World powers bring soft touch to African neighbors

World powers!  The words often bring to mind the image of a military might with continuous armed presence around the world. Although this is definitely a key capability, there is also a softness demanded of world power leaders and that is exactly what people of Africa have found in their western

Survivors of Afghan helicopter crash airlifted to Germany

Only hours after a helicopter crashed in Afghanistan, Airmen from an aeromedical evacuation control team in Southwest Asia got 11 of fourteen injured survivors onboard a C-17 Globemaster III bound for Germany."That really made a difference in saving lives" said Lt. Col. Lenora Cook, the evacuation

820th Red Horse starts 'New Horizons' project in Nicaragua

The opening ceremony for New Horizons Nicaragua was held here Feb. 15, marking a new beginning for the citizens of this small village in the Carazo District.  New Horizons is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored readiness training exercise.The town will now have a new school and medical clinic, thanks

Federal marshals thank Ravens for Lebanon evacuation role

Air Mobility Command's premier security forces were recognized by the Federal Air Marshal Service during a ceremony here Feb. 12. Master Sgt. Shawn Larkin, the superintendent of Phoenix Raven and contingency operations for AMC, accepted the FAMS' appreciation award on behalf of 26 active duty and

New Horizons kicks off in Nicaragua

More than 500 Nicaraguans along with deployed members of the United States military celebrated the official start of the New Horizons 2007 humanitarian exercise Feb. 15. New Horizons is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored readiness training exercise designed to help Nicaraguan people in Santa Teresa

Airmen help neighbors through Operation Iraqi Child

Members of Air Expeditionary Force 5 and 6 are reaching out to their host nation neighbors while lending a helping hand through Operation Iraqi Child."Many members of AEF 5/6 have voiced the desire to help the Iraqi people outside the gates of our base," said Chaplain (Capt.) Christine Blice-Baum of

Life-saving attempt earns Airman praise, accolade

A 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Airman received a medal recently that will serve as a reminder of the day he unwittingly stepped into the spotlight while on a mission in Africa. While waiting for his dinner companions at a hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, Tech. Sgt. Bryant Billingsley heard a call for

Air Force Enlisted Village earns 4-star rating

The Air Force Enlisted Village here recently received the highest rating possible from an online service that rates charities on their ability to efficiently manage and grow their finances.The four-star rating indicates the Air Force Enlisted Village outperforms the majority of nonprofit charities

Air Force team performs goodwill mission in Thailand

A U.S. Air Force medical and dental team and members of the Royal Thai Air Force participated in a humanitarian mission at Thairat 72 School in Udon Thani on Feb. 6. This was the second civil-action project and the first in northern Thailand conducted during exercise Cope Tiger 2007. According to

Manas Airmen making a difference in the local community

After Manas Air Base was established here in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Air Force and 376th Air Expeditionary Wing officials wanted to find a way to show their appreciation to their new neighbors. To achieve this, the Manas Air Base Outreach Society was established in December 2003. "For

Cope Tiger participants provide humanitarian assistance

Servicemembers from the United States, Thailand and Republic of Singapore took part in a humanitarian mission during Cope Tiger 2007 Jan. 30 at a Thai school. "It is an incredible feeling to come into an area like this and make an impact, show off the humanitarian side of the U.S. Air Force and

Airmen race against time for Manta kids

When the 171st Air Refueling Wing from the Pittsburgh Air National Guard heard they were going to deploy here to support the 478th Expeditionary Operations Squadron, boom operator Master Sgt. John Buckwalter asked, "What can we do to help the community when we arrive?" The answer? Collect 118

Guam honors Andersen Airman

A 36th Civil Engineer Squadron Airman has received two of the highest honors the government of Guam can bestow Jan. 26. In separate ceremonies, Staff Sgt. Ryan Ancheta, a structural craftsman with the squadron's vertical repair shop, was honored with a resolution from the Guam legislature and the

Peterson Airmen grant boy's wish to be a pilot for a day

Airmen from Peterson AFB helped bring an ailing child's dream to life in January. Born with a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on his nerves, 14-year-old Zachery Olsen dreamed of becoming a pilot. Zachery was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis four years ago, he became eligible for a wish

