NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • AFOTEC hosts cadets for summer research program

    The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center is hosting the United States Air Force Academy's Cadet Summer Research Program for a second year at locations in California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada and Kirtland. During the program, cadets work on real-world Air Force projects during five-week

  • Super Car documentary debuts on airforce.com

    The making of the Air Force's newest national mobile marketing assets, the X-1 and Vapor, can now be seen in a 22-minute documentary featured on airforce.com. The documentary captures a team of Airmen chosen to work with a crew at Galpin Auto Sports to customize a white Ford Mustang (X-1) and a

  • American hospital in Afghanistan holds health fair

    The Staff Sgt. Heathe N. Craig Joint Theater Hospital here opened its doors June 13 to highlight a number of services available to servicemembers in the regional command east area of operations. In an event that involved weeks of planning, the hospital staff came together to construct unique

  • Airmen execute Project Liberty

    Eighteen months ago officials created a plan to bolster the Air Force's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission by adding a new platform to the ISR inventory. Now the Airmen assigned to the 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron Detachment 1 here at Camp Liberty, Iraq, are charged

  • Weapons school instructors validate first UAS, Raptor courses

    U.S. Air Force Weapons School instructors completed the school's first unmanned aircraft systems and F-22 Raptor validation course June 13. Consisting of 17 squadrons, the weapons school teaches graduate-level instructor courses that provide the world's most advanced training in weapons and tactics

  • Merger provides Airmen chance to 'weld' new skills

    Pacific Air Forces vehicle mechanics solder their training skills in a merged career field by learning a new trade at a welding school here. The mechanics undergo an 80-hour course that includes 57 hours of lab instruction and a Community College of the Air Force accreditation after completion.

  • AFRCC coordinates SAR for downed N.M. helicopter

    Controllers from the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center here helped local and state agencies search for a missing helicopter in the mountains near Santa Fe, N.M., late Tuesday night. The New Mexico State Police contacted AFRCC to ask for federal assistance in finding the helicopter and its three

  • New software system offers better accessibility, speed

    Intelligence analysts' hunt for a piece of data in the puzzle of situational awareness got a little easier with the delivery of the latest version of DCGS Integration Backbone or DIB version, a software system that puts more flexible features and services into warfighters' hands. "The key to this

  • Telephone news line set up for 'non-wired' retirees

    A toll-free telephone news line has been set up for those retirees and surviving spouses who do not have computer access.  People reading this release are encouraged to pass the information to those who don't have Internet access.By calling (800) 558-1404, retirees and spouses can stay informed

  • Admiral Mullen offers leadership lesson to National Defense University grads

    Flanked by rows of professors cloaked in traditional academic regalia, the nation's top military officer offered one final, brief lecture June 11 to a group of graduating senior military officers at the National Defense University here. But Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen

  • Law gives military renters more protection against foreclosures

    President Barack Obama's latest efforts to look after home renters gives military members additional protection if the homes they rent are foreclosed, a Defense Department official said today. The president's Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2009 was signed into law on May 20. The

  • Air Force official discusses 21st century ISR challenges

    In an environment marked by ever-increasing threats, Airmen must enhance an already-sharp focus on information gathering and sharing, a top Air Force official said during a forum held June 10 in Burlington, Mass. Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for intelligence,

  • 887th Airmen rebuild playground for visiting children

    Everyday, hundreds of visitors come to Camp Bucca to see a family member held at the Camp Bucca Theater Internment Facility. Each day, Airmen of the 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron make contact with visitors and are sometimes the only coalition force presence the family members have

  • MC-12 flies first combat mission

    The Air Force's newest intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft flew its first combat sortie June 10 over Iraq.The MC-12 Liberty, assigned to the 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, arrived in Iraq June 8 and took off from Joint Base Balad at approximately 2:30 p.m. local time

