HomeNews

NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • 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,

  • 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

  • 100 medical officers chosen for developmental education

    Officials at the Air Force Personnel Center here have chosen more than 100 medical service officers to attend developmental education beginning in summer 2006. The fiscal 2006 developmental team developmental education boards were held during the summer and fall of 2005 to competitively select

  • 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

  • Labor Department launches veterans employment program

    Military personnel and veterans will receive 300,000 wallet-sized cards and key charms with critical employment and job-training information in the next six months, the U.S. Department of Labor said. The department also unveiled the recovery and employment assistance lifelines -- REALifelines --

  • 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,

  • DOD seeks more civilians for flexible spending accounts

    It may be the most underused good deal in the government. But less than 5 percent of eligible Department of Defense civilians have enrolled to use flexible-spending accounts. The benefit, also known as FSAFEDS, allows federal employees to set aside pre-tax money for a wide rage of medical and

  • 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

  • Fund fighting financers

    When deployed, the last thing one wants to worry about is their finances. The 379th Expeditionary Comptroller Squadron is here to provide timely and accurate financial services for all personnel here and throughout the area of responsibility. The fund fighting team processes military pay

  • Kadena Airmen teach English to Japanese Airmen

    In a combat environment communication between allies is important. That’s why more than 25 Kadena Airmen practiced English communication with Japan Air Self Defense Force Airmen preparing to deploy to Southwest Asia recently. Kadena Airmen -- from senior airmen to major -- paired up with their

  • USO initiative keeps troops connected

    The United Service Organizations is launching a pilot partnership program with the Family Literacy Foundation to help keep deployed military parents and their children connected. The program allows troops to send video tapes of them read aloud from children’s books. The mission of United Through

  • 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

  • Children honor sacrifice in Veterans Day walk

    Their strides might not have been as long as the adults in the crowd, but each step they took meant just as much. Decked out in patriotic red, white and blue, children from Oak Hill Elementary School beamed with pride as they marched in their annual All Veteran’s Memorial Walk here last week. The

  • Brooks lab helping detect avian flu

    An epidemiology laboratory here is working to develop more effective and timely methods for detecting the deadly avian flu virus. The Air Force Institute for Operational Health's epidemiology division is doing the research. The effort will support a worldwide Air Force surveillance program designed

  • Centers helps combat vets to cope

    Combat veterans dealing with readjustment issues as they return home have a place to turn, thanks to a Department of Veterans Affairs initiative. The Vet Center program provides returning veterans with someone to talk to who can relate to their experiences. To date, readjustment counseling service

  • Pilots, air battle managers can get cash to stay in

    The fiscal 2006 Aviator Continuation Pay program will offer about 750 pilots and air battle managers a monetary incentive to continue their service. A five-year, fixed-length agreement is available to eligible pilots and air battle managers who apply. The agreement values in annual pretax amounts

  • DOD to begin BRAC closures, realignments

    The Base Realignment and Closure Commission's recommendations for reshaping the Defense Department's infrastructure and force structure took effect at 12:01 a.m. today.Congress allowed the commission recommendations to pass into law at the mandated Nov. 8 deadline. The nine-member BRAC panel

  • McConnell testing new Air Force personnel initiative

    The Air Force is testing a new organizational structure at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., designed to improve convenience and timeliness for customers worldwide.The Personnel Services Delivery, or PSD, Transformation initiative allows Airmen to complete transactions online or through contact

  • Bagram Airmen spread cheer, share smiles

    Airmen fighting the global war on terrorism from nearby Bagram Air Base took time to spread cheer and share smiles with the people of a village here. As part of an adopt-a-village visit Nov. 3, Airmen distributed more than 1,200 pounds of winter clothes, blankets, school supplies and toys, said

  • National Veterans Awareness Week continues

    A Senate resolution designates Nov. 6 to 12 as National Veterans Awareness Week. The week focuses on programs to make students in elementary and secondary schools aware of the contributions of veterans and their importance in preserving American peace and prosperity, said Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden,

  • Changes on horizon for PME

    The Air Force professional military education process has developed grade-related education and education opportunities that support specific jobs for officers. "On the enlisted side, the Air Force has long had a continuity of PME programs that are associated with rank advancement, but you also have

