HomeNews

NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Wing has long heritage of serving others

    The 59th Medical Wing is the Air Force's premier medical unit, located here in San Antonio.  The 59th MDW operates Wilford Hall Medical Center. The wing provides global medical readiness capability and comprehensive peacetime healthcare benefits through education, training and research. There are

  • Secretary Gates: Care for America's returning wounded warriors

    When I was nominated to take this post just over three months ago, I said that the patriots who have volunteered to serve in our armed services have no equal in the world. I made a solemn commitment to the Congress, to the nation, and to you to keep the welfare of men and women in uniform uppermost

  • Wing's shield symbolizes medical mission

    The 59th Medical Wing shield symbolizes the unit's mission and its present vision. In 1993, when the wing became a numbered medical wing, the shield of the 59th Fighter Wing, formerly the 59th Observation Wing, was acquired. Its use was approved for the 59th Medical Wing Feb. 3, 1995. Wilford Hall

  • Reserve Airmen contribute to medical mission in Iraq

    Air Force Reservists from the 920th Aeromedical Staging Squadron at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., found themselves integral to the success rate of the Air Force Theater Hospital here. Nine Airmen from the 920th ASTS, part of the Reserve's 920th Rescue Wing, are deployed here working for the 332nd

  • Fort Sam commemorates first military flight

    Three vintage Stearman aircraft flew over Fort Sam Houston's parade ground March 2 to commemorate the 97th anniversary of the first military aerial flight.  It was here U.S. Army Lt. Benjamin Foulois boarded the "Signal Corps 'Aeroplane' No. 1" in 1910 and circled Fort Sam Houston's MacArthur Parade

  • Edwards launches first base-focused video podcast in DOD

    More than 16 months after Edwards launched its first audio podcast, the base launched base-focused video podcasts on its public Web site Feb. 28, the first such podcasts in the Department of Defense. Podcasting is an Internet publishing technology that allows users to subscribe to an automatic feed

  • Warfare center is now U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center

    The Air Mobility Warfare Center flag was rolled up and a new flag bearing the name "United States Air Force Expeditionary Center" was unfurled March 5 during a re-designation ceremony here. "If you want to know why you've become the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, it's because you earned it,"

  • Air Force officer reduction board to convene in June

    The Air Force will convene an officer reduction in force board June 11 here at the Air Force Personnel Center. All eligible officers should have received an Officer Pre-selection Brief around Feb. 15. Officers are responsible for reviewing their records for accuracy and ensuring information their

  • Medics learn combat environment skills

    Even the setting is realistic. Men and women dressed in field and camouflage uniforms, military vehicles and helicopters in evidence everywhere, officers and Airmen hunched over topographical maps and the usual good-natured complaints about the C-rations forming a buzz of background

  • Two former top Air Force chiefs visit Keesler Airmen

    Two retired chief master sergeants of the Air Force addressed a capacity crowd March 2 as guest speakers at the 81st Training Wing's annual awards banquet. The first Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Paul Airey, and eighth, Sam Parish, took the opportunity earlier in the day to tour several

  • Raptor, precision strike bomb integration testing begins

    The 411th Flight Test Squadron began integration testing of the F-22A Raptor and the GBU-39/B Small-Diameter Bomb here in February. The weapon is a low-cost, stand-off, next generation precision strike weapon, capable of flying autonomously. The bomb is guided by an inertial navigation system with

  • Operation Deep Freeze ends record-setting season

    Ski-equipped LC-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster IIIs redeployed from Christchurch, New Zealand, wrapped up the 2006-2007 season of Operation Deep Freeze in late February. This unique joint and total force mission has supported the National Science Foundation and U.S. Antarctic Program since 1955

  • Expeditionary wing supports war efforts in many ways

    The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing directly supports the war on terrorism on many different levels. Combat sorties are flown daily, and multitudes of U.S. servicemembers and coalition partners, equipment and supplies are transported in and out of theater. Other missions are not quite as visible. Many

  • Air Force program reconnects Airmen to heritage

    Air Force History Office officials are launching a new program to help unite Airmen, past and present, commemorate and preserve their shared heritage. During this year, in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of the Air Force, history office staff members are reaching out to those involved in

