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  • Logistics Agency overnights 38,000 maps for Haiti relief

    The Defense Logistics Agency's map facility here has been working quickly to supply military and federal agencies with maps essential to the humanitarian relief effort in Haiti since the Jan. 12 earthquake there.Employees in the Mapping Customer Operations Division for the Defense Supply Center

  • American Red Cross aids military relief effort at Homestead

    American Red Cross officials are providing support to thousands of evacuees from Haiti at a processing center here in support of Operation Unified Response, the U.S. military's Haitian relief effort. "We are providing for two sites here, one for evacuees and another for the aircrews flying them in,"

  • Air Forces Southern marks major milestones in Unified Response

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

  • Tricare dives into social media to engage beneficiaries

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

  • Holloman Airmen prepare to help Haiti

    Units from across the base have been tasked to prepare personnel and assets to deploy in support of Operation United Response.The 49th Materiel Maintenance Group, 49th Civil Engineer Squadron and 49th Logistics Readiness Squadron have been working around the clock since Jan. 13, preparing potable

  • Processing the evacuated

    As planes continue to leave Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., full of relief supplies bound for Haiti, a great number of planes return full of evacuees coming home. These people, many of them U.S. citizens or residents, must go through evacuation in-processing at Homestead ARB.Currently this process

  • Aftershock shakes Haiti; no apparent damage

    An early morning aftershock here Jan. 20 shook the sleeping Soldiers from their bags as the building swayed and creaked for a few seconds. "It was like: 'Whoah! Is somebody shaking me awake or was the ground moving?'" said Army Maj. J.T. Eldridge, the squadron operations officer for the 1st

  • Air Force asset used to assess damage, needs

    After a devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake rocked the capitol of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, last week leaving severe structural damage and an unknown death toll, the Air Force was tasked to provide imagery through the use of an observation aircraft.The OC-135B Open Skies, belonging to Air Combat

  • JTF-Bravo deploys medical personnel to support Haiti disaster relief

    A team of Joint Task Force-Bravo medical personnel deployed Jan. 17 in support of disaster relief efforts in Haiti following the devastating earthquake Jan. 12.Twenty-three members JTF-B medical element departed for Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where they will provide critical medical support to Joint

  • 2010 AETC Symposium reaches new heights with seminars, displays

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

  • Developmental opportunities in WMD for civilians/officers

    Officials are requesting nominations for a professional military education course in the study of weapons of mass destruction.The Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction at the National Defense University announced recently the call for nominations to the 2010 program for emerging

  • Reservists load supplies for Haiti relief

    When the call went out for volunteers to help with the Haitian relief effort at Homestead Air Reserve Base; a handful of Reserve aerial port specialist raised their hands. Aerial port specialists are responsible for all management and movement of cargo and passengers transported in the military

  • Haiti task force commander notes progress

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

  • U.S. to open additional runway in Haiti

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

  • Dover Reserve crew delivers communications team, equipment to Haiti

    Airmen from the 326th Airlift Squadron, here, delivered the Joint Communications Support Element to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, aboard a C-17 Globemaster III during the early morning hours of Jan. 16.On the way to Haiti, the Air Force Reserve aircrew stopped at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., to load up

  • Homestead Air Reserve Base hub for Haitian quake relief

    Relief efforts are in full swing at Homestead Air Reserve Base in response to the disaster in Haiti. The massive humanitarian effort -- Operation Unified Response -- is a true joint operation. Almost as soon as news of the disaster broke, components of the Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy and Coast

  • Military, civilian leaders assess, plan relief ops

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

  • New Jersey base gets evacuees from Haiti on road home

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

  • JB MDL welcomes evacuees from Haiti

    Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst officials welcomed more than 250 evacuees from Haiti Jan. 15 following a 7.0-magnitude earthquake there. JB McGuire officials are facilitating support efforts with various governmental and civilian organizations to ensure the evacuees are properly cared for. The team

  • AMC continues to deliver in support of Haiti earthquake relief operations

    Since relief operations began Jan. 13, Air Mobility Command aircraft have delivered more than 340 passengers and 323 tons of emergency cargo to Haiti. During the past 24 hours, efforts have primarily focused on delivering Federal Emergency Agency teams; deployable joint command and control teams;

  • West Virginia Air Guard Operates Staging Area

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

  • Haitian earthquake survivors land at Joint Base Andrews

    An 89th Airlift Wing C-32 carrying 22 survivors of the Haitian earthquake landed at Joint Base Andrews just after midnight Jan. 17. The repatriated U.S. citizens arrived at the passenger terminal with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who returned from Haiti after pledging U.S. support toward the

  • Space team achieves key ground-segment milestones

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

  • Thunderbird returns to Nellis for final farewell

    A Thunderbird pilot killed in Southeast Asia and listed as missing in action for more than 40 years returned to the location of his last Air Force assignment Jan. 14 for a celebration of his life among a sea of family and peers."Today, we welcome Maj. Russell C. Goodman home," said Brig. Gen.

