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  • Secretary Donley announces location of newest Fisher House

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley announced Jan. 27 during a Pentagon ceremony that the next Fisher House will be established on Dover Air Force Base, Del. The house will provide lodging for families coming to the base to witness dignified transfers of their loved ones' remains at the Air

  • Air Force attorney assists Haitian orphans, relief efforts

    Along with sending medicine, food and teams to operate the airfield within hours of the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti, Air Force officials also sent in an unlikely, but most valuable asset: a lawyer.Military lawyers, such as Lt. Col. Randon Draper, 18th Air Force Legal Office here, assist commanders

  • Top enlisted Airman visits Nellis

    Chief Roy explained his belief that the three things that develop Airmen are training, education and experiences. "One of the most important jobs of the Air Force is the training of our future leaders of the Air Force," Chief Roy said. He said on-the-job training is an important step in preparing

  • Exercise at Offutt simulates response to health emergency

    More than 1,000 people wound their way through the community center here Jan. 21 as part of a 55th Wing's point of distribution exercise. The exercise, a new annual tasking for Air Force units, is designed to simulate the mass inoculation of military populations during a public health

  • General visits Incirlik Airmen

    The U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander visited Airmen here Jan. 25 through 26 and shared the standards he expects from all USAFE Airmen. During his two day visit, Gen. Roger A. Brady, toured various work centers, talked with Airmen and met the leader of the Turkish military here, Turkish air force

  • Pay, medical, family issues highlight budget request

    President Barack Obama will request increased funding for military pay, housing allowances, family support programs and care for wounded warriors, as he recognizing the nation's responsibility to support its men and women in uniform and their families, White House officials said Jan.27, here. The

  • Air Force program develops senior civilian leaders

    Civilian Strategic Leader Program officials are briefing Air Force career field functional leaders this month on details of the program aimed at developing the senior-leader civilian workforce."The Air Force has approximately 300 Senior Executive Service civilians today, and we need to ensure we are

  • First lady's priority: Taking care of military families

    First lady Michelle Obama was the featured speaker at the Joint Armed Forces Officers' Wives Club's 32nd annual luncheon Jan. 26 at the Bolling Officers Club here.About 400 spouses from all branches of the military gathered to hear Mrs. Obama share her insights on military families, and announce a

  • U.S., Japan airmen join forces for bilateral exercise

    Airmen stationed in Japan and other locations around the world joined their Japanese counterparts and sister services to kick off the year's first bilateral exercise Jan. 22, here.The command post exercise, known as Keen Edge '10, runs until Jan. 27 and is designed to increase combat readiness and

  • 'Tricare University' offers benefit education

    If you are new to Tricare and eager to learn about your health care benefits or an old hand who wants to know the latest changes, Tricare University is the place to go.Tricare University offers free online courses 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year at www.tricare.mil/tricareu."The

  • Jan. 26 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Jan. 26, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in Afghanistan:AsadabadAir Force F-16C Fighting Falcon pilots

  • Luke opens combat PT center

    Luke Air Force Base officials opened a combat physical training center Jan. 21 here, unveiling the fourth combat-oriented physical training venue the base has built or renovated in the past year. The new venue adds 8,000 square feet of indoor physical training space to Luke Air Force Base."This is a

  • Air Force returns enlisted high year of tenure to standards

    Air Force manpower and personnel officials here announced Jan. 27 a return of enlisted high year of tenure limits to their pre-2003 levels."We've considered returning HYT limits to their normal levels for several years. Now that our Air Force end strength is stabilizing, it is an appropriate time to

  • Weather Center staff now supports Stars and Stripes

    In addition to producing roughly 8,400 forecasts a month for 72 locations in 60 different countries, the American Forces Network Weather Center here has added yet another client: Stars and Stripes.Stars and Stripes is a daily tabloid-style newspaper distributed around the world with a readership of

