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  • Technology improvements keep information flowing to warfighter

    During the recent Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., the Air Force demonstrated new technology that provides warfighters with greater connectivity and more timely information. During the exercise, the Air Force tested the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node.

  • New engine repair shop saves time, money

    Maintainers from the 386th Expeditionary Maintenance Group now have the capability to repair C-130 Hercules engines and propellers in Southwest Asia. This new capability has cut down repair time and is key to getting the aircraft back in the air performing the mission. In the past, if a propeller or

  • Civil engineers deploy to help Washoe Nation

    "We will help each other to protect and preserve the land, water and air for our generations to come” is a Washoe American-Indian tribal creed. Through the Civil-Military Innovative Readiness Training program several Air Force Reserve Command civil engineer units are keeping this Washoe creed alive

  • New extended range cruise missile takes first flight test

    When the Air Force successfully launched its newest cruise missile for the first time on May 18, it marked a significant step toward making the job of the pilots who deliver the weapon a lot less risky. A B-1B Lancer released the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile -- Extended Range over the White

  • Mannequins help improve casualty care

    As an independent duty medical technician with Air Force Special Operations Command, Tech. Sgt. Jared Schultz has done casualty evacuations in Iraq and Afghanistan with troops who have lost legs, as well as those who have been shot in just about any body part you can name. He says nothing came close

  • Chief McKinley looking forward to new job

    Command Chief Master Sgt. Rod McKinley admits he is a bit nervous about becoming the 15th chief master sergeant of the Air Force. But it is not because the job will be too tough or that becoming the Air Force’s top enlisted leader intimidates him, he said. It is the fact he will be the next chief in

  • National Capital Region first responders train for Pentagon disaster

    First responders from around the nation's capital gathered at the Pentagon May 17 to practice their disaster response capabilities during the Gallant Fox 06 exercise. This year, as part of Gallant Fox, volunteers from the American Red Cross donned battle dress uniforms and played the part of victims

  • Command Post awards announced

    Air Force officials announced the winners of the 2005 command post annual awards. They are: - Unit Level Command Post Airman of the Year: Senior Airman Tina M. Loos, 18th Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan - Unit Level Command Post Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Tech. Sgt. Chastity M. Degroat, 701st

  • Maintenance unit keeps aircraft flying

    Airmen from the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron prepare a C-130 Hercules for takeoff from Balad Air Base, Iraq, on May 17, 2006. The squadron arrived at Balad in January 2006. Since then, the unit has flown more than 3,700 sorties and moved more than 54,200 people and 11,790 tons of cargo. The

  • Balad remains one busy airfield

    Aircraft pack the flightline here and operations are non-stop and intense. C-130 Hercules, MQ-1 Predators, F-16 Fighting Falcons and HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters all call this busy base home. The men and women who support the aircraft say Balad has the busiest single-runway airfield in the Department

  • AF official praises Keesler recovery, emphasizes challenges ahead

    Having visited just days after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the base, the Air Force’s point man for installations returned here May 11 to assess Keesler’s overall progress toward full restoration. Lt. Gen. Donald Wetekam, Air Force deputy chief of staff for logistics, installations and mission support,

  • Radar upgrade key to future B-1 combat capability

    The Air Force recently awarded a $180-million contract to the Boeing Company to upgrade the fire-control radar on the service's fleet of 67 B-1B Lancer long-range bomber aircraft. The nine-year Reliability and Maintainability Improvement Program, or RMIP, will replace two units that make up the

  • Program educates military spouses, builds confidence

    Signing up to join the military can be an intimidating ordeal for military members, but they're not the only ones who experience anxiety when the dotted line is signed. Before 2002, military spouses here were on their own to learn about Air Force services, customs and courtesies.  Now, coordinators

  • Hennings elected to College Football Hall of Fame

    Former Air Force great Chad Hennings received one of the highest honors a college football player can earn May 16.  He was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame. Hennings is one of 13 players and two coaches to be selected to the hall of fame from a ballot of 77 candidates and a pool of

