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  • F.E. Warren officials host national-level exercise

    A simulated terrorist attack on a 90th Missile Wing intercontinental ballistic missile launch facility provided the exercise scenario for Nuclear Weapon Accident/Incident Exercise 2009. This national-level exercise involved 11 federal agencies and 1,300 personnel. Accident response and associated

  • Hanscom team works to upgrade airborne comm for top U.S. officials

    A Hanscom Air Force Base team is working to acquire a comprehensive system that will provide highly reliable, secure and integrated voice, data and video equipment for airborne U.S. senior leaders. Those leaders include the vice president, secretary of defense, secretary of state, numerous senior

  • Air Force Safety Center wins 22 communications awards

    The Air Force Safety Center has won a total of 22 communications awards from two different programs that recognize excellence in communications.  Eighteen Awards of Excellence were presented by Communicator Awards and four Awards of Excellence were presented by APEX.Communicator Awards is the

  • Air Force wounded warrior visits White House

    Senior Airman Duane Dunlap enjoyed a very special Independence Day with President Barack Obama. Airman Dunlap, a security forces journeyman assigned to the 59th Patient Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, was one of five Airmen chosen to participate in a Fourth of July Salute to the Military

  • Defense schools work to raise awareness, prevent suicides

    Officials from Defense Department schools are taking on the tough topic of suicide to prevent what is a leading cause of death among teens. Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among 15- to 19-year-olds, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, and that makes it an important topic for

  • Airmen provide presidential support in Moscow

    Two C-130 Hercules aircraft and aircrews from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, hauled a 17-member presidential support team, 10 portable light carts and a utility truck to Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport July 3 in preparation for President Barack Obama's visit to the region. Planning the travel

  • Logistics support officials take the lead in transforming supply

    For more than a decade, Air Force supply chain leaders and their commercial industry peers have met with nearly identical objectives: finding ways to enhance the Air Force supply chain to improve support to the warfighter. Recently, Air Force Global Logistics Support Center officials along

  • Officials mandate base housing for military families at Okinawa

    U.S. military leaders on Okinawa approved a policy to require all incoming military families to reside on base beginning Aug. 1. The change comes as an effort to save money as military family housing on Okinawa sits at just more than 50 percent capacity while families living off base are given an

  • 927th leans forward with AFSO 21 Level II certification

    Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, or AFSO 21, is an improvement model customized to the unique environment of the United States Air Force which leverages improvement methods from various sources such as Lean, Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints and Business Process Reengineering. AFSO 21

  • H1N1 cases confirmed in Elmendorf community

    Officials from the Alaska State Public Health Laboratory and Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine Laboratory confirmed several cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza virus in the community here July 6. The patients did not require hospitalization and have made full recoveries. These cases have had no impact

  • Defense Education Forum panelists discuss modernization, emerging missions

    Defense Education Forum panelists recently gathered at the Reserve Officers Association headquarters here to discuss the Air Force Reserve's role in modernization and emerging missions. Maj. Gen. Howard N. Thompson, the Air Force Reserve deputy, cited the importance of volunteerism as Reserve Airmen

  • AFPC officials accepting applications for Test Pilot School

    Officers interested in applying for the next annual Air Force Test Pilot School Selection Board should submit their applications to the Air Force Personnel Center here by Aug. 14.The selection board will convene Sept. 28 through Oct. 2 at AFPC for classes beginning in July 2010 and July 2011. "The

  • Russia allows transit for Afghanistan-bound U.S. troops

    An agreement signed in Moscow July 6 permits the United States to transit troops and weapons across Russian territory en route to Afghanistan. The pact, signed during President Barack Obama's visit to the Kremlin, permits 4,500 flights per year through Russian airspace, and saves the U.S. government

  • Air Force offers assistance with adoption expenses

    With thousands of children available for adoption in the U.S. alone, and with adoption fees that can reach well into the thousands of dollars, Air Force officials are helping ease the initial financial obligations for those military families opting to adopt. Through the Adoption Expense

  • Band performs on 'Today' show

    Members of the Air Force Band Ceremonial Brass performed in New York City July 4 on NBC's "Today" show. The band has performed on every Independence Day since 1998 on the "Today" show, which reaches an estimated 5.38 million viewers each morning and more than 17 million on the Fourth of July. When

