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  • 45th Space Wing supports successful shuttle launch

    The 45th Space Wing at nearby Patrick Air Force Base provided flawless support for NASA’s successful launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on July 26, officials said.This was the shuttle’s first flight since the Columbia tragedy on Feb. 1, 2003. The wing’s Department of Defense Manned Spaceflight

  • U.S. still welcome at Manas, Kyrgyzstan minister says

    The United States is welcome to continue using Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan's defense minister said here July 26.Gen.Maj. Ismail Isakov also said that any future movement of U.S. troops out of Kyrgyzstan "fully depends upon the situation in Afghanistan." After Afghanistan is stabilized there would be

  • Major works hard at preparing warriors

    Sport and business have long had a strong working relationship.Maj. Michael Ternus, 377th Logistics Readiness Squadron operations officer, exemplifies this relationship -- albeit as an unconventional businessman in an unconventional sport.The major is the current national master's super heavyweight

  • Airman develops antidote to injection confusion

    Knowing how to administer an antidote to a fellow Airman who falls victim to chemical exposure in the field will not be as difficult as before.A new sticker on the antidote kit designed here, with specific instructions on when and how to administer the antidote for nerve agent poisoning, is helping

  • Battlelab technicians develop solutions for warfighters

    With sand whipping across your face and sweat dripping down your forehead, you squint through the scope at the enemy target."The third building on the left," you shout into the radio. A garbled transmission is returned. Closing your eyes, you take a deep breath and hope the pilot heard you. The

  • Airmen maintain airlift operations in Africa

    The early morning roar of eight engines from two C-130 Hercules here is music to the ears of the aircraft maintainers watching over them. To Airmen with the 86th Air Expeditionary Group’s maintenance team from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, it means the mission which began July 16 to bring Rwandan

  • QDR will reflect tomorrow’s, not today’s, challenges

    Military leaders will resist any temptation to assume the force needed for the future will be a cookie-cutter version of today's needs, Gen. Richard B. Myers said here July 25.The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was talking about how the military will examine its forces, resources and programs

  • Tankers take care of deployed aircrews

    Airman 1st Class Robert Willis celebrated his 21st birthday in a rather unusual manner July 22 -- offloading 85,200 pounds of jet fuel at 27,500 feet to a B-52 Stratofortress bound for Afghanistan.It was merely another day at the “office” for the boom operator on the KC-135 Stratotanker air

  • Reservists protect Airmen at Baghdad base

    Two reservists at Baghdad International Airport are shaping force protection for more than 700 people, meshing the future total force with the reality of what is currently around them.Capt. Lisa Maloney and Master Sgt. Mary Webb run the anti-terrorism/force protection office here. Working daily with

  • Future Total Force arrives for duty in Vermont

    Airman 1st Class Kirshell LaCroix had not even graduated from technical school when she decided to jump into the Future Total Force. She landed in South Burlington, Vt., about a month ago, and the 20-year-old electrical and environmental aircraft maintenance apprentice said it looks like she made

  • Teamwork moves Rwandan troops

    It takes a lot more than Hercules to move Rwandan Defense Force members to the Darfur region of the Sudan. The C-130 Hercules needs a team working together to make sure things go right. In fact, there were 10 crewmembers on each of the flights working together to ensure the 13-hour, round-trip

  • Rhein-Main changes billeting, long-term parking procedures

    As Rhein-Main Air Base draws closer to its Dec. 31 close date, travelers who frequent the base will begin to notice changes in services provided. A change in the long-term parking policy gives priority to people traveling on Air Mobility Command missions, and space-available lodging is no longer

  • Planes soar thanks to Baghdad's ‘tower of power’

    Except for a thick dusty haze squatting on the city from day to day, Baghdad and the surrounding Iraqi countryside would be completely visible from here. Being 180 feet taller than almost any other vantage point in the city, Baghdad International Airport's control tower has certain advantages.The

  • Reserve improves safety, floor space on rescue helicopters

    Air Force Reserve Command’s 15 combat search and rescue helicopters will get improved crew seats and more cabin space to care for rescued people when modifications are complete this year. The HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters will feature safer, more ergonomic cabin crew seats, and new auxiliary fuel

