NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Ceremony honors 293 medical graduates

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

  • Information managers transform into knowledge operations managers

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

  • Communications Airmen meet to discuss career field's transformation

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

  • Contract employees strike at Vance

    Vance Air Force Base contract employees went on strike at 12:01 a.m. June 8 after a collective bargaining agreement expired between CSC Applied Technologies LLC and its three sub-contractors -- PRI/DJI, DenMar and M1 Support Service -- and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace

  • CORONA yields personnel decisions, mission requirements

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

  • Air Force flight surgeons hand over training mission to Iraqis

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

  • Airmen test emergency response at Joint Base Balad

    Airmen in the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing here participated in a major accident response exercise June 5 at Joint Base Balad. "A MARE is an opportunity for the 332nd AEW disaster response force to conduct response actions, evaluate emergency response plans, solidify tactics, techniques and

  • Thunderbirds honor local school teacher with Hometown Hero flight

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

  • Air Force researcher wins top science award

    A Wilford Hall doctor has received one of the highest distinctions a researcher can achieve, according to medical officials here. Maj. (Dr) Vikhyat Bebarta, chief of medical toxicology and a staff emergency physician, is the recipient of the Best Basic Science Research Award, presented by the

  • Misawa Airmen complete reconstitution, gear up for exercise

    Since returning from a deployment to Iraq, Airmen of the 14th Fighter Squadron here spent the last three months executing a training plan to get all the pilots current and proficient in their home station mission. The training plan to build proficiency, also known as reconstitution, will culminate

  • AFSOUTH gearing up for New Horizons Guyana

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

  • Photo Essay: Learning swift-water rescue procedures

    Members of the Royal St. Lucia Police Force's Special Service Unit practice swift-water rescue procedures June 5 that were taught by U.S. Air Force pararescuemen during Operation Southern Partner in La Toc, St. Lucia. Operation Southern Partner is a long-term commitment between U.S. and partner

  • Air mobility maintains the fight in Afghanistan

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

  • Vice chairman: Deterrence plays into overseas basing decisions

    The overseas basing choices the United States makes for its military forces are a factor in deterring potential enemies, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said June 4 here. Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright told a gathering at the Center for International and Strategic Studies here

  • Stateside donations give Kyrgyz students tools of art trade

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

  • Barksdale bombers arrive at Andersen

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

  • Officials announce commander of 24th Air Force

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

  • Swedish airmen reflect on Raven training

    Two Swedish airmen working to build up a cooperative between their country and the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Phoenix Raven Training Course, recently reflected on attending the Raven instruction April 14 to May 1.Lieutenants Fredrile Gartborn and Fredrik Andersson, both Swedish air force

  • Academy of Military Science moving to Maxwell

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

  • Law enforcement officials capture Airman on the run for 8 months

    An Airman who escaped Air Force custody in September 2008 after being charged with possession of child pornography and sentenced to three years of confinement in July 2008 was apprehended by law enforcement officials June 3 at approximately 8 p.m. in Ipswich, England. Airman Basic Jeremy Parrott was

  • Panjshir reconstruction team bids farewell to fallen comrades

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

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

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

  • Senior veterans compete to win at Golden Age Games

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

  • Spouses get taste of security forces' life

    Airmen of the 18th Security Forces Squadron here held a civilian police academy course for Kadena Air Base spouses to give an inside look at what happens behind the scenes of a security forces patrolman. "This is a course geared toward not only educating the base populace on the range of services we

  • General cites importance of airpower for Afghanistan

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

  • Quick recognition, action saves C-130 aircrew, Soldiers

    A C-130 Hercules crew rapidly and correctly analyzed a developing situation, applied emergency procedures and recovered an aircraft, its passengers and crew without incident after encountering unforeseen wind shear May 20 in Southwest Asia. The 737th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C-130 and its

  • AFMC, union leadership reaffirm partnership

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

  • St. Lucia police team with Airmen during Operation Southern Partner

    Nearly 30 members of the Royal St. Lucia police force's special service unit worked with a U.S. Air Force Guardian Angel team here June 1 through 3 to enhance search and rescue efforts for the island nation.The Guardian Angel team deployed for Operation Southern Partner is comprised of a combat

