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U.S. Air Force News

  • ANG offers opportunities for active-duty Airmen

    The Air National Guard is one of the components of the Air Force’s total force, and it has openings for Airmen wishing to transition from active duty to part-time military service.“The Air National Guard has been one of the best kept secrets in the Air Force,” said Master Sgt. Sean Strong, an ANG

  • Raptor advances to next phase of acquisition

    The F/A-22 Raptor recently finished avionics engineering manufacturing development testing here and surpassed 2,592 flight hours, pushing the aircraft one step closer to taking its place as the premier weapon system of the U.S. Air Force."This mission-avionics testing tied in system effectiveness,

  • Geren: AF fighting three wars

    The Air Force is now fighting three "wars," said the service's senior-most civilian leader. Those three wars are the war on terrorism, the effort to provide disaster relief in the United States, and the push for reform of the Air Force acquisition process, said Pete Geren, acting Secretary of the

  • Thousands mark 9/11 with freedom walk

    Sept. 11 marked the fourth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States, and to commemorate that tragic event the Defense Department held the first "America Supports You Freedom Walk.""This is a day for us to remember all those loved ones who were lost, and everyone who suffered so much

  • Pharmacy assistance available to displaced military families

    Military evacuees displaced by Hurricane Katrina may request that their prescription records at military treatment facilities in the Gulf Coast be transferred to other military or retail pharmacies nationwide, Tricare officials said.With this policy, displaced beneficiaries with available refills

  • Taking care of Air Force families in Katrina's wake

    "I have U.S. Air Force on my uniform, he has U.S. Air Force on his. That's enough for me," said Col. Scott Walker about why he had no worries about inviting an Airman and his family displaced by Hurricane Katrina to stay with him.The colonel was talking about the base's "Adopt-a-Family" program,

  • Schriever brings total-force support to Katrina relief

    Space experts here are working around the clock to provide space system capabilities to civilian and military agencies, allowing the agencies to save lives and provide food, medicine and clothing to people displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Airmen with the 50th Operations Group here provide navigation

  • Guard counterdrug units aid hurricane rescue effort

    Guardsmen from several state counterdrug programs are here using their specialized equipment for recovery mission support after the devastating attack from Hurricane Katrina. Using Light Armored Vehicles, also known as LAVs, counterdrug Airmen and Soldiers have rescued more than 150 victims from

  • C-130s to spray for insects in states affected by hurricane

    Two C-130 Hercules and 50 Air Force reservists from the 910th Airlift Wing left Youngstown Air Reserve Station on Sept. 8 to fly aerial spray missions in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.In coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Centers for Disease Control, the Air Force

  • Airmen serve in Iraq to honor 9/11 victims

    Never in a million years did Kara Gaines dream she would enlist in the military and follow in the footsteps of her retired Air Force father. That was until the senior airman with the 407th Expeditionary Communications Squadron here watched in horror as terrorists rammed three planes into some of the

  • Baby arrives during hurricane via C-section by flashlight

    Hurricane Katrina’s awesome power could not keep a baby from making her debut at the medical center here during a cesarean section illuminated by a ring of flashlights.“Our team delivered a healthy, robust baby girl -- definitely not a shrinking violet,” said Maj. Betsy Majma, a nurse anesthetist.

  • Displaced families can seek safe haven within United States

    Military families and Department of Defense civilians and their family members ordered to evacuate military installations in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama because of Hurricane Katrina are now authorized to select an alternate safe haven anywhere in the continental United States, defense

  • Some Airmen can carry over 'use or lose' leave

    Airmen who were recalled from or unable to take annual leave this past year for reasons such as support for contingency operations will be allowed to accumulate more than the normal 60 days after the fiscal year ends.Special leave accrual carry-over also applies to Air Force reservists and Air

  • AFMC provides assistance in Katrina's aftermath

    When disaster struck the Gulf Coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida in the form of Hurricane Katrina, Air Force Materiel Command stood up its crisis action team to assist with relief efforts to the region.Since then, support has come from each of the command's bases -- from

