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  • Warfighters get ‘sneak peak’ at JEFX

    Battle management in the Air Force is changing, and 58 Airmen and two Soldiers from 14 different home bases are helping to shape its future.The Battle Control Center-Experimental, currently being tested and evaluated at the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2004, is a bridge between the Air

  • Synchronization system brings awareness to warfighters

    A new set of synchronization capabilities are being tested and experimented with here at Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2004, the fifth in a series of major chief of staff of the Air Force-sponsored experiments that test new and emerging technologies.Global Concept-of-operations

  • Transient-alert team packs ‘em in

    Standing on the flightline here, people can see a lot of strange birds -- “birds” with names like AN-12, L-1011 and IL-76.These “birds,” and a host of other Soviet-built aircraft, join other, more common C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster IIIs on the flightline here, bringing supplies to coalition

  • Cycling team finishes weeklong, nearly 500-mile ride

    More than 100 Air Force cyclists wheeled into Clinton, Iowa, at high noon July 31. It was the end of a week and almost 500 miles on the road for the riders participating in the Des Moines Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa.Team Air Force arrived in Clinton in a two-column formation

  • Army, Air Force sharing battle information

    Parked under camouflaged netting in the heat of the Nevada sun is an extended cab Humvee equipped with all the modern comforts of home: vinyl seats, air conditioning, tinted windows and four 23-inch plasma displays.It is not the Army’s version of a stretch limousine, but an element of the Army’s

  • Paul Revere takes flight during JEFX

    Paul Revere is no longer a lone rider on horse. Here it is the name given to a task force of Air Force, Department of Defense workers and government contractors flying in a contracted government Boeing 707, allowing warfighters to experiment with and test the latest communication technology.Time is

  • Raptor continuing Air Force's air superiority record

    With air dominance training under way here, the Air Force's newest asset, the F/A-22 Raptor, is proving its worth every day as it nears initial operational capability.The Raptor will eventually replace the F-15 Eagle, an aircraft with an undefeated 104-0 combat record, according to Brig. Gen. Larry

  • Liaison officers provide link to Naval airpower during JEFX

    For Sailors, it is not the typical tour of duty – witnessing rows of Airmen dimly outlined against the faint glow of computer screens requesting Naval airpower for a coordinated strike against enemy assets.The setting is the Combined Air and Space Operations Center and the tour of duty is the Naval

  • Major commands highlight support, sustainment issues

    Air Force acquisition and management officials met with Air Mobility Command leaders here July 27 to review programs, discuss sustainment issues and look for ways to better support air mobility warriors.Dr. Marvin R. Sambur, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition; Gen. John W. Handy,

  • Gridlock technology brings coordinates to warfighters

    Gridlock, or precision Geo-registration of Imagery from Airborne Platforms, provides a machine-to-machine capability for military imagery interpreters that can do in one minute what a targeteer, or target designator, would take between 20 minutes to never to accomplish.This technology for tomorrow’s

  • Plans on table to sustain Minuteman III

    The officer in charge of America's intercontinental ballistic missile force said plans are well under way to sustain the life of the Minuteman III missile until the year 2020.Maj. Gen. Frank Klotz, 20th Air Force commander, visited here recently and spoke about the future of America's ICBM force.

  • Air Force leaders support C-130J program

    Air Force officials are standing by the C-130J Hercules as the aircraft prepares to join the fight, despite a recent Department of Defense inspector general report criticizing the program.The Air Force fully endorses the C-130J, senior Air Force acquisitions officials said. The program is one of

  • Airmen begin structural analysis of C-5A

    Rolling up their sleeves, people from the 653rd Combat Logistics Support Squadron set about cutting through the skin and muscle of a C-5A Galaxy this week to remove the giant wings and lend a hand to those evaluating the aircraft’s viability for the future.Inspections began last year on a Galaxy,

  • New base map shows ‘big picture’

    People from the 78th Civil Engineer Squadron have given a whole new meaning to the term “big picture” with a new geographic information system that is putting every square inch of the base on the map -- literally.According to Ron Jones, 78th CEG systems administrator, the premise behind the system