  • Airmen provide exams before, after interrogations

    Iraqi detainees at the prison here receive medical examinations before and after interrogation thanks to an independent group of Air Force medics.The detainee health care team monitors and maintains the health of about 2,000 detainees who are “actively undergoing interrogation,” said Major Carol,

  • STRATCOM supports shuttle in return to flight

    Two and a half years have passed since the tragedy of the Space Shuttle Columbia accident brought the nation’s manned space flight program to a grinding halt.Now, as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration prepares to re-enter the final frontier, U.S. Strategic Command is standing by as

  • Supersonic JDAM drop marks increase in Raptor capability

    As the midafternoon sun blazed on the Mojave Desert and thunderclouds loomed in the distance, a sleek dark gray war bird took to the sky to push the envelope of flight testing.At the controls, Maj. John Teichert, a 411th Flight Test Squadron test pilot, pushed the F/A-22 Raptor past Mach 1, opened

  • On target: Ammo Airmen do bang up job

    Tucked away behind tall bunkers and old engine parts lays a unique greenhouse with a special crop.Inside a crop of bullets, bombs and explosives receive care and attention fro a group of unique Airmen.From inspections and maintenance to overall accountability, the Airmen of the 332nd Expeditionary

  • Shuttle return to flight includes local efforts

    Almost two weeks after its original launch date, NASA’s Discovery Shuttle is scheduled for its return to flight July 26, but they are not doing it alone.“NASA could not launch the space shuttle without range and space surveillance support from Air Force Space Command,” said Jeffrey Ashby, former

  • Blue Flag starts with bang at Nellis, Hurlburt Field

    Joint forces from around the United States, along with 11 coalition partners, converged here and at the Combined Air Operations Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., for the start of Blue Flag 05-02 on July 24.About 2,000 joint troops, led by 9th Air Force, are participating at the two locations

  • Civilian director accepted to Harvard

    Most people cannot wait to get out of school. Brian Lally cannot wait to start.Of course, it helps if the school is Harvard University. It also helps if all expenses are paid.Mr. Lally, executive director for the Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency here, was recently selected to attend Harvard

  • Test pilot school selection board date set

    Air Force officials plan to hold the next test pilot school selection board at the Air Force Personnel Center here Nov. 28 to Dec. 2 for classes beginning in July 2006 and January 2007.The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School trains pilots and navigators as well as civilian and military engineers to

  • Pam Tillis rocks Holloman during ‘Spirit of America Tour’

    Country music singer Pam Tillis entertained more than 800 Airmen and their families with a free two-hour concert here July 18.“There’s a lot of feelings and emotions that come from getting to rub shoulders with you guys,” said Miss Tillis, who gave the concert as a part of the Spirit of America

  • AFMC in hot pursuit of manufacturing award

    Air Force Materiel Command units captured four of the five finalist nominations for the Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing–Public Sector category.The four Air Force finalists are:-- Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center’s KC-135 (Stratotanker) Programmed Depot Maintenance office at Tinker Air

  • Air Force Reserve seeks applicants for full-time duty

    Air Force Reserve officials are looking for officers and enlisted people to fill full-time Active Guard and Reserve positions.In the past 15 years, the number of slots has increased from 400 to more than 1,900 authorizations."We have opportunities in many specialties but a larger concentration in

  • Sergeant runs marathon for his father

    There are many reasons to run a marathon, but for a C-130 Hercules flight engineer at this forward-deployed location, honoring his ailing dad was more than enough reason to slip on his running shoes.Tech. Sgt. Peter Rearick’s father recently suffered a heart attack recently and is scheduled to have

  • Future Total Force outlined on Capitol Hill

    There will be no "gap" between the end of assigned missions for Air National Guard units and the beginning of their replacement missions.In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee on July 20, the director of Air Force plans and programs told legislators the service is working hard to

  • Red Horse engineers build Iraqi future

    In the military community, the Red Horse name invokes images of rough and ready Airmen who can deploy at a moment’s notice into austere and hostile environments and build an operational airfield, seemingly overnight.In today’s war on terrorism, a group of Red Horse engineers from the Ohio and

