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  • Eagle Flag's importance stressed

    The Air Force’s top two leaders got a first-hand look Oct. 15 at the service’s newest flag-level exercise, Eagle Flag. They also talked about what they want every airman to know about the exercise.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper

  • Falconer will control Red Flag sky

    America’s ability to dominate air and space during war is being tested Oct. 19 to 31. About 90 airmen from U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s 32nd Air Operations Group will descend on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., to participate in Red Flag 2003.The airmen comprise what is called a Falconer Air Operations

  • Tops in Blue entertains Bagram troops

    The Air Force’s Tops in Blue team contributed to the war on terrorism when they performed for more than 800 soldiers, airmen and coalition partners here Oct. 11. This year’s tour celebrates 50 years of performances around the world.Known as the Air Force’s “expeditionary entertainers,” Tops in Blue

  • TSP open season begins

    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 an easy, long-term retirement savings plan, that everyone should consider," said Senior Master Sgt. Felipe Ortiz, superintendent of the Air

  • First Eagle Flag exercise begins

    More than 150 expeditionary combat-support leaders from around the Air Force arrived here Oct. 13 for the inaugural Eagle Flag, the Air Force’s newest flag-level exercise. The goal of the exercise is to test the ability of the participants to open and establish an air base to an initial operating

  • Pace: U.S. troop strength in Korea can be cut

    United States troop strength in South Korea can be reduced because of technological advances in military art and lessons learned from combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, the nation's No. 2 military officer said here Oct. 10."I personally believe that the numbers of U.S. troops in Korea can, in fact, be

  • Airmen complete 25,000-foot jump

    An icy blast fills the cabin as the C-17 Globemaster III crew opens the rear hatch in midair. The C-17 provided the platform recently for nine survival, escape, resistance and evasion specialists and one combat controller to perform a high-altitude, low-opening parachute jump training over the

  • Karl Malone guarantees POW/MIA recognition

    It is said that passionate people wear their hearts on their sleeves. For Los Angeles Lakers’ forward Karl Malone, he chooses to wear his on his shoe.There are more than 88,000 Americans still unaccounted for in all conflicts. The Lakers could sell out every home game and be well into the sixth

  • Board releases F-16 accident report

    An F-16 pilot's failure to follow emergency checklist procedures for a failed hydraulic pump caused the F-16CG Fighting Falcon he was taxiing to collide with a parked F-16 at a forward-operating location June 15.The aircraft, assigned to the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, was

  • Travis firefighters dominate El Paso challenge

    Firefighter combat challenge teams take note: The Travis team is the real deal. At the regional Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge competition here Oct. 4 and 5, the firefighter team from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., dominated every aspect of the tournament, taking first place in four out of five

  • Warfighters reach back to Langley

    Each day during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Airman 1st Class Jamie O'Connell would drive home from Langley Air Force Base after fighting the war in Iraq, and with traffic, it took her about 15 minutes.She is an imagery analyst in the 30th Intelligence Squadron, working at Distributed Ground System 1

  • Software helps put bombs on target

    Since March 19, warfighters have dropped 21,300 munitions in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Tens of thousands more have been dropped or launched during Operation Enduring Freedom and that many more stand ready if and when the call comes.To account for all the munitions the Air Force owns, ammunition

  • Helmet saves airman's life

    Airman 1st Class Michael Lashbrooks made a critical decision this summer. The veteran motorcycle rider decided to spend nearly $500 on a top-quality helmet to wear while riding his 2003 Kawasaki Ninja 636. Call it personal risk management or plain common sense -- it saved his life.The scars on

  • Rescue mission moves to AFSOC

    A ceremony held at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., Oct. 1, marked the official transfer of Air Force combat search and rescue to Air Force Special Operations Command.The transfer is a result of an Air Force chief of staff direction to align the CSAR mission and assets under one command -- Air Force

  • Air Force will test Eagle Flag

    The Air Force will begin its newest flag-level exercise Oct. 13, targeting expeditionary combat-support skills and testing them to the maximum extent. Eagle Flag is to the expeditionary combat-support community what Red Flag is to the fighter community, said Maj. Gen. Christopher A. Kelly, Air