  • Beale reservist with Haitian ties volunteers

    As soon as the call came out for volunteers to participate in Haitian earthquake relief efforts, 940th Wing reservists here stepped forward. One of the first to volunteer was Tech. Sgt. Francois Celestin, a services flight member whose family lives in the heart of Port-au-Prince, Haiti."It's a very

  • Reservists deployed to Homestead help improve airflow to Haiti

    Department of Defense officials transformed Homestead Air Reserve Base from an F-16 Fighting Falcon base into a hub supplies to the Haiti and as a reception point for repatriating evacuees.With a limited mobility infrastructure at Homestead ARB, the Air Force deployed 28 reservists from the 512th

  • E-4 commemorates 35 years on alert

    To say there have been a lot of changes in the past 35 years would be a bit of an understatement.To give a frame of reference, gas was roughly 50 cents a gallon, the Pittsburgh Steelers, who currently own six Super Bowl trophies, had yet to win their first, and the Cold War between the Soviet Union

  • Reaper exhibit opens at Air Force museum

    Air Force and industry officials joined National Museum of the U.S Air Force officials for the opening of the museum's new MQ-9 Reaper exhibit Jan. 25 here.As a medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft, the Reaper locates and destroys time-critical and highly mobile targets and

  • Researchers examine video gaming's benefits

    Think interactive video games are a waste of time or more suited for children? Think again. Research under way by the Office of Naval Research indicates that video games can help adults process information much faster and improve their fundamental abilities to reason and solve problems in novel

  • Jan. 24 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Jan. 24, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in Afghanistan:Lashkar GahAir Force MQ-1B Predator operators

  • Top enlisted Airman addresses key Cannon issues during visit

    The Air Force's top enlisted Airman visited here Jan. 20 and addressed issues that ranged from housing and deployments to how Cannon Air Force Base Airmen fit into the bigger Air Force picture.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy told Airmen that top Air Force leaders are very aware of

  • Chairman cites need for rapid health care solutions

    Defense Department officials must work quickly to surmount a stigma that's preventing servicemembers from seeking help for the signature wounds of today's wars, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Jan. 25. "We are clearly just beginning to deal with the long-term effects of the signature

  • VA officials to begin recovery of GI Bill advance payments

    Veterans Affairs Department officials are beginning the process of recovering advance payments made available during the fall 2009 semester to veterans and servicemembers who applied for education benefits. "The advance payments were a huge success and helped thousands of student veterans during the

  • Air Force 'angels' rescue injured Haitians

    "Don't leave me," said a young Haitian girl, her arms and head bandaged after being badly burned. She reached out to a nearby nurse, "Am I going to die?""No, not today. Don't you worry," the nurse said. The girl settled back onto her litter.Farther down the row of litters a Haitian man was chanting,

  • VA to begin recovery of GI Bill advance payments

    The Veterans Affairs Department is beginning the process of recovering advance payments made available during the fall 2009 semester to veterans and servicemembers who applied for education benefits. "The advance payments were a huge success and helped thousands of student veterans during the first

  • New Hampshire Guard members support Haiti relief efforts

    Eight New Hampshire Air National Guard Airmen here deployed to Haiti in support of Operation Unified Response Jan. 25 here."We have never supported a mission quite like this before," said Master Sgt. Robert Stewart, assigned to the 260th Air Traffic Control Squadron.He said the squadron will use a

  • Coronet Oak aircrews respond to Haiti earthquake

    "After Afghanistan, we thought our Coronet Oak assignment would be a two-week vacation," said 1st Lt. Casey Fallon, a 35th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron co-pilot, assigned from the Ohio Air National Guard's 179th Airlift Wing at Mansfield, Ohio. Lieutenant Fallon didn't expect the earthquake that

  • 'Today's Air Force' features Haiti relief

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," Airmen leap into action to rush supplies and food to the people of Haiti. Also featured in this edition, Air Force units begin to draw down in Iraq while ramping up in Afghanistan and a rookie flight nurse goes through aeromedical evacuation training. In the

