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  • McChord Airman earns top leadership award

    A joint tactical air controller with the 5th Air Support Operations Squadron at Fort Lewis is the junior enlisted recipient of the 2005 Lance P. Sijan Air Force Leadership Award. Senior Airman Grailin Blamer was recognized for his quick and cool-headed thinking while providing air cover for Soldiers

  • Airmen earn awards for innovations, improvements

    Airmen from seven major commands received the Chief of Staff Team Excellence Awards and Air Force Best Practice certificates for mission process improvements. Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel Gen. Roger A. Brady presented the trophies and

  • Computer program crash was a good thing

    There's nothing like a computer program crash to ruin your day, especially when it’s used to track patients in the Air Force’s largest medical facility. But with luck, a computer expert can help figure out the problem. And if you’re really lucky, the solution can be even better than the original.

  • Pakistan gets two upgraded F-16s

    In the early 1980s, the Pakistan air force received its first F-16 Fighting Falcons from the United States. Since then, the maintenance support for the jets has been as unpredictable as world politics. It wasn't until late 2003 that the U.S. government agreed to assess Pakistan's F-16 fleet and

  • Troops learn to play by the rules

    Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors attended the Air Mobility Warfare Center here for the Rules of Engagement/Rules of Use of Force Tactical Training Seminar. The seminar held from Dec. 6 to 8 and hosted by the center for the first time, familiarized more than 40 students with the legal and tactical

  • Comm squadron develops Air Force Standard Desktop

    The 50th Space Communications Squadron here is spearheading development of the Air Force Standard Desktop Configuration. This move will strengthen network defenses on all Air Force active-duty, Reserve and Guard installations in 2006 and may become a part of an approved configuration for all federal

  • Air Force names 2005 Sijan award recipients

    The Air Force recognized four Airmen with the service's 2005 Lance P. Sijan Air Force Leadership Award. The Sijan award annually recognizes Airmen who demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities while assigned to organizations at the wing level or below. The 2005 recipients are: Senior officer --

  • Civil engineers announce award winners

    The Air Force and three civilian professional associations announced their 2005 Air Force civil engineer award winners Dec. 12. The awards are sponsored by the Society of American Military Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers, the Northeast chapter of the American Association of

  • Vandenberg helicopter crews help seize drugs

    The 76th Helicopter Squadron here helped seize $284 million of marijuana while supporting Joint Task Force North counterdrug operations this year. The joint task force bases operations on requests for Department of Defense assistance from the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Border Patrol in

  • Skill pairing helps develop future leaders

    Force development teams now have a new tool -- skill pairing -- to help them better shape future leaders. Skill pairing is a method of combining developmental expertise across functions to meet Air Force sustainment requirements. Airmen gain this expertise through education and training

  • Airmen training Iraqi NCOs to lead protection force

    Security forces pride themselves on making a good first impression for base visitors. Now they are instilling that same pride and professionalism in Iraqi Airmen. Three Air Force security forces members are training the Iraqi protection force that will ultimately inherit security operations at New

  • Disabled veteran earns DOD award

    An Air Force civilian received top-level recognition at the 25th Annual Department of Defense Disability Award ceremony. John Hanson is the 2005 Outstanding DOD employee with a disability. Mr. Hanson, who works at the base family support center here, was the lone Air Force recipient out of 18 who

  • Wrestling superstars end Afghan tour

    World Wrestling Entertainment superstars, and its flamboyant chairman Vince McMahon, wrapped up their third “Tribute to the Troops” tour with a live-to-tape show of WWE’s Monday Night “RAW.” The wrestlers ended their tour Dec. 9. Before leaving Dec. 10, WWE Women’s Champion Trish Stratus said her

  • Airmen keeping search and rescue 'choppers' flying

    Whether it’s for a matter of life and death or a routine mission, 64th Expeditionary Helicopter Maintenance Unit troops here keep their combat search and rescue helicopters ready. The unit’s more than 30 Airmen never stop working to maintain and repair the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters that fly from

  • Supersonic Raptor drops first guided bomb

    An F/A-22 Raptor flying at supersonic speed dropped its first 1,000-pound guided joint direct attack munition over the range here. Since July, Raptor program have flown seven JDAM supersonic separation test missions under a variety of conditions. The aim is to prove the JDAM can safely separate from

