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  • Duck hunting William Tell style

    “It’s just like duck hunting ...” Well, maybe not just like duck hunting. The “duck” is a 40-by-8 foot target being hauled 2,000 feet behind a Learjet flying about 20,000 feet over the Gulf of Mexico. Otherwise, it is really similar to duck hunting.During William Tell, F-15 Eagle pilots compete

  • Air Force engineers help Soldiers build field bases

    From their desks miles away from forward-operating bases, Combined Task Force-Coyote engineers are improving the lives of deployed Soldiers and Marines. During their five-month deployment here, 11 Airman deployed from Missouri Air National Guard work alongside Army engineers designing buildings,

  • Maintainers mind William Tell

    Several maintainers are crowded inside a snack bar like a pack of sardines. Inside the small room, the Airmen watch live footage of a two-ship vs. four-ship mission featuring their team’s F-15 Eagles. Watching their aircraft perform is a rare occurrence for the Airmen, who usually send their jets

  • SECAF ‘vector’ addresses resignation

    In the latest edition of “The Secretary’s Vector,” released Nov. 17, Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche discusses his resignation as the 20th service secretary.Secretary Roche said he accepted the position from President George W. Bush with the intention to serve one term and then return

  • Airmen providing civil engineering support to Soldiers

    About 50 Airmen from the 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron here, along with four from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, low crawled and convoyed their way to becoming an “Army of One.” This prepared them to deploy downrange to provide civil engineering support for the Army.The team is the first from U.S. Air

  • Airman recalls convoy duty in Iraq

    Staff Sgt. Amelia Solomon did not spend her summer backpacking through Europe or sunbathing on the beaches of Cornwall with her 3-year-old daughter. Instead, she spent her summer in the dry, blistering heat of Iraq, wondering how many improvised explosive devices might be hidden on the trail in

  • Space assets critical to winning war on terrorism

    Space-based assets are proving critical to winning the war on terrorism, according to the commander of Air Force Space Command.“You cannot go to war and win without space,” Gen. Lance W. Lord said during a live appearance on “Fox and Friends” here Nov. 11.The command comprises about 40,000 space

  • Air Force seeks navigators

    Air Force officials are providing more opportunities to active-duty officers who want to become navigators.Officers who meet basic qualifications must submit their application package by Dec. 29 to be considered by the Feb. 8 to 10 undergraduate flying training selection board at the Air Force

  • New light-weight weapon joins Balad arsenal

    In an effort to keep pace with the ever-changing face of close quarters combat, F-16 Fighting Falcon crews here plan to use a new, lightweight satellite-guided munition soon.The GBU-38 500-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition is designed to reduce collateral damage, limit unintended casualties and

  • VIDOC: Worth a thousand words

    Pushy paparazzi, nosy TV reporters and supermodel photographers have nothing on a team of Airmen here. They take your picture, and they videotape you at work. They announce what you are doing to the masses, and they plaster you onto posters -- and most people do not even know they are there.They

  • Weapons directors provide situational awareness

    They came to William Tell to play a video game. But they are not playing Donkey Kong or the latest version of Halo. Instead, they are monitoring radar screens to make sure their pilots stay on track during the competition.William Tell is a competition which tests an aircrew's ability to perform

  • Airman sets sights on shooting championship

    You are in the bathtub. You hear a sound. Suddenly you jump up and run to the nightstand. There you grab your pistol and immediately begin firing. Does this sound like a scene out of a crime drama, or a night at home gone very wrong? No. It is just another day at the range for Maj. Roger

  • William Tell still anybody’s game

    “Not in our house” may have been the slogan chanted by the New York Yankees fans during game seven of the league championship series against the Boston Red Sox, but they obviously did not mean it as the Red Sox went on to become the World Champions of baseball.The Airmen from here, however, seem to

  • Reservists arrive in Uruguay for exercise

    A team of Air Force reservists from the 5th Special Operations Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., arrived here Nov. 9 for Unitas 2004, the largest and longest naval exercise in the Americas. Arriving aboard an MC-130P Combat Shadow, they are the Air Force’s first unit to participate in the