  • May recruiting shows across-the-board success

    May was a banner recruiting month for every military service, but especially for the Marine Corps, which topped its active-duty goal by 42 percent and its Marine Corps Reserve goal by 12 percent, Defense Department officials announced today.The Marine recruiting successes represent a particularly

  • MC-12 joins the fight in Iraq

    The Air Force's new MC-12 Liberty aircraft, a manned special-mission turboprop aircraft designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to support coalition and joint ground forces, arrived June 8 to Joint Base Balad. Following the MC-12's arrival, the 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance

  • Education activity lowers kindergarten pupil-to-teacher ratio

    Kindergartens at many Department of Defense Education Activity schools will have fewer students per teacher when classes resume in the fall. A student-to-teacher ratio that has ranged from 24-to-1 to 29-to-1 will drop to 18-to-1. "We've made the decision to place an additional classroom teacher and

  • Defense travel system to modify reservation process

    Minor changes are scheduled to take place within the Defense Department's travel reservation system later this summer to support the Transportation Security Administration's new pre-flight screening program, a Defense Department official said June 10. Under the current format, when travelers arrange

  • Guard looks to new media to attract recruits

    The end strength for the Army and Air National Guard remained above 100 percent in May due in part to various social media outlets, such as You Tube, Facebook and Twitter, currently being used by both services. "Social networking and new media as a whole is the fastest growing communication medium

  • Coalition team restores Iraqi shrine

    Thanks to a partnership between Airmen and their Iraqi counterparts here, family and friends visiting an on-base cemetery and shrine for the first time in almost three decades were once again able to enjoy the beauty of this holy place. Airmen from the 506th Air Expeditionary Group and Iraqi airmen

  • Hanscom to lead Air Force efforts in interoperability demo

    Officials here are busy setting up a mock air operations center for the annual Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration, which will run June 15 through 25. Hanscom is once again serving as a major host site for CWID and the lead Air Force site. Operators from the Air Force, other services,

  • Thunderbirds announce 2010 officer selections

    The United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, commonly known as the 'Thunderbirds,' announced incoming officer selections for the 2010 demonstration season. They are:- Lt. Col. Case Cunningham, serving at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., will join the team as the 33rd commander/leader of the

  • Manas Air Base reaches out to 'Twitter' users worldwide

    Keeping up with online technology and its growing user demands can be daunting for communicators. But the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs Office has hopped aboard the Twitter 'twain' at full throttle in order to keep the world abroad in the know about the base's goings on. "I believe it

  • Operation Southern Partner servicemembers paint brighter future in Belize

    Nearly a dozen servicemembers of Operation Southern Partner found time between their subject matter exchanges to help renovate and enhance the New Stella Maris School for the Physically Disabled with a fresh coat of paint here June 8. The small, 13-classroom school in the Belize City center was

  • General Gould takes command of the Academy

    Lt. Gen. Michael Gould took command of the U.S. Air Force Academy as the 18th superintendent during a ceremony here June 9. General Gould is a class of '76 Academy graduate and the first superintendant to graduate from the U.S. Air Force Prep School.General Gould comes to the Academy from Scott Air

  • Air Force officials revise fitness program

    The need for a "clear, understandable and simpler" fitness program will mean significant changes to the Air Force's current fitness program, said the service's top officer during a senior leadership conference held June 4 through 6 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Air Force Chief of Staff

  • Questions abound in cyber theater of operations, vice chairman says

    Cyber operations simply are another theater of operations for the U.S. military, and the Defense Department must apply the same analytical rigor and resources to it as it would to any other theater, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said recently. "There will be a cyber capability at

  • Ceremony honors 293 medical graduates

    Dr. Kenneth Torrington, dean of the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, honored 293 physicians and allied health care providers during the annual SAUSHEC awards and graduation ceremony June 5 at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. SAUSHEC is the

  • Information managers transform into knowledge operations managers

    Airmen in the former information management career field started a two-part transformation Oct. 31, 2008, as they changed their job titles to knowledge operations managers.Airmen in the knowledge operations management career field will undergo another transformation in October 2009 when it

