Convoy mission

Senior Airman Cynthia Spalding (left) and Senior Airman Kelly McLain wait for inspectors after strapping down their cargo before a local convoy mission in Southwest Asia. Every vehicle in a convoy must be inspected prior to departure. Airman Spalding is a photographer with the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs office. Airman McLain is a vehicle operator with the 387th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Cynthia Spalding)

Guard unit helps protect nation

Crew chief Tech. Sgt. Gary Holland works to replace a bad central gear box on an alert F-15 Eagle Oct. 2 to get it back to flying status. Sergeant Holland is a memeber of the 125th Fighter Wing, Det. 1,at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla. the detachment provides the Continental NORAD Region commander rapid response to invasions of the sovereign airspace of the U.S. and responds with appropriate defense measures against all hostile actions directed at the people and property of the U.S. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III)

Guard unit helps protect nation

Lt. Col. Michael Birkeland has the green light for take-off during a training exercise for Operation Noble Eagle Oct. 3 at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla. The 125th FW, Det. 1, maintains F-15 Eagle fighters on continuous 24-hour alert status, ready to intercept unknown aircraft at any time for Operation Noble Eagle. Colonel Birkeland is the 125th Fighter Wing, Det. 1 commander. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III)

Guard unit helps protect nation

Crew chief Staff Sgt. Thomas Fitzgerald sprints to his F-15 Eagle after an alert alarm announces the immediate launch of aircraft during a training exercise for Operation Noble Eagle Oct. 3 at the 125th Fighter Wing, Det. 1, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla. The detachment provides the Continental NORAD Region commander rapid response to invasion of the sovereign airspace of the U.S., and responds with appropriate defense measures against all hostile actions directed at the people and property of the U.S. during Operation Noble Eagle. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III)

Preparing an eagle for ONE

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. -- Two F-15 Eagle crew chiefs from to the 71st Fighter Squadron conduct final preflight checks before a sortie July 16 supporting Operation Noble Eagle. ONE refers to U.S. military operations in direct support of homeland defense. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ben Bloker)

Loaded for noble mission

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. -- An F-15 Eagle moves into position for take off before a sortie supporting Operation Noble Eagle here July 16. The F-15 is assigned to the 71st Fighter Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ben Bloker)

Noble Eagle

OVER THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY -- Two F-16 Fighting Falcons move into a precontact position with a KC-135E Stratotanker before refueling during an Operation Noble Eagle training patrol March 16. The F-16s are assigned to the California Air National Guard's 144th Fighter Wing in Fresno and the KC-135 is assigned to the 940th Aerial Refueling Wing at Beale Air Force Base, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Lance Cheung)

Noble Eagle

OVER THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY -- Major Rob Swertfager gets his F-16 Fighting Falcon refuled by a KC-135E Stratotanker during a Operation Noble Eagle training patrol March 16. Major Swertgager is a pilot with the California Air National Guard's 144th Fighter Wing in Fresno. The KC-135E is assigned to the 940th Aerial Refueling Wing at Beale Air Force Base, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Lance Cheung)

Noble Eagle

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Master Sgt. Robert Briggs (above) and Staff Sgt. Brandon Kennerley team-up to replace a wing panel bolt of a KC-135E Stratotanker here March 7. Sergeant Briggs and Sergeant Kennerley are both crew cheif's with the 940th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. The 940th Air Refueling Wing participates in Operation Noble Eagle missions by providing aerial refueling where ever and when ever it is needed in the western region of the United States. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Lance Cheung)

Noble Ealge

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Tech. Sgt. Joseph Hoy (left) explains the details of a preflight panel inspection of a KC-135 Stratotanker to Staff Sgt Alison Baker, a crew chief in training here March 7. Seargent Hoy and Sgt. Baker are both crew chiefs with the 940th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. The 940th Air Refueling Wing here participates in Operation Noble Eagle missions by providing aerial refueling where ever and when ever it is needed in the western region of the United States. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Lance Cheung)

