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  • JTACs show off new capability during digital demo

    Joint terminal attack controllers with the 607th Air Support Operations Group here recently showed off new digital capabilities during a demonstration with members of the South Korea air force.The demonstration showcased advanced equipment the controllers use when transmitting digit data to aircraft

  • National Guard supports final Endeavour flight

    Air National Guard members from Illinois, New York and Virginia were on hand for the final launch of NASA's space shuttle Endeavour here May 16. The Guard members provided front-line medical and emergency rescue support in the event of an incident.Col. Joe Maslar, the chief of aerospace medicine for

  • Thunderbirds to perform first demo with alternative fuel

    The Thunderbirds will use alternative fuel, unprecedented for any Department of Defense aerial team, at the Joint Services Open House here May 20 and 21, officials said May 18. The team will fly with Camelina-based hydrotreated renewable jet fuel as part of the nation's overall strategy to reduce

  • Gates budget review to 'force discussion' of risk analysis

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced May 18 the framework for a comprehensive review of military spending designed to put national security needs ahead of arbitrary budget cuts."We must reject the traditional approach of applying across-the-board cuts -- the simplest and most politically

  • Iraqi air force advance echelon team arrives

    The Iraqi air force is one step closer to taking ownership of Joint Base Balad. A trio of officers and 11 enlisted airmen arrived May 15 to in-process here.The group is part of the advance echelon team of 60 Iraqi airmen projected to arrive. "It's truly a significant day for the Iraqi air force,"

  • DOD makes progress in civilian hiring reform

    Until recently, applying for a civilian job at the Defense Department was an exercise in navigating through a byzantine federal hiring process and amassing thick application packets, with applicants sometimes waiting up to a year for any word on their applications.Pasquale M. Tamburrino Jr., the

  • Arming point key to Afghan airpower dominance

    Officials at the Kandahar Air Wing reached a milestone May 15 when they opened an Afghan Mi-17 weapons arming point here.The officials said it's a key step towards delivering airpower dominance to both the 205th and 215th Afghan National Army Corps."Having the arming point allows the Afghan air

  • Deployed air refuelers surpass 350 million pounds of fuel delivered in 2011

    In the first four months of 2011, air refueling aircraft supporting the air mission on the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility have off-loaded more than 357 million pounds of fuel to more than 26,500 receiver aircraft.The 357 million pounds of fuel figure, which is calculated and tracked by

  • SOCOM spikes Air Force in sitting volleyball

    After a strong first game win, the Air Force was dispatched by the Special Operations Command in the preliminary sitting volleyball competition at the 2011 Warrior Games here May 17. The Air Force team started the three-game series with a battery of successive points, carving out an eight-point lead

  • Army, Navy score early basketball wins against Marines, Air Force

    Both the Army and Navy scored first-round wheelchair basketball wins May 17 during the 2011 Warrior Games here. The Army bested their rival from last year with a 39-24 win over the Marine Corps during the first day of the wheelchair basketball competition. Though both teams played with dramatic

  • Air Force earns gold, bronze track and field at Warrior Games

    The Air Force team earned first place in one event and third in two track events during the 2011 Warrior Games track and field competition May 17 here. Vanessa Warren, the Air Force track coach, said their team goal was to earn as many medals as they could, and the team made huge strides toward that

  • CONR officials provide support during shuttle launch

    Officials from the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Air Forces Northern provided airspace control and shuttle support during the launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour May 16 at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. CONR officials ensured airspace sovereignty by enforcing the

  • Cadets win Boeing design challenge

    A year of hard work paid off for team of cadets recently, when they won the Boeing CrewSystem 2035 challenge. CrewSystem 2035 was a year-long design competition sponsored by Boeing. Teams from the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, and the U.S. Air Force Academy were tasked to design the

  • DeBerry elected to College Football Hall of Fame

    A former U.S. Air Force Academy football coach was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, according to an announcement from the National Football Foundation Board of Directors on May 17. The foundation will honor Fisher DeBerry, along with the other inductees, at the National Football