Cope Tiger underway in Thailand

The skies over this air base in central Thailand are filled with the sounds of fighter jets screaming on take-off and landing as Exercise Cope Tiger 2007 gets underway. This is the 13th year for Cope Tiger, a multilateral, joint Thai/U.S. sponsored exercise between the nations of Thailand, Singapore

Center for the Intrepid opens its doors

An aircraft carrier that sparked the spirits of a nation following the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor during the dark, early days of World War II has become the namesake of the world's most technologically advanced rehabilitation center for amputees and burn victims unveiled during an

Pararescuemen dedicate drop zone to lost Airman

Airmen at Kadena Air Base, Japan, remembered two of their own during a "Ridout Drop-Zone" dedication ceremony Jan. 29. Pararescuemen from the 320th Special Tactics Squadron and the 31st Rescue Squadron honored the fallen warriors with a pararescue tradition of naming the drop zone and then

Fisher House offers help in times of crisis

Her kind eyes have seen a lot of joy and sorrow over the years, but Paula Lewis never tires of helping those in need. A self-professed collector of hugs, Ms. Lewis has been a staple of the Lackland Fisher House since it opened in 1994. She started her association as a volunteer, and after being

Okinawa Naval hospital unit has Air Force ties

Members of the U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa Neonatal Intensive Care Unit located on Camp Lester are people you trust with your most valuable treasure -- your baby.The NICU is the closest neonatal intensive care unit in the Western Pacific that offers state-of-the-art neonatal care to all infants in

Officials to dedicate Center for the Intrepid at Fort Sam

Officials here are opening the Center for the Intrepid and two Fisher Houses Jan. 29 in a dedication ceremony at the Brooke Army Medical Center.More than 3,000 people, including wounded and recovering military service members and their families, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace,

Misawa hosts Japanese blood drive

Aomori Blood Bank officials recently held a blood drive on Misawa Air Base for Americans to donate to the Japanese registry. The drive was unique in that the Aomori Blood Bank brought a mobile van to the base, capable of drawing blood from five people at a time. "This is the first time we've been

Fairchild rescue flight saves 3 in busy week

Helicopter crews from the 36th Rescue Flight here rescued a man and his son Jan. 11 and a woman Jan. 14 in what turned out to be a busy, heroic week in North Idaho. The second save was number 613 for the flight, which is part of the U.S. Survival School, a tenant unit at Fairchild. The action

Airmen help pick up the pieces for those in need

Five first-term Airmen from Eielson AFB brought in the new year with a determination to help those in need. They ventured from Alaska to the Gulf of Mexico to help rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The group set up camp in Bay St. Louis, a small town west of Gulfport, Miss. Over the next

Servicemembers provide a little TLC

The cries and coos of orphaned babies echo atop a green fenced-in veranda in Djibouti City, Djibouti. Three times a week, American servicemembers visit the Franciscan Missionaries of Notre Dame Baby Orphanage to help feed and play with the babies. People assigned to the camp volunteer to participate

USAFE medics bring expertise to Liberia

A team of eight medics from five U.S. Air Forces in Europe bases recently arrived in Liberia as part of a technical training initiative for the new Armed Forces of Liberia. The country, which was ravaged by nearly 15 years of civil war before it held a democratic election in November 2005, is

Two Korean Air jets divert to Kunsan

Two Boeing 747 aircraft made emergency landings here Jan. 17 after Incheon International Airport's runway closed for low visibility due to fog.The two Korean Air jets -- one laden with cargo, the other with passengers -- were greeted by 8th Fighter Wing leaders and support personnel with open

Charleston squadron helps build 'a room for Phillip'

The Airmen of the Air Force Reserve Command's 300th Airlift Squadron have a history of reaching out to those in need. Each year, the squadron donates time and money to a deserving person or family. This year the 300th AS is doing more to aid a little boy who needs some big help. Led by Master Sgt.

National Guard rolls out for yet another Midwest storm

More than 600 Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen in Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas have been called out in response to the latest in a series of severe winter storms to blanket the Midwest with snow and ice.Missouri was among the hardest-hit states during the Martin Luther King Day holiday weekend.