  • Gates, Mullen cite aid streaming into Haiti

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

  • JB McGuire Airmen provide earthquake relief

    Airmen from the Air Mobility Command's 621st Contingency Response Wing here deployed Airmen to Haiti Jan. 14 in the wake of the country's 7.0-magnitude earthquake.Members are deploying to facilitate humanitarian airlift operations and aid in providing ground support to the people of Haiti.More than

  • Redistribution team facilitates drawdown order

    In less than a year, the United States military is scheduled to execute the responsible drawdown of nearly 150,000 troops from Iraq. The troop exodus requires the consignment of cargo, vehicles, supplies and other war fighting equipment used in deployed locations.Joint Base Balad's redistribution

  • VA, DOD officials expand ranks of federal recovery coordinators

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

  • March officials assist with Haiti earthquake relief efforts

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

  • Logistics agency staff prepares to help Haiti

    The Defense Logistics Agency staff here is preparing to provide humanitarian relief in response to the devastating earthquake that shook Haiti Jan. 12. The agency's Joint Logistics Operations Center staff is coordinating support with U.S. Southern Command who are, in turn, working with the State

  • Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus provides Airmen incentives

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

  • Select bases to implement new civilian application procedure

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

  • Cyber is the focus

    Hundreds of DOD cyber warriors, commercial defense industry officials and military members from all five services gathered during the Defending America Cyberspace 2010 Symposium to hear the Air Force Space Command commander give remarks Jan. 12, here.Gen. C. Robert Kehler spoke to the many changes

  • Program brings languages to senior officer PME

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

  • Military preps for broader Haiti relief mission

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

  • Mullen voices concern with military suicide rate

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

  • Guardsmen ready to help in Haiti

    The chief of the National Guard Bureau said Jan. 13 that the Army and Air National Guard are prepared to help in the humanitarian relief effort in Haiti."Our thoughts and prayers are with the Haitian people, who have been devastated by this earthquake," said Gen. Craig R. McKinley, the chief of the

  • Air Force seeking athletes for warrior games

    The deadline for submitting applications to compete in the inaugural Warrior Games at Colorado Springs, Colo. is Jan. 15.Approximately 200 wounded active duty members and military veterans will compete in the Warrior Games May 10 to 14. Air Force officials are seeking approximately 25 wounded

  • Air Force officials announce holiday safety results

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

  • Iraqi air force graduates 247 cadets

    More than 240 cadets graduated from the Iraqi air force officer course basic military training course Jan. 10, here.In the two-month course, the 247 graduates at Iraqi Military Academy-Rustamiyah were educated in professionalism, teamwork, management and the leadership skills required to be an

  • Military officials to deploy assessment team to Haiti

    U.S. Southern Command officials here will deploy a team of 30 people to Haiti to support U.S. relief efforts in the aftermath of the Jan. 12 earthquake. The team, which includes U.S. military engineers, operational planners, and a command and control group and communication specialists, will arrive

  • Budget for 2010 to help Guard equip, modernize

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

  • Maintainers keep aircraft soaring

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

  • Academy chosen among nation's top 100 best-value colleges

    The U.S. Air Force Academy was named as one of the nation's top 100 best-value colleges for 2010 by The Princeton Review Jan. 12.The Best Values College List features 50 public and 50 private colleges, and The Princeton Review selected these institutions as its "best value" choices for 2010 based on

  • Cyberspace leaders hold career panel at Academy

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

  • Officials urge collaboration in suicide prevention

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

  • Ali Base drawdown in full swing

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

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

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

  • Podcast Series Addresses Post-deployment Challenges

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

  • Chairman calls strategy year's greatest challenge

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

  • Mobility commander visits Georgia, Florida wings

    The commander of Air Mobility Command visited the 165th Airlift Wing, the 6th Air Mobility Wing and the 927th Air Refueling Wing to continue his efforts to view the air mobility mission "through the eyes of the Airmen."Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr., who took the seat as AMC commander in late November,