  • PACAF demo team certified to showcase F-16's aerial maneuvering might

    A crew from the 14th Fighter Squadron at Misawa Air Base, Japan, was certified as the Pacific Air Forces F-16 Fighting Falcon Demonstration Team May 16.Lt. Gen. Burton Field, the U.S. Forces Japan and 5th Air Force commander, certified the crew. The crew includes one pilot, two narrators and a

  • Officials launch U.S. International Cyber Strategy

    White House officials yesterday launched a strategy that the administration says unifies U.S. engagement with international partners on a range of cyber issues for the first time.The International Strategy for Cyberspace was presented here by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Attorney

  • Airmen begin Warrior Games at Olympic Training Complex

    Twenty-five Airmen joined nearly 200 other wounded warriors for the 2011 Warrior Games opening ceremony May 16 at the Olympic Training Complex here. The competition between all branches of service, including the Coast Guard, is in its second year and is open to service members who were injured while

  • McConnell's 349th ARS named best Air Force air refueling unit

    The 349th Air Refueling Squadron has been named the most outstanding air refueling squadron in the Air Force. This is the second time members of the 349th ARS have received the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Trophy within three years. "I am extremely proud of the 349th ARS," said Col. Jamie Crowhurst, the 22nd

  • Gates: 'Perfect fusion' made bin Laden raid succeed

    The May 1 raid that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden was "a perfect fusion of intelligence collection, intelligence analysis and military operations," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said in an interview aired May 15 on the CBS program "60 Minutes."But the secretary acknowledged some anxious

  • Defense Department officials honor top communicators

    The military's best writers, photographers and videographers were recognized for excellence in a ceremony May 13 at the Defense Information School here.Douglas B. Wilson, assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, recognized the award recipients for their achievements."Many of those being

  • Lynn: Cyberspace strategy to build coalition of nations

    White House officials released an international cyberstrategy here May 16 that will help to build a "coalition of nations (with a) mutual interest in securing cyberspace," Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said.The event to launch the U.S. International Strategy for Cyberspace also

  • 20th FW hands off alert mission to McEntire ANG

    The 20th Fighter Wing here turned over responsibility for the air sovereignty alert mission to the 169th Fighter Wing at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C., recently.The 20th FW controlled the alert mission from Sept. 11, 2001 to Nov. 15, 2003 and again from Aug. 1, 2006 to May 9, 2011. The

  • Alumni to take Academy experiment into space on Endeavour

    An Air Force Academy graduate piloted the space shuttle Endeavour from Cape Canaveral, Fla., for NASA's STS-134 mission May 16. Retired Col. Gregory H. Johnson, a 1984 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, piloted the STS-134 crew while carrying an Air Force Academy physics experiment into

  • Air Force wheelchair basketball team preps for competition

    This year's Air Force wheelchair basketball team underwent a workout May 12 at the Air Force Academy Prep School Gym, to not only improve skills needed to play intense basketball from a special sports wheelchair, but to get to know each other also. "The primary objective of this camp is to come

  • 50th anniversary of U.S.'s first human spaceflight celebrated

    People gathered here May 4 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first American in space.The event honored Alan B. Shepard Jr., who piloted the 15-minute, 23-second suborbital flight at 303 statute miles in the Freedom 7 spacecraft May 5, 1961.Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter and members of the

  • Combat Talon ends career as historic monument

    Exactly one year after making its final operational flight, the MC-130E Combat Talon I 64-0567 reached the end of its 47-year journey with a stirring dedication ceremony here May 6.The Talon, or as it came to be know by 919th Special Operations Wing Airmen, "Wild Thing," will now be a historic

  • Plans in place to spend $1 million IEA winnings at Spangdahlem AB

    More than 30 service members, U.S. and German national civilian employees, and family members from here received the Commander in Chief's Installation Excellence and Special Recognition Award May 2 through 6 in Washington.It was during this trip that Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin Conaton

  • Exercise hones AFSOC's disaster response

    Responding to a simulated natural disaster, 16 special-tactics Airmen steered their parachutes toward the training range here May 11. Their primary mission: open the devastated country's airfield.Within minutes of jumping out of a 1st Special Operations Wing MC-130P Combat Shadow, the Airmen were

