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U.S. Air Force News

  • 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

  • DoD extends deadline for increased SGLI coverage for Katrina victims

    The Department of Defense announced today the deadline for reducing or declining increased Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance coverage has been extended for servicemembers affected by Hurricane Katrina. Maximum SGLI coverage increased to $400,000 on Sept. 1. On that date, members eligible for SGLI

  • Guam unit continues providing Global Strike capabilities

    Four B-1B Lancers from the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron here participated in Exercise Koa Lightning last week -- continuing their mission of providing Global Strike capabilities for Pacific Air Forces and Pacific Command. During the exercise held in Hawaii, the B-1s dropped inert weapons and

  • Center redesign promises to improve production

    Continuous process improvement is alive and well at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center. For proof, look no further than the 76th Maintenance Wing's new F100 Business Unit being stood up as part of a landmark $500 million, 10-year process of transforming maintenance, repair and overhaul, or MRO,

  • Base fire department responds to unauthorized landing

    Firefighters here responded to an unauthorized landing that took place Oct. 25 near the fire department’s truck maintenance area. The flyer was taken into custody, and when he responded to interrogators’ questions with unintelligible clicks and whistles, he was placed in a cage and given nothing but

  • 7th Fighter Squadron vet receives medals

    Sixty years after serving in the Army Air Corps, a 7th Fighter Squadron pilot received a Distinguished Flying Cross and an Air Medal. First Lieutenant James Costley, a P-38 pilot in World Word II, received the last of his military decorations in front of three generations of his family, friends and

  • Training teaches medics how to 'operate' in hostile areas

    A Tyndall Airman quickly took a position in the dirt and aimed his M-16 rifle as a group of suspicious-looking men carrying AK-47 assault rifles hid behind a bush.However, the men left without incident and the Airman avoided a potentially deadly firefight. This may sound like a dangerous

  • Coalition force brings Tornadoes to fight

    The British Royal Air Force and its aircraft have been heavily used by ground forces in Iraq. The RAF flies the Tornado GR4, a supersonic, twin-engined, swing-wing jet bomber.“We have supported both British and American operations by giving an eye-in-the-sky airborne commentary so the troops on the

  • Joint Fires Center of Excellence begins training

    The Joint Fires Center of Excellence opened its doors Oct. 17 as the U.S. military’s only Europe-based joint firepower education center. The U.S. Air Forces in Europe-inspired initiative is designed to enhance close air support operations by providing a convenient training environment for

  • Air Force must stay the course with FTF, AEF

    The Air Force must transform through Future Total Force and stay the course with the Air and Space Expeditionary Force concept, said the directors of the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard. The Future Total Force concept is the Air Force's plan to better integrate the Air National Guard, Air

  • 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,

  • Air Force authorizes Berlin Airlift streamers

    Nearly 60 years after the operation, Air Force units involved in the Berlin Airlift are now authorized a new streamer to add to their unit guidons. “A question was raised to Dick Anderegg (the Air Force historian) a couple months ago if the Berlin Airlift was a campaign, and if so, do we have a

  • 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

  • Third Air Force inactivates

    Headquarters 3rd Air Force inactivated today during a ceremony here as part of a larger U.S. Strategic Theater Transformation. Although 3rd Air Force was inactivated, the Air Force will leave a general officer in country. Maj. Gen. Paul Fletcher will remain at Royal Air Force Mildenhall as U.S.

  • Edwards' commanders test wheelchair accessibility

    The Air Force Flight Test Center has a long history of testing aircraft and parachutes, but one little known fact is that each year leaders here also "test" wheelchairs. Edwards' annual Wheelchair Test Day is held during National Disabilities Awareness Month in October. Organizers said the intent is

  • 'Open the air base' unit returns from successful desert trial

    Say you need to move troops to a war zone in some isolated region or relief supplies to a devastated area, and you need to do it in a hurry. Who do you call? The men and women of the 816th Contingency Response Group have a simple answer: "Call us." From Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to the recent

  • DOD announces recommended holiday mail dates

    The Department of Defense announced Oct. 31 the recommended mailing dates to ensure that holiday cards and packages for service members arrive overseas in time for the holiday season. "To ensure delivery … to military APO/FPO addresses overseas and to international addresses, we suggest mail be sent