'Commando' Airmen continue heritage into future

Keeping a promise is important to many people. But, keeping the Air Commando's promise -- to provide precise and reliable Air Force special operations air power, any time, any place -- is the motto Airmen of the 1st Special Operations Wing live by. The wing is the only active duty special operations

Weather technician trains observers at Afghan outpost

A battlefield weather Airman assigned to work with Army aviation units recently spent two days training members of the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team to report weather observations. Senior Airman Nathan Fried of the 20th Expeditionary Air Support and Operations Squadron at Bagram Air Base

More provincial reconstruction teams to stand up in Iraq

President George W. Bush's new strategy for Iraq includes expanding the number of provincial reconstruction teams from 10 to at least 18 to better support political and economic progress, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said at a news conference Jan. 11.Secretary Rice joined Defense Secretary

Servicemembers help restore hope in Philippine community

Servicemembers recently teamed up with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, or AFP, with a two-month project that provided clean water, an elementary school and an adult learning center here.The project is considered a ray of hope for the local citizens, who have been terrorized by numerous

Medical team treats nearly 1,500 African patients

U.S. troops in Rwanda and Botswana recently built bridges between the U.S. military and the African people by providing medical services to almost 1,500 patients.The troops took part in a U.S. European Command Medical Civilian Assistance Program exercise, one of several events that are a part of the

National Guard to the rescue in 8 states

Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen in eight states rescued people and hauled hay to livestock following a severe end-of-year winter storm that stretched from America's northern to southern borders. Hundreds of Guard members in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Washington

Panjshir team aids mosque repair

Thanks to the cooperative efforts of an Afghan village, coalition forces and an engineering firm, a mosque that was in the way of a road construction project here has been repaired. A temporary bridge had to be erected while the permanent bridge across an irrigation canal in Bazarak was being

Wyoming Air Guard dropping hay for Colorado cattle

The Wyoming Air National Guard arrived in Pueblo, Colo., on Jan. 3 to begin flying missions to drop hay to stranded Colorado cattle.One C-130 Hercules and 10 Airmen are assisting the Colorado National Guard with feeding cattle in the southeastern corner of the state, near Lamar."Although the

2006 a year of transformation for Airmen

In a year when Air Force operations around the globe helped positively impact countless lives affected by violence, intimidation and natural disaster, 2006 also served as a platform for evaluating how such missions can be accomplished more proficiently by capitalizing on training and technology.

Volunteerism at heart of medical evacuation mission

Airmen from the 908th Airlift Wing here have been transporting wounded, injured and sick servicemembers home from Andrews Air Force Base, Md., since September when Air Force Reserve Command took over primary responsibility for stateside aeromedical transportation. Operating from three hubs, located

Christmas delivered by air

Santa employed members of Bagram Air Base this year to help him deliver Christmas to troops deployed to austere locations throughout the theater. In support of Operation Enduring Freedom, there are thousands of troops living in forward operating bases who receive their supplies through various

Balad leads from front in season of giving

No matter what holiday you celebrate -- Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or any other -- this time of year is generally regarded as the season for giving and a time to share. One might wonder, then, why the spirit of this season isn't observed all year. But it is here at Balad, where many Airmen

Volunteers complete annual Operation Christmas Drop

More than 150 volunteers helped complete the world's longest running humanitarian airdrop Dec. 19, commemorating the 54th Annual Operation Christmas Drop that reached more than 50 remote Pacific islands. Gen. Douglas H. Owens, 36th Wing commander, kicked off the operation with a ceremony that

Air Force officials take 'strategic communication to next level'

Top Air Force leaders attending a strategic communication summit here Dec. 19 outlined an ambitious blueprint for Airmen to tell the nation about their service's contributions to the war on terrorism. In a day-long, wide-ranging discussion, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne and Chief of Staff

C-17 makes 1st-ever airdrop to Antarctica

Another airpower milestone was reached Dec. 20 with the completion of the first C-17 Globemaster III airdrop mission that delivered about 70,000 pounds of supplies to the South Pole.The airdrop's success is due to the combined effort of people from Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica

