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  • Goodfellow AFB firefighters respond to wildfire

    As dense smoke from a nearby fire engulfed the base April 15, crews and assets from here and the Louis F. Garland Fire Academy joined forces with hundreds of other firefighters to battle the fire.Persistent drought, high winds and temperatures have complicated attempts to battle the fire, which was

  • Air Force Climate Survey yields insights

    More than 172,000 Airmen across the Air Force voiced their opinions in the online Air Force Climate Survey from Oct. 8 to Nov. 28. After experts performed a comprehensive analysis, officials have recently released the total force results on the Air Force Portal. The climate survey is designed to

  • Eielson recycling project kicks off

    People here soon will have the opportunity to reduce waste by recycling paper, plastic, tin, aluminum and glass products on base when a new recycling program kicks off in the weeks following Earth Day April 22.Officials in the 354th Civil Engineer Squadron Environmental Flight have been working

  • TRICARE supports DEA's National Medication Take Back Day

    National Medication Take Back Day is being observed April 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at many police departments, universities, hospitals and military installations across America. This one-day event, sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration, provides a venue for people to safely dispose of

  • 50th Space Wing officials accept ground system upgrades

    Officials at the 50th Space Wing accepted two Global Positioning System ground system upgrades during a ceremony here April 14.The ceremony signified a group effort between wing, Air Force Space Command and the Space and Missile Systems Center officials and their continued commitment to improve and

  • Nominations open for Portraits in Courage Vol. 6

    Nominations are currently being accepted through May 20 for Portraits in Courage Vol. 6, officials said here April 18.Five years ago, Air Force officials developed "Portraits in Courage," highlighting compelling stories of Airmen's honor, valor, devotion and sacrifice in a time of war. The

  • Airmen of Note's 2011 Spring Tour comes to an end

    The Airmen of Note, the premier jazz ensemble of the Air Force, finished their 2011 Spring Tour through Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas March 30."Touring the U.S. gives the Airmen of Note the opportunity to influence communities by demonstrating the excellence and passion with which

  • Civilian developmental education application deadline May 1

    Air Force civilians interested in civilian developmental education opportunities during academic year 2012 have until May 1 to submit completed application packages to the Air Force Personnel Center force development branch.Civilians must be nominated for CDE by their local leaders and endorsed by

  • Air Force Week in Photos

    This week's photo highlights feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.View the slideshow.

  • Medical team saves life with 'cool' procedure

    Members of the Air Force Theater Hospital emergency staff here recently performed an unconventional medical procedure to help save a Soldier's life. The 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group staff used therapeutic hypothermia to ensure the patient, who had suffered cardiac arrest, would fully

  • Photo essay: Langley Airmen participate in operational readiness inspection

    Members of the 149th Fighter Squadron prepare F-22 Raptors during an operational readiness inspection here April 10. The inspection evaluates an installation's ability to efficiently deploy military members, cargo and equipment while adjusting to rapidly changing security conditions.View the

  • Misawa children roll-up their sleeves, pitch-in with volunteer efforts

    Children from here, accompanied by 16 parents, were part of the first Misawa Helps program family mission April 12 to take place since the volunteer organization stood up in the days following the March 11 earthquake and resulting tsunami.With spring break and children out of school this week, this

  • Policy permitting media access for dignified transfers two years old

    Two years ago, on April 6, 2009, the dignified transfer of a fallen service member with media in attendance took place under new policy directed by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. The policy, issued on March 25, 2009, sponsors family members wishing to attend and empowers the primary next of kin

  • Yokota AB, Misawa AB commanders lift stop-movement order

    The orders issued March 12 and 14 that stopped active duty Air Force permanent-change-of-station moves to Yokota and Misawa air bases has been lifted, and active duty members are being directed to meet their report no later than dates. However, command-sponsored family members are not yet authorized

  • All commissaries would remain open during government shutdown

    All military commissaries would be operational in the event of a government shutdown, the Defense Commissary Agency announced late today. DeCA's announcement that its stores would continue to serve military members and their families if a government shutdown were to occur, affects 249 commissaries

  • Senior leader letter to men and women of the Air Force

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy issued the following message to the men and women of the United States Air Force:We remain hopeful that a government shutdown will be averted. However, prudent

  • Army drill sergeant pushes BMT flight

    When Army Staff Sgt. David Peters marched Air Force Basic Military Training Flight 258 past reviewing officials during a parade here April 8, it completed one half of a basic training instructor exchange between services.The drill sergeant-military training instructor exchange has given the Air

