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  • Fightin' Fifty-Fifth on the cusp of historic milestone

    Historic, monumental and simply incredible are just a few ways to describe the milestone soon to be attained by the men and women of the 55th Wing.On Aug. 9, the Fightin' Fifty-Fifth will surpass 20 years of continuous deployment to U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility by its personnel and

  • Air Force Cycling Team rides across Iowa

    More than 160 men and women of the U.S. Air Force joined thousands of bicyclists for the 38th Des Moines Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, better known by the cyclists as RAGBRAI. The Air Force Cycling Team, or AFCT, under the leadership of Lt. Col. Joseph Robinson, donned their team

  • Joint Base MDL goes 'green' with automotive fuel

    Officials here held a ceremony at the base service station July 30 to launch the use of E85 fuel in all government vehicles that are designed for ethanol-based fuels.The fuel contains a higher percentage of ethanol than regular fuel, with a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent unleaded

  • Air Force primed to adopt official motto

    Seeking an enduring and distinctive way to reflect the Air Force's cultural identity and adapt to changing missions, senior leaders have solicited feedback from Airmen to help develop potential mottos, officials said Aug. 2."The intent is to create a phrase that captures the spirit of the Air Force,

  • Richmond track officials announce plans for 'Air Guard 400'

    Track President Doug Fritz and Master Sgt. Matt Leas jumped from an airplane and parachuted onto the pit road here at Richmond International Raceway Aug. 4 to announce the name of this year's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.The Air Guard 400 will be held here on the second day of the "One Last Race to

  • Acquisition Improvement Plan recaptures excellence

    When the Air Force Secretary and Chief of Staff signed the Acquisition Improvement Plan in May 2009, they launched a significant effort to help the service recapture acquisition excellence."A key element of this plan was the revitalization of the (Air Force) acquisition workforce," said Lt. Gen.

  • Air Force vice chief of staff visits Andersen AFB

    Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Carrol H. "Howie" Chandler stopped here Aug. 2 through 4 to see firsthand how the 36th Wing Airmen furthers regional security in the Pacific theater.General Chandler was joined on his trip by Maj. Gen. Douglas Owens, the Pacific Air Forces vice commander, a former

  • Joint: The new 'buzz word' in family support

    National Guard officials are willing to help family members around the country, no matter which branch or component their servicemember belongs to, the Guard's top family programs official said Aug. 3."Families' needs are the same across the board, and we can't afford to work within just our own

  • Wilford Hall is 'baby-friendly hospital'

    Wilford Hall Medical Center has been designated a "Baby-Friendly Hospital" through the Texas Department of State Health Services' Texas Ten Step facility program.The announcement coincided with World Breastfeeding Week 2010 Aug. 1 through Aug. 7. The Texas Hospital Association and the Texas

  • Air Force Facebook page reaches 100,000

    The official United States Air Force Facebook page reached new heights over the Aug. 1 weekend when the number of fans who "like" the page topped 100,000. The page went live in mid-2009 as a way to share the latest Air Force news and to network with current Airmen, veterans, family members,

  • Defense panel calls for more force structure changes

    Defense Department officials must plan to maintain recent additions to the ground forces for the foreseeable future and boost their long-range strike, maritime and cyber capability to confront global trends and threats, the Quadrennial Defense Review Independent Panel told Congress Aug. 3.William

  • Lavelle posthumously nominated to general

    Department of Defense officials announced Aug. 4 that retired Maj. Gen. John D. Lavelle has been nominated posthumously by the president for advancement on the retired rolls to the rank of general. This follows an Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records decision and recommendations from

  • Chairman's Corner: Pride in the Coast Guard

    Two hundred and twenty years ago today, the United States Congress created the U.S. Revenue-Marine to safeguard our young nation's shores. We proudly celebrate this as the day the United States Coast Guard was born. Over the years, generations of men and women have bravely stood the watch in our

