Moody unit consolidates to support battlefield Airmen

Members of the 93rd Air Ground Operations Wing here will bring a new level of support to Airmen who specialize in ground-combat missions by consolidating units starting in January. The 93rd AGOW officials will consolidate the tactical air control party and battlefield weather specialties of the 3rd

Cultural, language center expands Air Force-wide

Air University's Culture and Language Center is beginning an evolutionary change toward becoming an Air Force-wide institution focusing on culture and language throughout the service. Beginning next year, the center's mission will expand to include service-wide responsibilities as it becomes the Air

Boxing trio visits Hurlburt Field Airmen

Boxing promoter Don King and two world champion boxers talked to Airmen and signed autographs during a meet-and-greet session Dec. 5 at Hurlburt Field, Fla. Five-time boxing world champion Felix Trinidad and eight-time boxing world champion Roy Jones Jr., on their "We Care" tour, stopped at the

Operational readiness exercise tests Airmen, Marines

Airmen from the 18th Wing joined with elements from the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing to conduct a joint operational readiness exercise Dec. 3 to 7 here. During the week-long exercise, Kadena Air Base members and their Marine counterparts were tested on their ability to execute their wartime taskings,

PME classrooms open for sister service

Some students attending the Elmendorf Professional Military Education center wear a different shade of blue ... U.S. Coast Guard blue. Two Coast Guard members are enrolled in the Elmendorf NCO Academy while three other guardsmen are in Airman Leadership School. They are set to graduate Dec. 13 with

Thrift investment board sets 2008 TSP contribution limits

The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board here recently announced that 2008's elective deferral limit for regular TSP contributions is $15,500, which is the same amount for 2007.In addition, contributions for the catch-up plan will remain at the same $5,000 limit set in 2006 and 2007."TSP is a

Lackland, Texas join forces with Santa for safety

A skydiving Santa dropped into Lackland Air Force Base Dec. 4 to help launch the state's annual drunk driving prevention campaign. Texas Department of Transportation officials chose Lackland AFB as a backdrop to announce the beginning of its annual four-week drunk driving prevention campaign. The

First Air National Guard contingency response group trains

Airmen assigned to the nation's first Air National Guard contingency response group unit attended 22 days of training at the Air Force Expeditionary Center's Mobility Operations School here. Fifty-six Airmen from the 115-person 123rd Contingency Response Group of the Kentucky Air National Guard at

Comm Airmen get tower-certified

A team of Airmen making a stop here to do checks on the latest radio communications on the battlefield took time out to give some Airmen valuable qualification training. A team from the Combined Air and Space Operations Center came here to perform preventive maintenance on the Radio-over-Internet

Survivor assistance program manager receives new A1 award

He provided around-the-clock assistance to more than 200 families who suffered the loss of an active-duty member, mentored 25 Airmen seriously injured or wounded in action, and was appointed by the secretary of Defense to serve on the Independent Review Group at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Air Force civilians essential to mission; furloughs last resort

With the Army announcing possibly civilian layoffs this month, Air Force leaders want civilian Air Force members to know they are monitoring the situation closely. "The Air Force does not view the possibility of civilian workforce furlough as an imminent issue," said Air Force officials. "While the

Immobility, injury place thousands at risk

A difficult-to-detect ailment kills 200,000 people in the U.S. each year -- more than AIDS and breast cancer combined, according to Tricare officials.Yet few have heard of Deep Vein Thrombosis. DVT has been dubbed the "economy class syndrome" because of its association with long flights in cramped

Technology conference powers down

More than 500 exhibitors set up various displays to show off their cutting-edge technology to American military members the last week of November at the Interservice Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference at the Orange County Convention Center here.The latest in simulation and

An Afghan education built from the ground up

Coalition mentors stationed in northern Afghanistan continue to take interest in the country's future by investing time and money in the "younger generation." An embedded training team assigned to Afghan Regional Security Integration Command - North has partnered with members of the Afghan National