  • Motivational program ending at Ramstein

    After three years of helping Airmen get back on track, the Ramstein Area Motivational Program, or RAMP, correctional custody facility is closing its doors. More than 200 Airmen have come through the program, with a huge majority of them successfully completing the training. RAMP opened its doors

  • F-35 production a step closer after wind tunnel test

    Arnold Engineering Development Center workers completed the last developmental wind tunnel test in February for all Joint Strike Fighter variants, helping put the F-35 Lightning II a step closer to manufacturing. It was the culmination of more than 8,600 hours and $50 million worth of wind tunnel

  • Airmen receive cutting-edge satellite training

    As a satellite systems crew chief, Staff Sgt. Lori Browning has a job that is out of this world. She is currently receiving training on the Space Based Infrared Systems, or SBIRS, that is scheduled to become operational sometime next year. Sergeant Browning is part of the first class that is being

  • Brooks training program integrates medical processes

    The U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine here has established a realistic, in-depth training program that marries up two processes to provide essential training to medics who, in many cases, are deployed and doing this very same mission within one to two months. The program ties Expeditionary

  • Proper training, protection help prevent hearing loss

    Hearing loss can be due to personal choices such as firing a weapon without wearing proper hearing protection, listening to loud music or riding motorcycles. To help prevent hearing loss, people should wear hearing protection devices as taught and trained by public health personnel, and by their

  • General encourages AFSO 21 mind-set for PACAF successes

    The Pacific Air Forces director of logistics outlined changes in the Air Force and what those changes mean to the logistics community within the command during a recent visit to Kadena. "In regards to our mission in the Pacific, our number one challenge is maintaining regional stability out here in

  • 5-Star program recognizes Services' best

    Eighty-seven fitness, library, outdoor recreation and golf programs were distinguished as Five Star for 2006 by Air Force Services Agency officials here, recognizing their high quality and trust.The Five Star programs provide annual recognition, acknowledging those bases that have reached the

  • Air Force serves as host for energy industry forum

    Energy policy, aviation platforms and future fuel utilization are just a few of the topics that will be presented at the Air Force's Energy Industry Forum March 8 to 9 in Arlington, Va. The forum will have various plenary and concurrent sessions that will look at the full spectrum of the Air Force's

  • Research of materials for use in extreme environments

    Leading edge scientific discoveries and breakthroughs funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research here could pave the way for new performance capabilities of materials used in extreme environments. Among these latest developments, recently presented at an AFOSR ceramics program review, is

  • Supercomputer to boost Aeronautical Systems Center's capabilities

    With the addition of an SGI® Altix® 4700 computer this summer, the Aeronautical Systems Center Major Shared Resource Center will house one of the Department of Defense's High Performance Computing Modernization Program's largest supercomputers. Installation of the SGI® Altix® 4700 - a

  • Air Force logistics centers support warfighters 24/7

    When aircraft maintainers, half-way around the world, need help fast, round-the-clock support is now available at Air Force Materiel Command's three air logistics centers. The customer support centers, or CSCs, at Tinker AFB, Okla., Robins AFB, Ga., and Hill AFB, Utah, are the product of AFMC's

  • Dyess' aircraft maintainers meet AFSO 21 head on

    While many shops in the Air Force are finding they have to do "less with less," one maintenance shop here found a way to do "more with less." The newly consolidated support flight in the 7th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron is an example of how Airmen in the 7th Maintenance Group are answering Air

  • Official shares glimpse of future with Misawa Airmen

    Mr. William Anderson, assistant secretary for installations, environment and logistics, stopped here Feb. 22 to meet with Airmen and to discuss key Air Force issues, including environmental stewardship and future fuel alternatives.He talked about the incredible care Airmen display as they lead the

  • Defense Department tops nation in child care efforts

    Child care is a critical issue for many families around the country, and the Defense Department stands alone as a model for quality child care in the nation, an independent study released March 1 finds. In the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies' ranking of state child

  • Fighting in cyberspace means cyber domain dominance

    The Air Force officially announced creation of the new Cyberspace Command late last year. Now, just four months later, the command's leaders are talking about the way ahead. The Air Force's operational Cyberspace Command, also known as 8th Air Force, is commanded by Lt. Gen. Robert J. "Bob" Elder.