  • Communications Airmen meet to discuss career field's transformation

    Senior enlisted communicators from around the Air Force held a conference at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., May 19 through 21 to discuss details for the upcoming communications Air Force specialty code conversions.During this transformation, the largest in the history of Air Force communications, more

  • 'AOR Week in Photos' highlights deployed Airmen in Southwest Asia

    A new product is highlighting Air Force equipment, weapons systems and Airmen deployed to Southwest Asia. "AOR Week in Photos" features photos of Airmen deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and other bases in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Created weekly by the staff of the Combined Air

  • CORONA yields personnel decisions, mission requirements

    Air Force senior leaders addressed numerous strategic and personnel issues, from manpower re-alignment to uniform changes to nuclear enterprise initiatives, when they met here for CORONA TOP June 4 through 6. "This is a forum where we need to address everything from fundamental strategic issues to

  • Wright-Patt building earns Air Force leadership in energy certification

    The Air Force Institute of Technology's new academic building here recently achieved the base's first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design "Silver" certification rating, a nationally accepted benchmark for facility design, construction and operation. LEED is an Air Force initiative for

  • Air Force Week Salt Lake City a success

    From kids shrieking in delight at the amazing aerial maneuvers of the Thunderbirds to their parents singing along with various Air Force bands, one thing was obvious here last week: Air Force Week Salt Lake City was a success. Air Force Week Salt Lake City ran from June 1 through 7 and Airmen from

  • Mobility Airmen, aircraft begin moving Strykers into Afghanistan

    Members of Air Mobility Command's hub for global airlift, air refueling and aeromedical evacuation here are "all in" with its commitment to support joint worldwide operations, kicking off efforts this week to airlift more than 300 Stryker vehicles to military forces in Afghanistan. The term Stryker

  • Air Force flight surgeons hand over training mission to Iraqis

    As U.S. forces withdraw over the next year, Iraqi air force members have begun the process of taking over the new missions and responsibilities including the aeromedical training of flight medical technicians here. The four-week training course is now taught by Iraqi flight medics with coalition

  • Thunderbirds honor local school teacher with Hometown Hero flight

    A flight suit, G-suit, harness and helmet: not the usual daily outfit Megan Funk wears to work. As a second grade teacher at Majestic Elementary School in Ogden, Utah, she is used to working in normal business clothes. However, June 4 was not a normal day for the Ogden native as she was about to

  • Joint Base Balad's support team focuses on mission, quality of life

    Base residents are the beneficiaries of additional benefits since the Base Operating Support-Integration team conducted its initial planning meetings 11 months ago.In general, BOS-I is a changeover of base support functions that includes food service, lodging, vehicle operations, supply, fuel, base

  • Public invited to new NASA 'human space flight' Web site

    NASA officials are inviting people to make their voice heard as a panel of experts undertakes an independent review of planned U.S. human space flight activities. They have created a Web site for the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee to facilitate a two-way conversation with the

  • AFSOUTH gearing up for New Horizons Guyana

    Nearly 650 Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen are preparing to take part in New Horizons Guyana, a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored annual exercise starting July 1.The exercise is designed to strengthen ties with partner nations in Central and South America through combined quality-of-life

  • Air mobility maintains the fight in Afghanistan

    Being in a fight is easy; it is having the ability to stay in the fight until you win that is the hard part. This is especially true in the new type of war being fought by the coalition forces in Afghanistan where the enemy's strategy is to outlast the resolve and sustainment capability of U.S. and

  • Misawa implements new financial in-processing system

    New arrivals here can now in-process with the base finance office using the Permanent Change of Station In-Processing System, or PiPS. Misawa is the first base in the Pacific Air Forces to implement PiPS, a web-based financial system that provides general PCS in-processing information and discusses

