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U.S. Air Force News

  • Continuous bomber presence restructuring saves DOD $12 million

     Air Force Global Strike Command and Pacific Air Forces officials teamed up recently to restructure logistics support and aircraft rotations for the continuous bomber presence in the Pacific.The restructuring is estimated to save the Defense Department more than $12 million annually."The continuous

  • Cheyenne Mountain receives piece of World Trade Center

    After more than a year of planning and building, leaders here unveiled a 9/11 artifact display Sept. 12.The construction of the display was a collaborative effort between the National Homeland Defense Foundation, civil engineers here and University of Colorado Colorado Springs engineering

  • Security forces Airmen complete 9/11 ruck march

    After more than two months and 2,100 miles of marching, a flight of security forces Airmen completed the Security Forces 9/11 Ruck March to Remember here Sept. 11. The last leg of their march began at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum and ended at Battery Park, where 2,796 flags covered the

  • Combat controller buried, had 'heart of a lion'

    The last of three Airmen, who died in an Aug. 6 helicopter crash in Afghanistan, was buried at Los Angeles National Cemetery here Sept. 10.Staff Sgt. Andrew Harvell, an Air Force Special Operations Command combat controller, was one of 30 Americans killed in action when the CH-47 Chinook they were

  • Civil engineers start construction project on Wake Island

    Three 611th Civil Engineering Squadron members arrived here recently from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson to begin building the second of three Sprung Instant Structure buildings. After their arrival on the atoll in the Pacific Ocean about 3,000 miles southwest of Anchorage known as Wake Island,

  • Reserve streamlining plans adjusts manpower in 3 states

    Air Force Reserve officials announced plans to streamline unit structures and adjust manpower in California, Georgia and Texas by fiscal 2012.The biggest changes will affect the Air Force Reserve's three numbered air forces: 4th Air Force, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.; 10th Air Force, Naval Air

  • Falcons come up short in loss to Horned Frogs

    In what looked like a replay of last year's game in Fort Worth, Texas, the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs blasted the U.S. Air Force Academy Falcons in their second home game of the season Sept. 10 here.The Horned Frogs continued last year's dominance over the Falcons by gaining more than

  • Memories of 9/11 resonate with Dover Port Mortuary staff

    A decade ago, less than a dozen people worked in a modest building that sat on a few acres of land behind the fence at the end of Atlantic Avenue.That's how William Zwicharowski described the facility where the solemn duty of honoring the fallen was performed. Zwicharowski, an embalmer at the time,

  • Sather AB remembers 9/11

    More than 100 Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and civilians participated in a two-mile sunrise ruck march Sept. 11 here.The purpose of the event, which included a flag-folding ceremony, was to honor those who were killed on 9/11. The attacks were perpetrated by hijackers who intentionally crashed two

  • CSAF visits 70th ISR Wing Airmen

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz attended a chaplain-sponsored dormitory dinner with Airmen from the 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing Aug. 31 here.During his visit, Schwartz was given a tour of the wing's dormitory, where he was shown recently-made improvements

  • Department officials seek balanced 'cloud' computing solution

    Defense Department officials are looking to balance efficiency, effectiveness and security while moving away from the department's decentralized network of computer servers and data centers and into "cloud" computing, the DOD's deputy chief information officer said Sept. 7."We must balance all

  • DTC provides comfort, eases transition for US service members

    The Ramstein Deployment Transition Center here recently opened its doors to service members from other branches of the U.S. military, 2,100 so far, allowing those teammates who are consistently in harm's way a method to ease into the transition of going home. Since July 2010, the DTC has been the

  • Survivor supports families in wake of 9/11

    It's been a decade since American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, but Bonnie Carroll vividly recalls the aftermath.As a family support volunteer, she spent hours "listening and sharing" with families who were waiting to be notified about a missing loved one.Carroll, the

  • Airmen reopen base to support Iraq transition

    As U.S. Forces-Iraq members continue to return from Iraq, Airmen here have recently reopened an air base that was closed in 2004.With U.S. service members and multiple flying squadrons expected to pull fully out of Iraq by late December, the U.S. Air Force has created a home for some of these units.