  • General speaks on Elmendorf's, Air Force's future

    The Air Force deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements, visited here Feb. 21 to 23 to discuss the capabilities Alaska provides to the service, recapitalization, joint initiatives and the arrival of the C-17 Globemaster IIIs and F-22 Raptor.Although he is no longer stationed in

  • In-house repairs keep costs down at Misawa Air Base

    The war on terrorism is forcing the U.S. military to take a closer look at its budget and how money is spent. In the quest to maximize resources, three Airmen here are part of program designed to do just. Three NCO's of the 35th Maintenance Group are manning Misawa's Repair Enhancement Program

  • Anthrax vaccine program becomes mandatory for some

    The Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program, or AVIP, mandates Airmen assigned to high-threat areas receive the Anthrax vaccine, while also providing Airmen the choice to continue anthrax vaccines if they are not assigned to a designated high-threat area. Implementation of the AVIP begins March 19, in

  • Top teams can vie for excellence award

    For more than 14 years, the Chief of Staff Team Excellence Awards, sponsored by the Air Force chief of staff, have been recognizing those Airmen who use a systematic approach to enhance mission capability, improve operational performance and create sustained results. For 2007, the Air Force's goal

  • 'Man's best friends' help fight war on terrorism

    More than 2,000 military working dogs currently serve at military bases around the world. But for the 65th Security Forces Squadron at Lajes Field, their hearts belong to two of those dogs. Dan and Rex, both adult German Shepherds, arrived at Lajes Field straight from the 120-day rigorous training

  • Afghan officers exchange ideas with Air Force counterparts

    Eight Afghan army air corps officers recently visited the 455th Expeditionary Mission Support Group here. The group came to exchange ideas with their Air Force counterparts. "They learned a lot," said Capt. Tommy Butler, who is an air corps advisory group mentor. "The Afghans don't have a complete

  • Elmendorf Airmen put AFSO 21 to work

    With the arrival of the F-22 Raptor this summer, Elmendorf Air Force Base Airmen are saying goodbye to the F-15E Strike Eagle. Before each plane can be transferred to its new home at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, it has to pass a 10-day aircraft transfer inspection, and now, using Air Force Smart

  • Air Force exploring renewable energy sources

    Air Force officials are investigating the use of renewable energy like wind, solar and geothermal source for use in the future as an alternative to petroleum said the assistant secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment and Logistics. William C. Anderson believes changes to how energy

  • Keeping kids drug-free

    One Airman here has taken a dare to make a difference in children's lives. Senior Airman Kristi Morrell spends her days teaching children at Aviano AB about the dangers of drug use through the drug abuse resistance and education program, or DARE. Drug abuse is a problem around the world. According

  • Willow Grove has best family readiness program

    Members of the 913th Airlift Wing at Willow Grove Air Reserve Station, Pa., received the 2006 Reserve Family Readiness Award at a Feb. 16 ceremony in Washington, D.C. Terry Jarrell, the 913th's family readiness director, and Master Sgt. Bernadette Tate-Dunlap, the family readiness superintendent,

  • Wilford Hall takes step forward in BRAC process

    Brooke Army Medical Center and Wilford Hall Medical Center take another step toward base realignment and closure. Effective March 1, the two medical centers will combine their Travel Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Henry M. Jackson Foundation clinics' outpatient services. The combined services, to

  • Lakenheath Airmen learn to cook healthier

    Members of the RAF Lakenheath Health and Wellness Center spice up their Body Composition Improvement Program by providing a healthy cooking class here. Staff Sgt. Natalie Gatewood, a nutrition counselor here, noticed there was something lacking to the required sessions Airmen were required to

  • Air Force medics treat Cambodians

    Meeting patients' needs in remote Cambodia is a challenge to say the least, but for a team of primary care providers from Brooks City-Base, Texas, it's worth every barrier that is conquered.Members of the Medical Civil Action Program helped those in need Jan. 28 to Feb. 4 in Mondol Kiri, Cambodia.