  • Warfare center offers online courses

    Ever wonder how wartime planners decide the best ways to organize and deploy air mobility forces and assets? Who goes in to start a bare-base operation, security forces or the tanker airlift control element and what are the variables in determining how many pallets you can load on a fully tanked

  • Male, female athletes of the year announced

    One shoots at targets, the other at strikeouts, but both are the Air Force Services Agency’s Athletes of the Year for 2005. Maj. Roger Sherman, a special assistant to the commander of U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., is the 2005 Male Athlete of the Year. He is a member of the

  • Weather flight spins up 'Santa's Mailbag' program

    Air Force volunteers are once again hosting Santa’s Mailbag, a free holiday program that lets children from around the world request and receive a letter from Santa Claus postmarked from North Pole, Alaska. Members of the 58th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron started the program more than 50 years

  • Report indicates success of 2004 absentee voting efforts

    Federal Voting Assistance Program efforts for the 2004 national election were successful, the program's director said. Effective voting assistance officer training and voter education programs contributed to record participation by groups covered under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee

  • Home front crew chiefs still make it happen

    When they finish their shifts their uniforms are often covered in oil, dirt and sweat. They are no longer the crisp, starched uniforms they once were. However, for crew chiefs here -- and elsewhere on the home front -- this is a symbol of pride. The life of a crew chief is a tiring but rewarding

  • Front-line forecasting not average day on the job

    Slashing through Burmese jungles with Maj. Gen. Orde Wingate’s Chindits; hunkering down far above the DMZ in North Vietnam; infiltrating into Northern Iraq to ensure the success of a thousand-man airborne jump -- not the average day at the office for most weather forecasters. But those missions and

  • Airmen on Pakistan relief duty returning home

    After more than two months of helping with Pakistan earthquake relief operations, the 24th Air Expeditionary Group is ending its operations at Chaklala Air Base. The group is returning home to McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., to become the 818th Contingency Response Group again. Group members will

  • Maintainers keep ‘Hercs’ flying

    Most of them are in there early 20s and some are just out of high school. Their average rank is senior airman and many of them have less than three years in the military. However, they have one of the most demanding jobs in the Air Force -- keeping multi-million-dollar aircraft flying in support of

  • Radar unit helps rescue glider crash victims

    Radar analysis provided by the 84th Radar Evaluation Squadron at the Western Air Defense Sector here helped in the rescue of two people crash landed their glider in remote southern California mountains. A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department helicopter rescued the instructor pilot and a student

  • Barksdale maintainers keep ‘Buffs’ flying

    Some people have compared the specialists at the 2nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron to gears in a watch. The watch can’t tick without the gears -- just as aircraft can’t fly without the Airmen. Within the squadron, specialists in each of the three aircraft maintenance units work behind the scenes to

  • Aerial porters breaking airlift records

    Aerial porters of the 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron here are breaking records by moving more than 200,000 passengers and baggage since arriving in September. They have moved more cargo and people than other units who have rotated in and out of this desert base. “There is nothing

  • Program promotes healthy lifestyles for children

    Kaitlyn Mayor prefers to hula-hoop while her brother, Tyler, skateboards to gain fitness points for a new Air Force Services Web-based program that promotes healthy lifestyles for children. The Florida siblings are among more than 5,300 Air Force youngsters between the ages of 9 and 18 to sign up

  • Moody rescue crews receive Mackay Trophy

    Two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter aircrews received the Mackay Trophy from Gen. John D. W. Corley, the Air Force vice chief of staff, at a ceremony here Dec. 5. The 13 Airmen earned the award for rescuing five Soldiers whose helicopter crashed in a sandstorm near Kharbut, Iraq, in April 2004. The

  • Wilford Hall to evaluate Tourette syndrome program

    Wilford Hall Medical Center received a $3 million multi-site National Institutes of Health grant to evaluate a behavior therapy program to help control tics in adults who suffer Tourette syndrome. Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by enduring motor and vocal tics. “A growing