  • Bone-marrow donation saves life

    A 388th Maintenance Group airman here got a special phone call recently -- from a woman whose life he helped save with a bone marrow donation.“When I was in school four years ago, they were having a bone marrow drive,” said Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Dorman. “I just thought, ‘what the heck,’ and gave them

  • Cop becomes crew chief for a day

    On a typical day at work, Airman 1st Class Andrew Cox is an entry controller with the 380th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron here, directing hundreds of cars through the entry control point. Recently, he spent his day directing a KC-135 Stratotanker into the air.The opportunity to launch a

  • First Raptor arrives at Tyndall

    The first operational F/A-22 Raptor was delivered to the Air Force’s F/A-22 schoolhouse here Sept. 26. Tyndall, once known as “The Home of Air Superiority” became “The Home of Air Dominance,” with the arrival of its first F/A-22. The Raptor will eventually replace the F-15 Eagle and sets the

  • Airmen nearly sweep DOD fire awards

    The Air Force nearly swept the Department of Defense Fire and Emergency Services awards program, winning five out of six award categories for the second year in a row. Air Force firefighters won the top awards for military firefighter, military fire officer, civilian fire officer and fire department

  • Fighters benefit from Link 16

    A recent Electronic Systems Center effort has improved targeting accuracy and allowed air operations centers to change F-15 Eagle and F-15E Strike Eagle mission variables “on the fly.”Members of the Tactical Data Link System Program Office equipped all 22 operational F-15 active-duty and Air

  • Guardsmen, reservists essential to war effort

    National Guard and Reserve forces "have been absolutely essential" to the war on terrorism, the commander of U.S. Central Command told the Senate Appropriations Committee. His comments came during a Sept. 24 hearing about the fiscal 2004 supplemental funding request for Iraq and Afghanistan."We

  • Elmendorf opens multiplatform center

    On Sept. 24, the 3rd Wing officially opened the Air Force’s first multiplatform mission training center that uses advanced technology to maximize operational effectiveness and combat capability. The center will house multiple weapon systems simulators -- built and operated by multiple contractors

  • Secretary lauds resourceful approach

    Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche used the Air Force Association’s technology symposium Sept. 17 as a forum to praise Air Force ingenuity.Roche compared today’s leaders with those of the Army Air Corps, saying that integrating people and systems in new and innovative ways guarantees a

  • AF announces team-excellence awards

    Air Force officials announced the five teams selected for the 2003 Chief of Staff Team Excellence Award on Sept. 16 during the Air Force Association convention in Washington, D.C.A total of 15 teams were nominated for this year’s award, which recognizes outstanding team performance and promotes

  • Lab earns DOD modeling, simulation award

    Showcasing better and more effective ways to train, warfighter training research division experts here captured top honors in the Defense Department's 2003 Modeling and Simulation Award training category.The training systems technology team earned the award that recognizes units, organizational

  • B-2 exercises 'spirit' through deployment

    B-2 Spirit bomber crews and support teams are in Guam to participate in Coronet Dragon 49, an exercise to test their deployment capabilities and the ability to fly and fight from a forward location. The exercise sent airmen from the 325th Bomb Squadron and 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base,

  • AF agency helps track Isabel

    Since Sept. 6, Air Force Weather Agency officials here have been tracking a tropical storm, now known as Hurricane Isabel.Isabel's initial formation, like most tropical storms, was not spotted by land or ship observations. Satellite analysts identified the telltale signs more than 2,500 miles from

  • B-2 drops 80 test JDAMs

    A B-2 Spirit bomber here released 80 inert joint direct attack munitions Sept. 10 for the first time, clearing the way for warfighters to attack that many individual targets on a single bomb run.After an 11-sortie buildup toward qualifying the B-2 for the maximum munitions load, B-2 global power

  • Outstanding airmen honored

    The Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2003 received a ceremonial tribute Sept. 15 at the Air Force Association convention here.Each year, the AFA honors the 12 airmen at its annual convention in Washington, D.C. The program was initiated at the organization’s 10th annual national