  • Photo essay: inspecting the mail

    A team from the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron must inspect mail that comes into Baghdad that is improperly labeled, doesn't have a return address or gets lost in the system.  The Iraqi government returns the mail to the Joint Military Mail Terminal, or JMMT,  on good faith, but the

  • Nonlethal capabilities provide alternative to deadly force

    When shouting isn't enough to stop someone who poses a threat, nonlethal weapons provide an alternative to lethal force. "Non-lethal weapons give warfighters crucial escalation-of-force options between shouting and shooting," said Kelley Hughes, strategic communications officer for the Joint

  • Commissary officials raising the bar on customer service

    Even with customer satisfaction at an all-time high, the Defense Commissary Agency's leaders are raising the bar and sending every one of their 18,000 employees to Dale Carnegie Training on World Class Customer Service. "We are focused on building upon our strengths so we can provide the very best

  • Operation Pacific Angel set to begin

    The United States will join local authorities in three Pacific nations in July and September to provide medical, dental, and engineering assistance as part of Operation Pacific Angel 2009. More than 150 Airmen and Soldiers will fly via C-17 Globemaster IIIs, C-130 Hercules, and KC-135 Stratotankers

  • Airmen coordinate smooth transition of wounded to higher medical care

    An Airman with the aeromedical evacuation liaison team looks and shields his eyes as a helicopter touches down just outside of the hospital at Camp Bastion. A litter team rushes forward. A Marine's life is saved. All in a day's work for the aeromedical evacuation liaison team. Getting wounded

  • Air Force chief of staff to deliver keynote address at C2ISR Symposium

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz will be a keynote speaker at the Air Force C2ISR Symposium and Technology Exposition, to be held Sept. 28-30 at the MGM Grand Hotel at Foxwoods in Ledyard, Conn.  C2ISR is command, control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.General Schwartz,

  • Air Mobility Command's 'Rodeo 2009' just weeks away

    Air Mobility Command's premier mobility competition will take place July 19 to 24 at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., AMC officials said.The international competition focuses on improving worldwide air mobility forces' professional core abilities and features more than 40 aircraft participating in

  • Chief McKinley bows out

    After more than 30 years of service, the Air Force's top enlisted leader said his goodbyes to fellow Airmen in a June 30 ceremony in Washington, D.C.Former Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley told the gathered throng that his father took him and two friends to the Military

  • U.S. limits contact with Honduran military

    The American military contingent in Honduras has limited its contact with Honduran forces as the U.S. government evaluates the situation in the Central American country, a Pentagon spokesman said. Roughly 600 U.S. forces are stationed at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, 50 miles northwest of the

  • WASP awarded Congressional Gold Medal for service

    A dedicated group of patriotic female pilots were recognized by President Barack Obama July 1 at the White House for their invaluable service to the nation more than 60 years ago. Women's Airforce Service Pilots Elaine Danforth Harmon, Bernice Falk Haydu and Lorraine H. Rodgers were joined by five

  • Chaplain Corps accepting scholarship applications

    The Air Force Chaplain Corps is now accepting applications for the Religious Professional Scholarship program through Sept. 1, 2009. The program is designed to assist the Air Force with future faith group accessions. Scholarships are awarded to applicants who are qualified and meet Air Force faith

  • Airmen can now apply to transfer Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits

    Department of Defense officials began accepting applications from Airmen to transfer Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to dependents June 29. "The Post-9/11 GI Bill transfer of benefits option is a landmark benefit to eligible Airmen," said Lt. Gen. Richard Newton III, deputy chief of staff for Air Force

  • Air Force reservists 'tweet,' blog, post their way to cyberspace

    A couple of times a day, Master Sgt. Collen McGee logs onto the 433rd Airlift Wing's Twitter account and "tweets" updates to 675 followers from around the world. Using the twitter handle of @AFRC_433, Sergeant McGee condenses messages to 140 characters, often including links to related Web sites.