Officials name 2007 Mission Support Award winners

Air Force officials announced the winners of the 2007 Mission Support Awards Nov. 30. The results are: Personnel Gen. Robert J. Dixon Award:  Brian K. Hunter, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas Roger M. Blanchard Memorial Award:  John Beckett, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, Pentagon Gen. Horace M. Wade

Leaflets urge Iraqis to help capture insurgents

More than one million leaflets were pushed out of a 40th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C-130 Hercules over ten designated drop zones urging local citizens to provide information on three top leaders of an armed insurgent militia in Iraq. The leaflets are the wanted posters of the region and were

F-16 aircrews train for close-air support

'Today's Air Force' features emergency response

This week's edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights the cooperation of military and civil authorities during an emergency response.  Also featured is Operation Deep Freeze, an annual mission to support the National Science Foundation in Antarctica. Finally, visit with a remarkable lady from

Marines to participate in Kadena readiness exercise

The Marines have landed. Personnel from Marine Aircraft Group 12 based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, will be major participants in Kadena Air Base's local operational readiness exercise next week. Approximately 600 MAG-12 Marines and 32 F/A-18 Hornets began arriving at Kadena Nov. 28

Military must understand, master change, JCS chief says

The U.S. military needs to understand change and the pace of change if it will succeed in the future, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told students at the Army War College recently."Some of the change is happening so quickly we have no idea how (it) will end up," Adm. Michael G. Mullen

Testing center opens at Camp Bucca

Air Force security forces members here will now be able to redeploy home with their career development courses completed as base officials opened a new testing center.With many Airmen arriving for duty in the middle of upgrade training, Air Force leadership at Camp Bucca decided a testing center was

Conference makes virtual training a reality

The special weapons and tactics team quickly moves through the terrorist camp to the front of a safe house while forces from air and sea take out the rest of the camp. With precise and quick tactics, the team proceeds though the house, takes out the remaining terrorists, secures the hostage, and

CSAF's Scope highlights Brig. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets Jr.

The CSAF's Scope focuses on current topics the Air Force chief of staff feels are of special importance to today's Airmen. Among Gen. T. Michael Moseley's top issues is the recent death of Brig. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets Jr., the pilot of the famous Enola Gay. "We all know General Tibbets as the pilot of

White Hawk soars, becomes Air Force warrior

During the month of November we take time to recognize the contributions made by Native Americans to our nation's defense. Less than one percent of Airmen claim to be of Native American ancestry. Senior Airman Shiloh White Hawk, who is deployed here from the 1st Logistics Readiness Squadron, Langley

American servicemembers mentor Afghan maintainers

American servicemembers are mentoring the Afghan national army's 205th Maintenance Corps to keeping its fleet of more than 1,300 vehicles operational at Forward Operating Base Hero in Afghanistan. Capt. Eric McGreevy and Army Staff Sgt. Mark Reynolds of the U.S. maintenance mentoring team here train

F-22 endures 3-week, cold-weather test at Eielson

An F-22 Raptor came here for three weeks in November to test the aircraft's braking system on ice in time for the first snow at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, home to several F-22s since August. "We were validating the F-22 braking system's stability and performance as well as evaluating

Air Force trainers involved in mid-air collision

Two Columbus Air Force Base T-6 Texan II primary trainers collided about 12:47 p.m. Nov. 28 near the Columbus AFB Auxiliary airfield in Shuqualak, Miss. At the time of the accident, the aircraft were conducting initial flight training operations. On-scene emergency response has located and confirmed

Air Force firefighters teach Iraqis blaze fighting basics

Seven local Iraqi firefighters shared a momentous occasion as they graduated from the Ali Base basic firefighter skills course. The 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron fire and emergency services flight firefighters put on a six-day training course to train Iraqi firemen of varying

AFSOC welcomes new commander

Air Force Special Operations Command ushered in a new commander Nov. 27 in Freedom Hangar at Hurlburt Field, Fla. Lt. Gen. Donnie Wurster assumed command of AFSOC from Lt. Gen. Mike Wooley, during a ceremony presided over by Gen. Duncan McNabb, Air Force vice chief of staff. "It's with the deepest

Air Force accepting physician assistant applications

Air Force officials are taking applications from active-duty enlisted Airmen for Physician Assistant Phase I training classes beginning January, April and August 2009. Completed applications must arrive at HQ AFPC/DPAMW, 550 C Street West, Suite 27, Randolph AFB TX 78150-4729 no later than Jan. 25.