  • Air Force aims for ‘weapons-grade’ vision

    In June, the Air Force vice chief of staff and surgeon general approved wavefront-guided LASIK surgery for aviators in aircraft flying at altitudes of less than 14,000 feet. WFG-LASIK is a new generation of laser eye surgery that maps subtle irregularities in the cornea before the procedure,

  • Unmanned aircraft gain starring role in terror war

    Unmanned aerial vehicles are earning star status in the war on terrorism. They are becoming the most-requested capability among combatant commanders in Southwest Asia and use has increased fourfold in that theater during the last year alone, said the deputy director of the Pentagon's UAV planning

  • New veterans ID cards help battle identity theft

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials have designed a new identity card for veterans that will safeguard confidential information while combating identity theft."The new identification card ensures veterans' personal information is protected," Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony J. Principi said.

  • Airmen help Santa answer letters

    Air Force volunteers from the combat weather flight here will once again help Santa send out thousands of signed, North Pole-post marked letters to children worldwide.The Santa’s Mailbag program started 50 years ago by 58th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron Airmen, and it has been carried on by those

  • 50th anniversary of William Tell kicks off at Tyndall

    The U.S. Air Forces in Europe team jumped off to an early lead after officials kicked off William Tell 2004 here Nov. 8. The start marked the 50th anniversary of the Air Force air-to-air weapons meet.This year's meet has put to rest the longest gap in its history after an eight year hiatus because

  • Act increases bonuses, education benefits for reserve

    Increased education benefits and more flexibility in awarding bonuses are among the quality-of-life improvements targeting National Guard and Reserve servicemembers in the 2005 National Defense Authorization Act.The act also provides for changes in how guardsmen and reservists are mobilized and

  • Airmen may wear medals while awaiting system updates

    Air Force officials want to assure Airmen that wearing eligible decorations is authorized, even if they are not currently reflected in the military personnel data system.The affected decorations include the Korean Defense Service Medal, Gallant Unit Citation/Meritorious Unit Award, Global War on

  • Task forces enhance global mobility support

    Air Mobility Command’s expeditionary mobility task forces, now a year old, were highlighted during the 2004 Airlift/Tanker Association Convention here Oct. 29.Brig. Gen. Bobby J. Wilkes, commander of the 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., described the units as

  • CMSAF addresses top issues

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray addressed hundreds of troops attending the 2004 Airlift/Tanker Association Symposium on Oct. 29, an event he has been unable to attend in years past.Chief Murray gave his insight on three main topics he said he feels are the backbone of the

  • Air Force musicians join AEF rotations

    Air Force bandsmen rarely play to boisterous crowds of 2,000 people dancing, singing and stage-diving, but at one deployed location in Southwest Asia, that is what happened. The show was among several in the Middle East as part of the Air Force Band of Mid-America’s tour during its first air and

  • Guardsmen making K-2 connections

    The C-130 Hercules aircrew from Saint Joseph, Mo., was told the night before that its mission tasking, called a frag (fragmentary order), was to fly supplies from Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, known as K-2, to Fire Base Salerno, Afghanistan.It was going to be a quick offload for the Missouri

  • British team shoots to top at Defender Challenge 2004

    An eight-person British team took home the top award at the worldwide security forces competition Defender Challenge 2004 held here Oct. 22 to 28.The Royal Air Force Regiment took first in the grueling fitness challenge event and third in the Sadler Cup tactical exercise. These wins earned them the

  • Two Air Force units win DOD maintenance awards

    Two Air Force units were awarded Secretary of Defense Maintenance Awards in recognition of outstanding achievements in field-level military equipment and weapon system maintenance during an awards banquet here Oct. 27.The 509th Munitions Squadron at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., won the recognition

  • Airmen offer stand down for homeless veterans

    Few people can forget there are thousands of Americans fighting in war zones to preserve America’s freedom; but are those who fought for this country decades ago and are now homeless still remembered?McConnell Airmen joined with people from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the nearby Wichita

  • New office focusing on improving joint operations

    While U.S. military forces deployed to the Middle East continue operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, leaders at home are applying lessons learned from the campaigns to improve joint operations between the Air Force and Army.The first of nearly 20 Air Force and Army initiatives toward improving joint