  • Air Force officials study brain injuries

    Compression chambers used to treat divers who experienced "the bends" after ascending too quickly may offer clues to treating wounded warriors suffering traumatic brain injuries. An Air Force study at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio hopes to determine if hyperbaric oxygen therapy shows

  • Air Force secretary visits Lackland, addresses priorities

    The secretary of the Air Force toured Lackland Air Force Base and presided over the latest Basic Military Training graduation here Jan. 8.Secretary Michael Donley toured the Basic Expeditionary Airman Skills and Training complex, talked to base Airmen and discussed some of his top priorities for

  • USO plans family centers at Bethesda, Belvoir

    United Services Organization officials plan to build family centers at the National Naval Medical Center at Bethesda, Md., and Fort Belvoir, Va., to continue the USO's tradition of bringing troops a piece of home. The project was inspired by the Army Community Services center at Brooke Army Medical

  • Airmen of Note dominate jazz chart

    The Airmen of Note's self-released holiday album "Cool Yule" has steadily marched up JazzWeek magazine's Jazz Weekly chart. "Cool Yule" topped out at number 2 for the week of Jan. 4. "Cool Yule" consists of 17 traditional holiday favorites arranged with a big band and swing theme. It was recorded

  • Laws change for military, overseas voters

    Servicemembers and overseas voters shouldn't assume they automatically will receive ballots for the 2010 elections just because they have in the past. Previously, voters would receive absentee ballots for up to two cycles following their request, Bob Carey, Federal Voting Assistance Program

  • Tricare officials encourage eye exams

    Maintaining healthy eyes and vision is an important part of personal safety and quality of life. Getting an eye exam is a smart idea for anyone, whether or not he or she has vision problems. Active duty family members can get a routine eye exam every year, and retirees and their family

  • Air Force officer becomes namesake for prestigious award

    The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy recently named an award after an Air Force officer who commanded the 732nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron and provided leadership for the first Air Force detachments conducting convoy escort missions at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.Established in 2009, the Lt.

  • Airmen leave a footprint in Afghanistan

    Twenty-one Airmen from the 621st Contingency Response Wing here recently returned from a 60-day deployment to Afghanistan where they augmented port operations at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.Lt. Col. Daniel Krall, the commander of the 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron, requested help from

  • Airman earns Male Athlete of the Year title

    Becoming the Air Force Male Athlete of the Year is no easy feat.  It takes a lot of determination and dedication to achieve this status. This year's Air Force male athlete of the year is Capt. Ian Holt, a squadron command post missile combat crew commander for the 319th Missile Squadron.Captain Holt

  • Provincial reconstruction team expands hospital for Afghans

    A cornerstone ceremony for a new, modern wing of the Zabul Provincial Hospital took place Dec. 26, in Qalat, Afghanistan.The International Security Assistance Forces Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul is partnering with local community leaders to complete this project. Contractors have

  • Wounded vets to participate in first warrior games

    Approximately 200 wounded active duty members and military veterans will compete in the inaugural Warrior Games May 10 to 14 in Colorado Springs, Colo., Defense Department officials announced Jan. 7. The U.S. Olympic Committee will host the games, and events will include shooting, swimming, archery,

  • New era begins for Joint Base Langley-Eustis

    Ninth Air Force officials activated the 633rd Air Base Wing during a change-of-command ceremony Jan. 7 here.The 633rd ABW officials assumed host unit duties from the 1st Fighter Wing officials, which served in that capacity since 1975. Maj. Gen. William L. Holland, the 9th Air Force commander,

  • Defense, Veterans Affairs step closer to integrated records

    The Defense Department soon will join a Veterans Affairs Department and Kaiser Permanente partnership designed to improve the way military veterans and the nation receive health care, the VA's top health affairs policy advisor said Jan. 6. For the past month, officials at Kaiser Permanente and

  • Transit Center Airmen compete against Kyrgyz in basketball game

    Airmen from the Transit Center at Manas defeated a Kyrgyz Russian Slavic University basketball team 93-51 in a game here Jan. 5. This was the Transit Center's third game and second victory against a local team. The Kyrgyz team started strong and was up one point after the first three minutes, but