  • Stateside donations give Kyrgyz students tools of art trade

    Members of the 376th Expeditionary Medical Group here delivered handmade art easels and art supply donations in May to children of the Atbashinskaya School in Manas Village, Kyrgyzstan.The art supplies came from care packages sent from American servicemembers' family and friends in the United States

  • Barksdale bombers arrive at Andersen

    Approximately 300 Airmen from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., deployed here May 30 as part of the rotational bomber deployment here to maintain stability and security in the Western Pacific. Three Barksdale AFB B-52 Stratofortress arrived here May 30 after a 17-hour flight to support the Pacific

  • Officials announce commander of 24th Air Force

    Air Force officials announced June 4 the commander of 24th Air Force, a new numbered Air Force focused on the cyber mission. Maj. Gen. Richard E. Webber will assume command of the NAF later this year.Currently, General Webber is the assistant deputy chief for air, space and information operations,

  • Teamwork key to construction of communications hub

    A week ago, this vast expanse of land represented particles of dust, rocks, hardened dirt and scrubs located on the other side of Kandahar Airfield's perimeter, mirroring the landscape of this portion of southern Afghanistan. Today, the area is bustling with Airmen dragging cables and laboring to

  • Academy of Military Science moving to Maxwell

    With the Academy of Military Science moving from Tennessee's McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base to Maxwell Air Force Base's Officer Training School, all Air Force commissioning sources, except the U.S. Air Force Academy, will be under one roof. "Starting this fiscal year, all officer trainees will

  • Panjshir reconstruction team bids farewell to fallen comrades

    The dining facility at Forward Operating Base Lion where Airmen and Soldiers typically exchanged stories and laughter was instead filled with reminiscing and tears as the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team honored four of its fallen comrades May 31. Lt. Col. Mark Stratton, the team's commander,

  • Air Forces Southern officials commit to 'summer of engagement'

    Active-duty, Air Guard and Reserve Airmen from across the Air Force are set to begin a host of missions with the Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) team in South and Central America during the summer months of 2009. The surge in theater security cooperation missions in the U.S. Southern Command

  • Senior veterans compete to win at Golden Age Games

    Military veterans competing in the National Veterans Golden Age Games each year have their own reasons for participating. Some come out for the camaraderie, while others come to socialize and catch up with old friends. But others simply come to win. This year's 23rd Annual National Golden Age Games

  • Demonstration to showcase life-saving information-sharing technologies

    Wildfires in California, hurricanes battering the East Coast and insurgents attacking a U.S. convoy are among simulated real-time events that will put life-saving information-sharing technologies on center stage during the Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration scheduled for June 15 to

  • General cites importance of airpower for Afghanistan

    The Afghan National Army Air Corps is a vital and rapidly growing component of Afghanistan's security forces and is building airpower to deny terrorists a safe haven in Afghanistan, a U.S. Air Force general here said. Afghanistan's vast and forbidding terrain, the threat posed by roadside bombs and

  • AFMC, union leadership reaffirm partnership

    The commander of Air Force Materiel Command and the national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO reaffirmed a strong partnership and discussed workforce issues here May 28. Gen. Donald Hoffman and John Gage joined other command and union officials for an afternoon

  • Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft makes first flight

    Members of the Air Force Research Laboratory and Lockheed Martin's famed 'Skunk Works' launched a new era of aircraft manufacturing technology and performance with the successful initial demonstration flight of the Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft June 2 at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif.