  • Air Force approves humanitarian medal for OEF

    The Air Force has authorized the Humanitarian Service Medal for certain people who supported Operation Enduring Freedom.During the operation, hundreds of Airmen participated in packaging and delivering nearly 2.5 million individual human daily rations that were air-dropped to beleaguered Afghans.The

  • USAFE members deploy to Eagle Flag

    More than 100 Airmen from U. S. Air Forces Europe deployed to a fictional country July 23 as part of the Air Mobility Warfare Center’s Eagle Flag exercise.The Airmen joined more than 200 others from bases worldwide for the 10-day exercise here.Eagle Flag is an Air Mobility Command program designed

  • Experiment testing new data system

    The Data Link Automated Reporting System is set to be one of the revolutionary initiatives tested here during the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2004.JEFX 2004 is an Air Force-sponsored experiment that assesses new and emerging technologies that can be quickly fielded.“With this system we’ve

  • Deputy secretary of defense visits McChord

    An audience of more than 800 Airmen and Soldiers took part in a unique question-and-answer session with one of the nation’s top military leaders here July 23.Dr. Paul Wolfowitz, deputy secretary of defense, held a town hall meeting with Airmen from here, Soldiers from neighboring Fort Lewis, and

  • Guardsmen fighting California fires

    Air National Guard crews from the 146th Airlift Wing here are helping battle wildfires raging on the West Coast.Crews have been fighting fires in California during July, most recently against the Crown Fire near Santa Clarita. Forty-five ANG people and two specially equipped C-130 Hercules aircraft

  • JEFX 2004 execution phase is under way

    The Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2004 execution phase is under way here. This is the fifth in a series of large-scale experiments that explore and assess new and emerging air power capabilities.The executing phase began July 19 and ends Aug. 5.Previous meetings, or spirals, focused on

  • House hears space cadre testimony

    Air Force leaders provided key testimony July 22 to the House Armed Services Committee’s strategic force subcommittee about efforts to develop the professional space cadre.The undersecretary of the Air Force, Peter B. Teets, and the commander of Air Force Space Command, Gen. Lance W. Lord, explained

  • Teets discusses national security space strategy

    Peter B. Teets, the undersecretary of the Air Force for space, spoke about the future of space during the National Defense Industrial Association symposium on space policy and architecture.Representatives from the secretary of defense’s office, unified combatant commands and service space components

  • Advisers warn Congress about special operations retention

    Retaining special operations people is crucial to the war on terrorism, special operations senior enlisted advisers told Congress on July 20.Special operations troops are deployed around the world in greater numbers than at any time in history, officials said. These senior advisers -- responsible

  • Atomic bomb returns to Air Force Museum

    A poignant symbol of World War II history returned to the Air Force Museum here July 15 after a yearlong restoration project. The museum received its “Little Boy” atomic bomb following restoration at the Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, N.M. It is the same type as the one the dropped

  • Air Force cyclists continue cycling legacy for 10th year

    For the 10th year, Air Force cyclists will take to their bikes for the Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. The RAGBRAI XXXII ride takes place July 25 to 31, covering about 500 miles through the middle of the state.The “Team Air Force” legacy began in 1995 when a group of 28

  • F-16 test team conducts first guided launch of AIM-9X

    A test team from the Global Power Fighters Combined Test Force here moved a step closer to demonstrating the full combat capability of the newest variant of the AIM-9 Sidewinder missile on the F-16 Fighting Falcon.Maj. Bill Peris, a 416th Flight Test Squadron test pilot, fired the AIM-9X from an

  • Safe, adequate housing gets highest priority

    Caring for Air Force families is the highest priority and one way to reinforce that commitment is to provide safe, adequate and affordable housing, said the Air Force’s senior military leader.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper released a Site Picture on July 6, detailing his and Air Force

  • Air Force Fleet Viability Board releases C-5A assessment

    With some qualifications, the first Air Force Fleet Viability Board assessment shows the C-5A Galaxy has at least 25 years of service life remaining.While the aircraft is among the oldest in the Air Force inventory, officials reported there are no major structural life issues. In the board’s

