HomeNews

NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • B-52s bring persistent airpower to Exercise Pitch Black 12

    The 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, Minot Air Force Base, N.D., took to the skies of Australia's Northern Territory Aug. 2 to 18 as the lone U.S. Air Force unit flying in Exercise Pitch Black 12.With more than 2,200 personnel and up to 100 participating military aircraft, Exercise Pitch Black 12

  • B-52s demonstrate bilateral, joint force integration in Indo-Pacific

    The bombers, currently deployed to Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska from the 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, are supporting Bomber Task Force missions to demonstrate the United States’ unwavering commitment to the security and stability of the Indo-Pacific region.

  • B-52s demonstrate global reach, power

    Airmen of the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron here flew to the Pele Bombing Range in Hawaii to drop inert weapons as part of Exercise Koa Lightning Sept. 16 and 17. Different from previous Koa Lightning exercises, bomber aircrews dropped ordnance as they were talked into the targets by joint

  • B-52s demonstrate strategic reach

    Two B-52 Stratofortresses assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, returned July 2 from a 44-hour, nonstop mission to Australia.

  • B-52s head to Guam for continuous bomber presence rotation

    Six  B-52H Stratofortresses and nearly 350 Airmen here left June 1 for Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, to start a six-month deployment.The 5th Bomb Wing's role in U.S. Pacific Command's continuous bomber presence mission "is vital to national security," said Col. Charles Patnaude, the 5th Operations

  • B-52s lead joint training across Hawaiian Islands

    Air and ground force elements came together across the Hawaiian Islands this week to jointly participate in close air support (CAS) training with U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bombers from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.

  • B-52s participate in Green Lightning, Australian air show

    Andersen Airmen flew to the land 'down under' this week to demonstrate the capability and flexibility of the B-52 Stratofortress bomber to their Australian partners. They completed a series of scheduled Green Lightning exercise sorties at the Delamere Bombing Range while also providing aerial

  • B-52s provide RIMPAC 2012 air capability

    Members from the 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, Minot Air Force Base, N.D., participated in nine sorties in support of this year's Rim of the Pacific exercise July 11-31 in and around training areas surrounding the Hawaiian islands. Six B-52 Stratofortresses from the 69th EBS, accompanied by more

  • B-52s roar over Guam during bomber surge

    Members of the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron flew surge missions and launched six of its B-52 Stratofortresses on a large scale training flights Sept. 4 and 5 from here. The training mission allowed crewmembers to practice more than the standard two-ship deconfliction plan while maintaining

  • B-52s strike Iraqi targets

    Bomber aircraft from this deployed location participated in their first strike operations March 21 and continue to pound targets in the U.S. Central Command theater of operations in a coalition effort to disarm the Iraqi regime.All of the bombers deployed for the mission returned without incident.

  • B-52s to receive communications upgrade

    Installation of a communications system upgrade earmarked for the venerable U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber fleet is scheduled to start here in July.The Combat Network Communications Technology system will enable aircrews to send and receive information via satellite links, allowing them

  • Babies help parents workout

    Balancing a career, family and fitness program is not always easy.A training routine, created by fitness trainer Mindy Mylrea here, may help new parents get fit and spend quality time with their babies.The routine is designed for mothers and fathers with a 20- to 30-pound baby and should be done

  • Baby arrives during hurricane via C-section by flashlight

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

  • Babysitting club teaches teens responsibility

    What started out as just an after-school club to occupy free time, turned into a well-known organization here dedicated to teaching teenagers responsibilities of adulthood.Sherry Franklin, a program’s director at the youth center, started the babysitter club in 1999. Since then, their services have

  • Back pain becomes Childs’ play

    Capt. John Childs, a physical therapist, is literally taking on a pain in the backside. By studying how patients respond to certain treatments, Captain Childs is aiming to reduce lower back pain, a condition that afflicts millions of Americans.Captain Childs, an Air Force Institute of Technology

  • 'Backbone' of Real Thaw 14 pushes through final week of exercise

    Whether loading training munitions by day or turning wrenches at night, maintainers from the 31st Fighter Wing are continuing to support the 555th Fighter Squadron during their inaugural participation in Real Thaw 14, an international exercise hosted by the Portuguese air force here.

  • Backscatter technology leaves bad guys no place to hide

    Members of the 820th Security Forces Group here are set to employ a new high-technology search system in the war on terrorism that will help increase base security that also can deter acts of aggression against coalition forces. Known as the Z backscatter van, the $1.2 million, 13,000-pound,

  • BACN improves communication for deployed troops

    There is an aircraft that is so unique, you can only find it in one place – not even the pilots who fly the aircraft can touch it until they are deployed to this specific location.