Airman's Roll Call highlights ABU updates

This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on the airman battle uniform and meeting the needs of today's readily deployable Airmen. While the ABU becomes mandatory in November 2011, Airmen who deploy, as well as those in basic military training are being issued the new uniform now. As ABU supplies

AF leader discusses acquisition focus areas

People in the Air Force acquisitions office are focusing on the workforce, product improvement and acquisitions processes, said Sue C. Payton, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition. The acquisitions office is comprised of 24,183 people responsible for 127 major programs. They are

Brothers reunite on first deployment

The night before Thanksgiving, Staff Sgt. Malik Calhoun, 380th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, K-9 handler finished playing his last flag football game and hurried over to the phantom center just before midnight. There, a new team of Airmen who had just arrived were in-processing, and there

Aviation resource Airmen train for future success

Known amongst each other as "one-charlies," Airmen in the Air Force's aviation resource management career field can get advanced training through a pair of courses in the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Mobility Operations School at Fort Dix, N.J. The Host Aviation Resource Management course,

Airmen help establish Iraqi air force

Camp Taji Airmen are helping rebuild the Iraqi air force.The camp, located approximately 20 miles northwest of Baghdad, is home to the 370th Expeditionary Training Squadron made up of officer and enlisted Airmen from various career fields who are training Iraqis in several technical training

General honored for decades of service

The current longest-serving person in the Air Force was inducted into the Air Force Enlisted Heritage Hall's Wall of Achievers during an enlisted academy graduation ceremony in downtown Montgomery recently. Maj. Gen. Thomas F. Deppe joins more than 140 individuals on the Wall of Achievers. Names

'Dashboard' puts Guard, Reserve Airmen in driver's seat

An enhancement to the virtual Personnel Center-Guard and Reserve, or vPC-GR, is scheduled to launch in December and will put Air National Guard and Reserve Airmen in the driver's seat of their personnel transactions. The new vPC-GR "dashboard" will streamline the way Airmen manage their vPC-GR

Audit agency keeps war machine well tuned

Even the greatest machines need a tune up from time to time and the warfighting efforts of the Air Force are no exception. The task of improving the Air Force's overall operations efficiency and proper use of assets in deployed areas is performed by the Air Force Audit Agency. The agency deploys

Bright Star brings together coalition forces

Sixty Charleston Airmen recently participated in the oldest training exercise in the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility aboard three C-17 Globemaster IIIs. Bright Star 07, hosted by Egypt in cooperation with USCENTCOM and U.S. Army Central Command, was held in Cairo from Nov. 3 to 19

AMC aircrews reach million sorties milestone

Air Mobility Command passed a major milestone Nov. 19, when an AMC aircraft flew the command's one millionth sortie since September 11, 2001. The landmark flight was a C-17 mission flown to Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan. The crew was from the 62nd Airlift Wing's 10th Airlift Squadron, McChord AFB,

Chaplain assistant chiefs evaluate pre-deployment training

Enlisted leaders in the Air Force's chaplain assistant career field made a special visit to the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center in early November to talk with chaplains and chaplain assistant students in the Advanced Contingency Skills Training Course and to observe the course. The visit brought

Fairford Airmen prepare for shuttle launch

When the Space Shuttle Atlantis, mission number STS-122, launches on Dec. 6, a world will stand watching. While it takes a massive crew to get the shuttle off the ground, there will be hundreds more waiting after the blast off. They are ground crew members of the Space Shuttle Transatlantic abort