  • Airmen make two saves in one day

    Lying on the ground, he leaned his head and saw the small bird that filled the air with the sounds of a warm summer afternoon. The sun had woken him earlier and lit the mountaintops, which burst into an array of color.As the summer breeze cooled him, Alexander Ryan thought of the events that placed

  • Servicemembers overseas get free wrestling broadcast

    World Wrestling Entertainment will offer its July 24 pay-per-view special, "SmackDown! The Great American Bash," free for broadcast on American Forces Network as a way of thanking servicemembers and their families for their service to America.The program will be broadcast from Buffalo, N.Y., and

  • Military compensation committee hears proposals

    The Defense Advisory Committee on Military Compensation met here July 20 to hear presentations about the current state of military compensation programs and recommendations to improve them.Covered were retirement compensation, health benefits, special incentive pay, quality of life and reserve

  • Vandenberg launches Minuteman III

    An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile was successfully launched from here July 21.The mission was to demonstrate the ability to integrate new products into the weapon system. Tracking, telemetry and command destruct systems were installed on the missile to collect data and

  • Airmen deliver fuel in flight

    Staff Sgt. Jonny Gomez is not the type of guy to take something lying down, but he is extremely proficient at giving it out that way.Giving fuel, that is, and when he is belly down in the boom pod of a KC-135 Stratotanker, the responsibility of aerial refueling aircraft supporting the war on

  • Panel adds bases for closure, realignment consideration

    The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission voted to add several military installations, including Pope Air Force Base, N.C., to a list for closure or realignment considerations during July 19 hearings here.The previous day, senior Defense Department officials provided testimony before the

  • National Security Personnel System survey period extended

    Response to a survey about the new National Security Personnel System has been "enthusiastic," so defense officials extended the survey period through July 27 to allow civil service employees more opportunity to participate.The survey period began July 6 and was initially scheduled to continue

  • Officials announce Nurse Corps selections to major

    The Air Force selected 177 captains for promotion to major in the calendar year 2004 Major Nurse Corps central selection board.The list will be posted on the Air Force Personnel Center Web site at www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/offprom no later than 2 p.m. CDT on July 20. The board considered 347

  • Airmen keep ground equipment working, mission flying

    Even though they are maintainers, they do not turn a single wrench on a jet. But without them neither does anyone else.Bomber aerospace ground equipment Airmen work around-the-clock to maintain a 95.9-percent in-commission rate on the 121 pieces of equipment maintainers, back shops, weapons loaders

  • Airmen support Soldiers, Marines with up-armor kits

    Soldiers and Marines can thank a team of blue-suited warriors at this forward-deployed location for helping put new armor on vehicles they use to battle insurgents.Airmen of the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron are on a 24-hour treadmill, racing to provide life-saving and force-protection

  • Innovative techniques help Air Force meet manning goals

    The Air Force deputy chief of staff for personnel told lawmakers July 19 the service would meet its end-strength requirement by the end of the fiscal year. In March, Lt. Gen. Roger A. Brady told lawmakers the service would meet its end-strength goal by end of the fiscal year."End strength" is the

  • Air Force accepting physician assistant applications

    The Air Force is taking applications for physician assistant Phase I training classes in beginning January, April and August 2007.Only active-duty enlisted Airmen are eligible to apply.The selection board is scheduled to convene at the Air Force Personnel Center here March 21, 2006. Completed

  • Air Force accepting physical therapy applications

    The Air Force is taking applications for the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program which begins Dec. 17, 2006, at the Health Science Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.Only active-duty Airmen who possess a baccalaureate degree or those who are in the final semester before receiving a degree that

  • USAFE helps Rwandan troops deploy to Darfur

    A C-17 Globemaster III departed here July 18 carrying 95 Rwandan troops deploying to help ease the humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan. The airlift started the 86th Aerospace Expeditionary Group’s involvement in NATO’s support to the African Union expanded mission in the region. The

  • Chief returns POW/MIA bracelet, brings closure to family

    Every evening before he went to bed and every morning when he woke up, he read Army Staff Sgt. Manuel Moreida’s name inscribed on his bracelet. He did this daily for more than 12 years.Chief Master Sgt. Marc Rodriguez’s personal routine for remembering Sergeant Moreida and the others like him acted