  • Opening another world, one book at a time

    People in the 8th Fighter Wing donated more than 1,270 English-language children’s books to the Kunsan City library May 3 after a book drive that ran from March 8 to April 17. The book drive, the first of its kind here, collected books as a way to help teach English to Korean youth in the local

  • Sergeant’s job is for the dogs

    Staff Sgt. Robert Van Hulle is a dog’s best friend at this busy airlift base. And military working dog Diego, a Belgian Malinois, appreciates that. The security forces sergeant met Diego and his partner, Staff Sgt. Markus Hunt, when they transited Ramstein on their way home after a tour in Southwest

  • ICC: Coming soon to a base near you

    When a crisis happens on base, wing leaders and representatives from various support agencies often will huddle in the wing command post. Operating from this nerve center, they direct emergency services, assess situations and come up with solutions during crises. But the days of the traditional

  • C-17 pilot receives Koren Kolligian Jr. Trophy

    The skies over West Texas March 10, 2005 could have come right off a picture postcard:  blue, cloudless and so clear you could see horizon to horizon. It was, as one Air Force pilot put it, a perfect day for flying. Capt. Andreas Ix and his C-17 Globemaster III aircrew were participating in a

  • Strategic maintenance gives Airmen diverse experience

    Maintainers spend thousands of hours keeping transport aircraft flying during the course of a rotation to this desert base. So when Airmen from the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron maintenance flight show up for work, they know they will be busy. The flight’s mission is to provide strategic

  • Chief Murray reflects on 29-year career

    Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray led his last Worldwide Command Chief’s Conference here April 21-26, meeting with command chiefs from around the Air Force to exchange information and discuss challenges facing today’s Airmen.During the 12th annual conference, the chief took

  • Air Force inspires Army motorcycle mentorship program

    The U.S. Army recently began testing its motorcycle mentorship program at selected installations since being inspired by the success of the Air Force's program. Air Force officials claim about a 50-percent reduction in motorcycle accidents since introducing the program in 2004. Fiscal 2006

  • N.Y. lacrosse team dedicates season to Pope Airmen

    When Brianna Maglio scored the first goal of the season for her fourth grade lacrosse team in Garden City, N.Y., she wasn’t just doing it for her team. The Gray Sweeties, Brianna's team, have dedicated this season to her brother, Airman Emilio Lavia, and his unit, the 43rd Logistics Readiness

  • Mechanics keep fleet rolling through dust, mud

    Working on vehicles in the desert presents challenges. Mechanics sometimes have to scrape off layers of dirt and mud just to get to the broken part. Then there’s the parts themselves -- it is not like they can simply call an automotive supply store in Baghdad to deliver a part. “Back home, you could

  • Agency works to bring all Americans home alive

    Every day, officials at the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency track the status of efforts to find 20 Americans believed to still be alive but "isolated" outside the United States. In recovery terminology, isolated personnel are U.S. servicemembers, Defense Department civilians or contractors separated

  • Lt. Gen. James says farewell to Air Guard members

    Lt. Gen. Daniel James III retired as the 11th director of the Air National Guard in a ceremony at Bolling Air Force Base, D.C., on May 10.He earlier bid farewell to members of the Air National Guard in a short speech that focused almost entirely on them and barely on himself.“You’re very special

  • Navigator takes on training challenge

    A C-130 Hercules navigator said helping train the Airmen of the Iraqi Air Force's first operational transport unit was no easy task. Capt. Jeremy Smith of the 37th Airlift Squadron here served a tour with the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron’s advisory committee at Balad Air Base, Iraq, helping

  • Raptors to bring air superiority to Northern Edge 2006

    The Air Force’s newest fighter, the F-22A Raptor, will make its Pacific-region debut in exercise Northern Edge 2006 in June. Twelve F-22As from the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley Air Force Base, Va., along with U.S. military units stationed in the continental United States and the Pacific theater, will

  • Unique aircraft repair saves millions

    It was a long time in coming, but the repair of an F-16 damaged in an accident here December 2000 will save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. Originally in for depot modifications to extend the life of the aircraft, the Virginia Air National Guard Fighting Falcon experienced an involuntary gear