  • Last baby born at Wilford Hall, labor and delivery moves to BAMC

    Baby Laurel Perez made history on Aug. 28.She was the last baby born at Wilford Hall Medical Center and is now an important part of the 60-year history of labor and delivery here.The Hauth Birthing Center, located on the fifth floor of the nine-story hospital, closed Aug. 29 and will re-open at

  • Air Force pilot missing from Vietnam War identified

    Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office officials announced Sept. 6 that the remains of an Airman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.Maj. Thomas E. Reitmann, of Red Wing, Minn., will be buried Sept.

  • Panetta to visit 9/11 attack sites

    Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta will spend Sept. 6 honoring those killed during the Sept. 11, terrorist attacks on the United States, as he travels to New York and Pennsylvania.The secretary will visit ground zero in lower Manhattan, where hijackers crashed American Airlines Flight 11 and United

  • Kunsan Airman wins Air Force IDEA cash

    An Airmen here was awarded an Air Force Innovative Development Through Employee Awareness Program cash award of $1,875 Aug. 30.Senior Airman Jason Devore's idea to add a tire rotation plan to the scheduled maintenance of vehicles saved the Air Force money and increased the mission-capable rates for

  • Local becomes interpreter during medical training exercise

    A 12-year-old girl from a small Nicaraguan community acted as an interpreter for the English-speaking medical team here during their medical readiness training exercise.Antonella Espinoza visited the Sébaco MEDRETE site with her mother to find relief from her allergies Aug. 8. During her treatment,

  • Kadena Airmen provide relief to Minot flood victims

    Members of Kadena Air Base gathered for a 5K fundraiser Sept. 1 to help Airmen and their families who were affected by recent flooding at Minot Air Force Base, N.D.In what was called a "100-year flood," more than 10,000 residents of the town as well as nearly 1,000 Airmen were displaced by record

  • Supplies increased at military clothing stores

     Current inventory of the green fleece has caught up with demand, officials announced Sept. 2.The sources for purchase of the fleece are Army Air Force Exchange Service military clothing stores in person and online.Airmen have raised issues concerning availability, where to buy the green fleece

  • South Pole airdrop delivers critical medical supplies in total darkness

    Airmen with the 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron here airdropped urgently needed medical supplies Sept. 1 at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica. The supplies will augment a South Pole medical team's treatment of an ailing civilian wintering there with the U.S. Antarctic

  • Air Force Special Operations 'gentle giant' laid to rest

    For the second week in a row, an Air Force Special Operations Command pararescueman was laid to rest here.Tech. Sgt. John Brown, with family roots in Arkansas and Florida, was buried here Aug. 30, one week after his teammate and friend Tech. Sgt. Daniel Zerbe. Both Brown and Zerbe were on a CH-47

  • Air Force leaders issue Labor Day message

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy send the following Labor Day message to the Airmen of the U.S. Air Force and their families:Labor Day is a distinctly American holiday, created by workers to pay

  • Mid-grade civilian career development webcasts begin

    Webcasts developed to help GS-7 through GS-11 civilian Airmen plan and manage their careers will be held at various dates and times through Oct. 6.  Originally slated for June, the GS-7 through GS-11 webcasts were rescheduled to help prevent login problems "This is our largest civilian Airmen

  • National Guard TACPs develop upgrade training program

    Airmen from the National Guard tactical air control party specialists have pooled their resources to implement a standardized training program to streamline upgrade training.Project 275, whose name is a throwback to the career field's old specialty code to remind Airmen of the need to get back to

  • Job initiatives focus on vets, family members

    President Barack Obama called on Congress Aug. 30 to move quickly on an initiative to offer tax credits to employers who hire unemployed veterans, including those with disabilities.Speaking at the American Legion National Convention in Minneapolis, the president emphasized the nation's

  • Services officials 'refresh' dining menus

    Airmen will soon have more variety and availability of nutritious meals thanks to a new initiative to 'refresh' dining facility menus.Air Force Services Agency officials here partnered with industry chefs to implement a new program called "Operation Refresh." The program infuses new items into

