HomeNews

NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Eielson AFB youth show 'Purple Up' pride

    Students at Robert M. Crawford Elementary School celebrated Purple Up Day April 19, honoring military children who make unique sacrifices in support of their active-duty mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers. Alaska state officials adopted Purple Up Day last year to show support for an estimated

  • Deployed service members observe Sexual Assault Awareness Month

    Sexual Assault Awareness Month is observed every April and this year at Kandahar Airfield, in celebration of this month, leaders here collaborated on events to promote awareness including a free self-defense class that offered up to 12 sessions. "Having knowledge of the type of assaults that have

  • Official discusses Transition Assistance Program at House hearing

    The Defense Department, in concert with the military services and interagency partners are successfully implementing the department's revamped Transition Assistance Program, a senior DOD official told a House Armed Services Committee subcommittee here April 24.Dr. Susan S. Kelly,  the principal

  • SecAF: Hanscom enabling linked AF future

    Systems that help collect, process and push data to where it's needed quickly and securely are vital to Air Force operations, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley said during a visit here April 25."Working independently and also with world-class high tech talent in the Boston area, you help

  • Congress reviews Air Force's readiness at House hearing

    The top leaders from the Air Force's active and Reserve components were on Capitol Hill on April 24 to provide statements and answer questions regarding their fiscal year 2014 budgets and force readiness.Representative Rob Wittman, (R-Va.), the chairman of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee,

  • Timbouktu and back: ANG med unit conducts 'irregular' operations

    "Have you heard of Timbouktu? Well, our medical personnel have been there, providing military support in some unconventional ways," said Lt. Col. Kevin Hinkle, 193rd Special Operations Medical Group chief of medical operations.Timbouktu is a region in Mali, located in the northwestern part of

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Thunderbirds crew chief takes to new heights

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Growing up around small planes, it's no surprise that 23-year-old Staff Sgt. Ben Ayivorh, a dedicated crew chief assigned to the U.S. Air Force Air

  • Air Force Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force. 

  • Academy cadets win NSA 'cyber defense' 2nd straight year

    The Air Force Academy Cyber Team won the National Security Agency's Cyber Defense Exercise, held April 16-18, for the second year in a row, outscoring teams from other military academies in the U.S. and Canada. The 13th annual inter-service Cyber Defense Exercise is a large-scale computer network

  • SecAF announces departure

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley has announced his plan to step down June 21 as the Air Force's top civilian after serving for nearly five years. "It's been an honor and a privilege to serve with our Air Force's great Airmen," Donley said. "Their accomplishments have been nothing short of

  • Senior leaders testify on health of personnel programs

    Air Force senior leaders, along with counterparts from each of the services, testified about the current state of military personnel programs before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee April 24.Daniel B. Ginsberg, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs and Lt. Gen.

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: The walk toward flight

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)There's a saying -- "a journey begins with a single step." For a flight engineer assigned to the 8th Special Operations Squadron here, even a single step

  • Affordability priority for F-35 program

    Affordability remains the priority for the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter, the Pentagon's program executive officer for the Defense Department's most expensive procurement told Congress yesterday.Air Force Lt. Gen. Christopher C. Bogdan told the Senate Armed Services Committee's airland

  • Reservists ready for wildland fire season

    Despite the winter-like weather, Colorado Air Force reservists and their active-duty counterparts were recertified April 19-23 here to respond to wildland fires.The 302nd Airlift Wing, the Air Force Reserve's only organization with the aerial fire fighting mission, held its annual Modular Airborne

  • Indonesian, U.S. forces practice humanitarian evacuation

    After two days of in-class lectures, U.S. and Indonesian service members and civilians from the Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Center participated in an aeromedical evacuation subject-matter expert exchange here, April 24.During the exchange, a disaster scenario was simulated in which patients

  • Former Ellsworth wing commander honored

    Ellsworth Honor Guard members raised the base flag in honor of Maj. Gen. Joseph Brown IV at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., April 23, 2013. Brown, who was stationed at Ellsworth from June 2001 to June 2005, and his wife, Sue, were killed April 19 when the Cessna 210 he was piloting crashed in