  • Simulator provides risk-free training at Eielson

    The 354th Security Forces Squadron training instructors here recently received training on a new simulation system that will train Airmen in marksmanship, collective and judgmental firing skills. The Engagement Skills Trainer 2000 is a small-arms training system used to increase deployment

  • Airmen, Sailors demonstrate airpower at Bahrain International Airshow

    Servicemembers from the Air Force and Navy completed their mission to highlight U.S. airpower at the inaugural Bahrain International Airshow held Jan. 21-23 here.The three-day event included static displays of fighter jets, transport planes and light aircraft along with aerial demonstrations by a

  • Hill Airmen offer help, hope in Haiti

    Air Force reservists joined the Haiti multinational relief effort Jan. 22, from Hill Air Force Base, Utah."When I saw on the news that they were sending U.S. troops to Haiti, I wanted to be part of it," said Tech. Sgt. Cody De Los Reyes, from the 67th Aerial Port Squadron. "So when I had the

  • Combat controllers crucial to Haiti earthquake relief

    Thanks to a specialized group of Airmen used to working in austere locations, airlift operations in Haiti were possible in the initial days after an earthquake destroyed much of the capital, and since then these Airmen have made the airport one of the busiest in the world.Combat controllers are used

  • U.S., Japan forces celebrate as alliance reaches half-century mark

    Fifty years ago U.S. and Japanese officials signed a security treaty that has outlasted 10 U.S. presidents and 22 Japan prime ministers, and things show no sign of slowing down yet.To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the alliance, approximately 200 Japanese and American servicemembers and

  • Lynn lists aerospace, cyber-age challenges

    Current and potential U.S. adversaries seek to employ asymmetrical weapons, such as improvised explosive devices and cyber warfare, as a means to confront U.S. military superiority in conventional conflict, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said here Jan. 21. "Our dominance in

  • AFMC's new command chief master sergeant is 'all-in'

    During 28 years as an Airman, Chief Master Sgt. Eric R. Jaren has learned that a successful career requires not only fulfilling your duties, but thinking outside the box as well. For those who do both, he said, opportunities arise. The latest opportunity for Chief Jaren came by way of Gen. Donald

  • Officials announce change to C-17 sustainment plan

    Air Force officials announced Jan. 21 they will establish an integrated C-17 Globemaster III Program Office and lead the product-support integration efforts at Warner-Robins Air Logistics Center at Robins Air Force Base, Ga. with support from the Boeing Company. Additionally specialists at the

  • SecAF unveils service's game plan in future security environment

    The Air Force's top civilian addressed Air, Space and Cyberspace Power in the 21st Century during his portion of the 38th Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis-Fletcher Conference on National Security Strategy and Policy Jan. 20, here. Air Force Secretary Michael Donley noted the service's challenge

  • Homestead offers respite for Haiti earthquake victims

    Since the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated Haiti Jan. 12, Homestead Air Reserve Base has become a staging area for aircrews to bring earthquake victims. The base, located approximately 25 miles southwest of Miami, has become a hub for aircraft and personnel supporting Operation Unified

  • POL flight starts what could be 'benchmark' process

    The 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron petroleum, oil and lubricants flight has just implemented a process for filtering fuel that Air Force leadership wants to make a "benchmark."This first in-the-area of responsibility pre-stage fuel filter system drew the attention of Maj. Gen.