  • Air War College revises nonresident program

    The Air War College here announced the revision of its nonresident studies course to ensure currency and relevancy.The college will launch the new curriculum in January.The accelerated content meets joint professional military education Phase II requirements and reflects recent changes in the Air

  • Pentagon to hold 9/11 memorial tour, walk

    The Defense Department will open the site of the planned Pentagon Memorial and the existing America's Heroes Memorial to the public for the first time Sept. 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Military honor guard tour guides will lead tours and answer questions, and a model of the future Pentagon Memorial

  • Air Force expands child care for hurricane-affected Airmen

    Air Force families affected by Hurricane Katrina and those involved in hurricane relief operations are eligible for free or subsidized child care.Air Force officials opened the Air Force Extended Duty Child Care Program to those involved with relief efforts and those affected by the hurricane,

  • Recruiting service seeking hurricane-affected future Airmen

    Air Force Recruiting Service officials here are seeking contact from members of the delayed entry program who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina.Those affected may contact the recruiting service at (210) 671-2951 Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. CDT. After normal business hours,

  • CLEP testing saves money, time, headaches

    There is a way for Airmen to earn their degrees using knowledge gained from work and personal study, while at the same time saving money and shortening time spent in classes.The College Level Examination Program and the Excelsior examination program are available to servicemembers in pursuit of a

  • Edwards tests production Global Hawk for possible deployment

    Global Hawk flight test efforts were completed Aug. 28, bringing the latest version of the aircraft one step closer to warfighter employment.The tests on the unmanned aerial vehicle, conducted here by the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center's Detachment 5, the 31st Test and Evaluation

  • Holiday greetings teams begin worldwide tour

    Four teams of broadcasters from the Army and Air Force Hometown News Service here will begin their annual worldwide holiday greetings tour Sept. 10, giving thousands of servicemembers and Department of Defense civilians stationed overseas a chance to send a message to their families back home.The

  • After recovery, Keesler’s future uncertain

    Hurricane Katrina tried to give Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., a knockout blow. But though it left a huge path of destruction in its wake -- it did not succeed. The massive storm devastated the base. No doubt about that, base officials said. And it claimed the base’s once vibrant training mission.

  • Air Force announces OTS selections

    More than 60 men and women from throughout America have earned an opportunity to become Air Force leaders following their selection for a commission, officials here announced Sept. 2. Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 467 applications as part of Officer Training School Selection

  • Tricare benefits continue for hurricane victims

    Tricare beneficiaries and their families affected by Hurricane Katrina will continue to receive health benefits, service and support during this time of tragedy, said Tricare Management Activity officials.“We are aware that many of our active duty servicemembers, retirees and their families have

  • Little Rock, Tyndall, Guard Bureau helping evacuees

    As recovery efforts continue in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Air Force bases are opening their doors to help evacuees."We will do everything we can to get (families) situated here and to be comfortable," said Brig. Gen. Joseph M. Reheiser, 314th Airlift Wing commander at Little Rock Air Force

  • AAFES waives interest, suspends payments for hurricane victims

    Army and Air Force Exchange Service officials said they are waiving interest and suspending monthly payment requirements to exchange credit program cardholders displaced by Hurricane Katrina. “According to our records, there are approximately 15,000 accounts impacted in undeliverable zip codes,”

  • Civil engineers provide hurricane relief at Keesler

    The Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency here is assisting in hurricane recovery efforts at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.The agency’s civil engineer maintenance, inspection and repair team sent three trailer-sized generators to help provide emergency power to the base. Each generator is capable

  • Hotline links deployed troops, hurricane-struck families

    With thousands of troops from the hurricane-stricken Gulf Coast deployed thousands of miles from home and worried about their families, a program operated by the National Guard Bureau is providing a vital communication link and assurance that families are being taken care of.Army Col. Anthony Baker

  • Jumper reflects on challenges facing Air Force

    During his final media availability session here Aug. 29, the departing chief of staff of the Air Force discussed his vision of the future force, Base Realignment and Closure and the challenges he faced as the service's senior military leader.Gen. John P. Jumper said he believes the F/A-22 Raptor is