  • Nonappropriated fund human resources issues addressed during conference

    Nearly 100 Air Force human resources professionals met here recently for the 2010 Nonappropriated Fund Human Resources worldwide conference.This was the first time the conference has been held since 2003, and it included topics on NAF employee recruiting, labor relations, retention methods and new

  • Honor, dignity and grace: USAF honor guard trains Tyndall Airmen

    A slow procession of Airmen dressed in immaculate blue uniforms carries a large wooden box with a flag draped over the top. A trumpet sounds. Shots ring out. Carefully, the Airmen fold the flag, salute it and present it. For nearly 29 Airmen serving in the Tyndall Air Force Base Honor Guard, this is

  • Leaders say volunteers key to Guard's success

    National Guard leaders said that if citizen-Soldiers and citizen-Airmen continue to deploy in support of overseas missions, their family readiness groups will need to be supported at the same pace."If we allow these rotations and what we do to become common, accepted and routine, then we need to

  • Air Guard officials focus on equipment for domestic operations

    Hundreds of Air National Guard members are meeting here Aug. 2 through Aug. 6 to discuss and prioritize the Air National Guard's equipment requirements for future natural and manmade disasters.The Domestic Operations Equipment Requirements conference provides Air Guard leaders, subject matter

  • Airmen treat children from local orphanage to day of fun

    Airmen here invited children from the local orphanage to the base and treated them to a day of fun and activities July 24.More than 64 children from the Il Mag Won Orphanage were treated to activities such as Humvee and fire truck static displays, a visit from Sparky the Fire Dog, swimming in the

  • Mullen: Family support vital to war effort

    Military readiness is directly tied to family readiness, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told National Guard family program volunteers here Aug. 2."This is our ninth year at war," Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said. "We continue at a level that has generated extraordinary results from the best

  • One year later: JB Charleston helps keep multinational wing operational

    A C-17 Globemaster III pilot from Pápa Air Base, Hungary, completed simulator training here recently, as part of a multinational mission.Maj. Brian Nicosia, a U.S. pilot and chief of tactics for the Heavy Airlift Wing, is part of the first multinational partnership for Strategic Airlift Capability,

  • Obama reaffirms commitment to veteran care

    Caring for veterans is a moral obligation, President Barack Obama said Aug. 2 in a speech at the Disabled American Veterans National Convention in Atlanta. "Every American who has ever worn the uniform must know this: your country is going to take care of you when you come home," President Obama

  • Knowledge operation managers lead the way

    Air Force senior leaders in the Knowledge Operations Management career field recently recognized KOM personnel at Wilford Hall Medical Center for their outstanding work in realigning information managers under one central office. Prior to 2008, the 59th Medical Wing KOMs were called information

  • Combat communications team supports New Horizons Panama 2010

    An 11-person team from the 32nd Combat Communications Squadron from Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is deployed to Meteti, Panama, to bring phone and data service to engineers and support personnel participating in New Horizons Panama 2010.New Horizons Panama 2010 is a U.S. Southern Command sponsored

  • Suicide solution involves leadership, Mullen says

    While no easy answers exist to a military suicide problem that has reached "crisis level," a big part of the solution is tied to leadership, according to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.Addressing the National Guard Family Program Volunteer Workshop Aug. 2 in New Orleans, Navy Adm. Mike

  • Defense Department officials launch 'Lessons Learned' blog

    For anyone who has served in the military, whether in uniform or as a family member, the concept of sharing lessons learned is a familiar one. A new Defense Department blog that launches Aug. 2 seeks to bring those lessons to an accessible online platform.Titled "In Their Own Words: Lessons Learned

  • Maintainers resurrect F-16s that will become targets

    Maintainers are towing F-16 Fighting Falcons out of retirement from the "boneyard" here July 29 and preparing them to become the Air Force's newest platform for target training. Specialists with the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group are regenerating F-16s so they can be flown to a