  • Headphones OK during workouts

    There are many reasons people opt to use headphones while working out. Some use them to pace themselves while running and doing reps. For others, getting lost in the music helps them work out longer by losing track of time. Whatever the reason, headphones must be worn properly while working out in

  • 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

  • Airman completes mission with pride, satisfaction

    As he completes his tour of duty at this small, forward-deployed desert air base, Master Sgt. James Royuela looks back with satisfaction and pride knowing his hard work directly contributed to the overall success of coalition forces fighting the global war on terror. Sergeant Royuela, a 1988

  • 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

  • Medical logisticians deliver medical relief

    When warriors are wounded in the field, many rely on the men and women of the 379th Expeditionary Medical Squadron medical logistics flight for the medicine and supplies needed to patch them up. With a staff of seven, the logistics flight works long hours keeping medical supplies flowing to field

  • 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

  • Combat communications answers the call

    They can set up communications to anywhere in the world from anywhere in the world. They can take a strip of land and turn it into an airfield capable of carrying out military or relief missions, but for now, members of the elite 5th Combat Communications Group are at a former Soviet republic making

  • 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

  • Eagle Flag 06-1 finishes, but the learning goes on

    Being prepared to deploy is the key to success of the Air Force’s expeditionary mission. This is where Eagle Flag comes in. The two-week exercise, held Oct. 18 to 28 here, tested Airmen on a multitude of expeditionary combat support skills. Participants for the exercise are chosen based on their

  • 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

  • New tanker ramp opens, improves deployed operational safety and efficiency

    It is a scene that plays often at air bases -- crew chiefs guiding aircraft onto the ramp.But this time the aircraft was taxiing onto a brand new tanker ramp, and the sound of its engines signaled a new era of safety and efficiency for air operations here. The Oct. 22 opening of the new ramp --

  • 820th SFG field tests chemical warfare garments

    The 820th Security Forces Group here began the first military field durability tests on new chemical warfare garments Oct. 24.  The 820th SFG, which provides force protection for expeditionary air forces, is putting the latest version of the chemical warfare suit to the test to assess its fit,

  • The Air Force needs your feedback

    People still have time to take the 2005 Air Force Climate Survey, but the Nov. 23 deadline is rapidly approaching. Twenty-nine percent of the Air Force had taken the survey as of Oct. 27. The survey, which began Oct. 1, gives Air Force people an opportunity to provide honest and productive feedback

  • Raptors return with insight, information

    The familiar sound of flying Raptors will soon fill the Virginia skies again. The 27th Fighter Squadron returns here Oct. 28 from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, ending two weeks of out-of-town training and bringing the first-ever deployment for the F/A-22 Raptor to a close. “Training like this is

  • 'Change Clock, Change Battery' campaign begins

    As residents turn their clocks back one hour this weekend and revert to standard time, defense safety officials urge them to change their smoke alarms batteries, too. Daylight-saving time ends 2 a.m. on Oct. 30, the last Sunday in the month. Clocks "fall back" one hour and standard time resumes. 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

  • Airmen help prepare Soldiers for Afghanistan duty

    Airmen from around the Air Force helped prepare 10th Mountain Division Soldiers for their deployment to Afghanistan during exercise Unified Endeavor 06 here. The exercise, which ended Oct. 23, prepared members of the division’s headquarters and staff for their upcoming rotation to head Combined

  • 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

  • Airmen, Sailors help Soldiers move containers of hope

    Airmen and Sailors continue helping Soldiers here provide humanitarian assistance and support to the earthquake-affected people of Pakistan. When they’re not fixing aircraft helping fight the war on terrorism, Air Force EC-130 Hercules and Navy E-6B Intruder maintainers have been helping 82nd

  • Homestead cleans up, stages relief

    Just hours after Hurricane Wilma hit this base, the 482nd Fighter Wing had the base airfield open and ready to help with relief efforts. The wing is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Florida Army National Guard and local officials here to send relief supplies to south Florida

  • Staging facility offers more than air evacuations

    Getting troops injured in battle from the war zone to another location where they can receive more definitive care takes careful planning and coordination. Such was the case Oct. 21, when members of the 386th Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility at this desert base helped move 16 injured troops

  • Real estate agency announces award winner

    The Air Force Real Property Agency has announced its 2005 Air Force Real Estate Award winners. Air Force-level winners are: -- Real estate specialist: Cheryl Cordray, 28th Civil Engineer Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. -- Senior real estate specialist: Lynn Holcomb, Air Force Space Command,

  • 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

  • Web lets reservists track education progress

    Air Force reservists can now track their education progress, request transcripts and update personal education information on the Web.Going through the Air Force Portal -- and accessing the Virtual Education Center’s Web site at https://afvec.langley.af.mil  -- saves reservists time and money.