  • VA program promotes employment among new vets

    The Department of Veterans Affairs is promoting job opportunities for those leaving military service with a new program. R. James Nicholson, the VA secretary, spoke to the American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon Channel in anticipation of National Veterans Awareness Week, which began Nov. 6

  • Health program will help returning troops

    Servicemembers returning from deployments will now participate in a post-deployment health reassessment program that all the services are instituting. Defense Department officials said the new program will assess the health -- both physical and mental -- of servicemembers from 90 to 120 days after

  • 76 recruits ‘sign up’ at 49ers game

    Seventy-six delayed entry program recruits swore into the Air Force before a crowd of 70,000 at a San Francisco 49ers game here Nov. 6. The recruits -- some traveled 100 miles to the Monster Park football field -- enlisted through the 364th Recruiting Squadron out of Sacramento, Calif. The annual

  • Air Force facing higher energy bill

    Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were summer events, but their impact will probably be felt this winter. And that impact will not just be on the Gulf Coast, but across the nation and on military installations as facility energy prices continue to increase, Air Force officials said. The storms caused

  • Defense directive sets detainee interrogation policy

    The Defense Department has a new policy on detainee interrogations.Officials began writing the directive in December 2004. Acting Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England signed the directive Nov. 3. It is the first formal defense directive on this policy. DOD Directive 3115. 09 -- DOD Intelligence

  • Officers chosen for education, cross-flow duties

    More than 210 officers from 18 career fields were selected to attend developmental education or for cross-flow assignments beginning in summer 2006. The development team special program selection and Air Force Institute of Technology boards considered officers from various fields. They included

  • Airmen start deployment training early

    Members of air expeditionary forces nine and 10 here began preparing for their deployment by learning essential combat skills. The 88th Air Base Wing readiness section started the expeditionary combat skills training course last month to cover the 19 hours of training troops need before deploying.

  • Operation Ruthless Raven: OSI cracks down on drug smugglers

    The Air Force Office of Special Investigations is heading up Operation Ruthless Raven, a joint task force to combat drug smuggling. Ruthless Raven Task Force goals are to identify vulnerabilities in the Air Force transportation and mail systems and to leverage internal and external capabilities to

  • CFC opened new frontiers for NASA scientist

    Terry Morris was about 4 years old when his parents pushed him out the front door into the snow-covered streets of Chicago. They didn't want him to come back. In that world, the Windy City's newest homeless child found towering drifts, more ash gray than white and more ice than snow, instead of the

  • SOC shutdown marks end of era at Blue Cube

    With each flip of a switch, the room grew eerily quieter as the end of an era drew closer. The equipment room of the Satellite Operations Center-52 inside the Blue Cube here ceased operations recently, after 36 years of around-the-clock support to the space community. Members of 21st Space

  • Summit helps young children, families cope

    A Defense Department summit today addressed how trauma and stress impact children's well-being and what interventions work to support their healthy development and family competence. The summit, titled "When Duty Calls -- Supporting Military Families Through Challenging Times" -- ends Nov. 5. More

  • Commissary, Fisher House offer scholarships

    The Defense Commissary Agency and the Fisher House Foundation have teamed up again to offer educational scholarships to children of military families and retirees. The Scholarships for Military Children Program is marking its sixth year, DeCA spokesman Kevin Robinson said, with the goal to provide

  • Pentagon Channel Adds Podcasting to Product Line

    The Pentagon Channel will add podcasting as a means of distributing the channel's military news and information targeted to servicemembers beginning Nov. 7."We are excited about leveraging technology that allows for more programming choices for our men and women in uniform," said Allison Barber,

  • Cutting edge micro-satellite achieves milestones

    A 220-pound micro-satellite developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate here recently accomplished significant mission milestones when it rendezvoused with the upper stage of a Minotaur I launch vehicle at distances between 1.5 kilometers and 500 meters. The Air Force

  • Wynne sworn in as 21st secretary

    Michael W. Wynne was sworn in today in front of 4,200 U.S. Air Force Academy cadets, during their noontime meal, as the 21st secretary of the Air Force. In this role, he is responsible for the affairs of the Department of the Air Force, including organizing, training, equipping and providing for the