  • General swears in new Airmen at Daytona 500 race

    Airmen, start your engines! Thirty six delayed-entry-program recruits were sworn into the Air Force Feb. 18 by Gen. Ronald Keys, Air Combat Command commander, before the NASCAR Daytona 500 race. The event took place outside the track at the Air Force recruiting booth, which featured large scale

  • Air Force continues support to communities affected by BRAC

    Across the nation, communities are being reshaped by the military's transformation due to Base Realignment and Closure changes. At a conference for these communities, mayors, engineers, construction companies and others met to discuss the best way for their neighborhoods faced with base closure or

  • New command may change USAFE's role in Africa

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe Airmen have played an active role in Africa since the 1970s, but future participation has yet to be defined due to the recent establishment of U.S. Africa Command. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced the creation of AFRICOM Feb. 6, but how that will affect Airmen

  • Hill supports warfighters with software products

    Simulated warfare found in popular video games can take months of detailed planning and encoding. In the real world, the lives of American warfighters rely on quality software products. Factoring in the Department of Defense's need for flawless systems management in support of the real deal gives

  • DOD recognizes Travis medical center

    David Grant Medical Center has been honored with the 2006 Team Performance Patient Safety Award in recognition of outstanding achievement in creating a safer patient environment. The award, presented at the 2007 Military Health System conference in Washington, D.C., is the highest honor within the

  • New Pentagon Channel Web site debuts Feb. 19

    The Pentagon Channel launches a redesign of its Web site Feb. 19, improving its line of products that distribute the channel's military news and information to men and women in uniform. "The Pentagon Channel's focus for 2007 is to leverage the interactivity of Web 2.0 to more efficiently and

  • Tax assistance benefit yields big returns

    Despite recent manpower and budget cuts, Air Force bases are still offering personal tax assistance programs to their active duty, guard, reserve, civilian, and retiree populations.Last year, Air Force tax center teams filed more than 132,000 federal returns and 74,000 state returns, and saved

  • 820th Red Horse starts 'New Horizons' project in Nicaragua

    The opening ceremony for New Horizons Nicaragua was held here Feb. 15, marking a new beginning for the citizens of this small village in the Carazo District.  New Horizons is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored readiness training exercise.The town will now have a new school and medical clinic, thanks

  • Firefighter brotherhood reaches across international borders

    Thirteen could prove to be a lucky number for Iraqi citizens in An Nasiriyah as that is the number of firefighters whose abilities have been enhanced through training with Airmen deployed here. Airmen firefighters from Air Expeditionary Forces 3, 4, 5 and 6 introduced the Iraqis to American

  • Federal marshals thank Ravens for Lebanon evacuation role

    Air Mobility Command's premier security forces were recognized by the Federal Air Marshal Service during a ceremony here Feb. 12. Master Sgt. Shawn Larkin, the superintendent of Phoenix Raven and contingency operations for AMC, accepted the FAMS' appreciation award on behalf of 26 active duty and

  • Program encourages troops to save money, reduce debt

    A new Defense Department program encourages servicemembers to become better money managers by paying off or avoiding credit card debt and starting savings accounts, a senior official said Feb. 15. "Military Saves" is an ongoing, DoD-wide program that also sponsors money management seminars titled,

  • Lessons learned program to improve deployments

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have established a program to help solve problems and improve things for new people rotating into the area of responsibility. The CENTAF Office of Lessons Learned, established in October 2004, has increased its staff and now has two specialists working to

  • Air Force trauma specialists train civilian counterparts

    Air Force trauma specialists here are training civilian medical personnel on emergency airway management skills. The training, held Feb. 7 at Wilford Hall Medical Center here, was the first under a new agreement signed by the 59th Medical Wing Trauma Department and San Antonio AirLife. The

  • Simulation center provides edge to medics

    For nearly two years, Wilford Hall Medical Center's simulation center has been preparing Airmen for real-world medical scenarios here and in the deployed setting. The center was established as a task to create a needs assessment for the incorporation of medical simulation into Air Force Medical

  • North Korea agrees to nuclear disarmament

    North Korea has agreed to shut down nuclear operations and allow international inspectors into the country, President Bush announced Feb. 14 here, hailing it as an important step toward a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. At six-party talks in Beijing, North Korea said that within 60 days it will shut