  • Milwaukee C-130 crew earns flying award

    Six reservists earned the 2004 Air Force Association Outstanding Reserve Aircrew Award for safely landing their C-130 Hercules after it was damaged by enemy ground fire, officials announced July 13.Maj. Rolf Breen and his crew from Milwaukee's 440th Airlift Wing saved not only themselves and their

  • USAFE supports Royal International Air Tattoo

    More than 150,000 people attended the 2005 Royal International Air Tattoo here July 16 and 17, air show officials said. The air show has been officially named by the “Guinness Book of Records” as the world’s largest military air show with participation of more than 300 aircraft from more than 30

  • Military programs can ease pain of post-war trauma

    Army Spc. David Avila sings his favorite song, “La Bamba,” to his son almost every night. It is not just the entertainment value; it is his way of conveying his wartime experiences to his son. “La Bamba” sounds like boom in English, a sound Specialist Avila heard just about every night in Iraq. It

  • Airmen keep mission rolling

    Every day, dozens of C-130 Hercules aircraft at this forward-deployed location fly to Iraq with their bellies full of critical supplies and people to support the war on terrorism.But the cargo does not just magically appear in the aircraft. Airmen of the 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness

  • Safety course teaches risk management for two-wheelers

    Many motorcyclists say there is nothing like the feeling of flying down the highway on two wheels with a sunset stretched out ahead.But before hitting the open road, Airmen and civilians here, and many throughout the Air Force, must complete an approved motorcycle safety course and pass a

  • Airman named one of 10 Outstanding Young Americans

    An Airman with the Air Force Communications Agency here is one of the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce’s 2005 10 Outstanding Young Americans of 2005.Master Sgt. Karen Petitt, managing editor of the Air Force warfighting integration community’s Intercom magazine, will receive the award Sept. 17 in

  • Leaders address Air Force in BRAC process

    Defense Department leaders told the Base Realignment and Closure Commission July 18 why certain military facilities are not included in Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's May 13 recommendations.Commissioners were here to continue their deliberations after visiting military bases nationwide in

  • Guard supports families through deployment hardships

    Families of deployed guardsmen and reservists face challenges beyond those of active-duty families, and a strong family support network stands behind them to help through those difficult days, the National Guard Bureau chief said."The challenges are considerable," said Army Lt. Gen. H Steven

  • Ramstein planes, Airmen depart for Darfur mission

    Three C-130 Hercules from the 86th Airlift Wing and about 40 Airmen here left July 16 for Kigali, Rwanda, to begin a monthlong airlift mission to the Darfur region of Sudan. The mission is part of NATO’s response to support the African Union’s expanded peacekeeping mission in Darfur with logistics

  • Reservists airlift dolphin to Florida

    No one knows how or why Noah, a rough-toothed dolphin, ended up near death on a Texas beach last August; however his journey home drew national attention July 15 when he was loaded onto a C-130J Hercules for a flight to Florida.A crew from Air Force Reserve Command’s 815th Airlift Squadron here was

  • Deployed Airmen give tours to Iraqi historical landmark

    Most 407th Expeditionary Services Squadron Airmen here are used to interacting with customers over a counter. However, two services Airmen here are expanding the customer service concept by leaving the confines of the base three times a week. The Airmen act as both tour guide and body guard,

  • Airman receives support -- lots of it -- through letters

    Servicemembers with the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing at a forward-deployed location here are not strangers to receiving letters, mementos and care packages from families, friends and loved ones.However, one sergeant assigned to the 386th Expeditionary Medical Group receives enough mail to keep a

  • Student pilots receive nonjudicial punishment

    The last of 11 officers here received nonjudicial punishment for their roles in a cheating incident during the T-37 Tweet phase of specialized undergraduate pilot training.The officers, with ranks of second lieutenant through captain, were disciplined for their roles in cheating on emergency

  • PACAF receives national award for legal assistance

    A Pacific Air Forces committee designed to increase the legal readiness of PACAF Airmen was recently awarded the Legal Assistance for Military Personnel 2004 Distinguished Service Award.The award recognizes those who display exceptional achievements and service in support of military legal