  • Security forces at Bagram practice urban warfare

    Deployed Airmen, distributing humanitarian supplies, are taken hostage by enemy forces while visiting an Afghan village. It’s now up to the accompanying squad of security forces to rescue the Airmen and eliminate the bad guys. This is the scenario members of the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces

  • Air Force notifies force shaping lieutenants

    Today, 2,084 lieutenants in the 2002 and 2003 accession year groups will learn if they were selected for retention by the Force Shaping Board. Each officer is being notified personally of their status by their senior rater. Officers deployed will be notified by either the deployed commander or their

  • Next-generation radar to undergo testing aboard Proteus

    A smaller, next-generation radar that will improve the Global Hawk’s surveillance capacity will soon undergo testing aboard a Proteus aircraft here. The 851st Electronic Systems Group is preparing for a year-long test of the smaller version of the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program,

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.In Afghanistan May 8, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle successfully struck an enemy cave complex near Shkin. The aircraft expended precision-guided munitions on the target, killing four

  • Ardent Sentry 2006 tests AFNORTH, NORAD capabilities

    Air Forces Northern and the Continental United States NORAD Region will hone civil support and homeland defense skills May 8 to 18 in Exercise Ardent Sentry 2006. Ardent Sentry is a bi-national, multi-level exercise involving military and civilian agencies in Canada and the U.S. to test both

  • Red Flag-Alaska wraps up

    More than 84 aircraft and 1,500 Air Force active duty, Reserve, and National Guard Airmen here and at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, wrapped up the first Red Flag-Alaska, held April 24 through May 5. Until this year, the exercise had been known as Cope Thunder.Pilots, maintainers, weapons

  • Airborne Airmen, Soldiers train together

    The Air Force lost a shade of blue last week when more than 30 airborne-qualified Airmen and their counterparts from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division jumped into a simulated unusable airfield during a Joint Forced Entry Exercise here. The exercise tested the teams’ abilities to “jump out of a

  • Predator maintenance team is a ‘total force’

    Total force is more than just a concept for one squadron here. It is a way of life that brings the skills and talents of various groups into one unit to accomplish the mission.The 46th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit is responsible for maintaining the RQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicles

  • Enlisted military leaders plan for hurricane season

    Nearly 30 senior enlisted leaders from the uniformed services joined forces here to plan and prepare for the upcoming hurricane season. Air Forces Northern, the air component of U.S. Northern Command, hosted a Senior Enlisted Leadership Conference here May 3 to focus on disaster response and

  • Streamlined operations merit award for Warner Robins

    The Warner Robins Air Logistics Center received an award for its efforts to streamline its C-5 Galaxy aircraft repair and overhaul processes. The Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences announced May 1 that the center won the 2006 Franz Edelman Award for Achievement in

  • Palace HART helps injured Airmen

    A common trait exists among the injured Airmen recuperating at hospitals in the capital region, said the Air Force chief of staff. “Every Airman I’ve met wants to return to active duty and (his or her) unit,” said Gen. T. Michael Moseley in recent testimony on Capitol Hill. “I am proud of them and

  • Andrews and Bolling medical assets to combine in new wing

    The 89th Medical Group from Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and the 11th Medical Group at Bolling AFB are scheduled to combine into the 79th Medical Wing May 12. Maj. Gen. Robert L. Smolen, the Air Force District of Washington commander, will preside over the wing activation ceremony at Andrews. Brig.

  • TV writer embeds with medical teams in Iraq

    In a first for Hollywood, the Air Force was able to embed a screenwriter with a medical unit in Iraq for research on a proposed television series. Jeff Eckerle visited the Air Force Theater Hospital at Balad Air Base, Iraq, from April 7 to 16 in order to help develop the series, based in part on the

  • Blood platelet collection begins at Balad

    When coalition forces are wounded on the battlefield, sometimes it takes more than a skilled medical team to save their lives. It takes blood, and lots of it.With the help of apheresis, a new capability at the Air Force Theater Hospital here, doctors now have a ready supply of platelets, one of the

  • Reserve wing, Army unit join forces at Red Flag-Alaska

    The Air Force Reserve Command's 934th Airlift Wing, lead wing for the Elmendorf component of Red Flag-Alaska 06-2, is working with the Army’s 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, to ensure both units receive the training they need. The coordination began about nine months ago

