NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Smart Ops teams simplify processes to save thousands, earn certification

    Thousands of dollars in savings are on the horizon for Tinker Air Force Base as a result of the work by two AFSO21 process improvement teams who presented their final projects and graduated from training Jan. 14.In August, two four-member teams were given one Air Logistics Center problem each with a

  • Air Force Reserve highlights birthday, future

    The Air Force Reserve was formally established April 14, 1948, and Air Force reservists have served proudly and with great distinction ever since. It is 60 years old today! And today, responding to a variety of threats to our national security and fighting a global war on terrorism, we serve with

  • Air Force secretary tells cadets of changing times

    The Air Force has met the challenge of change with a combination of innovation, adaptability and flexibility for the last 60 years, said the Air Force secretary in his address to first and third class cadets April 8 in Arnold Hall here. "Character and leadership skills are always in high demand and

  • Honduras, American medics gather to share skills

    More than 35 Honduran doctors, nurses and emergency medical members met with Joint Task Force-Bravo medics to discuss emergency procedures April 6 at Hospital Militar Luis Alonso Discua in Honduras. During the exchange, American medics stationed at Soto Cono Air Base explained emergency protocols

  • Airpower summary for April 12: Predators patrol Iraqi skies

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations April 12, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped guided bomb

  • Air Force official calls for input from deployed Airmen

    The assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and Reserve affairs met with Airmen here April 9 to discuss important issues affecting as he tours the deployed theater. Craig W. Duehring met with several Air Force active-duty, Guard and Reserve members deployed to the 380th Air Expeditionary

  • Sheppard officials begin replacing T-37s with T-6A Texan II

    The T-37 Tweet officially began its march toward full retirement March 31 when 80th Flying Training Wing officials here "took the car keys" to its replacement, the T-6A Texan II. Retired Navy Rear Adm. James Maslowski, the vice president of government business for Hawker Beechcraft in Wichita, Kan.,

  • Air Force rallies to beat Colorado Christian

    Josh Meents doubled in Tytus Moss in the tenth inning as Air Force walked away with a 9-8 win over Colorado Christian April 8 in non-conference baseball action at the Academy's Falcon Field. The Falcons improve to 11-19 on the season while the Cougars fell to 10-28. Alexander led off the tenth with

  • Air Force engineers work 'outside the wire' every day

    As part of a Provincial Reconstruction Team it is common to go "outside the wire" to do work. While some may only leave the base once a week, engineers are out there every day conducting site assessments, quality control missions and preparing the province to respond to natural disasters. April 1,

  • Euro-NATO committee has eyes on future

    The spring Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program's Steering Committee completed its weeklong discussions April 4 regarding the future of the program, including its syllabus, budget and infrastructure. The committee also said goodbye to six-year chairman Royal Netherlands Air Force Air Commodore

  • Readiness Centers help families displaced by danger

    With the political system was deteriorating in March in Belgrade, Serbia, State Department officials announced an authorized departure order for eligible family members and non-emergency employees from Belgrade, including one Air Force family. But when families landed at their "safe haven" in the

  • New field account reps help information flow

    Communication to and from the Air Force Personnel Center and personnelists in the field took the next big step, thanks to the recent creation of a field account representative team at AFPC. The concept was designed to improve AFPC's timeliness in delivering information to personnel professionals and

  • Chief receives Air Force Cross 40 years after mission

    A retired chief master sergeant was awarded the Air Force Cross 40 years after the mission which earned him the Air Force's second-highest honor April 5 here. Nearly 300 members of Chief Master Sgt. Dennis Richardson's former unit attended the ceremony for the flight engineer with the 106th Rescue

  • More civilian providers accepting Tricare Standard

    There's good news for Tricare Standard beneficiaries. More civilian providers are accepting new patients, according to a recently released survey. Yet, Tricare officials acknowledge that increasing the number of providers and types of providers across the nation remains a high priority, especially

