in both countries.Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers visited both countries and consulted with allies in Qatar, India, Pakistan and Oman. He left July

  • Travis, Patrick airmen earn big $$$

    An airman from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., and another from Patrick AFB, Fla., each earned a coveted $10,000 cash award for suggestions submitted through the Air Force’s Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program.Staff Sgts. Nick Bugni and Al-Quaddir Vines received their checks for

  • CAAs help airmen make informed decisions

    Air Force career assistance advisers do more than advise commanders on retention issues; they help shape the force and assist airmen in making informed career decisions.The position was created three years ago to help counter the service’s declining retention rates. The job has evolved since then,

  • Test Pilot School reaches new heights

    The increasing push for a military space force has led Department of Defense officials to expand the Air Force envelope to include space education, with an emphasis on military applications.The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School here has followed suit, answering DOD’s call by creating the first

  • AF displays experimental engine

    Using automotive technology and a little bit of “magic,” researchers at the Air Force Research Laboratory’s propulsion directorate demonstrated their latest experiment at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture air show here.For years, propulsion researchers around the world have searched

  • CSAF announces fitness program

    Airmen will begin hitting the track soon as the Air Force begins a new physical fitness program, the service’s senior leader announced in his July 30 “Fit to Fight” Sight Picture.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper directed that airmen will now test their fitness levels by performing

  • Maintainers keep helos ready

    Maintainers from the 85th Maintenance Squadron here have a huge responsibility to keep mission-critical helicopters ready to fly at a moment’s notice. The 31 maintainers deployed from Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, are part of the 398th Air Expeditionary Group providing support for operations

  • Pilot values liaison work with Army

    It takes more than a pilot in a plane to put bombs on target.Air Force pilots, acting as air liaison officers and assigned to Army units, paint a roadmap in the sky for pilots overhead so they can drop bombs on the enemy without harming nearby friendly forces.Capt. Danny Stout, a liaison officer and

  • OIF veterans discuss lessons

    Even though the air campaign for Operation Iraqi Freedom was successful in bringing down the Iraqi regime in 21 days, leaders met here recently to discuss ways to improve upon that effort.Among the issues they covered was the responses to increased surface-to-air threats to coalition forces

  • Quilting for a cause

    Natalie Veum’s life was progressing at a normal clip. She was young, happily married and working a full-time job she enjoyed.But in the course of one night, her life changed forever.It started when the 24 year old woke with a coldness on her right side, which a series of MRIs, spinal taps and

  • Airmen help keep the force healthy

    “Ensuring the health and safety of the base population” sounds like a job for an action hero of some sort. But two mere mortals from a forward-deployed location’s public health office handle the task.“Well, we ensure the health and safety of the troops to the best of our ability,” said Lt. Col.

  • Teamwork marks new academy tradition

    Students here participated in a new part of basic cadet training July 30 that involves heart, sweat and a desire to complete the training as a team, officials said.The Warrior Run required freshmen cadets to complete an arduous 35-mile relay run along the Front Range and into the mountains above the

  • Desert Hawk enhances security

    It launches with a bungee cord and looks like it is made of plastic foam.But three deployed airmen from the 72nd Security Forces Squadron swear by their “Desert Hawk” and the technology behind it.The portable unmanned aerial vehicle is an “eye in the sky,” seeing all and transmitting real-time

  • Dyess people released, back on duty

    All 12 people isolated for possible Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome infection here have now been released from isolation and are back on duty. The last two who were confined to their quarters were released July 28. Initial tests on the 12 had all came back negative for the virus, but in the

  • Conjoined twins born at Wilford Hall

    Conjoined twins Brynleigh and Victoria Smith beat the odds when they were born July 25 at Wilford Hall Medical Center here. While roughly 60 percent of conjoined twins are stillborn, Brynleigh and Victoria survived birth. However, their premature lungs required immediate ventilation in the neonatal

  • Air Force featured at AirVenture 2003

    The Air Force, a long-time presence at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture air show, brings aviation enthusiasts a new look this year. Alongside the largest display at EAA, the Air Force’s newest recruiting tool offer visitors a chance to “cross into the blue.”Located in the Air

  • Accident shows need for risk management

    A Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., airman in critical condition following a recent automobile accident brings home the seriousness behind the Air Force's 101 Critical Days of Summer safety campaign, officials said.Currently, 18 people Air Force-wide have died as the service's annual safety campaign

  • Air Force pioneer dies

    Retired Maj. Gen. Norma E. Brown, the Air Force's first female wing commander, died July 22. She was 77.The Madison, Fla., native entered the Air Force as a second lieutenant in December 1951. Her first assignment was as chief of military personnel for Flight Service headquarters in Washington,

  • 'First shirts' use tough love, care for troops

    It is 2 a.m. and pitch black outside when suddenly the phone rings and the voice on the other end says an airman needs help.The first sergeant gets up and prepares for an early day. This is not new; it is part of the job, and could mean anything from a car accident to domestic violence or other

  • Team Air Force cycles across Iowa

    The Team Air Force cycling team rode into town here July 27 in military formation, met by cheers, applause and chants of “Air Force, Air Force…” The event marked the end of the seven-day, 450-mile Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa.The team, comprising about 90 cyclists and

  • Ammo troops build more than munitions

    Six airmen from the 81st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron’s ammunition flight say conditions are much better here since they constructed a wooden shelter to shade their work on the munitions pad.“Our table has an aluminum cover and by regulations, it has to be grounded,” said Master Sgt. Robert Byrd,