  • U.S.-Australia agreement promotes space situational awareness

    A new agreement made between the United States and Australia represents the first in what U.S. Strategic Command's commander hopes will be many that promote transparency in the space domain.Air Force Gen. C. Robert Kehler signed the agreement on behalf of the United States, short-cutting the process

  • Edwards completes tests to extend KC-135

    Known as "The Mighty War Wagon" of the Air Force, the KC-135 Stratotanker has proven to be the core aerial refueling capability for the Air Force for more than 50 years.With the help of the 418th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards, along with a multitude of testers, the KC-135 Block 45 test team

  • VA launches hotline for health care, women veteran questions

    The Veterans Affairs Department has launched a new hotline -- 1-855-VA-WOMEN -- to receive and respond to questions from veterans, their families and caregivers about the many VA services and resources available to women veterans.The service began accepting calls March 27."Some women veterans may

  • Ramstein Airmen train with Romanian counterparts

    More than 80 Airmen from Ramstein participated in exercise Carpathian Spring in Romania April 12 through 21.The exercise was designed for aircrew to receive upgrade training as well as building partnership capacity with Romanians."Sequestration has forced us to be more efficient with our training

  • Langley selected for 'better foods, better bodies' pilot

    The "Better Foods, Better Bodies" campaign recently selected Joint Base Langley-Eustis as a pilot base for its promotional initiative. From how Airmen shop at the commissary, to the meals they choose to eat, this movement is designed to help service members and their families make healthier

  • EPA recognizes Air Force renewable energy efforts

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Top 50 list of Green Power Partners released this month ranks the Air Force number one in the Department of Defense and number two in the federal government for its purchase and on-site production of green power. In 2012, the Air Force used 283 million

  • SecAF: Readiness, modernization in flux

    The Air Force will see few force structure changes this year, but readiness and modernization accounts will be in flux this year and next, Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley said here today.The secretary also told the Defense Writers' Group that now is the time for another base realignment and

  • SecAF discusses Airmen morale

    Deployed airmen are ready and motivated, but those based in the United States face fiscal challenges that sap morale, Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley said here today."The Airmen that we send downrange are well-trained -- they are pumped," Donley told the Defense Writers Group. "There's no

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Marathon man trains to buckle up

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)The appetizer: four times around a 25-mile track in September, with 10,000 feet of ascent and 10,000 feet of descent. The main course: a 100-mile

  • Deployed Airmen save lives miles from front lines

    The explosion took the Airman at the knee, knocking the patrol to the ground. Patrol members rushed to him, treating him for shock and taking out his individual first aid kit to render aid - various gauzes for covering the wound, two tourniquets to cut off blood flow, and a few smaller items that

  • Air Force, Italian medics simulate joint patient care

    Members of the 31st Medical Group at Aviano Air Base and the local Italian hospital in Pordenone, Italy, came together April 17 to discuss the results of the region's first international patient care simulation.The collaboration, which took place in early March, encompassed all levels of care needed

  • Nobel Laureate gives important decision-making tips

    Defense Department personnel pride themselves on their decision-making ability, but Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman believes there are ways to systematically improve and help remove biases from the process.Kahneman presented his opinions during the "New Ideas @ OSD" seminar in the Pentagon this

  • Doolittle Raiders greet, inspire Hurlburt Field Airmen during final reunion

    Three Air Force legends spoke to dozens of Airmen April 18 here, marking the 71st anniversary of when they and their fellow Airmen turned the tide of the U.S. war effort. The visit also marked the last public reunion of the Doolittle Raiders. Retired Lt. Cols. Richard Cole and  Edward Saylor and

  • Sequestration will affect force readiness

    The four branches of the military delivered another warning to Congress April 18 that a prolonged budget sequester will significantly affect military readiness, and could leave the services unable to carry out defense strategy.Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Larry Spencer told lawmakers

  • Airmen, EPA combine conservation efforts for Earth Day

     In commemoration of Earth Day, more than 150 volunteers participated in a coastal cleanup April 21 on Tarague Beach here.Earth Day is an international event that demonstrates the commitment and significant investment the United States and other countries have made toward environmental security.