  • Multinational mobility unit welcomes top Air Force mobility Airman

    The first-of-its-kind mobility unit comprising airmen from 12 nations recently hosted the commander of Air Mobility Command at Pápa Air Base, Hungary. The Heavy Airlift Wing, the operational-level unit of the Strategic Airlift Capability consortium of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations, brought

  • Air Force jobs, people on display during Air Force Week Salt Lake City

    Pioneer Park here has been transformed into an Air Force "playground" during Air Force Week Salt Lake City. The park is the site for the "Our Nation's Defenders Showcase," an event that highlights Air Force specialties, skills and people through exhibits, interactive games and various

  • World War II vets visit former home

    A group of veterans, college students and faculty members were joined by members of the 100th Air Refueling Wing to honor the heroes of World War II, particularly those who participated in the allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day June 1 at Thorpe Abbots, England. The airfield at Thorpe Abbots was

  • Officials activate 617th Air and Space Operations Center

    Officials at 17th Air Force took another big step toward full operational capability May 29 with the activation of the 617th Air and Space Operations Center here. The new AOC gives leaders at 17th AF, also known as Air Forces Africa, an increased command and control capability integral to their

  • Airman uses training to help man hit by train

    Senior Airman Eric Slaugh was returning to Cannon Air Force Base from leave in December when he encountered a snowstorm in northeastern New Mexico, a storm that would detour him into assisting in saving someone's life. After missing a turn because of the near whiteout weather conditions, the Slaugh

  • Kandahar Airmen protect servicemembers from IEDs

    Improvised explosive devices kill people. The vast majority of military members serving in combat make it a point to go out of their way to avoid them. For the Air Force explosive ordnance disposal team at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, they make it a point to go out of their way to find them.

  • Secretary Gates calls on Asian partners for help in Afghanistan

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today called on U.S. allies in Asia to render more aid to bolster the fight in Afghanistan. In his opening remarks at the "Shangri-La Dialogue" Asia security summit here, Secretary Gates said terrorist groups rooted in training camps along the Afghanistan-Pakistan

  • Military training instructors transform recruits into Airmen

    Rising at 3 a.m. is a small sacrifice for military training instructors.  The future of the Air Force awaits.With uniforms in perfect order, they pull the immediately identifiable campaign hats low and straight, down their foreheads to nearly the eyebrows. With stern voices and stoic physical

  • DeCA officials announce outreach award winners

    Defense Commissary Agency officials recognized seven commissaries for outstanding outreach May 20 during the agency's 2009 Conference and Training Event in Richmond, Va.  Air Force commissaries took four of the seven awards.The winning commissaries are Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. (best outreach to

  • Deployment opportunities available for civilians

    Whether it's helping Iraqis with reconstruction projects or assisting Afghans with their motor pools, Air Force officials rely on its civilian workforce to help meet global mission requirements. And the Air Force is not alone, as more than 1,100 Department of Defense civilians volunteered to fill

  • Guard chief emphasizes communication, collaboration, coordination

    Communication, collaboration and coordination are the keys to navigating challenging times when it is hard to discern true north, the chief of the National Guard Bureau said May 27 here. "The National Guard has evolved over the last eight years into a force ... that has been through the crucible of

  • Whiteman Airmen prepare to redeploy back home

    Airmen here are preparing to redeploy to Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., after completing more than 120 flights, or sorties, in three and a half months while supporting the continuous bomber presence here. "We have been here as part of the continuous bomber presence in support of Pacific Command's

  • Chief master sergeants of the Air Force gather for dedication

    Eight chief master sergeants of the Air Force joined Bolling Air Force Base Airmen in a dedication ceremony honoring the service's highest enlisted position in the newly renamed Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Room in the Bolling Club May 26. Bolling AFB Airmen escorted the chiefs for the

  • Air Force officials publish new nuclear operations doctrine

    Air Force officials here published its newest version of Nuclear Operations doctrine June 1 to replace the 11-year old existing doctrine. One of the most significant updates to new Air Force Doctrine Document 2-12 is the change in the focus of nuclear operations from a Cold War stance to one more

  • Servicemembers gear up to provide New Horizons for Guyana

    Nearly 650 Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen are preparing to take part in New Horizons Guyana, a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored annual exercise starting July 1 designed to strengthen ties with partner nations in Central and South America through combined quality-of-life improvement projects.

