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  • Social media sites soon will be open on the Air Force Network

    Air Force officials are opening the Air Force network to allow access to Internet-based social-networking sites. Initial access will be available at five Pacific Air Forces bases March 30, and will begin opening sites Air Force-wide later in April.This change in policy is a result of the Department

  • American servicemembers, helicopters deploy to Haiti

    Joint Task Force-Bravo officials deployed 40 servicemembers, four UH-60 Blackhawks and equipment March 21 and 22 in support of Joint Task Force-Haiti's airlift operations in Haiti.Four C-17 Globemaster IIIs landed and were loaded during a three-day period to airlift more than 180,000 pounds of

  • Shaw dormitory earns national environmental award

    Shaw Air Force Base's newest Airmen's dormitory, building 421, has earned the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, Silver Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. The award was presented in a ceremony here March 16.The building earned the distinction for a number of

  • Clinic provides disabled vets pathway to paralympics

    Air Force veteran Sean Halsted was a decent skier before he fell 40 feet out of a helicopter while on a fast rope during a search-and-rescue training exercise in 1998. Paralyzed from the waist down, he feared his active days were behind him. Three years after his accident, Mr. Halsted reluctantly

  • Air Force scientists test, develop bio jet fuels

    While the world searches for more efficient ways to fuel automobiles and create usable energy, Air Force scientists are looking for cleaner, more efficient ways to fuel the military's aircraft. An A-10 Thunderbolt II flew March 25 solely on a blend of biomass-derived fuel and conventional JP-8 jet

  • General Holm remembered in ceremony at Arlington

    The first female two-star general in both the Air Force and Department of Defense was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery March 29. Retired Maj. Gen. Jeanne M. Holm is credited as the single driving force in achieving equality for military women and making them a viable part of the

  • Circus entertains, honors military families

    The military and the circus have a lot in common.  They both have people from around the nation and assets from around the world. Both are highly trained units that perform sometimes unimaginable feats and handle unspeakable logistical details in carrying out their mission. And, most importantly,

  • Airmen train Afghan C-27 loadmaster

    Airmen from the 538th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron and Afghan soldiers with the Afghanistan National Army Air Corps completed a successful check ride for the nation's first qualified C-27 Spartan loadmaster March 28 here.During an almost two-hour International Security Assistance Force

  • Shinseki urges disabled vets to conquer mountain, doubts

    Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki opened the 24th Annual National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic here March 28, encouraging participants to conquer the mountain and prove to themselves what they're able to achieve.Secretary Shinseki challenged more than 400 disabled veterans

  • Military families get free access to caregiver network

    Military families now have free access to an online network of quality caregivers who can assist with everything from babysitting to dog walking. Sittercity is the nation's largest online source for local babysitters, nannies, elder care providers, dog walkers, housekeepers and tutors, and contains

  • FitFamily program promotes healthy lifestyles

    Air Force officials launched FitFamily Jan. 30 to encourage and reward children and adults for leading an active lifestyle.The program is designed to increase fitness levels and supplements the Air Force's youth fitness program, FitFactor. "FitFamily promotes the importance of healthy lifestyle

  • Reporters reflect on '30 Days Through Afghanistan'

    Two Air Force journalists behind an ambitious NATO International Security Assistance Force project to traverse Afghanistan in one month and file daily reports in words, photos and video recapped their experiences in a March 25 "DOD Live" bloggers roundtable. The Web-based project, titled "30 Days

  • Hawaii officials honor fallen war heroes

    The Hawaii State Senate and House of Representatives convened an afternoon joint session March 23 here to award the Hawaii Medal of Honor to recognize military servicemembers who have made "the ultimate sacrifice." Among the 28 servicemembers posthumously awarded the medal was 1st Lt. Roslyn

  • President Obama pays surprise visit to troops in Afghanistan

    President Barack Obama paid a surprise visit to troops in Afghanistan March 28, delivering a message of praise to American servicemembers on behalf of the United States. Speaking at Bagram Airfield to an audience of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, President Obama said support for deployed