  • Squadron wins DOD maintenance award

    The 74th Fighter Squadron here has been named winner of the 2003 Secretary of Defense Maintenance Award in the small category.The A-10 Thunderbolt II unit was the only Air Force winner out of six units in the small, medium and large categories.The selection panel looked at mission accomplishments,

  • Global chiefs discuss air power

    More than 90 air power leaders from around the world convened here to interact with each other, members of Congress, national dignitaries, industry leaders and diplomats.The last Global Air Chiefs Conference, held in Las Vegas in 1997, was during the Air Force's 50th anniversary. This year's

  • U.S., Dutch pilots train together

    Boom operator Airman Charles Converse noted something different about the Dutch F-16 that slowly moved into place for a quick gas-and-go high above Afghanistan on Sept. 11. The pilot was proudly displaying the Stars and Stripes above the windscreen in his cockpit. The Dutch had not only put a flag

  • Now showing: Sept. 15 edition of AFTV News

    The contribution airmen make at the detainee center in U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, is chronicled in the latest edition of Air Force Television News. Tech. Sgt. Pachari Lutke has an exclusive look at how airmen are helping guard the hundreds of detainees being held at the center as part of

  • Leaders recognize 56 years of Air Force

    The U.S. Air Force celebrates its 56th year Sept. 18. In recognition of this, the following is a message from Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper:“In 56 years, the U.S. Air Force has earned its wings as the world’s greatest air and space

  • MRE menu debuts new items

    Servicemembers in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere will soon have several new MRE options to choose from for their deployed-dining pleasure.The newest meals, ready-to-eat, feature three new entrée items: pot roast with vegetables, barbecue pork ribs and vegetable manicotti. The menu also includes

  • Committee debates tanker lease plan

    Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee do not question the Air Force’s need for new tankers, only how the service plans to get them.Air Force Secretary Dr. James G. Roche met with the committee Sept. 4. He outlined the importance of immediately upgrading the service’s aging aerial refueling

  • Airmen train with soldiers in Hawaii

    The Texas Air National Guard’s 149th Fighter Wing added close-air support to its annual combat training here this summer with help from the Army’s 25th Infantry Division.A week of training, called Sentry Strike, was held with the Army’s forward-air controllers. Each year, the wing’s airmen deploy

  • Roche testifies on tanker lease

    Air Force Secretary Dr. James G. Roche testified before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on Sept. 3 to answer questions about the 2004 Air Force Tanker Lease Proposal.The final defense committee hearing will be held Sept. 4, in the Senate Armed Services Committee.

  • Airmen patrol enemy’s side of wire

    In a hot and dusty Afghani valley, there is land scarred with land mines and tied down with concertina wire fences separating American heroes from terrorists. The environment alone is hostile, featuring sweltering summers and bone-chilling winters. The habitat is a haven for venomous creatures and

  • F-15E crew buried in Arlington

    Two F-15E Strike Eagle crewmembers killed in action during Operation Iraqi Freedom were buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full honors Aug. 29.Capt. Eric B. Das, aircraft commander, and Lt. Col. William R. Watkins III, weapon systems officer, were killed April 7 when their aircraft went down

  • Malfunction caused F-15E accident

    A major flight-control malfunction caused the pilot to lose control of an F-15E Strike Eagle, forcing the crew to eject during a training mission June 4, according to officials. The accident occurred about 25 miles west of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. The pilot and instructor pilot ejected

  • Airmen attend Army weather course

    Several experienced Air Force forecasters completed a pilot version of a new course designed to help airmen provide weather support for Army operations.The first official staff weather officer course is scheduled for October. Its instructors teach Air Force weather specialists some of the Army’s

  • Now showing: Sept. 1 edition of AFTV News

    How the transformation of the Air Force will affect Air Mobility Command is spotlighted in the latest edition of Air Force Television News. In a special Eye on the Air Force, Staff Sgt. Joe Wallace goes to Scott Air Force Base, Ill., to examine what role AMC will play in the transformation