  • Air Force museum will display Disney military art

    From "Donald Duck" to "Jiminy Cricket," a special exhibit that showcases more than 50 of Walt Disney's original World War II insignia designs will open Dec. 13 at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. The exhibit, entitled "Disney Pins on Wings," will include the original Walt Disney

  • Fuel cells could save Air Force thousands

    Ten new five-kilowatt fuel cells in operation here could save the Air Force thousands of dollars in energy costs. The fuel cells, located at the base ground water treatment plant, have been operating since early October. Base officials unveiled the new alternative fuel source Dec 1. The cells, which

  • Red Horse builds it all at Q-West

    The sounds of hammers smashing nails and the buzzing of saws cutting wood, typically resonate through this forward Army outpost -- simply known as Q-West. The 200-plus civil engineering Airmen of the 557th Expeditionary Red Horse Squadron are nowhere near an airfield. And they are nowhere near any

  • Americans, Germans ink Ramstein support agreement

    German and U.S. Air Forces in Europe leaders signed an agreement that continues the Ramstein support arrangement between the two nations. The agreement covers logistical and administrative support provided to the German support unit at Ramstein, including housing and work space. Lt. Gen. Horst

  • Admiral Lippert: DLA changes will take team effort

    Defense Logistics Agency Director Vice Adm. Keith Lippert said the agency’s transformation will be take a team effort. The admiral spoke of the change and other topics to more than 600 people Nov. 29 at the annual North American Defense Logistics Conference here. “The transformation is not going to

  • Dynamic Weasel sharpens combat skills

    Exercise Operation Dynamic Weasel begins here today to hone the skills Airmen need for combat deployments. The exercise will sharpen tactics, techniques and procedural skills while practicing for combat situations, said Maj. Anthony Roberson, the 20th Operations Support Squadron director of

  • AF names environmental winners

    The Air Force civil engineer announced the winners of the Gen. Thomas D. White Environmental Awards for 2005. Nine of the winners are eligible for the Secretary of Defense environmental awards and will go forward as the Air Force's nominees. The 2005 winners are: -- Environmental Quality Award

  • Thunderbirds release 2006 schedule

    The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the “Thunderbirds,” has announced its 2006 air show schedule. The team, based here, is scheduled to perform more than 65 public shows in 29 states. The 2006 schedule is as follows: March 25-26 -- Fort Smith, Ark.April 1-2 -- Punta Gorda, Fla. 8 --

  • Osprey flies spec ops forces into future

    In addition to riding on the wings of Eagles, Falcons and Hawks, the Air Force will also fly with the Ospreys soon. The CV-22 Osprey, that is. The Air Force will buy 50 of the tilt-rotor aircraft for use by Air Force Special Operations Command. The Osprey will first go through several developmental

  • Iraqi aircrew flies milestone mission

    The first all-Iraqi aircrew to fly a solo mission flew their C-130E Hercules on an airlift mission from Ali Air Base to New Al Muthana. The nine-member crew of the Iraqi Air Force’s 23rd Airlift Squadron flew the historic mission Nov. 28. The crew did an engine running on-load at New Al Muthana

  • Reclamation center tops DOD for continuous process improvements

    By reclaiming nearly 42,000 aircraft parts during fiscal 2004 and 2005, a team here saved the government $1.25 billion, while providing direct and often sole-source parts support to American and allied warfighters. As a result, the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center earned the 2005

  • Peterson teams among 'top dogs' at K-9 trials

    Two 21st Security Forces Squadron teams placed near the top in the tactical obedience and top agency areas at a national competition for working dogs. This is the sixth consecutive year squadron’s military working dogs and their handlers from here competed at the Tucson Area Police K-9 Trials in

  • Airmen offload 250th Pakistan relief aircraft

    The Air Force unloaded the 250th aircraft taking part in Operation Lifeline -- the humanitarian relief mission providing aid to the people hit by a 7.6 magnitude earthquake here in early October. The Idaho Air National Guard C-130 Hercules, arrived Nov. 29 at Chaklala Air Base from Afghanistan. It