  • Hurricane Hunters track Pacific winter storms

    While most people flee when a pending storm is coming, Keesler AFB Airmen go right into the heart of storms to provide detailed information about storms to warn people of hazardous weather.Airmen and WC-130J Hercules aircraft, also known as Hurricane Hunters, left here Feb. 12 for Anchorage, Alaska,

  • Air Force reopens job reservations for nine career fields

    Most first-term Airmen serving in nine Air Force specialty codes will now be eligible to apply for a career job reservation. Airmen serving in the 2A0X1D, 2A5X3D, 2E0X1, 2M0X2, 3E0X1, 3E0X2, 3E1X1, 3E2X1 or 3E3X1 AFSCs will be granted a CJR regardless of their CJR window of eligibility. "This change

  • Military blood program Web site has new look

    The Armed Services Blood Program Web site has been redesigned, offering updated content as well as a new look, officials said.The new Web site, www.militaryblood.dod.mil, features information on how to join a "Life Force" team of donors, volunteers and supporters with topics including blood facts,

  • Arnold conducts Minuteman motor test

    Arnold Engineering Development Center workers here successfully completed the first of eight scheduled Minuteman motor tests this year in late January. The initial test took place in the J-6 Large Rocket Motor Test Facility, where approximately $2.1 million worth of Minuteman testing will occur. The

  • Helicopter support trailer provides rapid mobility

    It appears to be just a plain gray box, with a drop down rear ramp and external lighting. There are no flashy unit murals or logos. In fact, there is no labeling on the trailer at all, other than a government license plate. This nondescript trailer, recently purchased by the 723rd Aircraft

  • New space technology provides less shake, rattle, roll

    Current deployment mechanisms operating aboard spacecraft primarily consist of heavy springs which, when activated, inflict shock to components such as solar arrays and antennae. This often hinders the equipment's efficiency in the harsh environment of space. Air Force Materiel Command's Space

  • Football: Perez, Fowler receive Air Force's top honors

    Senior Gilberto Perez and junior Drew Fowler took home top honors at the 25th Annual Air Force Football Awards Banquet Feb. 9 at the Broadmoor Hotel. Perez received the Brian Bullard Memorial Award while Fowler captured the overall most valuable player. Other players receiving awards included junior

  • Program helps Airmen reintegrate after deployments

    Returning home from a deployment can be a time full of excitement with hopes of getting back into normal life and reuniting with loved ones. But reintegrating back into normal life can be difficult as things at work and home have changed. The reintegration program at Ramstein AB seeks to help make

  • America Supports You: eCarePackage Program available

    Americans interested in sending Valentine's Day-themed care packages to a servicemember or military family can do so through Operation Homefront's eCarePackages.org Program. Operation Homefront is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program highlighting ways Americans and the

  • Air Force Assistance Fund 2007 campaign begins Feb. 12

    This year's Air Force Assistance Fund "Commitment to Caring" campaign, from Feb. 12 to May 4, will provide Airmen the opportunity to contribute to any of the four official Air Force charitable organizations. Now in its 34th year, 100-percent of designated AFAF contributions will benefit active-duty,

  • Schriever Airmen assist during satellite program move

    The 6th Space Operations Squadron Airmen here are assisting with satellite control authority of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, augmenting National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration specialists who deployed to Schriever Jan. 29 from their facilities in Suitland, Md. NOAA

  • Air Force unit wins 2006 DOD Patient Safety Award

    The 59th Medical Wing staff was recognized as a Department of Defense Patient Safety Award winner for their use of new technology and innovation for patient care and safety tracking in an emergency department setting Jan. 30. The award was presented to Brig. Gen. (Dr.) David G. Young III, the 59th

  • 2nd Air Force issues breathalyzers for test

    Second Air Force has begun distributing nearly 25,000 individual breathalyzers to five bases for use during a test focused on alcohol abuse education and awareness. The program originated at the Air Force Safety Office and was given to 2nd Air Force because of the large number of students who have

