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U.S. Air Force News

  • Postal Service sets holiday mail deadline

    The recommended mailing deadline for sending economy-priced holiday packages to servicemembers in Afghanistan, Iraq and other places around the world is Nov. 12, officials at the U.S. Postal Service said."Shipping holiday packages early helps ensure that they arrive in time for the holidays," said

  • Pararescuemen train to save lives

    Members of the 56th Rescue Squadron conducted subsurface search, rescue and recovery training here recently. The pararescuemen trained in a controlled environment, allowing them to focus on their curriculum without being disturbed. The cove, far from the English coastline, provided a closed-off area

  • USO Gala honors servicemembers, families

    Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen was among the military, government and community leaders and celebrities who gathered to salute servicemembers and their families at the annual USO Gala here Oct. 7.The event featured entertainment, award presentations to five servicemembers and

  • ISR leader passes torch to new generation

    The morning of Sept. 30 saw 20 officers receive intelligence specialty badges upon graduating from the Air Force intelligence officer course here. There are multiple classes held each year, but the Sept. 30 graduation had a special twist: it was the first time the Air Force deputy chief of staff for

  • Services officials announce scholarship winners

    Officials overseeing the Air Force Services Club Membership Scholarship Program recently selected twenty-five individuals to receive $1,000 scholarships.Club members and their families were given the opportunity to submit a 500-word essay on "What does it mean to be part of the Air Force Family?" A

  • Expeditionary center takes UDM training on the road

    Officials are expanding the capability of the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center here for training unit deployment managers by deploying mobile training teams across the Air Force.These mobile training teams will consist of pairs of UDM instructors who will travel to major Air Force installations

  • Randolph Airmen urge students to make the right choices

    If experience is the best teacher, some 200 students from a San Antonio middle school learned invaluable lessons last week from a group of Randolph Airmen with personal stories to tell and messages to impart.Dwight Middle School students visited here for the new school year's first session of the

  • Physical therapists help patients move forward

    October is national physical therapy month and this year's theme is "Move Forward: Physical Therapy Brings Motion to Life." Making the commitment to be physically active promotes movement, reduces pain, restores function and prevents disability. One of the important roles that physical therapists

  • Air Force officials offer cross commissioning opportunities

    To obtain the right balance of skills across the total force, Air Force officials will begin offering alternative commissioning options for specified career fields, officials said Oct. 7. Air Force ROTC cadets slated to commission in fiscal 2011 may volunteer and compete for positions in the Air

  • Oct. 3 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 3, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Oct. 2 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 2, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Officials launch two advanced cyberspace courses

    Officials at the Air Force Cyberspace Technical Center of Excellence here are conducting the first official Cyber 200 and 300 courses beginning Oct.12. On Oct. 28, more than 100 students will graduate from the Air Force Institute of Technology's newest educational courses designed to develop the Air

  • Air Force Week in Photos

    This week's photo highlights feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.View the slideshow.

  • Airmen enhance NATO partners' night vision capability

    Establishing and maintaining solid working relationships with partner nations is a major mission element in the special operations community. This sometimes takes the form of providing training opportunities in order to level the 'playing field' and ensure better interoperability and capability with

  • Scott Airmen teach Iraqi Forces life-saving techniques

    Airmen with the 375th Security Forces Squadron here, who are deployed to Joint Base Balad, Iraq, recently helped create a new training plan for Iraqi guards.Senior Airman Aaron Jennings, a unit trainer with the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, is one of the security forces Airmen who

  • 'Aim High ... Fly-Fight-Win' to be Air Force motto

    Incorporating extensive inputs from all ranks and career fields in the development effort, Airmen have selected "Aim High ... Fly-Fight-Win" as the service's motto. An enduring statement of Airmen's pride in their service, the motto is a two-part expression -- a call to action, with a response of

  • Airman heats up fitness challenge

    A 22nd Civil Engineer Squadron heating ventilation and cooling craftsman transformed his body, passed his fitness test and found the strength and motivation to maintain a healthy lifestyle, all within the span of two months. Staff Sgt. Christopher Jeffcoat, a nine-year Air Force veteran, scored 57