  • General Corley inducted into Order of the Sword

    Approximately 500 members from across Air Combat Command gathered in Omaha, Neb., Jan. 13 to induct retired Gen. John D. W. Corley into ACC's Order of the Sword.General Corley became the fifth person to receive the honor, which is the highest the enlisted corps can bestow upon an officer."To be

  • History in the making: First Canadian student pilots to train with ENJJPT

    Two young Canadians made history at the 80th Flying Training wing when they became the first two Canadian student pilots to train in the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program here. Although Sheppard has had Canadian instructor pilots in the past, the two lieutenants are the first Canadian

  • Team MacDill responds to Haiti Relief Efforts

    Thirteen members of MacDill Air Force Base's 6th Medical Group deployed to the Republic of Haiti Jan. 20 in support of the humanitarian mission to provide critical medical care to survivors of the massive earthquake that devastated the island Jan. 12."The team consists of personnel whose expertise

  • Mobility Airmen continue Haiti relief operations

    Air Mobility Command Airmen have flown more than 470 sorties in support of Haiti relief efforts, rushing food, water and medical supplies to the people of Haiti.In fact, since Jan. 13, AMC Airmen and aircraft have delivered nearly 2,250 tons of cargo and about 2,000 passengers to Haiti and evacuated

  • RED HORSE Airmen construct new facilities

    The 557th Expeditionary Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operations Repair Squadron of Engineers recently constructed three buildings outside of Joint Base Balad in two months in support of the responsible drawdown of U.S. servicemembers from Iraq.The team of 26 RED HORSE Airmen constructed a badging

  • March C-17s make quick turn-around for more Haiti missions

    Two C-17 Globemaster IIIs from the 729th Airlift Squadron returned to March Air Reserve Base Jan. 18 after flying earthquake relief missions to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. By mid-afternoon Jan. 18, Airmen from the 452nd Maintenance Group had regenerated the C-17s and new 729th AS crews were in the air

  • Charleston AFB aircrew conducts air delivery over Haiti

    Airmen from Charleston Air Force Base conducted the first C-17 Globemaster III air delivery mission to Haiti during Operation Unified Response Jan. 18. At approximately 5 a.m. the day of the flight, Maj. Jeff Daniels, the mission aircraft commander with the 437th Operations Support Squadron, said he

  • New NSPS transition office announced

    The Department of Defense announced Jan. 21 the establishment of the National Security Personnel System Transition Office and the selection of John H. James Jr. as the director.Mr. James will report to the deputy under secretary of defense for civilian personnel policy and lead the NSPSTO in

  • VA officials reaching out to students and schools to speed benefit payments

    In a coordinated effort to speed up the processing of Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefits this spring, Department of Veterans Affairs officials announced Jan. 20 that they have been reaching out to student veterans, servicemembers, university officials and other partners to meet a commitment to an

  • Cannon Airman returns from earthquake-torn Haiti

    Although earthquakes are nothing unusual for one Airman here who hails from Azusa, Calif., they were the last thing on his mind when he took leave shortly after New Year's Day. Airman 1st Class Mike Cooksey, 27th Special Operations Equipment Maintenance Squadron, returned to Cannon Jan. 17, a week

  • Gates orders additional ship, eyes more capability for Haiti

    Just hours before another earthquake hit Haiti early this morning, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the Defense Department is sending a port-clearing ship and evaluating additional capabilities to assist the disaster relief effort. Secretary Gates announced that he signed deployment orders

  • School takes students to new heights

    Airmen take off into a high-flying career upon graduating from a classroom that hovers 500 feet above the ground.Students training at the 23rd Flying Training Squadron in Fort Rucker, Ala., are the Air Force's primary source of helicopter pilots for special operations, combat search and rescue,

  • Air Forces Southern marks major milestones in Unified Response

    Airmen from Air Forces Southern successfully evacuated 1,521 people Jan. 18 from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, effectively doubling the cumulative evacuations of the previous five days from the earthquake-ravaged country. More than 1,200 of those evacuated were U.S. citizens."One of our mobility experts

  • Tricare dives into social media to engage beneficiaries

    Tricare officials are taking the plunge into social media to uncover what issues matter most to their beneficiaries around the world. Social media channels and networks like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr continue to transform how healthcare information, and information in general, is

  • AMC wings provide critical airlift role for Haiti earthquake victims

    Since relief operations began Jan. 13, Air Mobility Command aircraft have delivered more than 2,600 tons of cargo and nearly 5,300 passengers to Haiti as part of Operation Unified Response.The first humanitarian mission carrying food and water supplied by Charleston AFB's aerial port squadron