  • Ammo troops make explosive impact on B-52 mission

    Airmen of the 36th Wing here, with their B-52 Stratofortress long-range bombers, have the capability of launching missions from Andersen to any location at any time and to anywhere. The B-52 can carry 70,000 pounds of the widest array of weapons in the U.S. inventory. This devastating flying arsenal

  • Aggressor fleet paint scheme nears completion

    After swapping out F-16 Fighting Falcons with the 8th Fighter Wing at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Airmen from the 354th Maintenance Squadron sheet metal shop wasted no time in painting the newly-received aircraft with a flanker color scheme which helps other pilots identify these aircraft as

  • Flight engineer reaches 10,000 flight hours

    A flight engineer with the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing's 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron surpassed 10,000 flight hours during a KC-10 Extender mission March 29. Senior Master Sgt. Robert Fisher, a St. Petersburg, Fla. native and home stationed out of McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., ended

  • New concept in maintenance training comes to fruition

    Years of hard work and planning came to realization April 7 when the first class of F-22 Raptor maintenance students graduated from the $21 million F-22 Maintenance Training Facility here. Eight Airmen graduated from the 13-week Aircraft Armament Systems course and became the first pipeline Airmen

  • 'Campus Dining' to transform AF food services

    Air Combat Command is leading the Air Force in a study that will change the way food service is delivered at Air Force installations. Services officials in ACC are traveling to various installations within the command to assess current food operations; the research may result in Air Force bases

  • AF Board members visit Kunsan Air Base

    Approximately 30 members of the Air Force Board visited Kunsan Air Base April 2. The Pacific Air Forces commander selected Kunsan as the site on the peninsula for the board to visit.  The board comprises general officers and senior executive service members representing a cross section of the Air

  • Tweet complete: T-37 retires after 39 years of service

    The T-37 Tweet formally retired April 3 from Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training here after 39 years of service as the gateway to the sky for more than 10,000 Air Force aviators. Columbus Air Force Base was the last Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training base flying the T-37, but the T-37

  • 'Army Wives' films on Charleston

    Charleston Air Force Base officials hosted the first Department of Defense-supported filming of the Lifetime Television show "Army Wives" April 7 at the base exchange here.Charleston members have been working with the production company since the beginning of December on this event and since then,

  • Reserve officials activate space wing

    Air Force Reserve Command officials stood up its first space wing, the 310th Space Wing, April 4 at Peterson Air Force Base. The 310th SW expanded from a group to a wing March 7 and was officially recognized at the ceremony attended by Gen. C. Robert "Bob" Kehler, the commander of Air Force Space

  • Air Force secretary discusses tankers, cyber operations

    The secretary of the Air Force spoke of the future while reflecting on the past during an April 3 and 4 visit to Hanscom Air Force Base. "For all the advances we've made, I still believe there are more imaginative things to be done with electronics," Secretary Michael W. Wynne said. He said he

  • Air Force has new Web site for retirees

    The Air Force has a new Web site just for its retiree community that is full of news and information, plus it is easy to access and navigate. The Air Force Retiree Services site is located at www.retirees.af.mil. This public Web site offers the retiree family in-depth information on the Survivor

  • ARPC officials now sending U.S. flags to retiring reservists

    Honoring retiring reservists with an American flag just got easier through a centralized process at the Air Reserve Personnel Center in Denver. ARPC officials now purchase and distribute the flags for all reservists who request one for their retirement. Flags used to cost units nearly $20 each and

  • U.S., Romanian airmen break cultural barriers with sports

    Airmen deployed here are breaking down language and cultural barriers with their Romanian air force counterparts through their mutual love of sports. Military members from both countries played in a soccer tournament at Campia Turzii April 7 as teams focused more on team-building than

  • Medics provide humanitarian support in Albania

    Five Airmen from Stratton Air National Guard Base joined three New Jersey National Guard members on a humanitarian mission to administer the Hepatitis A vaccine to 1,000 children in February in Albania.Through New Jersey's State Partnership Agreement Program with Albania, the National Guard agreed