  • Afghan air force adds first honor guard to its ranks

    Afghan airmen from the Kandahar Air Wing posted colors for the first time with their own honor guard at the one year anniversary of the unit's activation Oct. 5 here.For the past year, Airmen of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Honor Guard have posted the colors for KAW ceremonies. The team recently

  • Rescue crews answer the call in Afghanistan

    By signing in to their shift, they know the first mission is theirs. Ready to leave in moments with barely a second to spare, the crew is notified at the last minute to stand down, prolonging the suspense as they attempt to relax. However, relaxation is hardly an option when a simple beep of the

  • Officials announce new initial enlistment bonuses

    Pentagon officials recently released the fiscal 2011 initial enlistment bonus program list. Three Air Force specialty codes had bonuses decrease, but only for those enlisting for six years. Those AFSCs seeing decreases were airborne linguist, crypto linguist and tactical air control party. No AFSCs

  • Efficiencies will keep military strong in tight economy

    Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III reiterated the need for efficiencies as a way to keep the military strong during tight economic times during a briefing with the World Affairs Council Oct. 6 here.Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced his efficiency initiative during a speech in

  • Strategic leadership courses available for civilians

    Civilian leadership development officials here are seeking nominations for an out-of-cycle selection board to identify senior-level civilians for strategic leadership development opportunities in the 2011 academic year.Strategic Leadership Education Level I is open to Air Force civil service

  • Air Force officials announce enlisted supplemental promotions

    More than 630 Airmen have been selected for promotion as part of the October enlisted supplemental promotion board.The promotion list can be found on the Air Force Personnel Center's public website. Airmen also can access their score notices at the same time on the Virtual Military Personnel Flight

  • Vandenberg Airman killed in Afghanistan

    An Airman assigned to the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal flight here was killed in action and another was injured Oct. 5, while serving in Afghanistan.Senior Airman Daniel Johnson, 23, died while conducting an EOD operation in Afghanistan.Tech. Sgt. Robert Butler was

  • Air Force officials kick-off energy awareness month

    The undersecretary of the Air Force helped launch the federal government's energy awareness month at the U.S. Air Force Academy here Oct. 1.Erin C. Conaton, accompanied by Terry Yonkers, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics, chose the Academy as the

  • NBA dream becomes reality for Academy grad

    The opportunity of a lifetime only comes once, or so we've been told. But for one U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, it came twice: once when he was accepted into the Academy and again when he realized his childhood dream of playing in the NBA. Capt. Antoine Hood, a reservist who divides his time

  • Amendment provision could put more money in spouse's paycheck

    Military spouses in states that collect state income taxes could be able to pocket a little more of their paycheck under an amendment that allows spouses to retain their legal residency in their home state.A November 2009 amendment to the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act included a provision that

  • Service demographics offer snapshot of force

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here recently published a demographics report offering a snapshot of the service's active-duty and civilian force. This data is current as of Sept. 30 and can also be found on the Air Force personnel statistics Web page.Statistics are rounded to the nearest

  • Canadian forces contribute to space mission

    When servicemembers here perform a mission, whether it is space surveillance or launching a payload into space, it is not solely an American effort, but rather a joint effort. One such example is the partnership here between Americans and Canadians. Stemming out of the North American Aerospace

  • Academy officer picked for top triathlon

    Forget about who's crazy enough to participate in a triathlon. Who was crazy enough to come up with the over-the-top race in the first place? Believe it or not, it was a Sailor.In 1978, following a foot race on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, participants argued about who were the best overall

  • RED HORSE meets NASCAR

    Members of the 820th RED HORSE Squadron met with team members from a NASCAR truck racing team as part of an orientation between the Red Horse Racing team and the RED HORSE squadron Sept. 24 here. The Red Horse Racing team currently races Toyota Tundras in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and

  • Busy Afghan mission leads to recognition

    A 919th Special Operations Wing aircrew recently was selected for the Air Force Association's Brig. Gen. Ross Hoyt Award for their efforts on a mission over Afghanistan in 2009.At that time, the 10-man MC-130E Combat Talon aircrew led by pilot Maj. Michael Black, then with the 711th Special