  • Airman dies in Iraq

    An Airman assigned to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing and attached to the U.S. Army’s 494th Truck Company at Balad Air Base, Iraq, was killed in action July 11.Staff Sgt. Dustin W. Peters, 25, died when the convoy he was riding in encountered an improvised explosive device.Sergeant Peters served as

  • Airmen help South Africans by providing donations

    The road to nearby Kgautswane was dusty and disheartening July 10 for 50 Airmen deployed to South Africa and participating in exercise MedFlag 2004. As they rode down the remote rural road, they were forced to cover their noses and mouths with their hats to breathe as a brownish cloud filled the

  • Supply Airmen keep materials rolling in

    When people think of supply support, the first item that comes to mind may not be water.And yet, a weighty part of the supply Airmen’s job in the arid environment here is to process 15 pallets of the liquid each week. More than 25,000 bottles of water are used each week by 600-plus Airmen deployed

  • Course trains Airmen to drive convoys for Army in Iraq

    Riding in a truck through Iraq, manning a weapon and facing armed adversaries is not a scenario many Air Force vehicle operators thought they would see.But that is exactly what more than 500 of these Airmen are doing -- driving convoys for the Army supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Chief Master

  • Airmen help bring wounded home

    Forty-eight wounded Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines were brought home for Independence Day, and six medical workers from the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron here were there to help get them back safely.This is the second time 43rd AES Airmen have been able to participate in the routine

  • Engineers develop improved robotic tractor

    Engineers here are designing, building and testing a more advanced, robotic trenching tractor so combat engineers can perform cable trenching and excavation missions in dangerous locations. An early version of the tractor was developed last year and used in Iraq.Air Force Research Laboratory’s

  • Air Force amputee returns to flight status

    An Airman here who had his leg amputated above the knee will soon fly an Air Force aircraft again.Lt. Col. Andrew Lourake, the Commander’s Action Group chief, has been medically cleared to return to flight status.The Air Force surgeon general, Lt. Gen. George Peach Taylor, medically cleared Colonel

  • Air Force symbol now official

    The Air Force symbol is now official, four years after the service first applied for trademark protection.“I'm proud our symbol is now an official part of our heritage," said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper. "It represents our storied past and links our 21st Century Air Force to our

  • Taking care of patients in air

    Most military aircraft are not well known for passenger comfort.But when passengers are seriously ill or injured, a team of medical experts is always on hand to ensure as comfortable a ride as possible.“We are responsible for moving casualties in-theater as well as between theaters,” said Capt. Karl

  • Teamwork, determination avert crash landing

    A C-130 Hercules from the 710th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, with 65 people on board, came within minutes of making a crash landing June 29.What started out to be a 90-minute flight turned into three and a half hours of nonstop effort to get the aircraft safely on the ground.Leaving Balad Air

  • Expeditionary mindset provides stability, predictability for Airmen

    Nothing much stands out at the Air and Space Expeditionary Force Center at Langley Air Force Base, Va.The rooms upon rooms of cubicles are standard for a work center. A snack room provides lunch for those too busy to leave, and a larger parking lot would make people happier.Everything appears

  • Air Force makes big waves at annual surfing invitational

    Under picture-perfect tropical skies, more than 70 surfers from all five branches of the armed services competed for bragging rights in the third annual Military Surfing Invitational at Oahu’s Kewalo Basin on June 26 and 27.The Air Force team took second place in the overall “Best of Branch”

  • Airmen deliver 35,000 helmets to Afghanistan

    Airmen flew more than 35,000 Romanian military helmets to Afghanistan from here June 24 in a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III. The helmets are for the Afghan army.Donated by the Romanian government, the helmets were packed and loaded by a team of Romanian servicemembers and a three-person U.S.