  • The making of an air commando

    I had never heard the song before, but the melody was vaguely familiar: "Swamp rat, swamp rat, where do you hi-ide? "Come out in the open and I'll be your guy-ide." The raspy voice bounced off the tall pines in Kisatchie National Forest in central Louisiana: I'm a friendly guerilla who'll take you

  • Homefront America offers $25K in scholarships

    A troop-support group has launched an essay contest to award scholarships to military children in gratitude for the sacrifices they have made while their parents serve the nation.Homefront America has joined the W. Daniel Tate family and Sara's Hope Foundation for a second year to host a scholarship

  • Vandenberg team launches Minuteman III

    An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from North Vandenberg Feb. 7 at 12:14 a.m. "This program is key to our constant assessment of the reliability of our ICBM fleet," said Brig. Gen. C. Donald Alston, director of Air Force Space Command's Air, Space and

  • Reserve to form Distributed Ground System associate unit

    As part of the Air Force total force integration initiatives, Air Force Reserve Command is teaming up with Air Combat Command to form an associate unit with the 548th Intelligence Group in fiscal 2008 at Beale Air Force Base, Calif. The group operates Distributed Ground System-2 and Deployable

  • MyEDP provides real answers for real Airmen

    Airmen needn't look further than their computer screens for candid advice and information regarding their service careers, thanks to the My Enlisted Development Plan Web site, now up and running through the Air Force Portal.Designed as the Air Force's cradle-to-grave enlisted developmental tool,

  • AAFES encourages students to make the grade

    Reading, writing and arithmetic are taking a back seat to electronics, clothes and toys as military children cash in on the Army and Air Force Exchange Service's "You Made the Grade" program at post or base exchanges worldwide. Initiated in February 2000, AAFES' education rewards effort is designed

  • Air Force FY 2008 budget includes pay raise, new facilities

    In the president's fiscal 2008 budget, released Feb. 5, Air Force leaders are asking Congress for about $110.7 billion. The Air Force budget request, about $6.2 billion more than it received in FY07, is divided into three primary areas: people, readiness and modernization and recapitalization. About

  • MacDill riders star in motorcycle safety DVD

    It was lights, cameras and action on the set at MacDill AFB the end of January and early February as trained motorcyle riders revved their high-powered bikes and dashed through a makeshift road course on the flightline. Their movie is destined for DVD release in the spring, although you will not

  • Airmen gain perspective of environmental compliance

    Kadena AB Airmen conducted their annual Environmental, Safety and Occupational Health Compliance Assessment Management Program, or ESOHCAMP, Jan. 22 to 26 to check unit compliance of Air Force and Japanese laws and regulations.ESOHCAMP, aimed at protecting the people and environment of the base, was

  • 'Today's Air Force' highlights Airmen's experiences

    This week's "Today's Air Force" includes features on life at Thule Air Base, Greenland, and the opening of the Center for the Intrepid in San Antonio. The long-format, weekly news show tells Air Force stories in more depth. The program is made up of three segments, and each runs approximately eight

  • Budget proposal includes 3-percent pay raise

    President Bush's defense budget request for fiscal 2008 includes a 3 percent military pay raise as well as increases for housing, health care and other quality-of-life benefits and programs. Bush's proposed budget, submitted to Congress today, includes $137 billion in pay, benefits and health care

  • Air Force to accelerate realignment of Oregon wing

    Air Force Reserve Command officials announced plans to implement a second reduction in force in a move to accelerate the closure of the 939th Air Refueling Wing by June 2008 at Portland International Airport, Ore. Originally scheduled to be finalized in September 2010, the new plan allows about 244

  • 'Top Gun' instructor helps with Raptor integration

    What do you say when the Air Force chief of staff asks you to be the first F-22 pilot for the Navy? In Navy Lt. Cmdr. Michael Wosje's case, it was, "How could I refuse?" In a program that lets Navy pilots jump ship to train and integrate with the Air Force, this F/A-18C Hornet pilot from the USS

  • Chief of Staff visits Bagram Airmen

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Rodney McKinley visited Bagram and Kandahar airfields Feb. 2 during a tour of Afghanistan. The general addressed the Airmen of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing and 451st Air Expeditionary Group, discussing