Air Guard leaders explore ways to reset force

The challenges for resetting the Air National Guard became more apparent to its senior leaders here Dec. 11 to 13 when Lt. Gen. Craig R. McKinley, director of the Air National Guard, hosted the senior leadership conference, Minuteman Heritage -- Preparing for New Horizons. More than 1,000 leaders

Military aircrews support Mount Hood rescue effort

After finding the body of one missing climber on Mount Hood, Ore., members of the Oregon Army National Guard, Nevada Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units continue to search for two other lost climbers Dec. 18. Rescue crews, joined by civilian volunteers, planned to take advantage of

Oregon, Nevada Reservists join search for missing trio

Reservists from the 304th Rescue Squadron here will team up again Dec. 17 with Air National Guardsmen from Nevada in hopes of finding three missing hikers lost on Mt. Hood more than a week ago. "This was our first opportunity to see the top of the mountain because of the poor weather and extreme

Airmen wrap up airdrop campaign

The Air Force C-130 Hercules team Dec. 14 wrapped up its six-day campaign of airdropping more than 211,000 pounds of supplies into the flood-ravaged Dadaab region of eastern Kenya. But to children on the ground, it was the last 60 pounds that maybe made the most difference. As a way to say goodbye

Air Force contractor rebuilds Iraqi dry dock

The rebuilding of the ship lift in Umm Qasr, Iraq, finished another crucial step in the country's reconstruction. A ship lift is a mechanism used for transporting boats between sea and land, and is used to dry dock and launch ships. "In short, it's an elevator for ships, lifting them out of the

Operation Unity Knight brings relief to Kenya

Humanitarian and civic assistance supplies are ready to be palletized and loaded onto a C-130 Hercules for an airdrop Dec. 9. The Air Force is dropping more than 240,000 pounds of supplies to flood refugees in eastern Kenya. After weeks of rain in Dadaab region in Kenya, camps housing about 160,000

Air Force delivers much needed supplies to Kenya

After weeks of a deluge that seemingly had no end in sight, something besides rain finally fell from the Eastern Kenya sky -- compliments of a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules assigned to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing based in Southwest Asia. What began as a normal storm in late October in the

Hurlburt Airmen grant Honduran Christmas wish

A group of Airmen here are taking a break from their holiday hustle and bustle to make a special trip and grant Christmas wishes for others. More than a dozen Airmen from the 6th Special Operations Squadron, 15th SOS and 73rd SOS travel Dec. 11 to La Ceiba, Honduras, to carry out Operation Christmas

Andersen community makes a wish come true

The overcast, rainy afternoon did not dampen the spirits of Andersen Airmen and civilians as they rallied together to make a little boy's wish come true Dec. 5. Andersen AFB officials teamed up to help the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Guam make one of Natsuki Takeda's wishes come true. Five-year-old

Officials weigh need for Africa Command

Defense Department officials continue to examine the idea of establishing a U.S. Africa Command, a top DOD official said here this week. A team of DOD officials is looking at all options in examining the need for a new combatant command, said Theresa Whelan the deputy assistant secretary of defense

Afghan reconstruction team brings supplies to orphans

The Mehtar Lam Provincial Reconstruction Team paid an unexpected visit to a girl's orphan school Nov. 27 to donate three trailers full of supplies, including items to help with the approaching winter. The staff of Rosantoon Orphan Girl's School in Mehtar Lam City welcomed the team and helped

Airmen help restore sullied cemetery

The Golden Rule is "do unto others as you would have them do unto to you." A group of Airmen assigned to the 732nd Regional Support Unit at Camp Habbaniyah, Iraq, have taken that rule to heart. Volunteers here have put in close to 200 hours cleaning up and maintaining of a British cemetery located

Deployed NCO receives Thanksgiving call from president

A member of the 506th Air Expeditionary Group at Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq, received a once-in-a-lifetime phone call from the commander in chief Nov. 23. Master Sgt. Stonnie Martin, 506th AEG contracting directorate, was one of only two Air Force people to get the Thanksgiving Day call from