  • Foglesong honored with Order of the Sword

    The U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander was bestowed the enlisted corps highest honor Aug. 26.Gen. Robert H. “Doc” Foglesong, who has led USAFE since August 2003, was inducted into the Order of the Sword before nearly 600 enlisted Airmen and guests representing every base within the command.General

  • CCAF unlocks doors of opportunity

    Many Airmen could be closer than they think to a degree from the Community College of the Air Force.Among work, family, temporary duty and deployments, many Airmen may feel they do not have enough time to finish their degree.“One of the biggest obstacles is discouragement,” said Tiffany Dalmida, the

  • Commission wraps up BRAC decisions

    The Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission wrapped up four days of deliberations in final actions Aug. 26 and 27 by voting to turn Pope Air Force Base, N.C., into an Army airfield and recommending sweeping recommendations to revamp the Air National Guard and consolidate its operations.The

  • Buckley’s AADD volunteers save lives, careers

    In just more than 18 months, the Airmen Against Drunk Driving program here has helped save lives and careers by giving free rides to about 300 Airmen and Department of Defense civilians who may have had too much to drink.The program started in February 2004, and dozens of volunteers have helped

  • New center helps promote records classification review

    A governmentwide effort to declassify documents that no longer need protecting took a big step forward recently with the official opening of the Interagency Referral Center in College Park, Md.The new center, at the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, is part of an initiative launched

  • Air Force civilian donates bone marrow to save life

    When an Air Force civilian employee lost a cousin to leukemia in 1990 because he could not find a bone marrow donor in time, she made it her mission to do all she could to prevent that from happening to anyone else.Nancy Lenz, a 1st Fighter Wing Safety Office administrator, underwent a two-hour

  • Air Force leaders announce religious guidelines

    Air Force officials announced the release of interim guidance on free exercise of religion Aug. 29.Air Force Directorate of Personnel officials issued the interim guidelines after careful consideration of the U.S. Constitution, laws and military necessity. The guidelines were developed after a

  • Logistics Airmen supply customers with team effort

    From the outside, it looks like nothing more than a giant storage unit, but inside, it is a one-stop shop.“If you don’t see what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place,” said Tech. Sgt. Tonya Hamilton, noncommissioned officer in charge of the base service supply store here. “I can get

  • Sexual assault prevention film must-see for Airmen

    A new training video recently distributed to the Air Force through vice wing commanders is required viewing for all Airmen.All Airmen must view the new video, entitled "Targeting Sexual Assault," by Nov. 1. It is part of a larger Air Force campaign to educate Airmen about the realities of sexual

  • Commander sees AEF working from deployed perspective

    The Air and Space Expeditionary Force Center commander recently visited his largest customer in theater -- U.S. Central Command Air Forces.Brig. Gen. Stephen L. Hoog said there was no better place to see that the AEF is working as advertised than in the Southwest Asia and Central Asia.“I appreciate

  • Medics relieve pain at home, in war

    As servicemembers continue to fight the war on terrorism, a small group of Airmen at Balad Air Base, Iraq, is ensuring that each warfighter is fit to fight. At the same time they are gaining valuable experience to bring home.The physical and occupational therapy clinic at the Air Force Theater

  • Tricare unveils new extended health-care option

    Tricare’s Extended Care Health Option will be available for beneficiaries of active-duty family members with defined qualifying conditions Sept. 1. Beneficiaries currently receiving care through the Program for Persons with Disabilities and not qualified for ECHO will continue care through Tricare

  • Beale’s Global Hawk mission extends worldwide

    Airman with the 12th Reconnaissance Squadron here are part of the Air Force’s only operational Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle unit.The $35-million Global Hawk is used to provide Air Force and joint battlefield commanders near real-time, high-resolution intelligence, surveillance and

  • Exchange program connects U.S., Dutch Airmen

    Training young pilots to push the F-16 Fighting Falcon to its operational limits is a job Lt. Col. David Stine loves as much as flying.Even better is doing both those things with the Royal Netherlands Air Force, he said. That is just what he has done for three years as an exchange pilot at this

  • Environmental branch improves air quality

    The potential harmful effects of breathing diesel fumes came into focus when the Clean Air Task Force released a report estimating that diesel fumes kill about 21,000 Americans each year. According to the report, diesel exhaust exceeds the national ambient air quality standards for carbon monoxide,