  • Save-A-Life tour is an eye-opener

    Travis members experienced the dangers of driving under the influence this week when the Save-A-Life tour visited here. The tour uses a drunk-driving simulator that allows people to experience first-hand how alcohol impairs their driving skills. The machine has an instrument panel and three screens,

  • Officials express confidence in new Civilian Personnel System

    Pentagon officials want to emphasize to civilian employees that the changes in their personnel system are all about improving national security. After a two-year process, officials have designed the new National Security Personnel System to be faster, more flexible and more agile, said Michael

  • New technology 'dazzles' aggressors

    A laser technology weapon will be the first man-portable, non-lethal deterrent weapon intended for protecting troops and controlling hostile crowds. The weapon, developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate, employs a two-wavelength laser system and is a hand-held,

  • AF extends navigator application deadline

    The deadline for all officers interested in applying for navigator training has been extended to Jan. 10. Officials moved the Air Force Undergraduate Flying Training Selection Board date to Jan. 24-27, which selects officers for pilot, navigator and air battle manager training, because of an

  • Enlisted aide career field continues to improve

    From preparing meals to arranging official social events, enlisted aides have long proven themselves invaluable to general officers. But over the last three years, their career field has evolved to include better training, recognition programs and the chance to earn a Community College of the Air

  • Tunnel 9 completes vehicle testing

    The Arnold Engineering Development Center's Tunnel 9 facility in White Oak, Md. is playing a crucial role in the ongoing Falcon program, with the completion of mission-critical testing of the Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 1. The Falcon initiative is a joint Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

  • Tuskegee Airmen come to encourage, leave inspired

    It was to deliver a message of inspiration and support that led five members of the famed Tuskegee Airmen to visit the members of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing here Oct. 29. However, during a question-and-answer session here at their last stop in the region before returning home, the Tuskegee

  • Air Force introduces new helicopter for pilot training

    The Air Force will rollout the TH-1H helicopter at the home of pilot instructor training and Headquarters Air Education and Training Command on Nov. 5 in conjunction with the base's 75th anniversary and 2005 air show. The TH-1H, the latest version of the UH-1H Huey, has undergone an extensive

  • New space badge wear begins today

    Air Force Space Command commander Gen. Lance W. Lord authorized wear of the new space badge to begin today. “We will unify our USAF credentialed space professional community under a single space badge -- a recognizable, distinctive symbol of the unique and challenging space mission and those who

  • Air Force announces fiscal 2006 CJR quotas

    The Air Force announced the fiscal 2006 quotas for the career job reservation program recently, adding three Air Force Specialty Codes to the constrained list, while releasing 13 others. Reenlistment eligible first-term Airmen who apply for a CJR in the constrained AFSCs will be added to a waiting

  • First deployed SARC stationed at Manas

    In the continuing effort to ensure that deployed Airmen are as well taken care of as their home station counterparts, the Air Force recently deployed its first sexual assault response coordinator here. The effort is part of the Air Force’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program drive to have

  • The AC-130U Gunship program explores viper strike capability

    The AC-130U Gunship, managed by Aeronautical Systems Center's Special Operations Forces Systems Group here, is undergoing an Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration for a standoff precision-guided munition called Viper Strike. Viper Strike is a small, precision-attack munition with guide/glide

  • Turtle patrol volunteers give baby sea turtles new life

    Fifty eight newly hatched baby green sea turtles got their first taste of life and the Gulf of Mexico after the Eglin’s sea turtle patrol volunteers released them to the wild Oct. 27. While this was deemed a great day of success for the volunteers, the prospects of the baby turtles surviving to see

  • Air Force depots exceed major maintenance goals

    For the second consecutive year, the Air Force's three air logistics centers exceeded their aircraft production goal and met their engine production goal, putting more hardware essential to the global war on terrorism and peacetime training missions into the hands of U.S. warfighters. The overall

  • Chaplain provides insight to Islam

    A chaplain here has received a national award recognizing his efforts to help warfighters better understand Islam. Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Thomas Azar, 347th Rescue Wing head chaplain, was named the 2004-2005 best military chaplain by the National Ministries, American Baptist Churches. “I was totally

  • Air commandos learn martial arts from Marines

    Beaten, bloodied and loving it. It’s the best way to describe the 20 battlefield Airmen who went toe-to-toe in hand-to-hand combat here, Oct. 17-28. Air commandos from Air Force Special Operations Command units around the world gathered at the 720th Special Tactics Group here to learn from three of

