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  • Air Force productivity excellence awards announced

    Eight Air Force teams and one individual recently received top honors for their resource-saving improvements to the Air Force.The Air Force Productivity Excellence Award recognizes Airmen, Air Force civilians and small groups (four or less) who have made substantial improvements in productivity.

  • AWACS voice recognition may enhance accuracy

    The Airborne Warning and Control System program office is developing software that could make the mouse an endangered species on the E-3 Sentry. Voice-recognition software allows an air battle manager to control his or her radar screen by speaking to it, instead of using a traditional trackball or

  • Mentors program gives officers someone to look up to

    Every officer or officer candidate needs someone to look up to, someone he or she can talk with about career development and being a professional and becoming a leader. For more than 20 years, Air Force Cadet/Officer Mentor Action Program volunteers have provided officers with that someone. The

  • Leaders discuss future of unmanned aircraft

    With 10 different unmanned aerial vehicle systems flying over Iraq and Afghanistan, military leaders met with members of Congress to discuss the rapidly changing role of UAVs in military operations.Lt. Gen. Walter Buchanan III testified before the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on

  • Air Force names top public affairs performers

    The secretary of the Air Force and the Air Force chief of staff have announced the following 2003 Air Force public affairs achievement award recipients.Winners of the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs director’s excellence awards are:Major Command Category: The "Brig. Gen. Harry

  • Officer’s school changes recognition program

    The Air Force leadership school for company grade officers has changed the way it recognizes its graduates who excel in all facets of the curriculum.Squadron Officer School, which has been educating company grade officers for more than 50 years, has implemented a new Top Third Graduate Award.

  • Air Force announces media contest winners

    A panel of civilian journalists, teachers and public relations professionals selected the best in Air Force print and broadcast journalism for the 48th annual Air Force Media Contest. The winners were announced March 17. Master Sgt. Deborah Smith, from the Colorado National Guard headquarters

  • Savings program assists deployed servicemembers

    Deployed servicemembers have the chance to earn a guaranteed 10-percent interest on their savings annually.Defense Finance and Accounting Service officials implemented the Savings Deposit Program in August 1990 for servicemembers who were serving in the Persian Gulf conflict. The program

  • Keeping OEF mission airborne

    Back home, when a thirsty Air Force aircraft needs to be gassed up, fuels management flights have a 30-minutes-or-less response time to provide the fuel. At Bagram Air Base, the fuels flight has put its own stamp on the POL -- for petroleum, oils and lubricants -- tradition of timely fuels service.

  • Air Force announces 2003 contracting award winners

    Air Force officials will honor recipients of 2003 contracting awards in an April 22 ceremony at the Pentagon.The winners are:-- Secretary of the Air Force Professionalism in Contracting, Supervisory: Suzanne Snyder from the 21st Contracting Squadron at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.-- Secretary of

  • Air Force's newest wing activates at Hurlburt

    The Air Force activated its newest wing during a ceremony here March 12.The former Air Force Command and Control Training and Innovation Group is now officially the 505th Command and Control Wing.Gen. Hal M. Hornburg, Air Combat Command commander, presided over the ceremony."This is a good deal,"

  • Leaders getting tool to help people in distress

    Leaders throughout the Air Force are receiving a new tool this spring they can use to recognize and respond to people in distressing situations.Every squadron commander and first sergeant will get a CD copy of the “Leader's Guide to Managing Personnel in Distress,” an interactive product that

  • U.S. Airmen deliver aid to Chad

    Answering an urgent request for assistance, units from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, responded with two C-130 Hercules aircraft in support of a European Command mission to deliver more than 19 tons of aid March 13 to Chad. The call for aid came after the Chadian army engaged in a heavy battle with a

  • Joint-range extension linking global network

    An Electronic Systems Center-developed product, now deployed in operational theaters worldwide, is linking information cells together into a global network to give warfighters broader communication ability.Joint-Range Extension is a hardware and software system that receives information transmitted

  • Four Airmen help save Baltimore water-taxi victims

    Four members of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard were saluted as heroes at the National Guard Bureau’s joint headquarters here March 15. The salute came nine days after they helped save the lives of other water taxi passengers who were thrown into the frigid waters near Baltimore.Staff Sgts.