  • Two Air Force officers inducted into U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame

    Two Air Force officers who served as astronauts with NASA were inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., May 14.Lt. Gen. Susan Helms, the 14th Air Force commander, and retired Col. Karol Bobko were inducted in a ceremony at KSC a little less than an hour after an

  • Air Force officials announce civilian hiring controls

    Air Force leaders announced that hiring controls were instituted May 12 to reduce projected growth of the civilian workforce.The Air Force-wide efforts to stem the civilian personnel growth are a result of Secretary of Defense Robert Gate's efficiency initiatives to maintain civilian manning at

  • National Guard leaders talk fiscal constraints, cost-effective solutions

    As part of the total force, the National Guard has successfully transformed into an operational force, the top National Guard leader said here May 11.This transformation would be impossible without the investments made in the Guard and Reserve, said Air Force Gen. Craig McKinley, the chief of the

  • 2011 Warrior Games shows spirit to Colorado Springs civic leaders

    Training for the 2011 Warrior Games has kicked off here with Air Force team members demonstrating their winning spirit in a warrior-civic leader volleyball match, with a catch.  The game is played less than four feet off the floor while sitting on a basketball court with a lowered net as team

  • EPLOs supporting Mississippi River flood response effort

    The recent flooding along the Mississippi River has disrupted lives and commerce, and now the next threat is to several parishes in Louisiana. To help save lives and mitigate property damage, officials at the Air Forces Northern National Security Emergency Preparedness Directorate have deployed two

  • USTRANSCOM wins 2011 Government Organization Defense Architecture Award

    The Association for Enterprise Information recognized U.S. Transportation Command as the winner of its 2011 Government Organization Defense Architecture Award.The award highlights the command's USTRANSCOM Joint Deployment and Distribution Architecture - Enhanced as a model for policy and practice

  • Travel website helps determine risks when planning events

    Returning from deployment, getting ready for marriage, a promotion and three-day weekends are just some of the occasions in which Airmen take the time to plan and schedule leave.Planning for a good time on leave is not only limited to the destination, however. The element of safety can be properly

  • Marines begin reintegration through Air Force Deployment Transition Center

    More than 100 Marines arrived by air here April 27 for a brief stay at the Air Force Deployment Transition Center.On their way home from Helmand Province in Afghanistan, the Marines of the 1st Explosives Ordnance Disposal Company, from Camp Pendleton, Calif., are the first members from another

  • Airmen ready Romanian airport for U.S. multi-modal shipments

    Members of the 621st Contingency Response Wing from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., arrived here May 9 to extend the airfield's capability to support "multi-modal operations" during a U.S. Transportation Command proof-of-principle evaluation.USTRANSCOM applies the term "multi-modal" to the

  • Expeditionary Center's 422nd JTS hosts airfield operations TTP conference

    Nearly 20 airfield operations and air traffic control subject-matter experts met with 422nd Joint Tactics Squadron members here recently during a planning conference to develop a product consolidating tactics, techniques and procedures for Airmen operating worldwide.According to some of the Airmen

  • AFSPC commander welcomes AF Wounded Warriors, kicks off 2011 competition

    The U.S. Air Force Warrior Games team gathered for breakfast here May 8 to mark the beginning of a week of training before the kick-off of the 2011 Warrior Games.During the breakfast, Gen. William Shelton, the Air Force Space Command commander, passed on thanks and encouraging words to the 23

  • Air Force honors 2010 Sijan award winners

    For demonstrating outstanding leadership, four Airmen received the 2010 Lance P. Sijan USAF Leadership Award during a ceremony May 11 in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes.Named in honor of the first U.S. Air Force Academy graduate to receive the Medal of Honor, the award annually recognizes officer and

  • AETC, 17th AF officials bring maintenance training to 7 partner nations

    Officers and NCOs from seven African nations began a three-week course here May 5 designed to provide fundamental maintenance and logistics management skills, thanks to a partnership between 17th Air Force (Air Forces Africa) and Air Education and Training Command.The Trans-Sahara Culture of