  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing goes 'green' with recycling program

    Officials in the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing are striving to go "green" as part of the Air Force's continuing effort to eliminate waste and become more energy efficient.An on-base recycling program, run by 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron officials, collects more than 60 metric tons of

  • Top chief discusses training, wingmanship during Academy visit

    The chief master sergeant of the Air Force visited with the Air Force Academy's enlisted cadre Oct. 1 and talked about the way ahead for the Air Force, professional military education and taking care of Airmen and families.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy was in Colorado

  • Security Airmen train to handle active shooter threats

    "Bang bang!" The shouts were heard back and forth as the two security forces Airmen shuffled quickly onto another floor of the building, looking down the sights of their M-9s. "Bang bang!" The lone threat, actively 'shooting' with his red plastic shotgun, had been stopped. This exercise was just one

  • Davis-Monthan hosts self-defense instructor course

    Security forces Airmen and civilian law enforcement officials participated in a three-day Rape Aggression Defense Systems instructor certification class Sept. 13  through 15 here.RADS is a program designed to teach physical, defensive tactics that can be used when faced with aggression.The

  • Armament Symposium brings DOD, industry together

    For the 36th year, the Air Armament Center partnered with the National Defense Industrial Association to host its annual Air Armament Symposium here Oct. 5 and 6.The symposium, a two-day forum for both industry and government personnel, was an opportunity to exchange information, recognize

  • Mission complete for C-130, C-17 aircrews supporting flood relief

    As flood waters recede and Pakistan's aid delivery shifts focus from air to ground transportation, the Pakistan government informed the U.S. recently that U.S. military aircraft and other international cargo plane airlift support was no longer required. At Pakistan's request, the U.S. military has

  • Elmendorf couple presented O'Malley Award in Pentagon ceremony

    The commander of the 3rd Wing at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, and his wife received the 2010 General and Mrs. Jerome F. O'Malley Award Oct. 4 at a ceremony in the Pentagon. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz presented the award and Sharon O'Malley Burg made a special

  • 4th Fighter Wing loses an Airman

    An Airman assigned to the 4th Fighter Wing was found dead Oct. 4. Deceased is Senior Airman Ross Merrit Horton, a lodging customer service representative of the 4th Force Support Squadron. Airman Horton is from Chico, California. The cause of death is under investigation. "The 4th Fighter Wing

  • Afghan air force members attend fly-away security team training

    Nine Afghan air force security forces members received flyaway security team training here from Sept. 27 through Oct. 4. They are assigned to the quick reaction force and have received previous basic military police and air base defense training. The training provides the Afghan air force an added

  • Secretary Gates urges servicemembers to claim Stop-Loss pay

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates urged servicemembers whose military service was involuntarily extended between 2001 and 2009 under the "Stop Loss" program to claim their special pay before the Dec. 3 deadline.More than 145,000 people are eligible for the special pay, but fewer than half have

  • VA Secretary announces $41.9 million to help homeless

    Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki has announced that 40 states will share more than $41.9 million in grants to community groups to provide 2,568 beds for homeless veterans this year. "These grants wouldn't have happened without the extraordinary partnerships forged with community

  • House resolution honors aeromedical evacuation Airmen

    Members of the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution Sept. 28 honoring the Airmen who support and perform aeromedical evacuation.House Resolution 1605 recognizes "the service of the medical and aircrews in helping our wounded warriors make the expeditious and safe trip home

  • Oct. 1 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct 1, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Sept. 30 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 30, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Sept. 29 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 29, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Sept. 28 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 28, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Sept. 27 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 27, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Sept. 26 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 26, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Sept. 25 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 25, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Sept. 24 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 24, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Veterans return home 5 years after Katrina

    Armed Forces Retirement Home residents expected to be displaced for only a few weeks after Hurricane Katrina damaged their facility in 2005. The first 126 veterans returned home five years later to a larger and more lavish facility.The residents lived at the Armed Forces Retirement Home's Washington

  • Photo essay: C-21 undergoes phase inspection

    Contractors with DynCorp International work on phase inspections for the C-21 here Sept. 15. The inspections are done after the aircraft reaches flying milestones to ensure that it remains in tip-top shape.View the slideshow.