  • Vandenberg Airmen launch missile successfully

    A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration test assembly launched at 1:01 a.m. April 1 by Vandenberg Air Force Base officials.The launch tested the weapon system's reliability and accuracy, and what makes this launch different is

  • DOD to phase out full Social Security numbers on IDs

    As a means of combating identity theft, the Defense Department will issue identification cards without full Social Security numbers printed onto them, a senior official said here April 3. The Defense Department cares about protecting personal information as well as increasing database security, said

  • Some civilian career updates just clicks away

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here recently introduced a new self-service application as part of its ongoing commitment to civilian force development. The Electronic Civilian Record Update, or ECRU, gives civilians preparing to meet a development team panel the ability to perform Web updates

  • Manas Airmen help Children's Heart Ward

    Officials of the Children's Heart Ward in the nearby city of Bishkek performed their 100th surgery March 29 in part due to the support of the of the Manas Air Base Outreach Society.  With the support and donations from base Airmen, two Children's Heart Ward doctors conduct heart surgeries for free

  • Air Force looks to improve antennas for micro air vehicles

    Air Force Office of Scientific Research officials here currently are funding a professor from the University of Minnesota who is using objective structures in his project called "GameChanger" in an attempt to make new kinds of antennas for micro air vehicles to be used for military purposes. Micro

  • Research leads to improved wireless communication

    An Air Force Office of Scientific Research-funded researcher whose work focused on multi-user detection technology has made radio reception clearer in locations where interference is a challenge for deployed servicemembers. Dr. Rachel Learned's work in multi-user detection, or MUD, examined the

  • Temporary hospital finds permanent place in history

    Airmen from the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group and the 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron here worked together to preserve a piece of Balad Air Base, Logistics Support Area Anaconda and Operation Iraqi Freedom history. The emergency room from the old Balad AB Air Force Theater Hospital,

  • U.S., Japan AWACS units join forces

    A Kadena Air Base squadron signed an agreement here March 26 with its Japan Air Self-Defense Force counterpart formalizing the joint working relationship they've enjoyed for years. Lt. Col. Rene Romero, the 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron commander, endorsed the first sister squadron agreement

  • Miami beats Air Force, 3-2, in overtime in NCAA tourney

    Miami's Justin Mercier scored with just under five minutes remaining in overtime to lift the top-seeded RedHawks past fourth-seeded Air Force, 3-2, in the semifinals of the NCAA Northeast Regional at the DCU Center, March 29, in Worcester, Mass. Miami got on the board quickly on the first shift of

  • Academy volunteers help Navajo Korean War veteran

    Air Force Academy cadets, civil engineering professors and family members performed volunteer work during the Academy's spring break March 24 to 28 on a Navajo reservation here. Organized by the Academy's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Southwest Indian Foundation, one of

  • Former A-10 pilot, Cowboy speaks at Pentagon

    Chad Hennings knows teamwork. Chad Hennings knows mentorship. Chad Hennings knows success. Chad Hennings also knows what it's like to fly an A-10 Thunderbolt II on a combat sortie, win three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys and, most recently, speak with Airmen stationed at the Pentagon. Mr.

  • Upgraded B-52 still on cutting edge

    The B-52 Stratofortress is continually modified with new technology making the 50-year-old airframe one of the Air Force's most effective long-range heavy bombers. Modified B-52 aircraft with modern technology are capable of delivering a full range of joint-developed weapons and will continue to be

  • Airmen, Soldiers save Iraqi teen injured by IED

    On his way home from working in his family's field March 27, Rahmey Jarew didn't see the hidden improvised explosive device until it was too late. Staggering for home after the blast, the 13-year-old Iraqi boy had no way to know that his life would be saved by the quick, selfless actions of Soldiers

  • Permanent Global Logistics Support Centers stands up

    A new, permanent headquarters overseeing Air Force global logistics support is now in operation at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. General Bruce Carlson, commander of Air Force Materiel Command, formally stood up the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center in ceremonies March 28 at Scott AFB. He also