  • Air Force announces E-8 promotion statistics

    Air Force officials recently selected 1,566 master sergeants for promotion to senior master sergeant.The promotion list will be released the first duty hour March 17 (March 18 for those units across the international date line). The complete list of selectees will be posted to the Air Force

  • Now showing: March 15 edition of AFTV News

    The shifting focus of the Air Force mission to meet new world threats is in the spotlight in the latest edition of Air Force Television News. In a two-part report, Tech. Sgt. Rusty Barfield and Staff Sgt. April Lawrence report from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and Minot AFB, N.D., on the

  • Murray talks rotations, uniforms, quality of life

    Retro was all the rage March 10 here as Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald Murray met with enlisted Airmen here.Chief Murray, the Pacific Air Forces command chief before assuming his current job, addressed a standing-room-only crowd about several issues concerning the base, Pacific Air Forces

  • U.S. forces get tax break for combat-zone service

    American forces serving in designated combat zones supporting the war against terrorism continue to get a tax break from Uncle Sam.Depending upon rank, eligible servicemembers can exclude from federal income tax either all or some of their active-duty pay, and certain other pays, earned in any month

  • AFSOC familiarization, recruiting seminar focuses on weather

    Air Force Special Operations Command weather directorate officials held their first special operations and airborne weather familiarization and recruiting seminar here March 3 to 5.Combat weather recruiting efforts have not produced enough volunteers to fill enlisted vacancies, said Lt. Col. Michael

  • Air Force avoiding Draconian measures while shaping force

    The Air Force will try to avoid "adverse consequences" while reducing its end strength during the next few years. During testimony before the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on total force, the Air Force's deputy chief of staff for personnel discussed the service's plans for force

  • Air Force surgical team ready for duty

    It may seem like a small medical team to some, but people here need not worry about their emergency surgical needs. The five-person U.S. Air Force surgical team, an operational surgical component of the 376th Expeditionary Medical Group, is ready for duty.The team is equipped to treat emergencies

  • Airlifters haul forces to Haiti

    On Feb. 29, President George W. Bush ordered U.S. Marines into the Republic of Haiti as the leading element of a multinational peacekeeping force sanctioned by the United Nations.Air Mobility Command aircraft were tapped to bring up to 2,000 Marines into Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince, with 18th

  • Airmen return from deep freeze

    The last C-141 Starlifter from the 445th Airlift Wing returned March 4 from Christchurch, New Zealand, after completing its role in Operation Deep Freeze.Operation Deep Freeze flights support the National Science Foundation, which operates scientific stations in Antarctica to explore the origins of

  • Small unit takes on big test

    The responsibility for testing the airworthiness of modified KC-135 Stratotankers rests with a small unit here.The 23-person 313th Flight Test Flight, an Air Force Reserve Command unit, is certifying the Stratotankers, following programmed depot maintenance and a new avionics upgrade.“We accomplish

  • Airmen deliver radio communications to servicemembers

    What do you get when you take the rim of an old tire, bolt wood into the lug nut openings, and secure an 11-foot fence pole to it? After attaching an 8-foot rod to the top of the pole, the answer is a ground-radio antenna that makes the communication needs of security detail Soldiers here.And what

  • Air Force begins full-scale assault assessment

    Allegations of sexual misconduct at the Air Force Academy and Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, have prompted the Air Staff to direct an Air Force-wide review of its policies, procedures and victim programs.Officials at each Air Force major command have formed sexual-assault integrated-process teams

  • Tyndall operates newest engine test controller

    Revving an engine and tweaking a motor until it purrs is an art the “hush-house” team here has perfected and taken to the next level with the arrival of the F/A-22 Raptor.A process once involving intense troubleshooting can now be accomplished more efficiently thanks to a new engine-test controller

  • Korea vets recognized with medal

    A new defense medal will be issued to servicemembers who served in South Korea, or adjacent waters, after July 28, 1954. This includes those serving there today, and those serving up to a not-yet-determined future date. The Korea Defense Service Medal will be awarded to those assigned, attached or

