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  • Command cell provides oversight during Pacific Lifeline

    Six Reservists from the 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron here make up the Aeromedical Command Cell providing command and control for aeromedical force participating in the Pacific Lifeline exercise currently being held in Hawaii. The Reservists are providing direction, control, discipline,

  • Recruiters discuss challenges with Senate subcommittee

    Two Air Force recruiting representatives answered questions for members of the Senate Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Personnel Jan. 31. Senators questioned Air Force Recruiting Service commander Brig. Gen. Suzanne Vautrinot and Master Sgt. Dave White, flight chief for the 341st Recruiting

  • Servicemembers spend special time with orphans

    Airmen assigned to the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, along with fellow servicemembers and coalition forces, are known for supporting projects that include military-to-military training, civil military operations and senior leader engagements. Missions are also in place to protect

  • Scientist demonstrates bendable electronics

    Air Force Office of Scientific Research officials here recently have provided research funding for fast, bendable electronics to attach to unevenly shaped objects like airplane bodies or engines. A research team led by Dr. Zhenqiang Ma of the University of Wisconsin-Madison has developed

  • F-22 Raptor crew chiefs begin training

    The first class of F-22 Raptor crew chiefs began training Jan. 29 at the $21 million Raptor Maintenance Training Facility at Sheppard. Seven Airmen new to the Air Force, and one cross-trainee from the Virginia Air National Guard, are the first to undergo initial skills training on the F-22. "Thank

  • Military working dog teams fine-tune relationships

    It's a simple, age-old act of classical conditioning, the dog finds what the master desires and the dog is rewarded. In the case of Tommy, a three-year-old Belgian Malinoise assigned to Joint Task Force-Bravo Joint Security Forces here, the softball-sized round rubber toy is about all the reward he

  • Chief of staff of Air Force announces new reading list

    The chief of staff of the air force announced his new reading list. "Developing Airmen remains one of my key priorities" said Gen. T. Michael Moseley, "Victory -- whether on the front lines of today's Long War or in the air, space and cyberspace surrounding tomorrow's foes -- will be determined in

  • 7th Air Force, Air Forces Korea redesignated

    Osan Air Base Airmen began a new chapter for the primary combat air force provider to South Korea as the Pacific Air Forces commander uncased the 7th Air Force, Air Forces Korea flag Jan. 30 here.Gen. Carrol H. "Howie" Chandler appointed Lt. Gen. Stephen G. Wood as the 7th Air Force, Air Forces

  • Equipment provides advanced blood testing at Wilford Hall

    Wilford Hall Medical Center officials here recently advanced its blood-testing abilities with the acquisition of state-of-the-art medical equipment. The STA-R Evolution machine performs coagulation testing, in which blood-clotting factors are analyzed and compliance with therapeutic ranges for

  • First aerial bombing mission completed at Kwajalein

    On Jan. 23, the 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, deployed here with their B-2 Spirit stealth bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., completed the first aerial bombing mission at the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site . The Kwajalein Atoll is home to

  • New assistant secretary sworn in

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne swore in the Air Force's new assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and reserve affairs in a ceremony at the Pentagon Jan. 24. Craig Duehring, a 28-year Air Force veteran, is a political appointee, heading a four-division department that deals

  • Summit solidifies operational, strategic doctrine

    More than a dozen active duty and retired general officers formulated doctrine to support joint warfighting operations through the construct of a critical liaison to Air Force commanders called an Air Component Coordination Element Jan. 23 and 24 at Maxwell Air Force Base.The two-day "Gathering of

  • Outreach tour educates nation's top medical civic leaders

    Some of the nation's leading health care professionals recently got a close look at one of the most vital missions in the Air Force -- health care for the wounded. The tour, sponsored by the Secretary of the Air Force's National Civic Outreach office, brought representatives from national medical

  • OTS starts unarmed combat training

    Officer Training School trainees completed the school's first combat skills training class Jan. 29 as part of the effort to expand the expeditionary officer training curriculum here. The course is part of the more than 70 hours of expeditionary skills training now being taught to Officer Training