  • Coalition maintainers keep C-130 in the fight

    Aircraft maintainers from the U.S. Air Force, Japanese Air Self-Defense Force and South Korean air forces teamed up during the Coalition Maintenance Exchange Program to keep deployed C-130 Hercules aircraft ready for combat recently at a Southwest Asian air base. The exchange program matched

  • Africa Command makes progress with African allies

    U.S. Africa Command is making progress in gaining acceptance in Africa, the command's deputy for civil-military affairs said in an interview here. "We're doing OK," Ambassador Mary Carlin Yates said in a tone that indicated she'd like to do much better. Ms. Yates is the No. 2 person in U.S. Africa

  • Researchers explore materials degradation in space

    When Space Shuttle Endeavor launched March 11, more than 1,000 new materials were onboard to be tested as a part of the sixth Materials International Space Station Experiment, or MISSE-6. The Air Force Office of Scientific Research initiated MISSE-6 to gain a theoretical understanding of the

  • AFPC officials offer 24-hour customer service

    As Air Force people learn how to do more with less, multitasking and proper usage of their time is vital. Unfortunately, an Airmen's dedication to completing the mission may cause them not to take proper care of their personnel records and other vital career actions. They may just not have the time

  • Governors involved in Cyber Command basing process

    Air Force officials here are involving the governors and communities of 18 states interested in hosting the new Air Force Cyber Command in the basing process. Bill Anderson, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics, sent a letter to the governors

  • Reservists may face limit on man-day tours

    Later this year hundreds of reservists nationwide could reach the limit on the number of man-days they can serve in Air Force Reserve Command. Reservists through the rank of colonel received permission 3.5 years ago to serve up to 1,095 man-days of the previous 1,460 days in a rolling four-year

  • Sather medics prepare for worst, provide their best

    "Bag him!" "I need an X-ray in here!" "I've got an abnormal rhythm!" "Somebody get me some vitals!" This could be the sounds of the fast-paced tempo and organized chaos of any emergency room anywhere, but these voices are being heard in a combat zone, where major trauma care can be more complex by

  • Vandenberg lieutenant has special tie to Endeavour mission

    The crew of the recent Space Shuttle Endeavour traveled with a unique payload designed in part by a lieutenant assigned to Vandenberg Air Force Base. 1st Lt. Anna Gunn-Golkin, a 1st Air and Space Test Squadron launch mission manager, was part of a nine-person team that designed, built and tested the

  • Holloman units combine to refurbish fire truck

    Members of the 49th Maintenance Squadron Aircraft Metals Technology Shop and the 49th Civil Engineer Squadron's Station No. 2 here recently came together and completed the refurbishing of a fire truck, combining the abilities of two trucks into one."We were trying to come up with new ways of doing

  • Officials activate 711th Human Performance Wing

    Officials at the Air Force Research Laboratory officially activated the 711th Human Performance Wing during a ceremony at the Air Force Institute of Technology's Kenney Hall here March 25. The new wing combines AFRL's Human Effectiveness Directorate with elements transitioning to Wright-Patterson

  • New warfighter education courseware released

    The commander of Air University has launched a major initiative aimed at enhancing the professional development of the Air Force warfighter. Lt. Gen. Stephen Lorenz recently released the first two courses of the Warfighter Developmental Education program. WDE is a Web-based educational program

  • Officials remain proactive in tackling trainee illnesses

    Lackland Air Force Base officials remain proactive in its efforts to control the occurrence of upper respiratory illness amongst its Basic Military Training population. For the past two years, Lackland AFB has had one of the lowest respiratory illness rates of all Department of Defense military

  • Chief master sergeant of the Air Force visits Kunsan Airmen

    The chief master sergeant of the Air Force spoke with Kunsan Air Base Airmen about recapitalization, modernization and quality of life for Airmen and their families March 24 here. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley also discussed force shaping challenges and emphasized why it's

  • Cadets give up spring break to build homes

    Pick-axes, sawdust and hammers were the dominant spring break memories for 20 Air Force Academy cadets last week in Santa Fe, N.M. The 20 are part of a group of cadets who've given up their spring breaks to build homes for needy families in Santa Fe, N.M.; Cody, Wyoming; Beaumont, Texas; and El