  • Sequestration impact on combat aviation: decreased readiness

    The near and long term effects of sequestration and budget cuts for the military's combat aviation assets was the focus of a House Armed Services Committee subcommittee panel on Capitol Hill April 17.Two of the Air Force's top experts on combat aviation acquisition and operations, along with their

  • USAFE commander confirmed for NATO/EUCOM command

    Air Force Gen. Philip M. Breedlove will assume responsibilities as commander of U.S. European Command and as NATO's supreme allied commander for Europe during change-of-command ceremonies slated for mid-May, EUCOM officials reported.The Senate confirmed Breedlove's nomination for the post that Navy

  • Airman's sharp eye saves AF $348K

    As Air Force officials seek to institute a culture change through the "Every Dollar Counts" campaign, one deployed airman's determination helped to save more than a third of a million dollarsMaster Sgt. Ernest Harrison, 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron transportation management

  • General, wife die in private plane crash

    Maj. Gen. Joseph D. Brown IV and his wife, Sue S. Brown, were killed April 19, when the Cessna 210 he was piloting crashed in Williamsburg, Va. General Brown has been the commandant of The Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy in Washington D.C. since October

  • Air Force Week in Photos Special Edition: Angel Thunder 2013

    This week's photos feature Airmen participating in the joint service, multinational, interagency combat search and rescue exercise, Angel Thunder.  Angel Thunder 2013 is a personnel recovery exercise designed to provide training for participants using a variety of scenarios to simulate deployment

  • Massachusetts Air National Guard responded to marathon bombing

    Every year on Patriot's Day, a Massachusetts state holiday commemorating the opening battle of the American Revolution in 1775, the 102nd Security Forces Squadron deploys a team of Airmen to line the route of the annual Boston Marathon. Their mission: to augment local law enforcement by providing

  • Warrior Games camp prepares Air Force team

    Athletes representing the Air Force during this year's Warrior Games participated in a week-long training camp here April 14-20.The Warrior Games, held May 11-16 at the U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Olympic Training Center, are a sport competition for sick and injured service members and veterans.

  • AF earns top DOD environmental awards

    Two Air Force units have been recognized as the best in the Department of Defense at being "green."The 673rd Air Base Wing, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and the 78th Civil Engineer Group, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., were among the winners of the 2013 Secretary of Defense Environmental

  • Senate confirms Fanning as next Air Force under secretary

    Eric Fanning will be the next Air Force under secretary, according to a Senate confirmation vote April 18. Fanning provided testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee Feb. 28, before the full Senate voted on his confirmation. Now the president must appoint him before he can assume his new

  • AF captain seriously injured during Boston Marathon blasts

    An Air Force captain stationed at Hanscom Air Force Base, outside of Boston, was one of the bystanders seriously injured during one of two devastating explosions that rocked the Boston Marathon on April 15.Capt. Adam K. Davis is a deputy IPT lead systems engineer with the Air Force Life Cycle

  • New AF pregnancy website offers state-of-the-art support

    The Air Force Medical Service's Center of Excellence for Medical Multimedia, or CEMM, recently unveiled an educational and state-of-the-art website on pregnancy for Airmen and their families.The Pregnancy A to Z website, www.pregnancyatoz.org, is the CEMM's 12th educational website. The site

  • Air Force Combat Talons fly for last time

    The Air Force's last four MC-130E Combat Talon I's spread their wings for a final mission from their home at Duke Field on April 15.The Talons will be officially retired in a ceremony at Duke Field on April 25 and the aircraft will then be flown to the "boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base,

  • AF observes Sexual Assault Awareness Month

    At installations around the world Airmen are working together to increase awareness, prevent and care for the victims of sexual assault, with a variety of events underway in observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Air Force Personnel Center officials said.From the commander in chief to the