  • Lynn: U.S. must preserve its defense industrial base

    Competition, a global defense market and targeted research and development spending will be critical in preserving the nation's defense industrial base during the slowdown in Pentagon spending, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said here May 11.In keynote remarks at the Intrepid Sea, Air

  • Pentagon must handle spending slowdown responsibly, Lynn says

    Managing a slowdown in defense spending responsibly will take more than being more efficient, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said.As the keynote speaker May 11 for the Royal Bank of Canada Defense and Aerospace Conference here, Mr. Lynn told an audience at the Intrepid Sea, Air and

  • Undersecretary addresses fiscal challenges

    Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin Conaton spoke at the Air Force Association's Air Force Breakfast Program here May 11.Ms. Conaton discussed the state of the Air Force and how the service is approaching the challenging budgetary environment it faces today."We're currently balancing a range of

  • Airmen graduate Air Assault Course with Soldiers

    Three Airmen graduated the Army Air Assault course here May 11, after 11 days of training. Five Airmen from the 647th Security Forces Squadron from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and 309 Soldiers, many from the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, started the course, and only about

  • 'Hump' pilots mark 65th reunion

    During World War II, they flew C-47 Skytrains and B-24 Liberators, providing supplies to Chinese soldiers fighting the Japanese after the Burma Road was shut down. Their aircraft were often loaded with 10,000 pounds of gasoline, food, ammunition and bombs. And they did all this flying across the

  • Keesler AFB, Vandenberg AFB Airmen build missile maintenance trainer

    Airmen from the 81st Training Support Squadron Simware section here are partnering with Airmen from the 532nd Training Squadron at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., to build an ICBM maintenance virtual trainer.The importance of this training system can't be overstated as acquisition of the IMVT is

  • Air traffic controllers discuss road ahead in Iraq

    Ten Air Force and Army air traffic controllers advising their Iraqi counterparts at major installations around Iraq convened here April 28 to discuss airfield plans for the final months before U.S. troops leave Iraq under a Dec. 31, 2011, mandate. "(The meeting) was an excellent opportunity to see

  • Krav Maga training gives Airmen the combat edge

    Recognizing the benefits of self-defense in an evolving Air Force mission, base officials here recently hosted a Krav Maga instructor course.Krav Maga, a fighting technique used internationally by law enforcement and military members, teaches users how to naturally react against an armed attacker.

  • 'Total Force 21' paper offers new force mix, DOD savings

    Air Force Reserve officials recently announced new guidelines that may help combat planners better access reservists, make the Air Force more efficient and save money.Called "Total Force 21," this new approach refocuses planning efforts on how many reservists can be mobilized instead of traditional

  • Assistant secretary of defense talks nuclear deterrence, treaties

    The top defense official charged with defending the nation from nuclear, chemical and biological threats visited here May 9 to observe the Airmen responsible for maintaining and protecting America's nuclear deterrent.Andrew Weber, the assistant secretary of defense for nuclear, chemical and

  • Airmen run to honor EOD fallen, injured

    Service members and coalition partners at an air base in Southwest Asia gathered May 7 for a 5K 'fun run' to celebrate the first national Explosive Ordnance Disposal Day. More than 220 participants gathered in physical training clothes, uniforms, tactical gear and body armor with members of the

  • AFIT education paves way to space

    How far can a higher education take you? About 220 nautical miles, straight up. That's at least true for retired Col. Steve Lindsey, an astronaut with NASA and graduate of the Air Force Institute of Technology.Colonel Lindsey's latest space flight, aboard the final mission of the space shuttle

  • EOD memorial ceremony honors 15 fallen heroes

    "We assemble here today to remember the sacrifice of (explosive ordnance disposal) technicians and comfort their loved ones left behind."With those words, Navy Capt. Adam Guziewicz, the Naval School EOD commander, welcomed almost 3,000 people to the 42nd annual memorial service honoring EOD

  • First lady invites Guard, Reserve kids to fitness event

    Alongside about 80 children of National Guardsmen and reservists, first lady Michelle Obama showed off her dance moves and football-handling prowess yesterday during a "Let's Move" fitness and nutrition event for military families on the White House's South Lawn.The first lady invited the kids to