  • U.S. officials donate hospital to Chilean community

    U.S. government officials donated an expeditionary hospital to local Chilean officials in a ceremony here March 24.Paul Simons, the U.S. ambassador to Chile, presented Enrique Neira, the mayor of Angol, with a certificate representing the transfer of the hospital to the local community of Angol. The

  • Airmen complete humanitarian mission in Chile

    Members of the Air Force Expeditionary Medical Support team completed a humanitarian mission to build an expeditionary hospital and augment medical care for members of the Angol community here March 26. A team of Airmen built, staffed and equipped a field hospital to serve more than 110,000 people

  • Flight tests set course for improved airborne communication

    A series of early March flight tests has validated a two-and-a-half year effort and set the course for significantly enhanced airborne communications capability.A team of specialists from the Electronic Systems Center, MITRE Corporation and MIT Lincoln Laboratory used a 707 test bed aircraft to

  • Bagram Airmen keep F-16s in the fight

    As their F-16 Fighting Falcon pulled into its parking spot on the airfield March 23, the maintainers from the 34th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit had something to be proud of: tail number 2119 had returned from its 30th code 1 sortie over Afghanistan.Lt. Col. Brad Lyons, 34th Expeditionary

  • 20 athletes selected for Warrior Games

    Air Force officials here recently announced the names of 20 athletes selected for Department of Defense's Warrior Games May 10 through 14 in Colorado Springs, Colo.Wounded, ill and injured active duty, Guard and Reserve members, as well as retired members and veterans from the Army, Marine Corps,

  • Air Force officials team up with Kenny Bernstein Racing team

    Air Force recruiting officials announced March 26 that the Air Force will begin a new partnership with Kenny Bernstein Racing as a sponsor of the Coparts/Lucas Oil top fuel dragster for the remaining 20 races in the 2010 Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. "It is with a great deal of patriotic pride

  • Latest 'Portraits in Courage' released

    The stories of heroism, valor, sacrifice and bravery of 17 Airmen appear in the fourth edition of the Air Force's Portraits in Courage now available.The stories are compelling: Airmen who call in close-air support following an improvised explosive device attack, save the life of an Afghan

  • Defense official hails effect of unmanned aircraft on warfare

    Perhaps no other weapon platform has more significantly transformed the way the U.S. military wages war in recent years than unmanned aircraft, a senior defense official told Congress March 24 here. Since 2006, operations have grown from about 165,000 hours to more than 550,000 hours annually, said

  • VA officials propose change to aid veterans exposed to Agent Orange

    More than 100,000 veterans exposed to herbicides while serving in Vietnam and other areas will have an easier path to qualify for disability pay under a proposed regulation published by Department of Veterans Affairs officials that adds three new illnesses to the list of health problems found to be

  • CSAF: Air Force Global Strike Command mission requires constant vigilance

    The Air Force chief of staff opened the first-ever Air Force Global Strike Command commander's conference Mar. 24 via video teleconference, telling wing commanders, spouses, command chiefs and civic leaders from across the command that they have a critical mission that requires constant

  • Pentagon officials change 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' enforcement

    The Defense secretary announced changes to the Pentagon's regulation on homosexuals serving in the military that he said make the Defense Department's enforcement of the so-called "Don't ask, don't tell" law "fairer and more appropriate" March 25 here. Secretary Robert M. Gates announced Feb. 2 he'd

  • Airmen help Afghans fly C-27 mission

    A joint aircrew of U.S. Airmen from the 538th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron and Afghan soldiers in the Afghanistan National Army Air Corps completed an operational C-27 Spartan mission here March 24.Taking off from Kabul International Airport, the four-man aircrew flew Southwest to Kandahar

  • Air Force leaders expand force management options

    Due to the high volume of traffic on the Air Force Personnel Center personnel services Web site following this announcement, Airmen experiencing difficulty accessing the site may direct their questions concerning force management to their base military personnel sections or the Total Force Service

  • Bases get new names in realignment

    Some military installations are consolidating and getting new names as joint basing becomes a reality. The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission's directive to consolidate 26 stateside military installations into 12 joint bases has brought names such as Lewis-McChord, Langley-Eustis, and even