  • Photo essay: beach workout

    A member of the Pacific Air Forces A-staff crawls under a "human tunnel" created by other members during a team building exercise May 27 at Hickam Beach near Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. Approximately 70 people participated in the physical training session, which included a 1.5-mile run to the

  • Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors to conduct air defense exercise

    An Oregon National Guard base will host nearly 200 Soldiers and Airmen, and a U.S. Navy destroyer will patrol coastal waters while participating in a major U.S. Northern Command air defense exercise in mid-June. Exercise Amalgam Dart '09 will take place at Camp Rilea and nearby Warrenton, Ore., June

  • Multinational mobility unit welcomes top Air Force mobility Airman

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

  • Guard's mobilization training, readiness good for America, chief says

    The National Guard is giving more back to the America in the 21st Century through its increased readiness and ability to rapidly deploy for federal and state callouts, the Guard Bureau's top military officer said. Gen. Craig R. McKinley, chief of the National Guard Bureau, told an audience June 1 at

  • Senior veterans set to compete in Golden Age Games

    Nearly 700 American military veterans from conflicts ranging from World War II to the Persian Gulf war arrived here June 1 to prove that their best days are still ahead of them as they prepare to compete in the 23rd Annual National Veterans Golden Age Games.The games are the world's largest sports

  • Officials activate 617th Air and Space Operations Center

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

  • Airman uses training to help man hit by train

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

  • Kandahar Airmen protect servicemembers from IEDs

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

  • Secretary Gates calls on Asian partners for help in Afghanistan

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

  • Military training instructors transform recruits into Airmen

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

  • Tuskegee Airman passes away

    An original Tuskegee Airman passed away May 26 in Cleveland.Retired Sgt. James F. Travis Sr. served in the Army Air Corps from 1943 to 1946 and became an aerial engineer, gunner and crew chief attached to the 477th Bombardment Group during World War II.Trained at Tuskegee, Ala., he flew in P-47 and

  • DeCA officials announce outreach award winners

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

  • Deployment opportunities available for civilians

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

  • Guard chief emphasizes communication, collaboration, coordination

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

  • U.S. combat troops on pace to leave Iraqi cities by June 30

    American combat troops are on pace to leave Iraqi cities by the June 30 deadline stipulated by the U.S.-Iraq security agreement, U.S. officials in Baghdad said yesterday. Army Brig. Gen. Keith Walker, commander of the Iraq Assistance Group, said in a news conference that security throughout the

  • Whiteman Airmen prepare to redeploy back home

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

  • OTS selection board results announced

    A total of 200 men and women from across America have earned an opportunity to become Air Force leaders following their selection for an officer's commission, officials here announced today. Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 798 applications as part of Officer Training School

  • Photo essay: Training for military working dogs

    A military working dog attacks his handler on command at the training grounds on Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Military working dogs are enrolled in a 60- to 90-day training program where they are taught to detect explosives and drugs. They are also taught deterrence training and how to protect

  • Servicemembers gear up to provide New Horizons for Guyana

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

  • Airmen honored for heroic life-saving efforts

    The Altus Fraternal Order of Police honored two Airmen for saving a local police officer from certain death during a ceremony at the City Park May 22 . Staff Sgt. Matthew Treadwell, 97th Security Forces Squadron Combat Arms noncommissioned officer in charge, and Special Agent Ross Bergstresser, Air

  • AFSOUTH set to begin Operation Southern Partner in Caribbean

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

  • Airmen, F-22s support Pacific presence mission

    Approximately 280 Langley Air Force Base Airmen and 12 F-22 Raptors from the 94th Fighter Squadron depart this week for an air and space expeditionary force deployment to demonstrate the continued U.S. commitment to fulfill its security responsibilities throughout the Western Pacific. The 94th FS