  • Unit's flight clearances initiative wins DOD recognition

    The 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center here was awarded first prize for the best operational improvement initiative during the Department of Defense's Second Annual Continuous Process Improvement Symposium June 1 to 3 at the National Conference Center in Lansdowne, Va. All military branches were

  • Air Force bids farewell to Chief McKinley, hails Chief Roy

    After more than 30 years of service, the Air Force's top enlisted leader bade farewell to fellow Airmen in a June 30 ceremony here as a new Airman became the 16th chief master sergeant of the Air Force. Along the manicured ceremonial lawn, hundreds of spectators cheered the service of Chief Master

  • Twelve-nation consortium ready for first C-17

    Officials of the12-nation Strategic Airlift Capability, or SAC, consortium will celebrate the activation of the operational unit, known as the Heavy Airlift Wing, and arrival of the unit's first C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Pápa Air Base, Hungary, in a ceremony on July 27. The wing's

  • New PTSD program answers need for comprehensive treatment

    Symptoms of combat stress and post-traumatic stress disorder for wounded warriors include continual nightmares, avoidance behaviors, denial, grief, anger and fear. Some servicemembers battling these and other symptoms, can be treated successfully as an outpatient while assuming their normal duties,

  • Cadets experience deployment tempo

    Cadets from the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Military Academy spent the month of June here with members of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, tenant and coalition units for career shadowing, mentoring and familiarization. Nineteen Academy cadets deployed from Colorado Springs, Colo., as part

  • New Zealand hosts multilateral talks

    "With your basket and with my basket, together we will feed everyone." This traditional New Zealand saying, translated into English from the Maori language, was referenced by New Zealand Air Commodore Gavin Howse during the opening seminar of the Pacific Rim Airpower Symposium and Senior Enlisted

  • Wildlife conservation a priority for remote Air Force base

    Ascension Auxiliary Airfield, a small base belonging to a detachment of Air Force Space Command's 45th Space Wing here, is constantly facing invasion. But the invaders aren't foreign soldiers coming to claim the island for their own. Instead, they are green, scaly creatures from the sea. And, every

  • Honduras-based U.S. troops not involved in coup, remain safe

    American forces stationed in Honduras were not involved in the military coup June 28 and remain safe, a Pentagon official said here June 29. Some 50 miles northwest of the capital city of Tegucigalpa, where President Manuel Zelaya was apparently ousted, the situation is calm at Soto Cano Air Base,

  • H1N1 case confirmed at Goodfellow

    Air Force officials confirmed June 25 that the first case of the H1N1 virus was diagnosed at Goodfellow Air Force Base. The affected person is a dependent of a military couple stationed at Goodfellow AFB, and the patient is being treated by the 17th Medical Group pediatric staff. Base personnel have

  • Air Force officials adopt personnel recovery as core function

    Air Force officials are transitioning their combat search and rescue motto to an over-arching name that encompasses all rescue assets under the same umbrella mindset with a more current operational focus. Personnel recovery fulfills a promise to never leave an American behind and the new slogan

  • AF medical service celebrates 60 years

    Air Force medical service officials commemorated 60 years of service here June 25. Air Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. (Dr.) James G. Roudebush hosted the event at the San Antonio Marriott Riverwalk to honor the medical service's contributions over the last 60 years and to highlight the way ahead.

  • Ground, flight tests yield zero interference for interrogator system

    Overseas ground and flight testing on a NATO Airborne Warning and Control System recently demonstrated that a prototype waveform designed to better distinguish friendly forces from foes did not interfere with European civilian air traffic control. This paves the way for 635th Electronic Systems

  • World War II vet honored on Father's Day

    It took the tenacity of a daughter, the insistence of a politician and the presence of 27th Special Operations Wing members here June 21 to properly recognize a World War II Soldier who sacrificed his leg in combat. In a Father's Day ceremony in Portales, N.M., Col. Stephen Clark, the 27th SOW

  • Tinker Airmen make mark in 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'

    Airmen of the 552nd Air Control Wing's E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System here had a unique mission recently: helping Autobots fight off Decepticons in support of worldwide security. As seen in the newly released movie, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," an E-3 Sentry aircrew played an