  • Ellsworth Airmen give children taste of deployment process

    Members of the 28th Force Support Squadron Airman and Family Readiness Center here taught base children, spouses of military members and local teachers about the deployment process March 13 here.The event, called Kids, Spouses and Teachers Understanding Deployment Operations, or KUDOS, SUDOS and

  • Air Force officials continue plans to modernize GPS

    Through the years, the Global Positioning System has become one of the most widely-used Air Force applications.Today GPS is used in everything from farming and aviation to public safety, disaster relief and recreation, not to mention its military purpose of providing precision navigation and timing

  • Afghanistan troop level to eclipse Iraq by midyear

    This summer will mark the first time since 2003 that the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan will overshadow the American presence in Iraq, the top U.S. military officer told Congress March 24 here. Driving the eclipse is the 30,000-troop surge President Barack Obama announced for Afghanistan in

  • Defense secretary to recommend Navy admiral to head F-35 program

    The Defense secretary will recommend President Barack Obama nominate Navy Vice Adm. David J. Venlet to oversee restructuring of the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter program, a Defense Department official told a congressional panel March 24 here. Ashton B. Carter, undersecretary of Defense for

  • Theater hospital wall preserves memory, sacrifice

    The 20-by 30-foot flag thousands of patients have passed under on their way to the Air Force Theater Hospital at Joint Base Balad often is photographed in military circles. But lesser known, though no less poignant, are the walls of the Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility's recreation room.

  • Pentagon officials look to 'phase in' missile defense

    Based on the Pentagon's September 2009 review of U.S. ballistic missile defenses, military officials want to harness technology for a more flexible and adaptive defense architecture, the principal deputy Defense undersecretary for policy said. James N. Miller spoke to an audience of more than 200

  • Air Combat Command leader discusses priorities during visit to Nellis

    The commander of Air Combat Command discussed priorities and focus areas for the command with Airmen here during a visit March 10 through 12.Topping Gen. William M. Fraser III's list of the command's priorities is taking care of Airmen."It's not the hardware or platforms making the mission happen --

  • Air Forces Africa officials visit Botswana, emphasize partnership

    The 17th Air Force (Air Forces Africa) commander and his staff visited for a senior leader engagement March 9 here.This was the general's second visit to Gaborone since June 2009, when Botswana's relationship with AFAFRICA was firmly established. He met with Botswana Defence Force senior leaders to

  • Former chief of staff laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery

    The 10th chief of staff of the Air Force was laid to rest in a full-honors ceremony March 22 at Arlington National Cemetery, but his legacy lives with today's Airmen through his emphasis on developing camaraderie, pursuing history and recognizing excellence.Gen. Lew Allen Jr. passed away Jan. 4 in

  • Joint team leads Afghan crew chief academy

    A team of Airmen from the 440th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron and Soldiers from the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, Task Force Falcon, led the first class of Afghan National Army Air Corp soldiers through the Afghan National Security Forces Crew Chief Academy March 6 here.The joint team of

  • Missile Defense Review confirms capability's necessity

    Ballistic missile defense has come out of the world of the controversial and improbable and now is in the realm of the accepted and possible, the deputy Defense secretary said March 22 here.Deputy Secretary William J. Lynn III spoke to the 8th Annual U.S. Missile Defense Conference held at the

  • DOD, airline officials sign alternative fuels pact

    A new agreement between the Defense Logistics Agency's Defense Energy Support Center and the Air Transport Association of America will help to promote widespread commercialization of environmentally friendly aviation fuels with less reliance on fossil fuels. Representatives of the Defense Logistics

  • Chilean, Air Force medics share knowledge, experience

    Air Force and Chilean medics are transitioning duties while sharing knowledge at the expeditionary hospital here March 22.Since the hospital opened March 13, Chilean and Air Force medics worked side-by-side to treat more than 130 patients and perform 16 surgeries. For many of the Airmen here,