  • AFPC implements live chat capability on myPers website

    The Air Force Personnel Center now provides live chat capability through the myPers website, AFPC officials announced recently.Since April 5, live chat capability has provided users interested in retiring with the option of real time communication with personnel specialists. Additional topics will

  • Former bases offer communities earth-friendly education opportunities

    As one of 10,000 students at Arizona State University's Poly Technic campus at the former Williams Air Force Base, Ariz., Theodore Betkie heard about the Air Force's soil cleanup efforts at his campus. Since he knew past military operations caused some problems from fuel spills and leaks, he

  • AF leaders highlight space program successes, address FY14 budget

    Space today is in as good a position as it's been in a very long time, said Richard McKinney, the deputy under secretary of the Air Force for space. McKinney, along with Dr. Jamie Morin, the acting under secretary of the Air Force, and Brig. Gen. Robert McMurry, the director of space programs for

  • Reserve, Guard leaders discuss FY14 budget

    The top leaders from Army, Navy, Marine and Air Force Reserve and National Guard were on Capitol Hill here April 17 to provide statements and answer questions regarding their FY14 budget proposals.Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., the chairwoman of the full U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations, Sen.

  • DOD 'scrubbing money pot' to reduce furloughs, Carter says

    Pentagon leaders from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on down are looking for ways to reduce the pending civilian employee layoffs known as furloughs, Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter said April 16.Under the department's current plan, more than 700,000 civilian employees will receive furlough

  • Carter: DOD will prevail against uncertainty

    The Defense Department will prevail against both strategic and budgetary uncertainty, Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter told members of the military community April 16.Carter spoke to service members and civilian employees during a visit to Scott Air Force Base, Ill. The base is home to U.S.

  • Science, technology remain critical, official says

    Despite fiscal uncertainty, science and technology remain critical elements in mitigating emerging threats against the United States, a Defense Department official told Congress yesterday.Alan Shaffer, the acting assistant secretary of defense for research and engineering, pledged to continue a

  • Air Force officials announce civilian Reduction in Force

    In a continuing effort to meet the Department of Defense funding targets in the FY12 President's Budget and re-balance the civilian workforce, approximately 60 Air Force installations will implement civilian Reduction in Force authorities effective through about Aug. 23, to assist in the placement

  • Airmen make progress in bid for Everest

    A team of Air Force mountaineers began their journey to ascend and summit Mount Everest recently as the final expedition of the independent U.S. Air Force Seven Summit Challenge. The team of six Airmen is underway on a 50-day journey to the highest mountain on earth, completing a project that began

  • Program launches to educate communities on family needs

    A new publication series designed to educate civilians on the specialized needs of military and veteran families in their neighborhoods launched here April 15.Charles E. Milam, the acting assistant secretary of defense for military community and family policy, spoke at the launch event at the

  • Filmmaker honors deployed women's sacrifices

    "I'm coming home, I'm coming home. Tell the world I'm coming home." As the song fades, along with an image of a uniformed woman hugging her young son, JulieHera DeStefano watched as an audience of Airmen silently wiped away tears and took a collective deep breath in. Aviano Airmen were given the

  • Airmen fight hunger through 'Food for Kidz'

    Global hunger took another hit today by Luke Air Force Base service members and their families April 13 as they worked alongside community organizations to build "Food for Kidz" boxes.Approximately 165 volunteers from Luke AFB spent about six hours packaging 105,000 meals, which will be sent to

  • Hagel eliminates Distinguished Warfare Medal

    Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has eliminated the Distinguished Warfare Medal, DOD officials announced today.Instead, the military will recognize service members who directly affect combat operations without being present through distinguishing devices that will be affixed to already existing

  • Former Airman now NBA pro

    The court was shining and cameras flashing as a crowd of thousands gathered in the Sleep Train Arena to watch the Dallas Mavericks duel the Sacramento Kings April 5. Beale Airmen and 9th Reconnaissance Wing commander, Col. Phil Stewart gathered to witness the contest and meet former 9th Security