  • Charges preferred in Columbus AFB cheating investigation

    Court martial charges were preferred here July 13 against Capt. Richard Brimer, of the 41st Flying Training Squadron here, for his role in a cheating incident during the T-37 Tweet phase of specialized undergraduate pilot training. The charges consist of: a violation of Article 92, failure to obey a

  • Captain deployed with German helicopter unit in Kosovo

    Since Vietnam, helicopters have proven how invaluable they are in day-to-day operations in a combat zone because of their flexibility. Today’s helicopter crews must be “jacks of all trades,” ready to fly whatever mission they are assigned.One Airman assigned to the German contingent supporting

  • 'Families First' to transform personal moves

    The process of servicemembers moving their household goods -- virtually unchanged for many years -- is about to transform.The Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command here is developing a new process called “Families First,” scheduled to launch Feb. 1, 2006."We are extremely proud to

  • Flying force-multiplier provides eyes forward

    A small, lightweight airborne surveillance system is paying big dividends in helping the 379th Security Forces Squadron accomplish its mission while safeguarding the Air Force’s most valuable asset -- Airmen.The system serves as eyes forward for security forces Airmen and provides a visual of

  • Guard chief vows to minimize personal impact of BRAC

    The National Guard Bureau chief has vowed to work closely with Air Force leaders to ensure that proposed base closures and realignments do not adversely affect the Air National Guard or its guardsmen.Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum said the Defense Department's recommendations, announced in May, could

  • Afghanistan launches regional air control center

    The Kabul Air Control Center officially opened July 12 with a ceremony presided by the second vice president of Afghanistan.“The formal opening of the Kabul Air Control Center symbolizes the success of the people of Afghanistan, the Ministry of Transport and coalition forces,” said Brig. Gen. Allen

  • F-16 pilots provide support for troops on the battlefield

    In an instant they are gone, but the 510th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron’s F-16 Fighting Falcons can be found in the Iraqi sky providing air support for servicemembers fighting against insurgents on the ground. The 510th EFS provides support for ground commanders countrywide. These tasks include

  • Red Horse Airmen keep Afghan supply lanes open

    The sight of a C-17 Globemaster III coming in for a landing here can be awe-inspiring. The 174-foot-long transport drops from the sky in an instant. Its thrust-reversing engines create a thunderous sound that lets all around know it has landed.More importantly, with a payload of up to 170,900

  • Master sergeant sentenced in WAPS case

    A master sergeant was sentenced to a dishonorable discharge, a demotion to E-1 and 42 months confinement July 15 for charges involving the distribution of controlled weighted airman promotion system testing materials.Master Sgt. J. Abdur Rahim Saafir, of the 469th Air Base Group at Rhein-Main Air

  • Brothers reunite in Iraq, share security patrol mission

    When many Americans think about the Army, they envision gunslinging Soldiers securing a tactical area.When they think about the Air Force, many visualize pilots or mechanics preparing to launch an aircraft.Two brothers deployed to Iraq, however, dispel those stereotypes.Staff Sgt. Brian Czerniak, a

  • Airmen may reduce risks at home by applying ORM

    In most Air Force jobs, training is given to Airmen to teach them how to accomplish the mission, recognize a threat and, in the event a threat does arise, how to execute and prevent a greater threat from happening.In everyday lives, it is important to take the knowledge gained from work and share it

  • Air Force officials announce small business winners

    The acting secretary of the Air Force recognized the 2004 Secretary of the Air Force Small and Disadvantaged Business Awards recipients during a ceremony July 8.“My heartfelt thanks go to you for what you do, and for the great value-added contributions you make to the Air Force and the nation," said

  • New test to better assess language proficiency within DOD

    A new language test scheduled to roll out in October will better measure language fluency in real-world situations, the Defense Department's senior language official said July 13.The new test is the fifth generation of the Defense Language Proficiency Test, a battery of tests used to assess native

  • Recruiters test new hometown shipping program

    Air Force Recruiting Service officials here recently began a test program to ship recruits to basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base from their hometowns. The program, called hometown shipping, aims to eliminate the need for applicants to visit a military entrance processing station a