  • Contractor to control air traffic at Bagram

    The base here is scheduled to be the first of four supporting Operation Enduring Freedom to replace Air Force air traffic controllers and airfield managers with contracted civilians. The transition is expected by the end of September.“We expect a seamless transition with no interruption to air

  • Officials release accident reports

    Air Combat Command Accident officials released the results of investigations Aug. 27 for two incidents which happened in May.The first incident involved engine damage on an F-15E Strike Eagle on May 29. Air Force investigators determined incorrect installation of compressor blade locks in the

  • Airmen open hearts, planes for Thai orphans

    Guy Ratchaporn had never been on an airplane before. The 6 year old never dreamed he would sit in the pilot’s seat of an MC-130 Combat Shadow until the 353rd Special Operations Group airmen from Kadena Air Base, Japan, opened their airplane and their hearts to children of Thailand’s Ban Jang Jai

  • Americans officially end era at PSAB

    U.S. officials transferred control of portions of Prince Sultan Air Base to Saudi officials at a ceremony Aug. 26. The ceremony also marked the inactivation of the 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing."We came here under difficult circumstances following the Khobar Towers bombing (at Dhahran Air Base),”

  • Former TAC commander dead at 76

    The general who led Tactical Air Command for more than six years died Aug. 26 in Las Vegas at the age of 76.Retired Gen. Wilbur L. “Bill” Creech, TAC commander from May 1, 1978, to Dec. 31, 1984, is survived by his wife Caroline A. Creech.Creech was a command pilot who flew more than 40 fighter,

  • Teamwork reaches back to junior ROTC

    While flying combat missions over Iraq, 1st Lt. Brian Huster is never alone.As a co-pilot on a KC-10A Extender, he is part of crew of four aviators, and he is connected with the team of thousands of U.S. and coalition troops fighting the global war on terrorism. But for this new flier, there is an

  • Tinker employee saves AF $5 million

    A logistics management specialist in the cruise missile product group came up with a suggestion to save the Air Force close to $5.5 million.In the process, Tracy Thompson earned $10,000 for himself through the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program.Thompson came up with his

  • Air Force reaches recruiting goal

    The Air Force reached its enlisted-contract goal Aug. 22 with the signing of its 37,000th enlistment contract. More than 32,000 people entered basic military training since Sept. 30. The Air Force now has enough contracts to meet its goal for the fiscal year and has for the past four years,

  • Air Force teamwork saves U.N. lives

    Airmen from several Air Force units at Baghdad International Airport rescued seven U.N. employees injured when a terrorist bomb exploded outside their headquarters here Aug. 19. Approximately 90 minutes after the attack, 301st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron officials sent two combat search and rescue

  • IMAX film crew wraps session at Nellis

    Filming wrapped for the summer here Aug. 22 on an IMAX film based on the Air Force and the mission of Red Flag.The 45-minute, multimillion-dollar film is scheduled to be released in 2004, according to officials.“IMAX is a spectacular venue in which to showcase the Air Force,” said Maj. Gen. Steve

  • Officials release accident report

    Air Force investigators determined that two rivets failed on an improperly loaded B-1B Lancer bomber. The aircraft sustained almost $1.3 million in damage during a March 31 bombing mission.The four-member crew landed the aircraft safely at its forward-deployed location. A ground crew discovered

  • Air Force reorganizes acquisitions team

    Air Force officials announced a major reorganization of the acquisition management structure Aug. 20.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper and Air Force Secretary Dr. James G. Roche approved the reorganization of the service’s aircraft, weapons, and command, control and combat support

  • Osan airmen keep engines ready

    There are at least five fluids required to keep the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft’s TF-34 turbofan engines running: fuel, lubricant, blood, sweat and tears.The 51st Maintenance Squadron’s propulsion flight airmen here have all 11 of their spare A-10 engines ready and waiting in case one is

  • B-2 drops enhanced bombs during test

    A B-2 Spirit released two newly-upgraded 5,000-pound live weapons Aug. 14 in a test by the B-2 Global Power Bomber Combined Test Force here.The weapons were released over the Utah Testing and Training Range at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, marking the first successful drop of live GBU-28 B/B series