  • Jan. 18 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Jan. 18, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in Afghanistan:AsadabadAir Force F-15E Strike Eagles provided

  • Total force team to aid earthquake victims

    Two C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft with 16 Airmen from Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station headed for Haiti Jan. 16.Manned by crews from the New York Air National Guard's 107th Airlift Wing and the Air Force Reserve's 914th Airlift Wing, the C-130s headed first to Pope Air Force Base, N.C., to upload

  • 2010 AETC Symposium reaches new heights with seminars, displays

    More than 3,700 people attended the 2010 Air Education and Training Command Symposium Jan. 14 and 15 in downtown San Antonio, the largest showing to date. The symposium featured nearly 100 academic seminars on a variety of Air Force topics, a technology exposition hosted by the Alamo chapter of the

  • Haiti task force commander notes progress

    Humanitarian assistance efforts in Haiti are improving every day despite enormous challenges, the commander of Joint Task Force Haiti said. "Today, we had 180 flights go through the airport with zero delays," Army Lt. Gen. P.K. "Ken" Keen said Jan. 18 during a "DoDLive" bloggers roundtable. "That's

  • U.S. to open additional runway in Haiti

    As some 200 daily flights transit through the congested and sole functioning Haitian airport in the capital of Port-au-Prince, the U.S. military officials are going to open a second runway in the city of Jacmel within a day. The airfield will receive C-130 Hercules deliveries that initially will

  • F-15 rewire flight to save money, manhours

    A new rewire flight at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is playing a key role in keeping the aging F-15 Eagle flying for years to come. The flight will perform a complete rewire on 122 F-15s during the next five years. The rewiring will be done on C and D models, and when complete, the flight will spend

  • Florida Guard establishes flight center for Haiti

    Florida Air National Guard 101st Air and Space Operations Group Airmen here are paving the way for air operations in the emergency response to Haiti. Florida guardsmen have been working to assist the Haitian government, Federal Aviation Administration, and U.S. Southern Command officials in

  • Military, civilian leaders assess, plan relief ops

    Base leaders met with civilian representatives Jan. 17 to assess current operations and plan for further support in response to the 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Haiti Jan. 12.The tri-service installation has been a departure point for military personnel providing in-country support and transport of

  • New Jersey base gets evacuees from Haiti on road home

    A flight carrying 44 evacuees arrived here late Jan. 16 in a continuing effort to assist U.S. citizens in Haiti after the country was devastated by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake Jan. 12.Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst personnel, along with individual volunteers and representatives from civilian

  • Jan. 15 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Jan. 15, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in Afghanistan:TirgariAir Force F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots

  • 'Today's Air Force' features A-10 Thunderbolt II

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," the A-10 Thunderbolt II is featured getting a new lease on life. Plus, viewers get an inside look at the coordinated effort of providing security for a base in Iraq.  And, F-16 maintainers show how they prevent a small screw from creating a big headache.

  • McChord Airmen fly Haiti relief missions

    Airmen launched two McChord C-17 Globemaster III aircraft early Sunday in support of mounting relief efforts in Haiti, flying one aircraft to Langley AFB, Va., and the other to Pope AFB, N.C.  From there, aircrews were to transport specialized teams and relief supplies into Haiti's Toussaint L'

  • Air mobility: connecting missions, hearts and lives for Haiti

    At approximately 6 p.m. Jan. 14, a Charleston AFB C-17 and crew departed on the base's first mission to bring the humanitarian relief to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, which was struck Jan. 12 by a devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake.Charleston AFB began launching relief aircraft to augment the overall

  • Ohio Task Force One ready to depart for Haiti from WPAFB

    An 80-member urban search and rescue team is packed and ready to go here, in case their unit will be the next to fly into earthquake-ravaged Haiti.Ohio Task Force One is composed of volunteer members from throughout Ohio and northern Kentucky, highly trained people anxious to provide search and