  • U.S. servicemembers join tribute to terrorist victims

    Americans in the U.S. military community living and working in Europe paid tribute July 14 to the victims of the terrorist bombings in London on July 7.Marine Gen. James Jones, commander of U.S. European Command, issued a message to the American forces in Europe encouraging participation in the

  • McNabb nominated to command AMC

    President Bush has nominated Lt. Gen. Duncan J. McNabb for the rank of general and to command Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.General McNabb is currently the director of logistics for the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. Before that assignment he was the Air Force deputy chief of

  • Late space, missile pioneer receives full military honors

    Retired Gen. Bernard Adolph Schriever, widely regarded as the father and architect of the Air Force space and missile programs, was buried July 12 with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.After a chapel ceremony at Fort Myer, General Schriever was placed on a caisson and

  • AMC uses alternate dispute resolution to solve conflicts

    Air Mobility Command officials here have taken significant steps to promote greater use of a program that has proven to be effective at resolving conflict, especially workplace disputes.The program, known as alternate dispute resolution, significantly reduces the dollars and hours expended annually

  • Service demographics available online

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here recently published the quarterly demographics report which offers a snapshot of the service's active-duty and civilian force as of June 30.The report outlines information regarding the Air Force’s 354,229 active-duty Airmen and 145,271 civilian employees,

  • AFMC responds to Hurricane Dennis

    While this base in southwestern Ohio is not known for taking direct hits from sustained triple-digit winds during the Gulf Coast hurricane season, Air Force Materiel Command leaders here pay particular attention when Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is in a hurricane's path.When it is forecasted that a

  • Stop movement ends for Hurlburt, 366th TRS detachment

    Officials at Hurlburt Field, Fla., and the 366th Training Squadron’s Detachment 6 in Gulfport, Miss., have reinstated all permanent change of station and temporary duty travel to their respective locations.For more information, Airmen and Department of Defense civilians and their family members can

  • Misawa receives Installation Excellence Award

    Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld has announced the winners of the 2005 Commander-in-Chief’s Annual Award for Installation Excellence. Misawa Air Base, Japan, was selected as the Air Force winner.“This award validates the hard work, commitment and pride of Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers, Marines

  • Base residents urged to complete housing survey

    An Air Force-wide base resident survey has been launched to determine the level of satisfaction of family housing residents at installations worldwide.The survey provides base-housing residents and housing managers an opportunity to respond to survey questions regarding housing facilities and

  • Group helps educators reach out to ‘suddenly military' children

    Because of the high number of National Guardsmen and reservists fighting the war on terrorism, the Military Child Education Coalition has created a program to teach educators and others how to help "suddenly military" children of deployed citizen Soldiers.The coalition established a workshop called

  • June recruiting, retention stats up for Air Force

    Recruiting and retention rates were up in June for all services in both the active and reserve components, Defense Department officials announced July 11.The Air Force exceeded its June goal, recruiting more than 2,400 Airmen, defense officials said.In addition, all services met or exceeded their

  • Defense review matches strategy with capabilities

    The Quadrennial Defense Review, due to Congress in February, is a long-term look to ensure the Defense Department has the tools needed to do the missions of the future, a senior DOD policy official said.Douglas Feith, undersecretary of defense for policy, said the review will take its cues from the

  • General sees ‘seamless’ force in Southwest Asia

    Everyone is on the same team, wears the same uniform and performs the same mission. As a result, people cannot tell the difference between active-duty Airmen, reservists and guardsmen.That is the impression Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley received on his recent visit to Iraq and Afghanistan. General

  • Military astronauts prepare for Discovery mission

    The Defense Department will be well-represented when Space Shuttle Discovery launches into space July 13, with three of the seven crewmembers from the military, including the commander, retired Col. Eileen Collins.As the clock ticks toward the scheduled 3:51 p.m. EDT liftoff, crews are making final

  • Officials announce selections to captain

    Officials using the captain promotion process selected 563 lieutenants out of 570 for promotion to captain.The results of the CY05A Quarterly Captain Selection Process are as follows:In-the-promotion zone:-- 426 line officers were selected from 429 considered for a 99.3-percent selection rate.-- Two