  • Air Force Iraq mission likely to increase before it ends

    As the American presence in Iraq draws down, the Air Force mission in the nation likely will increase, said Maj. Gen. Russell J. Handy.Handy, the commander of the 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force and director of the Air Component Coordination Element in Iraq, discussed the Air Force

  • SECAF visits Andersen, talks AF way ahead

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley spoke on topics of national interest Aug. 29 at an Airmen's Call here. Donley toured the Pacific to reconnect with the region and thank Airmen serving in the Pacific area of responsibility.In introducing Donley, Brig. Gen. John Doucette, the 36th Wing

  • Air Force celebrates JSF arrival, rolls out nation's airpower future

    Air Force officials said the unveiling of the F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter was a "historic occasion" during a rollout ceremony here Aug. 26.The F-35A, on display during the ceremony, was delivered here in July by Lt. Col. Eric Smith, the Air Force's first F-35 pilot."This is indeed a new

  • Ceremony kicks off NCR leg of 9/11 Ruck March to Remember

    Security forces Airmen from across the national capital region joined for a wreath laying ceremony Aug. 29 at the Pentagon. The ceremony marked the beginning of their participation in the Security Forces 9/11 Ruck March to Remember. "Our enemies will never win while America's Airmen stand ready to

  • Pacific Unity concludes in Vietnam

    In an effort to foster friendship and improved relationships between the U.S. and Vietnam, more than 60 military civil engineers, construction workers and volunteers from both countries came together Aug. 9-29 to renovate three medical clinics in Ha Tinh Province.The 624th Civil Engineer Squadron

  • New efforts enhance Irene response

    Approximately 7,675 National Guard Airmen and Soldiers from 18 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico responded Aug. 28 to support Hurricane Irene relief efforts.According to Guard officials, three capabilities are enhancing the National Guard's contribution to the joint state and federal

  • JTAC shot, keeps calling in critical close air support

    American heroes have shone time and time again during the war in Afghanistan, earning accolades from their branches of service and even the president of the United States, but most recently a joint terminal attack controller from the 817th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron proved it yet

  • Joint Base MDL survives Hurricane Irene

    Hurricane Irene moved out of the area here Aug. 28, but not without leaving its mark.Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst experienced damaging winds and excessive rain, which caused flooding, base officials said.When the storm began to move out of the area, damage assessment teams spread out across the

  • Guard supports joint response, thousands deploy

    National Guard support to the joint response to Hurricane Irene was in full motion Aug. 27 as thousands of Soldiers and Airmen rolled out in multiple states to support civilian authorities.Guard officials at the National Guard Coordination Center here were tracking the storm and working with other

  • Panetta puts troops on standby for hurricane assistance

    Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has issued a prepare-to-deploy order for 6,500 active-duty service members from all of the services to support hurricane relief efforts if ordered, Pentagon spokesman George Little said Aug. 27.On requests from states for the department to provide hurricane relief

  • Obama, Panetta urge caution, preparedness for coming storm

    Millions of people along the eastern seaboard should prepare to face what may be a historic hurricane, President Barack Obama said Aug. 26."All indications point to this being a historic hurricane," he said, speaking to the nation from Martha's Vineyard, Mass."Although we can't predict with perfect

  • Air Force, AMC poised for Hurricane Irene response

    In response to Hurricane Irene heading up the east coast of the U.S., the Air Force and Air Mobility Command are postured to support relief efforts if needed, officials said recently.According to a National Weather Service report released Aug. 27, Hurricane Irene is currently a Category 1 storm with

  • JB MDL prepares for Hurricane Irene

    Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is actively preparing for Hurricane Irene, officials here said.The base entered Hurricane Condition III on Aug. 25, which is declared when the weather forecast predicts the arrival of 58 mph or greater winds within 48 hours."Hurricane Irene is expected to be a

  • Hurricane Irene stops moves to Langley, Dover

    Travel to Langley Air Force Base, Va., and Dover AFB, Del., is prohibited until further notice as the installations prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Irene, officials announced Aug. 26. In addition, Airmen with travel orders to other installations along the eastern seaboard are advised to keep an

  • Panetta urges troops, families to prepare for 'Irene'

    Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta today encouraged service members, Defense Department civilians and families who may be affected by Hurricane Irene to take all necessary precautions against the storm that's currently moving northward along the eastern U.S. seaboard.In a message issued today to

  • 20th EBS Airmen assume continuous bomber presence in Guam

    More than 300 Airmen assigned to the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., arrived here recently to replace the 96th EBS in support of U.S. Pacific Command's continuous bomber presence.The rotation of bomber aircraft is specifically designed to enhance regional security

  • Hospital consolidation going smoothly, commander says

    A large-scale realignment of military health care facilities is nearing culmination, and officials recently said they are pleased with the progress.Joint Task Force National Capital Region Medical was created in 2007 to oversee a base realignment and closure law mandate to close Walter Reed Army

  • Operation Deep Freeze 2011-2012 begins

    Late winter flights, known as WINFLY, for Operation Deep Freeze 2011-2012 began August 20.Deep Freeze is a joint service, interagency activity that supports the National Science Foundation, which manages the U.S. Antarctic Program.Lt. Gen. Stanley T. Kresge, the commander of 13th Air Force, is

  • Photo Essay: Langley Airmen prepare for Hurricane Irene

    Airmen from the 633rd Air Base Wing lay sandbags Aug. 25, 2011, in an effort to prevent flooding at Langley Air Force Base, Va. The base is preparing for Hurricane Irene, which is expected to make landfall in the area on early Sunday morning.View the slideshow.

  • CMSAF visits 11th OG

    Members of the 11th Operations Group here provided a special tour Aug. 16 for the Air Force's highest-ranking enlisted member to take a candid look Airmen here do every day.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy spoke with members of the U.S. Air Force Band, Air Force Honor Guard and the

  • American families tour Transit Center

    New U.S. Embassy employees and their families traveled from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to tour the Transit Center Aug. 20 to learn more about the installation's missions and capabilities.More than a dozen children excitedly took turns lying in a KC-135 Stratotanker boom, sitting in a C-17 Globemaster III

  • ACC Airmen prepare for Hurricane Irene

    National Hurricane Center officials issued a number of advisories for the East Coast Aug. 25 in preparation for Hurricane Irene.Airmen, civilian personnel and their families at Air Combat Command units and installations near the projected path of a hurricane should take steps to adequately prepare,

  • SJAFB evacuates jets as Irene approaches

    As Hurricane Irene approaches, the 4th Fighter Wing and 916th Air Refueling Wing began evacuating approximately 60 F-15E Strike Eagles and eight KC-135R Stratotankers to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Aug. 25.In addition to the aircraft sent to Barksdale, the base also sent approximately 350 aircrew

  • Smart bases, electric vehicles key energy independence components

    The Air Force and other Department of Defense agencies are aggressively pursuing plug-in electric vehicles and vehicle-to-grid infrastructure technologies, DOD leaders told industry representatives at an Electric Vehicle Industry Day here Aug. 23."We are here to tell you three things," said Terry A.

  • 9/11 responders tell their stories at media event

    A Texas Air National Guard pilot who flew an escort mission for Air Force One on Sept. 11, 2001, was at the Pentagon to tell his story to the media Aug. 23.Lt. Col. Rolando Aguilar, the RC-26 Metroliner program manager at the 147th Reconnaissance Wing in Houston, was one of several people who were

  • Military bases prepare for Hurricane Irene

    Military bases along the eastern seaboard are securing for the Category 3 winds and rain of Hurricane Irene, defense officials said Aug. 25.The Defense Department is working closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of the U.S. government response, the officials added.The Defense

  • Family, friends say goodbye to a 'hero'

    An Air Force Special Operations Command pararescueman was laid to rest here Aug. 23.Tech. Sgt. Daniel Zerbe, 28, died Aug. 6 in the Wardak province of eastern Afghanistan when the Chinook helicopter in which he was traveling crashed. Zerbe was one of 25 U.S. Special Operations Command operators who

  • Former Air Force Two now part of AMC Museum

    The Air Mobility Command Museum here has long been home to many landmarks of American avionic innovation. The retired military and civilian airframes are restored to historically accurate quality by museum volunteers and displayed for the enjoyment of several generations of patrons.If the planes