General, spouse receive O'Malley award

Though dozens of people attended the 2006 General and Mrs. Jerome O'Malley Award ceremony here at the Pentagon Nov. 15, there were four names left off the guest list. "Dennis, Ivan, Katrina and Rita couldn't be here today," joked Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. T. Michael Moseley, who presented

Task force delivers aid to Ethiopian flood victims

Air Force planes transported 48 tons of relief supplies Nov. 10 to the eastern part of Ethiopia, an area hard hit by floods since August. The C-130 Hercules crews picked up relief supplies at Dire Dawe and Addis Abbaba and delivered them to the city of Gode. More missions are planned, U.S. Central

Afghan PRT treats patients, prepares village for winter

Twenty-four members of the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team, the 405th Civil Affairs Battalion and Task Force Tiger made the four-hour trek to the northernmost district here to assist the province's most impoverished population. A cooperative Medical Civic Action Program, or MEDCAP, was

Hawaii Guard to airlift supplies to earthquake victims

The Hawaii National Guard is planning to airlift supplies to isolated residents on Maui as soon as their needs are ascertained, a military official said from the state's capital Nov. 1. A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck the Hawaiian Islands Oct. 15. No deaths were reported. Besides some broken

Couple honored with Fisher award

A husband and wife have been honored for their support of the military in Bangor, Maine. Harry and Sharon Rideout are the 2005 recipients of the Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher Distinguished Civilian Humanitarian Award. The two were honored during a ceremony at the Pentagon Oct. 26. Together, the

Walk raises awareness of breast cancer

More than 200 Airmen and family members here put their best foot forward to help raise awareness of breast cancer during an Aviano Community Enlisted Spouses Club-sponsored walk Oct. 21.The ACES club arranged the walk as a way to encourage Combined Federal Campaign donations to those charities

Jet car team delivers thanks to injured troops

Air Force Reserve Command's Jet Car performance driver, who's used to going 400 mph, slowed down Oct. 11 to thank American troops recovering from combat injuries at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Bill Braack and the jet car team collected 8,745 cards of thanks during a 12-week,

Teams pull for charity

Seventeen teams competed in this year's "Combined Federal Campaign Aircraft Pull" Oct. 12 at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The event raised more than $3,400 for the CFC. For the annual pull, teams comprise 15 to 20 pullers and team categories

U.S. prepares for operation to aid Pakistan

A joint team of Airmen and Soldiers are in Pakistan preparing for Operation Promise Keeping, a follow-up mission to aid the people in remote northern parts of the country, which was devastated by an earthquake last year. On Oct. 8, 2005, the disaster, which measured a 7.6 on the Richter Scale and

Reconstruction team prepares to make history

The Air Force-led Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team will make history when it completes two bridges in the Salang Valley early next month. The reconstruction team finished the final quality assessment of the bridges Oct. 5. When the bridges are complete, it will be the first time in Afghan

U.S. prepares for operation to aid Pakistan

A joint team of Airmen and Soldiers is in Pakistan preparing for Operation Promise Keeping, a follow-up mission to aid the people in remote northern parts of the country devastated by an earthquake last year. A magnitude 7.6 earthquake centered roughly 60 miles northeast from here struck Oct. 8,

New well gives new hope to village

The Air Force-led Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team opened a new well in the Kohi Safi valley Oct. 3 that will bring clean water to several hundred Afghans in a nearby village. The well was finished in just under a month by the GL Construction and Logistics Group of Kabul. Located near the

Air Force Reserve rescue crews save missing boater

Crews from the 920th Rescue Wing rescued the fifth and final missing boater Oct. 2 from a pleasure craft that capsized 15 miles off the coast of Jacksonville, Fla., on Oct. 1. The survivor was reported to be severely hypothermic when found by two Air Force Reserve Command HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter

PRT breaks ground on $3 million road project

The Air Force-led Bagram Provincial Reconstruction team officially started a new road system Sept. 28 in the Kapisa province that will connect all districts and the provincial capitol. The contract is the first of its kind in Afghanistan and was awarded to Shams Construction Company of Kabul during