  • Exchange ID check goes hi-tech

    Implementation of an updated point-of-sale system that leverages the technological advances available through "smart" Common Access Cards is streamlining the identification process for age-restricted items at Army and Air Force Exchanges.AAFES new point-of-sale system, which rolled out to

  • Flying the wounded home

    Afghan airmen and NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan advisers worked as one to transfer a patient from Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, during a reverse aeromedical evacuation mission to Forward Operating Base Bostic in Konar province, Afghanistan Sept. 27.A reverse medical evacuation takes a

  • Airmen, Misawa residents prep for disaster

    Airmen from the 35th Medical Operations Squadron and 35th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department provided first-responder support during a natural disaster preparedness exercise Oct. 3 at Misawa City Sea Port. The exercise tested civilian and military coordination and response."The scenario was an

  • Air Force officials conducting personnel accountability exercise

    Officials are conducting an Air Force-wide exercise Oct. 6 through 8 to test the Air Force Personnel Accountability and Assessment System.An exercise execution order will identify the geographic area of interest in which all personnel assigned to, living in, TDY to or on leave in that area, must be

  • Innovative parts washer improves environment and health

    An environmentally-friendly parts washer here is getting attention for using oil-eating microbes, which means workers are no longer exposed to the solvents previously used. The system uses bioremediation to avoid the waste streams of liquid found in traditional parts cleaning systems. Bioremediation

  • Tests to compare CCAF, civilian degrees

    Education offices at 60 Air Force and Air National Guard bases around the world will test Community College of the Air Force graduates to determine how they compare to counterparts in civilian institutions.The testing begins Oct. 14 and runs through Nov. 15.First-time CCAF degree recipients who have

  • Mullen: Communities, veterans can help each other

    The United States owes a debt to its veterans and their families that America's communities and their leaders can help repay, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Oct. 1.Speaking to hundreds of people during a town hall meeting at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen

  • ACCE-I director: Taking care of Airmen top priority

    Support for joint operations, partnering with Iraqi security forces and care for Airmen were some of the topics discussed during the visit by Iraq's top Airman here Sept 21.In his first Airmen's call since becoming the Air Component Coordination Element-Iraq director and commander of Detachment 2,

  • Airmen make impact with first GBU-54 combat drop in Afghanistan

    Airmen from the 510th Fighter Squadron here employed a guided bomb unit-54 laser joint directed attack munition for the first time in the Afghan area of operations recently.The GBU-54 is the Air Force's newest 500-pound precision weapon, equipped with a special targeting system that uses a

  • Air Force, Navy reach full operational capability on Joint Base Charleston

    Joint Base Charleston officially achieved its full operational capability Oct. 1.The path to operational capability began in January with the stand up of the 628th Air Base Wing. Joint Base Charleston combines two historic bases into a single, joint installation to support both Air Force and Navy

  • President Obama proclaims Cybersecurity Awareness Month

    Americans everywhere prosper because of the nation's digital infrastructure, and therefore all citizens must defend it, President Barack Obama said Oct. 4.October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and in a proclamation released, President Obama said all Americans must understand they have a

  • Lieutenants complete inaugural language training

    Twenty-five of the Air Force's newest second lieutenants recently completed the inaugural class of focused language training at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., as part of the Language Enabled Airmen Program.The Language Intensive Training Event, or LITE, was held at the Air Force Culture and Language

  • Wilford Hall hosts graduate medical education course

    A course for medical educators provided by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences was held Sept. 24 to Oct. 2 at Wilford Hall Medical Center here. The course, designed to train military medical education program directors, was chaired by retired Army Col. (Dr.) Louis Pangaro, who

  • Exercise aims to change game

    A training exercise held at Joint Base Lewis-McChord recently might change how Air Force and Army units conduct close air support.Pacific Strike 2010 demonstrated capabilities that could vastly improve close-air-support operations for deployed units as well as in garrison, said Army I Corps' Chief