  • 2008 force shaping board cancelled

    Air Force lieutenants in the 2005 year group, a total of 764 eligible, will not face a fiscal 2008 force shaping board. "We received enough requests to separate through voluntary separations programs that conducting a force shaping board is no longer needed this year," said Lt. Gen. Richard

  • McChord Airmen provide lifeline in Pacific

    More than 140 Airmen from 446th Airlift Wing here are participating in the Pacific Lifeline exercise Jan. 26 through Feb. 9 in Hawaii. Pacific Lifeline is a total-force exercise designed to exercise the military's ability to rapidly arrive and leave a trained, equipped team anywhere in the Pacific

  • Air Force officials activate first air ground operations wing

    The unit activation and assumption of command of the Air Force's first wing solely dedicated to supporting battlefield Airmen took place during a ceremony here Jan. 25. The activation of the 93rd Air Ground Operations Wing marked the first of its kind for the Air Force and added another volume to

  • Troops to receive retroactive pay next month

    Active duty troops will receive retroactive earnings next month, followed weeks later by a supplemental payday for non-active personnel, a Pentagon official said today. The National Defense Authorization Act signed into law Jan. 28 by President Bush stipulates a 3.5 percent military pay raise. This

  • Abused Afghan woman to receive plastic surgery

    A 16-year-old woman brutally attacked by her husband in December is set to receive plastic surgery in Kabul following close coordination between the Afghan government and Provincial Reconstruction Team Qalat, a joint U.S. Air Force and Army unit here. Nazia Hookum Darr was beaten and disfigured by

  • Airmen help wounded troops survive journey home

    The Air Force Theater Hospital's 98 percent survivability rate for injured U.S. servicemembers would be meaningless if the wounded were unable to survive their journey out of the combat zone. Four years into the war, the process of saving lives and then safely transporting critically injured and ill

  • Squadron commanders, first sergeants meet senior leaders

    Squadron commanders and first sergeants had an opportunity to meet with the chief of staff of the Air Force during a conference here Jan. 24 and 25.  Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley called in Airmen from around the Air Force to get a candid perspective from the field while sharing

  • Wrestling: Air Force picks up three wins at Borah Duals

    Finishing six matches in two days, the U.S. Air Force Academy wrestling team went 3-1 at the Borah Duals hosted by Western State Jan. 26. After falling to the host Mountaineers, the Falcons, who switched their lineup throughout the day, rattled off victories over Grand Canyon, Mesa State and New

  • CMSAF focuses on Airmen development

    The Air Force's top enlisted leader emphasized the importance of each Airman's contributions, as well as their responsibilities in the development of their Airmen and their own careers during a Jan. 18 enlisted call at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. Echoing the sentiments of the three Air Force

  • Tyndall squadron prepares for 'pipeline' Raptor pilots

    Opportunities to train on the F-22 Raptor are highly competitive, and pilots picked to fly the world's premier fighter have been chosen from the ranks after logging years on other airframes -- until now. Four first lieutenants currently at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., have been selected as the first

  • Manas center helps Airmen return home quicker

    Members of the 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron's Expeditionary Theater Distribution Center here tested a new process to help Airmen deployed for "in lieu of" taskings for the Army return to their families faster. "Air Force teamwork streamlined all processes that ensured inventory,

  • Cope Tiger takes flight

    Aircrews from the Air Force, Marines, Royal Thai air force and the Republic of Singapore air force began launching sorties in support of Exercise Cope Tiger 2008 Jan. 27 here. More than 1,400 people Air Force, Marines, Royal Thai army and air force, and the Royal Singapore air force are

  • Airmen train with Humvee simulator

    Rollover, rollover, rollover!!! Egress, egress, egress!!! These words were constantly echoed to a group of 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Airmen during the Humvee Egress Assistance Trainer training here Jan. 25. The training, conducted by 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, consisted of 45

  • ACC pilot hearing protection combines with headset

    Air Combat Command pilots are now using a new customized hearing protection system that not only protect the pilots' hearing but also provides a platform for radio communication. The ear plugs, known as Attenuating Custom Communications Earpiece System, are used by pilots in the cockpit and on the

