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  • Former Air Force official gets nine months in prison

    Darleen Druyun, former principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisitions and management, was sentenced Oct. 1, to nine months in federal prison by a U.S. District Court judge.Earlier this year, Ms. Druyun pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate Title 18, Section 208(a) of the

  • DOD expands anthrax, smallpox vaccination programs

    Department of Defense is expanding its anthrax and smallpox immunization programs following an evaluation conducted by the Military Health System. Air Force officials released service-specific guidance recently.Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr., assistant secretary of defense for health affairs,

  • Airmen use GBU-38 in combat

    During one particular night shift recently, a team primarily composed of Air National Guardsmen conducted the first successful drop of a GBU-38 bomb in combat.The majority of the people connected to the effort came from the Alabama Air National Guard and were supplemented by Airmen from Illinois and

  • Recruiter guilty in murder-for-hire plot

    After a two-week general court-martial, Tech. Sgt. Rodney Wells was found guilty here Oct. 1 of conspiracy to commit murder and attempted conspiracy to commit murder. Sergeant Wells was also found not guilty of a third charge, which included three specifications of solicitation to commit murder and

  • Reserve pilots not reserved when protecting ground troops

    Ammunitions troops here charged with reloading a wingman’s A-10 Thunderbolt II Gatling gun had a busy night recently, following his return. New Orleans Air Force Reserve pilots proved that they are anything but reserved when it comes to protecting U.S. ground troops in Afghanistan. In defense of a

  • Upcoming summit shapes new sexual-assault policies

    Decisions made at a senior-leader summit are expected to have a sweeping effect on the Defense Department's sexual-assault prevention and response efforts, said the task force commander charged with turning the group's recommendations into DOD-wide policies.The Oct. 6 summit, made up of senior

  • Airmen brace for new fitness test

    The Air Force chief of staff fired a shot across the bow in July 2003 that got the attention of Airmen everywhere.Gen. John P. Jumper forewarned that a new fit-to-fight program would replace the cycle ergometry test and encouraged everyone to get ready. Staff Sgt. Kurt Hartmann did not, and he paid

  • Academy Airmanship operations take flight under AETC

    The U.S. Air Force Academy’s airmanship operations realigned under the Air Education and Training Command as the newly named 306th Flying Training Group on Oct. 1.The operations are elective courses at the academy and are aimed at giving cadets firsthand knowledge and understanding of the flight

  • Air Force ROTC detachments remain open

    Five Air Force ROTC detachments previously identified for closure will remain open on a two-year period of evaluation, as recently approved by Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche.The detachments are at the University of Memphis in Tennessee; University of Cincinnati in Ohio; Wilkes

  • Missile crewmember deploys with refuelers

    Most Air Force missile crewmembers spend the majority of their time in an underground launch control center monitoring intercontinental ballistic missiles. But one missileer experienced deployed life in the flying world.First Lt. Joe Page, a missile combat crew commander from Minot Air Force Base,

  • ‘Eyes of the North’ steady as AF moves mission to Guard

    Defending the homeland is one of the key missions of the Air National Guard, and Oct. 1, the Alaska Air National Guard will officially assume operations of the Air Force’s regional air operation center here. The center’s mission is to provide ready teams to operate and maintain North American

  • Despite predictable weather, specialists still keep busy

    When an area averages an annual temperature of about 100 degrees and less than 1 inch of rain, a person could assume that the weather is fairly predictable. One could also assume that a bunch of weather specialists would not be gainfully employed at such a location. But then again, everyone knows

  • Despite danger, convoy Airmen keep on trucking

    The hours are long, and their jobs are dangerous, but Airmen keeping supply lines running on northern Iraq roads are determined to keep on trucking. That is because they realize the importance of what they do, said Capt. Harley Smith, commander of more than 140 Airmen assigned to Detachment 1 of the

  • Airman gives static aircraft makeovers

    It might be the 96th Air Base Wing’s Air Force Armament Museum but for one Airman, he feels it belongs to him.Senior Airman Rick Miller, an aircraft structural maintenance journeyman for the 33rd Maintenance Squadron, can be found at the museum, donating four to five hours a day, four days a week.