  • Deploying troops getting priority for laser eye surgery

    Many people choose laser eye surgery because they think it will make them more attractive or save them from having to grapple to find their glasses.But for an increasing number of servicemembers, laser eye surgery is not a cosmetic or convenience issue. It is about saving lives on the

  • Airmen run in Army ‘10-miler’

    More than 100 Airmen took part in the second annual Logistics Support Area Anaconda 10-Miler road race held here Oct. 24.Overall the group was just a small part of the more than 1,300 Soldiers, Marines, Sailors and Department of Defense civilians who competed in the event. Participants entered as

  • Officials: BRAC 2005 to support defense transformation

    The 2005 base realignment and closure initiative will be different from previous rounds in that it will directly contribute to the Department of Defense's transformation efforts, a top official said here Oct. 25.BRACs conducted between 1988 and 1995 closed 97 military bases and realigned 57, said

  • AWACS tests new identification system

    Years of preparation paid off for the Airborne Warning and Control Systems Program Office during the test of a capability which will reduce the possibility of friendly-fire accidents.The test, held recently at the Navy test range at Patuxent River, Md., examined a new AWACS Identification Friend or

  • ‘Quiet Professionals’ praised by AFSOC commander

    The leader of the “Quiet Professionals” had plenty to say about the contributions Air Force Special Operations Command’s nearly 20,000 Airmen have made to the war on terrorism.“The men and women we have in our command are awesome, and it shows,” said Lt. Gen. Michael W. Wooley, AFSOC

  • Officials announce 2004 awards for air mobility excellence

    Airlift/Tanker Association officials recently announced the 2004 award winners for excellence within the air mobility community.The association recognized 27 people in five categories. These Airmen will be honored at its annual convention in Dallas on Oct. 29.The Young Leadership Award is presented

  • Airman dies, two injured in helicopter crash

    An Airman died Oct. 21 from injuries sustained in an Oct. 20 HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter crash about 105 miles east of Shindand, Afghanistan. Two other Airmen were injured in the crash and were taken to a medical facility at Kandahar Air Field, along with an Afghan who works for the Joint Electoral

  • Study finds little risk from depleted-uranium particles

    A new study finds the health risks from inhaling airborne particles of depleted uranium are very low. The Capstone study found that even servicemembers in armored vehicles hit by DU munitions would still not suffer health risks from inhaling the particles. Of course, officials said, they would

  • AMC exercise kicks off in Michigan

    Nearly 500 people from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., Grand Forks AFB, N.D., and Travis AFB, Calif., traveled to an Air National Guard base here for exercise Crisis Outlook 2004, a weeklong exercise designed to practice “ability to survive and operate” scenarios.Col. Chris Coley, 62nd Operations

  • Active-duty, reservists combine forces in Afghan sky

    In the Afghanistan sky, the 81st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron has a “rainbow” effect. Air Force Reserve and active-duty pilots have teamed together for an air and space expeditionary force deployment here to protect U.S. and coalition people from attackers whose aim is to disrupt the national

  • Reserve unit begins deactivating

    Already hard-pressed aircrews at this active airlift hub will be even busier starting in December when two Reserve squadrons begin deactivating after two years on active duty.The 97th and 728th Airlift Squadrons, of the Air Force Reserve’s 446th Airlift Wing here, mobilized in February 2003. Both

  • Airman, wife arrested in murder plot

    Civilian authorities arrested an Airman from here and his wife Oct. 13 in a murder-for-hire scheme. He was already in custody at a local holding facility facing separate Air Force charges.Staff Sgt. Matthew Gladue, a weather systems technician with the 51st Combat Communications Squadron, and his

  • Relationship, money issues face some returning combatants

    Money, intimacy and re-establishing their relationship as a couple and with their children are some of the challenging issues facing families when servicemembers return after months away in Iraq or Afghanistan. A team of mental-health professionals from the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress,

  • Tax relief act works for low-income troops in combat zones

    Servicemembers in combat zones stand to reap tax benefits from provisions in the Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004, which President Bush signed into law Oct. 4. Income earned in combat zones is not taxed; however, the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit are dependent on