  • Homeland defense exercise wraps up in Alaska

    A massive homeland defense exercise in Alaska wrapped up Aug. 19 after five days of simulated natural disasters and terrorist events, including earthquakes, aircraft crashes and anthrax attacks in 21 communities statewide.Alaska Shield/Northern Edge 05 allowed local, state and federal agencies to

  • Lieutenant selected for World Class Athlete Program

    Former Air Force pole vault standout 2nd Lt. Paul Gensic was recently accepted to the U.S. Air Force World Class Athlete Program.The program gives high-caliber athletes, both officers and enlisted, the opportunity to continue training in their sport, while preparing for a berth in the Olympic

  • Airmen get in shape with boot camp aerobics

    Boot camp aerobics can be a pain when participants are doing it, but it could one day save their life.The boot camp aerobics class, which has been offered here for about five years, adds a new emphasis to workouts, incorporating scenarios Airmen could face while deployed.While the main idea is still

  • Force shaping Phase II evolves for officers in fiscal 2006

    The Air Force’s officer corps is overmanned by about 4,000 Airmen.In fiscal 2005, the Air Force’s voluntary force shaping initiatives successfully reduced the size of the active duty population to its congressionally authorized level of 359,000.However, the fiscal 2006 budget trims the Air Force

  • Academy ranks top in professor availability

    Academy professors here are the most accessible to their students in the nation, according to “The Best 361 Colleges” released Aug. 22 by The Princeton Review.The New York-based education services company features the academy in “The Best 361 Colleges,” the new 2006 edition of its annual "best

  • International academy program gives worldly perspective

    Today’s officers must be prepared to function in an international environment. While the academy’s international program provides cadets with a variety of opportunities to hone their leadership skills overseas, foreign cadets travel here to study similar skills.There are 48 four-year international

  • Space Shuttle Discovery stops at Altus, Barksdale

    Thousands of onlookers defied the summer heat to watch Space Shuttle Discovery arrive at two Air Force bases Aug 19. Altus Air Force Base, Okla., was the first of two stops for NASA's shuttle ferry, a Boeing 747 that carried the space shuttle on its back from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., to

  • Iraqi, U.S. C-130 crewmembers fly boy to receive heart surgery

    Although 8-year-old Baher looks happy and healthy, Iraqi and U.S. Air Force C-130 crewmembers knew his true condition when they gave him the ride of his life Aug. 22.Baher and his mother, Afaf, were headed to New Orleans to repair a hole in his heart via a new program called Operation Mend a Heart.

  • Agencies ease deployment pains

    With “my upcoming deployment” as the catch-phrase for most of Airmen, several organizations take extraordinary measures to ensure that not only the Airman is ready for deployment, but the families are as well.Family support centers, chapel staffs and many other agencies manage day-to-day efforts of

  • AFIA’s health services inspections demystified

    When a team from the Air Force Inspection Agency arrives at the front door of a medical treatment facility, they have one goal: Turning excellent health care into outstanding health care. The inspection agency is the only Air Force unit that conducts health services inspections on all Air Force

  • Carlson assumes command of AFMC

    Gen. Bruce Carlson assumed command of Air Force Materiel Command from Gen. Gregory S. Martin on Aug. 19 at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.General Carlson, who previously commanded the 8th Air Force at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., pinned on his fourth star in a private

  • Academy engineering ranks among nation’s finest

    Several of the U.S. Air Force Academy’s undergraduate engineering programs rank among the top in the nation, according to the U.S. News & World Report.The national news magazine released its America’s Best Colleges 2006 edition Aug. 18.The rankings are separated by universities that offer graduate

  • Airmen see Russia up close

    As far as security forces Airmen are concerned, protecting aircraft in one location is like protecting aircraft in another. The scenery may change, but the procedures do not -- unless, of course, the aircraft are in the former Soviet Union.For the 17 Airmen of the 48th Security Forces Squadron from

  • 'Tribute to the Troops' scheduled for 9/11

    The second annual "Tribute to the Troops" motorcycle ride is scheduled to roll through the American heartland over the Sept. 11 weekend.The tribute ride, which will include several hundred bikers, is a means to honor servicemembers who gave their lives for freedom and to raise money for local

  • Hearing aids available for active-duty families

    Beginning Sept. 1, active-duty family members who meet specific hearing-loss requirements, will be eligible to receive hearing aids, including services and supplies, as a Tricare benefit.This benefit is extended to family members as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2002.