  • Tuskegee Airmen opened doors for black aviators

    The modern Air Force is a diverse force made up of many races and cultures. But this was not always the case.More than 60 years ago, the U.S. Army Air Corps created an experimental black pilot-training program to test their abilities. With determination and persistence, the first black pilots, the

  • Proposed budget boosts DOD housing program

    The Defense Department is set to replace all of its substandard military family housing units by 2009, a senior DOD official told a congressional committee March 3.The proposed fiscal 2005 DOD budget "allows the department to stay on track to eliminate nearly all of its inadequate military family

  • Walking Shield helps American Indians

    For 10 years now, the Air Force has helped house and provide assistance to American Indians living on reservations in the United States through its participation in Operation Walking Shield. The Air Force deputy assistant secretary for installations, Fred Kuhn, co-chaired the OWS Management

  • Red Cross offers food, friendship to returning Soldiers

    As they enter Incirlik’s temporary terminal, hundreds of U.S. Soldiers coming from Iraq stop by the shoppette and souvenir booths, but ultimately end up at a makeshift American Red Cross stand.Red Cross volunteers are helping out at the terminal by providing hot beverages and baked goods to

  • Academy graduate named ‘Cadet of the Year’

    Second Lt. Christopher D. Ayoub was named the British Air Squadron’s 2003 Cadet of the Year on March 4.Lieutenant Ayoub is the first Air Force Academy graduate to win the award, which recognizes the most outstanding cadet from all Air Force accession programs. The previous winners have been from

  • Secretary briefs lawmakers in ‘posture’ hearing

    The F/A-22 Raptor, sexual harassment, force blending and the tanker lease program were all topics of discussion as the service’s senior executive testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 2.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche, along with the other service secretaries,

  • Wolfowitz addresses Guard, Reserve deployment concerns

    Though reserve-component forces are going through a stressful time, the Defense Department is working hard to improve the situation, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz told Guard and Reserve leaders here.Secretary Wolfowitz, speaking at the Adjutants General Association of the United States

  • Predators move to Balad

    The unit came packed and ready to position themselves autonomously, so they could pursue their prey quietly, unseen for hours.Arriving ready to set up one of the most impressive unmanned aerial aircraft in the U.S. inventory, the Nevada unit was ready for business within days of their arrival here.

  • Officials work on balancing Guard force

    Governors will be able to call on at least 50 percent of their National Guard forces for homeland-defense missions and other state emergencies because of a plan to realign Army and Air Guard units during the next few years, the chief of the National Guard Bureau said."We will balance our forces,

  • Reserve maintainer cashes in on award-winning idea

    A reservist here is $10,000 richer thanks to a suggestion that will save the Air Force millions of dollars each year.Master Sgt. Andrew Calvello, an aircraft engine mechanic supervisor with the 512th Component Maintenance Squadron, submitted the idea through the Innovative Development through

  • Airpower highlighted in joint exercise

    Airpower was put on display as a part of a show of force demonstration here during a joint capabilities exercise Feb. 24.Operation All-American Lightning, a joint Army-Air Force operation, was designed to demonstrate joint U.S. capabilities for rapid deployment and employment of forces worldwide to

  • General briefs senators on sexual harassment in Air Force

    Sexual harassment is a problem in the Air Force, but the service’s second-highest ranking officer assured members of the U.S. Senate that it has the full attention of senior leaders.Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley testified Feb. 25 before the Senate Armed Services Committee

  • Military working dogs help keep base safe, secure 24/7

    When military people are in trouble, they call the cops. When cops need help, they call the K-9 unit.Working dogs here provide explosive detection support and establish a force-protection presence that will halt or deter hostile action against coalition forces.“Our main mission here it to provide

  • Incirlik airman found guilty of assault

    An airman here was sentenced to five months confinement, forfeiture of $795 of pay per month for five months and a demotion to airman basic after being convicted of several crimes. This was Incirlik's first court martial since 2002.Airman Basic Lionel Young, of the 39th Logistics Readiness