  • Air Force officials name 2009 public service award winners

    Air Force officials here recently announced the four Air Force winners and nominees for the 2009 Government Employees Insurance Company Public Service awards.Jeffery Hikes of Barksdale Air Force Base, La., James Ratliff of Scott AFB, Ill., Bill James of Lackland AFB, Texas, and Norman Morrisette of

  • Joint EOD training benefits 2 nations

    Kyrgyz army explosive ordnance disposal technicians visited the Transit Center at Manas March 15 through 19 for a subject matter information exchange with American EOD Airmen and Soldiers.The Airmen here regularly bring Kyrgyz soldiers to the installation and the EOD range to train together,

  • Construction begins on new fuel pipeline at Southwest Asia base

    Construction on a new 2.7-mile pipeline to bolster ground refueling operations for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing began March 17 at a non-disclosed base here.The $5.7 million project calls for the construction of an above-ground 8-inch carbon steel pipeline from the existing tanker truck offload

  • Civil engagement program helps prepare Iraq for future

    As U.S. officials prepare to draw down troops in Iraq, efforts are being made to ensure the effect on the country's infrastructure is minimal. Joint Base Balad's civil engagement program maximizes the base's resources and abilities and helps more than 800,000 Iraqis in the Salah ad Din Province. The

  • Symposium nurtures students in research skills

    A Defense Department program is giving high school students the support and resources to design and conduct original research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics areas. Lynn Smith of the Department of Defense Education activity, director of the Junior Science and Humanities

  • Military gears up for 2010 Census

    Defense Department officials are working with the U.S. Census Bureau to ensure that all military personnel are accounted for in the 2010 Census, a defense official said March 19. All servicemembers and their families, whether stationed domestically or overseas, must be counted and attributed to

  • Agency staff provides aeronautical products to military pilots, aviators

    National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency officials here provide up-to-date aeronautical products and support to Air Force pilots and other military aviators, and supported relief efforts after a 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti Jan. 12. The director of NGA's Aeronautical Services, Office of Global

  • Air Force officials open aviation art gallery in Pentagon

    The World War I Skyfighters of France teamed with modern-day American Airmen in Afghanistan in an art gallery exhibit in the Pentagon dedicated March 18 by Air Force senior leaders. The exhibit showcases the work of the first aviation artist and displays the latest addition to the Air Force Art

  • 505th Command and Control Wing welcomes new Royal Air Force exchange officer

    Royal Air Force Wing Commander Allan Goodison recently took the reins as 505th Training Group deputy commander of development, here. Wing Commander Goodison will work with the 505th TRG commander integrating command and control or C2, operations with joint and coalition forces.Group members develop

  • Air Force official transfers hangar to Iraqi air force

    Members of the Iraq Training and Advisory Mission-U.S. Air Force and the Iraqi air force stood shoulder to shoulder during a ceremony at Kirkuk Regional Air Base March 10 as Brig. Gen. Scott Hanson, 321st Air Expeditionary Wing commander, and Staff Lt. Gen. Anwer Amen, Iraqi air force commander,

  • VA officials set to kick off winter sports clinic

    More than 400 injured veterans have signed up to take part in the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in Snowmass Village, Colo., the largest adaptive event of its kind in the world, scheduled from March 28 through April 2."This VA winter clinic is an extension of the superb

  • Lajes officials take step toward solar power

    As part of the Air Force officials' renewable energy initiative, members of the 65th Civil Engineer Squadron have taken a step toward saving taxpayers money after installing and testing their first solar energy-producing panels in a military family housing unit Feb. 22 here. The panel unit costs

  • Students get firsthand look at Philippine, U.S. militaries

    Aproximately 300 Philippine elementary school students visited with members of the Philippine and U.S. militaries participating in exercise Balikatan 2010 March 15 here.Students from Sapang Bato Elementary School in nearby Angeles City and the rest from Clark Elementary School, were invited to the

  • U.S., Philippine servicemembers visit school children

    Philippine and U.S. servicemembers joined together to provide much-needed clothing and other every day items to local school children March 15 here.The community relations project took place during Balikatan 2010, an annual bilateral exercise involving the Philippine military, Philippine civil