  • Global Strike Command director briefs upcoming logistics changes

    The Air Force Global Strike Command's director of installations, logistics and mission support visited here July 21 through 23 to discuss the base's transformation from the current logistical process to the Expeditionary Combat Support System.During her site visit, Ann Mitchell stressed the

  • Airman gives of himself to save son

    An Airman from Hurlburt Field, Fla., donated a portion of his liver to help save the life of a two-year-old boy.Senior Airman Mario Webb, a ground radio maintainer from the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, acted as a living donor to give his son, Genghis, a liver transplant in April. Airman Webb and

  • DOD officials announce school year 2010/2011 child care fee policy

    Department of Defense officials announced July 30 the school year 2010/2011 child care fee policy. The policy will adjust fee ranges in child care programs across the services and will be implemented no later than Sept. 30. Changes will impact families who have children enrolled in DOD child

  • Child care fees change to maintain quality services

    The Defense Department is adjusting its child care fees, adding categories for its highest income earners, to compensate for six years without fee range increases, Pentagon officials announced July 30.The department's Military and Community Family Policy Office has added three categories to the top

  • VA officials approve $2.8 million for Gulf War illness research

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials have approved $2.8 million to fund three new research projects that focus on testing or developing new treatments for illnesses affecting veterans who served in the Gulf War from 1990 to 1991. The research incorporates recommendations of the department's Gulf

  • Innovative training aids support EOD mission

    Explosive ordnance disposal technicians are trained to apply classified techniques and special procedures to lessen or remove hazards created by the presence of unexploded military, criminal, biological, nuclear or terrorist homemade ordnance. Airmen here help provide this training by fabricating

  • Airmen, engineers execute groundbreaking satellite test

    Airmen with the 3rd Space Operations Squadron, along with engineers from Lockheed Martin and The Aerospace Corporation, successfully demonstrated the capability to correct a wayward satellite using the spacecraft's reaction wheels. The successful procedure represents an important achievement and

  • Lynn: Guam tours provide insight, perspective

    Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said a series of tours he'd taken on and above the island of Guam gave him broader insight into the challenges that lie ahead for that U.S. territory, as well as an appreciation of the historical significance of the region."It's very helpful to see the

  • Airmen take crash course in defensive driving

    Airmen participated in a defensive driving exercise July 23 on the Eglin Range, Fla. The exercise is part of the tactical force protection module during the Air Force Special Operations Training Center's Air Commando Baseline Course."It's basically an ambush from hell and you all are going to

  • August is National Immunization Awareness Month

    Air Force medical officials are encouraging Airmen, their families and all beneficiaries to raise their personal awareness of immunization health during National Immunization Awareness Month in August. Vaccines are one of the best public health interventions for the prevention of infectious

  • Gates shares common experiences, vision with Scouts

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates shared his personal experiences and passion for Boy Scouting July 28 with tens of thousands of Scouts and their families gathered for the 100th anniversary celebration of the Boy Scouts of America."Scouting has been a big part of my life and my family's life,"

  • Officials recommend Eglin as preferred alternative F-35 base

    Air Force officials announced July 28 its proposal for basing 59 F-35 Lightning IIs at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The draft supplemental environmental impact statement, which Air Force officials plan to release in September, includes the preferred alternative of basing the 59 F-35 aircraft at Eglin

  • Moody AFB engine mechanics cross train on different engines

    Air Force aircraft engine mechanics fall into a single career field, but they are usually limited to repairing the one type of engine on which they originally trained.Now, with the opening of the 23rd Component Maintenance Squadron's new engine repair facility, mechanics here will have the

  • Electronic Systems Center enhances Air Force network

    The Cyber/Integration Division, formerly known as the 753rd Electronic Systems Group, has recently improved the way information flows to and from Air Force computers worldwide, saving approximately $24 million in the process. This was accomplished through modernization projects that upgraded both

  • Improved physical training uniform sized for both sexes

    The new, improved physical training uniform, or IPTU, has seen many improvements from the current PTU and sizing also has improved for both sexes."We have received much feedback from the field," said Maj. Eric Habersberger, the deputy chief of the Air Force Uniform Office. "We have made a strong