  • Reservists vital for seamless flow of business

    In this time of heightened operations tempo, Air Force units are constantly cycling in and out of different conflict zones worldwide. With a few exceptions, servicemembers in almost every career field in the military have the potential to be sent on a temporary duty assignment for extended periods

  • Airmen experience sights, sounds, tastes of India

    For the 130 airmen working here in February during Cope India ‘04, the job of flying and fixing aircraft has taken on a whole new meaning.Cope India ’04 is a bilateral exercise between the air forces from the Unites States and India involving fighter aircraft -- the first of its kind in more than 40

  • Airmen fill joint airlift needs

    When Army and Marine units receive orders to deploy, a small group of airmen is often called upon to turn sister services' air mobility needs into reality. These airmen, known as air mobility liaison officers, are experienced rated officers permanently based with Army and Marine units worldwide.

  • Strike Eagles make debut in Cope Tiger exercise

    Aircrews battling it out over Thailand during Cope Tiger ’04 are facing an unfamiliar foe. F-15E Strike Eagles are participating for the first time in the exercise’s 10-year history.“We can relate to all of the exercise players by virtue of flying a dual-role fighter with both air-to-air and

  • Leaders call for re-energized suicide-prevention efforts

    After 11 active-duty suicides since Jan. 1 and 14 during the final quarter of 2003, Air Force senior leaders are asking commanders and leaders across the service to assess and re-energize suicide prevention efforts at all levels. The 2003 calendar year suicide rate of 10.5 per 100,000 people was

  • Navs get you from here to there

    With today’s technology, navigators have become an endangered breed. One of a decreasing list of aircraft to use navigators is the C-130 Hercules, an aircraft that is playing an important role in moving people and supplies during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The role played by the navigator has

  • Bombers arrive at Andersen

    The first three B-52 Stratofortress bombers from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., arrived here Feb. 22 under an overcast sky. A total of six bombers from the 5th Bomb Wing will call Andersen home for an undetermined amount of time at the request of U.S. Pacific Command officials.The bombers are the

  • Airmen train Navy's 'Rocky' to become contender

    In the 1980s, Rocky Balboa knocked out many contenders. At Charleston a new Rocky is poised to arise and become victorious in 2004.The 437th Security Forces Squadron canine unit here is helping the Charleston Naval Weapons Station develop a kennel program. The unit here has opened its doors to

  • 817th EAS keeps crews flying

    A "C-17 one-stop combat ops shop" accurately depicts the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron at Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany.Airmen deployed from the 17th Airlift Squadron here provide every service needed for C-17 Globemaster III aircrews from here and McChord Air Force Base, Wash., as well as

  • BDUs in short supply

    Backorders from the military supply system are affecting the availability of battle dress uniforms in military clothing sales stores. Both Army and Air Force clothing stores are out of stock on selected sizes of the enhanced hot weather and temperate BDU coats and trousers.The military supply

  • B-24 pilot receives DFC, Air Medal

    A B-24 bomber pilot has finally received the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal he earned in World War II. The presentation took place during a ceremony here recently that relived the perils airmen faced during the 1940s.Then a first lieutenant, Kenneth Kinsinger earned the Distinguished

  • Camera maintainers are two of a kind

    Endangered species are scattered around the world, sometimes in the least likely of places. The few hundred remaining mountain gorillas are found deep in the Congo. A few dozen Amur tigers exist in out-of-the-way Siberia. The surviving giant pandas are located in secluded southern China.But the

  • Air Force brings DFAS airmen back on base

    To improve its total-force personnel posture, the Air Force will move nearly 400 airmen assigned to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service back to base-level comptroller squadrons.Airmen working in Department of Defense billets like DFAS support the overall military mission, but do not directly

  • New civilian personnel system moves forward

    The Pentagon's personnel chief said he hopes to bring the first 300,000 civilian Defense Department employees under the new National Security Personnel System within the next six months.The system, authorized by the fiscal 2004 National Defense Authorization Act, will introduce sweeping changes to

  • Air Force Safety Center announces annual awards

    Air Force Safety Center officials recently named the Air Force Safety Award recipients for fiscal 2003.They are:-- Secretary of the Air Force Safety Award: Category I, U.S. Air Forces in Europe; Category II, U.S. Air Force Academy.-- Maj. Gen. Benjamin D. Foulois Memorial Award: Air Mobility

  • Fire experts warn of turkey fryer dangers

    No one was injured when an out-of-control turkey fryer recently caused a base housing fire at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, but the blaze resulted in an estimated $120,000 worth of damage.Patrick Vega, assistant base fire chief at Hill, deemed the housing unit where the fire originated a total loss.