  • Dyess AFB model of energy conservation

    Dyess Air Force Base is going green. Take a tour of the base and it's easy to see how. In one building, water is pumped from a small pond, turned into ice and used to cool several dormitories; the landscaping is irrigated using effluent water purchased from the city of Abilene, Texas; and eight

  • 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

  • Tennis: Falcons fall to Stetson

    U.S. Air Force Academy women's tennis team fall to Stetson March 24 at the Mandy Stoll Tennis Center here. The Hatters swept the three doubles matches and won at the top four singles positions to seal the victory and the Falcons record fell to 4-13. Junior Meghan Kiser and freshman Sarah Cassman

  • Airmen train Iraqis to save lives

    Nine Iraqi firefighters graduated the Basic Firefighter Skills Course here as Airmen of the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Fire Department trained the newest graduates March 24 at Ali Base. The six-week course teaches students "the basics of fighting fires, search and rescue and lifesaving

  • Wilford Hall opens new Air Force hyperbaric therapy facility

    The primary hyperbaric capability in the Air Force was relocated March 21 from Brooks City-Base, Texas, to the Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.Hyperbaric chambers are used to perform hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which supplies a surplus of oxygen to the tissues, helping

  • Hanscom unit preps new CAOC facility

    Members of the 652nd Electronic Systems Squadron here are preparing for the future home of the U.S. Air Force Central's Combined Air and Space Operations Center facility as construction continues in Southwest Asia. The Air and Space Operations Center Weapons System, officially referred to as the

  • Air Force officials launch new mentoring program

    Officials from the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center here and the U.S. Air Force Academy launched a new mentoring program when they signed a memorandum of agreement March 17 at the Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. The agreement enables AFOTEC members to mentor Academy cadets

  • Ramstein Airmen use AFSO 21 for performance reports

    Members of the 86th Airlift Wing recently found ways to reduce performance report processing time by more than 30 days using Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century process preparation. A team composed of 19 members from the 86th AW, the 435th Mission Support Squadron Military Personnel

  • Kirkuk Airmen commemorate 5-year OIF anniversary

    Hundreds of Kirkuk Air Base Airmen commemorated the fifth year anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom by honoring the 42 Airmen who gave their lives supporting the war on terrorism March 20 here. The ceremony included a 21-gun salute, a flag-folding ceremony performed by the base honor guard, and

  • New Procedure introduced in Air Force podiatric surgery

    Medical specialists in the 59th Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Squadron at Wilford Hall Medical Center here are introducing a new procedure in the podiatric surgery department. The procedure, Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy, or ESWT, is a form of treatment for chronic plantar fasciitis. Chronic

  • Airmen minimize DOD weather-related losses

    The 26th Operational Weather Squadron here helped minimize Department of Defense losses during severe regional weather recently that resulted in more than 20 civilian deaths and power outages affecting millions. The 26th OWS, which provides Air Force and Army installations weather watches, warnings

  • Experiment identifies timely solutions to warfighter

    Thanks to a strong effort from the Global Cyberspace Integration Center here, 11 Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment initiatives have been delivered to the warfighter during the past 12 months, and five more are projected to be fielded within the next four months. As the lead agency for JEFX, the

  • AMC commander reinforces need for new tanker

    While many are focused on the formal protest of the recent KC-45A contract award, the needs of the warfighter -- and the nation -- remain unchanged. The Air Force's nearly 50-year-old KC-135 Stratotanker must be replaced with a newer, more capable aircraft as soon as possible. "This is a matter of

  • NORAD to celebrate 50th Anniversary

    North American Aerospace Defense Command is celebrating a milestone this year, 50 years of a rich and colorful history between two countries that formally acknowledged a mutual commitment to defend their citizens from air attacks. Although NORAD originally stood up at Ent Air Force Base, Colo., on