  • Leadership development participants back up book study with travel

    From Southbridge, Mass., to Seoul, South Korea, the 61 members of the 2010 Department of Defense Executive Leadership Development Program have been globetrotting to gain hands-on field experience geared toward sculpting their joint leadership skills. By exposing the participants to the various

  • Airmen gain experience while supporting Canadian military training

    More than 50 Canadian airmen and six CF-18 Hornets deployed to Altus Air Force Base to conduct forward air control training with the Canadian army March 8 through 23 here. Altus AFB Airmen provided an estimated more than 50,000 gallons of fuel, air traffic control and radio approach control support,

  • Air Force leaders issue 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' message

    The three top Air Force leaders have issued a service-wide message explaining how Air Force people will support the Department of Defense working group evaluating "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" legislation.Air Force Secretary Michael Donley, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief Master

  • Joint STARS resumes re-engining program with two major contract actions

    The 751st Electronic Systems Group has successfully resumed the system design and development phase of the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System re-engining program with the award of two large contract actions. The E-8C Joint STARS is an airborne battle management command and control

  • Medical professionals save millions with common-sense concept

    Officials from the 86th Medical Special Operations Clinic have developed a way to maximize time spent by people traveling to Ramstein Air Base for a conference, saving the Department of Defense millions of dollars along the way.They use a simple yet, inspired concept called conference medicine most

  • TRANSCOM gives U.S. key advantage, commander says

    One of the U.S. military's greatest advantages over its adversaries is its ability to move an enormous amount of equipment and people quickly anywhere in the world, the commander of U.S. Transportation Command told the House Armed Services Committee March 17. Gen. Duncan J. McNabb said he was

  • New members appointed to VA Advisory Committee on Women Veterans

    Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki has appointed six new members to the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans, an expert panel that advises Department of Veterans Affairs officials on a wide array of issues affecting women veterans."VA remains committed to providing quality, timely care

  • Officials implement second DOS rollback

    Air Force officials announced March 17 the need for a second enlisted date of separation rollback with a mandatory DOS of June 30, 2010. This program is part of an overall effort to maintain a quality enlisted force and meet the congressionally mandated end strength.In November, officials announced

  • SOUTHCOM provides support to relief operations in Chile

    U.S. military officials are providing support to the ongoing relief efforts in Chile following the 8.8- magnitude earthquake that struck the country in late February. "U.S. military personnel have been working with local and international responders to provide relief to the hard-hit areas," said

  • U.S. Cyber Command preparations under way, general says

    Preparations for the formal establishment of U.S. Cyber Command are under way, a senior military officer here reported to Congress March 16. The formal launch of the new organization is awaiting congressional approval of its commander, according to Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, the commander of U.S.

  • Air Force pilot MIA from Vietnam War is identified

    The Department of Defense announced March 16 that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. Air Force Maj. Curtis Daniel Miller of Palacios, Texas, will be buried on March 29

  • 'Home of the Blue' campaign showcases privatized military family housing

    With an average of more than 500 new or renovated homes entering the privatized housing inventory each month, the Air Force goal of creating quality homes and thriving communities for Airmen and their families is well under way. Now officials at the Air Force Center for Engineering and the

  • New ATC tower opens for business

    A newly constructed air traffic control tower opened for operation March 12, here."This is a monumental day for the U.S. Air Force, the Army Corps of Engineers and for the future of the Iraqi air force," said Lt. Col. Michael Richardson, the commander of the 407th Expeditionary Operations Support

  • DOD official notes rise in sexual assault reporting

    Reports of sexual assault involving servicemembers rose by 11 percent in fiscal 2009, a senior Defense Department official said yesterday. In the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 3,230 reports of sexual assault were filed. An increase in reporting was a goal for the department, said Kaye Whitley,

  • Female pilots share stories at National Air and Space Museum

    The staff at the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center hosted their annual Women in Aviation and Space Family Day March 13 where Airmen had to chance to talk to young girls about being a female pilot.For Lt. Col. Merryl Tengesdal, it was "an opportunity to show the young ladies that