  • A-10 pilot ‘talks down’ civilian airplane with emergency

    “Mayday. Mayday.” The distress call is familiar to most people who watch television and movies. But when it is made for real, it can make a pilot’s mouth go dry and his stomach cramp. That is the feeling pilot Naim Fazlija said he had when he made the distress call to German radar controllers when

  • Supplemental deployment health assessment starts in December

    Airmen returning from deployment now have two opportunities to let healthcare workers know of their mental and physical health status. Beginning in December, the Air Force will require all Airmen returning from deployments to complete a post-deployment health reassessment. The PDHRA needs to be

  • Deployed wing transports its 1 millionth passenger

    The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing lived up to its motto of “Boots on the Ground” when it recently transported its 1millionth passenger in a little more than two years.The wing reached this historic milestone when they transported 10 Army soldiers to their final destination within the area of

  • Americans open their hearts to servicemembers

    As the traditional gift-giving season gets under way, American people, corporations and service groups are showing their gratitude to American servicemembers, especially those who are deployed, in combat zones or wounded. "The outpouring from the public of goodwill, compassion and recognition for

  • Trick Pony brings season’s greetings to troops

    The country music band Trick Pony is riding with the Air Force Reserve to Germany, Turkey, and a forward operating base in Southwest Asia, with a final stop at Keflavik, Iceland, Dec. 2. “We want to meet as many of the troops as possible and to thank them,” said Trick Pony’s lead singer Heidi

  • Air Force gun trucks deliver the goods

    As Airmen saddle up for one of the most notorious jobs in Iraq, the mood is not dread, but drive and determination. There's confidence in every move as members of the 732nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron here at Forward Operating Base Speicher prepare to escort truck convoys on some of

  • Second chance: Active-duty father donates kidney

    It’s evening, and the Pitman family is playing Candyland in their living room. Devin, 5, bounces from the sofa to the gameboard and pulls a card. “Ice cream!” the blue-eyed boy shouts, and moves his yellow pawn toward the end of the trail. “My turn,” his father says, leaning over the board to pull a

  • Mechanics turn wrenches to save lives

    Mechanics often talk about vehicle maintenance as if it were life and death. For the gun-truck maintainers of the 732nd Logistic Support Squadron, the idea is more than a figure of speech. The trucks they maintain help provide convoy security, traveling some of the most brutal roads in Iraq.

  • ORIs evolve with modern war fighting

    Airmen today can face deployment with increased confidence after practicing modified operational readiness inspection scenarios that reflect current wartime conditions. According to Air Combat Command's Inspector General Col. Tom Jones, with the expeditionary nature of today's Air Force, it is

  • Young man's dream tour causes 'ripple effect'

    When a rock hits the calm surface of a pond, ripples form and travel outward in expanding circles. The story begins with a 14 year old and his dream -- a goal of overcoming his health problems and flying for the Air Force. The boy, Ryan Penne of Chico, Calif., stepped into dreamland last year at

  • All secure, and then some

    Security in Southwest Asia is no joke, but you may still get a smile from security forces Airmen when they check your ID. Ensuring the security of coalition forces and resources is a job the 379th Expeditionary Security Forces team takes very seriously. “We have a dedicated and enthusiastic team

  • Reserve giving warfighters gifts they can use

    Giving and receiving are the hallmarks of the holiday season. If you don't believe it, ask the aerial porters here who receive an average of 600,000 pounds of cargo every day and give the warfighters in Iraq "gifts" they can use. "When airlift operations at Frankfurt (Germany) closed, Incirlik ops

  • Ramstein Reservist helps injured troops get home

    "Home for the holidays" is a familiar goal for many military people, but not Tech. Sgt. Katheryn Bicker. This Reservist from the 944th Fighter Wing at Luke AFB, Ariz., is forgoing her own holidays to help others in what she feels is the true spirit of the season. "I don't think about it being

  • Vandenberg Airmen put eyes in sky

    Somewhere on Vandenberg, two Airmen wearing berets and rifle slings have their heads in a monitor as they fly a remote control plane. The Airmen are demonstrating a new capability for security, surveillance, reconnaissance, battle damage assessment and more, in the form of a four-pound,