  • Agreement signed for integrated defense of Alaska

    Joint Task Force Alaska and 17th Coast Guard District officials signed a memorandum of understanding June 23 here to facilitate coordination of the missions under the auspices of JTF-Alaska with those performed by U.S. Coast Guard District 17. The memorandum signals a common understanding between

  • Air Force officials announce fiscal 2010 force structure realignments

    Air Force officials here announced June 26 its proposed force structure realignment for fiscal 2010. The announcement addresses the Air Force's force structure, realignment and management actions supported by the president's fiscal 2010 budget and summarizes the civilian and military personnel

  • Dover Airman defuses mid-air incident

    "I want to slit the captain's throat," is not what passengers want to hear an irate man, pacing up and down the aisles on an airline flight, shout over and over again. However, in the face of this peril on an international commercial flight to Italy, this is what one Dover mechanic discovered - and

  • June 25 airpower summary: A-10s target anti-Afghan forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations June 25, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs strafed anti-Afghan forces

  • ROTC commander, instructor positions open for total force officers

    Air Education and Training Command officials here announced June 25 projected Air Force ROTC detachment commander and instructor vacancies for summer 2010 and opened vacant 2009 instructor positions to air Reserve component officers. Lieutenant colonels may apply for the detachment commander

  • Airmen contribute to rescue effort at sea

    An international rescue effort is underway June 26 to a ship in the Atlantic approximately 700 miles off the west coast of Ireland as a crewmember on board the container ship "Pascha" has fallen seriously ill and needs urgent medical attention. The ship's distance from land makes it impossible for

  • Asia-Pacific nations meet to discuss relief operations

    Representatives from nations throughout the Asia-Pacific region are meeting here to discuss multilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations June 23 through 27 here. The talks are part of the 2009 Pacific Rim Airpower Symposium, co-hosted this year by the Royal New Zealand Air

  • Air Force general becomes newest SOUTHCOM commander

    Gen. Douglas M. Fraser became the first-ever Air Force officer to lead U.S. Southern Command during a change-of-command ceremony June 25 at the command's headquarters here. More than 300 invited guests and military leaders attended the event, including Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Vice

  • Civil Air Patrol realigns with Holm Center

    Civil Air Patrol-U. S.Air Force realigned under the Jeanne M. Holm Center for Officer Accessions and Citizen Development in a ceremony held at the center's Leadership Hall June 11. Lt. Gen. Allen Peck, Air University commander, said the realignment is part of the evolution of Air University and

  • Bomber crews improve mission skills at Northern Edge 2009

    The 96th Bomb Squadron from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., deployed here for exercise Northern Edge 2009 to practice mission planning and war-time procedures. The 96th BS brought three B-52H Stratofortress long-range bombers to train in the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex and over the Gulf of

  • Sather AB renovates runway, paves way for Iraq's future

    Sather's runway recently underwent a major overhaul, improving the quality, capability and safety of the airfield here. Construction on the 10,830-foot runway began Dec. 27 and finished June 16, the day the airstrip re-opened. The renovations included concrete and joint repairs, rubber residue

  • AETC Future Learning Division staff 'tweets' for new programs

    Air Education and Training Command's Future Learning Division staff here plummeted into the social networking, micro blogging Web site Twitter last month in an effort to explore the site's potential uses in training today's Airmen for tomorrow. "[The future learning division is] looking into

  • Joint Base San Antonio moves closer toward implementation

    Representatives from the Office of the Secretary of Defense and participating branches of the service met to finalize the way ahead for Randolph Air Force Base, Lackland AFB and Fort Sam Houston during a joint basing workshop hosted by Air Education and Training Command officials June 9 through 11

  • Holloman Airmen honor fallen Soldier

    More than 300 Holloman Air Force Base members turned out June 11 to pay their respects to an Alamogordo resident and Army Soldier who paid the ultimate sacrifice earlier this month in Iraq. Army Spc. Christopher M. Kurth was killed in a grenade attack June 4 near Kirkuk, Iraq. He was stationed at

  • Iraqi senior engineers visit Langley

    Langley Air Force Base officials opened their gates to five Iraqi military members and one Iraqi contractor June 10 as a part of the Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq Iraqi Security Forces Senior Engineer Symposium. The Iraqi Security Forces Senior Engineer Symposium showcased how the