  • 2011 Team of the Year visits Washington

    Air Force first sergeants were recognized recently during events honoring them as the Air Force and Air Force Association 2011 Team of the Year. Each year the chief master sergeant of the Air Force, along with the major command-level command chief master sergeants, selects a specific Air Force

  • AFCEE redefines the gateway to the Air Force

    Engineers at the Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment are preparing to build an inprocessing and information center for Air Force recruits and their families here.The construction of the facility is significant to both the agency and the Air Force, due to its robust depiction of Air

  • AFOSI personnel pay tribute to their latest fallen hero

    Hundreds of military and civilian mourners packed Chapel One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., May 9 to attend a memorial service honoring the latest Air Force Office of Special Investigations fallen hero. Master Sgt. Tara R. Brown, 33, of New York, died Apr. 27 of wounds sustained when an Afghan

  • CMSAF experiences "Brave Defender" training

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy received a hands-on tour of Air Force Materiel Command's "Brave Defender" training area May 6 here.Brave Defender is a three-week deployment training course for security forces Airmen. The training is hosted by the 96th Ground Combat Training Squadron,

  • Building a better tomorrow, one NCO at a time

    Airmen serving with the Iraq Training and Advisory Mission-Air and 447th Air Expeditionary Group are focused on building the foundation of the Iraqi air force. Equipment transfer and technical training are important, but a small group of NCOs are also teaching enlisted professional development as

  • Volunteers help take care of families during increased ops

    While military members from Aviano Air Base, Italy, were working at a higher operations tempo than normal, two civilians from the 423rd Force Support Squadron here volunteered for a "deployment" of their own.Christine Kaleikini and Natasha Matthews both volunteered to go to Aviano AB to support the

  • Alabama National Guard making progress with tornado response

    Nearly two weeks after tornadoes that devastated much of the state April 27, the Alabama National Guard remains engaged responding to the disaster. This has been the largest Alabama National Guard domestic response in Alabama's history.Alabama National Guard officials called more than 2,900 Soldiers

  • Successfully launched satellite ushers in new era of overhead surveillance

    An Air Force team successfully launched the first Space Based Infrared System geosynchronous satellite aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch vehicle May 7.  The GEO-1 satellite will provide missile warning, missile defense, battlespace awareness and technical intelligence products to

  • 537th AS Airmen fly again after 40 years

    It's been more than 40 years since 537th Airlift Squadron pilots have taken flight. That hiatus came to an end in early May, soon after first the 537th AS was reactivated May 6. The squadron was deactivated in the early 1970s at Phu Cat Air Base, South Vietnam. At the time, it was the 537th Tactical

  • Airmen help make Iraq a little greener

    Members of the 321st Expeditionary Logistical Readiness Squadron Vehicle Maintenance Flight created a volunteer project called Operation Kirkuk Regional Air Base Cleanup at Contingency Operating Site Warrior, Iraq.On any given Sunday, the program allows anyone from any unit to spend a few hours

  • Bin Laden raid will help defeat al-Qaida, Obama says

    The death of Osama bin Laden and the unprecedented collection of intelligence material from the raid that killed the terrorist leader will help the U.S. deal a serious blow to al-Qaida, President Barack Obama said May 8 in a recent television interview.President Obama discussed the operation that

  • ESC trifecta will enable autonomous Iraqi air defense

    Because a strong Iraqi air force capable of flying and fighting starts with a solid foundation of planning and control of forces, an Electronic Systems Center team has taken on three major projects of an ESC master plan to ensure the Iraqi air force is capable of providing its own air

  • Operational uncertainties require flexibility, Gates says

    The lesson Americans should take from recent military operations is that we cannot predict where or how U.S. forces will be engaged, and having flexible capabilities is the best defense for the nation, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here May 6.Since the Vietnam War, U.S. leaders have a

  • U.S., Congolese military complete MEDLITE 11

    Airmen and Democratic Republic of the Congo service members finished a joint-medical exercise here May 5.The MEDLITE 11 exercise focused on aeromedical evacuation to improve the readiness of personnel. According to Lt. Col. June Oldman, the director of MEDLITE 11, the exercise focused on five key