  • AEF Battlelab becomes Air Warfare Battlelab

    The Air Expeditionary Force Battlelab, which stood up here in July 1997, recently became the Air Warfare Battlelab. The change reflects the 2003 realignment under the Air Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and better matches operational and testing functions. The battlelab focuses on

  • Helmet upgrades enhance air power

    F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots here can now look, lock and launch on an enemy target in the blink of an eye. Because split seconds can mean the difference between life or death for a pilot in combat, the 52nd Fighter Wing here adopted an advanced approach to high-tech man-machine interaction with the

  • Roche, Jumper ‘wear test’ Osprey

    The Air Force's top two leaders got up close and personal Oct. 8 with what may become the service's latest special operations asset. Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper flew in a Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey. General Jumper served as pilot of

  • Tankers fuel war on terror

    The 380th Air Expeditionary Wing’s tanker squadron plays an essential role in the war on terror. KC-10 Extenders are a key part of the wings’ mission to provide coalition aircraft greater range and endurance for missions over Iraq and Afghanistan.Pilots of the 908th Expeditionary Aerial Refueling

  • Combat controllers call in big guns for troops in Afghanistan

    They are respectfully referred to as “the guys with the beards,” by their fellow Airmen here. It is distinction that few American servicemembers in Afghanistan can claim. Dressed in unmarked desert camouflage uniforms, these distinctive Airmen convoy across the Afghan plains, trek through mountain

  • Now showing: Oct. 11 edition of AFTV News

    The continuing Air Force role in Operation Enduring Freedom highlights the latest edition of Air Force Television News. Tech. Sgt. Joy Josephson explains the resupply mission by Air National Guard C-130 Hercules units operating from Uzbekistan. Another aspect of the service’s contribution to peace

  • K-9s receive top care in deployed environment

    In a 110-degree, sandy environment at a forward-deployed location, how does the mission go on when a military working dog is down? As with any combat zone, there are only so many things Airmen can do without the K-9s in place.Keeping the dogs in good health is a top priority, and that

  • William Tell competition resumes after eight-year break

    The Air Force’s first William Tell air-to-air competition in eight years takes flight at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Nov. 8 to 19.William Tell 2004 will test aircrew performance in the air dominance and air sovereignty missions, while evaluating weapons use and the tactics used. The meet also

  • Air Force receives top DOD-level award

    The U.S. Air Forces in Europe communications and information directorate, which oversees the Air Force's communications and information-management effort in the European theater, was given top honors in the chief information officer awards team category Oct. 7.Defense Department officials honored

  • Thrift Savings Plan open season begins Oct. 15

    Civilian and military employees can sign up for, or change, their Thrift Savings Plan contribution amounts during the "open season" Oct. 15 to Dec. 31."TSP is a long-term retirement savings plan, which everyone should consider," said Senior Master Sgt. Felipe Ortiz, superintendent of the Air Force

  • Air Force still needs health professionals

    The Air Force exceeded its enlisted recruiting goal by sending 34,362 people to basic military training in fiscal 2004, but the service was unsuccessful in finding enough physicians, dentists and nurses to meet its health professions goal.The Air Force had an enlisted recruiting goal of 34,080.

  • Official: New adenovirus vaccine 'top priority'

    Defense Department officials are working to field a new vaccine designed to combat a virus that has plagued military basic training since World War II, DOD's senior medical official said Oct. 5.The development of a new adenovirus vaccine is a "top priority," Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr. said. The

  • Airmen train with NATO allies during exercise

    Airmen from Aviano Air Base, Italy, joined forces with NATO’s newest member Oct. 4 to 7 to improve the way they rescue downed pilots.The training was part of Adriatic Rescue 04, a U.S.-Slovenian combat search-and-rescue exercise.While Slovenia conducted similar training with the United States

  • Drum line teaches leadership

    Hearts race as walls pulsate, surrounded by the deafening beat of drums. The audience sits on the edge of its seat as quickening tempos bring the rhythm to new heights.This may be a common scene at any rock ‘n’ roll concert, but there are no paid performers laying down the beat. They are just

  • Deployed medics save Iraqi child

    Almost a week later, little Nahida still winces when doctors ask about the snake that bit her foot. Her father, Nafil Radi, a policeman in the local An Nasiriyah precinct of southern Iraq, sits beside the hospital bed and holds her hand. Gently he coaxes her to point out which type of viper she