  • 'Thunderbirds' announce 2014 officer selections

    The commander of Air Combat Command, Gen. Mike Hostage III, has officially selected the officers who will be joining the United States Air Force Thunderbirds for the 2014 demonstration season. Lt. Col. Matthew Bradley, 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron director of operations from Tyndall AFB, Fla., will

  • AF Honor Guard blossoms in joint drill exhibition

    The U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team members displayed their skill at a Joint Service Drill Team Exhibition on the National Mall during the 101st National Cherry Blossom Festival here April 13.Between the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and its iconic reflecting pool, the 12 Drill Team members

  • Air Superiority: Advantage over enemy skies for 60 years

    A few months after the D-Day invasion in June 1944, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower surveyed the Normandy beaches with his son. "You'd never get away with this if you didn't have air supremacy," then 2nd Lt. John Eisenhower told his father. "Without air supremacy," the elder Eisenhower replied, "I

  • Earth Day: Air Force officials emphasize water conservation

    Every April 22, the Air Force recognizes Earth Day, a time to show support for the environment. This year, the Air Force is focusing on water reduction and reuse. Water projects may not attract many news headlines, but the money and critical resources they save, deserve attention."An emerging part

  • Teamwork, technology allows Kandahar C-130J AE crew to save a life

    On the battlefield of northern Afghanistan in late March, an Air Force combat controller was shot by the enemy through the right thigh, opening up a large wound and fracturing his femur. The Airman was rushed to a hospital at Mazar-e Sharif, where he was operated on in an effort to save his leg and

  • 'Every dollar counts' ushers in new savings culture

    With budgets shrinking, Air Force leaders are calling on Airmen to share their best money-saving ideas through the Every Dollar Counts campaign.In the wake of sequestration, the initiative marks a cultural shift that empowers Airmen to find and recommend areas for savings that may be used to support

  • AF installations chief testifies to Congress on BRAC, MILCON

    In testimony before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction-Veteran Affairs here April 12, a senior Air Force leader announced the fiscal year 2014 budget for the service's installation programs. Kathleen Ferguson, Air Force Installations, Environment and Logistics, outlined

  • SecAF discusses $114.1 billion budget proposal

    The Air Force's top civilian leader today presented his service's fiscal 2014 $114.1 billion baseline budget request to Congress and shared some of the fiscal challenges the Air Force has faced."As with all budgets, our FY (2014) request represents a snapshot in time," Secretary of the Air Force

  • Budget request provides for best Air Force possible, Welsh says

    The Air Force's $114.1 billion fiscal 2014 budget request will provide for the most capable airpower arm possible, the Air Force chief of staff said here today.Testifying with Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley, Gen. Mark A. Welsh III told the House Armed Services Committee his service's

  • Air Force Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • 38 Airmen selected for physician assistant program

    More than three dozen Airmen, including one U.S. Air Force Academy cadet, have been selected for the Interservice Physician Assistant Program, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced today.Out of 52 applicants, six officers (one an alternate), one U.S. Air Force Academy cadet and 31 enlisted

  • Dempsey lauds honorees at Military Child of the Year gala

    Compassion, faith and patriotism earned five youths, each representing a service branch, acclaim from senior leaders during the 5th Annual Military Child of the Year Awards Gala at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Pentagon City here April 12.Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of

  • Army recognizes RED HORSE, PRIME BEEF Airmen

    Eighteen Airmen assigned to the 557th Expeditionary Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron and 577th Expeditionary Prime Base Engineer Emergency Forces Squadron were awarded an Army Commendation or Achievement Medal for their support of the 1st Battalion, 43th Air Defense

  • Space Command's ops chief discusses new warfighter role

    The Director of Air, Space and Cyberspace Operations for Air Force Space Command spoke at the Space Warfighters Luncheon April 9 during the 29th National Space Symposium held at the Broadmoor Resort, Colorado Springs, Colo.Maj. Gen. Jack Weinstein addressed a packed room of both military and