Ramstein Airmen connect with Rwandan children

Large smiles, chewing gum bubbles and high-fives were the scene Sept. 22 when Airmen from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, gave donated goods to orphans and school children here.The 787th Air Expeditionary Squadron, comprised of 20 Airmen from the 86th Airlift Wing, 86th Contingency Response Group, 86th

Ramstein crew flies with Botswana into Darfur

Ramstein Airmen flew with a Botswana C-130 Hercules crew to the Darfur region Sept. 23 and 24 to support the African Union peacekeeping mission. Two C-130 crewmembers from the 86th Operations Support Squadron, aerial porters from the 86th Air Mobility Squadron and a force protection specialist from

Civil Air Patrol honored for hurricane relief contributions

The Civil Air Patrol is scheduled to receive the prestigious Summit Award Sept. 20 for its Hurricanes Katrina and Rita disaster relief contributions. This is the highest award the American Society of Association Executives and the Center for Association Leadership's Associations Advance America

Reservists honored for rescue efforts

More than 40 members of the 943rd Rescue Group here were honored Sept. 10 here for their service during rescue efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.Members of the 305th and 306th Rescue Squadrons, 943rd Maintenance and other support units were honored by military leaders and public

Airmen add up damage at Wake Island

Airmen from the 15th Civil Engineer Squadron and the 15th Communications Squadron from Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, are working around the clock to provide accurate estimates of the storm damage on Wake Island caused by Super Typhoon Ioke. Super Typhoon Ioke brought 155 mph winds and 190 mph gusts

U.S. military gives medical equipment to Nicaragua

U.S. servicemembers from Joint Task Force-Bravo departed Leon, Nicaragua, Sept. 13, leaving more than $185,000 worth of medical equipment and supplies for the hospital where people were being treated after an alcohol-poisoning epidemic claimed the lives of more than 45 people and left hundreds more

Airmen provide medical assistance in Colombia

Fourteen Airmen from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., and Lackland AFB, Texas, arrived at Hospital Toribo Maya, Colombia, Sept. 13 and opened the doors to the hundreds of people who had already gathered outside seeking medical assistance. The team, made up of members from the 55th Medical Group at

USAFE Airmen support Med Flag 2006 in Ghana

More than 50 Airmen from United States Air Forces in Europe arrived in Tamale, Ghana, Sept. 9 to participate in a humanitarian exercise called Med Flag 2006.The group, composed of medical, support and security Airmen from Spangdahlem, Ramstein and Sembach Air Bases in Germany, will spend four days

Air Force dentist aids Colombian people

On Sept. 11, 2001, Lt. Col. (Dr.) Gary Geracci was in the middle of packing for a TDY when he received a call from his mother saying the World Trade Center had been attacked. "I don't think you'll be going anywhere," she said. Like so many others who witnessed the tragic events of 9/11, Colonel

Andersen members return from USNS Mercy mission

Members from the 36th Medical Group, 36th Wing and the U.S. Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 returned home Sept. 10 following a 72-day humanitarian and civic assistance deployment on the USNS Mercy.While embarked on USNS Mercy, servicemembers and civilians participated in theater security

Medics help poisoning victims in Nicaragua

Approximately 20 U.S. military members left here Sept. 10 for Leon, Nicaragua, to provide medical assistance to people suffering from alcohol poisoning.Joint Task Force Bravo servicemembers responded to a request for help from the U.S. Embassy in Nicaragua after more than 30 people died from a toxic

Air Force team to provide medical care in Colombia

An Air Force medical team made up of members from the 55th Medical Group at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., and the 59th Medical Wing at Lackland AFB, Texas, arrived here Sept. 10 to participate in a two-week medical readiness exercise. As part of this medical readiness training exercise, or MEDRETE,

Pentagon crash-site memorial inspires gratitude, emotions

They were young and old, college students and retirees, rural visitors and city natives, government employees and private-sector workers, uniformed military personnel and civilians, black and white, Asian and Hispanic; but they all shared a common sense of purpose. They all wanted to see the

Airmen come to aid of Air Force widow

Airmen here are pitching in to help a 72-year-old Air Force widow rebuild her house following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The effort is part of a base humanitarian relief operation partnered with local charitable organizations on 700 cases across the Gulf Coast since the hurricane in