  • MQ-9 sustains damage during landing

    A remotely piloted MQ-9 Reaper assigned to the 29th Attack Squadron sustained damage during landing here Aug. 24.The accident occurred at the end of a local training mission, officials said. The 29th AS is a remotely piloted aircraft flying training unit. No one was injured, and no private property

  • Chiefs show hard work pays off during sporting event

     A group of senior NCOs competing in a combined sporting event, known as the Ramadan Games, at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, proved hard work and being fit to fight pays off at any age, and helped showcase teamwork and mutual respect at the same time.When the chiefs' group at the 380th AEW

  • Airman inducted into Space Camp Hall of Fame

    An Air Force officer recently became the first U.S. Air Force space and missile operator inducted into the Space Camp Hall of Fame.Lt. Col. William Burke Hare III, the chief of operations for the Flight Test Execution Directorate at the Missile Defense Agency at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., was selected

  • CMSAF visits Offutt, speaks about tough decisions on horizon

    During a visit here Aug. 18 and 19, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy met with the enlisted members of Air Combat Command's largest wing and Offutt's tenant units. Roy took time to dispel some rumors and explain to Air Force members what's on the horizon. Understandably, one of the

  • 16th SPCS breaks ground for new global capability

    In a combined effort, the 16th Space Control Squadron and its Reserve associate unit, the 380th Space Control Squadron, broke ground July 28 for a Rapid Attack, Identification, Detection and Reporting System site in Hawaii.Lt. Col. Roger Sherman, the 16th SPCS commander, Lt. Col. Bob Claude, the

  • Seymour Johnson defenders begin 9/11 Ruck March to Remember

    Eight months ago, the 4th Security Forces Squadron commander and his training NCO sat down here and mapped out an idea to organize a ruck march from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, to Ground Zero in New York in remembrance of defenders who were killed or injured in the 10 years since the terrorist

  • National Guard ready for Hurricane Irene

    National Guard adjutants general along the East and Gulf Coasts are currently awaiting the potential landfall of Hurricane Irene, but are prepared to act if called upon by their governors, Guard officials said Aug. 23.As of 3:30 p.m., the Florida National Guard 125th Fighter Wing, has upgraded to

  • Pacific Air Rally starts in Sri Lanka

    More than 300 military members from the U.S. Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Sri Lankan Air Force and Royal Malaysian Air Force gathered together for the start of Pacific Airlift Rally 2011 Aug. 22 here.PAR is a Pacific Air Force sponsored, biennial multilateral tactical military airlift

  • Base makes room for more rotary wing aircraft in Afghanistan

    Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan, increased its capacity recently when officials opened a new rotary wing apron with a goal of increasing capability to stage rotary wing aircraft.Approximately 112,000 meters in size, the apron has the ability to park 18 UH-60 Blackhawks, 14 CH-47 Chinooks and 10 AH-64

  • Air Force awarded for energy savings

    The Air Force was announced as the recipient of almost half of the U.S. Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program's 2011 Federal Energy and Water Management Awards earned by Department of Defense entities, and a quarter of awards overall. The awards are scheduled to be presented during

  • ESC awards contract for lightened instrument landing system

    Officials at the Electronic Systems Center here issued an $8.8 million contract award to Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Network Systems Division Aug. 12 to provide the Air Force a deployable precision approach landing capability to support contingency operations or humanitarian missions across the

  • Airman uses research, experience to contribute to fight

    Neil Armstrong was once quoted as saying, "Research is creating new knowledge." One Joint Expeditionary Tasking Airman in Southern Afghanistan understands that mentality very well.Col. Sean Collins, the senior researcher for the Joint Combat Casualty Research Team, has been working to improve

  • Joint basing strengthens 673rd Security Forces Squadron

    More than 10 months after the former Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson merged to form Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson; the 673d Security Forces Squadron is running on all cylinders, officials here said.Capt. Melissa Hull, the 673rd Security Forces operations officer, said it was a