  • Strategic, Space command officials improve GPS coverage

    Officials from the U.S. Strategic Command and Air Force Space Command here initiated an effort that will improve global coverage for users of the Global Positioning System constellation. The need to support U.S. and allied military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, where terrain in geographically

  • Chief of staff dedicates Center for Families of the Fallen

    The Air Force chief of staff dedicated the new Center for Families of the Fallen at the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center here Jan. 6."For many of us, this dedication is a bittersweet event," said Gen. Norton Schwartz, the Air Force chief of staff. "This center is emblematic of our

  • New facility fulfills needs for families of the fallen

    The staff of the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center has been providing dignity, honor and respect for fallen warriors, and care, service and support for their families since the unit was activated on Jan. 6, 2009. So it was only appropriate that a new facility that will carry that family

  • Gen. Lew Allen dies

    Gen. Lew Allen Jr., the 10th chief of staff of the Air Force, passed away Jan. 4 in Potomac Falls, Va. Funeral arrangements have not yet been made but burial will be in Arlington Cemetery."General Allen was a visionary leader for our Air Force, a devoted husband and father, and a respected

  • General to receive Order of the Sword

    Retired Gen. John D. W. Corley, the former commander of Air Combat Command, is scheduled to be inducted into ACC's Order of the Sword Jan. 13 during a ceremony in Omaha, Neb. The Order of the Sword is the highest honor the enlisted corps can bestow on an individual and recognizes someone for

  • Mullen underscores importance of academy experience

    On hand for a pair of service academy football bowl games in Texas Jan. 2 , Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, underscored the symbolism of the matchups for troops around the world.But he also emphasized the importance of looking at an academy experience as a potential for

  • Air Force officials activate newest expeditionary unit

    The Air Force's newest expeditionary unit, the 586th Expeditionary Support Squadron, was activated in a special ceremony Jan. 2 at an air base in Southwest Asia.Col. John Williams, 586th Air Expeditionary Group commander, passed command of the newly formed support unit to Maj. Gregory

  • Military academy bowl victories shine light on armed forces

    The Air Force and Naval academy football teams triumphed in their respective bowl games Jan. 2, shining a spotlight on the servicemember-athletes comprising the rosters and the armed forces they represent.Military honors were replete here at the 5th annual Armed Forces Bowl, which pitted the

  • U.S. Forces-Iraq stands up in Baghdad

    A New Year's Day ceremony here marked another evolution of Operation Iraqi Freedom, as several major command groups merged into a single headquarters command, U.S. Forces-Iraq."This ceremony marks another significant transition here in Iraq," said Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S.

  • Airmen train Kyrgyz officials on EOD mission

    A team of Airmen from the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing hosted a team of Kyrgyz officials during a five-day visit to learn about the explosive ordnance disposal operations at the Transit Center at Manas recently.The training, called Theater Security Cooperation, encompassed bringing security forces,

  • Program helps servicemembers transition to civilian life

    The Department of Defense's Transition Assistance Program is working to prepare servicemembers and their families for a successful transition to civilian life. "We are trying to ensure that (servicemembers) transition from active duty back to the civilian community is a smooth and seamless one," Ron

  • Lynn says fight against IEDs remains priority

    Defeating the terrorists' weapon of choice is and will remain a priority for the Defense Department, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said here Dec. 30.Mr. Lynn spoke during a Pentagon ceremony where Army Lt. Gen. Thomas Metz stepped down as director of the Joint Improvised Explosive

  • Ali firefighters prepare Iraqis for future

    Firefighters from the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron are bringing the goal of independent Iraqi operations to reality at Camp Ur, Iraq.In December, Ali Base firefighters assisted their Iraqi counterparts toward self-sufficiency through numerous training sessions and skills tests.With

  • Officials encourage Guard, Reserve to honor employers

    Providing pay and benefits during deployments, sending care packages to deployed employees, allowing time off, and celebrating military service with send-off and homecoming ceremonies are just a few commitments that the Guard and Reserve's top employers are honored for each year. Officials here are

  • Iraqi kids, U.S. servicemembers enjoy another day of fun, education

    U.S. servicemembers hosted busloads of Iraqi children for a day of fun, games and culture sharing Dec. 19, 2009, as part of the ongoing base effort to directly engage the local populace here.The event marked the fifth of its kind in the last four months, each one focused on educating and