  • Force shaping board results to be released May 10

    Lieutenants eligible for the 2006 Force Shaping Board will be notified personally of their retention status by their senior rater on May 10. The force shaping board, which convened at the Air Force Personnel Center here April 10, selected 1,240 out of 2,083 officers in the 2002 and 2003 accession

  • Air Force names 2005 Mission Support Award winners

    The winners of the 2005 Mission Support Awards were announced May 2.The results are: PersonnelGen. Robert J. Dixon Personnel Award: Senior Master Sgt. Jimmy Jones, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. Gen. Horace M. Wade Innovation Award: Tech. Sgt. Wendy Davis, Tyndall AFB, Fla. Gerrit D. Foster Jr.

  • Joint exercise tests Reservists' skills

    Two climbers were missing for more than two days on Mount Hood -- that was the scenario when Reservists from the 304th Rescue Squadron in Portland, Ore., partnered with five civilian rescue organizations in a search and rescue exercise. Approximately 50 search and rescue professionals from the

  • Joint Forces Command focuses on seamless operations

    Ensuring military services are able to work seamlessly with each other, coalition partners, government agencies and nongovernmental organizations is no small feat. But U.S. Joint Forces Command's top officer said work on the challenge is progressing well.Gen. Lance L. Smith said the top focus for

  • Airmen help Iraqi pilots fly again

    Pilots from the Iraqi Air Force are waiting patiently for a team of Airmen to arrive from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. It’s this team that can get them up in the air and flying again. The mission of the Iraqi 3rd Squadron hinges on the work of the Air Force Flight Test Center. The center sent a

  • Air Force mandates virtual outprocessing

    All Airmen undergoing permanent change-of-station moves, retirements or separations are now required to use the Virtual Outprocessing application available through the Virtual Military Personnel Flight. Airmen can enter the vMPF by logging onto the Air Force Personnel Center's secure Web site where

  • Andrews radio operators assist crewmembers worldwide

    As an Air Force aircraft approaches Yokota Air Base, Japan, the pilot sets his radio to a specified frequency and says, “Main Sail, Main Sail” -- the call sign for any global radio station. Within seconds, the pilot hears, “This is the Yokota operator.” That operator is actually with the 789th

  • Aggressors enhance Red Flag-Alaska 06-2

    The presence of the 64th Aggressor Squadron, based out of Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., enhances Red Flag-Alaska 06-2, the annual Pacific Air Forces exercise formerly known as Cope Thunder.Renaming and restructuring the exercise, which began April 24, is part of the Air Force chief of staff’s vision.

  • Incirlik controllers vital link in communications process

    When the red light flashes, command post controllers react quickly because any delay could impact the mission of this base. The alarm could be a call about inclement weather. Or it could be a call for a first sergeant about a Red Cross notification. It could signal force protection changes or

  • Retreat reconnects couples before, after deployments

    On the banks of the Guadalupe River, a veterans group hosts a retreat that helps couples reconnect so they can better cope with life after deployments. Six couples attended the retreat hosted by the Military, Veteran and Family Assistance Foundation at the Heart of the Hills Camp here from April 20

  • ‘Paintbarn’ Airmen improve mission, preserve environment

    Airmen at the paintbarn here not only are working more efficiently, they also are doing their part to help preserve the environment. Thanks to a paint gun and equipment-cleaning system, the Airmen have reduced the amount of paint thinner contaminant waste they create by 99.991 percent. The base,

  • Children of deployed parents need consistency

    Consistency is key for children as their military parents deploy, a university psychologist said. Dr. Frederic Medway, psychology professor at the University of South Carolina, has been publishing research on family separation issues since 1987. He said his work has shown that while children of

  • Guard, Reserve leaders testify before appropriations committee

    In recent testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Defense, representatives of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve updated senators on the status of the forces. The panel questioned Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, chief of Air Force Reserve and commander of the Air

  • Researchers focused on satellite energy storage

    An eight-person team at the Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate here believes their experiment will demonstrate the innovative technology of combined attitude control and energy storage on a satellite by the summer of 2007.The experiment consists of  three flywheels spinning