  • Visitation searchers balance efficiency, safety, humane treatment in Iraq

    Airman 1st Class Alberto Lopez knew the guy was hiding something. He could feel it. The detainee was giving off "the vibe" that three months of working the visitation center at the theater internment facility here had taught him to detect. The Altus, Okla., native continued to search in the

  • Chief Airey laid to rest at Arlington Cemetery

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

  • Airmen in joint motor pool keep vehicles rolling

    Airmen from the 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron here work with their Army compatriots in the base motor pool to keep the squadron's tactical vehicles running like clockwork. Four members of the Air Force security forces unit are part of a joint motor pool and learning more than they

  • Air Force team conducts air-assault training from Army helos

    Airmen from the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron jumped in and out of helicopters from the Army C Company, 1-137th Aviation Regiment during air-assault training here May 23. "The purpose of air-assault training is to add another option of infiltrating a targeted area," said Master Sgt.

  • VA Web site helps college counselors aid veterans

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

  • Airmen contribute to the fight in Iraq

    The 586th Air Expeditionary Group is one of three Air Force groups organized to complete joint expeditionary taskings and is contributing significantly to operations in Iraq and Kuwait, the group's commander said. Col. Alan Metzler, 586th AEG commander, spoke with journalists and bloggers during a

  • Biden to Academy graduates: 'This is your moment'

    Vice President Joe Biden, the U.S. Air Force Academy commencement speaker, told graduates and newly-commissioned second lieutenants from the class of 2009 "this is your moment to bend history to the service of a better day." "You will carry our skies and beyond on your backs. I promise you, we will

  • Defense officials identify Air Force casualties

    The Department of Defense officials announced May 27 the death of two Airmen who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died May 26 near Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device. Killed was Lt. Col. Mark E. Stratton II, 39, of Houston, who was

  • Airmen 'unleash' new recovery program for patients

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

  • Dedication culminates efforts of embedded American advisors

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

  • Controllers keep aircraft moving

    Air traffic controllers here manage the base's runway that never rests, averaging 5,100 takeoffs and landings a month, or approximately 200 each day. Members of the 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron are responsible for anything within the base's air space, which extends out in a 5-mile

  • Air Force officials test new constant-pressure fuel system

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

  • Officials look for best, brightest to fill first sergeant positions

    Taking care of today's Airmen is the responsibility of everyone in leadership and supervisory positions in the Air Force. But, for a select group of senior non-commissioned officers, this specific mission is their primary job. Air Force first sergeants are the eyes and ears of a unit and serve as

  • First Iraqi ISR aircrew members graduate

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

  • Servicemembers save money by clearing Alaskan bombing range

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

  • Air National Guard wing reaches milestone of 600 lives saved

    Air National Guardsmen from the 129th Rescue Wing based here rescued two Afghan National Army soldiers in the Oruzgan Province of Afghanistan May 15, raising the number of lives saved by the unit from 599 to 601. Two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters were scrambled to recover the Afghan soldiers who were

  • Training team, Iraqi air force host first joint commanders' conference

    The Coalition Air Force Training Team and the Iraqi air force held their first joint commanders' conference for nearly 100 coalition and Iraqi senior leaders here May 20. "Based on the level to which the Iraqi air force has matured over the past couple of years, it was time to have a combined Iraqi

  • Airmen honor fallen comrade in arms

    Airmen here paid tribute to a fallen comrade on the two-year anniversary of the death of a fire team leader from the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Det. 3, Police Transition Training Team here.Staff Sgt. John T. Self was killed May 14, 2007, while out on patrol when the Humvee he was

  • Eglin gate guards wear new uniforms

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

  • General officer assignments announced

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

  • Personnel chief discusses military personnel budget

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

  • Senate confirms next Air Force surgeon general

    The Senate has confirmed Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Charles Bruce Green to become the Air Force's 20th surgeon general. General Green is currently the Air Force's deputy surgeon general, a position he has held since August 2006. He will replace Lt. Gen. (Dr.) James G. Roudebush, who is retiring. General Green

  • T-38 crash claims life of Edwards' pilot

    An Air Force test pilot student died May 21 when his jet trainer crashed north of Edwards Air Force Base. Captain Mark P. Graziano, 30, died when the T-38A Talon he was piloting crashed about nine miles north of the base here, near California City, Calif. Captain Graziano was assigned to the U.S.