  • Airmen learn to make leaner, more efficient Air Force

    Airmen first class to colonels and civilians from more than 10 Air Force specialties discussed ways to improve work center processes and remove waste during the Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century Continuous Process Improvement Course here April 1-4.The four-day class, also referred to

  • Retired 'crew dogs' keep Norton's legacy alive

    Thanks to a group of retired Air Force C-141 "Crew Dogs," the legacy of Norton Air Force Base, lives on. Members of the 63rd and 445th Airlift Wings Veterans Group were instrumental in the recent opening of the Norton Air Force Base Museum, located in the former NCO club at the San Bernardino

  • EUCOM nominee outlines priorities during confirmation hearing

    The Afghan security transition, the Arab Spring and the U.S.-Russia relationship were among the command priorities discussed this morning during the Senate Armed Services Committee's confirmation hearing for President Barack Obama's choice to be the next commander of U.S. European Command and NATO's

  • AMC commander stresses importance of new tanker

    The commander of the Air Force's Air Mobility Command today stressed the high priority his service places on the KC-46A tanker aircraft program.Air Force Gen. Paul J. Selva discussed progress with the program and stressed its priority in a meeting with Defense Writers Group reporters.Air Force

  • VA funding reflects commitment to vets

    Emphasizing that a nation's budget reflects its core priorities, a senior Veterans Affairs Department official said the proposed 10 percent fiscal year 2014 budget increase for VA and the fact that the department is specifically sheltered from sequestration demonstrate America's unwavering

  • FY 14 budget: Sequester puts key Air Force objectives at risk

    Upon release of the Air Force Fiscal Year 2014 budget here April 10, the services' senior leaders said the shadow of sequestration in 2013 and on-going fiscal uncertainty will affect critical programs and objectives for years to come.While Air Force officials have scrambled to minimize impacts on

  • Deployed Airmen bridge cultures with words

    Airmen and Soldiers give lessons in conversational English to Afghan students at the Korean Vocational Training Center here, as part of the effort to create a better future for coalition partners.Master Sgt. Dean Regazzi, 455th Expeditionary Medical Group first sergeant, coordinated the 51 American

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Crew chief keeps B-2s ready for long journeys

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story)His hands are glazed from spatters of grease and oil. His uniform reeks of hydraulic fluid after working a 12-hour shift maintaining a B-2 Spirit.Airman

  • Cyberspace: Fundamental to joint fight

    Cyber operations are a clear catalyst for change in the art and science of modern warfare, Lt. Gen. John Hyten, the Air Force Space Command vice commander, said during the Space Foundation's Cyber 1.3 luncheon here, April 8. Hyten emphasized the importance of getting back to the basics in cyber, the

  • Air Force restarts tuition assistance

    The Air Force has officially restarted military tuition assistance, effective immediately. The service restarted the program as a result of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013, where Congress called for the MTA program to continue in the current fiscal year. As a

  • New resources promote fitness culture

    To help improve Total Force fitness levels, Air Force Personnel Center officials are fielding new fitness resources accessible online, in person or on DVD.These resources, including the Operational Fitness Program, Xtreme Wednesday Workouts, the Air Force Fitness DVDs and the Fitness on Request

  • Nellis AFB pilots fly their first operational F-35 mission

    Two F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron here conducted the aircraft's first operational flights from Nellis AFB. These historic flights came less than a month after the March 19 arrival ceremony for the aircraft, but members of the 57th Maintenance Group's

  • DOD releases FY 14 defense budget proposal

    President Barack Obama today sent to Congress a proposed defense budget of $526.6 billion in discretionary budget authority to fund defense programs in the base budget for fiscal year (FY) 2014. The budget continues the department's commitment to good stewardship of taxpayer dollars by seeking

  • DEERS streamlined for better efficiency

    A modification in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System is expected to streamline personal records for better efficiency, the director of the Defense Manpower Data Center said here yesterday.In an interview with American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon Channel, Mary Dixon said