  • Chairman appalled by WikiLeaks release

    The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said he is "appalled" by the breach of security represented by the WikiLeaks case.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen told reporters traveling with him that the leaks could put American servicemembers at risk. Investigators are still sifting through some 90,000 classified

  • Security forces Airmen, Sailors learn new active shooter techniques

    Air Force requirements for improved active-shooter training allowed security forces Airmen and Sailors to attend the Pacific Air Forces command's High Risk Response Training program here July 19 through 23. The PACAF HRRT program, taught throughout the MAJCOM's nine bases, helps base security

  • 'Today's Air Force' features a look around the service

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," Airmen work with Afghan villagers and officials to rebuild the country.  Plus, see what land navigation training is like for Airmen who usually work indoors. And also, adjusting to the new PT standards, see what Airmen are doing to stay in shape. The

  • Newer F-15s enhance maintenance training

    Months of coordination, several temporary deployments, and a large parking space define only a few of the factors that fell into place to bring 13 newer-model F-15 Eagles to update the F-15 aircraft maintenance course here.The course currently utilizes A and B model aircraft to train today's F-15

  • Scientists envision robotic aerial port

    Members of the 437th Aerial Port Squadron might see the addition of robotics to their team in the not-so-distant future, according to Air Force scientists. Researchers from the Air Force Research Laboratory, accompanied by Air Mobility Command's chief scientist, visited July 16 to explore the notion

  • Airman pleads guilty during 'Trust' court martial

    A member of the 55th Communications Squadron here pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter and knowingly providing false information to a peace officer during his judge-alone court martial July 20.After accepting the plea of Airman 1st Class Corey Hernandez, Military Judge Lt. Col. Nancy J. Paul

  • Wounded warriors complete 'Sea to Shining Sea' journey

    A group of wounded veterans amassed at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco May 22 for a two-month cross country ride that ended July 24 in Virginia Beach, Va. The nearly 4,000-mile trek was called Sea to Shining Sea, and it showed 17 veterans who've overcome life-changing injuries such as

  • Closest thing to combat: Allied Strike 10

    Air Force, Army and NATO joint terminal attack controllers and tactical air control party members joined together to participate in exercise Allied Strike 10 July 23 through Aug. 5 here.Allied Strike is Europe's premier close air support exercise, which is held annually to conduct robust, realistic

  • Tricare beneficiaries overseas to get transition letters

    Tricare beneficiaries living outside of the United States soon will begin receiving letters updating them on the Tricare Overseas Program Contract that begins Sept. 1. However, beneficiaries will receive the letter only if their Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System address is

  • CSAF ends Turkey visit at Incirlik

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz capped a multi-day visit to Turkey by meeting with U.S. and Turkish airmen here July 21. The Air Force's top uniformed officer visited with Airmen around the base and addressed issues affecting the Air Force with more than 500 Airmen during an all call

  • Secretary of the Air Force visits RAF Lakenheath

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley visited the 48th Fighter Wing here July 22 to meet with wing leadership and speak with Airmen serving in England.Secretary Donley also had lunch with base Airmen."This is my first visit to the 48th Fighter Wing," Secretary Donley said. "With 30 percent of

  • "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" survey a must to let Airmen viewpoints be known

    "Your opinion matters" is the view of Air Force officials on the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" survey released July 7 to more than 98,000 randomly selected active-duty Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve members. Selected Airmen have received an e-mail with the survey from Westat, a

  • 502nd ABW breaks ground on new headquarters

    The 502nd ABW got a little closer to establishing itself July 14 here as Brig. Gen. Leonard Patrick, the 502nd ABW commander, was joined by various local and military officials in breaking ground for the wing's new headquarters.The 25,733-square-foot building will cost approximately $7.4 million and