  • Enlisted medics honored at Armed Services YMCA gala

    Air Force active-duty, Reserve and Guard enlisted medics were among those from all service components honored at the Armed Services YMCA's 5th Annual Angels of the Battlefield Gala at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here March 31. Army Gen. Raymond Odierno, the commander of

  • Safety Investigation Board convenes for A-10 crash

    A Safety Investigation Board tasked with investigating the A-10 Thunderbolt II crash that occurred April 1 in a field outside Laufeld, Germany, a town north of Wittlich convened here April 5. The team, led by Col. Michael Winters, the 100th Air Refueling Wing vice commander and SIB president, will

  • Air Force Week in Photos

    This week's photo highlights feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.View the slideshow.

  • Iraqi, American firefighters team up for joint exercise

    A dozen Iraqi Air Force and U.S.-contracted firefighters conducted a joint coordination exercise for a simulated C-130 Hercules crash here April 3. The exercise, led by the U.S. Air Force's base transition team, marked the initial steps in preparing Iraqi partners for increasing responsibilities as

  • Air Force officials announce enlisted supplemental promotions

    More than 50 Airmen have been selected for promotion to the next higher rank as part of the April enlisted supplemental promotion process. The enlisted supplemental promotion release announces those Airmen selected for promotion who tested outside of their required cycle due to an extended temporary

  • Air Force officials issue guidelines for green fleece

    Additional new guidance has just been released from the office of Manpower, Personnel and Services, or AF/A1, at the Pentagon regarding wear of the authorized sage-green fleece outer garment.According to a message issued by AF/A1, "The sage-green fleece jacket, commonly known as Generation III or

  • Gates, Shinseki agree to joint electronic medical records

    Two years after they joined President Barack Obama in announcing plans to create a joint virtual lifetime electronic record, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki have agreed to create a joint common platform for their departments' electronic medical

  • The U.S. Air Force Academy set to release new app for iTunes and Android

    The U.S. Air Force Academy is set to release a new app Wednesday for iTunes and Android. The app will be a free download and is a one-stop-shop for Academy news, photos and videos on Android- and iTunes-enabled devices.Some highlights of the app include links to up-to-the-minute Academy news and

  • AFNIC engineers prepare Air Force for IPv6 transition

    The Air Force is preparing to undergo a major transition of its non-secure internet protocol router network, or NIPRNet, and if it goes as planned, you'll never notice.Air Force Network Integration Center engineers are leading the Air Force's transition from the current Internet Protocol addressing

  • Dover Airmen support Operation Odyssey Dawn

    Three C-5M Super Galaxy aircrews from here delivered cargo March 23 to 27 in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn.The Air Force Reserve's 709th Airlift Squadron and the active-duty 9th AS here worked together to deliver 387,000 pounds of cargo. On March 18, the secretary of defense approved and ordered

  • Photo essay: Airmen help clean up tsunami-struck area

    Airmen assigned to Misawa Air Base, Japan, are among nearly 40 service members and civilians who left the base to assist in tsunami cleanup and relief efforts here March 29 as part of Operation Tomodachi. View the slideshow.

  • CMSAF highlights Airman resiliency during hearing

    The Air Force's top enlisted Airman testified before the House Subcommittee for Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies here March 30, about quality of life in the military.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy, alongside his sister-service counterparts, spoke about

  • Top enlisted leaders share views with Congress

    Improving housing and child care, giving better access to health care and education, and intervening earlier in high-risk behavior are areas the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps are focused on to maintain a high quality of life for service members and their families, the services' most-senior

  • VA makes progress to end veteran homelessness

    They served their country in uniform -- many on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan. And now that they've returned home and rejoined civilian life, an alarming number of veterans have found themselves on the streets and living under bridges.Veterans Affairs Department officials are making

  • Air Force Week in Photos

    This week's photo highlights feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.View the slideshow.