  • Air Force defeats Navy 14-6 in ground battle

    In a game filled with flyovers, it was ground pounding that dominated as the Air Force Falcons sunk the Navy Midshipmen 14-6 Oct. 2 at Falcon Stadium here.The Falcons showed why they have the number one rushing offense in the country after racking up 292 yards on the ground. Their season average

  • 'Huffing,' using 'Spice' is dangerous, officials say

    While they may be legal in some states, "designer drugs," often marketed as herbal remedies, are banned under military law and policies by the Defense Department and all of the services. Military officials, having seen a spike in servicemembers' use of otherwise legal substances, including

  • Clues in cyberspace catch criminals in the real world

    For many, cyberspace is a vast and intangible place. A land of green ones and zeros floating on a sea of black, where an e-mail originated in Switzerland can travel to a server in Mozambique within a matter of seconds. In the ever-changing landscape of cyberspace, information can be hidden anywhere

  • Air Force officials field advanced radar pod

    Air Force officials are fielding a radar pod designated the AN/ASQ-236. The new pod was fielded on the F-15E Strike Eagle this summer. The release of this new sensor will enhance all-weather precision geo-location and provide greater surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities supporting current

  • Website is one-stop shop for deployment-related issues

    Airmen can access information about their upcoming deployment at the Air and Space Expeditionary Force Online website. The AEF Online website, located at https://aef.afpc.randolph.af.mil/, provides a single access point for all AEF-related issues to include reporting instructions, tempo banding,

  • Registration now open for 2011 AETC Symposium

    Registration is open for the 2011 Air Education and Training Command Symposium, scheduled for Jan. 20 and 21 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. The two-day symposium is slated to feature more than 90 seminars on a variety of education, training and innovation topics by

  • National Guard launches mobile education lab

    As part of the president's "Educate to Innovate" initiative, National Guard officials debuted The Energy Lab -- a mobile classroom featuring interactive learning tools focusing on the science and technology behind alternative energy sources.Unveiled Oct. 1 at the Ronald Reagan Building and

  • Photo essay: Afghanistan unit shows capabilities

    Pararescuemen from the 33rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron participate with Airmen from the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing in a training mission here Sept. 24. The training mission provided a glimpse of what the 33rd ERQS brings to the fight and the capabilities it provides to combat commanders.View

  • NJ-based CRG assumes alert rotation for global mobility mission

    Airmen from the 621st Contingency Wing here will assume responsibility for a four-month rotation of Joint Task Force, Port-Opening alert Oct. 1.Approximately120 mobility Airmen assigned to the CRW's 817th Contingency Response Group will join 55 Soldiers from an Army Rapid Port Opening Element based

  • President extends deadline for stop loss benefit

    Eligible Airmen, veterans and their beneficiaries now have until Dec. 3 to apply for retroactive stop loss special pay following an extension in the continuing resolution signed by the president Sept. 30.The new Dec. 3 deadline extends the original Oct. 21 cutoff for applications and allows eligible

  • Airman dies in combat operations in Afghanistan

    An Air Force Special Operations Command combat controller died Sept. 29 while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.Senior Airman Mark A. Forester, 29, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., was killed while conducting combat operations with his special forces team in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to

  • 24th Air Force achieves full operational capability

    The commander of Air Force Space Command declared full operational capability for 24th Air Force Oct. 1.The criteria to reach FOC, established in Air Force Program Action Directive PAD 07-08, required 24th Air Force, headquartered at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, to be able to perform all

  • Global Strike command reaches full operational capability

    Officials declared Air Force Global Strike Command to be at full operational capability Sept. 30, on schedule, and less than 14 months after its initial activation as a command.To reach that milestone, the command accomplished more than 700 action items identified by the secretary and chief of staff

  • Air Force Week in Photos

    This week's photo highlights feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.View the slideshow.