  • Spouse jobs program to relaunch in October

    The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program will resume Oct. 25, but with some significant changes to the popular spouse employment program, a defense official announced today.Changes include a reduction in the amount of financial aid, a change in the population eligible to receive that

  • Deadline for voluntary separation pay applications draws near

    The extended application period for eligible officers to apply for voluntary separation pay at one and a half times the authorized separation pay rate comes to a close July 31.Officers eligible to apply for VSP include those in year groups 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003 and 2004, in the grades of major and

  • Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits key to recruiting and retention

    Proposed changes to the Post-9/11 GI Bill would improve military readiness, a senior Pentagon official said July 21 at a Capitol Hill hearing.Robert E. Clark, assistant director for accessions policy in the office of the defense undersecretary for personnel and readiness, also said education

  • C-130J Super Hercules provides unique look at Air Force mission

    Approximately 285,000 spectators are catching a glimpse of the C-130J Super Hercules at the Farnborough International Air Show here July 19 through 25.Many people's idea about the U.S. military is fighter pilots putting bombs on target and fast-flying jets. The C-130J Super Hercules, however, offers

  • Air Force shooters score well at national pistol championships

    Col. Mark Hays won the General Twining Trophy and Lt. Col. Thomas Reardon captured the General Curtis LeMay Trophy for the second consecutive year to lead the Air Force National Pistol Shooting Team at the 2010 Pistol and Rifle Championships at Camp Perry in Port Clinton, Ohio.The team placed second

  • Balad Airmen move helicopters for Iraq drawdown

    As the drawdown and redeployment of assets continues in Iraq, helicopters from bases in Northern Iraq have made their way here to be inspected, prepped and shipped to new operating locations with the assistance of the 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron Aerial Port team."We have about

  • Spouse jobs program to relaunch in October

    The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program will resume Oct. 25, but with some significant changes to the popular spouse employment program, a defense official announced July 20.Changes include a reduction in the amount of financial aid, a change in the population eligible to receive

  • U.S. and South Korean defense leaders announce Exercise Invincible Spirit

    Officials from the U.S. and South Korea announced July 20 a series of military exercises designed to send a strong, clear message to North Korea to stop its provocative and warlike acts.U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and South Korean National Defense Minister Kim Tae-young released a joint

  • Language Institute's mission reaches for the future

    With the buzzing of chatter, some in English, some in another tongue, and people moving about the building, the Defense Language Institute English Language Center here is a beehive of activity. The international military students attending the resident program here have a purpose, and the

  • Chief master sergeant of the Air Force visits Grand Forks AFB

    The Air Force's top enlisted leader visited Airmen here July 14 through July 16.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy met with Airmen from the 319th Air Refueling Wing and toured base facilities, which allowed him to witness firsthand how Grand Forks Air Force Base is preparing for its

  • Joint medical team prepares local officials during disaster training

    A joint team of medical instructors is working with local medical, government and emergency officials here July 19, to help them practice and coordinate their response efforts in the event of a disaster or mass casualty incident.The Defense Institute for Medical Operations team, composed of Air

  • 447th ELRS Airmen help Soldiers get home as drawdown continues

    Airmen from the air terminal operations center and aerial porters helped move more than 100 Soldiers from Charlie Company of the 67th Expeditionary Signal Battalion onto a C-17 Globemaster III for redeployment July 10 as part of the responsible drawdown of forces here.The responsible drawdown of

  • Cancer survivor takes on challenge of open road

    A C-130 Hercules flight engineer with more than 700 deployed flying hours who is also a cancer survivor is riding his bike 4,000 miles across the U.S.Senior Airman Brian Petras from the 50th Airlift Squadron at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., is participating in the Sea to Shining Sea ride hosted

  • Los Angeles AFB goes 'green' by harnessing solar energy

    The energy department of the 61st Civil Engineer and Logistics Squadron recently finished the final portion of its three-phase construction of a photovoltaic panel project, completing the north-side parking lot of the base. Using state-of-the-art panels, the "PV Canopy Project" is part of Los