Wilford Hall Medical Center: 50 years of medical excellence

Hospital officials and guests commemorated Wilford Hall Medical Center for 50 years as the Air Force's medical flagship in a ceremony here Nov. 16 that marked medical excellence from 1957-2007.Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Thomas W. Travis, commander of the 59th Medical Wing, led the ceremony to celebrate the

Airmen practice runway repair, RAAF airmen observe

Approximately 110 personnel, most from the 36th Civil Engineer Squadron, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, attended the Det. 1, 554th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineer Silver Flag exercise here last week. After a week of mostly classroom training in their respective

Air Force presents top civic award to Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts earned the National Football League's Lombardi Trophy as the Super Bowl XLI champions last February in Miami. Now the team can add a prestigious Air Force award to its ever-expanding trophy case. Gen. William R. Looney III, commander of Air Education and Training Command,

NCO earns Spirit of Hope Award

The late Bob Hope recognized devotion to duty, loyalty and courage for decades by visiting service members on the front lines -- typically arriving with an entourage of popular pin-ups, actors, musicians and comedians. The USO inspired and Wiegand Foundation sponsored Spirit of Hope Award is

AF building bridges on energy, environment

The Air Force's top energy and environmental steward wrapped up a week-long mission to Europe, building an energy awareness consortium among key air force and commercial aviation leaders Nov. 16. "Our goal was to connect with our counterparts in the French and British air forces, to build a

Military legal minds gather for multi-national conference

Military legal advisors from Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada and the United States participated in the Military Legal Committee of the Americas (Comite Juridico Miltar De Las Americas) conference here Nov. 12 to 16. The Air Forces Southern-hosted conference, comprising 21 legal advisors from 14

New 400-hour phase inspection equates to lives saved

F-15E Strike Eagle maintainers here recently became the first in the Air Force to implement a new inspection process that promises greater airpower capability throughout Afghanistan. Shortly after becoming the first deployed F-15E unit in the Air Force to return to full operational capability

Vance helps celebrate Oklahoma's centennial

Four T-38C Talon planes from Vance kicked off the Oklahoma Centennial parade in Guthrie, Okla., marking 100 years of statehood. The planes from the 25th Flying Training Squadron symbolized the land rush that settled the Oklahoma territory in 1889. It was part of a full day of festivities in Guthrie

New IO course expands technology knowledge

Recent studies indicate more than one billion people worldwide digest information through the Internet alone. The Air Force Doctrine Development and Education Center brought together 12 flag officers from across the defense department and governmental agencies Nov. 6 through 9 to learn how to

Gen. Hobbins honored with Order of the Sword

With all the pomp and circumstance the U.S. Air Forces in Europe enlisted corps could muster, some 800 guests witnessed the induction of Gen. William T. Hobbins, USAFE commander, into the Order of the Sword here tonight. The Order of the Sword is the highest honor enlisted Airmen can bestow on an

Air Force sharpshooters help commanders see the future

When servicemembers go outside the wire here, they occasionally have an extra set of eyes watching over them. Concealed, the members of the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron's Close Precision Engagement Team observe, provide intelligence and, if necessary, neutralize threats. The CPET

8th FW commander, ROKAF fly in training mission

Airmen of the 8th Fighter Wing and the Republic of Korea Air Force's 38th Fighter Group flew in a combined training mission Nov. 14. The mission led by Col. CQ Brown 8th Fighter Wing commander, was designed to enable the different units to work together and share their experiences. This was also the

EagleCash lands at Ali Base

An Air Force EagleCash Card program team has been flying throughout the area of responsibility for the past six months implementing a time- and money-saving technology in southern Iraq. The three-person team, which included a member of the U.S. Department of the Treasury and two members from U.S.