  • ID card process at Beale undergoes rapid improvement

    In an effort to shorten customer wait time at the 9th Mission Support Group common access card/identification card section, Beale personnelists conducted a Rapid Improvement Event May 18-21. With the help of Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century specialists from Air Combat Command, the

  • AFSO 21 makes processes smarter, faster, cheaper

    Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, more commonly referred to as AFSO 21, is the Air Force's version of Lean Six Sigma. Lean Six Sigma is a civilian business strategy which is designed around the idea of making a product or procedure "smarter, faster and cheaper."For many corporations

  • AFSOUTH set to begin Operation Southern Partner in Caribbean

    More than 60 Airmen from across the Air Force are preparing to board a C-130J Hercules on May 30 to participate in the second iteration of "Operation Southern Partner" in seven Caribbean and Latin American nations. The Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern)-led event is aimed at providing

  • Gates downplays rhetoric on North Korea

    As the plane flying him to a security conference in Singapore travels into a storm of regional unrest stirred up by this week's North Korean nuclear tests, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates May 29 downplayed the swirling rhetoric and said he sees no need to adjust U.S. military forces levels in the

  • AF dermatologist uses laser to treat wounded warrior scars

    Maj. (Dr.) Chad Hivnor, chief of pediatric dermatology at Wilford Hall Medical Center here, is using a new fractional laser to treat battle scars on troops injured in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. "The laser softens the texture of the scars," said Doctor Hivnor. "We are following

  • Airmen overcome bumps in road

    Up, over, over, over and down. Drivers who find speed bumps annoying shouldn't pass through security checkpoint gates here; however, speed-mitigation efforts may be viewed as less of a hassle if they are perceived as a measure that may thwart possible terrorist threats. After 506th Air Expeditionary

  • Streamlined disability evaluation system introduced at Elmendorf

    Wounded, ill and injured Airmen entering into the Disability Evaluation System here are now enrolled in a new pilot evaluation process. This new joint Department of Defense-Veterans Affairs effort is designed to streamline and expedite disability recovery and processing to create improved treatment,

  • CITS key to Air Force cyber superiority goal

    The Combat Information Transport System is a high-priority item for Air Force officials who seek to create, manage and defend a truly enterprise-wide internet. During a recent Electronic Systems Center program prioritization effort, CITS was listed as number two out of more than 300 total programs.

  • Chief Airey laid to rest at Arlington Cemetery

    Surrounded by family and friends, colleagues and fellow Airmen, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Paul Airey was laid to rest here May 28. More than 400 people came to Ft. Myer, Va., for his funeral service and then on to Arlington for his grave site ceremony. Located in section 34, Chief

  • DOD officials promote 'World No Tobacco Day'

    For the first time, the Department of Defense is endorsing the observance of World No Tobacco Day by encouraging servicemembers to participate. The effort is part of DOD's multiyear tobacco cessation campaign, Quit Tobacco--Make Everyone Proud. "On Memorial Day, when we reflect on the sacrifices our

  • VA Web site helps college counselors aid veterans

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials launched a new Web site to strengthen the connection between college and university mental health professionals and veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts studying on their campuses. "Many of our newest veterans are beginning their post-service lives

  • America's first combat aviators memorialized

    In a lush and serene park on the outskirts of Paris, U.S. Air Forces in Europe Commander, Gen. Roger A. Brady joined several hundred American and French citizens beneath an ornately sculpted ceremonial arch to pay homage to aviators, known as the Lafayette Escadrille. The 68 volunteers flew in

  • Obama touts solar power at airpower hub

    President Barack Obama held up Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., as an example for America to follow toward energy independence during a visit there May 27. The air base, a huge facility outside Las Vegas best known as the "Home of the Fighter Pilot," also is the site of the largest solar electric plant