  • AFRL test marks return to 'in-house' rocket fuel development

    Air Force Research Laboratory scientists here returned to the organization's roots with their latest rocket test recently.AFRL technicians have tested rockets of all sizes and fuels of all make-ups for years. What makes this latest test unique is that all components of the test were developed at the

  • AF Personnel Center news service keeps Airmen informed

    An electronic news service featuring the latest Air Force manpower, personnel and services information is available to help Airmen make informed decisions about their careers.More than 15,000 members subscribe to the Manpower, Personnel and Services News Service.  However, Air Force leaders

  • Guard members respond to brush fires in California

    Two Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems 2 aircraft from the California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing at Channel Island ANG Station, Calif., responded to a fire July 15 in Riverside County, Calif.Guard officials said the unit was requested by the U.S. Forest Service through the National

  • Air Force Deployment Transition Center welcomes premier class

    After six months of a combat deployment, followed by two straight days of travel, a 31-member explosive ordnance disposal team waited at the Ramstein Air Base baggage claim July 2 unsure of what the next three days would bring.Some of the EOD team members from the 755th Air Expeditionary Squadron in

  • New Horizons Airmen spend day at Panamanian school

    More than a dozen Airmen and Marines from Task Force New Horizons spent a day with local children building rubber-band airplanes and playing games July 12 at the elementary school in Sansonsito, Panama.The servicemembers were a welcome addition to the day, said Lisbeth Acosta Corella, the school's

  • Acquisition reform plays key role in Pentagon's cost savings

    Defense Department officials have the opportunity to save billions of taxpayer dollars through acquisitions reform, but only if they grow their workforce with the right federal workers in place to oversee contracts, a senior Pentagon official said July 15."There is a significant opportunity to save

  • C-5s support Afghanistan troop surge

    Since June 17, Dover Air Force Base Reserve and active-duty C-5 Galaxy aircrews have been overseas supporting the Afghanistan surge delivering 4 million pounds of cargo to Afghanistan.Two C-5M Super Galaxies and seven C-5 Galaxies completed 42 of 44 missions July 12, with the final C-5 mission

  • Year of the Air Force Family promotes sense of community

    The Air Force's top uniformed officer and his wife welcomed the Air Force's newest Airmen into the service during a visit here July 8 and 9.The Basic Military Training graduation at the "Gateway to the Air Force" was the perfect backdrop for Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and his wife

  • Air Force's 'Technology Horizons' makes science fiction a reality

    With innovations seemingly plucked from the latest futuristic Hollywood movie script, Technology Horizons outlines the Air Force's major science and technology objectives through the next decade, officials said here July 14.Highly adaptable, autonomous systems that can make intelligent decisions

  • Malmstrom Huey crew rescues injured hiker

    A UH-1N Huey crew assigned to the 40th Helicopter Squadron here recorded the unit's 377th save when it rescued an injured hiker July 2 in the Mission Mountain Range, northeast of Missoula, Mont.A hiker slipped down a muddy cliff into downed timber, and his calf was impaled by a tree branch July 1

  • Air Guard prominently featured in Times Square

    Beginning July 15, the Air National Guard is being featured prominently in New York City's Times Square.Capt. Rondal Perry, the chief of the ANG's marketing and advertising branch, said two 15-second advertisements will be shown every hour, 18 hours a day, for the next four months on the 26 by 20

  • Air Force Facebook presence gets boost from a top spouse

    The Air Force Facebook portfolio now features a page hosted by a top spouse in the Air Force.Mrs. Suzie Schwartz, the wife of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, has just gone live with her own page geared toward communicating with Air Force families.The Air Force already has an official

  • Officials announce NCO retraining program dates

    Approximately 4,345 Airmen will have the opportunity beginning July 15 to retrain as part of the fiscal 2011 NCO Retraining Program, Air Force officials announced.The NCORP is a two-phase program designed to sustain the enlisted force by moving second-term and career Airmen from overage Air Force