Luke maintenance group takes home DOD award

Airmen from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., took home their trophy Nov. 15 after being named one of the Defense Department's top maintenance units at a ceremony in Orlando, Fla. "This is an amazing achievement for the men and women of Luke (AFB)," said Col. Algene Fryer, the 56th Maintainance Group

SECAF honors international affairs office with award

The secretary of the Air Force presented members of the deputy undersecretary of the Air Force for international affairs office with the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award November 15. "Air Force International Affairs has been recognized over the years as one of the premiere organizations

Close-air-support exercise tests Atlantic Strike participants

The cool evening was still as three camouflaged insurgents watched an Army patrol approach their village. Unbeknownst to the saboteurs, an Air Force targeting pod was closely watching their position and relaying information to the ground commander. Suddenly, a deafening explosion drowned out all

AFOSI commander: 'Can do' attitude makes agents stand out

Constantly on the hunt, Air Force Office of Special Investigations agents listen carefully and watch for clues, gathering information that will help them zero in on the insurgents they seek. They're after the improvised explosive device directors, makers and planters, and cell leaders who are

Sniper training

Pilots focus on air superiority, operations during Keen Sword

Honing their skills against enemy air threats over the skies of Japan, Misawa fighter pilots participate in a two-week long training exercise here. Exercise Keen Sword, which began Nov. 6, is a  joint and bilateral exercise simulating the defense of Japan using more than 60 military units from 24

AFRICOM helps partners confront stability challenges

The U.S. military's unified command responsible for operations across Africa will help nations there confront poverty, disease, terrorism and other challenges that affect regional security and stability, U.S. officials said here Nov. 14.However, U.S. Africa Command-sponsored initiatives will

Personnel center to deployers: Don't leave without guide

Most Air Force members being deployed to a foreign country have little knowledge of the culture they'll work in for the next four to 12 months. They don't know a Hijab from an Abaya or a Dishdasha from a Gutra. How many times a day can you say hello to someone in Kyrgystan? Why can't you eat with

Fairchild helicopter crew rescues fallen hiker

Members of the 36th Rescue Flight here rescued a stranded 20-year-old hiker Nov. 11 about 20 miles south of Missoula, Mont. Local emergency responders were unable to rescue the man due to the hazardous terrain; therefore the 36th RQF UH-1N Huey flew to the site and lowered an independent-duty

UAV detachment stands up at Creech

A new detachment has been established at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., to manage MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle operational test and evaluation and force development evaluation for Air Combat Command. The Airmen assigned to Det. 4, a unit of the 53rd Test Management Group based

AF top JAG: 'Rule of law' critical for success in Iraq

A fair justice system, which holds people accountable for their actions, is vital in stopping the violence in Iraq, said the Air Force's top judge advocate general recently during a tour of Southwest Asia. Maj. Gen. Jack L. Rives visited the men and women of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing during a

Wing's emblem symbolizes the 'first'

The shield of the 509th Bombardment Wing is rich in tradition as each symbol on the shield represents some part of the past.  The wing's emblem was approved July 10, 1952 and has remained unchanged for 55 years. The yellow shield has a representation of an atomic cloud between a pair of blue

Applicants sought for attache duty

Air Force officials are accepting applications until Dec. 7 from senior captains, majors and lieutenant colonels to fill 18 air attache positions reporting June 2009 through August 2011. Officers selected for attache duty will attend training during the period of April 2008 to January 2009. An

New initiative offers education, training funds for military spouses

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates joined Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao Nov. 14 in supporting a new initiative to help military spouses get the education and other credentials needed to pursue careers in high-demand, high-growth occupations.Secretary Gates praised the new Military Spouse Career

Servicemembers deliver medical relief following storm

A medical team from Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, set up a makeshift clinic to provide medical relief to the local population Nov. 13 from a school here following the destruction caused by Tropical Storm Noel to the region. As of Nov. 12, American and British aircrews had delivered more than 241,000

Combat search and rescue training in Utah

Book offers lessons on fighting terrorism with airpower

Airpower is a valuable weapon in the fight against terrorism but only if it is applied with discrimination and care, according to a new study of the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War published by Air University officials. Widespread criticism of Israel for relying on its air force to attack Hezbollah

