NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Officials seek nominees for Pitsenbarger Award

    Officials at the Air Force Sergeants Association are seeking nominations for the 2011 Pitsenbarger Award.The AFSA Pitsenbarger Award is presented annually to an Air Force enlisted servicemember who has performed a heroic act, on or off duty, that resulted in saving a life or preventing serious

  • Transition calls for employees to 'brush up' resumes

    Following the success of a seven-month pilot program using a resume-based system to fill vacant positions at 16 locations across the service, current Air Force civilian employees will now apply for vacant position using USAJOBS beginning Nov. 15.To search for Air Force vacancies, employees can visit

  • 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 slideshow.

  • AF officials release officer, civilian developmental education board results

    More than 860 officers and 90 civilians were selected for intermediate and senior developmental education opportunities during the 2010 Officer and Civilian Developmental Education boards conducted here.The officer and civilian selectee lists are available on the Air Force Personnel Center public

  • Second SBIRS satellite successfully completes panel integration

    The U.S. Air Force's second geosynchronous Space-Based Infrared Systems satellite successfully completed the integration of its two equipment panels onto the spacecraft core module on Oct. 6 at the development site in Sunnyvale, Calif. This is a major milestone in the GEO-2 program and represents

  • Photo essay: Barksdale Hawgsmoke crews 'ham' it up

    Members of the 917th Wing and 47th Fighter Squadron from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., compete in Hawgsmoke 2010 here Oct. 13. The competition involved 40 jets and 72 pilots from 18 different units and was hosted by the Idaho Air National Guard's 124th Wing.View the slideshow.

  • LC-130 takes off for Operation Deep Freeze

    A New York Air National Guard LC-130 Hercules, equipped with retractable ski-wheels, departed here Oct. 18 to support the U.S. Antarctic Program and the National Science Foundation's research at international sites throughout the Antarctic continent. The uniquely-equipped aircraft is necessary for

  • Hurlburt Field intelligence flight earns AF level award

    The 1st Special Operations Support Squadron received the 2009 Outstanding Operations Group Intelligence/Operations Support Flight Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Unit of the Year award Oct. 14 here for their tremendous accomplishments at Hurlburt Field. Brig. Gen. Robert "Bob" P. Otto,

  • Nominations open for civilian humanitarian award

    Air Force officials are seeking nominations for the 2011 Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher Distinguished Civilian Humanitarian Award.The Fisher Award is presented annually to an individual or organization outside the Department of Defense that has demonstrated exceptional patriotism, generosity and

  • 2000-pound bomb detonated at New Boston

    New Boston Air Force Station personnel discovered an AN-M66 2000-pound, general-purpose bomb during recent unexploded-ordnance remediation activities there recently. The bomb was located within the dewatered portions of Joe English Pond and had been covered with a foot of clay and silt and several

  • Officials tout Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits

    With more than 260,000 students attending about 6,000 colleges and universities this fall under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, officials are continuing an active outreach effort to ensure current military members and veterans don't miss out on the new program's education benefits.Participation is up

  • Officials seek nominations for aerospace awards

    Air Force officials are soliciting nominations in a variety of fields for the 2011 Air Force Association Aerospace Awards for outstanding contributions to national defense.These awards include:The Theodore Von Karman Award for contributions in the field of science and engineering relating to

  • Officials seek Vanguard Award nominees

    Air Force officials are soliciting nominations for the 2011 Noncommissioned Officers Association Vanguard Award.Nominees must be between the rank of senior airman and chief master sergeant who have performed a heroic act, on or off duty, which resulted in the saving of life or the prevention of a

  • Airmen assist Mexican officials in locating fatal plane wreckage

    In a turn of events that resulted in the death of four Americans, Airmen with the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center here assisted the Mexican government in providing closure to the families during a search for a small aircraft that had gone missing near the U.S.- Mexico border Oct. 15.The

  • AF starts migration of information, services to new total-force website

    Air Force personnel specialists are in the process of migrating personnel information and services to the new Air Force Personnel Services website.The transfer aims to move the Air Force toward its goal of establishing a single, online knowledge base for active duty, Air National Guard, Air Force

  • Oct. 15 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 15, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • JET Airmen: 'Fit to fight any given day'

    Airmen often have a reputation of being "behind the scenes," never in the action, but persona is changing with Air Force's heavy involvement in joint tasking operations where Airmen are performing non-traditional jobs and missions alongside sister service members.There are many Joint Expeditionary