  • Kirkuk kicks into shape with Tae Bo

    The inventor of the Tae Bo fitness system, Billy Blanks, and his daughter, Shellie Blanks-Cimarosti, visited here Sept. 28 to conduct three Tae Bo classes with the troops during their Spirit and Body Tour.Mr. Blanks said he was excited to visit with the people deployed here supporting Operation

  • AMC officials recognize civil reserve employees

    Air Mobility Command officials have begun awarding hundreds of Aerial Achievement Medals and thousands of certificates of appreciation to the employees of commercial air carriers called to duty during the Civil Reserve Air Fleet activation in 2003.The fleet of commercial passenger and cargo aircraft

  • Airmen use GBU-38 in combat

    During one particular night shift recently, a team primarily composed of Air National Guardsmen conducted the first successful drop of a GBU-38 bomb in combat.The majority of the people connected to the effort came from the Alabama Air National Guard and were supplemented by Airmen from Illinois and

  • Reserve pilots not reserved when protecting ground troops

    Ammunitions troops here charged with reloading a wingman’s A-10 Thunderbolt II Gatling gun had a busy night recently, following his return. New Orleans Air Force Reserve pilots proved that they are anything but reserved when it comes to protecting U.S. ground troops in Afghanistan. In defense of a

  • Airmen pull underground alert

    Officers from the 742nd Missile Squadron and others like them continue to carry on a 40-year legacy by pulling alert at a seemingly plain-looking wooden building on the North Dakota prairie. Located 60 feet below is the most important part of the facility -- a steel-reinforced capsule no larger

  • Officials release Predator accident report

    Crew error caused an MQ-1L Predator unmanned aerial vehicle to crash during a training mission June 14 at Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field, Nev., according to an Air Force report released Sept. 30.The instructor pilot allowed the student pilot to continue too far into a landing approach

  • Missile crewmember deploys with refuelers

    Most Air Force missile crewmembers spend the majority of their time in an underground launch control center monitoring intercontinental ballistic missiles. But one missileer experienced deployed life in the flying world.First Lt. Joe Page, a missile combat crew commander from Minot Air Force Base,

  • Academy town hall meeting reaches worldwide audience

    The Air Force’s three top leaders opened a town hall meeting here Sept. 27 by speaking about the service’s force size and its future in space.Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper explained the current force management is “not a cut” but designed to reshape the force. “It is getting us down to where

  • Air Force wins 2004 Armed Forces Golf Championship

    The Air Force golf team won the 2004 Armed Forces Golf Championship at Fort Carson, Colo., Sept. 21 to 25.The host Army team jumped to a three-stroke lead over the Air Force (731-734) after the first day of play. Team’s scores are determined by adding the 18-hole stroke total of the six men and

  • Gotta fix ‘em before you fly ‘em

    Nestled in a small, nondescript building among a dozen aircraft revetments here, the 353rd Maintenance Squadron’s consolidated tool kit section hums with activity around the clock.With more than 1,600 bench-stock items, 200 pieces of test equipment and 120 hazardous materials, it is the first and

  • Number of officers receiving command pay reduced

    Command Responsibility Pay now received by some field-grade officers in command positions will end in October.In a Sight Picture titled, “Recognizing the Responsibility of Command,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper announced the Air Force would reduce the number of command positions that

  • Volunteer coach shares passion for boxing

    A maintainer here offers people an alternative to being on the street, one that teaches them lifelong skills. In turn, those people teach him how to become a better coach and allow him to be involved in the sport he adores."I love boxing," said Staff Sgt. Edward Rivas, a flying crew chief with the

  • Leaders outline space-cadre strategy

    Earlier this summer, Undersecretary of the Air Force Peter B. Teets and Gen. Lance W. Lord, commander of Air Force Space Command, outlined for Congress their strategy to develop the professional space cadre the nation needs to acquire and operate future space systems. One of the first things they

  • First Hispanic woman grad credits academy for her success

    Not only was Linda Garcia Cubero the first Hispanic woman to graduate the Air Force Academy, she was the only Hispanic woman to graduate from any of the nation's service academies in 1980, when the first classes with women graduated.President Gerald R. Ford signed legislation Oct. 7, 1975, allowing