  • Pilot dies in F-16 accident

    Hill Air Force Base officials confirmed an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot was killed at about 10:25 p.m. June 22 after the aircraft crashed on the Utah Test and Training Range about 35 miles south of Wendover, Utah. The pilot, Capt. George Bryan Houghton, 28, from the 388th Fighter Wing here, graduated

  • Medics perform 3-tier mission in Nangarhar

    The medics assigned to the Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team boast a three-fold mission here. The medical team is responsible for running an aid station, providing combat support and helping with the ongoing reconstruction efforts in Nangarhar Province. As a recent addition to their

  • Airmen, aircraft on display at Paris Air Show

    Airmen stood alongside aviation industry members and an international mix of civilian and military pilots to parade a host of aircraft, reconnaissance platforms and weapon systems at this year's centenary Paris Air Show here June 18. Le Bourget airfield, located 10 miles north of Paris, drew nearly

  • Air National Guard members visit Polish air base

    Members of the 182nd Airlift Wing arrived at the 33rd Air Base here as part of the Illinois Air National Guard's role in the State Partnership Program. The visit is part of a continual endeavor by National Guard Units and European military forces to facilitate information exchange and

  • Web site to open sign-ups for Post-9/11 GI Bill transfers

    It's official. The Defense Department signed off June 22 on policies and procedures servicemembers will use to transfer their unused Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to their spouses or children, a Pentagon official said June 23. Eligible servicemembers will be able to register their immediate family

  • Military unites with Hollywood on 'Transformers'

    "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" hits theaters nationwide June 24 as the culmination of more than a year of Defense Department support, ranging from script and uniform notes to C-17 Globemaster III aerial maneuvers and jumps from the Army's Golden Knights parachute demonstration team. The first

  • Tactical Satellite-3 completes successful first month of operations

    The Tactical Satellite-3 has exceeded expectations and is performing well a month after being launched, according to the program manager of the experimental spacecraft. Launched May 19, TacSat-3 is managed by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate officials here. The TacSat-3

  • Officials work to lessen impact of deployments on children

    Defense Department officials here are working aggressively to reduce the impact of multiple deployments on the children of military families. "The department recognizes that these multiple, long-term deployments are really tough on families," said Barbara Thompson, director of the Pentagon's Office

  • Suicide prevention message rolls through cities nationwide

    The Department of Veterans Affairs took to the road, literally, when it decided to advertise about its "VA Suicide Prevention Lifeline" on public transportation buses in 124 communities across the country. "We continue to look for new, innovative ways to reach our veterans," said Tammy Duckworth,

  • Air University leader presents honorary degree to former astronaut

    The commander of the first mission to orbit the moon received an honorary doctor of science degree by Air University officials for his contributions to aviation and space exploration at the Air Force Test Pilot School June 13 here. Retired Col. Frank Borman, the leader of the Apollo 8

  • Brazil wins World Military Women's Soccer Championship at Keesler

    Brazil defeated South Korea 1-0 to capture the gold medal in the 5th Counseil Du International Sports Militaire World Military Women's Soccer Championship held June 13 here. The championship, hosted by Keesler Air Force Base officials and played at the Biloxi High School Stadium and Gulfport Sports

  • Airmen mentor Afghan counterparts to provide care

    Air Force medics here are working hand-in-hand with their counterparts from the Afghan National Army, out of a co-located clinic, to provide mentoring on medical equipment, administration and military medical care. The three-person staff, consisting of a physician's assistant, independent medical

  • President acknowledges military fathers' sacrifices, contributions

    President Barack Obama recognized in his Father's Day proclamation the sacrifices military fathers make every day, and hosted the Military Father of the Year June 19 at the White House for a town hall session on fatherhood. Navy Chief Petty Officer John Lehnen, the father of four children with

  • Tactical comm Airmen keep military ops online, on target

    Performing missions within the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan requires the U.S. military to maintain an open line of communication at all times, especially when convoys take people outside the wire. For one Airman in particular, the role of tactical communications means knowing a variety of