  • Reservists help clear Iraq streets, fields of bombs

    One wrong move could mean death for people who earn a living making bombs safe.Encountering weapons, explosive devices and booby traps is a daily activity for four explosive ordnance disposal technicians currently deployed to Iraq from the 917th Wing here."I put my life in the hands of my

  • Now showing: Feb. 17 edition of AFTV News

    The latest edition of Air Force Television News is devoted exclusively to the Air Force mission in Iraq. Tech. Sgt. Pachari Lutke and Staff Sgt. Leigh Bellinger spent about two weeks in the country working with various Air Force elements to tell “The Air Force Story in Iraq.”In this program,

  • AFMC pilot initiative aids test, operational worlds

    An Air Force Materiel Command initiative to trade more than 20 unfilled military pilot positions for civilian personnel funding may bring more experience to the test world while putting more pilots in operational aircraft.The trade allows AFMC officials to hire civilian test pilots, primarily

  • Cope Tiger exercise kicks off In Thailand

    Aviation units from the U.S. Air Force, Thailand and Singapore, as well as the U.S. Marine Corps, are honing their combat skills in exercise Cope Tiger ’04 here Feb. 16 to 27.More than 1,370 people, including 770 U.S. servicemembers and 600 servicemembers from Thailand and Singapore, are

  • Two Air Force reserve units earn DOD awards

    The top family readiness programs in the reserve component for 2003 were honored Feb. 13 during the Defense Department's annual awards ceremony in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes.Master of ceremonies Marine Lt. Col. Ian Ferguson, of DOD's reserve affairs office, said the DOD Reserve Family Readiness

  • CSAF seeks improvements in warfighting

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper outlined new ways to make 21st century airmen faster, more efficient warfighters.General Jumper spoke at the Air Force Association’s 2004 Air Warfare Symposium in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Feb. 12.The general’s key point in addressing future capabilities

  • Eglin people deliver valentines to veterans

    Valentine’s Day came early for more than 200 local veterans.The veterans were recipients of “Valentines for Vets,” thanks to a program that was initiated by former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ronald Fogleman, as an offshoot from the National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans Week, fittingly Feb. 8

  • When all else fails, egress prevails

    The piercing sound of the terrain alert fills the cockpit. The engine has taken enemy fire, and despite the pilot’s attempts to regain control of the jet, it is on a downward spiral. At this stage, there is only one thing left to do. While the scenario may not be common here, the possibility of it

  • New Web site designed to make PCS moves easier

    Relocating an Air Force family can be challenging. To ease the strain, Air Force officials recently launched “AF Move,” a Web site designed to put as much moving-related information as possible only a mouse-click away."This is an absolutely outstanding Web site,” said Maj. Gen. Craig Rasmussen, Air

  • Retired NCO credits blood donations for saving his life

    Blood drives are almost as common as commander's calls here because Air Force leaders stress the importance of donating blood.Retired Tech. Sgt. Derrick Duncan, a former jet-engine mechanic instructor here, knows better than most the significance of those lifesaving donations.Sergeant Duncan packed

  • Bolling Cub Scouts receive gift for selfless act

    “Two, four, six, eight. Who do we appreciate? Colonel Koslov!” exclaimed a group of excited Bolling Cub Scouts from Den 2, Pack 343. That was the Scouts’ response when Col. Dan Koslov returned twofold their gift of selflessness at their Feb. 2 meeting.The Scouts recently bought necessity items

  • Flying Old Glory for a grateful nation

    The spirit of Sept. 11, 2001, is still evident in the sky above Afghanistan as airmen here do their part to support a long-standing tradition of carrying U.S. flags onboard aircraft flying combat missions.Crewmembers from the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Support Squadron and the 22nd Expeditionary