  • Ellsworth Airmen join Operation Odyssey Dawn

    B-1B Lancers from the 28th Bomb Wing were launched early March 27 from their home station here to strike targets in Libya in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn. "Nearly 700 Ellsworth Airmen are currently deployed around the world supporting existing overseas contingency operations," said Col. Jeffrey

  • Eglin efforts help reclassify endangered local fish

    A small fish, whose habitat is almost exclusively on the ranges here, became the first-ever fish on Defense Department land to be reclassified on the endangered species list.The Okaloosa darter remains on the endangered species list, but due to major erosion control efforts by 96th Civil Engineer

  • Photo essay: Kadena's rescue team on a mission

    Members of the 33rd Rescue Squadron and the 320th Special Tactics Squadron from Kadena Air Base here conduct search operations March 25 in support of Operation Tomodachi.View the slideshow.

  • TRICARE extends Web-based counseling program

    The TRICARE Assistance Program has been extended through March 20, 2012. This demonstration program lets active-duty service members and their families' beneficiaries use the Internet and a webcam to speak face-to-face with mental health counselors 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year

  • Commander discusses Yokota's role in Operation Tomodachi

    Yokota Air Base's role as the sole airlift hub of the western Pacific increased in significance following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in northern Japan.Col. Otto Feather, the 374th Air Wing commander here, discussed the importance of the wing's partnership with Japan to ongoing relief

  • Photo essay: Guardsmen deploy in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn

    Members of the Illinois Air National Guard's 126th Air Refueling Wing here prepare a KC-135 Stratotanker for deployment March 25, in support Operation Odyssey Dawn. The KC-135s will provide air-refueling support to coalition aircraft enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya.View the slideshow.

  • Air National Guard supports coalition operations over Libya

    The Air National Guard is contributing to Operation Odyssey Dawn with Airmen from 11 air refueling wings supporting the international coalition enforcement of a United Nations authorized no-fly zone, National Guard officials said March 22 here.Aircraft and crews from Alaska, Arizona, Illinois, Iowa,

  • Air Force leaders issue sexual assault prevention, response message

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy issued the following message to the men and women of the United States Air Force:We must commit to eliminating sexual assault from our Air Force.Air Force leaders

  • Air Force Week in Photos

    This week's photo highlights feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.View the slideshow.

  • New Security+ certification course offered at Keesler AFB

    A new course to provide Security+ certification to cyberspace support Airmen prior to air expeditionary force deployments began March 21 here.The course is currently programmed to train 1,297 students annually in Keesler AFB's 336th Training Squadron.Last December, during a training advisory meeting

  • Test report: AFNet effective, suitable, mission-capable

    The effort to manage Air Force web and email operations as one, consolidated enterprise took a giant step forward March 18, with release of a testing report on Air Force Intranet Increment 1, referred to as AFNet Inc 1. The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center's evaluation showed that

  • Photo essay: Establishing a forward area refueling point in Japan

    Airmen assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Group offload fuel from an MC-130P Combat Shadow while establishing a forward area refueling point here March 17. A forward area refueling point provides the capability to offload fuel to storage devices or other aircraft, increasing an aircraft's

  • Tax laws benefit service members, families

    Service members and their families have a few tax advantages at their disposal, as well as a few extra days in which to complete their taxes this year, a Defense Department tax expert said.Due to Emancipation Day, a holiday recognized by the District of Columbia, government officials have pushed the

  • PACOM officials direct distribution of potassium iodide tablets

    As a precautionary measure, U.S. Pacific Command officials directed distribution of potassium iodide tablets March 22 here. Base officials, however, are stressing there is no indication of increased exposure here. "We want everyone who may need the pills to be prepared, whether it's because of

  • Air Force special operations Airman supports Marine units

    Airmen from the 353rd Special Operations Group are providing support for relief operations in Japan in a variety of ways. For one communications specialist from the group, that means being one of only three Airman forward deployed with a team of Marines. Senior Airman Adam Colby, a special

  • Air Force officials launch accountability system for personnel in Japan

    Air Force officials have activated the Air Force Personnel Accountability and Assessment System, or AFPAAS, to monitor the status and location of all personnel and dependents residing on the island of Honshu, Japan.Officials are asking commanders and their commander representatives, or CORs, to

  • Clinical trials seek to improve warriors' burn care

    New hope is on the horizon for wounded warriors suffering debilitating burns as officials from the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine and their partners at medical research centers launch three promising clinical trials.Burns are among the most painful and debilitating battlefield

  • No-fly zone in place, but danger remains, admiral says

    While the attacks on Libya's integrated air and missile defense system have been successful, thousands of anti-aircraft artillery emplacements and portable missile launchers still pose threats to coalition air crews, the director of the Joint Staff said March 21.On the second day of Operation