  • Military working dogs: More than man’s best friend

    Dogs are known as man’s best friend, but to Airmen and Soldiers here, military working dogs are considered a four-legged partner in the war against terrorism.Security forces Airmen and Soldiers, along with their military working dogs, have partnered together to provide force protection on this

  • Stop movement order updates for Florida, Mississippi

    Base officials at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and Keesler AFB, Miss., have reinstated all permanent change of station and temporary duty travel to their respective bases.Officials at Eglin AFB, Fla., will lift their stop movement July 13, officials said.For more information, Airmen and Department

  • Officials complete investigation into cadet’s death

    Air Force officials have completed their investigation into the death of Cadet 4th Class Edward Schmeltz earlier this year.Cadet Schmeltz collapsed Jan. 31, following a 600-yard run as part of a physical fitness test, and could not be resuscitated. He received immediate medical treatment on the

  • Force Shaping Phase II evolves for fiscal 2006

    The Air Force achieved its congressionally mandated active-duty end strength of 359,700 Airmen for fiscal 2005. The Air Force had exceeded that ceiling until now.Force Shaping Phase II initiatives successfully reduced the overall size of the force; however, the Air Force still has more officers

  • Arnold AFB linked to space shuttle return-to-flight program

    The Arnold Engineering Development Center here played an important role in supporting NASA’s space shuttle return-to-flight program that will culminate with the July 13 scheduled launch of Space Shuttle Discovery.Following the February 2003 breakup of Space Shuttle Columbia during re-entry into the

  • Airmen free to travel to London

    In conjunction with the United Kingdom government, U.S. Air Forces in Europe senior military officials now consider the London situation stabilized to the point where unofficial travel to London is acceptable.However, Airmen and their families will be asked to avoid areas where British authorities

  • Joint UAV Center of Excellence at Creech

    The newly created Joint Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Center of Excellence will stand up in October at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. The Air Force UAV COE, established at Creech in March, will stand down in order to support the joint center. The Air Force will retain its UAV Battlelab, which will continue

  • FTF initiatives make progress

    The Air Force director of plans and programs provided an update of the six Future Total Force initiatives being tested in the United States during a roundtable discussion July 7.Part of the FTF plan is to increase the number of bases where active-duty Airmen are assigned to Guard and Reserve units

  • Flexibility, working together key to Air Force FTF

    Leaders from the active-duty Air Force, Air Reserve Command and National Guard Bureau spoke recently about the direction of the Air Force’s Future Total Force. The future of the Air Force will be determined not only by the Future Total Force plan, but also the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure

  • Air Force names 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year

    Air Force officials have selected the service's top enlisted Airmen, naming the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2005.An Air Force selection board at the Air Force Personnel Center here considered 45 nominees who represented major commands, direct reporting units, field operating agencies and

  • Altus aircrew showcases dual-row airdrop

    An aircrew from the 58th Airlift Squadron here has made the first dual-row airdrop from a C-17 Globemaster III July 5."Dual row airdrops allow for twice as much cargo and heavy equipment to be delivered into a combat environment as compared to the conventional single row drop," said Lt. Col. Tal

  • Ammo, weapons Airmen get job done despite friendly rivalry

    While most, if not all, Airmen of the 40th Air Expeditionary Group take pride in their jobs, two seemingly similar specialties take it to a level where a friendly rivalry exists at this forward-deployed location.Make no mistake about the distinction between munitions and weapons Airmen. Those who

  • Edwards' warriors walk for cancer cure

    A broken arm is serious but will heal completely. The flu can leave one bedridden, but disappear in a week or so. But the effect of a chronic illness like cancer is there to stay -- it changes lives forever.This is how Michele Chebahtah, the 412th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron training manager,

  • Eglin spared as Hurricane Dennis flexes

    Hurricane Dennis approached the Emerald Coast and the base July 8, an area still trying to get back to a sense of normalcy 10 months after Hurricane Ivan ripped through the area.When the maximum sustained winds of Hurricane Dennis peaked at 150 mph on July 8, Dennis made history as the strongest