  • Air Force engineers take a jump

    Joint operations are not a new concept here. It’s a way of life for many units on base. But for a new breed of Air Force joint operators, this week’s Joint Forced Entry Exercise was a chance to get off the ground -- literally. The Airmen are part of Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair

  • HVAC: Keeping you cool

    Most people either love them or hate them. Maybe it isn’t that melodramatic, but when people are sweating at their office or while trying to sleep they don’t have many good things to say about the heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or HVAC, shop. The HVAC shop here is responsible for more

  • Air refueling squadron takes flight to fuel the fight

    Fighters are in the air 24 hours a day, providing constant support to ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Without midair refueling, that coverage would be lost. The 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron provides fuel to those thirsty fighters as they keep troops on the ground safe, said Lt.

  • Tyndall receives F-22 maintenance trainer

    An F-22A Raptor touched down at Tyndall April 19 on its final flight. The aircraft will now be the new ground instructional trainer, solely dedicated as the airframe for aircraft maintenance technical school students. "Previously, the 43rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit was required to provide an

  • CROWS gets Airmen out of the turret

    A new weapon system in the Air Force arsenal takes Airmen out of the gun turret and into the safety of a fully up-armored Humvee. The 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron operates the only Common Remote Operated Weapon Station, or CROWS, in the Air Force inventory. As one of three security

  • SECAF discusses current, future personnel issues

    Ensuring the Air Force operates fiscally is akin to anyone budgeting and paying for household and living expenses. The costs involved must be balanced and paid in order to maintain a certain lifestyle. For the Air Force, some of the business costs reside in the targeted reduction of 40,000 full-time

  • New civilian personnel system set to kick off April 30

    The first phase of the new National Security Personnel System is ready to launch April 30. Spiral 1.1 includes 11,000 Defense Department civilian employees throughout the United States. "The most important message is that we are ready," said Mary Lacey, NSPS program executive officer. "Employees are

  • Combat balloon to improve communications

    Warfighters who depend on ground communications for mission success will soon have improved technology, thanks to a system currently under examination here at the 2006 Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment. Combat Skysat uses balloons to take advantage of untapped airspace and improve line-of-sight

  • Exercise lets Airmen prepare for real thing

    Surface-to-air “threats” are frequent at Red Flag-Alaska 06-2, as aircrews try to slip past simulated, enemy ground fire during the exercise that began here April 24. The challenge helps aircrews practice their warfighting skills over the Pacific-Alaska Range. There are Airmen from some 20 Air Force

  • Airmen improve base for Soldiers in northern Iraq

    In the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, Airmen from the 332d Air Expeditionary Wing are using their construction expertise to help the U.S. and Iraqi governments and the U.S. Army. The 557th Expeditionary Red Horse Squadron is deployed in support of the Army's 555th Combat Support Brigade (Maneuver

  • Independent duty tech's role a versatile one

    Although they have officially existed in the Air Force since the early 1950s, independent duty medical technicians can trace their roots to the days of the Roman Empire, who put the word medic into our vocabulary. Today, these IDMTs are often known as "Doc" to the Airmen they treat. Medical care has

  • Munitions distribution involves detailed accuracy

    Not all of the Airmen assigned to the 23rd Maintenance Squadron’s munitions flight build bombs. “Having munitions issued to any customer, whether it is for the A-10 (Thunderbolt II) or C-130 (Hercules) aircraft, a special tactics troop or a cop, involves a significantly detailed process,” said

  • C-130 Hercules support coalition operations

    The 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron here has been supporting Operation Mountain Lion since it began April 12. The squadron’s C-130 Hercules aircraft have delivered supplies such as food, water and ammunition for coalition combat operations. “Our crews helped position personnel and equipment to

  • Warfare flight works behind the scenes

    The hum of computer fans, the tapping of fingers on keyboards and the occasional ring of a telephone are all that are normally heard in this office. But don't let the quiet fool you -- the office staff is working to ensure that technological advances aren’t being used against the Air Force. The 8th