Air Force wins four motorcycle safety awards

Each year, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation acknowledges outstanding achievement and excellence in rider education and training, honoring agencies, organizations, programs, dealers, media and individuals who enhance motorcyclist safety. For 2006, the Air Force won four of the five MSF awards in

Airmen show their edge during Keen Sword

Over the next two weeks, 300-plus Airmen will be participating in the largest bilateral field training exercise in Japan, designed to practice defending Japan against foreign aggression. The goal of Exercise Keen Sword is to improve interoperability between the Japanese Air Self Defense Force and

Medical mission becomes primary focus following Noel

Military members deployed to the Dominican Republic to assist the island nation recover from Tropical Storm Noel are gearing up for a new, more focused mission. A team of 13 servicemembers from Joint Task Force-Bravo's Medical Element, based at Soto Cano Air base, Honduras, arrived Nov. 8 to provide

Aviation pioneers attend Heritage to Horizons ceremony

Five members of the Women Airforce Service Pilots who served during World War II attended the Heritage to Horizons proclamation ceremony for Air Force Week Nevada during a city council meeting Nov. 7 at the Las Vegas City Hall. The ceremony was part of a weeklong Air Force's 60th Anniversary

Travis firefighters become four-time world champions

Under the lights of the original Las Vegas strip, firefighters from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., won a fourth consecutive Scott World Firefighter Combat Challenge here. In a time of 4 minutes, 37.89 seconds, the Travis team earned the right to keep their trophy another year. "It was amazing to win

Cyber Airmen fight in America's newest battlefront

A key component in the world's most lethal air and space force is the ability to protect sensitive communication and computer systems from the bad guys. A group of highly trained Airmen here take that fight head on every day in the far-reaching realm of cyberspace. Senior Airman Jonathan Odum,

Six servicemembers die after helicopter crash

Six U.S. servicemembers have died of injuries sustained when a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter attached to 1st Battalion, 214th Aviation Regiment crashed at approximately noon Nov. 8, 22 miles southwest of Aviano. Five died in the crash and one died later that evening.Eleven U.S. Airmen and

Formal training scheduling to centralize

Scheduling of all Air Force-directed formal training historically accomplished by major command personnel and manpower directorates is being centralized at the Air Force Personnel Center here to streamline services and make maximum use of Air Force resources. Formal training includes all Air

Chief McKinley updates Airmen on Air Force priorities

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley recently reaffirmed the Air Force's three top priorities as winning the war on terrorism, developing and caring for Airmen and their families, and recapitalization and modernization. The Air Force's top enlisted Airman then spelled out where the

Crew chief meets childhood hero at Hill

"Okay buddy, how do you read me?" That simple phrase may not mean a lot to the average person, but for Airman 1st Class Jeremy Meyers, hearing it from his hero was unforgettable. "It's such a small world. Not in my wildest dreams did I think I would be stationed with one of my heroes," Airman Meyers

Dover hosts AFSO 21 leadership course

Dover Air Force Base officials hosted an Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century senior leader's course Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. The two-day course, designed to give senior Air Force leadership the tools to meet AFSO 21 objectives, trained 32 officers and four civilians. The attendees learned

Warfighters gather to train for close-air-support operations

More than 200 warfighters from around the world gathered to combat a simulated enemy force comprised of insurgent groups, roadside bombs and hidden snipers Nov. 6 through 9 at the Avon Park Military Training Complex in central Florida. Atlantic Strike VI, a semi-annual training event sponsored by

Mobile readiness team supports Army in Iraq

Members of the 732nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron Mobile Readiness Team are deployed here "in-lieu-of" Army forces and support the American Soldiers by recovering government assets that have been damaged, misplaced or unaccounted for in Iraq. The team recently deployed to Camp

AFRL wins workforce development award

The Air Force Research Laboratory's director of personnel is excited about winning a highly coveted award, not just for her own organization, but because of what it says about the entire lab. "This is an AFRL award, an enterprise-wide effort, that says AFRL cares about its people," said Personnel