After Katrina: ACC's intel team applies lessons learned

The men and women of Air Combat Command's intelligence directorate haven't been stocking up on distilled water and plywood, but they are prepared for the busy part of the 2006 hurricane season or any natural disaster that might affect the United States. "We're light-years ahead of where we were this

CAP proves worth during Katrina relief

When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast a year ago, the nation went into immediate humanitarian mission mode. Along with the efforts of countless organizations came help from a 57,000-strong force often overlooked. While the debris settled and devastation became evident under clear skies, the

Katrina shapes rescue mission

On Aug. 29, 2005, the third-strongest hurricane ever to hit U.S soil made landfall on the Louisiana and Mississippi border. Soon after, rescue crews from here were called on to perform search and rescue on a scale previously unseen. "The Katrina relief effort was a benchmark for Air Force rescue,"

C-17s evacuate Wake Island residents

Rescue wing gears up for Tropical Storm Ernesto

Air Force Reserve Command's rescue unit here is taking measures to prepare for Tropical Storm Ernesto as it heads toward central Florida. The 920th Rescue Wing will evacuate its aircraft to Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga., Aug. 29. Wing aircrews will fly their HH-60G Pavehawk helicopters and HC-130P/N

Keesler Medical Center rebounds from Katrina

Keesler Medical Center, the second largest Air Force medical center, has made great strides in rebounding from the damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina one year ago. The facility is rapidly returning to its pre-Katrina status, both from the standpoint of the physical plant and services. Full

Airmen assist with volcano disaster relief

An eight-person Air Force medical readiness team is providing assistance to Ecuadorians affected by the Tungurahua volcano eruption here Aug. 16. Airmen from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.; Travis AFB, Calif., Minot AFB, N.D., and Goodfellow and Lackland AFB, Texas, specialize in dermatology;

Helping the community recover

Bases work with FEMA to provide aid

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Air Force provided support in many ways -- some of that from a distance. Numerous bases worked closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency by providing locations for use as staging points to accelerate the delivery of supplies to hurricane victims.

Hurricane hunter deals with aftermath of Katrina

When asked how he wishes he could spend his weekends, the man gets a wistful look in his eyes and says he would love to sit down and watch television. Unfortunately, this is a luxury that Master Sgt. Dan Peters, an Air Reserve Technician with Air Force Reserve Command's 403rd Wing here, is not able

JTF Lebanon establishes air-land and sea task forces

The commander of Joint Task Force Lebanon has assigned two task force commanders to lead critical elements of the newly formed organization as part of assuming authority for U.S. military operations here Aug. 23, officials announced.Air Force Col. Brad Webb will command Task Force "Alpha,"

Rumsfeld salutes servicemembers' global efforts

America's 2 million men and women in uniform are meeting demands around the globe and "are doing a terrific job," Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Aug. 25. But with 138,000 troops in Iraq and an ongoing need to modernize the force, defense officials "have to continue to find ways to see

Life after Katrina, Airmen ready to help again

The fifth tropical depression of the year is gathering force in the Caribbean Sea and making a beeline for the Gulf of Mexico. It might, or might not, turn into a hurricane. Either way, there is no doubt Airmen at bases along the Gulf Coast are wondering if they will soon have to hunker down and

Keesler Air Force Base: One year after Katrina

Bent but not broken by the worst natural disaster in the nation's history, Keesler's recovery continues to exceed expectations. "The damage to the base by Hurricane Katrina was a staggering $950 million. With that in mind, no one imagined in the days immediately after Aug. 29, 2005, we'd be where we

Americans, Hondurans team to fix broken bones

A medical team of eight people from Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and Joint Task Force-Bravo at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, treated more than 200 Hondurans during a two-week training exercise Aug. 5 to 19.The team of eight medical professionals, led by Lt. Col.

European Command takes over Lebanon mission

U.S. European Command will assume command of U.S. military forces operating off the coast of Lebanon and in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, the organization's commander said here Aug. 20. Marine Gen. James L. Jones, speaking at a Pentagon news conference, said European Command elements will assume