  • Commander leads troops through transition

    Leading more than 160,000 troops through a transition of authority from coalition forces to the interim Iraqi government is more of an art than a science says the commanding general for Multinational Corps-Iraq.Army Lt. Gen. Thomas F. Metz said that art comes in the delicate balance of reassigning

  • Reservists rescue injured firefighters in Arizona

    Reservists from the 305th Rescue Squadron here rescued two injured firefighters struck by lightning while fighting fires on Arizona’s Mount Graham on June 24. Squadron officials received the rescue request at 3 p.m. from the Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service. After Rescue Coordination

  • Yokota aircraft parts store never closes

    Airmen assigned to the 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron is aircraft parts store element here work around the clock supporting the Air Force airlift mission in the Pacific region.The group of inventory management technicians receive, store and issue needed parts worth $46 million for C-130 Hercules

  • General Bradley will command Air Force Reserve

    On June 24, the Senate confirmed Maj. Gen. John A. Bradley as chief of Air Force Reserve and commander of Air Force Reserve Command, and appointed him to the rank of lieutenant general. General Bradley is the former assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for reserve matters at the

  • Robotic warriors display capabilities

    Pentagon officials and guests were treated to a demonstration of the remote detection challenge and response, or REDCAR, initiative June 23.REDCAR uses unmanned robotic platforms to provide perimeter defense of Air Force bases and forward-deployed units.“With REDCAR we can integrate a family of

  • New UAV innovations could change face of war

    Unmanned aerial vehicles could start playing a more active role in missions to suppress and destroy enemy air defenses if a UAV Battlelab initiative proves successful.Testing of the new Joint Multiplatform Weapons Carriage System took place at Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field, Nev., on June

  • Murray talks deployments, force shaping

    Combat needs, not current manpower standards, are what Air Force officials are using to determine how many people are filling the ranks, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald Murray said. This, he said, is the first time in Air Force history that combat needs have been the determining

  • Officials detail global posture realignment process

    The realignment of U.S. forces in the world will mirror the changing threats and be a result of a fundamental shift in national security, the DOD undersecretary for policy told the House Armed Services Committee on June 23.Douglas Feith said that the effort now under way thinks through how U.S.

  • House hears military construction testimony

    Justification for the Air Force’s annual construction budget request can usually be summed up in a couple of words, the service’s top uniformed official said.Mission accomplishment.That message was the central theme during testimony on Capitol Hill on June 22, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P.

  • A Minuteman moment

    An unarmed Minuteman III ICBM launched from here at 1:32 a.m. PDT on June 23. The missile’s unarmed re-entry vehicle traveled nearly 4,200 miles in about 30 minutes, hitting a predetermined target on Kwajalein Atoll in the western chain of the Marshall Islands. The mission was part of the Force

  • UAV Battlelab stands up at Indian Springs

    Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field near here is entering a new era in providing unmanned aerial vehicle support to the combat air force.Currently the only installation with a fleet of operational remotely piloted aircraft, Indian Springs is now also the home of the Air Force’s Unmanned Aerial

  • NCOs help with air cover

    More than 200 noncommissioned officers are helping the Army by providing air cover for patrols protecting convoys, performing raids, responding to mortar and road attacks, and training Iraqis to provide their own security.They are part of a tactical air control party, which is a self-supporting team

  • Shop reorganizes, reduces maintenance-flow days

    Maintainers here are promising to cut nearly two months off Common Configuration Improvement Program efforts on Air Force fighter aircraft by rearranging work spaces and making the flow smoother.Program modifications are being done here to enhance the cockpit, avionics and combat capability of about

  • American C-17 airlifts Iraqi child to Hungarian hospital

    Medics from the 379th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron helped airlift a 13-year-old Iraqi to Budapest, Hungary, recently.A dozen crewmembers aboard a C-17 Globemaster III helped transport Abbas Jabbar, who was injured last month when he ran in front of a Hungarian convoy patrolling near

  • Sembach security forces practice aerial rescues

    Eleven Airmen of the 786th Security Forces Squadron at nearby Sembach Air Base practiced their search and rescue skills here June 14 to 18 during NATO Operation Clean Hunter.They were joined by people from the 56th Rescue Squadron at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, and rescue teams from the

  • Symposium highlights changing times

    Future Air Force budgets with fewer modernization dollars are requiring Air Force people to change processes to make current aircraft last longer.This is one topic Dr. Marvin Sambur, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, discussed here at the 25th Annual Air Force Association Focus