Live-fly exercise trains Airmen for combat mission

More than 100 12th Air Force and Air Forces Southern Airmen will train the way they fight as they participate in Mesa Fury 2007, a large force exercise Nov. 5 to Nov. 9. Mesa Fury 2007, a joint forces exercise, is designed to allow Airmen and participating Department of Defense combat units an

Reserve refuelers train with Egyptian fliers

March reservists are conducting two weeks of air-refueling missions here with fighter pilots from the Egyptian air force. "I think this is a great opportunity for the entire U.S. Air Force," said Lt. Col. Al Oliver, the mission director and a tanker refueling scheduler with 4th Air Force at

Training to make a herculean effort

B-2 arrives at Whiteman AFB

When 15-year John H. Belanger took his first flying lesson in Menominee, Mich., little did he realize he'd be making aviation history 27 years later by co-piloting the B-2 bomber during arrival ceremonies at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. Nor did this lieutenant colonel realize exactly what he was

JTF-Bravo deploys to support Tropical Storm Noel relief

A team of 19 Airmen and Soldiers and two helicopters from Joint Task Force Bravo departed here Nov. 5 heading for the Dominican Republic to assist with recovery efforts in the wake of Tropical Storm Noel. The 19 servicemembers and two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters were loaded on a C-5 Galaxy from the

AETC wins inaugural marathon major command trophy

Air Education and Training Command, headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, is the Air Force's first recipient of the USAF Marathon MAJCOM Challenge Commander's Trophy. The announcement was made Nov. 2 at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., by Gen. Bruce Carlson,

Combat rescue officers ready for field

Nineteen men began their Sunday morning Oct. 21 with a three-mile run and 1,500-meter swim here. The intensive physical training test set the stage for six days of grueling workouts and evaluations -- so demanding, in fact, that by Friday only eight men were left. Those eight men are now combat

Nov. 4 airpower summary: Airdrop is key to resupply

Coalition ground forces are able to keep the enemy on the run in Afghanistan's mountainous terrain where roads are extremely limited or simply don't exist because aircrews are able to to get much needed supplies right where they need to be. For six days, from Oct. 25 to Nov. 1, Airmen achieved more

Firefighters bring 'burning' passion to training mission

Fighting fires is a dangerous job, especially when working with insufficient equipment and inadequate training. But a pair of Air Force firefighters deployed to Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan, are hoping to change that. Master Sgts. Timothy Rickard, deployed from Anderson Air Force Base,

Airmen visit Tok Mok orphanage

Candy and chocolates are quickly eaten, toys and games eventually lose pieces or break, and clothes and shoes are outgrown over time. But the one gift all of these material things bring that lasts a lot longer, perhaps even a lifetime, is the knowledge that somebody genuinely cared enough to help

Pachyderm PCS: Elephant finds new home courtesy of Air Force

As the sun crested over the foothills of San Andreas, Calif., and the compound's gate opened, she knew she was home. Maggie, the Alaska Zoo's only elephant, arrived at the Performing Animal Welfare Society's ARK 2000 Wildlife Sanctuary Nov. 2, exiting her crate some 15 hours after leaving

AF leaders meet at CORONA Fall

Air Force senior leaders have just concluded the two-day CORONA Fall conference at the United States Air Force Academy. The goal of this CORONA summit was to ensure planning for tomorrow is not compromised by concentrating on today's fight. "Our current mission focus is waging and winning the long

Airmen, Soldiers help establish military academy

Nearly, 2,000 young hopefuls descended upon the Afghan National Military Academy recently, all vying for the chance to be accepted into the academy and possibly study in the United States and Great Britain. A group of U.S. Airmen and Soldiers are currently working at the academy helping process the

Air Force's top financial manager visits Keesler for schoolhouse opening

John G. Vonglis, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for financial management and comptroller, visited Keesler Oct. 29 for the unveiling of the new financial management officer schoolhouse here. The event marked the official opening of the newly-renovated schoolhouse facility and