  • Tennessee Guard moves, prepares for C-5s

    Air Force officials signed a land-exchange agreement with the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority on Sept. 20 allowing the Tennessee Air National Guard’s 164th Airlift Wing more space to convert from C-141B Starlifters to C-5 Galaxys.Fred Kuhn, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for

  • Airmen help save lives following UH-60 crash at Tallil

    Just after 9:20 p.m. Sept. 21, two Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters took off from the flightline here.Two minutes later, something went horribly wrong with one of them.“The first thing I heard was a loud, dull thud, kind of like a fist hitting a wooden wall,” said Senior Airman John Byrum, a

  • U.S. military supports South African trade show

    U.S. military equipment and Airmen from the New York Air National Guard are here for the Aerospace Exhibition.The event marks the first time aircraft and guardsmen from New York have participated in a South African air show, officials said.Visitors will get a close-up look at four static displays:

  • Gotta fix ‘em before you fly ‘em

    Nestled in a small, nondescript building among a dozen aircraft revetments here, the 353rd Maintenance Squadron’s consolidated tool kit section hums with activity around the clock.With more than 1,600 bench-stock items, 200 pieces of test equipment and 120 hazardous materials, it is the first and

  • Number of officers receiving command pay reduced

    Command Responsibility Pay now received by some field-grade officers in command positions will end in October.In a Sight Picture titled, “Recognizing the Responsibility of Command,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper announced the Air Force would reduce the number of command positions that

  • Volunteer coach shares passion for boxing

    A maintainer here offers people an alternative to being on the street, one that teaches them lifelong skills. In turn, those people teach him how to become a better coach and allow him to be involved in the sport he adores."I love boxing," said Staff Sgt. Edward Rivas, a flying crew chief with the

  • First Hispanic woman grad credits academy for her success

    Not only was Linda Garcia Cubero the first Hispanic woman to graduate the Air Force Academy, she was the only Hispanic woman to graduate from any of the nation's service academies in 1980, when the first classes with women graduated.President Gerald R. Ford signed legislation Oct. 7, 1975, allowing

  • Command, control: Prescription for aeromedical-evacuation success

    A battlefield injury or illness poses a threat to those deployed worldwide. When that threat turns into reality, the Air Force’s extensive aeromedical-evacuation network ensures wounded warriors are moved rapidly to a medical facility to get the care they need. The expansive network includes Airmen

  • Special ops maintainers team up on Kadena's tiny troubles

    Ehren Wahl and Wesley Brown are both staff sergeants, they are assigned to the 353rd Maintenance Squadron, and they each have spent most of their careers here on Okinawa, a tiny island in southern Japan. That is where the similarities end.Sergeant Wahl is an outspoken, 24-year-old from New York who

  • Dental technician becomes U.S. citizen

    American citizenship for many people comes with birth in this country, while others choose it later on in life. For one Airman here, the teenage dream of American citizenship started by leaving the country of his birth, was realized Sept. 16 in a federal courtroom ceremony where he took the oath of

  • Deployed contracting makes it happen

    It is hard to believe that a stroke of a pen can cost the Air Force hundreds of thousands of dollars; it is even harder to believe that it is a staff sergeant’s pen that does this nearly every day.Such is the job of 379th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron Airmen at a forward-deployed location.

  • Flying dog’s parachute lands at U.S. Air Force Museum

    A parachute made for a dog that flew alongside pilots during the Berlin Airlift was recently added to the Berlin Airlift Exhibit at the U.S. Air Force Museum here.The parachute, donated by Clarence Steber, was worn by his boxer, Vittles, during their flights on C-47s and C-54s to help deliver food

  • Virginia Air Guard responds to Florida storms

    Nearly 50 Virginia Air National Guardsmen responded to hurricane relief efforts in Florida, making it the first time their unit has deployed to Florida for a natural disaster.The 203rd Red Horse Squadron from Virginia Beach deployed to assist in the clean-up efforts after Hurricane Frances and wound

  • Airman goes green to aid OIF medical mission

    When Senior Airman Gary Doran graduated from the Department of Defense biomedical equipment technician’s course in 2002 and moved to Scott Air Force Base, Ill., he thought his time at the joint-service school would be his last experience working with Soldiers for a long time. In fact, he said he