  • Airmen race against time for Manta kids

    When the 171st Air Refueling Wing from the Pittsburgh Air National Guard heard they were going to deploy here to support the 478th Expeditionary Operations Squadron, boom operator Master Sgt. John Buckwalter asked, "What can we do to help the community when we arrive?" The answer? Collect 118

  • Programs allow deployed Airmen to e-mail, chat with family

    Air Force officials continue to provide deployed Airmen and their families with Web-based communication tools, allowing e-mail and instant messaging from virtually anywhere in the world. The Air Force Instant Messenger and Global Internet Mail programs help ease the stress of deployments by keeping

  • AFSO 21: Achieving a smarter staffing process

    Getting better and faster answers for decision makers was the goal for a team from Headquarters Air Force Space Command and the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles AFB, Calif., which met here for an Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century Rapid Improvement Event Jan. 22 to 25.

  • Captain shares language with Japanese airmen

    An Air Force officer is making the most of his assignment to Kumagaya Air Base in Japan.Capt. Joseph Cook, a communications officer, is the only American stationed here as part of the Japanese Personnel Exchange Program.Captain Cook spends most of his time teaching English to new Japanese officers

  • AFMC commander visits Southwest Asia

    The commander of Air Force Materiel Command visited Southwest Asia recently to receive a first-hand look at challenges Airmen face maintaining airfield weapon systems in the area of responsibility. During his visit, Gen. Bruce Carlson discussed what AFMC brings to the fight, including science and

  • Military OneSource offers free online tax filing

    The Defense Department's Military OneSource family support program is once again offering free, online tax preparation and filing for servicemembers and their families, officials said Feb. 2. The service began Jan. 15. It's available to active duty servicemembers, National Guardsmen and reservists

  • Feb. 21 commissary scholarship deadline nears

    While chocolate and flowers are traditional Valentine gifts, perhaps for students the best gift is a $1,500 college scholarship. The Scholarships for Military Children program might be just the ticket this Valentine's Day, but don't procrastinate because applications must be turned in at a

  • Arnold teams provide NASA with test data

    Two teams at the Engineering Development Center's Hypervelocity Wind Tunnel 9 here were recently involved in tests for NASA's next crew exploration vehicle. One team made use of conventional and advanced measurement techniques during the NASA-sponsored aerothermal testing on a scale model of the

  • Florida Guard team to support Super Bowl security

    Tens of thousands of football fans will flock to Florida this weekend, passionate about their pigskin picks, but a handful of Florida Guardsmen are hoping that the game is anything but exciting for them. The 44th Civil Support Team based at the Camp Blanding Joint Training Center near Starke, Fla.,

  • Top personnel official: 'Jointness' key to future of military medicine

    As the military health care system transforms its governance structure, the services must work together to sustain the high quality of care servicemembers and their families receive, a top Defense Department official said here Jan. 30. The military health care community has transformed battlefield

  • Air Force recognized as top federal green power purchaser

    For the third year in a row, the Air Force heads the Environmental Protection Agency's list of Top 10 federal government green power purchasers in the Green Power Partnership. The list highlights EPA's federal Green Power Partners that have completed the largest annual voluntary purchases through

  • AFMC sets date to complete civilian development plan

    The Air Force Materiel Command's General Schedule-13 acquisition program managers have until Feb. 6 to complete their automated civilian development plan for this year's cycle. The suspense also applies to former GS-13, GS-14 or equivalent employees who converted to National Security Personnel

  • Air Force posts KC-X request for proposals

    The assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition announced Jan. 30 the posting of the KC-X Aerial Refueling Aircraft Request for Proposal to the Federal Business Opportunities Web site, signaling the official launch of the Air Force's No. 1 priority acquisition program. The announcement

  • C-130 mechanics beat repair deadline for gunship

    When Aircraft 89-0512, an AC-130U Spooky, arrived at Robins AFB for program depot maintenance, it was given an accelerated schedule of only 150 days to complete. This was 31 days less than the standard 181 days for such an aircraft and many wondered if the members of the 560th Aircraft Maintenance

  • Changes planned for ISR community

    The Air Force director of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, or ISR, recently discussed his plans for improving the service's ISR capabilities. During a recent roundtable with members of the press, Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula laid out his plans for overhauling the service's ISR functions.