  • JEFX focuses on battle operations, communications

    The Theater Battle Operation Net-centric Environment and the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node -- known as TBONE and BACN -- are two of the initiatives being tested during the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2006. The combined air operations center, or CAOC, is the experiment’s

  • Luke Airmen share environmental innovation

    A small group of Airmen here have spent the past several days sharing an Air Force environmental innovation and educating some leaders of tomorrow. These environmentally conscious Airmen are volunteers in the base’s environmental quality program. The innovation is a new environment-friendly

  • Missions begin with air tasking order

    Though Red Flag-Alaska 06-2 is an enhanced training opportunity for the U.S. military, the game is still the same: war. Air Force active duty, National Guard and Reserve units from across the United States are participating in the two-week joint training exercise that started April 24.Since

  • Air Force Audit Agency to work under new personnel system

    Nonbargaining unit employees of the Air Force Audit Agency here will become the first employees here to work under the long-awaited National Security Personnel System April 30. While Wright-Patterson, in general, isn't slated to roll out NSPS until January, NSPS officials said they will watch the

  • 9th Air Force commander visits Moody

    The 9th Air Force commander visited here April 18 and 19 to welcome the 347th Rescue Wing back to Air Combat Command, and visit other units. During his visit, Lt. Gen. Gary L. North toured the Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham Airman Leadership School, various wing squadrons and the 820th Security

  • Airmen missing in action from WWII identified

    The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office has announced that the remains of 11 U.S. Airmen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors. They are Capt. Thomas Paschal, El Monte, Calif.; 1st Lt.

  • Air Force Academy wins NSA Cyber Defense Exercise

    The National Security Agency announced today that the Air Force Academy is the winner of the agency’s 6th Annual Cyber Defense Exercise. The exercise was conducted April 10 to 14 here, at the NSA’s Maryland headquarters and the nation’s other military service academies. During the exercise,

  • Red Flag-Alaska readies Airmen for deployment

    Red Flag-Alaska 06-2 participants have arrived and set up shop at this interior Alaska base to prepare for the annual exercise previously called Cope Thunder. More than 1,500 active duty, Reserve and Air National Guard Airmen, 84 aircraft and an Army and Navy unit will train for two weeks in the Air

  • Reserve engineers build station for Saint Lucia police force

    This tiny, 238-square-mile Caribbean island getaway has lush rain forests, sandy beaches bordering crystal clear water and pleasant weather. For six months this year, teams of Air Force Reserve civil engineers are spending their two-week tours on the isle in the Lesser Antilles Archipelago. They're

  • Close-air support just a phone call away

    Imagine being pinned down by enemy forces, with no relief in sight. Now, imagine picking up a phone and calling your friendly local fighter pilot, flying overhead only miles away, for help. With the new Fighter Aircraft Communication Enhancement, or FACE, pod, ground units in combat are now able to

  • All together now: Civil engineers team up for project

    Almost nothing changed on the outside of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing headquarters here until the final week of the renovation. There was always something indicating work -- trenches, heavy machinery, dusty workers taking a quick break at the gazebo. But the metal exterior itself didn’t give any

  • Americans in Horn of Africa using new weapon in terror war

    American forces are using an unconventional approach to fight terrorism in the Horn of Africa, said the senior enlisted adviser at U.S. Central Command. "The weapon systems down there are well-drilling equipment and shovels, and building schools and hospitals, and training border patrols and

  • Reserve aircrew airlifts CE teams supporting war on drugs

    A C-17 Globemaster III aircrew flew civil engineers to this tropical isle as part of ongoing support for the war on drugs. The mission also provided an opportunity for the aircrew to maintain their proficiency.The transport started its circuitous mission April 7 at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.,

  • Team tests pod at 'LITENING' speed

    Three Air Force units have started accelerated testing of a LITENING-AT targeting pod. The 416th Flight Test Squadron here is working with the 85th Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and the 422nd OTES at Nellis AFB, Nev., to update the existing LITENING pod with

  • Cheney thanks Fairchild Airmen for support

    Vice President Richard B. Cheney told servicemembers gathered at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., they are playing a key role in the war on terrorism and that their countrymen believe in them and their mission. The vice president visited the home of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing April 17 and told a