  • 'Airport in a suitcase' thwarts poor visibility

    Airmen from Robins Air Force Base, Ga., are providing essential airfield systems here for forces fighting in Operation Iraqi Freedom.The 5th Combat Communications Group airmen are using an air traffic and control landing system they call their "airport in a suitcase" to help aircraft land safely

  • Officials: No intention of pay cut

    Pentagon officials have no intention of lowering total compensation for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Defense Department's top personnel officer said Aug. 14.David S. C. Chu, defense undersecretary for personnel and readiness, took questions from the media in response to published reports

  • Now showing: Aug. 18 edition of AFTV News

    The work of Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard in three northeastern states to keep people and supplies moving to and from Southwest Asia is spotlighted in the latest edition of Air Force Television News. Staff Sgt. Bill Scherer visits Pease Air National Guard Base, N.H., an ANG unit at

  • Twins celebrate 21st in Afghanistan

    The 455th Expeditionary Operations Group air traffic control flight celebrated the birthday of two of its airmen here Aug. 13. Senior Airmen Jason and Miles Herder, who are identical twins, turned 21 while deployed from the Air National Guard’s 243rd Air Traffic Control Squadron in Cheyenne, Wyo.

  • Sortie changes green pilot blue

    An A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot deployed here with the 81st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron was required to fire at an enemy target on his first combat sortie Aug. 11.First Lt. Erik Axt deployed here Aug. 9 from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, less than two months after becoming combat-ready, said Lt.

  • Rumsfeld: Terror war drives transformation

    The ongoing global war against terrorism makes U.S. military transformation efforts an imperative goal, Department of Defense’s top civilian and uniformed officer said here Aug. 14.Gen. Richard B. Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, accompanied Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to a

  • AF works to demobilize Guard, Reserve

    The Air Force is working to return the nearly 28,000 mobilized Guard and Reserve airmen to their families and civilian jobs as quickly as possible, according to the service’s senior manpower official.“There are a full range of initiatives that we’re undertaking to accomplish the mission without

  • Team evaluates combat identification

    Nearly 2,000 people participated in a joint combat-identification exercise at the Combat Readiness Training Center here Aug. 4 to 14. The exercise focused on identifying targets when systems disagree on the target’s coordinates.An example might be when an E-8C Joint Stars and a RQ-1 Predator

  • Major decision changes, saves lives

    On Sept. 11, 2001, Dr. Lidia S. Ilcus was driving to her office to see patients and lead clinicals as an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Houston. When Ilcus arrived at work, a nurse approached her with some unexpected news.Like most people in the country that morning, the two of

  • Pilots test collision-avoidance system

    The Air Force's Automatic Air Collision Avoidance System successfully put two F-16 Fighting Falcons into automated maneuvers Aug. 7 to avoid collision during tests at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Maj. James Less and Swedish air force Maj. Richard Ljungberg flew a specially equipped research

  • Security forces ensure airmen return safely

    In the upcoming weeks, the 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing will inactivate, ending the American presence here.By then, most of the deployed airmen here will have already rotated home or to other forward locations.However, the airmen of the 363rd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron will be on guard

  • DOD is transforming training

    A Marine unit facing combat runs into opposition. The call goes out for fire support. In the past, the call would likely have gone to a Marine artillery unit or air asset.Today, that call could go to an Army helicopter unit or an Air Force precision- strike aircraft. It could go to a Navy

  • Vietnam veteran serves in Iraq

    Master Sgt. Terry Upchurch has a unique perspective serving in Iraq. He can compare his experiences here with those he had 35 years ago as an 18-year-old airman in Vietnam."I had been married only three months," said Upchurch, who is with the 506th Operations Support Squadron. "I was an air

  • First production Global Hawk rolls out

    The first production RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle rolled out in ceremonies held Aug. 1 at prime contractor Northrop Grumman’s Antelope Valley Manufacturing Center at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif. Drawing back a large curtain, program officials unveiled Global Hawk in its