  • The making of a memorial

    It was his favorite holiday. He looked at his birthday in October as a count down to Christmas. So Army Sgt. Michael E. Yaschinski loved being with his family at that very special time of the year. “He never missed a Christmas, even when he was stationed in Italy -- except for 2003,” said his

  • Surviving the unthinkable

    Airmen sang Christmas carols as they cruised their armored truck through the thick gray fog of Iraq’s northern desert on that late November morning. It was the 2004 holiday season and the Airmen were in good spirits as they neared the end of their 30-day mission. They had helped guard Army convoys

  • McConnell completes first refurbishment project

    Several Airmen here joined the 22nd Maintenance Squadron's equipment excellence section in a Refurb Rollout ceremony Nov. 21, which celebrated the end of McConnell’s first complete KC-135 Stratotanker refurbishment. “The result was a 40-year-old aircraft that looked brand new in approximately 30

  • Airmen ‘march to the beat’ in Tokyo

    Band members from units throughout the Air Force came to play in the annual Marching Band Festival held at this city’s Budokan Hall. The concert, on Nov. 18 and 19, is an annual event held near the anniversary of the founding of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. This year, a crowd of nearly 50,000

  • Aerial port center making air movements easier

    The U.S. Central Command Air Forces aerial port control center here makes it easier to move troops and cargo through this region each day. That includes tons of cargo and thousands of troops and is a process that takes a lot planning and coordination, officials said. The center cuts a step out of

  • Airmen graduate from Army interrogator school

    More than 90 Airmen stood next to Soldiers when the first “bluesuiter” graduated from the U.S. Army Intelligence Center’s interrogator school at Fort Huachuca, Ariz. The Airmen -- with youth ministers and Scout leaders in their midst -- graduated Nov. 10. The Airmen volunteered after the Army asked

  • PME boosts civilian leadership opportunities

    In the Air Force's current climate of shared leadership, civilians are being provided opportunities to fill positions that have historically been held by military officers. For goal-oriented civilians, there are many opportunities to attend professional military education courses to prepare for

  • AFIT honors 2005 distinguished alumni

    The Air Force Institute of Technology honored three 2005 Distinguished Alumni for their pioneering roles in science, engineering and education. The institute honored Dr. Anthony K. Hyder, retired Army Lt. Gen. Leo Pigaty and retired Col. Howard M. McCoy Nov. 18. “The title of ‘distinguished alumnus’

  • Airmen respond to bus accident

    The emergency response team here went into action after a bus full of Soldiers overturned just outside the base gate. Fire department, security forces and medical personnel responded to a Nov. 18 call for help just before 10 a.m. The Soldiers were on their way to the base for airlift to Iraq, when

  • Missing Airman’s body found

    The body found in a Freckenham field four miles from this tanker base was that of missing Master Sgt. Bernard Huggins, 100th Air Refueling Wing officials said. Found Nov. 18, the sergeant was last seen Nov. 12. He was reported missing Nov. 14 when he did not show up for work. Wing commander Col.

  • Fairchild security forces provide combat skills training

    Because Airmen are deploying to hostile areas, the Air Force directed major commands to provide those deploying intensive expeditionary combat skills training. Since much of the training is ground-combat related, security forces are providing the training. Fairchild has started providing its

  • Small team has Herculean task

    Little known to many here is a team of 30 operators, engineers and contractors vital to the training of C-130 Hercules aircrews around the world. The team oversees more than 1,700 training courses, more than $500 million in contracts and training simulators in 10 locations worldwide. Detachment 3,

  • Pakistan quake relief funds nearly double

    The Defense Department is nearly doubling its funding for earthquake relief operations in Pakistan -- to $110 million -- State Department officials said Nov. 19. The devastating Oct. 8 earthquake killed an estimated 73,000 people. U.S. Agency for International Development administrator Andrew

  • Air Force sets physical training uniform wear date

    The Air Force Uniform Board established an Oct. 1, 2006, mandatory wear date of the physical training uniform, or PTU, for unit fitness activities. The board also released additional guidance for Airmen wearing the uniform for personal workouts. Airmen may wear the PTU during personal workouts given

  • NSPS implementation date moves to Feb. 1

    The Department of Defense will delay implementing the new National Security Personnel System until Feb. 1, acting Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England said. Mr. England, and other defense and Office of Personnel Management officials, provided an update on the system matters to members of the