  • Academy water polo falls thrice at So-Cal Tournament

    Despite some gutsy performances, the 18th-ranked Air Force Academy water polo team was unable to record a victory in the So-Cal Tournament, held by the University of Southern California. The Air Force Falcons fell 12-1 in the first game to the USC Trojans on Sept. 18, before dropping a

  • Air Force announces team-excellence awards

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper announced the five teams selected for 2004 Chief of Staff Team Excellence Awards during a ceremony Sept 14.Fifteen teams were nominated for the awards, which recognize outstanding team performance and promote systematic process improvement. The awards

  • AETC commander gives education update

    Right number, right skills, right training and right quality.That is the bottom line, said Gen. Donald G. Cook, commander of Air Education and Training Command, when he gave his stakeholders’ report at the Air Force Association’s 2004 Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition on Sept.

  • Hurricanes, home, mission focus of Gwangju Airmen

    Airmen deployed with the 3rd Air Expeditionary Group here focus daily on the task of ensuring the F-15E Strike Eagles can perform the mission and return safely. But for more than 100 of them, that focus is split between accomplishing the mission here and keeping their minds on the weather causing

  • Latest AFIT graduates earn degrees

    More than 70 scientists and engineers are the recipients of graduate and doctoral degrees from the Air Force Institute of Technology.AFIT’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management held its graduation ceremony Sept. 14. The graduating class earned 67 master’s degrees and four doctorates.Air

  • Last active-duty C-141B Starlifter makes final flight

    The last two active-duty C-141B Starlifters in the U.S. Air Force inventory flew their final journey Sept. 16 after a special departure ceremony here.This final flight marked the end of nearly 40 years of service to the nation by C-141s and their crews.“If you look at the sum total of its history,

  • CSI: On the battlefield

    Some of today's most popular television shows feature crime scene investigations, but those pale in comparison to the real-life battlefield investigations an Air Force Research Laboratory scientist here carries out.In his role in the Air Force Reserve, Maj. Greg Moster, whose civilian job is with

  • EOD team enjoys ‘a booming business’

    Most boys dream of growing up to be just like their fathers. They imitate the way they walk, the way they talk and even the way they dress. Tech. Sgt. John Bell went a step further. He imitates the way his father made things explode.“I guess you can say blowing up things runs in the family,” said

  • Sailors, Airmen can 'go green'

    "Go Green" is not just the slogan of environmentalists anymore.The Army is increasing its end strength, and Operation Blue to Green is one method being used to assist in reaching the desired end strength, said Lt. Col. Roy Steed, recruiting policy branch chief at the Army's personnel

  • Special ops Airmen up to task of war on terror

    The war on terrorism has changed the way leaders think about managing conflict, but the commander of Air Force Special Operations Command said he is sure of one thing: His Airmen are right for the job.“(Sept. 11) redefined some key concepts,” said Lt. Gen. Michael W. Wooley, AFSOC commander. “It

  • Starlifters retire from active-duty service

    The last two active-duty C-141B Starlifter transport aircraft will retire Sept. 16 at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.During the past 40 years, the C-141 has proven versatile for troop and cargo transport, humanitarian- and disaster-relief operations and aeromedical evacuation. As such, the Starlifter

  • Squadron ‘cleans house’ to build new home

    Stepping out of the sweltering heat into the cool shadows of hardened aircraft shelter No. 21, many visitors might notice the new paint on the walls or the freshly swept floors and the spacious room.The former Soviet-era shelter was not always so fresh, clean and inviting. Formerly used as a

  • Chief of staff outlines plans for fewer combat aircraft

    The Air Force will have fewer fighters and strike aircraft, but the lethality of those that remain will increase, the service’s top general said Sept. 13 at the 2004 Air Force Association’s Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition here.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper said the

  • Air Force Association’s 2004 conference opens

    Touting America’s superior air and space force, the Air Force Association’s 2004 Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition opened here Sept. 13.Under the theme “Professional Development for the Total Force,” the conference features three days of workshops focused on furthering the potential

  • Air Force women’s soccer stormed 3-0 by Central Florida

    The Air Force Academy women’s soccer team ran into a furious tropical storm that was the University of Central Florida. Falling to the Golden Knights, 3-0, the game featured heavy rainfall. The Falcons fall to 3-3-0 on the season.Central Florida improves to 5-1-1 on the season and came into the