  • 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.

  • Travelers informed of avian flu threat

    The Air Mobility Command surgeon general's office reminds overseas travelers of the risks involved with foreign travel caused by the threat of the avian flu. Avian flu is an infectious disease in birds caused by the type H5N1 strains of the influenza virus, according to the World Health

  • 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

  • Reservists clean house, increase F-16 capability

    Desire and motivation drove 14 Reserve Airmen to turn a barely functional back shop into one of two fully functional avionic intermediate shops here. The revamped work center allowed the staff to double the improved avionic intermediate repair capabilities. The reservists deployed here from

  • Airmen in place for Hurricane Wilma relief

    As Hurricane Wilma rips through south Florida, Airmen from 1st Air Force are already in place today to help storm victims. The rest of 1st Air Force is ready to respond, if asked to provide resources for Wilma relief efforts, said 1st AF commander Maj. Gen. M. Scott Mayes. “If we get the call, we’re

  • 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

  • Cope Thunder 06-01 challenges end

    The first winter Cope Thunder ended here Oct. 20 and aircrews found the weather was their main adversary. But the weather at this remote base -- which grounded many missions -- is exactly why exercise planners picked it to host Pacific Air Force’s premier combat airpower exercise, said Col. Bob

  • 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,

  • Remains of missing World War II Airmen returning home

    The remains of three U. S. servicemen, missing in action since 1941, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors. They are Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Augustus J. Allen, of Myrtle Springs, Texas; Staff Sgt. James D. Cartwright, of Los Angeles,

  • Honor guard takes national award

    The 301st Fighter Wing Honor Guard took center stage -- not as presenter, but as the recipient of the Air Force Association’s the 2005 Citation of Honor. This annual honor -- the association’s highest achievement award -- recognizes outstanding contributions by an individual or group in the

  • 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

  • Force shaping board meeting in 2006

    A force shaping board will convene in 2006 and continue to meet annually to properly shape the officer corps to meet emerging Air Force needs. Instituted by the Air Force, the board will be a regular aspect of force management and development in the future. Authorized by the Secretary of the Air

  • Cope Thunder medical team practices mobile medicine

    Practicing mobile medicine and leaving a small footprint on a mission is just one the aspects of participating in Cope Thunder 06-01, said a flight surgeon here. Six-year veteran Maj. (Dr.) John Cotton, said he is enjoying his first temporary duty assignment as the Cope Thunder flight surgeon. He

  • Airmen help with Guatemala relief

    Nine Airmen from Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, deployed here as part of a Joint Task Force-Bravo team supporting Hurricane Stan relief operations in this Central American country. The hurricane, which hit the country Oct. 4, caused massive flooding and land slides and displaced thousands of people.

  • 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

  • Antarctica Deep Freeze mission resumes

    One of the most difficult Air Force missions -- Operation Deep Freeze -- is about to resume. Deep Freeze is the Air Force’s resupply mission for the National Science Foundation and U.S. Antarctica operations. Aircrews from the 109th Airlift Wing, New York Air National Guard stopped at here on their

  • Air Force announces team-excellence awards

    Air Force officials announced the five teams chosen for the 2005 Chief of Staff Team Excellence Awards. The Air Force nominated 15 teams for the awards, which recognize outstanding team performance and promote systematic process improvement. The awards also serve as a means to share best practices

  • First F/A-22 deployment is for training

    The Raptors are leaving the nest for their first deployment. Nearly 170 Airmen left here Oct. 15 on a two-week deployment to Hill Air Force Base, Utah. This may sound like a run-of-the-mill temporary duty assignment. But for the Langley Airmen, it is far from a typical out-of-town operation. It is

  • 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

  • Air Force continues Pakistan aid

    The Air Force continues to provide humanitarian aid to Pakistan after it suffered a 7.6 magnitude earthquake Oct. 8. Air Force C-17 Globemaster IIIs, KC-10 Extenders and C-130 Hercules aircraft have transported more than 630,000 pounds of humanitarian relief, including food, tents, cots, medical