  • FAA lauds Air Force synthetic fuel team

    The Air Force team that developed a blend of petroleum and synthetic fuel for the B-52 Stratofortress received the Federal Aviation Administration's 2007 Excellence in Aviation Research Award at a ceremony March 14 in the Air Force Research Laboratory's Propulsion Directorate here.Barry Scott, the

  • Air Force to lead National Image Conference

    The Department of Defense named the Air Force as the lead service for this year's National Image Conference to be held April 14 to 18 at the South Point Hotel in Las Vegas. The conference theme, "From Heritage to New Horizons," will provide guidance and leadership to take Hispanic youth and

  • B-1B achieves first supersonic flight using synthetic fuel

    A B-1B Lancer from the 9th Bomb Squadron here became the first Air Force aircraft to fly at supersonic speed using an alternate fuel March 19 in a flight over Texas and New Mexico. The fuel, a 50/50 blend of synthetic and petroleum gases, is being tested as part of an ongoing Air Force program to

  • Little, but strong: Burned Iraqi child overcomes odds

    Editor's Note: The names of the Iraqi mother and son in this article have been changed, at the mother's request, to protect their identities from terrorists who would harm them if it was known that the pair received help from American servicemembers and the U.S. government. A photo of an adorable

  • Officials provide Virtual Uniform Board update

    Air Force officials recently announced the new Virtual Uniform Board, which transforms the Air Force Uniform Board process by providing a streamlined tool for submitting recommendations to improve dress and personal appearance standards.Recommendations will be initiated in accordance with AFI

  • USNORTHCOM hosts hurricane preparation conference

    Heavy snow may have been falling outside, but the men and women gathered inside a conference room here in mid-March had another kind of severe weather on their minds. "Hurricanes are predictable; we know they're going to come," said Army Maj. Gen. William Ingram, the adjutant general of North

  • Airmen build legal complex at Camp Justice

    Approximately 50 Airmen deployed to support Joint Task Force Guantanamo in February to put the finishing touches on the Expeditionary Legal Complex construction projects at Camp Justice here. With a group of civil engineers including plumbers, carpenters, electricians, heavy equipment operators and

  • Airmen visit coffee company to learn AFSO 21

    A group of Air Force officers and senior NCOs from the Pentagon took a tour of a local coffee company here March 12 to learn about improvement efforts in a civilian company using similar tools to those used in Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century. Leaders of the Eight O' Clock Coffee

  • President's anniversary speech honors servicemembers

    The president of the United States honored servicemembers during a speech at the Pentagon March 19 to mark the five-year anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom. "We removed a tyrant," said President George W. Bush, "liberated a country and rescued millions from unspeakable horrors. Some of those

  • Pilot inducted into women's aviation hall of fame

    In the months since her last flight as the Thunderbirds No. 3 right wing pilot, Maj. Nicole Malachowski has had a hard time putting her accomplishment of being the first woman to fly on a U.S. military flight demonstration team into a proper perspective. At the San Diego Air & Space Museum March 14,

  • Vice president visits troops at Balad

    Vice President Dick Cheney met and spoke to servicemembers fighting the war on terrorism from Balad Air Base and Logistics Support Area Anaconda March 18. Before addressing the base populace during a rally, the vice president sat down to breakfast with a select group of military members. "It was an

  • Researchers honored for work with self-healing plastics

    Air Force Office of Scientific Research-funded scientists have been awarded several recent honors for their breakthrough research in self-healing plastics. Professors Dr. Scott White and Dr. Nancy Sottos, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, were recognized in January in the 2007

  • Airmen integral part of unmanned aerial system milestones

    The Global Hawk unmanned aerial system recently reached its 10 year and 20,000 flight hour milestones. More than 15,000 of those hours and most of those years have been amassed in support of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to

  • AF officials implement AFMC's civilian orientation course

    When Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley recently sought a way to provide initial training to new Air Force civilians, Gen. Bruce Carlson, the commander of Air Force Materiel Command, offered AFMC's existing, extensive training course created for that reason. As a result, the Air Force

  • CENTAF now AFCENT with redesignation

    On January 1, 1983, United States Central Command Air Forces was activated as the air component of the United States Central Command. Twenty-five years later, in a ceremony here March 3, 2008, it took on a new name, United States Air Forces Central, and an enhanced way of employing forces in war.