  • Common interests, challenges discussed at African Air Chiefs Conference

    Shared interests and common challenges topped discussions between African air chiefs from 24 nations and their U.S. counterparts during the 2011 African Air Chiefs Conference April 26 through 28 here.The conference aims to foster communication and dialogue between regional and multilateral partner

  • U.S. will defeat terrorists, Obama tells troops

    The skill and courage of countless American military and intelligence professionals are why Osama bin Laden can never threaten America again, President Barack Obama told a cheering group of 101st Airborne Soldiers May 6 at Fort Campbell, Ky.President Obama told them about meeting yesterday with

  • Remembering pilot slain in Afghanistan

    Quiet giant. Humble. Tremendously respected. Genuine. These were the repeated words that friends and family members here used to describe the instructor pilot who was among the nine Americans killed during the April 27 Kabul International Airport shooting. Lt. Col. Frank Bryant Jr. made the ultimate

  • Force management explained

    A group of mostly captains sat in on a recent briefing here to find out more about the 2011 Force Management Program.In February, Air Force leaders announced another round of involuntary force-management programs to reduce personnel, and this time it affects mostly officers.For some of the officers,

  • Secretary of Defense thanks Airmen at Seymour Johnson AFB

    With two months left as theSecretary of Defense, Robert Gates visited with active duty and Reserve Airmen here May 6.The visit marked the first time Secretary Gates visited here since he took office in December 2006. He presented the Bronze Star to Senior Master Sgt. Arnel Abad, a 4th Fighter Wing

  • Aeromedical evacuation saves lives in Afghanistan

    An aeromedical evacuation capacity unrivaled anywhere in the world is saving the lives of wounded warriors in Afghanistan, said the officer here who oversees the effort at the combat theater's busiest aeromedical evacuation point.Equipment and procedures are being improved continually to move

  • Reserve tanker crew first operational crew to refuel F-35

    What started out as a routine mission for Airmen from the Air Force Reserve Command's 916th Air Refueling Wing turned into an historic 'first in flight' moment recently.Flying a KC-135R Stratotanker, a flight crew and a maintenance crew from the wing's 911th Air Refueling Squadron thought they were

  • Chief of staff addresses issues, surveys tornado damage

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz visited here May 4 and 5 to meet with Airmen and see the damage caused by recent tornadoes.During an all-call meeting, General Schwartz discussed several issues, including recent force management actions by Air Force officials, the repeal of the law

  • Officials announce personnel annual award winners

    The deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services, or A1, recently announced the 2010 award winners for the A1 community.This year's winners are:Installation awards:Gen. Curtis E. LeMay Award, for best large-category force support squadron:1st Special Operations FSS, Air Force Special

  • Renovations enhance warfighter training

    Members of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe Warrior Preparation Center here have performed renovations that are estimated to save the Air Force $250,000 and 12,000 man hours annually.The WPC is a training compound for U.S. and coalition forces, providing live, virtual and constructive environments seen

  • Civic leaders visit Air Force Expeditionary Center

    A group of U.S. citizens hand-picked to participate in a civic outreach program visited the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center here May 4 as part of the Defense Department's Joint Civilian Orientation Conference program.Approximately 50 citizens, ranging from town mayors to professional sports

  • Officials announce AF fuels management awards

    The 87th Air Base Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., recently received the Air Force's 2010 American Petroleum Institute Gold Award.The other award winners were:Silver Award - 86th Air Wing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany Bronze Award - 49th Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. Air

  • The Million Veteran Program: VA's genomics game-changer launches nationwide

    An unprecedented Veterans Affairs research program that promises to advance the sophisticated science of genomics goes national May 5, according to the VA's top official. "It is my honor," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki, "to join with so many fellow veterans in keeping VA at the

  • Registry yields life-saving treatment lessons

    A registry established six years ago to track casualty information from Iraq and Afghanistan is providing valuable data that's saving wounded warriors' lives, the commander of the theater hospital here said.Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.) Guillermo Tellez, commander of the Staff Sgt. Heathe N. Craig Joint