  • T-38 crashes north of Edwards

    An Air Force T-38 Talon crashed at 1:15 p.m. May 21, about nine miles north of Edwards Air Force Base. The Edwards aircraft was on a flight-test training mission at the time of the accident. Two crewmembers were on board; their condition is unknown at this time. A board of officers will investigate

  • Team offers Airmen outlet for traumatic stress

    With Airmen deploying now more than ever, it only makes sense for Air Force officials to create resources for the Airmen once they get back to their home station. One of these resources is the traumatic stress response team, which was introduced Air Force-wide in 2006. All Air Force bases with a

  • North Dakota floods tested Air Force EPLOs

    When Col. Stacy Collins became an Air Force emergency preparedness liaison officer last November, she couldn't have predicted that in less than five months, she'd be assisting in one of the worst natural disasters to hit North Dakota in years: the flooding of several rivers including the Red and

  • Wounded major fulfills career milestone

    An Air Force major recovered from injuries suffered in Afghanistan to complete 20 years of honorable service. "I decided pretty early on what I wanted to do," Maj. Matthew Conlan said. "I was going to get back on the job and continue serving. I wanted to finish what I started." Major Conlan,

  • Airmen compete in Boston Marathon Iraqi style

    People at Contingency Operating Base Adder were buzzing with excitement at 5 a.m. April 18, as runners anxiously awaited the start of the annual Boston Marathon-Iraq held for the fifth time here. More than 300 servicemembers and civilians from throughout the area of responsibility ran the perimeter

  • Senior enlisted leaders strengthen international bonds

    Senior enlisted leaders from nine countries met in the San Antonio area for a closer look at Air Education and Training Command programs and processes during a visit May 12-15. As part of the 2009 Senior Enlisted Leader Summit, international enlisted leaders from Australia, Bulgaria, Japan,

  • Airmen airlift aid to Pakistan's war-torn Swat Valley

    In response to specific requests for support from the government of Pakistan, the Department of Defense has arranged for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to aid the estimated 1.7 million Pakistanis displaced by current military operations against extremists in the country's northwestern

  • DeCA announces best commissary winners

    Five commissaries were honored as the Defense Commissary Agency's best during the DeCA's 2009 Conference and Training Event in Richmond, Va., May 19. Winning commissaries by category for the competition were:       Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., winner of the Bill Nichols Award for the Best Large

  • Airmen support Soldiers by putting bombs on targets

    On a battlefield they plan, request and direct air strikes against enemy targets in close proximity to friendly forces, namely the army units on the frontlines who may need close-air support in the blink of an eye. "I get a lot of satisfaction knowing I am supporting my Army counterparts," said

  • AFSO 21 improves war-ready engines

    The 20th Component Maintenance Squadron is currently taking steps to improve the process of producing war-ready engines by applying Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century. From March 23 to March 25, Airmen from the 20th Maintenance Group gathered to participate in the TF34 Rapid Improvement

  • AFMC senior leader reflects on suicide close to home

    With a phone call on the night of Jan. 29, the "You Matter" suicide campaign at Robins suddenly became more personal to Maj. Gen. Polly Peyer. The commander of Warner Robins Air Logistics Center suspected something was wrong when the phone rang at 9 p.m. because most people who would be calling her

  • Combat controller receives two Bronze Stars with valor

    A combat controller, who is now charged with helping fill the special tactics ranks, was presented with two Bronze Stars with valor during a ceremony held recently at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Master Sgt. Ken Huhman, a special tactics recruiter in San Antonio, received the medals for his

  • Local high school students get inside look at Southwest Asian air base

    Airmen from the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing hosted 75 high school students from the local America-Mideast Educational and Training Services language training center during their visit to the base May 16. Members of the 386th AEW along with Soldiers, Navy Seabees and Australian personnel from the

  • 'Air Force Knowledge Now' turns 10

    Randy Adkins, Knowledge Management Center of Excellence director, clearly recalls the Friday afternoon when the idea of Knowledge Now was first raised. Members of the Air Force Materiel Command staff discussed the possibility of a "lessons-learned" database and sent the idea to Mr. Adkins, who had

  • New system for tracking personnel gets workout soon

    As the Air Force gears up for its second test of the Air Force Personnel Accountability and Assessment System, Air Force Materiel Command leaders are reminding people to participate during the May 19-21 exercise. The new system is designed to improve the way the Air Force keeps track of its people.