  • 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

  • Cope Thunder supply mission diverse

    As aircraft lift from the flightline and roar into the low-lying clouds, two 353rd Combat Training Squadron supply liaisons are busy helping customers with the supply process. Tech. Sgt. Devandis Smith and Staff Sgt. Normajean Glossan know first-hand that its the behind-the-scene efforts that makes

  • 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

  • Helicopter pilot is Cheney Award recipient

    An Air Force MH-53 Pave Low helicopter pilot from Fort Bragg, N.C., received the Cheney Award in a ceremony at the Pentagon Oct. 13. Maj. John Groves earned the award for his actions while delivering supplies to Iraq as part of two-ship formation. The major’s wingman was shot down en route. Major

  • Maintainers keep Cope Thunder going

    Tucked away in an office on the far corner of the Thunder Dome, two men ensure Airmen and Sailors get Cope Thunder 06-1 missions off the ground -- on time and on target. Without the oversight of Col. Mark Fluke and Chief Master Sgt. Darrin Dwyer, exercise Cope Thunder would, theoretically, only be a

  • AMC assists initial earthquake response

    The Air Force deployed more than 45 members from the 621st Contingency Response Wing here to Islamabad, Pakistan Oct. 10 in the wake of a 7.6-magnitude earthquake that struck the country Oct. 8. Members of 621st Contingency Response Group Element deployed to support humanitarian airlift operations

  • Keesler Airmen back in school at Sheppard

    Sheppard has a new electronic principles course to train Airmen from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., displaced by Hurricane Katrina. It took Sheppard two weeks to have the course ready for instruction, said Master Sgt. Rosa Marlin, 365th Training Squadron avionics test equipment flight chief. It

  • Uniform board meets this month

    The Air Force Uniform Board meets here Oct. 20 to 21 to consider Air Force uniform improvements and standardization. The board will address various uniform requirements, including the Airman's new battle dress uniform, and Air Force Instruction 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force

  • 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

  • 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

  • Officials update Keesler assignment information

    Airmen in non-critical career fields are still not authorized to proceed to Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., until further assignment guidance is released, said Air Force Personnel Center officials here. People still affected by the stop movement order must not depart their current base. Those

  • Moseley: C-17 'worth weight in gold' in Pacific

    Basing C-17 Globemaster IIIs in Hawaii will boost Pacific Air Force’s airlift capabilities in the region, the Air Force chief of staff said Oct. 6. Gen. T. Michael Moseley said with the huge transports flying out of Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, U.S. Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command

  • 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

  • Cope Thunder exercise begins

    Cope Thunder 06-1 participants are using the 62,000 square miles of airspace at this remote base to “fly, fight and win” during Pacific Air Force’s premier combat airpower exercise. The two-week exercise, which will run through Oct. 21, is the command’s largest air combat training exercise,

  • 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

  • Air Warfare Center changes names to USAF Warfare Center

    The Air Warfare Center here officially changed its name Oct. 1 to the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center. The new name more accurately reflects the center's expanding responsibility to integrate space and information operations with traditional air warfare, officials said. The expansion was previously

  • 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

  • Texas National Guard relief mission begins drawing down

    With power coming on throughout the area, Texas National Guardsmen with Task Force-Seguin transferred food and water distribution duties to other task forces and local authorities Oct. 4. The team returned to their home units and families Oct. 5. “There are still a few rural areas requiring

  • Loyal partners sniff out trouble in Iraq

    After a couple of years apart, Ori and Tyreese are partners again. And the security forces duo is deployed and back on the job sniffing out trouble at an entry control point here. Staff Sgt. Tyreese McAllister was the first handler Ori was assigned to after the German shepherd graduated from the

  • Academy takes part in 'joint' study

    The U.S. Air Force Academy has joined forces with civilian universities on a $2.8-million study of risk factors for a common knee injury among athletes and servicemembers. The prospective cohort study focuses on human movement risk factors involved in injuries to the knee’s anterior cruciate

  • Cutting-edge communications essential in emergency response

    Communication is like water, heat or air conditioning -- it is virtually invisible when the system is operating smoothly. No one notices it unless it stops. While most military communications technicians understand that attitude and generally stay out of the spotlight, the Incident Commanders,