  • AETC Airmen lead way to efficient energy practices

    Improving Air Force energy efficiency depends on its Airmen and the sharing of their innovative ideas, said the service's acting senior energy official during her Headquarters Air Education and Training Command visit here March 2."They need to ensure they follow through with those ideas by

  • Care plan to encompass more military families

    The Defense Department's family care plan policy will be expanded in the coming months to encompass a wider population of military parents, a defense legal expert said. The new policy will require military parents with custody of children from a previous relationship to file a family care plan, said

  • More customers using MyPay for faster, safer service

    When the Defense Finance and Accounting Service first launched the myPay Web-based pay account system in 2000, less than 500,000 military members, military retirees, annuitants and federal civilian employees were listed as online users. Today that number includes 3.7 million users with access to pay

  • Airmen, Chileans treat patients at new expeditionary hospital

    Just five days after their arrival in Chile, Airmen from an Air Force Expeditionary Medical Support team along with Chilean medics are treating patients at the newly built mobile hospital March 15 here. Chilean surgeons and anesthesiologists worked side-by-side with their Air Force counterparts to

  • Air Force's new undersecretary sworn in

    The Senate confirmed the nomination of Erin C. Conaton to become the next undersecretary of the Air Force March 4 and she began her transition into the office after being sworn in March 15."This is a great day for the Air Force," said Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley. "Erin will be a

  • 'Today's Air Force' features military aviation history

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," help celebrate the 100th anniversary of Lt. Benjamin Foulois' first solo flight and tune in for a look at some of the major aviation milestones from the past century, and the men who achieved them.The 30-minute, weekly news show can be seen every day on The

  • Interpreters crucial to Iraqi training mission

    U.S. Airman serving in the Iraq training and advisory mission - Air Force must accomplish their objective to "Train, Advise, and Assist" but when the students speak a foreign language, how is it possible?One word: Interpreter."What we do here is not just interpretation for conversation," said Joe,

  • Official announces plans to curb fighter program's cost

    Defense Department officials will require a shift to a fixed-price contract in their negotiations with Lockheed Martin for the initial production phase of the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter, a defense official said here March 15 in a briefing at the Pentagon. Department officials also will

  • Maintainers remove 26-year-old engine

    The first KC-135R Stratotanker F108-100 engine delivered to the Air Force 26 years ago in the United States made its last flight March 1here.When KC1-35R tanker engines were originally purchased from CFM International, it marked the first time in history military officials bought a commercial engine

  • Kirkuk Airmen build desks for Iraqi children

    Several Airmen from the 506th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron here volunteered to refurbish desks for school children in March.The idea for refurbishing the school desks sprang from a conversation Chief Master Sgt. Tom Pizzi, the 506th ECES chief enlisted manager, deployed from McChord Air

  • Joint fighter faces critical period

    Contracting for the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter, touted as the future backbone of U.S. air superiority, must be brought in line with budget realities to make the aircraft affordable again, a defense official said in March here. Key manufacturing and testing milestones are expected for the

  • New process available for selecting retirement option

    Officers and enlisted Airmen reaching 15 years of active-duty service will have new procedures in place beginning April 1 to accept enrollment in the Redux retirement plan. Airmen will receive an electronic notification of their eligibility for the High-3 Choice retirement plan that allows members

  • Scott youth participate in international robot competition

    "Void turnLeftRotation (int pwr, int rotation)MotorEncoder[motorRight]=0MotorEncoder[motorLeft]=0While(abs(nMotorEncoder [motorRight] Or, in human terms, turn left. But Zippy isn't human, he's a robot, and behind Zippy stands a six-person team consisting of home-schooled high school students, four

  • Airmen build hospital in Chile

    Airmen from an Air Force Expeditionary Medical Support team along with members of the Chilean army are building a mobile hospital here March 10 through 12 to help augment medical services for nearly 110,000 Chileans in the region. About 60 medical Airmen will work alongside local Chilean medics to

  • First Sergeant Academy curriculum, organization mirrors total force

    The life of an Air Force first sergeant is truly a tale of two experiences. There exists the joy of watching Airmen receive well-deserved promotions and recognition, and there is the disappointment and sadness at receiving a 3 a.m. phone call from a law enforcement desk or casualty affairs. These