  • Operation 'Deep Freeze' wraps up for the season

    Following the arrival March 18 of SKIER 75 - the last LC-130 "Skibird" aircraft to depart the Operation Deep Freeze Joint Operating Area, the 2012-2013 ODF season completed another successful, yet challenging campaign.The Skibird's arrival at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam marks 55 years that

  • Deployed Airmen scramble to replace 200,000 gallon fuel bladder

    Like oxygen to the human body or sunlight to a tree, fuel is essential to an aircraft getting off the ground. The Airmen of the 380th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels flight worked together April 2 and 4 to replace a 200,000 gallon fuel bladder. "We have a crane come from the Civil

  • Air Force graduates first RPA armament course

    Five Airmen from the 363rd Training Squadron graduated from the Air Force's first Remotely-Piloted Aircraft armament apprentice course during a graduation ceremony here April 8.Prior to the RPA armament apprentice course coming on-line, Airmen who were headed to an RPA armament assignment received

  • Air Force Reserve celebrates 65 years of historic service

    President Harry S. Truman signed legislation on April 14, 1948, establishing the modern-day Air Force Reserve. The new organization reaffirmed the "Citizen Airmen" concept that reaches back to the Army Air Service reservists of the First World War. This came seven months after Truman established the

  • KC-46 progress on track

    The top acquisition priority in the Air Force - acquiring a new aerial refueling capability - is proceeding "on track," Maj. Gen. John Thompson, the program executive officer for Tankers, said.Two years and several key milestones after the contract was awarded, a great deal of progress has been

  • Cyber Airman-development strategically critical to the nation

    Cyber Airman development became the focus of discussion at Cyber 1.3 in Colorado Springs April 8, as Chief Master Sgt. Linus Jordan, command chief, Air Force Space Command, addressed space and cyber industry leaders at the conference prior to official opening of the 29th National Space

  • Air Combat Command stands down units due to budget cuts

    Air Force officials will begin to stand down active-duty combat units starting April 9 to ensure the remaining units supporting worldwide operations can maintain sufficient readiness through the remainder of the fiscal year.The stand down is the result of cuts to Air Combat Command's operations and

  • ANG Airmen rescue researcher from glacier

    Airmen with the Alaska Air National Guard's 210th, 211th and 212th Rescue Squadrons rescued a snowmobiler who fell 80 feet into a glacier crevasse April 4.According to the Associated Press, Tom Douglas, 41, of Fairbanks, landed unhurt on his feet on a ledge at Jarvis Glacier near Delta

  • Airman keeps squadron 'in the fight'

    When 26th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters scramble for a casualty evacuation mission, the environment they are flying into is unpredictableWhether the environment is hostile or not, they always prepare for the worst -- that's where Air Force Senior Airman Austin Stoker

  • AF officials select new fire chief

    The Air Force has a new top firefighter.Jim Podolske has been named chief of Fire Emergency Services, a division of the Air Force Civil Engineer Center's Readiness Directorate here. As the Air Force fire chief, Podolske will manage a force of more than 9,200 military and civilian firefighters as

  • Sexual assault awareness 'begins at top'

    To combat and put an end to sexual assault in the military, the Defense Department has designed programs to boost victim medical care, increase assault reporting and hold offenders accountable for their crimes, the director of the Pentagon's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office said here

  • Travel Channel brings 'magic' to Airmen

    Even with all that goes on one at Tyndall one of the last things expected to be seen here is magic tricks.The Travel Channel' s street magician, JB Benn, visited Tyndall on March 29. He and his crew filmed for their TV show "Magic Man," which focuses on Mr. Benn stunning the average by stander on

  • Navy recognizes Andersen firefighters

    Navy Fire and Emergency Services recently named two Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Airmen Firefighter of the Year and Fire Officer of the Year for 2012.The all-encompassing awards recognized Tech. Sgt. Arnold Castro, 36th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire and Emergency Services Station captain, and