  • Duke Field aids relief efforts after hurricanes

    Duke Field picked up a new mission after Hurricane Ivan passed through northwest Florida with 140-mph winds and deadly tornadoes that caused billions of dollars of damage and at least 18 U.S. deaths.Duke Field became a logistical staging area for 40 people from the Federal Emergency Management

  • ATOC keeps troops, supplies moving

    Get ‘em in, get ‘em out. From troops to supplies, the Airmen of the 455th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron’s air terminal operations center here take care of it all, ensuring aerial transport lines keep flowing smoothly.With only about one-fifth the number of people with which the aerial

  • Command, control: Prescription for aeromedical-evacuation success

    A battlefield injury or illness poses a threat to those deployed worldwide. When that threat turns into reality, the Air Force’s extensive aeromedical-evacuation network ensures wounded warriors are moved rapidly to a medical facility to get the care they need. The expansive network includes Airmen

  • Special ops maintainers team up on Kadena's tiny troubles

    Ehren Wahl and Wesley Brown are both staff sergeants, they are assigned to the 353rd Maintenance Squadron, and they each have spent most of their careers here on Okinawa, a tiny island in southern Japan. That is where the similarities end.Sergeant Wahl is an outspoken, 24-year-old from New York who

  • AFRL experts supporting C-5A evaluation program

    Scientists and engineers here are literally putting parts of a C-5 Galaxy under a microscope to help Air Mobility Command officials determine the cargo giant's current condition and future needs.Materials integrity experts from the Air Force Research Laboratory's materials and manufacturing

  • Air Force medics take control of combat hospital

    Troops with emergency medical needs will now visit the Air Force Theater Hospital while deployed to Iraq.Central Command Air Forces officials announced that Sept. 20, Air Force medics took control of the base hospital, formerly known as the 31st Combat Support Hospital.The decision to transfer

  • Air Force announces team-excellence awards

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper announced the five teams selected for 2004 Chief of Staff Team Excellence Awards during a ceremony Sept 14.Fifteen teams were nominated for the awards, which recognize outstanding team performance and promote systematic process improvement. The awards

  • Air Force working to combat stressors

    The war on terrorism is placing many stresses on the Air Force, but Airmen are responding well to those stresses, and leaders are working to alleviate them.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray -- the service's highest-ranking enlisted person -- said there are more than 29,000 Airmen

  • Air Force teams take two simulation awards

    Two Air Force teams are recipients of Department of Defense Modeling and Simulation Awards.The Air Force winners are:Acquisition -- Simulation and Analysis Facility Joint Unmanned Combat Air System Simulation Team from the advanced computational analysis directorate at Wright-Patterson Air Force

  • Minot officer dies after fall

    A lieutenant colonel here died Sept. 18 at about 12:30 p.m. from injuries sustained in a fall earlier in the day.Lt. Col. David Patterson, 5th Maintenance Group deputy commander, fell from an obstacle at the base’s confidence course while participating in a team-building exercise.The colonel arrived

  • AETC commander gives education update

    Right number, right skills, right training and right quality.That is the bottom line, said Gen. Donald G. Cook, commander of Air Education and Training Command, when he gave his stakeholders’ report at the Air Force Association’s 2004 Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition on Sept.

  • War on terror testing, reinforcing Air Force concepts

    The war on terrorism is teaching Air Force leaders important lessons and validating others, said Air Force Secretary Dr. James G. Roche.It is emphasizing the success of the air and space expeditionary force, the importance of joint operations and the critical contribution of the Guard and Reserve in

  • Space mission critical to Air Force success

    The commander of Air Force Space Command made his point perfectly clear to those whose focus remains firmly on the ground -- wars cannot be won without space supremacy.“We’ve introduced, in 50 short years, the asymmetric advantages provided by space power,” said Gen. Lance W. Lord on Sept. 14 at the

  • Myers sends Air Force birthday message

    The following is an Air Force birthday message from Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:“On the 18th of September, 1947, our Nation created the U.S. Air Force. Over the last 57 years, the Air Force has changed dramatically, employing new technology and responding to a