  • Coalition launches 'Operation Odyssey Dawn'

    Coalition forces launched "Operation Odyssey Dawn" March 19 to enforce U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973 to protect the Libyan people from the country's ruler.The goal of the military coalition is to prevent further attacks by regime forces on Libyan citizens, officials said, adding that the

  • Photo essay: 353rd Special Operations Group Airmen deliver supplies

    A crew from the 353rd Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base here delivered supplies to Sendai Airport March 16. The crew brought water, food, fuel and other general supplies to the members of the 353rd Special Operations Group at Sendai Airport, who are establishing a usable runway to help

  • Air Force officials focus on sexual assault prevention

    Air Force Secretary Michael Donley directed a comprehensive review of the service's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program as a result of information provided by a survey of active-duty members, officials said March 16.This survey was specifically designed to establish baseline data for

  • Air Force Week in Photos

    This week's photo highlights feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.View the slideshow.

  • Air Force officials announce enlisted supplemental promotions

    More than 125 Airmen have been selected for promotion to the next higher rank as part of the March enlisted supplemental promotion process, officials announced. The enlisted supplemental promotion release announces those Airmen selected for promotion who tested outside of their required cycle due to

  • Doughboy's burial marks end of era

    Americans recognized the end of an era March 15 as they bade a solemn farewell to Army Cpl. Frank Woodruff Buckles, the last surviving U.S. World War I veteran. He was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery here with full military honors.President Barack Obama paid tribute to Mr. Buckles as he

  • Air Force officials announce officer selection boards results

    Air Force officials announced today their selection of 516 lieutenant colonels, 52 majors and 109 captains for promotion.The 2010C line of the Air Force colonel and biomedical sciences corps lieutenant colonel and major (biomedical sciences corps) central selection boards considered 4,149 lieutenant

  • Yokota, Misawa commanders stop incoming PCS moves

    Permanent-change-of-station moves to Yokota and Misawa air bases are currently delayed in the aftermath of an earthquake and tsunami that caused catastrophic damage to locations throughout the country.Wing commanders at both bases have issued stop-movement directives that affect military PCS moves,

  • Photo essay: Japan's aftermath

    A joint team of Airmen and Marines fly over the Sendai Airport here March 13 to survey the aftermath of the 8.9-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck the region. The service members are assisting with Japan's earthquake and tsunami recovery effort.View the slideshow.

  • Services meet, exceed recruiting, retention goals

    Recruiting and retention remained high throughout the services for the first five months of the fiscal year, according to numbers Pentagon officials released March 15.Through February, all four active-duty services and four of the five reserve components had met or exceeded their recruiting goals

  • Red Cross website links Japan-based troops to home

    In the wake of Japan's massive earthquake and tsunami, Red Cross officials are encouraging U.S. service members and families stationed there to register with an online resource intended to keep family and friends back home informed of their welfare.Military members and their families can relay their

  • Disaster response symposium focuses on strength, unity

    Disaster responders from across the nation converged in Orlando, Fla., for the 2nd Annual National Joint Defense Support of Civil Authorities Symposium, hosted by Air Forces Northern officials, to discuss better ways for federal agencies, specifically the military, to assist during man-made and

  • Web-based tool improves civilian career development planning

    This month, civilian employees will be able to use the updated version of the Airmen Development Plan to create career development plans.In addition to providing civilians with easier access to career guidance and mentorship, the ADP is an online collaborative tool that enables supervisors,

  • Chief Etchberger honored at Air Force Memorial

    Air Force leaders joined the family of Chief Master Sgt. Richard L. Etchberger at the Air Force Memorial here March 11 to honor the war hero with the unveiling of his name on the memorial's Medal of Honor recipient wall.Air Force Secretary Michael Donley, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A.

  • Mullen urges communities to embrace returning vets

    The top U.S. military officer continued his campaign March 10 to encourage communities to help combat veterans transition after returning home and to embrace the attributes they bring to the nation. "This is a generation that is wired to serve," whether at the local, state, national or international

  • Jobs website continues to ease application process for employees

    Since its implementation in May 2010, more than 180,000 applications have been posted through www.NAFjobs.org.The Air Force-wide online job board makes it easier for job seekers to find and apply for nonappropriated fund, or NAF, federal job vacancies at Air Force clubs, golf courses, child

  • Air Force Week in Photos

    This week's photo highlights feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.View the slideshow.