  • Air Force recruiter stabbed in Illinois

    An Air Force recruiter was attacked at approximately 9 a.m. Oct. 19 in his office in Fairview Heights, Ill., by someone posing as an applicant.The recruiter is a member of the 345th Recruiting Squadron from Scott Air Force Base, Ill. He has been transported to Memorial Hospital in Belleville, where

  • Air Force museum director to receive national award

    The director of the National Museum of the Air Force was recently selected as a recipient of the National Aeronautic Association Wesley L. McDonald Elder Statesman of Aviation Award.Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Charles D. Metcalf is one of four recipients this year who will be honored at the NAA Fall

  • Oct. 14 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 14, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Oct. 13 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 13, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Oct. 12 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 12, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Oct. 11 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 11, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • 8th Fighter Wing Airmen take on Max Thunder

    Members of the 8th Fighter Wing and Republic of Korea Air Force are participating in the fourth annual Max Thunder exercise, hosted by Kwangju Air Base officials Oct. 15 to 22.Max Thunder is a bilateral training exercise intended to increase interoperability between Republic of Korea and U.S.

  • Air Force to quadruple solar energy production

    For nearly three years, a 14.2-megawatt solar array spanning 140 acres at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., has held the title of the largest renewable-energy project in the Air Force. Hundreds of media outlets have published stories featuring the vast display of solar panels, and President Obama visited

  • 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.

  • Basic trainees begin cyber training

    The importance of defending cyberspace was taken to a new level when cyber training became a permanent fixture of the Air Force basic military training curriculum.The first trainees attended a four-hour course devoted to defending the Air Force networks and operations in cyberspace Oct. 4. The

  • Oct. 10 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 10, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Oct. 9 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 9, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Jay Leno entertains servicemembers, families

    Thousands of servicemembers, their families and friends attended part of Jay Leno's Tour for the Troops here, sponsored by the Air Force Reserve Command.Mr. Leno hosted the grand opening a new recruiting station for AFRC in Wasilla, Alaska, and spoke to a crowd of hundreds of fans after 13 local

  • Officials publish cyberspace operations doctrine

    The LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education approved and published the newly developed Air Force Doctrine Document 3-12, Cyberspace Operations.Maj. Gen. David S. Fadok, the LeMay Center's commander, said cyberspace operations are critical to effective operations across the range of

  • Air Force officials announce C-27J aircraft basing proposal

    Air Force officials announced Oct. 13 that Great Falls International Airport, Mont., is the preferred alternative to be the seventh operational location for bedding down four C-27J Spartan aircraft. Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Norton Schwartz

  • Photo essay: Lakenheath set-piece demonstration

    Members of the 48th Maintenance Group participate in a set-piece demonstration. The demonstration involves five-man teams tasked with regenerating an aircraft within a specified time limit in preparation for the NATO Tactical Evaluation here Oct. 7. View the slideshow.

  • Center helps DOD build international bonds

    A graduation ceremony at the Defense Language Institute English Language Center here is not what one would consider typical. As the students' names are read, they approach the stage wearing the uniforms of their respective countries. From privates through generals, across all the services, these men

  • 2010 proves banner year for recruiting

    The military services had a banner year for recruiting and retention in fiscal 2010, Defense Department officials said here Oct. 12.The services met their overall numbers and exceeded qualitative goals, said Clifford Stanley, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.The Air Force

  • C-17s vital to aeromedical community in Pacific

    Each C-17 Globemaster III flight out of here in which tons of cargo are loaded, delivered and off loaded to a customer in some corner of the Pacific, deserves the crew's undivided attention to detail. However, when the cargo is a servicemember clinging to life, the crew's awareness can become even

  • Oct. 8 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 8, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Oct. 7 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 7, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Oct. 6 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 6, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Oct. 5 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 5, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Oct. 4 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 4, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Pararescuemen train to save lives

    Members of the 56th Rescue Squadron conducted subsurface search, rescue and recovery training here recently. The pararescuemen trained in a controlled environment, allowing them to focus on their curriculum without being disturbed. The cove, far from the English coastline, provided a closed-off area

  • Air Force officials offer cross commissioning opportunities

    To obtain the right balance of skills across the total force, Air Force officials will begin offering alternative commissioning options for specified career fields, officials said Oct. 7. Air Force ROTC cadets slated to commission in fiscal 2011 may volunteer and compete for positions in the Air

  • Oct. 3 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 3, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Oct. 2 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 2, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • 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.