Pentagon Damage

WASHINGTON -- A section of the Pentagon was destroyed when the building was struck by a hijacked commercial airliner on Sept. 11, 2001. Injured workers were treated or taken to area hospitals, while firefighters tried to extenguish flames. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Gary Coppage)

Pentagon Damage

WASHINGTON -- Emergency response vehicles line the area around the Pentagon, as smoke clouds block the horizon shortly after a terrorist bombing here Sept. 11. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Gary Coppage)

Recovery Efforts

NEW YORK -- Tech. Sgt. Nick Marchisello, an Air Force Reservist and New Jersey firefighter, awaits the order to enter the rubble of the North Tower of the World Trade Center during survivor recovery efforts after the Sept. 11 terroist attacks. Marchisello is a member of the 514th Civil Engineering Squadron at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Jim Fabio)

Recovery Efforts

NEW YORK -- Staff Sgt. Anthony Latona, a New York Air National Guardsman and New Jersey firefighter, awaits the order to enter the rubble of the North Tower of the World Trade Center during survivor recovery efforts after Sept. 11. Latona is a member of the 105th Civil Engineering Squadron at Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, N.Y. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Jim Fabio)

B-2 refueling

OPERATION NOBLE EAGLE -- A KC-135R Stratotanker from the Wisconsin Air National Guard's 128th Air Refueling Wing, refuels a B-2A Spirit during a training mission in support of Operation Nobel Eagle. The revolutionary blending of low-observable technologies with high aerodynamic efficiency and large payload gives the B-2 important advantages over existing bombers. Its low-observability provides it greater freedom of action at high altitudes, thus increasing its range and a better field of view for the aircraft's sensors. It can fly unrefueled for about 6,000 nautical miles. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Dan Richardson)

Eagle eyes

OPERATION NOBLE EAGLE -- An F-15C Eagle from Langley Air Force Base, Va., flies over Washington during an early morning combat air patrol mission in support of Operation Noble Eagle. Operations Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom are not only a joint U.S. campaign, they are combined campaigns. Coalition allies have flown nearly 1,000 missions, highlighting international resolve in the war on terrorism. NATO partners deployed forces to the US for the first time to help defend American air space. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Greg L. Davis)

CAP

OPERATION NOBLE EAGLE -- An F-16C Fighting Falcon from the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 177th Fighter Wing flies a combat air patrol mission in the Northeastern United States in support of Operation Noble Eagle. More than 11,000 airmen -- the majority Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve -- have generated more than 7,500 sorties to patrol American skies 24/7 since Sep. 11. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Don Taggart)

Security

ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. -- A security forces augmenter keeps a watchful eye on inbound traffic here, in the wake of terrorist attacks on our nation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joseph Lozada)

Tight security

DAVIS-MONTHAN AIRFORCE BASE, Ariz. -- In response to the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the U.S. military has been operating in threat condition delta, the highest alert condition. The 355th Security Force Squadron here, performed security checks on every person and vehicle before they entered the base. Airman 1st Class Stacy Sells mans an M-60 machine gun in front of the base gate. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. John E. Lasky)

Pentagon heliport

WASHINGTON -- Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld (center) leads Sen. Carl Levin (left), D-Mich. and Sen. John Warner (right), R-Va., to the crash scene at the Pentagon heliport on Sept. 11, 2001. Rumsfeld earlier conducted a news conference with reporters in the Pentagon briefing room on the terrorist attack of the Pentagon. (DOD photo by Helene C. Stikkel)

Package search

ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- Senior Airman Nicole Kaehler, 48th Security Forces Squadron, and her K-9, Harras, search packages at the base post office for bombs or other dangerous articles following the terrorist attacks in the United States. Security has been tighter to help prevent another occurrence of the tragedies that struck New York and Washington, D.C. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant William Greer)

Happy Anniversary

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea -- Tech. Sgts J.C. Chambers and Mark Arnett, and Airman 1st Class Matt Hecht, 51st Security Forces Squadron, fly the American flag on the back of an armored personnel carrier, Sept. 18, 2001. The APC drove through the streets here on Sept. 18th, the U.S. Air Force's 54th birthday, providing a visible sign of patriotism. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Justin D. Pyle)