  • Combat Shadows helping with Liberia

    Airmen from the 398th Air Expeditionary Group embarked on a refueling flight Aug. 6 in an MC-130P Combat Shadow, originally from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, now supporting operations in Liberia. The mission was to refuel three HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, also part of the 398th AEG, from

  • Airmen keep planes, spirits flying high

    Eglin airmen working at Baghdad International Airport, Iraq, are wearing various hats to keep the airplanes in the air and airmen on the ground safe.Airmen from the 728th Air Control Squadron deployed more than three months ago and have had to learn to deal with the danger and boredom that accompany

  • Ganci AB supports flood of soldiers

    A flash flood of fully armed, desert-camouflaged warriors swept through the flightline here this week, leaving the base’s passenger and cargo moving experts wiped out.The huge influx of Army troops stopped here briefly before heading to Afghanistan to relieve troops already in place. At times, the

  • Combat communicators keep airmen in touch

    As the fourth aircraft touched down after the Army seized the airfield here, the base gained one of its mission essential teams -- combat communicators.The team’s sole purpose is to deploy into a bare-base environment and set up expeditionary communications. For them it is not a challenge. It was

  • New pamphlet explains transformation

    Transformation is on the mind of every Air Force leader, but for many airmen, understanding the Air Force's plan for transformation proves difficult.The Air Force hopes a new 20-page booklet called "The Edge" will explain the concept of transformation to the service's uniformed airmen and civilian

  • Americans bring peace, stability to Afghanistan

    For the first time in more than 30 years the people of Afghanistan are beginning to see signs of peace and stability.Elders and leaders from local villages in the Bagram area of Afghanistan said the U.S. military and coalition partners have enabled them to begin living without the fear that comes

  • OIF veterans discuss lessons

    Even though the air campaign for Operation Iraqi Freedom was successful in bringing down the Iraqi regime in 21 days, leaders met here recently to discuss ways to improve upon that effort.Among the issues they covered was the responses to increased surface-to-air threats to coalition forces

  • Teamwork marks new academy tradition

    Students here participated in a new part of basic cadet training July 30 that involves heart, sweat and a desire to complete the training as a team, officials said.The Warrior Run required freshmen cadets to complete an arduous 35-mile relay run along the Front Range and into the mountains above the

  • Air Force featured at AirVenture 2003

    The Air Force, a long-time presence at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture air show, brings aviation enthusiasts a new look this year. Alongside the largest display at EAA, the Air Force’s newest recruiting tool offer visitors a chance to “cross into the blue.”Located in the Air

  • Air Force pioneer dies

    Retired Maj. Gen. Norma E. Brown, the Air Force's first female wing commander, died July 22. She was 77.The Madison, Fla., native entered the Air Force as a second lieutenant in December 1951. Her first assignment was as chief of military personnel for Flight Service headquarters in Washington,

  • 'First shirts' use tough love, care for troops

    It is 2 a.m. and pitch black outside when suddenly the phone rings and the voice on the other end says an airman needs help.The first sergeant gets up and prepares for an early day. This is not new; it is part of the job, and could mean anything from a car accident to domestic violence or other

  • Air Force seeks female MTIs

    Staff Sgt. Lynn Barron came to Air Force basic military training in 1995 carrying one bag and one mental image of a basic military training instructor: a big, loud, gruff man with a "Smokey the Bear" hat.When Barron first encountered her MTI, the person she met was not quite who she was

  • Liberia evacuations continue

    Flying 200 feet above palm trees and myriad grass huts, the 56th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron completed its mission -- inserting the remaining members of the Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team and evacuating more people from the U.S. Embassy in Liberia.The squadron, out of Iceland’s Naval Air

  • Officer sets sights on silver oak leaves

    His personal data sheet is a blow-by-blow inventory of educational achievements, professional successes and impressive assignments that span a career of more than 16 years.When he went before the lieutenant colonel promotion board in November 2001, his chances for promotion looked promising.However,

  • August issue of Citizen Airman available

    The August edition of Citizen Airman highlights how F-16 Fighting Falcon instructors in Arizona are going above and beyond in their efforts to provide the Air Force with top-notch combat fighter pilots.The magazine tells how airmen from the 944th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base are kicking the