  • 'Aim High ... Fly-Fight-Win' to be Air Force motto

    Incorporating extensive inputs from all ranks and career fields in the development effort, Airmen have selected "Aim High ... Fly-Fight-Win" as the service's motto. An enduring statement of Airmen's pride in their service, the motto is a two-part expression -- a call to action, with a response of

  • Officials announce new initial enlistment bonuses

    Pentagon officials recently released the fiscal 2011 initial enlistment bonus program list. Three Air Force specialty codes had bonuses decrease, but only for those enlisting for six years. Those AFSCs seeing decreases were airborne linguist, crypto linguist and tactical air control party. No AFSCs

  • Strategic leadership courses available for civilians

    Civilian leadership development officials here are seeking nominations for an out-of-cycle selection board to identify senior-level civilians for strategic leadership development opportunities in the 2011 academic year.Strategic Leadership Education Level I is open to Air Force civil service

  • Air Force officials announce enlisted supplemental promotions

    More than 630 Airmen have been selected for promotion as part of the October enlisted supplemental promotion board.The promotion list can be found on the Air Force Personnel Center's public website. Airmen also can access their score notices at the same time on the Virtual Military Personnel Flight

  • Amendment provision could put more money in spouse's paycheck

    Military spouses in states that collect state income taxes could be able to pocket a little more of their paycheck under an amendment that allows spouses to retain their legal residency in their home state.A November 2009 amendment to the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act included a provision that

  • Service demographics offer snapshot of force

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here recently published a demographics report offering a snapshot of the service's active-duty and civilian force. This data is current as of Sept. 30 and can also be found on the Air Force personnel statistics Web page.Statistics are rounded to the nearest

  • Oct. 1 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct 1, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Sept. 30 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 30, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Sept. 29 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 29, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Sept. 28 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 28, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Sept. 27 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 27, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Sept. 26 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 26, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Sept. 25 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 25, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Sept. 24 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 24, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Photo essay: C-21 undergoes phase inspection

    Contractors with DynCorp International work on phase inspections for the C-21 here Sept. 15. The inspections are done after the aircraft reaches flying milestones to ensure that it remains in tip-top shape.View the slideshow.

  • Air Force officials conducting personnel accountability exercise

    Officials are conducting an Air Force-wide exercise Oct. 6 through 8 to test the Air Force Personnel Accountability and Assessment System.An exercise execution order will identify the geographic area of interest in which all personnel assigned to, living in, TDY to or on leave in that area, must be

  • Lieutenants complete inaugural language training

    Twenty-five of the Air Force's newest second lieutenants recently completed the inaugural class of focused language training at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., as part of the Language Enabled Airmen Program.The Language Intensive Training Event, or LITE, was held at the Air Force Culture and Language

  • Wilford Hall hosts graduate medical education course

    A course for medical educators provided by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences was held Sept. 24 to Oct. 2 at Wilford Hall Medical Center here. The course, designed to train military medical education program directors, was chaired by retired Army Col. (Dr.) Louis Pangaro, who

  • Website is one-stop shop for deployment-related issues

    Airmen can access information about their upcoming deployment at the Air and Space Expeditionary Force Online website. The AEF Online website, located at https://aef.afpc.randolph.af.mil/, provides a single access point for all AEF-related issues to include reporting instructions, tempo banding,

  • Registration now open for 2011 AETC Symposium

    Registration is open for the 2011 Air Education and Training Command Symposium, scheduled for Jan. 20 and 21 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. The two-day symposium is slated to feature more than 90 seminars on a variety of education, training and innovation topics by

  • Photo essay: Afghanistan unit shows capabilities

    Pararescuemen from the 33rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron participate with Airmen from the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing in a training mission here Sept. 24. The training mission provided a glimpse of what the 33rd ERQS brings to the fight and the capabilities it provides to combat commanders.View

  • President extends deadline for stop loss benefit

    Eligible Airmen, veterans and their beneficiaries now have until Dec. 3 to apply for retroactive stop loss special pay following an extension in the continuing resolution signed by the president Sept. 30.The new Dec. 3 deadline extends the original Oct. 21 cutoff for applications and allows eligible

  • 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.