  • Children, parents get fit together

    Do you want to get your kids away from the television, and get a workout in for yourself? Parents and children in the Kaiserslautern Military Community, Germany, have new fitness programs that help them do just that. Renee Champagne, a physical trainer who has worked with kids for more than 16

  • Randolph, Civil Air Patrol kick off new support program

    A new pilot program between the Air Force and Civil Air Patrol officials is set to kick off with a meeting and orientation tour Jan. 28 at Randolph Air Force Base. "The new program called Volunteer Support to the Air Force will provide greater opportunities for citizens through the CAP while

  • Surf the Internet, discover benefits

    Military beneficiaries can find the latest information at their fingertips at the Defense Commissary Agency's new and improved Web site.DeCA has retooled its Internet site to include fresh new graphics that change with each season and a new section that promotes health and wellness. The single

  • AF team addresses local province women's needs

    The needs and issues of the Afghan women of the Kapisa Province were addressed for the first time Jan. 22 in an unprecedented meeting with the Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team. More than 20 women representing six districts in the province traveled various distances to not only bring their

  • Elmendorf Airmen move toward initial operational capability

    Airmen in the 90th Fighter Squadron are completing steps to declare initial operational capability, with the overall goal of declaring full operational capability. The 90th FS and 90th Aircraft Maintenance Unit exercised a mock bomb drop over the Alaska training range Jan. 16. "This was an excellent

  • General shares successes, challenges of Afghan air corps

    The Afghan army air corps is going through rapid growth, but it will take eight years for the force to be self-sustaining and independent, the commander of the Combined Air Power Transition Force said from his headquarters in the Afghan capital of Kabul Jan. 24. Brig. Gen. Jay H. Lindell told

  • TV chef cooks up a winner for Sheppard Airmen

    It took him 10 grueling hours of work, a frantic trip to a Wichita Falls retailer for ingredients, and the help of dozens of Airmen, but Chef Robert Irvine fed 1,000 people at the Air Force's 60th Anniversary banquet at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. In an episode of the Food Network's hit series,

  • Dover housing to claim award

    The 436th Civil Engineer Squadron housing management team here and the civilian partners of Pinnacle and Hunt Development Group were selected as the 2007 Professional Housing Management Association Outstanding Housing Installation Team Award winners and are scheduled to receive the award Jan. 31 in

  • Air Force develops friend vs. foe identification system

    Air Force Research Laboratory officials here recently have developed a technology that helps identify friendly forces during combat exercises. Working with Lumitex Inc. of Strongsville, Ohio, members of AFRL's Materials and Manufacturing Directorate developed and fielded the Target Recognition

  • Air Force funds research into oil repellent surfaces

    Air Force Office of Scientific Research officials here currently are funding investigations into super oil repellent surfaces because of their potential utility in cleaning up jet fuel spills and protecting aircraft or rocket parts from fuel absorption. Drs. Gareth H. McKinley and Robert E. Cohen,

  • Center's core mission remains constant during the years

    By the time the Air Force Flight Test Center was established here on June 25, 1951, Edwards AFB had already become well known as the place where "the rubber meets the ramp" and the de facto center of American flight research, development, test and evaluation. The turbojet revolution in America had

  • Brooks to serve as initial venue to test fit new service coat

    About 150 Airmen from Brooks City-Base, Lackland and Randolph Air Force Bases in Texas, will participate in a fit test of the new Air Force Heritage service dress coat here Jan. 28 - Feb. 1. Subsequent fit tests in February and March are slated for the Air Force Academy and Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.