  • Survey will measure personnel services delivery

    Airmen can help make their personnel services delivery system better through survey feedback beginning Sept. 20.Air Force officials said they are transforming the way personnel services are delivered to make them more effective, efficient and timely. This PSD transformation uses technology to place

  • Airmen ensure medical lifeline in Pacific

    A ready, reliable and efficient war reserve materiel operation is the “heart and soul of medical readiness,” said Senior Master Sgt. Joe Alfaro, superintendent of the 374th Medical Group’s logistics flight here.WRM is pre-positioned equipment and consumable items needed to support Air Force

  • Civil engineers build ‘Airmen-Soldiers’ legacy

    Throughout Iraq, Airmen are working side-by-side with Soldiers performing what have been traditionally considered Army jobs. Among those blazing a trail for this new culture of “Airmen-Soldiers” are the 732nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Airmen.The more than 240 combat-trained engineers in

  • Employee celebrates half century of service

    You might say the Air Force and Steve Espinosa grew up together.For a fact, the two have shared more than five decades together. In uniform and as a civilian, Mr. Espinosa has served the Air Force for 54 years, nearly as long as the service has existed.A small-parts sheet-metal worker at the

  • Reserve recruiters exceed goal for 4th straight year

    For the fourth year in a row, Air Force Reserve Command recruiters exceeded the command goal.They brought in 9,636 new recruits by the end of August. Their goal was 9,600 by Sept. 30.Besides making its goal early, the command had its highest percentage of successful recruiters. Of the 284

  • Radar techs keep combat zone airspace safe

    The sky over here is filled with aircraft around the clock -- A-10 Thunderbolt IIs share airspace with cargo aircraft and helicopters.Keeping those aircraft safe is an important and daunting task; but a team of Airmen recently installed new equipment to make that task a little easier.“We installed

  • Air Force team helps with Genesis return mission

    NASA scientists onboard a specially modified aircraft from here collected data as the world watched the unmanned Genesis spacecraft return to Earth Sept. 8. During the reentry, however, its parachute failed to deploy and Genesis crashed into a Utah desert.Although damage to the spacecraft and the

  • More aid heads to Russia

    A U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules loaded with more than 10 tons of medical supplies arrived in Vladikavkaz, Russia, on Sept. 8 as part of the humanitarian response to the recent terrorist acts at a school in Beslan.The delivery of surgical supplies and burn-dressing kits from U.N. humanitarian

  • Frances causes ‘little damage’ at MacDill

    Charley struck out while Frances was a base hit, but disaster readiness officials here said they are hoping Ivan is an opponent they will not have to face at all.Following the second hurricane scare within one month, and Hurricane Ivan drawing a bead on Florida, emergency preparedness experts here

  • Aircrew training ensures air superiority

    Superb people and state-of-the-art technology help make the U.S. Air Force the most formidable air power in the world. But the general who oversees flying training for more than 19,000 Airmen a year said the biggest single factor that makes America's military stand out from other countries is its

  • NATO’s top leaders discuss air power

    A NATO Air Chiefs Conference held here Aug. 30 and 31 brought together the top leaders of NATO's air forces to discuss their favorite subject, air power.The air chiefs of 19 nations, including six of the seven new-member nations accessed in March, came together to discuss current operations, the

  • Report focuses on Air Force Academy instructors

    Service and Department of Defense officials have agreed with most of the findings in a congressionally mandated study of faculty at the Air Force Academy.The Study and Report Related to Permanent Professors at the United States Military Academy was directed by the 2004 National Defense Authorization

  • Medical warriors deploy to Iraq

    About 100 Airmen from the 59th Medical Wing at Wilford Hall Medical Center here left Aug. 30 to staff a field hospital in Iraq.They are the largest contingent of about 160 people from the medical center deploying to Iraq."We’re proud to be sending highly trained and qualified (medics)," said Maj.