  • Civil Engineers help bring light in the night

    In this small village located 287 miles west of Anchorage, air travel is the sole means to enter and leave the town.The 4,750-foot gravel airstrip lined with orange cones is essentially the town’s lifeline to the rest of the state. This lifeline has been significantly strengthened through the

  • Dyess AFB demonstrates B-1B's upgrades, combat capabilities

    The 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron here set a number of “firsts” recently for the B-1B Lancer.Those 'firsts' were demonstrated July 25 over the White Sands Missile Range, N.M., when two Lancers from Dyess auto-released a Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile as well as three dissimilar weapons

  • AFPC notifies Airmen of criminal activity

    The Air Force is notifying more than 33,000 Airmen that a security breach has occurred in the online Assignment Management System.The notification comes after Air Force Personnel Center officials here alerted Air Force and federal investigators to unusually high activity on a single user's AMS

  • Deployed medics face gamut of medical conditions

    When providing medical care at a remote location, the pace of business and the variety of medical conditions can change quickly.For medical Airmen with the 40th Air Expeditionary Group at this forward-deployed location, it has been a combination of business as usual and urgent issues requiring 12

  • Logistics program broadens careers

    As the premier logistics training program in the Air Force, the logistics career broadening program provides logistics officers the chance to attain specialized knowledge in their career field.The two-year program not only provides unique instruction in logistics but also lends opportunities for

  • Spangdahlem’s new airlift mission has room for expansion

    The 726th Airlift Support Squadron has not finished moving here from Rhein-Main Air Base, but its new home might have already earned it a bigger airlift mission.On Oct. 1, the squadron starts operations from its state-of-the art facility at this longtime fighter base in Germany’s Eifel region. It

  • Only sky proves limit for ‘mountain men’

    For some people, reaching the top is enough. For two 352nd Special Operations Group pilots here, reaching the top of the world was not enough.Capt. Rob Marshall of the 67th Special Operations Squadron, and 1st Lt. Mark Uberuaga of the 21st Special Operations Squadron, recently returned from

  • Podcasting a first for Air Force

    For the first time, the Air Force is using the Internet and digital technology to podcast its radio news.Podcasts are broadcasts of Internet audio programs, usually in an MP3 format. People can then subscribe to receive the audio files. Many commercial content providers offer free podcast feeds

  • Simple exercise steps keep force fit and mission-ready

    With the inception of the Air Force Fit to Fight program, Airmen had to adjust to a regular regimen of running, sit-ups, push-ups and other physical activities.Some Airmen experienced injuries while adjusting to the new standards, resulting in a need to see a physical therapist.“We saw a lot of

  • What's in a name?

    When researching what to call their children, parents often turn to a book of popular names. Or, they may select one they have heard simply because they like it.The process is not so simple when naming a military aerospace vehicle. For the Air Force and its sister services, the process begins

  • Hundreds of NCOs face retraining into new specialties

    More than 3,000 staff, technical and master sergeants have been identified to receive retraining vulnerability notices under the initial phase of the Air Force's fiscal 2006 Noncommissioned Officer Retraining Program.The retraining program is designed to help balance the enlisted force by moving

  • Rabbi uses Iraq trip to help shape AF vision, values

    Iraq was one of the first places the new adviser on Air Force values and vision went to see how Airmen apply their guiding principles in a wartime environment.Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff, special assistant for values and visions to the secretary of the Air Force and the chief of staff, traveled to

  • FTF set to leave lasting impression in Pacific theater

    The Air Force broke ground last August for the first Pacific Air Forces C-17 Globemaster III squadron based outside the continental United States. One year later, using the Future Total Force initiative with an eye toward the future, Hickam Air Force Base is building a strong foundation for a new