  • Role-playing Airmen put Vigilant Guard, disaster responders on the record

    Delivering vital news coverage to the public before, during and after a major disaster may be more the job of the media than the National Guard, but at any domestic emergency, the Guard's ability to explain its missions and roles is still vital. That's why Master Sgt. Mavi Smith from the Air Guard

  • New online housing support available to USAFE Airmen

    Airmen moving into or out of the United States Air Forces in Europe command now have a access to a new online housing support program. USAFE housing offices are implementing the new Internet-based Automated Housing Referral Network, AHRN.com, to facilitate the long-distance house-hunting process

  • Agency makes civilian development a priority

    The Air Force is paying more attention than ever to civilian career development, enhancement and expanding various developmental opportunities. The Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency understands the direct correlation between civilian career development and mission

  • New prescription ATM eases patients' wait time

    The 61st Medical Group recently introduced a prescription dispensing machine during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Base Exchange here June 13. The ScriptCenter Express Prescription Refill and Pickup Center is the first of its kind in Los Angeles County, the Air Force, and the Department of

  • Air defense exercise to test NORTHCOM response

    Months of planning and preparations are being tested as Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors participate in Exercise Amalgam Dart '09, a major U.S. Northern Command air defense exercise here June 18 through 20. The exercise is one of several North American Aerospace Defense Command and USNORTHCOM exercises

  • Weather forecasters look to the skies during Northern Edge

    Northern Edge 2009, the largest military training exercise in Alaska is under way. The pilots and support personnel involved in the air-centric exercise have many tasks to accomplish but one consistent obstacle, the weather, can always affect the mission. Leading the charge to stay one step ahead of

  • National Guard kicks off Vigilant Guard in Iowa

    It was around this time last year when the Iowa National Guard responded to assist residents overwhelmed by the disaster caused by an F5 tornado and Midwest floods. This week, the National Guard acted as the nation's first military responders to domestic emergencies such as mock chemical spills,

  • 'Letter to Airmen' highlights joint teamwork

    In his current Letter to Airmen, the secretary of the Air Force highlights how the joint team works together to create success by telling the story of a combat controller."Earlier this year General Schwartz and I had the privilege of presenting the Air Force Cross, the Air Force's highest

  • Advanced tactical laser aircraft fires high-power laser in flight

    Members of the 413th Flight Test Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla., and contractor Boeing recently successfully fired the high-power laser aboard the Advanced Tactical Laser aircraft for the first time in flight. The combined effort between Boeing and the 413th was instrumental to the "first light" of

  • Laos, Thailand, U.S. officials host disease surveillance workshop

    In a cooperative effort to improve their ability to detect, respond to and contain infectious diseases in the Asia-Pacific region, medical experts from Laos, Thailand and the United States participated in a four-day disease surveillance workshop in Laos June 6-9. The conference was hosted by the

  • Airpower to protect Iraq security gains as forces withdraw from cities

    As U.S. forces in Iraq prepare to pull back from most major cities by June 30, U.S. air support will continue to enable and protect security gains made over the past two years, a U.S. commander said in a "DoDLive" bloggers roundtable June 17. Col. Michael Fantini, commander of the 332nd

  • HYDRA '09 prepares Airmen for real world emergencies

    Members of the 615th Contingency Response Wing and 15 other units from around the United States joined together to participate in HYDRA '09. The joint exercise is the 615th CRW's most comprehensive training event, organized to allow Airmen to hone their skills and enhance command, control and joint

  • Kadena Airman named enlisted aviator of year

    A staff sergeant assigned to the 390th Intelligence Squadron was named the Air Force's noncommissioned officer recipient of the 2008 Henry "Red" Erwin Enlisted Aviator of the Year June 12. "It was an honor to even be considered for this award, since there are many other just as, if not more

  • Air Force officials host first regional air chiefs conference

    Military and civilian leaders from Canada, Mexico and the United States attended the first North American Regional Air Chiefs Conference here June 8 to 12. It was hosted by officials of 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern). The attendees participated in a variety of mission briefings and interactive

  • Flight becomes first foster unit to military working puppy

    After three weeks, the newest member of the 37th Force Support Squadron Airman and Family Readiness Flight knows her way around the three-story building and often bounds through open doors on surprise visits. Aamee, a four-month old Belgian Malinois, is the first puppy to be fostered by a unit at