  • Mechanic pulls in cash with IDEA

    A pneudraulics systems mechanic here earned $6,200 from the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program for developing a tool that keeps parts from being damaged during maintenance.Brett Harris earned his award for developing a tool to help with taking F-15 Eagle pitch trim controllers

  • Airman on convoy killed in Iraq

    An Airman was killed while on a supply convoy near Mosul, Iraq, on Aug. 29, defense officials announced Aug. 31.Airman 1st Class Carl Anderson Jr., 21, of Georgetown, S.C., was deployed with the 732nd Expeditionary Mission Support Group and died after his convoy hit a roadside bomb. He was a

  • Airmen reach out to locals

    Many of their homes are made of fabric held up by sticks. They have no running water, no septic system and no electricity. For more than 15 years, they have lived on the barren land that surrounds Tallil Air Base. They are local Bedouin families, they are survivors and they play an important role

  • Now showing: Aug. 30 edition of AFTV News

    The far-flung supply train for troops in Iraq headlines the latest edition of Air Force Television News.Tech. Sgt. Angie Pianga goes to Moron, Spain, to show how active-duty, Air National Guard and Reserve Airmen are performing a vital role in getting people and equipment to and from Iraq. Tech.

  • Corny display honors C-130 Guard unit

    Pilots flying over the rural farmland near Lewistown, Ill., may be shocked to see the likeness of a C-130 Hercules etched into the landscape hundreds of feet below.This C-130, modeled after the neighboring Illinois Air National Guard’s 182nd Airlift Wing aircraft, is not some mysterious crop circle.

  • Reserve medics rely on Nigerien help with translation

    A medical humanitarian mission can have all the doctors and medicines in the world, but the mission may not be successful without good translators.This was true for a group of Air Force Reserve medics who treated more than 6,000 patients in the African nation of Niger. The team deployed here with

  • One dies, one injured in work-related accident

    One senior airman was killed and another seriously injured in a work-related accident here Aug. 23.Senior Airman Jesse Williamson Jr. died, and Senior Airman Ryan Robinson was injured while using a hydraulic lift to replace light fixtures inside an aircraft hangar, said Col. Greg Patterson, 78th Air

  • Airmen deserve recognition for national security operations

    Air Force leaders want to ensure Airmen get the recognition they deserve for fighting the war on terrorism at home and abroad, and for many more operations critical to national security.That is why Air Force personnel officials are looking at better ways to apply modern air and space mission

  • Guard squadron makes mark in Operation Iraqi Freedom

    The most recent deployment for the 107th Fighter Squadron was one of firsts, the unit's commander said here Aug. 24.Lt. Col. Glenn Schmidt said the Air National Guard unit became the first F-16 Fighting Falcon squadron to be based in Iraq when it established its base in Kirkuk in February. It also

  • Officials announce Innkeeper Award winners

    Air Force Services Agency officials recently announced the winners of its annual Innkeeper Award. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., won in the large-base category, and Laughlin AFB, Texas, received the small-base category award.Created in 1981, The Air Force Innkeeper Award program is managed by

  • Airmen keep Litening pods striking

    As A-10 Thunderbolt IIs patrol over Afghanistan, one piece of avionics equipment is extremely important to them providing unparalleled close-air support to ground forces.The Laser Infrared Targeting and Navigation pod gives A-10 pilots a number of options to search out enemy forces and protect

  • Road Warrior III reinforces continuous training

    Road Warrior III trained nearly 90 Airmen from air force bases in Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota in the strategy and tactics of defending the nation’s ICBM resources for three weeks here.The exercise involved more than 120 people from the National Nuclear Security Agency’s office of secure

  • Maintainers race clock at Kyrgyzstan

    Senior Airman Derek Smith and Airman 1st Class Alex O’Donnell are perched high atop a C-130 Hercules trying to solve a mechanical problem. The No. 3 engine had a prop replaced a week before, and flight deck indicator lights now point out a malfunction. It is a mild 78 degrees at 8:50 a.m. when

  • Fuels Airmen pump up

    On a busy day at their home station, the Airmen from the fuels element measure their amount of pumped fuel by the thousands. When they are deployed here, they measure it by the hundreds of thousands. Busy is not the word.The 40th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Flight fuels Airmen pumped their

  • DIMO strengthening medical ties worldwide

    Defense Institute for Medical Operations officials recently sent out an eight-person team to head-up and teach an aeromedical evacuation and critical-care transport course in Ankara, Turkey.The five-day course provided the advanced training necessary to care for critically ill or injured patients in