  • Airmen 'unleash' new recovery program for patients

    Trained in explosives detection, narcotics detection and more, military working dogs here are now assisting in a different type of fight: The fight to rehabilitate patients at the Air Force Theater Hospital here. Members of the AFTH medical staff here held the first session of the K-9 Visitation

  • Dedication culminates efforts of embedded American advisors

    More than 250 U.S. servicemembers and Afghan security forces celebrated seven years of military cooperation during a monument dedication ceremony at Camp Blackhorse here May 14. The ceremony also culminated the efforts of nearly 20 Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors who have embedded with the 5th Kandak

  • Air Force officials test new constant-pressure fuel system

    Air Force officials officially began to test a 50-50 mixture of synthetic and JP-8 fuels in a Type 3 constant-pressure fuel hydrant system here May 18. Fuel tankers, including five trucks with 100 percent synthetic fuel and three with the 50-50 blend, arrived at the base May 17 to unload 113,000

  • New PCS program puts customers in the driver's seat

    With nearly 200,000 permanent change of station moves expected in the approaching season, it is important for Department of Defense personnel to note several broad changes to the personal property shipment process. The uniformed services began using the Defense Personal Property System to move DOD

  • New options available for accompanied Korea tours

    Air Force members headed to certain locations in Korea now can request an accompanied tour and serve with their families for two or three years. Current base facilities, such as housing, schools and support activities, will limit the number of Airmen authorized to serve the accompanied,

  • First Iraqi ISR aircrew members graduate

    The first class of Iraqi Air Force Squadron 87 King Air intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircrew members completed their yearlong training May 17. The Iraqi King Air program, headed by Air Force and Navy aircrew instructors, trained four Iraqi pilots, seven co-pilots and five mission

  • Servicemembers save money by clearing Alaskan bombing range

    American servicemembers cleared 10,000 acres of land of old ordnance and munitions at the Joint Pacific Alaskan Range Complex Yukon training area in May to make the area safe and to save money. Last year, 354th Fighter Wing officials spent more than $1 million on a contracted team to clear ordnance

  • Last Utah ANG KC-135E Stratotanker retires

    The last KC-135 "E" model Stratotanker assigned to the Utah Air National Guard's 151st Air Refueling Wing flew its final flight May 21. Aircraft tail number 57-1510 was flown approximately 15 miles from the Air Guard base in Salt Lake City to nearby Hill Air Force Base where it was officially

  • Space Command officials exceed GPS standard

    Air Force Space Command officials here maintain the Global Positioning System constellation that now has 30 operational satellites, six more than the standard."I have high confidence we will continue to sustain at least the 24 satellites required to maintain our current performance standard," said

  • Eglin gate guards wear new uniforms

    Civilian guards at Eglin Air Force Base are now wearing new uniforms that are the standard uniform set by Department of the Air Force Security Forces Center officials. "Eglin is unique in this Air Force-wide initiative because we are the benchmark base," said 1st Lt. Roger Main of the Department of

  • 'Today's Air Force' features building bridges in the Pacific

    This week's video features a segment on a new, more efficient way to track airmen displaced because of natural and other disasters.  Also, medics and engineers make an instant impact during a four day exercise in the Philippines, building bridges with a key Pacific Ally. Finally, view a memorial

  • General officer assignments announced

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz has announced new assignments for the following general officers: Maj. Gen. William N. McCasland, director of space acquisition, Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., to director, Special Programs, Office of the

  • Personnel chief discusses military personnel budget

    Airmen are the focal point for winning today's fight and efforts relating to recruiting, developing and retaining a high-quality and diverse fighting force need to reflect that, the service's top manpower and personnel officer said on Capitol Hill May 20. Lt. Gen. Richard Y. Newton III, deputy chief

  • Air Force chief predicts fewer 'exquisite' acquisition programs

    Air Force leaders are taking a more critical eye in weighing the technological capabilities of new systems against their corresponding cost, the Air Force's top military officer said here May 21. "We have had a temptation to design and try to build the most exquisite systems, and we've proven we can