  • TACC commander receives management award

    The commander of the Tanker Airlift Control Center has received the 2003 Eugene M. Zuckert Management Award.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche presented Brig. Gen. Paul J. Selva with the award during a ceremony at the Pentagon on June 16.“I have the coolest job on the planet, because I

  • Secretary celebrates 227th anniversary of Old Glory

    Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche joined those gathered at the base flagpole here June 14 to celebrate the history of the nation’s flag.The U.S. Air Force Ceremonial Brass, Andrews base honor guard, veterans and guests joined in commemorating Flag Day.“This is a special day, the

  • Morón keeps aircraft moving, projects expeditionary air power

    About halfway between the United States and the Middle East, the runway here was recently labeled by Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche as “the irreplaceable gateway” for aircraft, cargo and troops headed for central and Southwest Asia . U.S. Air Forces in Europe leaders visited here

  • Academy aircraft resume flight

    Officials here have directed academy aircraft back into service starting June 15. Flight operations here were suspended April 2 following a safety review. Since that time, numerous actions have been taken to resolve all concerns expressed by academy leaders. Major actions taken include a detailed

  • Secretary, three others receive NAACP awards

    The Air Force secretary and three other Airmen received NAACP awards for outstanding and noteworthy efforts in implementing policies and programs which promote equal opportunity in the military.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche garnered the National Association for the Advancement of

  • Convoy course prepares Airmen for duty in Iraq

    Air Education and Training Command leaders saw the need for the Basic Combat Convoy Course for Airmen during a visit to Iraq in March, and 37th Training Wing experts here assembled the course in record time.The first platoon of Airmen began the course June 7, training to relieve transportation

  • Air Force journalists win DOD awards

    Air Force print and broadcast journalists won nine categories in the 2003 Thomas Jefferson Awards for excellence in military media. The results were announced by Defense Information School officials here.The awards recognize military and civilian employee print and broadcast journalists for

  • Reagan makes first, last flight in jet he ordered

    The blue-and-white presidential jet that brought the flag-draped coffin of former President Ronald Reagan to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., on June 9 is an aircraft he ordered before he left office, but this was his first ride in it.President Reagan ordered two identical Boeing 747s to replace the

  • New technology worth its weight in chrome

    A powdered blend of tungsten carbide and cobalt used to coat jet engine parts, and new thermal-spray technology used to apply it are being tested by people at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center here.The powdered blend is emerging as the military’s best bet for replacing cancer-causing chrome,

  • If you break it, they will come

    Outside, there is a simple, painted sign: “If you break it, we can make it.” Inside, there is an array of equipment, somewhat reminiscent of a high-school machine shop.On either side, the fabrication branch Airmen here have a vital mission: To fix or make the parts and tools needed to keep the

  • Airmen get direct flights into AOR

    Airmen assigned to Pacific Air Forces now have a dedicated flight to take them directly into U.S. Central Command theater when they leave to fill their air and space expeditionary force responsibilities.About 200 Airmen from Yokota and Kadena Air Bases in Japan took the first direct flight into the

  • Civilian leaders see USAFE capabilities

    Civilian leaders participating in the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference got a firsthand, and sometimes hands-on, look here June 8 at how U.S. Air Forces in Europe Airmen support the war on terrorism.About 50 business, academic and local government leaders nationwide sat in the cockpits of F-15

  • Jumper shares view on AEF cycle length extension

    The Air Force chief of staff announced the extension of the baseline for deployments from 90 to 120 days and the change of the air and space expeditionary force cycle from 15 months to 20 months. The changes will take place beginning with AEF Cycle 5 in September, said Gen. John P. Jumper in his

  • ‘Integration’ theme of JEFX 04 Spiral 3

    With the successful conclusion of Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment Spiral 3 recently, the stage is now set for the largest battle management command and control experiment ever.JEFX ‘04, the Air Force’s premier experimental venue for groundbreaking command and control technology and processes,

  • A-10 pods help track bad guys, protect friendly forces

    When lightning strikes, it affects the surrounding area. The same could be said of an A-10 Thunderbolt II strike, especially when complemented by the advanced capabilities provided by the Litening precision targeting pod system.The navigation pod provides A-10 pilots with more than improved attack