  • Bacteria research could protect Airmen from radiation

    An Air Force Office of Scientific Research-funded scientist has identified manganese complexes in the bacterium Deinococcus radioduran that resists the damaging effects of radiation. The goal of the research is to investigate biomaterials that offer protection to Airmen from various environmental

  • Bad checks, AWOL net Airman confinement

    Writing $18,000 in bad checks and being absent without leave for six days netted a 377th Security Forces Squadron Airman here a bad-conduct discharge, six months confinement and demotion to airman basic.Airman 1st Class Jessica Morris was convicted by a general court-martial. Military judge, Lt.

  • 'Bad guys' add realism to capabilities exercise

    An Army Special Forces team jumped out of an MC-130W Combat Spear and deployed their parachutes to slowly descend to the landing zone. After hitting the hard New Mexico soil, they fanned out and moved toward their objective.This began the scenario of the Cannon Air Force Base capabilities exercise

  • Baghdad marketplace not a target

    A Baghdad marketplace reportedly rocked by an explosion killing 14 people was not targeted by coalition forces, Defense Department officials said March 26 during a Pentagon press briefing.Army Maj. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, vice director for operations on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, said

  • Bagram A-10s surge for summer offensives

    Six U.S. and coalition troops peer out from a remote position on a ridge top in Afghanistan. At sunset on the third day of their vigil, a large force of Taliban extremists carrying heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades surround and pin down the team.By design, an Air Force joint tactical

  • Bagram A-10s take fight to enemy

    A-10 Thunderbolt IIs continue taking the fight to the enemy by providing close air support to U.S. and coalition forces participating in Operation Enduring Freedom.  Shortly after deploying in September to this base at the foot of the Hindu Kush mountains from Davis-Monthan Air Base, Ariz., the

  • Bagram aircrews drop treats to Soldiers on fourth

    Aircrews from the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron airdropped something special on the Fourth of July for Soldiers at some of the most remote forward operating bases throughout Afghanistan. The 230th birthday of the United States proved to be another hot, dusty day here, but thanks to the C-130

  • Bagram Airfield attack kills 2 U.S. servicemembers, wounds 6

    Two U.S. servicemembers were killed and at least six other personnel were wounded June 21 during an early morning indirect-fire attack on Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, officials said. The injured were taken to a U.S. medical facility for treatment. "On behalf of the Combined Joint Task Force 82

  • Bagram Airfield service members honor Air Force hero

    Men and women from every military service dedicated their day to honoring one of the Air Force's fallen heroes here March 4. The 455th Air Expeditionary Wing hosted a ruck march, remembrance ceremony and celebratory barbecue to honor the 10th anniversary of pararescueman Senior Airman Jason

  • Bagram Airman gives all for the families

    A Bagram Air Base Airman is making a difference for servicemembers and their families as she has one of the most difficult jobs in the area of responsibility.Senior Airman Sekina Moye, a services journeyman assigned to the 755th Air Expeditionary Group, is filling a six-month in-lieu-of tasking with

  • Bagram Airman makes difference on 2 fronts

    An Airman deployed to Bagram Air Base is not only making a difference in the war on terrorism, but also in his Louisiana hometown. Tech. Sgt. Bruce BeeJay Johnson, an information manager from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and deployed with the 755th Air Expeditionary Group, has been positively

  • Bagram airmen boost village morale

    It is austere here. The rules are strict, the environment is harsh, and the enemy is near. Everyday is a workday. Alcoholic beverages and civilian clothes are prohibited. People cannot go anywhere unarmed. They eat and sleep with their weapons.Maintaining high morale in an environment like this

  • Bagram Airmen build bombs

    Building up flares and guided bombs is all in a day’s work for ammunitions troops here, as it is for conventional munitions technicians throughout the region. Being assigned to the 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron ammunitions unit is about keeping the munitions supply lines flowing,

  • Bagram Airmen celebrate Air Force's 60th birthday

    Airmen celebrated the Air Force's 60th birthday at a dinner and celebration held Sept. 8 at Bagram Air Base. Festivities included a POW/MIA/Fallen Comrade Ceremony, several slide shows and videos focusing on the advancement of airpower since its inception, and a guest speaker, Maj. Gen. Kevin J.