  • New Iraqi recruits get a leg up

    More than 330 Iraqi air force recruits marched in a parade before beginning their initial basic military course Dec. 28, at Camp Taji, Iraq.Normally recruits attend the 12-week BMT course at the Iraqi Army Regional Training Center prior to reporting to the air force training school on Camp Taji for

  • Air Force medics partner with Iraqi Ministry of Defense hospital

    Members of the Air Force Theater Hospital took the first step in partnering with members of Iraq's Ministry of Defense Hospital Dec. 22, to form the American-Iraqi Air Medical Evacuation and Medical Provider Training Course here. The first installment of training allowed the Iraqis to study burn

  • Airman sees Christmas spirit in Afghanistan

    Maj. Tobin Griffeth, a legal officer from Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, was featured recently in the San Antonio Express-News for a goodwill mission he helped foster while deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.Major Griffeth, a University of Texas graduate, along with Capt. Katie Illingworth,

  • USAFE Airmen retool to enhance tradition of Building Partnerships

    The Airmen of U.S. Air Forces in Europe are charting new territory in tackling one of the Air Force's newest core functions: Building Partnerships.The lesson that international partnerships are essential to success in war and peace is not new. The Office of the Secretary of Defense directed U.S.

  • Think about family members if considering suicide

    Thirty years ago today, Dec. 29, my father forever changed my life, as well as the lives of his other family members. He took a shotgun and shot himself in the head. His death certificate reads, "Self-inflicted gunshot wound."I can't tell you how many times I've heard people joke about something

  • Tricare officials expanded benefits and customer service in 2009

    The past year has been a busy one for Tricare officials with the introduction of a new Web-based counseling program and major enhancements to several other Tricare benefits.Introduced Aug. 1, the Tricare Assistance Program uses today's constantly evolving Web-based technologies to bring short-term

  • SECAF outlines future, thanks Airmen during Kadena visit

    Outlining the Air Force's future was the focus of Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley's Airmen's Call during his visit here Dec. 22, part of a six-base Pacific tour in which the secretary is reconnecting with the region and thanking Airmen serving overseas during this holiday season. The

  • Servicemembers brighten spirits of Philippine children

    Twenty members of Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines spent a special holiday evening visiting children at the Social Development Center in Zamboanga City Dec. 23. "It made me feel really good to give my time and spend time with the kids," said Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Cross.

  • Air Force senior leaders pay holiday visit to Global Strike Command Airmen

    The Air Force's top uniformed officer and top enlisted leader each visited Air Force Global Strike Command wings for Christmas, spending the holiday with Airmen charged with the nuclear strategic deterrence mission and global strike operations.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz visited

  • USO offers respite from traveling frenzy

    As the rest of Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport bustled with holiday travelers Dec. 23, its USO Lounge offered military travelers -- many returning home from overseas deployments -- a welcome sanctuary of solace. The lounge is conveniently positioned near the

  • Ophthalmic surgeons employ cutting-edge technology

    Ophthalmic surgeons here are the first in the Defense Department to employ a state-of-the-art laser that will shorten recovery times for corneal transplantation. Members of the ophthalmology department assigned the 59th Medical Wing at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, now use a femtosecond laser to

  • Air Force honorees to attend AETC Symposium Ball

    The 2010 Air Education and Training Command Symposium will honor five special Airmen at a formal ball Jan. 15 in San Antonio."The remaining five Air Force Medal of Honor recipients who were honored for valor during the Vietnam War will be recognized for their heroic actions and the sacrifices they

  • Kits help children cope with deployments

    Each year thousands of military children are affected by either a mother or father deploying, and when this happened to the Choate family here, it sparked an idea helps prepare military children deal with deployments. In October, Maj. Eric Choate, an Air Operations Squadron Det. 1 delivery control

  • Air Force Marathon registration opens with special Jan. 1 pricing

    If getting fit is part of your resolution for 2010, you can ring in the new year by signing up for the Air Force Marathon.Online registration for the marathon opens Jan. 1 at 12:01 a.m., and to encourage early sign ups, the Air Force Marathon Office is offering special discounted registration rates

  • After retirement hang up the uniform, but keep Tricare

    Active-duty servicemembers must use Tricare Prime or Prime Remote, but retirees who are not eligible for Medicare may be eligible for Tricare Prime or choose Tricare Standard or Extra. Each program has advantages pertaining to cost, location and convenience.If space is available, continuing care in