  • Ammo keeps fighters supplied in quest for Iraqi freedom

    Airmen can fly, fight and win in any wartime situation, but being able to do that is only possible if pilots are properly equipped with the right munitions for their target. Ensuring there is no shortage of munitions for combat aircraft are the Airmen here in the 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance

  • Aviator pay details to be released

    Details on the retention bonus offered to experienced aviators should be released soon, Air Staff officials here said. The aviator continuation pay incentive is in the final coordination stages and once Congress finalizes and the president signs this year's annual National Defense Authorization Act,

  • Defense authorization bill impacts potential degree programs

    With the finalization of the 2008 defense authorization bill, Air University will have the authority to grant a new master's degree in flight test engineering to graduates of the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. That program, which already resembled an academic degree

  • Airmen compete for spot on Air Force boxing team

    The Air Force Box-Off  was held at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Jan. 18 and 19 at the Bennett Fitness Center. Matches featured 16 Air Force members hoping to make the Air Force Boxing Team, which will compete in the Armed Forces Boxing Championship. The main event featured Rodney Ellison

  • Providing shelter is a BEAR

    Air, water, food and shelter are the basic essentials for life. But when Airmen deploy to an environment where no one has lived before, these essentials need to be brought in. Anywhere in the world and within a matter of days, a Base Expeditionary Airfield Resource, commonly referred to as a BEAR

  • Hockey: Falcons beat 4th-ranked Denver, 5-2

    U.S. Air Force Academy sophomore Matt Fairchild scored his first career hat trick as the Falcons defeated fourth-ranked Denver 5-2 Jan. 18 at the Cadet Ice Arena here. The Academy earned their first win over Denver since 1980, breaking a 19-game losing streak to the Pioneers, and it was also the

  • Total force provides seamless airlift support

    Nearly 60 Air National Guardsmen finished a 10-week tour of duty Jan. 11 with the 38th Airlift Squadron here where they'd collectively hauled more than 283 tons of cargo throughout Europe in 109 sorties on C-130 Hercules aircraft.Their mission was a testament of how seamlessly Guard, Reserve and

  • Contingency Wartime Planning Course prepares Airmen for duty

    As the supreme allied commander of allied forces in Europe during the Normandy invasion in World War II, Dwight D. Eisenhower explained the importance of military planning when he said, "In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless but planning is indispensable." A course

  • Air-to-ground missile launched from drone

    For the first time, an air-to-ground missile was launched from a full-scale aerial target drone, or FSAT.  The test was performed Jan. 9 by Airmen here with Detachment 1 of the 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron. The FSAT is an unmanned QF-4 Phantom drone that was operated by remote control from a ground

  • Joint exercise accomplishes historical achievements

    For the past week Airmen have been participating in an operational readiness exercise alongside South Korea airmen and soldiers, testing the combined mission of the two allies stationed here. Even though the ORE is a regular occurance, the exercise made history with two separate events. The first

  • Weather center offers Web-based broadcasts

    In an effort to offer servicemembers, their families and other Department of Defense personnel stationed overseas access to timely weather updates, American Forces Network Weather Center weathermen here now include daily forecasts on their Web site. In what is a typical 11-forecast daily programming

  • Kunsan, Eielson swap F-16s

    Officials from the 8th Fighter Wing received 18 modified F-16 Fighting Falcons in mid January from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, as the two bases exchange fighter aircraft. Currently, 80th Fighter Squadron pilots at Kunsan AB are flying Block 30s, which will transition to the aggressor squadron

  • General Brady assumes command of USAFE

    General Roger A. Brady ceremonially assumed command of U.S. Air Forces in Europe Jan. 17. General Brady, who previously worked as the deputy chief of staff for Manpower and Personnel at Headquarters U.S. Air Force in Washington, begins his term as USAFE commander eight years after he last left the

  • 480th Intelligence Wing realigned

    Air Force officials announced Jan. 14 the transfer of the 480th Intelligence Wing at Langley Air Force Base, Va., to the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency at Lackland AFB, Texas. Formal realignment of the affected units will occur on or before March 1. The 480 IW,

  • Museum unveils F-22 public display

    National Museum of the U.S. Air Force officials here unveiled the new F-22 Raptor exhibit Jan. 17 available to be viewed by all visitors to the public museum.Several high-ranking officials, distinguished guests and many employees from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, gathered to witness

  • Maintenance unit completes upgrade of 100th A-10

    An upgraded A-10 Thunderbolt II, which took off in early January for Moody Air Force Base, Ga., represents another production milestone for the Air Force.Aircraft 80-0172 is the 100th A-10 to go through the Precision Engagement program, started in the 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group in July 2006.