  • New commander, president takes over Air University

    The change of command ceremony Aug. 12 was unique for Air University, as Lt. Gen. David Fadok became the organization's first president and 29th commander."We produce the future and must never forget how important that mission is," Fadok said after assuming command from Lt. Gen. Allen Peck, who

  • Fairchild's 36th Rescue Flight rescues mountain biker in Idaho

    Airmen from Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., rescued a 52-year-old female mountain biker Aug. 17 near Thompson Pass, Idaho, after she flipped over her handlebars and injured her ribs and back.The victim, Paulette Kirby, was on a single-track mountain bike trail participating in the six-day Idaho

  • Exercise Eagle Flag focuses on joint task force-port opening

    The U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center launched its Eagle Flag Exercise Aug. 13, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.The first week of the two-week exercise is designed to simulate unloading and the transportation of cargo received in a deployed environment. A joint task force-port opening, or

  • Recent grad's astro feats regarded as research crown 'joule'

    Look out, Richard Dean Anderson. There's a new MacGyver in town.His name is 2nd Lt. Michael Trubilla, and a prestigious award is in the 2011 Air Force Academy grad's very near future: Trubilla is scheduled to receive the Air Force Science and Technology Cadet Research Award Aug. 25 at

  • RED HORSE team rides in for Ulchi Freedom Guardian

    Ulchi Freedom Guardian 2011 augmentees from across the globe arrived here recently to find a tent city already set up by 254th RED HORSE members.Ulchi Freedom Guardian is an annual computer-assisted simulation command post exercise that focuses on training service members while exercising senior

  • Hawaii joint base trains for emergency preparedness

    Twenty-eight members of the emergency operations center here participated in incident management team training, including earthquake and flood drill scenarios, Aug. 9 to 12. This training, the first since the installation joint based, will ensure the IMT members know exactly what to do in case of

  • S. Korea, U.S. begin major exercise

    South Korea and U.S. servicemembers began another year of training in a familiar peninsula-wide exercise Aug. 16. U.S. forces and their South Korean allies first gathered here last week to ramp up for the multi-day, defense-oriented command post exercise Operation Ulchi Freedom Guardian. This is one

  • Yokota Airmen take to sky during Pacific Airlift Rally

    Seventy-eight members from the 36th Airlift Squadron here will test their humanitarian assistance and disaster relief abilities in the Pacific Airlift Rally held in Sri Lanka, Aug. 18 through 22. The Pacific Airlift Rally is designed to strengthen interoperability between nations in the Indonesian

  • Officials offer peek into officer promotion boards

    Air Force officials offered a peek into the officer promotion board process recently to explain how they are conducted. "The promotion system is clear-cut and extremely fair," said Col. Ramona Dolson, chief of the Air Force Selection Board Secretariat. "The Air Force has done a great job in making

  • VA paralympic program officials launch website for disabled veterans

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials have launched a Paralympic Program website as part of the VA's ongoing commitment to support the rehabilitation and recovery of disabled veterans through participation in adaptive sports. "Adaptive sports participation among disabled veterans has many proven

  • Motorcycle ride kicks off 9/11 memorial observances

    One of the first of many tenth-anniversary commemorations of the 9/11 terror attacks will begin Aug. 18 as almost 2,500 motorcyclists launch the 11th America's 9/11 Ride that begins in Shanksville, Pa., and continues over the next three days to the Pentagon and World Trade Center crash sites.The

  • Space Command retires workhorse satellite

    Members of the 3rd Space Operations Squadron, along with their counterparts from the 53rd Signal Battalion, waved a fond farewell to a trusted old friend Aug. 12. Lt. Col. Kevin Mortensen, 3rd SOPS commander and Lt. Col. Benjamin Jones, 53rd SB commander, took the honors, shutting down the final

  • Sharing intelligence helps contractors strengthen cyber defenses

    A new pilot program in which Defense Department officials share classified threat intelligence with defense contractors or their commercial Internet service providers is showing promise in increasing their cyber defenses and preventing enemy intrusions into sensitive government networks, Deputy

  • Resilience study can help DOD officials strengthen programs

    The military has a plethora of programs aimed at building resilience in service members and their families, but needs a better system in place to measure their success, a study has revealed.Commissioned by officials from the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain

  • Fellowship provides broad perspective on Air Force mission

    The Air Force Manpower and Personnel office announced the plans for its annual Strategic Policy Fellowship Intermediate Developmental Education rotations for 2011-2012, which is set to begin mid-August. The program's goal is to develop competitively selected, officers' understanding of air, space,

  • U.S., South Korea forces to begin Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise

    U.S. and South Korean troops will begin the 10-day Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise Aug. 16, conducted annually by the Republic of Korea-United States Combined Forces Command to improve combat readiness.Tens of thousands of U.S. and South Korean troops are expected to mobilize in and around the South

  • Photo Essay: Quitters never win...Winners never quit

    Airmen from the 51st Security Forces Squadron here try out for the Osan Quick Response Team Aug. 9, 2011. The QRT provides immediate response to any high-risk situation including barricaded suspects, workplace violence, domestic violence and abuse response, school violence and disaster response. To

  • Communications upgrades keep warfighters connected

    The Theater Deployable Communications Team at the Electronic Systems Center here is continuing to ensure warfighters have the key communications infrastructure they need while deployed."We are looking for capability modernization and to update the equipment modules that make up TDC as they get to

  • Officials conduct study of aircraft oxygen generation systems

    Air Force officials continue to conduct an Aircraft Oxygen Generation study, with members of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board taking the leading role.Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley directed the quick look study in the wake of recent F-22 Raptor incidents.Officials seek to identify

  • Medical examiners identify deceased in Chinook crash

    All 30 Americans killed in the Aug. 6 crash of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter in eastern Afghanistan have been identified, officials at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System in Rockville, Md., said Aug. 12.Medical examiners also identified all eight Afghans killed in the incident, said Paul Stone, a

  • Upcoming show to display military land, sea, ground robots

    More than 6,000 experts from 30 countries will be gathering here Aug. 16-19 for this year's largest robot and unmanned systems show.Hosted by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, called AUVSI, Unmanned Systems North America 2011 will feature workshops, panels and

  • Smith Hall medical instruction facility dedicated during ceremony

    A new medical instructional facility honoring the United States Air Force's first Sergeant Major for the Air Force Medical Service was dedicated during a ceremony at the Medical Education and Training Campus (METC) at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, Aug.12.Smith Hall was named after the late Air Force

  • Djibouti medical service corps members tour expeditionary medical facility

    Service members from the Djiboutian Military Medical Service Corps were given an opportunity Aug. 9 to tour the Michaud Expeditionary Medical Facility on Camp Lemonnier.The tour of the facility was conducted as part of an ongoing educational partnership between Djiboutian military medics and their

  • Officials announce civilian workforce hiring freeze

    Air Force officials announced the implementation of a 90-day hiring freeze effective immediately.A firm commitment to keep spending within requested levels led to implement the hiring freeze across the civilian workforce, officials said.In addition to a 90-day hiring freeze, the officials plan to

  • Kadena Airmen clean up after 60-hour typhoon

    Cabin fever, lock down and boredom.These are just a few of the words that were being used to describe their time during Typhoon Muifa, but not for all Airmen here. More than 125 Airmen from the 18th Civil Engineer Group were on duty during and after the slow-moving yet destructive typhoon."During

  • 'Military Line' works to boost financial fitness

    A young service member saddled with debt and in need of some quick cash doesn't have to go far. Lenders offering same-day loans sit outside the gate of nearly every military installation in the nation.But the lure of fast and easy cash can lead strapped troops down a path of steep interest rates and

  • Air Force continues emphasis on DADT repeal training

    Air Force leaders want to ensure all Airmen are prepared for the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law Sept. 20.Airmen can access the DADT Repeal training through the Advanced Distributed Learning Service link on the Air Force Portal, said Col. Jeff White, Air Force Directorate of Force

  • Transition assistance vital for those separating Airmen

    With active-duty positions being eliminated through current force-management measures, it's important Airmen identified for separation use a vital tool -- the Air Force Transition Assistance Program -- to help ease themselves and their families into transition from military to civilian life.