  • Airmen provide tactical support from ground up

    Coalition ground troops are engaged in a firefight with insurgents. The unit's tactical air controller calls for air support and soon an F-16 Fighting Falcon is screaming overhead providing cover.Scenarios similar to this play out nearly every day in the desert of Iraq. Getting tactical aircraft

  • Civilian leaders shown U.S. space capabilities

    A trip inside the Cheyenne Mountain operations center highlighted an intensive look by civic leaders from throughout the United States into how the U.S. military is using the sky and space to protect the homeland against terrorism.The civilians, all alumni of the Defense Department's joint civilian

  • Airman named outstanding young American

    An Airman stationed at Sembach Annex, Germany, was named one of the 2004 Ten Outstanding Young Americans by U.S. Junior Chamber officials here.Maj. Eric Axelbank, 38, commands the 435th Materiel Maintenance Squadron. He will receive the award during a ceremony in New Orleans on Sept. 18.Annually

  • TMO packs it, tracks it in Afghanistan

    In a combat zone, being able to track the exact location of critical outbound equipment is extremely important.That is why Airmen at the traffic management office here are the first in the service to test the Air Force’s latest version of cargo tracking software.The Airmen are responsible for

  • Officials committed to helping servicemembers vote

    Defense officials are committed to ensuring servicemembers have the ability to vote from anywhere in the world, Department of Defense's top personnel officer said."We're making a decided effort to make sure everyone gets the chance to vote," said David S. C. Chu, undersecretary for personnel and

  • Officials: Register to vote before deploying

    Airmen deploying between now and the general election Nov. 2 should register to vote with their deployed unit address before departing, said voting officials at the Air Force Personnel Center here.Registration is accomplished by completing a Federal Post Card Application Standard Form 76. Some

  • New manual gives mobility crews ‘go-to-war’ guidance

    For years, Air Force fighter and bomber crews have been guided into combat by a manual on tactics, techniques and procedures. Now, mobility aircrews will have similar guidance on how to go to war.Because Air Mobility Command aircrews and weapons systems were pushing closer to the threat envelope,

  • OSI helps keep Bagram safe

    When responding to attacks against Bagram, one team’s philosophy is simple: The best defense is a proactive offense.That offense is supporting the base operations defense plan, said Special Agent Jeff Rutherford, Air Force Office of Special Investigations detachment commander here. The team

  • U.S. ambassador visits reservists in Niger

    The U.S. Ambassador to Niger, Gail Denise Mathieu, visited here Aug. 17 to see 12 Air Force reservists who are treating local residents at the clinic.Ambassador Mathieu toured the medical compound and visited each of the examining rooms.“We are here because we have the opportunity to visit with a

  • Kunsan provides strong foundation for F-16 pilots

    First Lt. Wyatt Morrise, an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot, jumped at the chance to come here after graduating from aviator school. Although it is a one-year unaccompanied tour, almost every veteran F-16 pilot he met recommended this place as one of the best flying assignments in the Air Force.Now,

  • Web page emphasizes importance of 'Airmen Votes'

    With less than 80 days to the presidential election, Air Force officials have added another tool to their voting effort to ensure all Airmen can participate. “Airmen Votes” is the name of a Web page designed to give Airmen, their family members and Air Force civilians all the information they need

  • AFA announces annual aerospace awards

    The following Airmen and organizations are winners of the 2004 Air Force Association Aerospace Awards. The awards will be presented at the AFA’s annual convention here Sept. 13 to 15.The Theodore Von Karman Award for the most outstanding contribution to national defense in the field of science and

  • Air Force C-130s support Afghan army deployment

    U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules airlifted troops and supplies Aug. 15 and 16 supporting the deployment of several Afghan battalions to respond to factional fighting which started Aug. 14 in the Shindand area of the country.At the request of Afghan officials, forces from the coalition and international

  • CMSAF speaks to Nellis Airmen

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray visited here Aug. 11 and 12 and during his stay stressed that Airmen are the Air Force’s most important assets.“The strength of the Air Force is no longer the aircraft flying over the targets; it’s our Airmen in supply, vehicle maintenance, finance