  • ANG crew rescues climber from Nabesna Glacier

    When you are a pararescuemen with the Alaska Air National Guard’s 210th Rescue Squadron, a day at the office does not take on its usual meaning, and June 2 was no exception.The Rescue Coordination Center here was notified early that morning that a young woman with the National Outdoor Leadership

  • New inspection tool saves time, money, environment

    Air Force officials here are implementing a new inspection device to be used on aging aircraft that will speed repair, return them to operations for improved mission readiness and save $18 million in the process.The new system, called multiaxis X-ray, or MAX, uses noninvasive technology to detect

  • Recruiting numbers decrease with force shaping

    Air Force recruiters will be searching for about 11,000 fewer people in fiscal 2005 as a result of the service’s force-shaping efforts, officials here announced May 28. Phase II of the Air Force’s force-shaping program calls for enlisted accessions to drop by about 11,000 to reach authorized end

  • Airmen give Nepalese disaster-response training

    A small country nestled between China and India, Nepal may be best known for Mount Everest.The Himalayas cover more than 80 percent of Nepal, presenting a challenge to mountain climbers and to the Nepalese in the event of a natural disaster.Nepal is predisposed to monsoons, earthquakes and

  • American, Korean engineers ‘cement’ friendship

    Two old friends got together on the flightline here recently, and the result is an expanded strategic airlift ramp that will significantly enhance current operations. It will also serve as a key enabler for a major airfield military construction, refurbishment and replacement project that will

  • Future total-force concept aims to increase combat capability

    Active-duty Airmen, guardsmen and reservists working together to support the Air Force mission in a war zone such as Iraq or Afghanistan is not unusual. However, in a concept being studied at the Air Warfare Center, Airmen from all components will work together supporting the Air Force's RQ/MQ-1

  • Air Force women take second in volleyball, men take third

    The Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps fired shots at each other May 22 to 26 here during the 2004 armed forces volleyball championships. Some of the shots were lobs; some of the shots were bullets.But the Navy men and the Army women fired the best shots as they went on to claim the 2004 armed

  • F-16 technology links allied nations' aircraft

    Warriors in future conflicts will see United States and coalition nations sharing more of the battlefield load thanks to U.S. and allied countries' F-16 Fighting Falcons getting an upgraded software program.The U.S. version of the software underwent large-force operational testing during a recent

  • Yokota C-130 helps rescue six lost at sea

    A C-130 Hercules aircrew from the 36th Airlift Squadron here helped a search-and-rescue mission May 21 when they spotted a missing 20-foot Micronesian sailing vessel about 120 miles off of the coast of Guam. Six people, including a 10-year-old boy, were brought to safety after being lost at sea for

  • Pilots train on gunnery marksmanship

    Firing on a banner pulled behind a slow-flying aircraft, F-15 Eagle pilots worked on their gunnery marksmanship near here May 17 to 21.The training simulates air-to-air combat by using a Learjet 35 to drag a 68-pound banner 1,500 feet behind the aircraft. Pilots shoot at the banner as it is pulled

  • Rumsfeld defers tanker lease decision

    Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld has deferred a decision on the tanker recapitalization program until additional studies now under way can be completed. Officials said the decision was based in part on recommendations made by the Defense Science Board’s aerial refueling task force.The data

  • Airman carries on female family tradition

    Throughout history, men in the same families have served side by side and generation after generation.Grandfathers, fathers and sons fought together in the Revolutionary War. Brothers clashed with brothers during the Civil War. It was not unusual to find brothers, uncles and in-laws serving

  • Firefighting aircraft deploy to Arizona

    Two Air Force Reserve Command C-130 Hercules aircraft and their crews deployed to Mesa, Ariz., May 23 to prepare for fire season in Arizona.The planes, equipped with the modular airborne firefighting system, are being pre-positioned to augment the Forest Service. The system disperses a liquid fire

  • Joint weather team aids Cobra Gold aircrews

    Multinational, multiservice weather forecasters here put their skills together in predicting curveballs Mother Nature may throw at Cobra Gold 04 participants.Airmen from the 353rd Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan, joined forces with U.S. Marine and Thai weather forecasters