  • CMSAF visits Iraq, reflects on first year

    The Air Force's top enlisted leader landed here June 28 to spend three days visiting with Airmen and his Iraqi counterpart before departing June 30, which marked his one-year anniversary on the job.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy came to the area to speak with Airmen and discuss his

  • 56th Medical Group Airmen provide medical support in Haiti

    Airmen with the 56th Medical Group at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., provided general medical health care at the U.S. Army South New Horizons-Haiti 2010 Task Force Kout Men Ennery medical assistance site here June 13. New Horizons officials, in partnership with officials from the government of

  • Air Force officials launch new uniform website

    Air Force officials launched a new public website this month to help educate and inform Airmen about the service's dress and appearance standards and policies. Air Force Directorate of Service's Uniforms and Recognition Branch officials, in conjunction with officials from the Air Force Personnel

  • TACP: Joint effort puts bombs on target

    In the joint forces war that is fought today, the tactical air control party is the glue that brings air and ground power together.TACP Airmen serve as liaisons between Army ground commanders and pilots to coordinate close air support for ground forces with which they're embedded. "Our overall role

  • Air Force first responders, first on scene to keep missions in motion

    Air Force officials emphasized that first responders -- security forces, fire emergency services and emergency medical services -- make up the essential elements necessary to protect people and assets.Security forces responders train in realistic scenarios involving base organizations ranging from

  • Airdrops break records in Afghanistan

    When your unit is surrounded by an enemy hitting you with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades, and mortar rounds are screaming in and you're running low on food, ammunition and everything else, you can't exactly send someone to Walmart for supplies. That's when you pray for an airdrop.

  • No more C-17s, DOD officials tell Congress

    The military has more than enough large transport planes, and the appropriation of any more in the next budget year will force some into premature retirement, Defense Department officials told a congressional panel July 13. "We have enough C-17s," said Mike McCord, the principal deputy

  • Deepwater Horizon airspace activity now coordinated at 601st AOC

    As the Deepwater Horizon response operation enters week 13 since an oil rig exploded April 20 in the Gulf of Mexico, senior Department of Defense and Homeland Security officials centralized airspace management operations in the 601st Air & Space Operations Center here. Officials said they made the

  • Space control squadron team marks 5 years of continuous deployment

    Members of the 16th and 380th Space Control Squadrons acheived a milestone recently when their deployed mission, Operation Silent Sentry, surpassed five years of continuous deployed operations. The Airmen employ the Rapid Attack Identification Detection Reporting System Deployable Ground Segment

  • Every drop counts: New technology saves base dollars

    By this time next year, Peterson Air Force Base will have a high tech irrigation system that will sense when it's about to rain.Members of the 21st Space Wing Civil Engineer Squadron are installing an intelligent irrigation system that will shut down when its built-in weather system shows an eighth

  • Photo essay: F-22 Raptors arrive in Hawaii

    The arrival of the F-22 Raptor here July 9 marks the beginning of a new era for fighter aircraft in the Pacific region. The Hawaii Air National Guard's 199th Fighter Squadron will serve as the only ANG-led joint guard and active-duty squadron in the Pacific. Hawaiian traditions gave the arrival

  • VA eases claims process for veterans with PTSD

    The Veterans Affairs Department will publish a final regulation July 13 intended to ease the claims process and improve access to health care for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. The new rule, to be published in the Federal Register, will relax the evidence requirement if the PTSD

  • President Obama announces return of the SAVE award

    President Barack Obama wants federal employees to submit their ideas for eliminating government waste and saving American taxpayers' money as part of the 2010 SAVE, or securing Americans' value and efficiency, award program. President Obama made the announcement in a video on the White House website

  • Hiring authority key in meeting goals, faster hiring

    As the Air Force continues to seek highly qualified employees to compliment its growing civilian work force, officials are promoting active use of the Schedule A hiring authority to fill these positions with qualified people.Schedule A hiring is a special streamlined hiring authority available to