  • Defense Department axing Internet voting plans

    Defense Department officials are axing an Internet voting program because of concerns about security, a Pentagon spokeswoman said Feb. 6.The Federal Voting Assistance Program, which aids Americans serving overseas in the voting process, will not use the SERVE system in November. The acronym stands

  • Doors open for active duty to join Air Force Reserve

    The Air Force is opening doors and modifying programs to give people leaving active duty an opportunity to continue their military careers in the Air Force Reserve.As the active force tries to reduce manning by about 16,600, the Air Force Reserve is seeking to hire many of those experienced airmen

  • Next Aerospace Vehicle Test Course launches

    The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School here is accepting student applications for the Aerospace Vehicle Test Course that begins May 30.The deadline for applying is March 16, and only 15 slots are available, officials said.Designed as a four-week program, the curriculum includes about 80 hours of

  • Special operators recount Iraq missions

    Multiservice special operations troops have led the way to victory in overseas campaigns during the war against terrorism, a senior U.S. military officer said.Special operators' expertise was a factor in driving the Taliban out of Afghanistan as well as in the ouster of former Iraqi dictator Saddam

  • Security forces announces annual award winners

    The deputy chief of staff for air and space operations recently announced the 2003 Air Force Outstanding Security Forces Individual Award winners.These annual awards recognize the top security forces members in each category.The 2003 winners are:Career field-wide award:-- Col. Billy Jack Carter

  • International student training requests increase

    The business of training international students is booming for a small unit here.Requests for globetrotting teams from the Air Force Security Assistance Training Squadron have skyrocketed in recent months with the expansion of the global war on terrorism.Already this year, AFSAT is ahead of pace to

  • Leave program helps activated fed employees

    Federal employees who are called up by a Reserve or National Guard unit to support a contingency can use special leave to supplement lost wages.They can receive their civilian income instead of military pay for 22 days if their civil service job pays more than the military.“Although not new to the

  • New dining facility opens in Iraq

    After several months of planning and construction, the new dining facility here officially opened for business Jan. 27. The facility broke ground in early December and served its first meal Jan. 22. With a full-sized kitchen, serving lines and a highly trained professional staff, Maj. Robert

  • 'Force shaping' means some can leave active duty early

    There is good news for thousands of airmen considering leaving active duty who thought they could not because of existing service obligations.An effort dubbed "force shaping" is opening the exit doors to officers and enlisted servicemembers in select career fields and year groups by waiving some

  • February issue of Airman available

    Take a look at changes to the face of U.S. bases in Germany, read about life at Tallil Air Base, Iraq, and take a behind-the-scenes look at Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. These features and more highlight the February issue of Airman magazine, now available in print and online at

  • Civil engineers’ work noticed every day

    Every day, airmen of the 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron are seen doing a multitude of tasks, from digging trenches for electrical wiring to setting up restroom facilities.The unit’s accomplishments can be noticed when one makes a 2 a.m. trip to the restroom and comes face to face with a

  • Japanese forces arrive to help

    Three Japanese air self-defense force C-130Hs arrived here Jan. 30, bringing to fruition an initial deployment plan Japanese forces thought would never happen.This is the first time since World War II Japanese troops have deployed supporting humanitarian activities in a hostile area.The JASDF joins

  • New equipment saves time, money

    Paying at the pump is always cheaper and faster than using the old system with a full-service gas station attendant. The staff at the 445th Maintenance Squadron’s machine shop has a new piece of equipment that does not pump gas, but it is saving them time and money. Plus, it is great for the

  • Volunteers take weight off staff

    Aside from the occasional mortar attack, people at Camp Sather sometimes forget they are in a combat zone. Not everyone serving in Iraq is that lucky. Of all the units here, the Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility gets almost daily reminders of what goes on outside Baghdad International

  • AF medical facilities win awards

    Two Air Force medical facilities received honors when the Defense Department's Tricare Management Activity presented its annual customer satisfaction awards Jan. 26.Awards recognize customer service excellence provided to servicemembers and their families in 2003, Tricare officials said.Wilford Hall