  • Airmen make drops in Thailand

    “Kanto 95, winds are light, you’re cleared to drop.” As the C-130 Hercules from the 36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan, rumbled overhead at 600 feet, the cargo was released and floated under a full canopy into a dormant rice paddy.Five people from the 353rd Operations Support Squadron’s

  • Airmen help bring Iraqi infant to America

    Medical teams from the 791st Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron here assisted with the medical evacuation of a critically ill 8-month-old Iraqi girl May 18 and 19.Fatemah Kalil Hassan was transferred to the Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, to undergo specialized treatment for an

  • Nellis holds firepower demo

    More than 2,500 people witnessed the first Air Force firepower demonstration since February 2003 at the Nevada Test and Training Range near here May 12.The demonstration showcased the Air Force’s air and space capabilities. After being put on hold, the original quarterly demonstration will now be

  • Access to pay information gets easier

    Defense Finance and Accounting Service officials announced May 12 that Airmen can receive personal identification numbers for myPay through their official Air Force e-mail accounts.Airmen can expect to receive a new or updated PIN within two hours of requesting it on the myPay Web site.The e-mail

  • Major accident response tested at Air Force station

    A little known Air Force station in New Hampshire was the focal point for hundreds of emergency workers May 15 as they responded to a simulated terrorist attack involving a weapon of mass destruction.The exercise, named Granite Thunder 2004, encompassed more than 20 local, state and federal agencies

  • Leaders show off Raptor, Joint Strike Fighter at air show

    Air Force senior leaders took advantage of an open house here to tell reporters and visitors about the service’s newest fighters, the F/A-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche held a press conference before a static display of both aircraft May 14

  • Deployed surgical team keeps troops close

    While light rock ‘n’ roll plays in the background, he has a look of fierce concentration. A facial mask covers his nose and mouth, white rubber gloves cover his hands and green scrubs cover the rest of his body as he works to repair a fractured wrist.Maj. (Dr.) Warren Kadrmas, who is deployed from

  • Crew returns Phantom jet to Florida sky

    Arizona-based technicians saved the military $620,000 when they rebuilt a QF-4 Phantom II full-scale aerial target drone. The drone had suffered extensive missile damage to its aft section during a warfare exercise over the Atlantic Ocean near here.Even though shrapnel had shattered the QF-4's

  • Secretary, chief send Armed Forces Day message

    The following is an Armed Forces Day message from Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper:“Since 1949, America has paid tribute to its men and women in uniform by celebrating Armed Forces Day on the third Saturday in May. Grateful Americans in

  • Airmen haul Operation Secure Tomorrow cargo

    The instant a C-141 Starlifter stops taxiing at its designated spot on the runway here, 84th Aerial Port Squadron reservists rapidly unload its cargo and immediately load material for the return flight. In a matter of minutes, without ever shutting down its engines, the cargo plane is airborne

  • Large Package Week puts the ‘air’ in airborne

    A U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules passed overhead and green parachutes dotted the evening sky above nearby Fort Bragg on May 11. Eight seconds later, the first Soldiers from the Army’s 18th Airborne Corps charged across the ground launching a simulated airfield assault.The Large Package Week

  • Recalled officer retires -- again

    An Airman who began his military career as a Marine Corps rifleman in 1962 is retiring for the second time.Lt. Col. Theron Sims, who is on terminal leave, rejoined the Air Force on May 15, 2002, as part of the Rated Officer Recall Program. Colonel Sims was the service’s senior lieutenant colonel,

  • Special athletes compete at Yokota

    Pouring rain did not stop about 3,000 volunteers, athletes and spectators from participating in the 25th annual Kanto Plains Special Olympics here May 8 and 9.“It was a little soggy and cold, but seeing the smile and joy on the kids faces makes you feel warm inside,” said Master Sgt. Shari Wicks,

  • Command post controllers key to information flow

    There is an organization that many people think is the place to go for information. In part they are; however, the unit is a lot more than that. Airmen in the command post do much more than just pass along information, especially in a combat zone. The 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing’s command post