  • NDI stops problems before they start

    Similar to a private investigator gathering evidence to crack a case, the Non-Destructive Inspection unit here also gathers evidence -- but its intent is to ensure the case remians uncracked. The NDI unit uses methods such as magnetic particle, fluorescent penetrant, X-rays, and eddy current to

  • Air Force communications directorate expands

    The Air Force chief of staff announced plans today for an enhanced integrated communications capability that will enable the Air Force to better inform the American public about its engagement in the global war on terrorism and support to the nation. The plan eventually calls for a two-star general

  • New personnel system's final regs sent to Congress

    Ending a nearly two-year process, the Defense Department sent Congress the final national security personnel system regulation. Acting Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England said Oct. 26 that Congress has 30 days to review the final regulations. The regulations will take effect Nov. 25. Changes to

  • Oct. 28 last TRS buy day for some guardsmen and reservists

    Some Guard and reserve members -- and some former members -- must sign up to buy Tricare Reserve Select by Oct. 28. TRS is a Department of Defense program that offers comprehensive health coverage similar to Tricare Standard and Extra. National Guard and reserve members who served on active duty for

  • Predator’s success ups procurement and development

    With the MQ-1 Predator logging significant hours in counterinsurgency operations and earning troop support, the Air Force wants to buy more of the aircraft and develop the next-generation variant. Predators worldwide are logging 4,000 hours a month in support of the war on terrorism and other

  • New processor makes Strike Eagle more lethal

    When F-15E Strike Eagles starts getting a new core processor next year, they will be more lethal and effective weapons in the war on terrorism and beyond. The Aeronautical Systems Center's F-15 Systems Group here is managing the development, test and acquisition of the advanced display core

  • Sponsors help form newcomers’ first impressions

    Bad first impressions last a long time. That is what William Robinson tries to instill in every person assigned as a sponsor here. Sponsors provide those impressions of the base and the arriving member’s unit, said Mr. Robinson, 39th Mission Support Squadron family support center community readiness

  • Tuskegee Airmen return to war zone

    The Tuskegee Airmen know about war. They battled the Nazis abroad and racism at home. Now they've made their way back to the front lines to show their support for Airmen fighting the war on terror. Five members arrived here Oct. 25 to interacting with military members, sharing their stories and

  • Academy gets new reserve squadron

    A new partnership between the reserve and active-duty force soared into the Rocky Mountains when the 70th Flying Training Squadron opened for business here. Formed Oct. 25, the new squadron -- formerly known as Detachment 1, 302nd Operations Group -- marks the first time citizen Airmen have had a

  • Hybrid refueler truck could cut energy use

    The Air Force is looking for a way to save fuel and energy, while meeting mission needs. The R-11 hybrid electric refueling truck is one answer. The truck -- which is undergoing a series of tests before its release later this year -- is the first step in a spiral development between the Advanced

  • Air Force nation's leading 'green power' user

    For the Air Force, winning a 2005 Green Power Leadership Award was a breeze -- literally. Bases like Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, and Fairchild AFB, Wash. -- both which receive 100 percent of their energy from wind or other renewable energy power sources -- helped the Air Force earn the award Oct.

  • Being nosey pays off

    Because Sara Simms was nosey, the U.S. government saved more than $424,000. And she received a surprise, too. During a data review, Ms. Simms, a lead human resources assistant, noticed an unusual annotation on a Reservist’s record. Convicted of first degree felony, the reserve officer’s status was

  • Introductory flight training undergoing changes

    The introductory flight training program that prepares pilot candidates for specialized undergraduate pilot training will decrease from 50 to 25 hours next fall. The transitional program will bridge the change from the current introductory program to a new program called initial flight screening.