  • Reservists help get wheelchairs to needy Iraqi children

    After a brief stop in America's Heartland, an Air Force Reserve C-130 Hercules aircrew from here took another step in a long journey for a special load of cargo headed for Iraq. On June 11, reservists from the 302nd Airlift Wing flew to Sioux City, Iowa, where they received four pallets of

  • Exercise Northern Edge 2009 kicks into high gear

    Exercise Northern Edge 2009 officially kicked off June 15 at various locations throughout Alaska. Participants from all branches of the military are training together in order to hone their tactics, techniques and procedures associated with defensive counter-air, close-air support, air interdiction

  • Air Force Reserve unit hosts IRR muster in Alaska

    Reservists from Air Force Reserve Command's 477th Fighter Group hosted an individual ready reserve muster here June 12. The purpose of a muster is to gather IRR members and to maintain their contact information and availability for activation to support a partial, total or full mobilization

  • PCS policy changes promote stability, quality of life

    Air Force officials have modified two permanent change of station policies to give Airmen more flexible assignment options and better force development opportunities. The time-on-station requirement for government funded join-spouse assignments, where military couples are assigned, when possible, to

  • Airman's Roll Call: Special duty pay for military training instructors

    This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on special duty pay for military training instructors and the need for more MTIs. Pentagon officials recently revised Special Duty Assignment Pay for Military Training Instructors. The revision, effective June 1, increases SDAP levels for MTIs. According to

  • Coalition's Iraq withdrawal plans on track, officials say

    The withdrawal of American troops from Iraq cities is on track, Iraqi and coalition officials said this week. Iraqi security forces are set to assume responsibility for the areas, Iraqi spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said at a June 15 news conference. "The step of withdrawal of American forces from the

  • Anticipation is backbone of homeland defense, commander says

    Anticipation is the key to readiness, the chief of the combatant command responsible for the military role in homeland defense said June 16. Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr., commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, said that when he took over the reins more than

  • Photo Essay: Military working dogs sniff out weapons

    Some military working dogs, such as Nero and Lasso, shown in this photo essay, are trained to sniff out weapons and explosives.   During a clearing mission June 13 in Al Doura, Iraq, Soldiers and Airmen from Camp Victory in Baghdad bring out their dogs to search for dangerous devices.View military

  • General McKinley: International alliances have matured well

    The National Guard's State Partnership Program started as a confidence-building measure between formerly hostile nations and has grown into solid, long-standing alliances, according to the chief of the National Guard Bureau.  "The relationship has matured well," Gen. Craig R. McKinley

  • AMC supports humanitarian mission to Argentina

    Members of the 375th Logistics Readiness Squadron here June 12 loaded the 26,000-pound heart of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine onto a C-17 Globemaster III bound for Charleston Air Force Base, S.C. -- and ultimately Argentina. The MRI equipment was donated to a hospital in Salta, Argentina, by

  • CE Airmen answer Army's call

    Air Force combat-trained engineers are providing construction and support services to Soldiers in Iraq. These Airmen, assigned to the 732nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Detachment 3, are not only working with the Army, but in it."Our team here was brought in to help the Army's Construction

  • Dental team teaches Colombian class oral hygiene

    Members from the dental team assigned to Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort taught an oral hygiene class for 400 students at Chilvi School June 15. The team partnered with a Colombian dental student to provide cursory exams, to ensure the students' teeth were healthy, and gave the

  • Special Duty Assignment Pay increase approved for MTIs

    Pentagon officials recently revised Special Duty Assignment Pay for Military Training Instructors. The revision, effective June 1, increases SDAP levels for MTIs. According to officials, Air Force Basic Military Training has faced a shortage of MTIs since 2007. As an incentive for MTI recruitment

  • Air Force officials release technical sergeant selection stats

    Air Force officials selected 7,724 of 37,172 eligible staff sergeants for promotion to technical sergeant for a selection rate of 20.78 percent. The average score for those selected was 319.69, with an average time in grade and time in service of 5.68 and 10.85 years respectively. The average score