  • Air Force posthumously awards Bronze Star

    An Air Force chaplain’s assistant was posthumously recognized in a Brewer, Maine, ceremony Sept. 27 for his participation in a Korean War airlift that saved nearly 1,000 orphans. Staff Sgt. Merle Y. Strang played a key part in evacuating orphans from war-torn Seoul, South Korea, to the safer

  • Marines turn up the heat for Airmen on Okinawa

    Firefighters have a common enemy, regardless of the color of their uniforms. And Marines here recently assisted Airmen to maximize training against this dangerous foe.Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Marines with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron here conducted simulated aircraft fire training

  • Services Airmen ensure people get ‘comforts of home’

    Airmen with the 147th Fighter Wing services flight at Ellington Field, Texas, are ensuring everyone supporting Hurricane Rita relief efforts have a hot meal to eat and a comfortable bed to sleep in.While some servicemembers deployed there from various parts of the country are sleeping and working in

  • Myers retires; Pace takes JCS helm

    Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld hosted an armed forces farewell tribute and hail ceremony in honor of Gen. Richard B. Myers, the 15th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, 16th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Sept. 30 at Fort Myer, Va. The ceremony

  • Small Diameter Bomb certified for operational test, evaluation

    19! 23! 35! 37! 20!No, that's not a football audible at the line of scrimmage, but the accomplishments of the Small Diameter Bomb Program: the number of months, 19, from the system design and development contract award to the first production contract award; the number of months, 23, from

  • Airman killed in Iraq

    An improvised explosive device killed a female Airman during a convoy mission supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Airman 1st Class Elizabeth Jacobson, 21, was providing convoy security Sept. 28 near Camp Bucca, Iraq, when the vehicle she was riding in was hit by an improvised explosive device. The

  • Air Force Climate Survey helps shape future force

    Airmen will have the power to shape the Air Force of the future through the 2005 Air Force Climate Survey that begins Oct. 1. “This survey will help us ensure we are taking care of our most important asset -- our people,” said Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Gen. T. Michael Moseley. “We have used

  • Captain one of 10 outstanding young Americans

    A captain with the 116th Air Control Wing here is one of the 10 Outstanding Young Americans for 2005 chosen by the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce.Capt. Paul Maykish received the award during the Jaycees’ 67th annual black-tie awards ceremony held at the Boston World Trade Center Sept. 17.The

  • C-141 approaches historical conclusion as last flight nears

    Since its first flight Dec. 17, 1963, the C-141 Starlifter has enjoyed a prestigious history.The last chapter of that history will be written in October when the Air Force's last C-141 unit, the 445th Airlift Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, starts replacing its Starlifters with the

  • Eglin fighters shine at Bright Star

    The 33rd Fighter Wing here was the Air Force’s lone fighter unit in Egypt to participate in the joint-combined training exercise Bright Star 05/06.The exercise, which began Sept. 10 and ends Oct. 3, is U.S. Central Command’s largest coalition exercise. It tests theater engagement activity and boosts

  • Medics transform ‘Toy Land’ into medical treatment facility

    The Texas Air National Guard stood up Task Force Compassion here to provide Hurricane Rita evacuees medical support and to evacuate non-critical patients from overburdened local hospitals.Task force Airmen and Soldiers began setting up a 10-bed medical treatment facility overnight in Ellington’s

  • C-141 flies last mission from combat zone

    For the last time in its long career, a C-141 Starlifter aircraft will fly military patients out of a war zone Sept. 30.The flight from Iraq will end a five-day mission to the Middle East for the airlift plane from the 445th Airlift Wing here. The aircraft first started airlifting the sick and

  • Check the oil please

    It’s a long flight over “the pond” from the United States to Africa and Europe. Sometimes that flight is twice as long for those deploying to Southwest Asia.Moron Air Base is bout halfway to those locations -- and the key bases from where the U.S. military runs Operations Iraqi and Enduring

  • Relief supplies, people continue arriving at Ellington Field

    More than 100 tons of relief supplies have left this airfield for hurricane-affected Gulf Coast areas via CH-47 Chinook helicopters since Sept. 24. The airfield, which is the central hub for Texas relief operations, is home to the 147th Fighter Wing and its fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcon jets. Wing