  • The ABCs of filling an Air Force civilian job

    Most civilian jobs in the Air Force begin with a request for personnel action, or RPA. They end with an entry on duty, or EOD, date. During the past 12 months, the entire process has taken an average of 136 days from the initial completion of the RPA to a person arriving for duty. Control of the

  • Cape Canaveral Airmen launch Delta II rocket

    Air Force officials here successfully launched a United Launch Alliance Delta II booster carrying the sixth modernized NAVSTAR Global Positioning System satellite into space at 2:10 a.m. EDT March 15 from Space Launch Complex 17A here. The satellite will join the constellation of on-orbit satellites

  • Iraqi air force attains tenfold increase in sorties

    Iraq's air force, with help from a U.S. transition team, attained a tenfold increase in its number of weekly sorties and doubled the size of its fleet over the past year, a military official said today. Maj. Gen. Robert R. Allardice, commander of the Coalition Air Force Transition Team, said the

  • Conference addresses air, ground synchronization issues

    More than 100 coalition members met March 3 to 5 at Al-Faw Palace in Baghdad to discuss ways to better synchronize airpower with future ground operations across Iraq. Dubbed simply the Air Synchronization Conference, the meeting brought together ground operators and planners from the Army-led

  • Village of Hope lives up to its name

    Members of the 557th Expeditionary Red Horse Squadron, headquartered at Balad Air Base, Iraq, paid out nearly $10,000 to 120 students at the Red Horse Village of Hope March 13 here. The Village of Hope program is a test program that has many in the Department of Defense watching. Similar to a

  • Air Force officials to close force shaping programs

    Since the Air Force is on track to meet end strength goals for fiscal 2008, force shaping programs are being closed for the remainder of the year. March 31 is the last day Air Force officials will accept fiscal 2008 Voluntary Separation Pay program applications. All eligible officers interested in

  • Global support center officially stands up March 28

    Less than a year after standing up, the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center (Provisional) will lose its "Provisional" designation during the unit's formal standup March 28 at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. Gen. Bruce Carlson, commander of Air Force Materiel Command, will officiate at the ceremony.

  • Joint basing plan takes shape

    Joint basing is a reality, it's happening in San Antonio, and it will effectively support the city's military communities here. That is the message from local military leaders as they move toward consolidating support operations at three San Antonio installations as mandated by the 2005 Base Closure

  • New Web app makes assignment system easier to use

    Active duty Air Force members -- officers and enlisted -- who log on to the Air Force Personnel Center's Assignment Management System will find a new Web application that makes navigation faster and easier. "It's all part of AFPC's on-going effort to increase service to our customers," said Master

  • AFMC command chief emphasizes understanding one's role

    The stigma that Airmen assigned to Air Force Materiel Command are not part of the war on terrorism fight is one the command's top enlisted member is working to correct. "There are segments of people -- ranging from enlisted members within AFMC to those in other Air Force major commands -- who equate

  • Officials detail scope, units of AFCYBER command

    The work of building Air Force Cyber Command continues with officials releasing details of what the scope of the command will look like and how it will function in lieu of having a permanent base named for its headquarters location. "We are aggressively moving forward with plans for having initial

  • Top leaders testify on '09 budget

    The Air Force's top two leaders testified before the House and Senate Committee on Appropriations subcommittees on Defense during hearings about the fiscal 2009 budget March 11 and 12. While the main topic of discussion among congressmen and senators remained the KC-45A contract award, Secretary of

  • Airpower's advantages unlocked via sound strategy, paper says

    American leaders should worry less about which armed service is preeminent and more about their severe strategy deficit, according to a new research paper written by Dr. Colin S. Gray. No single service will dominate all future conflicts, writes Doctor Gray, a well-respected author of 22 books on