  • Raptor drops first bomb

    “Weapon’s away.” Those two words from Lt. Col. Jim Hecker put the 27th Fighter Squadron into the record books. The squadron commander dropped the first bomb -- a 1000-pound global positioning system-guided joint direct attack munition -- from an F/A-22 Raptor Oct. 18. Eight more bombs followed

  • Peering through window to world of ‘sniffing’

    Security forces military working dog handlers have a unique job. But not every handler gets the opportunity to train with customs agents from a host nation. Military working dog handlers here train with Japanese K-9 agents from Narita and Osaka as part of a joint-training opportunity established

  • UAV testing begins at Andersen

    Testing being done here will help determine if the tiny Weatherscout unmanned aerial vehicle can track tropical cyclones in the Pacific Ocean. The Weatherscout -- called the WUAV -- flew its first mission from this base’s Northwest Field Oct. 15. That kicked off a six-week testing period by members

  • Kadena takes ‘pride’ in revamping F-15 fleet

    Some of the F-15 Eagle fleet’s oldest jets are getting a second chance at life here, thanks to a $5.2 million upgrade program. During the next year, Kadena Eagles will receive a microscopic inspection called "Pride Dock" by Department of Defense contractors and Airmen from the 18th Maintenance

  • Conference introduces influential civilians to military

    A group of civilian business professionals and politicians embarked Oct. 17 on a weeklong trip to familiarize them with the military. The Joint Civilian Orientation Conference began here with 45 people touring the Pentagon and Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. The group will travel to Germany, the

  • Air Force garners 13 Presidential Rank Awards

    White House officials recently named its 2005 Presidential Rank Award recipients. The awards program recognizes career senior executive service and senior professional individuals. Award recipients are leaders, professionals and scientists who achieve results and consistently demonstrate strength,

  • Vandenberg launches final Titan IV

    After five decades of service, the Air Force and the Lockheed Martin Corp. launched the last Titan IV B rocket from here Oct. 19. The heavy-lift workhorse thundered off the pad at 11:05 PST to deliver its final payload to space. It carried a critical national security payload for the National

  • Fisher House Distributes Airline Tickets

    Wounded servicemembers and their families can get a free ticket home through "Operation Hero Miles."The Fisher House organization uses more than a million frequent flyer miles per week to distribute free round-trip airline tickets to war-wounded servicemembers -- as well as their family members --

  • Personnel center will conduct force shaping board

    In an effort to right size and shape its future force, Air Force officials approved an annual board to evaluate officers for continued service at their three-year point. The board will be part of the service's force management program. The first Force Shaping Board is scheduled to convene at the Air

  • Air Force services awards scholarships

    For the ninth consecutive year, six people received a combined total of $25,000 in scholarship money from the Air Force Club Membership Scholarship Program. Club members and their families were given the opportunity to submit an essay on “My Hero, and Why.” Two to four essays were chosen by each

  • Officers, civilians selected for developmental education

    More than 1,100 officers and civilians will attend intermediate and senior developmental education programs during the academic 2006-07 year, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced. The Intermediate and Senior Developmental Education Center Designation Board met Sept. 14-16 to select line

  • Edwards Talons test one-engine takeoffs

    T-38 Talons usually require both engines for takeoff. But in case one engine fails, pilots and engineers here are working to determine the safest single engine takeoff speed for the aircraft. Edwards Air Force Base test pilots last completed single engine takeoff speed, or SETOS, testing on the T-38

  • Air Force, small business specialists top Defense awards

    The Air Force is the top performing major defense agency in the Department of Defense Small Business Program for fiscal 2004, defense officials said. Also, two Air Force small business professionals earned awards, rounding out the top honors for the Air Force. The recognition is the highest DOD

  • Space Command presented first-ever missile badge

    A unique ceremony took place here in which the family of a space pioneer presented Air Force Space Command a unique object -- the Air Force’s first missile badge. The family of the late Col. William Erlenbusch presented the first missile badge -- known as the U.S. Air Force guided missile insignia

  • VA finding jobs for Iraq, Afghanistan vets

    For young men and women fighting the war on terrorism, coming home in good health is a major goal. But coming home to a good job also is a primary concern, Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary R. James Nicholson said during a news conference Oct. 13. He announced a VA jobs program for

  • Blood donations still in high demand

    The U.S. military always needs blood in war zones and now, more than ever, it is depending on troops at stateside bases to donate. That is because troops that deploy “down range” cannot donate blood for one year after they return home, said Maj. Julie Zwies, officer in charge of the Expeditionary