  • Base defense mission goes beyond perimeter

    Most security forces Airmen patrol the base looking for anything out of the ordinary and pull 12-hour shifts in towers along the fenceline.But, for Airmen assigned to the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, their mission is different. They take the base defense mission beyond the wire and

  • New radio technology keeps troops in touch

    Riding as part of a convoy escort team outside the wire, the Airman feels alone. Feeling nervous, he keys his radio mic to check in with his base -- and hears nothing but dead air. To ensure scenarios like this don’t occur, the Air Force is leading a joint implementation of a new “Radio over

  • Eielson units initiate total force integration

    Eielson units are combining efforts in the spirit of the total force vision by streamlining cooperative continuity and training. The total force concept eliminates redundancy and simplifies resources, allowing active-duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen to meet challenges with smaller and more

  • Dover Airmen stabilize C-5 crash site

    When the 436th Civil Engineer Squadron fire chief responded to an emergency notification here April 3, he wasn’t sure what to expect. “Anytime you see an aircraft not sitting on its wheels, it is worse than you expected,” said Senior Master Sgt. Dwight Davis.More than 20 firefighters arrived to find

  • Desert duty: crew chiefs keep C-130s flying

    No one wishes for an aircraft to break -- especially flying crew chiefs. But, that’s when the mobile C-130 Hercules maintainers receive the most attention -- when something is wrong with the plane and they are far away from home. “Fortunately, C-130s are extremely reliable,” said Senior Master Sgt.

  • Hickam C-17 crews learn Lean concepts

    Airmen from the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 154th Maintenance Squadron here are learning how to streamline the processes they’ll use to maintain Hickam’s new fleet of C-17 Globemaster IIIs. Officials from the Boeing Company, which manufactures the C-17, headed the week-long Lean Concepts Workshop.

  • Vermont Guard hosts leadership, skills competition

    What do you do when more than 600 of your servicemembers are deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and you’re lonely at the Vermont Air National Guard?You invite 500 Vermont high school students to take over your base for a day and you challenge their technical skills in the 2006 SkillsUSA

  • It's official: Andersen host unit now 36th Wing

    Formations and a ceremony April 12 marked the public designation of Andersen’s host unit as the 36th Wing. The re-designation was officiated by Maj. Gen. Edward Rice, 13th Air Force commander. “Andersen is increasing in importance,” General Rice said. “This location gives us great flexibility to

  • Air Force extends Pennsylvania Guard flight ops

    The Air Force and the National Guard Bureau have directed the 111th Fighter Wing to extend their mission until 2010 at Naval Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, Pa. The 111th Fighter Wing is an Air National Guard unit that operates the A/OA-10 Thunderbolt II. In 2005, the Base Realignment and

  • Dental specialists train to deploy

    Dental specialists here trained in expeditionary field dentistry April 3 to 7. The training demonstrated how dentistry fits into the concept of deployable medical and dental assets and the expeditionary medical support, or EMEDS, facility. “This training supports the heart of the Air Force medical

  • U.S., Australian forces team up in realistic training

    Three Air Force B-1 Lancers recently flew more than 7,000 miles and 16 hours to participate in the Royal Australian Air Force’s Aces South exercise, providing realistic training for the coalition partners. “It was a tremendous success for all parties,” said Lt. Col. Thomas Curran, commander of the

  • Palmdale detachment takes testing to new heights

    Edwards Air Force Base has a history of testing cutting-edge weapons systems for the Air Force. A little-known detachment at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif., also has a testing history, but the aircraft tested there are not as well-known as the newest Air Force assets. Warner Robins Air

  • DOD plans to boost access to military childcare

    The availability of child-care services for military families will receive a boost from a multi-faceted approach by the Defense Department, a senior official said recently. "We project the (child-care) needs as greater than what we're offering at this point," said Jan Witte, director of DOD's office

  • Spring 2006 quarterly issue of Airman available

    Read about how space-based capabilities are helping fight the war on terrorism, travel with a joint convoy mission through Iraq, follow the struggles of the Air Force family’s tiniest members as they receive life-saving care at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Wilford Hall Medical Center. These