  • Joint Chiefs chairman to speak at Academy graduation

    Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is scheduled to give the commencement speech for this year's graduation ceremony.This event marks the first time the Academy will host the JCS chairman as the graduation speaker. Admiral Mullen, a 1968 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy,

  • Multilateral team helps more than 1,500 Thai residents

    Military medical staff members from the United States, Singapore and Thailand assisted more than 1,500 patients during a medical civic assistance project held here March 1 through 12 as part of Cope Tiger 2010. Cope Tiger, held this year primarily at Korat and Udon Thani Royal Thai Air Force Bases

  • McGuire Airmen return from deployment

    Officials from the 305th Air Mobility Wing here welcomed home Airmen from the 6th Airlift Squadron March 2 as they returned from supporting operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.Throughout their four-month deployment, the C-17 Globemaster III squadron Airmen executed more than 3,000 sorties,

  • Pilot for day visits 56th Training Squadron

    A 6-year-old quadriplegic became a pilot for a day Feb. 26 at Luke Air Force Base.Brandon "Hulk" Davis, visited Luke AFB with his mother, Tina Davis; aunt, Jess Davis; future uncle, Chris and his home nurse, Emmy.Brandon was selected to participate in the pilot for a day program at Luke after he was

  • Employment program to resume for enrolled spouses

    The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program, commonly known as MyCAA, will resume March 13 for the more than 136,000 spouses who already have established an account, the Defense Department official who heads up the program announced March 11 here. Officials announced a temporary halt in

  • American servicemembers help Afghans make strides

    Some Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul military members will soon prepare to travel back to their duty stations after assisting their Afghan partners with improvements in Zabul province communities.Over the course of 10 months, the collective staff completed more than 65 projects, totaling more

  • Defense secretary comments on tanker competition, other issues

    The recently released request for proposals for the Air Force's next-generation tanker aircraft was fair, the Defense secretary said here March 11, and he expressed disappointment that Northrop-Grumman has withdrawn from the competition for the $35 billion contract. Secretary Robert M. Gates also

  • VA targets $39 million for homeless veterans

    The Department of Veterans Affairs is allocating $39 million to fund about 2,200 new transitional housing beds through grants to local providers."VA is committed to ending the cycle of homelessness among Veterans,"said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "We will use every tool at our

  • Manpower agency officials name annual award winners

    Air Force Manpower Agency officials recognized their 2009 top performers recently during an annual awards luncheon here.The awards recognized the top military members, civilians and teams throughout the Air Force Manpower Agency."The winners represent the best across the Air Force at helping

  • Policy to mandate head injury evaluations

    Defense Department officials said they expect to launch a new policy in the coming months that will make head-injury evaluations mandatory for all servicemembers who may have concussions. The current guidelines for treating servicemembers with such injuries allows for them to come forward on their

  • WASPs awarded Congressional Gold Medal

    The first female military pilots received the Congressional Gold Medal at a ceremony in the Capitol March 10. Almost 70 years ago, the Women Airforce Service Pilots were disbanded with little fanfare, but this ceremony was a way to make things right for the trailblazers, said Secretary of the Air

  • 'Legends of Aerospace' visit Airmen in Southwest Asia

    The first and last men to walk on the moon, the commander of Apollo 13, the last Air Force pilot "Ace" and the SR-71 chief test pilot, all "Legends of Aerospace,"  were the honored guests of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing March 8 at an air base in Southwest Asia.Hundreds of servicemembers flocked

  • Airmen rewarded in Thailand exercise

    Reservists and guard members took time away from their civilian jobs to participate in the Exercise Cope Tiger 2010 to help with civic assistance programs in early March. These Airmen have joined nearly 500 U.S. servicemembers from around the country who are taking part in the multilateral exercise

  • Air Guard officials tweak recruiting Web site

    Considering today's explosive popularity of social media and online research it may come as no surprise that military recruiting Web sites are rushing to keep up with new technologies and trends.Air National Guard officials are riding that wave with more personal interactivity in their public