  • Testimony shows congressmen science, technology highlights

    Air Force leaders showcased new technologies to members of the House Armed Services Committee at the Air Force Museum here July 19. The technologies would continue to be funded by $2.2 billion in fiscal 2004.Gen. Lester Lyles, the Air Force Materiel Command commander, and Maj. Gen. Paul Nielsen,

  • Airmen fly Marines to Liberia

    Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters flew a Marine antiterrorism security team to the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia, Liberia, on July 21, according to officials here. They also evacuated 23 people.The airmen and helicopters are assigned to the 56th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron from Naval Air Station

  • Coalition kills Saddam's sons in 'fierce gun battle'

    Saddam Hussein's sons Qusay and Uday were killed today in a "fierce gun battle," U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, announced at a news briefing in Baghdad.The commander of U.S. forces in Iraq said that based on a "walk-in tip," elements of the 101st Airborne Division, Special Forces and Air Force

  • Expeditionary prayer force serves Tallil AB

    Caring for casualties, nurturing the living and honoring the dead are all goals of an organization here that strives daily to uplift morale and spirituality.Within the walls of the chapel, a four-person staff stands ready to help those who seek religious growth -- or simply a sympathetic ear.“We're

  • Vietnam vet ensures others never forgotten

    As a young boy, Roberto Barrera remembers looking through stacks of pictures his father had taken while stationed in Italy as an Army infantry private during World War II. The images stirred his curiosity and interest in the military and, shortly after high school, he decided to enlist in the

  • CMSAF: Airmen want good leaders

    Leadership, quality-of-life issues, retention and Stop-Loss were subjects discussed by the chief master sergeant of the Air Force during a visit here recently.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald Murray asked airmen to tell him what they saw as positive and negative aspects of service today.

  • Guardsmen detail close-air support

    Three days into Operation Iraqi Freedom, Lt. Col. Dave Kennedy got a new mission: Go to Tallil Air Base in Iraq and ready it for A-10 Thunderbolt II missions.Kennedy, the commander of the Michigan Air National Guard's 110th Operations Group, knew the mission could be an enormous asset in the war

  • Langley tests new traffic safety vests

    Gate guards here are testing a new, light-emitting, traffic safety garment called the integrated tactical traffic vest that could make directing traffic in the dark safer. The new vest uses fiber-optic light rope woven through the vest's mesh along with traditional reflective material and

  • Controllers receive AFA award

    Five tactical-air command and control airmen accepted the Air Force Association’s Air Force Outstanding Team of the Year award July 14 in Arlington, Va.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray coordinates with command chief master sergeants to select the career field to receive the award.

  • Airmen support operations in Liberia

    It is a hot, humid, rainy day here, and airmen from the 56th Rescue Squadron out of Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, are feeling the heat. The airmen, along with others from the 786th Security Forces Squadron at Sembach Air Base, Germany, deployed here July 13 to support operations in Liberia.

  • PSAB equipment gets 2nd chance

    As the 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing here draws down and inactivates this summer, there is a large amount of equipment that must be accounted for, organized and disposed of.That job falls to four airmen from the base’s 363rd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron who oversee the defense

  • AF Marathon offers new race options

    Air Force Marathon officials will add two new options to this year’s Sept. 20 race. Besides the full-marathon and marathon-team races, this year’s event features a 13.1-mile half marathon and a 5km (3.1 mile) race. The half-marathon race will be on a loop-back course that will share the start and

  • Airman, friend help deliver baby

    An airman here watched his son come into the world in a way he and his wife never expected.Airman 1st Class Aaron Taylor, of the 27th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, and his wife, Jessica, welcomed Aidan recently with the help of their neighbor and a clear telephone connection. Jessica woke up at

  • Shaw airmen help save local boy

    Three Air Force maintenance troops recently helped save a local boy from drowning at their apartment complex's pool."It was about 8:30 (on a) Sunday night," said Senior Airman James Winter, an electrical/environmental systems journeyman in the 20th Component Maintenance Squadron here. "We had just