  • Leaders say Cope India 'great success'

    Exercise Cope India ‘06 ends Nov. 20, but U.S. and Indian air force leaders have already said the training has been a resounding success. The exercise, which began Nov. 7, involves Indian Airmen and about 250 U.S. Airmen from Pacific Air Forces bases. “Such exercises not only help in promoting

  • Fire rescue team supports combat operations

    The role of Air Force firefighters is changing here, with tents replacing fire station, dirt airfields and, at times, rocket attacks. In the last six months, a six-man Air Force fire and crash rescue unit has gone on five missions into some of Afghanistan’s most remote areas. There was enough

  • 'America Supports You' marks first anniversary

    One year ago this week, the Defense Department launched "America Supports You." This program showcases the nation's support for its men and women in uniform and the many ways citizens are expressing that support. Today, what began as a six-month campaign, has snowballed into a full-fledged effort

  • Commando Sling wraps up

    The first Commando Sling exercise of the fiscal year ended here today, wrapping up a month of air-to-air combat training. Nearly 80 members and their F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 14th Fighter Squadron at Misawa Air Base, Japan, deployed to this island city state to square off against Singapore air

  • A-staff helps sustain joint humanitarian effort

    The 818th Contingency Response Group and 24th Air Expeditionary Group continue handling hundreds of thousands of pounds of cargo each day as part of the continuing Pakistani earthquake recovery effort. Col. Richard Walberg, who commands both groups, said while much of the "visible work" goes on in

  • Pararescuemen continue Pakistan humanitarian relief

    Above the mountainous countryside of northern Pakistan, two Air Force pararescuemen aboard a Russian-made MI-8 helicopter survey areas where people may need relief supplies. These Airmen, known as PJs, are part of a unit that traveled halfway around the world to participate in the ongoing

  • Online process simplifies tuition assistance

    Airmen are only a few mouse clicks away from financial support for their college education, thanks to the tuition assistance feature on the Air Force’s virtual education center. Online since early 2003, the center helps active-duty, Guard and reserve Airmen pursue their off-duty education from a

  • B-52 simulator plays big role in exercise

    A B-52 Stratofortress simulator is allowing 11th Bomb Squadron students to train with Soldiers and Airmen near Fort Polk, La., taking part in the live fire portion of exercise Air Warrior II. The simulator provides Airmen here a unique training opportunity -- and an alternative to participating in

  • Sergeant provides Cope India 06's contract for success

    Food, bottled water, rooms, cars and cell phones -– it takes all of these things and more to make a deployed unit function smoothly in a foreign country. Getting all of this for the 250 U.S. Airmen supporting exercise Cope India 06 is just one person -– Master Sgt. Elizabeth Wills, from the 374th

  • Communicators lay foundation for Afghanistan’s future

    Before U.S. forces return the airport terminal and tower here to Afghan control, combat communicators first installed more than a mile of copper and fiber cable. Airmen from the 451st Air Expeditionary Group communications flight here stepped up to install the critical communications cables when an

  • Big bangs destroy 2,000 munitions

    Airmen from the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal flight detonated 2,000 munitions, keeping them the out of the hands of insurgents. It took four detonations to destroy the weapons, which members of the Iraqi national guard had captured. After each big bang,

  • Fundamentals course gives space students head start

    A training squadron here is offering students the first-ever spacelift course. Taught by instructors of the 392nd Training Squadron, the two-week class provides students training in spacelift concepts, capabilities and operations. There was a need for the course. In January 2004, Air Force Space

  • Teamwork keeps Balad power on

    A group of Airmen has the tough and fast-paced job of maintaining all the generators that power this desert base. The Airmen are with the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron’s aerospace ground equipment and heating ventilation and air conditioning shop. They stay busy. "Power generation is the

  • Controllers keep Balad traffic flowing

    A director producing a blockbuster film must know where each actor and camera is at all times to ensure the right shot. Air traffic controllers from the 332nd Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron must be just as diligent to ensure aircraft take off and land safely at this busy base. The