  • Bagram Airmen celebrate season

    Airmen in Afghanistan found ways to celebrate the holiday season while providing continuous airpower and combat support for U.S. and coalition forces throughout the country. While family and friends back home marked the holiday season with gifts and celebrations, deployed Airmen in Afghanistan

  • Bagram Airmen celebrate Thanksgiving with parade

    Airmen witnessed a bunch of turkeys roaming around Bagram Airfield Thanksgiving Day. Also some kite flyers, a mock F-16 Fighting Falcon and even jolly ol' St. Nick. The cast of characters were part of the first Thanksgiving Day parade at Camp Cunningham, where the majority of Airmen stationed here

  • Bagram Airmen directly support 72-hour battle

    During the last week of September, crews of the 774th Expeditionary Air Squadron conducted one of the largest series of air drop operations in Afghanistan's history, getting nearly 150 tons of food, water and ammunition to coalition troops in the field. However, excitement at the accomplishment

  • Bagram Airmen fly outside the box

    The job of locating and returning servicemembers throughout the area of responsibility has taken a back seat for Airmen of the 305th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron here who now help save lives. Bagram Air Base Airmen provide aeromedical evacuation with their HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters for injured

  • Bagram Airmen get call from AF top leader to ring in new year

    Four 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Airmen received New Year's Eve phone calls from the Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James.The secretary wished them a happy new year and wanted to let the Airmen know the Air Force leadership team was thinking of all the deployed Airmen and their families

  • Bagram Airmen help bring better life to Afghan families

    A group of Bagram Airmen joined with their civilian and sister service counterparts Oct. 17 to help bring a better life to the people of Afghanistan, one family at a time. Dubbed Operation Care, the all-volunteer effort collects and delivers clothing, toys, candy, school and hygiene supplies to

  • Bagram Airmen keep F-16s in the fight

    As their F-16 Fighting Falcon pulled into its parking spot on the airfield March 23, the maintainers from the 34th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit had something to be proud of: tail number 2119 had returned from its 30th code 1 sortie over Afghanistan.Lt. Col. Brad Lyons, 34th Expeditionary

  • Bagram Airmen keep safety a priority

    Air Force safety rules are just as important here, in the heart of the worldwide war on terrorism, as they are at bases outside of the “war zone.”Challenges to maintaining a safe environment are all around here -- literally. There are land mines placed by the former Soviet military and the Taliban.

  • Bagram Airmen launch 'care strikes' to spread cheer

    For the last two months, a group of Airmen have been conducting what some are calling "care strikes," to enhance morale among servicemembers here. Capt. Ken Valardi, the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Chaplain and his assistant, Staff Sgt. Aaron Smith, began the project in September with the delivery

  • Bagram Airmen move Army Force Provider camps

    A familiar sight at this Afghanistan airfield involves American C-17 Globemaster IIIs landing and maneuvering as Russian-built IL-76 cargo aircraft taxies for departure. While one aircraft is being unloaded, another is waiting next in line to take off while another prepares to land. Airmen from one

  • Bagram Airmen move Marmal

    Airmen forward deployed from the 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron at Bagram Airfield are helping to provide a vital role in moving personnel and supplies in northern Afghanistan. Members of the 455th EAPS Detachment 3 are tasked with loading and unloading every U.S. aircraft that that comes

  • Bagram Airmen operate new transporter

    The Air Force high deck patient loading platform was designated operational with the transfer of five patients during a KC-135 Stratotanker channel mission from Afghanistan to Germany April 9. The HDPLP is a special-purpose vehicle with an enclosed lighted and climate-controlled cabin designed to

  • Bagram Airmen partner with local Afghans for burial ceremony

    Recently there was a solemn burial outside a mosque in the town that borders Bagram Airfield. A small group of mourners and the local mullah were in attendance as prayers were said for the deceased. It was not an event of major significance except to those who attended and those who had a hand in

  • Bagram Airmen provide humanitarian assistance after landslide

    Airmen from the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron here delivered more than 17,000 pounds of supplies to Afghanistan's Balkh province April 7. The emergency drop, which included food, water and blankets, was part of the Air Force and Army's aid effort for the residents of the northern province,

  • Bagram Airmen provide training to Afghan police

    Approximately one dozen Afghan National Police from several districts gathered in the Processing Coordination Center at the Parwan Provincial ANP Headquarters in the Charikar district April 22 to receive training. Airmen assigned to the Bagram Police Technical Advisory Team provided the training

  • Bagram Airmen receive taste of America

    With hand-written messages like, “We support you 100 percent,” and “Thanks for protecting our country,” on every package, reinforcements recently arrived here from the United States.More specifically, about 150 boxes of Girl Scout cookies sent by Brownie Troop 2859 from Marlboro, Mass., showed up at