  • Not-so-common POW: Grandmother tells of imprisonment

    The many stories about American prisoners of war usually detail the experiences of servicemembers captured during combat overseas.The little-known tale of a teenage girl, now a grandmother in San Antonio, is also among the accounts deserving acknowledgement.Liz Lautzenhiser Irvine has scrapbooks

  • Base people, aircraft move from Hurricane Ivan’s path

    As Hurricane Ivan creeps closer to the Gulf Coast, base officials in the region are preparing for the worst. National Hurricane Center officials predict it will hit Sept. 16.Nearly 300 Air Force aircraft from eight installations have evacuated as of Sept. 15. Aircraft remaining at the

  • CSI: On the battlefield

    Some of today's most popular television shows feature crime scene investigations, but those pale in comparison to the real-life battlefield investigations an Air Force Research Laboratory scientist here carries out.In his role in the Air Force Reserve, Maj. Greg Moster, whose civilian job is with

  • Sailors, Airmen can 'go green'

    "Go Green" is not just the slogan of environmentalists anymore.The Army is increasing its end strength, and Operation Blue to Green is one method being used to assist in reaching the desired end strength, said Lt. Col. Roy Steed, recruiting policy branch chief at the Army's personnel

  • Airmen make an F-16 ‘Thunder-ready’

    It takes less than 72 hours to convert a red, white and blue Thunderbird F-16 back to combat status. But what about taking a combat-ready Fighting Falcon and making it "Thunder-ready?"That is exactly what the people of the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, demonstrated

  • Special ops Airmen up to task of war on terror

    The war on terrorism has changed the way leaders think about managing conflict, but the commander of Air Force Special Operations Command said he is sure of one thing: His Airmen are right for the job.“(Sept. 11) redefined some key concepts,” said Lt. Gen. Michael W. Wooley, AFSOC commander. “It

  • Americans, Czechs honor those lost in World War II battle

    While people worldwide paused to remember the events of Sept. 11, 2001, a few hundred residents and visitors here gathered to remember a different air disaster -- one that occurred the early afternoon of Sept. 11, 1944. That was when a particularly fierce and bloody World War II air battle took

  • Command chiefs address Airmen’s concerns

    The chief master sergeant of the Air Force joined command chief master sergeants from Air Force major commands at a forum during the Air Force Association’s 2004 Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition here Sept. 13.“As I travel around the Air Force, I (stress) that one of the most

  • Squadron ‘cleans house’ to build new home

    Stepping out of the sweltering heat into the cool shadows of hardened aircraft shelter No. 21, many visitors might notice the new paint on the walls or the freshly swept floors and the spacious room.The former Soviet-era shelter was not always so fresh, clean and inviting. Formerly used as a

  • Chief of staff outlines plans for fewer combat aircraft

    The Air Force will have fewer fighters and strike aircraft, but the lethality of those that remain will increase, the service’s top general said Sept. 13 at the 2004 Air Force Association’s Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition here.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper said the

  • Air Force beats Army, wins softball championship

    The 2004 Armed Forces Men’s Softball Championship ended here Sept. 11 with the Air Force defeating the Army, 16-3, to win the gold.On Day 3 of the tournament, the Army had its second loss of the tournament to the Navy, but still could have taken it all since the championship game is a head-to-head

  • Now showing: Sept. 13 edition of AFTV News

    The Cold War and Vietnam legacies of the B-52 Stratofortress highlight the latest edition of Air Force Television News. Staff Sgt. Leigh Bellinger traces the history of the bomber during its half century of service in the Air Force, including its significant role in both wars against Iraq, and its

  • Airmen ensure medical lifeline in Pacific

    A ready, reliable and efficient war reserve materiel operation is the “heart and soul of medical readiness,” said Senior Master Sgt. Joe Alfaro, superintendent of the 374th Medical Group’s logistics flight here.WRM is pre-positioned equipment and consumable items needed to support Air Force

  • Civil engineers build ‘Airmen-Soldiers’ legacy

    Throughout Iraq, Airmen are working side-by-side with Soldiers performing what have been traditionally considered Army jobs. Among those blazing a trail for this new culture of “Airmen-Soldiers” are the 732nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Airmen.The more than 240 combat-trained engineers in