  • Communications agency looks to protect data

    Air Force Communications Agency members here are aggressively developing a solution to protect personal and other sensitive information from being stolen and misused. Several government agencies have been victims of compromised data stored on stolen or lost computers during the past few years,

  • New Airmen 'do something amazing' in the snow

    Thirty-four new Airmen joined the Air Force Jan. 12 at a World PowerSport Association Snowmobile Tour event in Shakopee, Minn. More than 25,000 fans at the Air Force Canterbury SnoCross event witnessed the young adults take the Air Force oath of enlistment for the first time, led by Brig. Gen.

  • Pilot mushes dogs for noble cause

    A pilot with the Alaska Air National Guard and a team of 27 Siberian Huskies are currently breaking new strides while mushing through the icy Interior of Alaska to help children in need. Maj. Blake Matray, 168th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 pilot and weapons and tactics chief here, joined forces

  • Squadron deployment tests Kunsan's readiness

    A South Carolina-based unit began arriving here Jan. 15 as part of an air and space expeditionary force deployment as a measure to maintain a credible deterrent posture and presence in the Pacific region. The 79th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, one of three flying squadrons of the 20th Fighter Wing

  • Mirror therapy shows promise in amputee treatment

    Army Sgt. Nicholas Paupore is using a large mirror  to help adjust to the loss of his leg after suffering injuries in an explosion while on duty in Iraq. By using the mirror, the right leg that was destroyed when an explosively formed penetrator ripped through his Humvee just south of Kirkuk, Iraq,

  • DOD officials select new government travel charge card

    Department of Defense officials announced the selection of Citibank to provide travel charge card services for its members under the General Services Administration's umbrella SmartPay® 2 master contract Jan. 16. The new official travel cards will activate on Nov. 30, 2008. DOD currently has 1.2

  • New financial manager-comptroller sworn in

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne swore in the Air Force's new assistant secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller in a ceremony at the Pentagon Jan. 15. John H. Gibson is now the Air Force's trusted advisor on all matters financial. His mission is to provide

  • Tops In Blue names 2008 team members

    Officials of Tops In Blue, the Air Force's expeditionary entertainment group, have announced the names of 25 new members of the 2008 "Deja Blue" tour. "Our 2008 team is made up of some of the most talented members we have had join us in many years," said Jeri White, production manager for Air Force

  • German airman assists with Holloman ceremony

    Attendees at the 49th Fighter Wing change-of-command ceremony were treated to a strange sight if they looked closely at the honor guard detail that was presenting the colors Jan.11 here as one member of the six-man team stood out, due to the fact that he was wearing a different uniform and carrying

  • Airmen featured on Food Network's 'Dinner: Impossible'

    Television viewers nationwide will see a renowned chef attempt to feed 1,000 people at Sheppard Air Force Base when the Food Network airs a new episode of "Dinner: Impossible" in the coming weeks. Chef Robert Irvine and his culinary crew were given 10 hours to feed members of the base and visiting

  • 4 new pilots begin F-22 training

    The first Air Force pilots selected to fly the F-22 Raptor without previous fighter experience entered the 63rd Fighter Squadron for the Raptor Lead-in course Jan. 14 here. The four pilots are 1st Lt. Austin Skelley, 1st Lt. Ryan Shelhorse, 1st Lt. Marcus McGinn, and 1st Lt. Dan Dickinson. Prior to

  • Personnel center leadership changes hands

    Air Force Personnel Center officials welcomed their 23rd commander during a change-of-command ceremony here Jan. 16. Maj. Gen. K.C. McClain, a 30-year career Airman, succeeds Maj. Gen. Anthony F. Przybyslawski, who was selected for reassignment as director of operations for Air Education and

  • Air Force announces top recruiters for 2007

    Fourteen Air Force recruiters were named tops in their field for fiscal 2007 by Air Force Recruiting Service officials here Jan. 14. The Air Force Blue Suit recruiters for 2007 are: -- Master Sgt. Russell Benigno of the 337th Recruiting Squadron at Fayetteville, N.C., -- Master Sgt. Brian Clark of