  • New technologies, teaching boost language training

    New technologies and teaching approaches are improving the quality of instruction here as the Defense Language Institute supports the Defense Department's effort to boost foreign-language capability within the ranks.The school experienced "explosive growth" this year and expects the trend to

  • U.S. military set to take part in Moscow air show

    Eight U.S. Air Force aircraft and 100 people will participate in the Moscow International Air Show 2005 at Ramenskoye Airfield, Russia, from Aug. 16 to 21.Aircraft will include two F-15E Strike Eagles, two F-16 Fighting Falcons, a KC-10 Extender, a KC-135 Stratotanker and two B-1B Lancers.The B-1B

  • Firefighters prepared when disaster strikes

    When there is an emergency, they are on the scene protecting Airmen and resources. But firefighters here do more than just battle flames; their inspections and training programs are tools they use to prevent emergencies that pose risks to fellow Airmen.“We provide aircraft crash rescue and

  • BRAC focus on right-sizing total force

    The co-chairman of the Air Force's base closure executive group recently discussed the views the Air Force took when considering the Base Realignment and Closure recommendations."We have to base our future Air Force on a smaller but more capable force, and organize that force in the most effective

  • Personal sacrifices by enlisted force not overlooked

    At one point or another in every servicemember’s career, he or she will make a personal sacrifice for the accomplishment of the mission.Chief Master Sgt. John Foran, 9th Air Force and U.S. Central Command Air Forces command chief, wants the enlisted force to know their sacrifices, particularly from

  • Learning the tools to manage chronic pain

    Like many motivated Airmen, Staff Sgt. Robin Morrow is determined to make the most of her career.Chronic back pain after an automobile accident and spinal surgery almost shortened the career of the noncommissioned officer in charge of point-of-care testing for the 859th Diagnostics and Therapeutics

  • Graduate program offers advanced tools for terror war

    A one-of-a-kind curriculum offered here at the Naval Postgraduate School is helping shape future leaders for the challenges they will confront in the war on terrorism.Unlike some academic programs with seemingly little real-life application, the Defense Analysis program focuses on issues commanders

  • Most BRAC '05 environmental restoration remedies in place

    The Defense Department has identified and provided remedies for environmental restoration issues associated with most of the installations on the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure list, a senior DOD official told the BRAC commission Aug. 11."From a base-reuse perspective the department will enter

  • Command chief outlines direction for Airmen

    After recent trips to Air Combat Command bases throughout the United States and a trip to Southwest Asia, Chief Master Sgt. Dave Popp, Air Combat Command's command chief master sergeant, said he is impressed with the quality of America's Airmen and that his meetings with them filled him with pride

  • Video raises suicide awareness

    Creators of a video filmed here are hoping it will educate, prevent and lower the risk of suicides across Air Combat Command as well as the rest of the Air Force.“Air Combat Command Off-Duty Survivor Stories: Suicide Choices; Terminal Consequences,” is the second in a series of videos by the 436th

  • Rhein-Main transition on track

    The more than $465-million project to return Rhein-Main Air Base to Germany by Dec. 31 is “on track,” the Rhein-Main Transition Program chief said.Col. Tom Schnee, of U.S. Air Forces in Europe here, also said by Oct. 31 the command will finish shifting Rhein-Main’s key airlift mission to Ramstein

  • 'Freedom Walk' to commemorate 9/11, celebrate freedom

    Defense Department officials announced Aug. 9 the first "America Supports You” Freedom Walk to honor the victims of Sept. 11, 2001, and America's servicemembers, as well as to celebrate freedom.The Freedom Walk will begin at 10 a.m. Sept. 11 in the Pentagon south parking lot, near the site where the

  • Air superiority: 48 years of Falcon football

    Jim Bowman and Falcon football have been attached at the hip pad for 48 of the program’s 50 years. When Air Force kicks off Sept. 3 against the Washington Huskies, it will be the 534th Falcon game played during Mr. Bowman’s tenure.The former freshman and junior varsity coach turned associate

  • Tricare seeks nominations to honor vaccination advocates

    In honor of National Immunization Awareness month, Tricare Management Activity officials are seeking to recognize an individual or team that has encouraged people in the community to catch up on vaccinations.This award will be the latest installment of the "Salute to the Heroes of Tricare" program.