  • Bagram Airmen recover crippled aircraft

    More than 120 Airmen, Defense Department civilians and contractors removed a crippled C-17 Globemaster III from the runway Feb. 2 at Bagram Airfield after receiving damage while landing Jan. 30.Emergency response crews sprang into action shortly after the aircraft screeched to a stop and base

  • Bagram Airmen recover hundreds of pallets

    The numbers 88- by -108 by -2.25 inches and 290 pounds represent lifeblood for the Air Force’s logistics readiness officers and air transporters.They are the measurements of a pallet type used to carry combat supplies in and out of war zones … and they are “wanted.”A critical shortage of these

  • Bagram Airmen respond to aircraft emergency

    Airmen assigned to the 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Group here were some of the first responders on the scene after an Airbus A300 crew performed an emergency landing March 1 here.The aircraft, contracted to DHL International, was carrying mail and cargo when an unsafe gear indicator alerted the

  • Bagram Airmen spread cheer, share smiles

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

  • Bagram Airmen work to deliver link to home

    The men and women of the 455th Expeditionary Communication Squadron Knowledge Operations Management Office dedicate themselves, day in and day out, to provide a valuable service to 455th Air Expeditionary Wing personnel and its Air Force tenant units...mail call. Although it is not within their

  • Bagram C-130 crew airdrops GPS-guided supplies in Afghan valley

    Earlier this month in Afghanistan, a small unit of coalition ground forces traveled a great distance to support an operation aimed squarely at the Taliban and exhausted their food and water. While, navigating through a deep gorge in a mountainous river valley, the situation was quickly

  • Bagram C-130s drop high-tech cargo delivery system

    The same global positioning technology that helps fighter and bomber pilots deliver smart bombs with pinpoint accuracy now allows cargo bundles dropped from cargo planes to steer themselves to drop zones. A C-130 Hercules from the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron here dropped supplies to a U.S.

  • Bagram dedicates dining facility to fallen Airman

    A dining facility here was dedicated July 6 to fallen Senior Airman Jonathan A.V. Yelner, who was killed in action April 29 while on a combat patrol. In the sea of digital camouflage during the ceremony, Airman Yelner's spirit stood out amongst the crowd of mostly-Army servicemembers -- and those

  • Bagram duty has its hazards

    Talk of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' win in the Super Bowl stopped abruptly Jan. 27 when a work crew uncovered an unexploded bomb at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.A team working in an area behind the base's control tower unearthed an unexploded Russian-made anti-personnel bomblet. The Air Force

  • Bagram getting new passenger terminal

    Engineers are building a new $932,000 passenger terminal that will expand operations at this base. Twenty-four Airmen from the 1st Expeditionary Red Horse Group, deployed here from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., began laying the terminal’s foundation earlier this month. The group expects to finish the

  • Bagram honors fallen Airmen

    Service members from Bagram Airfield came together Dec. 23 to honor the memories of six Airmen killed in an improvised explosive device attack two days earlier.

  • Bagram hospital provides care to all who need it

    The announcement over the hospital intercom blared the news: more casualties were arriving, many that the staff knew would need near-heroic measures to survive.The Staff Sgt. Heathe N. Craig Joint Theater Hospital, one of the largest and best-equipped trauma facilities in Afghanistan, was preparing

  • Bagram hospital staff saves baby after IED blast

    A blast from an improvised explosive device claimed the lives of two Afghan parents, however, their 9-month-old daughter, Salma, survived the attack and is recovering at the Craig Joint-Theater Hospital here. After more than two weeks of fighting for her life, Salma, which means "protected" in

  • Bagram mail team delivers

    Delivering messages from home to more than 700 deployed Airmen is a “mission of morale” being carried out on a daily basis by the mail team here.Anywhere from seven to 20 pallets of mail arrive here daily -- anywhere between 15,000 to 50,000 pounds of mail.“We have a core team of seven Airmen --

  • Bagram medical staff 'Smooth Operators'

    The Task Force Med operating room staff at the Craig Joint Theater Hospital display the true meaning of teamwork, as they care for wounded American and Afghan patients here. Nicknamed the "Smooth Operators," the team arrived in May and made the surgical suite mission-ready in less than 48 hours.