  • West Virginia Air Guard Operates Staging Area

    Airmen with the West Virginia Air National Guard's 167th Airlift Wing are working around the clock here in an effort to get critical, life-saving supplies to Haiti's earthquake victims.The air base was transformed yesterday into a staging area for more than 332,000 pounds of supplies bound for the

  • ESC group aids Haitian response efforts with critical imagery

    The 950th Electronic System Group's Eagle Vision imagery collection team here sprang into action within hours of the 7.0 earthquake that shook Haiti to its core Jan. 13.By about 9 p.m. that evening, program officials began working to order commercial satellite imagery of the island nation from a

  • Space team achieves key ground-segment milestones

    A joint Air Force and Lockheed Martin team developing the Space-Based Infrared System program, known as SBIRS, has achieved two key milestones: a testing milestone demonstrating the ground system is on track to support launch of the first SBIRS geosynchronous GEO-1 satellite in the constellation;

  • Gates, Mullen cite aid streaming into Haiti

    All Defense Department resources in the Western Hemisphere are available for assisting Haiti, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, briefed reporters on the situation in Haiti. Some 1,000 U.S. servicemembers are on the

  • VA, DOD officials expand ranks of federal recovery coordinators

    Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced the hiring of five new federal recovery coordinators, bringing to 20 the number of professionals coordinating care for the most seriously injured servicemembers."Our federal recovery coordinators are key members of a team of health care

  • March officials assist with Haiti earthquake relief efforts

    March Air Reserve Base became a hub for Southern California's Haiti earthquake relief effort when a team of approximately 75 U.S. Agency for International Development personnel reported to the base Jan. 13, for transportation to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.The deploying personnel are members of the Los

  • AMC officials sign energy savings contract for McGuire

    An energy savings performance contract was signed by Air Mobility Command officials Dec. 23 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.The contract implements four energy saving projects at JB McGuire: heat plant decentralization, upgraded high-efficiency lighting, chiller plant improvements and

  • Beale officials send Global Hawk to aid in Haiti earthquake relief efforts

    Officials from the 12th Reconnaissance Squadron here launched an RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft from Beale Air Force Base Jan. 13 to assist with the humanitarian aid mission in Haiti after the country suffered a 7.0 magnitude earthquake Jan. 12. The squadron received the short-notice mission

  • Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus provides Airmen incentives

    Air Force officials have recently updated the Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus policy. All Airmen, regardless of career field, are now eligible for FLPB in a broad range of languages including those identified as "dominant in the force" such as Spanish, Tagalog, French, German, Italian,

  • Air Force officials participating in summer program

    Air Force organization officials have the opportunity to begin hiring students March 17 for temporary, funded positions as part of the 2010 Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities.Air Force officials are participating in the annual program sponsored by the Department of

  • Select bases to implement new civilian application procedure

    As early as mid-February, the rollout of a civilian hiring test initiative will require current Air Force civilian employees to follow new procedures when applying for jobs at select bases. Air Force civilians who want to apply for jobs at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas; Osan Air Base, Korea; or

  • December recruiting successes wrap up banner 2009

    Defense Department officials rang out 2009 as a successful recruiting year with solid recruiting successes in all four active components in December, Pentagon officials announced here Jan. 13. The Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps all met or exceeded their active-duty accession goals for

  • Program brings languages to senior officer PME

    As special guests of the Air Force Culture and Language Center staff, 20 instructors from the Defense Language Institute in Washington, D.C., and Monterey, Calif., are helping Air War College and Air Command and Staff College students cultivate basic language skills as part of the Strategic

  • Military preps for broader Haiti relief mission

    The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson is headed toward earthquake-devastated Haiti and is scheduled to arrive tomorrow to provide airlift support for the disaster-response mission, the commander of U.S. Southern Command reported Jan. 13.Meanwhile, Gen. Douglas Fraser said, SOUTHCOM officials are