  • Service demographics offer snapshot of force

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here recently published the quarterly demographics report offering a snapshot of the service's active-duty and civilian force, as of Sept. 30. More information can be found online at http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/demographics/>. All statistics are rounded to

  • AFMC air logistics centers garner Shingo Prize

    Industry leaders recognized Air Force Materiel Command's three air logistics centers for their practical implementation of Lean Transformation practices, ensuring America's warfighters success on the job. Lean is a methodology designed to create value, eliminate waste and allow an organization to

  • Eddy current inspection shop saves lives, money

    Saving lives and money: That is what employees in the eddy current inspection shop at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center are all about. And it is their life management approach to reliability-centered maintenance that allows them to extend the life of rotating jet engine components by

  • ETDC supplies gear downrange so deployed troops don’t have to

    The 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron’s expeditionary theater distribution center here is leading the way in expeditionary mobility gear processing to make life easier for thousands of deploying Airmen. The center is part of an Air Force test where Airmen can deploy from their home

  • Academy Board of Visitors discuss top issues

    Sexual assault prevention and religious tolerance, and the academy’s handling of these issues, were topics discussed by the academy’s Board of Visitors here during an Oct. 6 meeting. Despite the heaviness of the topics, “this was an upbeat meeting,” said Johnny Whitaker, director of communications

  • Edwards, DARPA explore new C-17 capability

    Soaring 6,000 feet above the sun-baked California desert, a pair of Edwards aircraft -- a C-17 Globemaster III shadowed by a C-12 Huron observer aircraft -- carried out an unusual mission with an even more unusual cargo recently. The rear of the aircraft yawned open, and at the prompt of "five,

  • Fairchild Airmen test for Ranger School

    Airmen assigned to the 22nd Training Squadron and select Airmen with the 66th Training Squadron here have taken on a rare challenge to push themselves beyond normal endurance for the chance to attend the Army’s elite training program -- Ranger School. And they only had a day to do it. The 12-hour

  • Officials name new assistant to secretary of the Air Force

    Department of Defense officials announced Oct. 6 the appointment of Donald M. Kerr as the assistant to the secretary of the Air Force for intelligence space technology effective Oct. 3. Mr. Kerr, also the National Reconnaissance Office director, will support the secretary of the Air Force in

  • Reserve wing welcomes change to flying mission

    The 445th Airlift Wing received its first of 11 C-5 Galaxy aircraft Oct. 3. Air Force Reserve Command wings do not change aircraft very often, and the 445th AW is no exception, having flown C-141 Starlifters since the wing’s activation Oct. 1, 1994. All that will soon be history. The C-141s are

  • Web-based system changes how orders are processed

    Individual mobilization augmentees have a new way to get military orders through a Web-based system. Air Reserve Order Writing System-Reserve, which began Oct. 1, allows IMAs to initiate the orders process from any computer worldwide. Units can start using the system as early as Nov. 1, said Air

  • General Yeager speaks at Smithsonian

    One of the most famous test pilots of all time, retired Brig. Gen. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager, spoke to 500 aviation enthusiasts at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum on Oct. 4. It was the 25th time in the past 26 years General Yeager has held the lecture. Those in attendance watched a

  • Sobering facts about DUI

    Breaking the law does not often require an invitation for formal attire, but Airmen here charged with driving under the influence can expect just that. When charged with a DUI, Airmen here are requested to show up in their service dress uniform at the office of Col. Edmond Keith, 96th Air Base Wing

  • Total force proves beneficial to hurricane recovery

    More than 6,900 active-duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen supported Hurricanes Katrina and Rita relief operations, proving that the total-force concept works, said the Air Force chief of staff here recently. “America’s Air Force answered the call for emergency assistance in this crisis,” said Gen. T.

  • Enlisted Village opens assisted living doors

    After two years, a reneged $8-million donation and several major hurricanes, the Air Force Enlisted Village finally opened the doors to Hawthorn House, the latest addition to the community that “provides a home” for widows of retired enlisted Airmen. Hawthorn House, a 64-apartment assisted living

  • Capability assessment helps AF prepare for future

    Air Force leaders use a future capabilities assessment to assist in planning for 2025 and beyond. More than 100 participants from the Air Force's planning, operations, research and development communities gathered Oct. 4 in Herndon, Va., to play out scenarios that may threaten the United States in