  • AMC delivers hurricane relief

    Air Mobility Command began operations Aug. 13 to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency by providing emergency relief to areas in Florida devastated by Hurricane Charley.“AMC Tanker Airlift Control Center (began) moving 200 empty cargo pallets to Dobbins (Air Reserve Base), Ga., … so the

  • Life support keeps pilots prepared

    The cockpit of an aircraft is a self-contained environment, protecting the pilots from their surroundings.One group of Airmen here ensures the pilots have everything they need close at hand in there, especially those items they might need just “in case.”“We take care of the entire life-support

  • Air Force agent killed in Iraq

    A special agent assigned to the 33rd Field Investigation Squadron here and deployed to Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq, was killed in action Aug. 8.Special Agent Rick A. Ulbright, 49, died as a result of injuries sustained during a rocket attack at Kirkuk AB.Agent Ulbright served as a psychophysiological

  • Reserve medical team arrives in Niger

    A team of Air Force Reserve Command medical specialists arrived here Aug. 6 and quickly set up shop at the camp’s medical clinic. They began seeing patients early Aug. 9.The 12-person medical team deployed alongside a U.S. Marine counterterrorism team here which is outside Niamey, the African

  • Air Force seeks career enlisted aviators

    Opportunities for Airmen to become enlisted aviators are taking off as nine aircrew specialties are opening up for retraining.The Air Force’s senior enlisted aviator said more than 360 training slots are available for enlisted Airmen in ranks senior airman through master sergeant.Chief Master Sgt.

  • Deployed team helping Airmen communicate

    Deployed units rely on a steady flow of communication to accomplish the mission, so computers and phones provide a vital link between organizations around the Air Force.Equally important is making sure that those computers and phones work well, especially in an environment that is not very conducive

  • Center helps when disasters strike

    As the busiest time of the 2004 hurricane season begins; Air Force Personnel Center officials here are reminding Airmen that the personnel readiness center can assist them when natural disasters strike. When people evacuate or communication is impaired, the readiness center staff acts as a central

  • Airmen from different specialties serve as escorts

    A tight-knit group of jet-engine mechanics, radar operators, communications specialists, medical administrators and transportation troops, to name a few, makeup the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron’s force protection flight here. With a motto of “Eyes on, Watch Your Back,” about 50

  • Pest management is serious business at any base

    Keeping pests under control at an Air Force base is a serious business no matter where that base may be.Senior Master Sgt. Burhl Hartin, a pest management specialist from the 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, recalls an incident at his home unit, the 125th Fighter Wing in Jacksonville,

  • Motorcycle safety can save Airmen

    For anyone on two wheels, the asphalt offers no pardon for its hunger, and guardrails, lamp posts and four-wheeled vehicles do not forgive an impact.Motorcycle accidents continue to rob the Air Force of its most precious resource – people.“I saw an Airman with little riding experience snap his back

  • Reservists helping forest service fight fires

    As the sun sets, a C-130 Hercules rolls in, covered in a thin misty layer of reddish orange liquid fire retardant. The retardant coats everything it has touched, serving as a reminder to the Airmen from the 302nd Airlift Wing of the heroic adventure they have just completed.As of Aug. 5, the unit

  • Team in desert decides when bombs go ‘Boom!’

    In a country still struggling to overcome the devastations of war and terror, U.S. servicemembers are helping rebuild Afghanistan's infrastructure and weed out the terrorist trail left behind.Five explosive ordnance disposal flight people from here are taking part in this process at Khandahar Air

  • New procedures will ensure absentee ballots count

    With the 2004 elections fast approaching, the handling of absentee ballots from overseas servicemembers is undergoing intense scrutiny. Air Combat Command's 82nd Communications Support Squadron postal flight is among the many organizations working to make sure these ballots arrive in the hands of

  • Recruiting school marks 50 years at Lackland

    More than 4.3 million people have joined the Air Force in the past 50 years through the efforts of enthusiastic recruiters trained at the Air Force Recruiting School here.“Every recruiter has to come through this school first,” said Tech. Sgt. Lynn Bryan, one of 14 active-duty recruiting instructors

  • Guard unit provides medical assistance in Peru

    Thirty people from the Kansas Air National Guard's 184th Medical Group at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., returned home July 30 after providing humanitarian medical assistance to a needy portion of the civilian population here.In nine days, seven medical doctors, one physician assistant and an