  • Airmen reach out to help Kyrgyz children

    Some Kyrgyz children stricken with cancer now have a new, safer place to play -- thanks to a group of concerned Airmen deployed to this base. The Airmen, volunteer members of the Manas Air Base Outreach Society, find ways to help the people of this country. Most recently, the group donated clothing,

  • Soldiers win first Camp Bucca Raft Race

    Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors traded their military vehicles and weapons for homemade boats and paddles to take part in the first-ever Camp Bucca Raft Race. The Air Force-sponsored race, held Nov. 13 on a small pond here, matched the talents and ingenuity of 17 teams vying for the top prize and camp

  • President Bush thanks troops at Elmendorf

    President George Bush stopped here on the first leg of his week-long Asia tour and thanked servicemembers and civilians for volunteering to serve and continuing the fight the global war on terrorism. It was the president’s second visit here. He spoke for nearly 45 minutes with more than 4,500

  • Airmen should verify deployment credit

    Airmen not issued contingency, exercise or deployment orders should verify their personnel records include credit for those deployments. A deployment is any temporary duty away from home station filling a validated combatant or component commander or supported major command requirement for forces in

  • Short tour credit for Naples, Latina ending

    The Air Force will discontinue the temporary exception to award short tour credit to Airmen serving long tour assignments at Naples and Latina, Italy, effective Jan. 1. Airmen assigned to either location between March 1, 1996 and Dec. 31, 2005 will continue to receive the short tour credit. The Air

  • Communications network impacts intelligence

    The blue forces are pinned down. Mortars are exploding all around them. A blue force attack controller requests help from a nearby MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle armed with Hellfire missiles. The Air Force responds to the request. The attack controller on the ground is able to locate and

  • Wargames are serious business

    To the untrained eye it seems to be a room full of computers. However, to Airmen of the 608th Combat Operations Squadron the combined air and space operations center here is a lethal weapon system. “It’s the total package, we find the target, fix the position, track it, engage the target and assess

  • Airman, volunteers working to renovate hospital

    Airmen from the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing here are revamping the Air Force theater hospital, creating a brighter and safer environment for patients and providers. The 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, 332nd Expeditionary Communications Squadron and 332nd Expeditionary Medical Support

  • Innovative program helps troubled veterans turn lives around

    A unique center is helping troubled veterans turn their lives around by providing a military style program designed to help them beat addictions, develop career skills, land jobs, find homes and become productive citizens. The Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training, MCVET for short,

  • U.S. troops in Turkey will no longer receive tax exclusion

    Beginning Dec. 31, U.S. military members in Turkey will no longer be exempt from paying federal taxes. U.S. European Command requested, and the Pentagon approved, terminating Turkey's certification as an area in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, U.S. military officials in Europe said. This

  • Schoolhouse trains tanker instructor pilots to be weapons officers

    Some Airmen here are helping produce experts in Air Force tanker operations. Members of the 509th Weapons Squadron do that by conducting the KC-135 Weapons Instructor Course and running the tanker intelligence formal training unit here. The squadron is one of three that make up the U.S. Air Mobility

  • Bringing troops home safely

    The sun had just set as the aircraft preflight checks ended. The tower reported: “cleared for take off.” The four engines of the vintage 1962 C-130E Hercules roared as the transport plane rumbled down the runway on its way to Iraq to deliver and pick up passengers and cargo. Aboard, loadmaster Tech.

  • General Myers receives Presidential Medal of Freedom

    President George Bush presented retired Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a White House ceremony today. General Myers, who stepped down as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Sept. 30, was one of 14 Americans honored with the nation's highest civilian award.

  • Exercise tests aircrews in virtual reality by linking simulators nationwide

    The first nationwide virtual reality exercise, Virtual Flag 06, used networked simulators to create a realistic and cheap simulated battlespace to test aircrews and space and ground operators. The exercise, led by the Distributed Mission Operations Center here, ended Nov. 4. The networked simulators

  • Rescue squad puts training to test

    The blades of the Army UH-60 Black Hawk medevac helicopter beat the air as four firefighters rushed to it with 200 pounds of specialized extrication gear. The 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Airmen knew this time it wasn’t a drill. Two trucks were in a near head-on collision 10 minutes