  • ‘Dragon Lady’ celebrates 50th anniversary

    As people stood by eagerly awaiting its arrival, the U-2 "Dragon Lady," queen of the aerial surveillance and reconnaissance kingdom, glided onto the runway here Aug. 2 proclaiming the beginning of a celebration. Based at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., the U-2 was here as a static display in

  • Edwards, Eglin combine testing on next-generation F-16

    Combining two aircraft missions into one is not an easy feat, but that is exactly what engineers and pilots from here and Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., are testing. In the process, they have also combined operational and developmental into one testing effort.Five F-16 Fighting Falcons and aircrews

  • Space weather forecasts clear communication

    Staff Sgt. Guillermo Ybarra III sits staring intensely at the sun. Unblinking, his furrowed brow wrinkles slightly as his eyes sharpen their gaze. After several more minutes, his piercing glance finds a change in the sun’s surface -- a change he has been anticipating. He purposefully scoops up the

  • Jumper: Airmen haven't changed at all

    The Air Force's top-ranked officer first donned a flight suit more than 39 years ago -- before 83 percent of active-duty Airmen had even been born. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper has seen a lot of changes during his time in uniform, but he said one thing remains the same -- the

  • Critical days continue to take Airmen

    The fatal auto accident that claimed the lives of two Airmen in Germany recently raised the Air Force’s death toll to 24 during this year’s “101 Critical Days of Summer.”While that number is fairly typical for summer fatalities, it is still too high, said Tom Pazell, deputy chief of Air Force Ground

  • International affairs program available to officers, civilians

    Air Force officers and civilians have the opportunity to continue their education through the Global Master of Arts Program II.This graduate studies program is available to all midcareer officers and civilians serving in international affairs positions who have at least eight years of international

  • Tomorrow’s leaders get first-hand look at life after academy

    While most college students enjoy the summer out of school, U.S. Air Force Academy cadets use their break for a look into the future.Operation Air Force sends cadets to Air Force bases worldwide to give them a taste of what life will be like when they become commissioned officers.For the past two

  • Air Force seeks applicants for IAS program

    Air Force officials are looking to develop a cadre of Air Force officers with international insight, foreign language proficiency and cultural understanding to work in today's security and expeditionary operations environment.The Air Force will select officers at the midcareer point, normally seven

  • Crew chiefs turn bombers like fighters

    Postmen have nothing on these guys, particularly Tech. Sgt. Shannon Reynolds, a crew chief with the 40th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron at this forward-deployed location.He is one of 37 crew chiefs from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., who not only contend with bitterly cold winters and mountains of

  • Airmen 'build bridge' for new mission at Spangdahlem

    About a dozen Airmen with the 817th Contingency Response Group from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., arrived here July 28 to support the Rhein-Main Transition Program.The five-year Rhein-Main Transition Program, scheduled for completion in December, calls for closing down Rhein-Main Air Base,

  • Air Force Intern Program develops future leaders

    The Air Force Intern Program Central Selection Board will convene at the Air Force Personnel Center here following the fall 2005 Developmental Team Review Process.The board will choose 30 junior and midlevel captains to study the application of air and space power and observe senior Defense

  • Long-term care insurance small price to pay

    Active-duty Airmen, some reservists, appropriated-fund civilian employees, retirees and qualified family members can still apply for the Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Program.The program can help federal employees defray the costs of in-home care, nursing-home care, or assisted-living facilities

  • Officials announce services award winners

    Air Force Services Agency officials announced the winners of the 2005 services awards recently.Kadena Air Base, Japan, won the Gen. Curtis E. LeMay Trophy for best overall services unit at a large base. Spangdahlem AB, Germany, won the Maj. Gen. Eugene L. Eubank Trophy for best services at a small

  • Guard, Reserve integrate seamlessly into Nellis organization

    Organizations at the Air Warfare Center here are taking the concept, “One Team, One Fight,” literally and are combining active duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command personnel in all mission areas.“This is a smarter, better way of doing business, because we’re able to capitalize on