  • Airmen participate in dedication ceremony at South Pole

    Two Airmen attended the Jan. 12 Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station dedication ceremony, the culmination of the National Science Foundation's 12-year effort to construct a new station on Antarctica.Maj. Gen. Robert A. Knauff, the New York Air National Guard chief of staff and commander, and Col. Ron

  • Fellowship offers spouses portable skills

    Frequent military relocations can take a toll on spouses' careers unless they have a portable skill, which is exactly what one foundation has set out to provide them. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Investor Education Foundation has partnered with the Association for Financial Counseling

  • Dover, McGuire raise money for CFC in hockey game

    Members of Dover Air Force Base and McGuire AFB, N.J., raised $1,500 for the Combined Federal Campaign in the first-ever ice hockey fundraiser Jan. 13 in Philadelphia. The event drew about 300 spectators and saw the Dover AFB team topple McGuire AFB's team 9-4. Michael Ramos, one of the offensive

  • New ALS curriculum creates new challenges

    Airmen attending Airman Leadership School here and at all Air Force bases come into the new year with many changes to its core curriculum that may create a more challenging course for students ready to become NCOs. ALS institutions Air Force-wide are required to have a "historic, total rewrite" of

  • $92 million facility slated for trauma research

    The groundbreaking of a $92 million research center Jan. 11 marked the first Base Realignment and Closure construction project at Fort Sam Houston directed by the 2005 BRAC legislation. Once completed, the 150,000-square-foot Joint Center of Excellence for Battlefield Health and Trauma Research will

  • Biomedical maintainers ensure combat medical success

    Airmen of the 332nd Medical Support Squadron Biomedical Maintenance Flight here help save lives by ensuring proper preparation of patients prior to air evacuation from the theater of operations every day.The Air Force Theater Hospital at Balad Air Base is the hub for en-route patient care, and

  • Air Force official alters cold-weather gear policy

    The deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel here recently authorized commanders to use their discretion to authorize deviation from policy for wear of cold-weather battle dress uniform outer garments with the airman battle uniform during the coming winter months. "The original guidance was

  • Exercise trains next Horn of Africa task force leaders

    Leaders preparing to deploy to Djibouti as the next headquarters staff at Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa are wrapping up a week-long exercise to prepare them for the challenges they'll face.The mission rehearsal exercise is under way at U.S. Joint Forces Command's Joint Warfighting Center

  • Polish air force commander visits AETC

    The commander of the Polish air force visited several Air Education and Training Command locations during a visit to the United States Jan. 6-8. Lt. Gen. Andrzej Blasik, a 22-year veteran, was here primarily to focus on the Polish air force's F-16 Fighting Falcon and C-130 Hercules implementation

  • Balad Airmen help improve quality of life for Soldiers in Iraq

    A 13-man team from Balad Air Base made quality-of-life improvements, security repairs and facilitated more than 85 emergency maintenance repairs during a 30-day assignment in December and January to an Army patrol base in Samarra, Iraq. Among the improvements the group of Airmen made were

  • State-of-the-art battlefield system to integrate controllers

    Construction is scheduled to begin this month on a facility to house a state-of-the-art battlefield command and control system that will integrate air traffic management throughout Iraq. The $30 million Battlefield Command and Control CENTAF, or BC3, will house air traffic controllers from the

  • Dover exercise tests Airmen's combat environment skills

    Once fine tuned and sharpened with razor-edge precision, an ordinary axe became something magnificent during the Middle Ages. The battleaxe, a choice weapon due to its inexpensive cost and abundant availability, was a dangerous weapon on the battle fields of long ago. The methods of warfare have

  • Eielson maintainers use AFSO 21 to improve performance

    Members of the 354th Maintenance Squadron's Aerospace Ground Equipment Flight here recently implemented Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century initiatives to reorganize the unit to save resources and manpower.The flight reorganized into five cells for scheduled and unscheduled maintenance