  • Gates praises service, sacrifice of all-volunteer force

    The American people are losing contact with those who make up its military, and the nation needs to understand the service and sacrifices that U.S. military personnel and their families make, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said at Duke University's Page Auditorium Sept. 29.The secretary spoke to

  • Air refueling pioneers honored in ceremony at Scott

    The air refueling pioneers responsible for the United States' first air-refueling flights in 1923 and 1929 were honored in a ceremony Sept. 23 at Scott AFB's "Walk of Fame" as part of a presentation by the Airlift-Tanker Association Hall of Fame officials.Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr., commander of Air

  • Leaders send energy awareness message

    The Air Force's top leaders released a joint "Letter to Airmen" to encourage Airmen to continue to be energy efficient at the workplace and at home.  "The Air Force is engaged in a long-term effort to improve our nation's energy security through energy efficiency and conservation," Secretary of the

  • Photo essay: Airmen contribute to NATO's Iceland mission

    Weapons load crew Airmen assigned to the 493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron work on final touches to a munitions load of an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air missile in support of NATO's Icelandic Air Policing mission here Sept. 23. Approximately 200 Airmen were deployed from all over the

  • Agreement gives green light to ESC efforts in Kyrgyzstan

    A delegation led by Electronic Systems Center Commander Lt. Gen. Ted F. Bowlds reached an agreement with Kyrgyzstan government officials recently on efforts that will benefit the nation of Kyrgyzstan and U.S. operators who rely on the Manas Transit Center there."This agreement marks the formal

  • Sept. 23 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 23, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Sept. 22 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 22, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Sept. 21 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 21, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Uniform phaseout dates draw near

    With many phaseout and mandatory wear dates approaching, the look of Air Force uniforms will change slightly over the next year. Here are a few dates to remember for uniform and policy changes.As of the following dates, wear of the listed uniform items will be phased out:Oct. 1, 2010-- 100 percent

  • Online development plan improving total force career roadmaps

    The web-based career tool for total force Airmen, known as My Development Plan, is undergoing changes aimed at positively affecting the Air Force and its members' futures, officials said Sept. 28.With a total force focus, MyDP is geared to help users make informed decisions about their career with

  • Photo essay: Airmen and Soldiers join forces during exercise

    Airmen and Soldiers take part in a Joint Forces Entry Exercise here Sept. 13. The training develops cohesiveness between the Army and Air Force by executing large-scale heavy equipment and troop movements for real-world contingencies.View the slideshow.

  • New Harmony plays for more than 5,000 people in Guatemala

    The United States Air Force Band of Flight's deployed ensemble, New Harmony, recently played for more than 5,000 people in Guatemala.The group is on tour as part of a United States Southern Command humanitarian mission in support of the Navy's Operation Continuing Promise. The mission provides

  • Grant approved for burn victim research

    A major improvement is coming in the field of dermatology and plastic surgery, specifically in the recovery and care for wounded warrior burn victims."As I've studied cosmetic improvement in burn victims, I've noticed more improvements in the range of motion than in the cosmetics because the scars

  • AF civil engineers BEEF up Marine Corps mission

    Airmen and Marines worked together to build sun shades to improve the quality of life for a new F/A-18 Hornet squadron Sept. 23 and 24 at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.The 777th Expeditionary Prime BEEF Squadron, also known as the Base Engineer Emergency Force, provided the skill set and received

  • Pilot takes top spot at Air Force half-marathon

    Although not as fast as the aircraft he flies, a PC-12 pilot from the 34th Special Operations Squadron blasted past the competition in the men's half marathon during the 2010 Air Force Marathon at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Sept. 17 through18. Capt. Ben Payne finished the 13.1-mile race

  • Air Force bands provide more than music

    Airmen deployed to combat zones today perform a variety of missions, ranging from precision bombing to explosive ordnance disposal, to working with local community leaders as members of provincial reconstruction teams and even training Iraqi and Afghan soldiers and airmen. Air Force bandsmen, too,

  • Photo essay: Security forces prepare for combat at Hill

    Airmen with the 75th Security Forces Squadron practice rifle fighting techniques during combat readiness training Sept. 13 here. The CRT course provides Airmen with the basic skills needed to deploy, to include tactical movements and land navigation.View the slideshow.

  • Military participates in National Public Lands Day

    Thousands of volunteers are expected to descend on 48 military bases Sept. 25 to prune, plant and paint in an effort to show that the Defense Department is a good steward of its public land.The work is being done as part of the 17th annual National Public Lands Day, an event sponsored by the

  • 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. 

  • Sept. 20 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 20, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

  • Sept. 19 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with Operation New Dawn partners in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 19, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.