  • Guard legal team working hard

    For some, the base legal office is a place to take care of wills or powers of attorney, but the office staff here does a lot more than that.Lt. Col. Brent Wright, an Oklahoma Air National Guard staff judge advocate, and Master Sgt. Mary Alice Rebis, a New York ANG paralegal, are teamed together to

  • Challenger crew memorialized on Mars

    Late Air Force Lt. Cols. Francis R. (Dick) Scobee and Ellison S. Onizuka are among those now memorialized on the red planet. NASA officials have named the landing site of the Mars rover Opportunity in honor of the Space Shuttle Challenger's final crew. The area in the vast flatland called

  • February issue of Citizen Airman available

    Air Force Reserve Command's 908th Airlift Wing at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., is on the leading edge of the Air Force's effort to modernize its fleet of C-130 Hercules aircraft.C-130H-2s from the 908th, along with C-130E models from the Idaho Air National Guard's 124th Wing in Boise, will be the

  • Randolph gets its first T-38C

    The first T-38C Talon destined for operations in the 12th Flying Training Wing touched down here Jan. 21 at 10:06 a.m.There were no brass bands or flag-carrying marchers to greet the new arrival. In fact, the small cluster of people waiting on the ramp gave no hint of the importance of the event.

  • New software eases workload

    Advanced software technology has arrived at the 43rd Fighter Squadron that will soon benefit all of Tyndall and beyond.Known as the Combat Crew Training Management System, the automatic tracking program checks the progress of F/A-22 Raptor students, what stage of training they have completed, and

  • Targeting pods bolster F-16 training

    The 149th Fighter Wing received something Jan. 14 that will literally put its current class of F-16 fighter pilots right on target with their training.The unit will be the first in the Air Force to graduate pilots from the F-16 Fighting Falcon basic course with targeting-pod training. The enhanced

  • Firefighters keep flames at bay

    Sixty seconds. Just 60 seconds is all it takes for a fire to decimate a tent in a deployed environment.But the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing’s team of firefighters is here to prevent that from happening. The team has many missions, but fire prevention is the most critical so the team never has to

  • Exercise tests shuttle rescue capabilities

    Lajes Field's capabilities to save a downed space shuttle crew will be put to the test during a daylong exercise here Jan. 30.The exercise involves American and Portuguese forces and a Defense Department agency for space flight.The combined event joins 65th Air Base Wing and Portuguese Air Base 4

  • Escorts keep base safe

    When it comes down to getting the mission done, there are few things more valuable than a reliable force multiplier.Each day dozens of mostly one-, two- and three-stripe airmen provide the multiple necessary to ensure base functions continue unimpeded. Wearing arm bands identifying them as “Force

  • Tallil NCO makes history

    With history occurring here every day, there needs to be someone to make sure it is never lost. The person who makes sure that happens is Tech. Sgt. Yancy Mailes, 332nd Expeditionary Air Wing historian, deployed from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.“I collect the raw documentation that allows

  • JDAM team earns precision strike award

    The Air Force Joint Program Office received the William J. Perry Strike Award for developing and delivering the Joint Direct Attack Munition to the warfighter.The award was presented by the Precision Strike Association on Jan. 21 at its Winter Roundtable meeting in Arlington, Va.The award recognizes

  • Air traffic controllers own Iraqi sky

    From American and coalition aircraft to civilian airliners now traveling through the Iraqi airspace, the number of aircraft coming and going over Iraq has increased exponentially in the last year. In southern Iraq, 19 Air Force air traffic controllers here are ensuring the safety of the aircraft

  • Program offers ‘Vigilant Look’ at AFSPC

    While the Air Force encourages its personnel to "cross further into the blue" through its new force-development philosophy, Air Force Space Command officials have been using a unique application of that philosophy -- the Vigilant Look program.Nearly four years old, Vigilant Look encapsulates the

  • Civil engineers receive honors

    Three civilian professional associations joined the Air Force in honoring civil engineers Jan 13.Each year, the Society of American Military Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers and the Northeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives, partner with the Air