  • 'Today's Air Force' features the new CMSAF

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights the next chief master sergeant of the Air Force, unmanned aircraft systems operated from Creech Air Force Base, Nev., the dangers of supplements and an F-16 Fighting Falcon that passed 7,000 hours of flight time. The 16th chief master sergeant of the

  • Pacific Command strategy centers on partnership, readiness, presence

    The three major tenets of the U.S. Pacific Command strategy -- partnership, readiness and presence -- are having a powerful impact in bringing together the joint, interagency and international capabilities required to promote regional stability, the command's top officer told American Forces Press

  • New club members get 3 month free membership

     All eligible personnel who join any Air Force club between June 15 and Aug. 15 will automatically receive three months of free dues as part of the Air Force's 2009 club membership campaign. New members also will receive the benefits of a free cash-back rewards program and a six-month, zero-percent

  • Air Force leaders chart way forward for service

    The Air Force has made tough choices and some prudent trade-offs to balance the service across the spectrum of capabilities needed for the future, Air Force leaders said.Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz discussed the service's efforts to balance

  • CSAF speaks candidly at Yokota Airmen

    "In the end what it's all about is performance," said the senior Air Force officer responsible for organizing, training and equipping nearly 700,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces. "If the United States Air Force performs, we don't need to advertise ourselves and proclaim how good

  • Sheppard T-38 veers off runway

    A Sheppard Air Force Base T-38 Talon veered off the runway during takeoff at about 2:10 p.m. CDT May 14 here. The crew of two experienced minor injuries and are receiving treatment. The T-38, assigned to the 80th Flying Training Wing, is a twin-engine, high-altitude, supersonic jet trainer.The

  • Ramstein Airmen support NASA shuttle launch

    Ramstein Air Base Airmen teamed up with New York Air National Guard members to support NASA's launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis in May here. Members of the 37th Airlift Squadron, 1st Combat Communications Squadron and the Guard's 101st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron loaded rescue cargo into two C-130

  • U.S. pilots train Finns in aerial refueling operations

    A group of Airmen with the 100th Air Refueling Wing traveled to Tampere, Finland, May 2 to participate in a week-long exercise with Navy  and Finnish Air Force F-18 Hornet pilots.The Airmen helped teach the Finnish pilots how to refuel in-air from a KC-135 Stratotanker.The exercise marks the first

  • New uniforms: Comfortable, functional are goals

    Officials from the Uniform Program Office here continue to work for Airmen, researching and purchasing uniforms that provide more function, protection and comfort. The Air Force chief of staff met with office personnel April 21 for an update on clothing issues Airmen face as they support global

  • Test center officials link mobility to 'boots on the ground'

    In the Southern Arizona desert, three C-130 Hercules aircraft recently rumbled over the saguaros and airdropped training bundles to a waiting combat controller. The historic drop was conducted digitally with a tactical data link known as the Situational Awareness Data Link, or SADL. It was the first

  • U.S., Australia, India train to improve medical care in Pacific

    Thirty-two critical care specialists from the United States, Australia and India are scheduled to train on the movement of severely-ill patients in the Pacific theater during a course here May 11-15. Thirteenth Air Force's Theater Patient Movement Requirements Center-Pacific, the aeromedical

  • Airmen build on partnership in Rwanda

    U.S. Air Forces Africa conducted a military-to-military engagement with Rwandan Air Force air traffic controllers April 20-24 to expand on the two nations' existing partnership here. Seventeenth Air Force planners (AFAFRICA) from the plans and programs directorate organized the theater security