  • Travel into Iraq easier with 'Express' ticket

    When planning a business trip, most people do not just jump in the car and drive. They plan their trip carefully to ensure they reach their intended destination safely and on time.Servicemembers traveling into and out of the Iraqi theater of operations must do the same, according to Sharon Boynton,

  • Air Force seeks female MTIs

    Staff Sgt. Lynn Barron came to Air Force basic military training in 1995 carrying one bag and one mental image of a basic military training instructor: a big, loud, gruff man with a "Smokey the Bear" hat.When Barron first encountered her MTI, the person she met was not quite who she was

  • AF announces Boeing inquiry results

    Air Force officials announced July 24 that the Boeing Company has committed serious violations of federal law. This determination is based on the service’s review into allegations of wrongdoing by Boeing during the 1998 evolved expendable launch vehicle source selection. As a result, the Air Force

  • Pentagon is scene of major exercise

    Fire trucks, ambulances and police cars from Arlington, Va., and nearby Fort Meyer sped into the Pentagon’s south parking lot early July 23.There was no emergency, however. These agencies were there to participate in the Pentagon's chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear exercise called

  • Liberia evacuations continue

    Flying 200 feet above palm trees and myriad grass huts, the 56th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron completed its mission -- inserting the remaining members of the Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team and evacuating more people from the U.S. Embassy in Liberia.The squadron, out of Iceland’s Naval Air

  • AMC reorganizing; activating 18th Air Force

    Gen. John W. Handy, commander of U.S. Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command here, announced a major reorganization of AMC. Key to the reorganization is the activation Oct. 1 of a new numbered Air Force with its headquarters here and the re-designation of AMC's two numbered air forces.

  • Travis puts new face on blood program

    A $1 million upgrade in frozen-blood processing and thawing here is expected to help level the inventory in the "feast-or-famine" business of blood collection in the Department of Defense.The Armed Services Whole Blood Processing Lab-West, a tenant unit at Travis, is one of two tri-service storage

  • Officer sets sights on silver oak leaves

    His personal data sheet is a blow-by-blow inventory of educational achievements, professional successes and impressive assignments that span a career of more than 16 years.When he went before the lieutenant colonel promotion board in November 2001, his chances for promotion looked promising.However,

  • August issue of Citizen Airman available

    The August edition of Citizen Airman highlights how F-16 Fighting Falcon instructors in Arizona are going above and beyond in their efforts to provide the Air Force with top-notch combat fighter pilots.The magazine tells how airmen from the 944th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base are kicking the

  • Reservist dies supporting OEF

    Master Sgt. David Scott, a reservist with the 445th Airlift Wing here, died July 20 of natural causes while supporting of Operation Enduring Freedom.Scott, 49, was deployed to the U.S. Embassy in Doha, Qatar, at the time of his death. While serving at the embassy, Scott coordinated and assisted in

  • Airman signs humanitarian contracts in Mali

    With thousands, sometimes millions of dollars at stake, contracting officers take their jobs seriously. They visit work sites, meet the employees and get a feel for the job at hand.Tech. Sgt. Brad Smith, of the 39th Contracting Squadron here, is no exception. But his most recent work site was not

  • Air Force clubs launch membership drive

    Many airmen joined the Air Force with dreams of seeing the world. Some actually do, while others spend a career at less exciting places and only dream of seeing the Alps, Waikiki or the Big Ben, according to Air Force Services Agency officials here.Agency officials hope to fulfill some of those

  • Officials announce OTS selections

    Air Force officials selected 11 enlisted airmen to trade in their stripes for gold bars after being chosen to attend Officer Training School, officials here announced July 23.Air Force Recruiting Service officials conducted OTS Selection Board 0306, which met here May 13 to 16. The board considered

  • Cadet court-martial date set

    A court-martial for Cadet 2nd Class Seth S. M. Tuatoo is scheduled for Aug. 6, according to officials here. Tuatoo is charged with using cocaine, which is a felony and a violation of Article 112a of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The cadet waived his Article 32 hearing in May which sent his

  • Motorcycle crash kills airman

    An airman assigned here was killed in a motorcycle accident July 23 in Misawa City, Japan. Staff Sgt. Adam R. Peck, 27, died when his motorcycle collided with a truck driven by a Japanese civilian. The accident happened at an intersection about one mile from the base. Peck, who was wearing a

  • AF releases 2004 realignments

    The Air Force will lose 2,260 military and 2,839 civilian manpower positions, and 1,055 reserve drill authorizations next year, according to the 2004 force-structure announcement released July 23.Many bases, both active duty and reserve component, are affected by the realignment. In many cases,

  • Testimony shows congressmen science, technology highlights

    Air Force leaders showcased new technologies to members of the House Armed Services Committee at the Air Force Museum here July 19. The technologies would continue to be funded by $2.2 billion in fiscal 2004.Gen. Lester Lyles, the Air Force Materiel Command commander, and Maj. Gen. Paul Nielsen,

  • Workplace violence not 'shop talk'

    Workplace violence recently made national headlines at the Lockheed Martin plant in Meridian, Miss., where six people died and nine others were injured.Officials here, at Air Force Materiel Command and the Air Force have a zero-tolerance policy on workplace violence, according to JoAnn Hutchison,

  • Airmen fly Marines to Liberia

    Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters flew a Marine antiterrorism security team to the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia, Liberia, on July 21, according to officials here. They also evacuated 23 people.The airmen and helicopters are assigned to the 56th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron from Naval Air Station