  • Mullen voices concern with military suicide rate

    Suicide is a growing problem in the military community, and its leaders must be committed to reversing that trend, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here Jan. 13.In an address to an audience of more than 1,000 military and other government agency health-care workers and officials

  • Air Force officials announce holiday safety results

    The Air Force had the lowest recorded number of private motor vehicle fatalities during the Thanksgiving-to-New Year's time frame -- one -- to include the lowest number of automobile fatalities -- zero. It was also the first time in 13 years the Air Force did not have a single active-duty death due

  • Air Force officials announce enlisted board, promotion schedules

    Air Force officials here have released new enlisted promotion board and testing schedules Jan. 14."The 2010 enlisted promotion rates look promising," said Chief Master Sgt. Mark Long, the enlisted promotions, evaluations and physical fitness chief. "Nearly all 2009 rates slightly increased from 2008

  • Airmen transition into new fitness program

    As Airmen begin transitioning into the new testing cycle in January, officials worked to publish the new Air Force instruction to the Air Force Publications Web site Jan. 12, with an effective date of July 1.Air Force officials unveiled the new fitness program in August while still completing a

  • Budget for 2010 to help Guard equip, modernize

    Increased funding in the fiscal 2010 budget will allow the National Guard to modernize and equip its forces for state and federal missions, Guard officials announced here Jan. 11."This robust funding will constitute a significant strengthening of the Guard's equipment fill and modernization

  • Maintainers keep aircraft soaring

    Airmen from the 451st Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron maintenance flight keep A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft up and running, enabling them to provide close-air support throughout Afghanistan.By performing phase inspections after every 500 hours of flight, they make sure the aircraft are in the best

  • Cyberspace leaders hold career panel at Academy

    Senior officers with Air Force Space Command and 24th Air Force held a space and cyberspace career panel in the Academy's Fairchild Hall Jan. 11.The panel gave cadets in attendance a chance to ask the panelists questions about the future of space and cyberspace and how their future careers might fit

  • Academy cadets to conduct rocket static fire test

    Cadets in the FalconLaunch program here will conduct a fully integrated static test fire of the FalconLaunch-8 rocket's propulsion system Jan. 15 in Jacks Valley, Colo.FalconLaunch is a two-semester course for cadets to gain hands-on experience, "learning space by doing space." Over the course of

  • Officials urge collaboration in suicide prevention

    There are no clear-cut answers to suicide prevention, but through collaboration and team work from federal and private institutions, the nation can better address the challenge, Defense and Veterans Affairs department officials said today.In a joint Defense-VA conference, titled "Building Strong and

  • Ali Base drawdown in full swing

    Ali Base is in full drawdown mode following the presidential directive to reduce the American military presence in Iraq, and to withdraw combat forces by December 2011.The Air Force presence here will be less than one-third what it is today by the end of August, according to Col. Dennis Hunsicker,

  • Gates will remain as secretary at least another year

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will stay in office for at least another year, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell confirmed here Jan. 7. Secretary Gates met with President Barack Obama before Christmas and committed to another year on the job, Mr. Morrell said. Then-President George W. Bush

  • Joint basing at Charleston moves forward with activation of 628th ABW

    Eighteenth Air Force officials activated the 628th Air Base Wing during an assumption-of-command ceremony Jan. 8 at Charleston AFB.The activation of the 628th ABW is the latest step toward the stand up of Joint Base Charleston Jan. 31. The joint base stand up in late January will begin the next

  • Podcast Series Addresses Post-deployment Challenges

    Servicemembers and their families can get help coping with post-deployment stress through a new series of podcasts profiling the personal stories of those who have lived it. "Combat brings individuals face-to-face with the harshest demands imaginable. In fact, it's impossible to be unaffected by

  • Chairman calls strategy year's greatest challenge

    Executing the president's strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan presents his biggest challenge, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told a CNN reporter Jan. 10. However, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said he sees progress being made in both countries. "In December, we recruited to an exceptionally