  • Memorial honors fallen warriors

    Hundreds of military and civilian personnel packed a dimly-lit hangar April 30 to pay their final respects to eight Airmen and one retired Army civilian contractor killed April 27 when a gunman opened fire during a meeting with NATO trainers."We come together to mourn the loss of nine brave

  • Five military installations receive top honors

    Teams from five military installations around the world received top awards today for excelling at their mission despite the demands of war and recent natural disasters.At a Pentagon ceremony, Ashton B. Carter, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, lauded the

  • Air Force officials announce criteria for basing of TACP/ALO training

    Air Force officials have released the criteria for basing tactical air control party and air liaison officer training.Recent and current operations have created an increase in demand for TACPs and ALOs to support Army units. The current TACP/ALO schoolhouse at Hurlburt Field, Fla., lacks adequate

  • Reserve tankers among 42 aircraft participating in Sea Lion 11-05

    Air Force Reserve Command KC-135 Stratotankers were among the 42 aircraft that converged in the sky over North and South Carolina to support Operation Sea Lion 11-05, a phase two operational readiness exercise centered at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.Stratotanker crews from the 916th Air Refueling Wing

  • Iraqi air force primed for power

    More than 30 Iraqi service members graduated from an introductory power production course taught by U.S. service members here May 2.Through the course, the instructors taught the basics of running generators, enabling the Iraqi military to safely generate their own power. The students, who come from

  • Officials announce Eglin as MQ-1 squadron candidate base

    Air Force officials announced May 3 the Eglin Air Force Base complex in Florida as a candidate for an Air Force Reserve Command MQ-1 Remote Split-Operations squadron. "The selection of this candidate is the result of a deliberate, measured and transparent process," said Kathleen Ferguson, the deputy

  • Air advisers' feedback to shape future deployment training

    Representatives from the air adviser course at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., were in Iraq recently to query course graduates on the effectiveness of the course. Their efforts are intended to help shape future education and training the Air Force provides to Airmen who will engage in

  • 24th AF officials conduct first change of command

    Maj. Gen. Suzanne M. Vautrinot assumed command of 24th Air Forces during a change-of-command ceremony here April 29.General Vautrinot replaced Maj. Gen. Richard E. Webber, who retired after 36 years of service. General William L. Shelton, the Air Force Space Command commander, presided over the

  • Locals send big 'thank you' to Offutt Airmen

    Every year, a message appears in local fields near Offutt Air Force Base for Airmen to read as they fly overhead.Although the fields are covered by snow for most of the winter and filled with soybeans for the majority of the summer, the message is written to make sure Offutt AFB Airmen know the men

  • Exercise preserves U.S., Bulgarian partnership

    Airmen from Ramstein Air Base's 86th Airlift Wing and 435th Air Ground Operations Wing, as well as U.S. Army jumpmasters teamed with Bulgarian armed forces to conduct Exercise Thracian Spring 2011 April 26 to May 6 here. The bilateral training exercise brought U.S. and Bulgarian military forces

  • Airmen assists Kabul girls' school

    Returning from Afghanistan for mid-tour leave April 14, Col. Bob Wicks was excited to share his experiences as the only Air Force O-6 to command one of six Regional Support Commands under the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan.Although the mission and the military accomplishments he's seen in the

  • Airman saves seizing Soldier

    An Airman assigned to the 647th Civil Engineer Squadron here performed self aid and buddy care on a Soldier suffering from a seizure April 15."I was at a benefit concert for a Bible study I attend," said Senior Airman Jesse Cornell. "We were sitting there, listening to the guy play and sing, and all

  • Air Force announces fighter training mission preferred basing decision

    Air Force officials announced May 3 that Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, is the preferred location for consolidation of the Introduction Fighter Fundamentals training units.The Air Force conducts IFF training at five locations, producing 450 IFF graduates per year. Over the years, the Air Force IFF

  • Survivors call bin Laden's death 'Bittersweet'

    When Wendy Duffman first heard that Osama bin Laden, al-Qaida's leader and the mastermind behind 9/11, was dead, she said she felt a sense of elation, and then relief.Her brother, Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott Eric Duffman, died four years ago in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. And as an American