  • McConnell AFB officials host AFSO 21 event

    Officials here hosted their first Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century event Sept. 13 through 17 to further streamline and sustain the KC-135 Stratotanker fleet.The event, called the "KC-135 Points of Use Parts Enterprise Event," involved 16 different units Air Force-wide, and affects the

  • NATO leaders see security gains in western Afghanistan

    Some parts of western Afghanistan could begin transitioning security to Afghan forces within six to nine months, the top NATO force commander in the region said today.Italian army Brig. Gen. Claudio Berto, the commander of the International Security Assistance Force's Regional Command-West in

  • DOD provides continued support for military children

    Department of Defense Education Activity officials are keeping on the cutting-edge of sharing resources and training tools with public schools supporting military families, a Washington education official said."Our goal is to reach military children who attend public schools," said Kathy Facon, the

  • Secretary Gates predicts more women in special operations

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Sept. 29 he anticipates that more women will serve in military special operations in the future."My guess at some point is that there will be a careful step in that direction with the special operations forces," Secretary Gates told about 300 ROTC students at

  • Shaw Airman's quick actions save man's life

    People never know when the things they learn in life may have a drastic effect on someone else's life. For one Shaw AFB Airman, those lessons helped him save a man.On Sept. 17, Airman 1st Class Brandon Horne, a 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels truck operator, was on his way to Seymour Johnson

  • Fire Prevention Week focuses on smoke alarms

    The nonprofit National Fire Protection Association has developed "Smoke Alarms: A Sound You Can Live With!" as the theme for Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 3 through 9. Newer smoke alarm recommendations and technologies now provide greater levels of home fire protection than ever before. Officials said

  • Gates praises service, sacrifice of all-volunteer force

    The American people are losing contact with those who make up its military, and the nation needs to understand the service and sacrifices that U.S. military personnel and their families make, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said at Duke University's Page Auditorium Sept. 29.The secretary spoke to

  • Air refueling pioneers honored in ceremony at Scott

    The air refueling pioneers responsible for the United States' first air-refueling flights in 1923 and 1929 were honored in a ceremony Sept. 23 at Scott AFB's "Walk of Fame" as part of a presentation by the Airlift-Tanker Association Hall of Fame officials.Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr., commander of Air

  • Scott AFB hosts suicide prevention field day

    Leaders of the 375th Air Mobility Wing highlighted the importance of the wingman concept to prevent suicides during a day-long Suicide Prevention Field Day Sept. 23.Officials from various base agencies hosted the event and helped Airmen focus on their ability to save another's life simply by being

  • Leaders send energy awareness message

    The Air Force's top leaders released a joint "Letter to Airmen" to encourage Airmen to continue to be energy efficient at the workplace and at home.  "The Air Force is engaged in a long-term effort to improve our nation's energy security through energy efficiency and conservation," Secretary of the

  • Officials implement new training model

    Given the complexities of today's combat missions and the inherent, life-threatening dangers faced by Airmen today, it is critical that Airmen receive effective training before engaging in battle. To provide Airmen with the most realistic training environment away from the battle space, Air Force

  • Photo essay: Airmen contribute to NATO's Iceland mission

    Weapons load crew Airmen assigned to the 493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron work on final touches to a munitions load of an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air missile in support of NATO's Icelandic Air Policing mission here Sept. 23. Approximately 200 Airmen were deployed from all over the

  • Schriever Airmen get serious with Happy Hour

    Schriever Air Force Base Airmen were invited Sept. 24 to "Happy Hour" by base leadership where jokes about nagging wives, drugs, sex and drunken behavior filled the auditorium of Building 300 here.No, this wasn't a social-mixer, nor was it a happy hour, in the traditional sense."Happy Hour" is a

  • 'Heat' is on at Hurlburt Field

    On the same court where special operations Airmen conduct physical training, the Miami Heat, a National Basketball Association team, kicked off their preseason training camp at the Aderholt Fitness Center Sept. 28 here. The week-long camp also marks the first time the team has taken training camp

  • Agreement gives green light to ESC efforts in Kyrgyzstan

    A delegation led by Electronic Systems Center Commander Lt. Gen. Ted F. Bowlds reached an agreement with Kyrgyzstan government officials recently on efforts that will benefit the nation of Kyrgyzstan and U.S. operators who rely on the Manas Transit Center there."This agreement marks the formal

  • Sept. 23 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 23, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Sept. 22 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 22, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.