  • Bagram medics remove unexploded ordnance from patient

    Airmen from the Craig Joint Theater Hospital trauma team here removed an unexploded ordnance from a patient's scalp March 18 here.The patient, an Afghan National Army soldier, was involved in an improvised explosive device attack and had a 14.5 mm high explosive incendiary round with approximately 5

  • Bagram officials host women's affair seminar

    Education, employment and security were the common themes addressed by eight influential Afghan women during a women's affair seminar at Bagram Air Base. Business owners, government leaders, educators, multi-media and non-governmental organization representatives from Kabul, Kapisa and Parwan

  • Bagram officials stand up 4 new squadrons

    Bagram Airfield officials have added four new squadrons to their growing list of units during an assumption of command ceremony here May 5. More than 1,200 joint expeditionary tasking and provincial reconstruction team Airmen deployed to more than 40 forward operating bases and camps throughout

  • Bagram opens $68 million runway

    Despite inclement weather and the possibility of snowfall, a new $68 million runway was opened and celebrated by Air Force and Army servicemembers, civilian contractors and Afghan officials Dec. 20 at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. The project was executed by Contrak International workers from Cairo,

  • Bagram PRT awards $3 million contract

    A landmark road-construction contract that will link all districts in the Kapisa province of Afghanistan was awarded to a local contractor by the Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team Sept. 18.When the road is complete, Kapisa province will be the only province in Afghanistan with roads connecting

  • Bagram PRT gives torched school second chance

    Soldiers and Airmen from the Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team traveled to Nyazi Geranshakh in the Parwan Province of Afghanistan on July 19 to replace eight tents at its local school that were burned down earlier this week by arsonists.Team members were equipped with replacement tents as well

  • Bagram PRT rebuilds Afghanistan one school at a time

    The Air Force-led Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team attended a ceremony March 26 marking the first day of class at a high school in Kapisa Province. The PRT also donated approximately 3,000 pine and fruit trees and boxes of school supplies. Both gestures were in support of the Afghan New Year

  • Bagram receives first relocatable dormitory

    The standard of living improved dramatically for more than 100 Airmen on Camp Cunningham here with the opening of the first relocatable dormitory here Feb. 26. Texan Hall was officially dedicated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and called home for 120 Airmen deployed in support of Operation Enduring

  • Bagram remembers Operation Anaconda’s fallen

    Senior Airman Jason Cunningham and six of his special forces comrades including Tech. Sgt. John Chapman, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Neil Roberts, Army Sgt. Bradley Crose, Army Sgt. Phillip Svitak, Army Spc. Marc Anderson and Army Cpl. Matthew Commons, traded their blood for freedom in the

  • Bagram runway reopens after C-17 incident

    A C-17 Globemaster III rolled off the runway while landing here Aug. 6, damaging its nose and right main landing gears.As a result, the runway was closed, but quick action and creative thinking by Air Force and Army engineers had the runway fully active again in less than 30 hours.There were no

  • Bagram security forces Airmen pass torch as unit inactivates

    Airmen of the 755th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron stood together for the last time Jan. 11 to bid farewell to their squadron as the unit was inactivated during a formal ceremony at Bagram Air Base. The 755th ESFS was originally formed in December 2005 in response to an Army request for

  • Bagram security forces fly away to support airlift mission

    Security forces protect Air Force people and resources worldwide, even when those resources are on the move at more than 300 mph. The C-130 Hercules cargo plane is the primary means of moving supplies and troops around Afghanistan. Aircrews frequently land at remote, dirt landing strips to support

  • Bagram unit opens new bridge, road

    When local contractor Asil Khan first thought of building a bridge over the Gogamanda River, he was knee-deep in it, evading the Soviet army on a trip to Pakistan to procure weapons for the mujahedeen. More than 15 years later, that idea became a reality, as Gov. Jabar Taqwa officially opened the

  • Bagram upgrade taken on by Red Horse engineers

    Aircraft parking space is getting a boost from the ground up here as a team of Red Horse engineers remove and replace 60,000-square meters of ramp space. Once complete, the $4.4-million airfield construction project will provide U.S. and coalition aircraft supporting Operation Enduring Freedom a

  • BAK-12 installation strengthens Slovak partnership

    Airmen from the 435th Air Ground Operations Wing completed the installation of a new Barrier Arresting Kit-12 allowing U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa F-16 Fighting Falcons to land at Malacky Air Base, July 10.

  • Baked Alaska

    Karen Hanaway prepares to bake holiday cookies for dormitory residents here. Dozens of volunteers from several base organizations and school-age children are baking the goods as part of the annual Elmendorf Holiday Cookie Caper. About 900 dozen cookies are expected to be delivered to dorm dwellers