  • Medical capability grows in Afghan province

    A joint Air Force and Army team helped build Afghanistan's medical capability as five men from the Zabul Province completed a three-month basic emergency medical technician training course Jan. 8 here. The course was facilitated by Provincial Reconstruction Team Qalat members and is similar to a

  • Airman's Roll Call highlights new enlisted career tool

    This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on a new enlisted tool Airmen can use to plan their careers. The My Enlisted Development Plan, or MyEDP, is designed to help Airmen track their own careers and the careers of those they supervise or mentor. The one-stop website allows Airmen to play a bigger

  • Civilian personnel system offers workers opportunities, officials say

    In its second year of implementation, the Defense Department's new civilian personnel system is meeting its goal of shifting the department to a performance-based pay system while giving employees the power to boost their own careers, two officials with the program said here Jan. 7. The National

  • Virtual enlisted promotion release proving successful

    Since its introduction in November, the new virtual enlisted promotion release system has received positive reviews from the field.  And, while it may be a bit of a culture shock for some, the new system provides several benefits for Airmen of all grades. "The new process resolved several challenges

  • AMC commander visits Airmen in Southwest Asia

    Deployed Airmen need modern aircraft and equipment to continue to effectively prosecute the war on terrorism, the commander of Air Mobility Command said in January during a recent tour of Southwest Asia air bases. Gen. Arthur J. Lichte made his first trip downrange since taking command of AMC in

  • 'Letter to Airmen' focuses on achievement

    In the latest Letter to Airmen, the secretary of the Air Force focuses on how Air Force people need to set personal and organizational goals for 2008. "I encourage each of you to set personal goals that will take care of your mind, body and your family so you are ready to defend our great nation

  • General Brady offers parting thoughts

    To many below the headquarters and major command levels, the title "AF/A1" may not mean much, but it should. AF/A1 is the office of the Air Force's senior officer in charge of all personnel issues from force shaping to education and training, and for nearly four years, Lt. Gen. Roger A. Brady has

  • Air Force funds fiber laser research, considers applications

    The Air Force Office of Scientific Research officials have recently funded a project that creates fiber-lasers as thin as a human hair. The ultra-fast fiber laser development will provide compact and cost effective solutions across a number of technologies of direct relevance to the Air Force.

  • Commercial flights move servicemembers around Africa

    The secretary of defense recently granted a waiver to allow Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa members to partner with a civilian contractor to take American servicemembers from major cities in the area of operation and fly them to smaller, remote locations.Secretary Robert M. Gates approved

  • Wind tunnel helps determine impact of hypersonic speeds

    Funding provided by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research has resulted in the world's only quiet hypersonic wind tunnel, which researchers are now using to test the performance of vehicles traveling at hypersonic speeds, or approximately 4,000 mph. A team of researchers at Purdue University,

  • Airmen design everything from bridges to buildings for Army

    Airmen here are helping their Army brethren everyday in different parts of Iraq, improving their quality of life by creating the blueprints for what may be the next place the Soldiers rest. Those Airmen are the engineering assistants of the 732nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Det. 6. They're

  • New analysis tool boosts AF's wartime mission

    The Air Force has developed a new tool for personnelists and functional area managers that provides a complete and accurate accounting of deployment assets. For the first time, FAMs at the Air Force headquarters and major command level can look at their Air Force specialty codes and make accurate

  • 2007 a time of reflection, success

    The year 2007 was a time for reflection as Air Force people celebrated the service's 60th anniversary, but it was also a time of great success as Airmen across the world defended their nation through air, space and cyberspace. In celebration of the 60th anniversary, six locations across the country

  • Emergency airdrop rescues stranded ship

    Teamwork, flexibility and airpower were used to deliver critical repair parts to a stranded British fishing vessel, the Argos Georgia, and its 25-person crew Jan. 4. The vessel had lost all main power and been frozen in the ice flow off the Ross Ice Shelf since Christmas Eve, New Zealand

  • First phase of legal complex nears completion

    The first phase of a $10.2 million project to construct the expeditionary legal complex here inches closer to completion as Air Guard civil engineers put their finishing touches on its various structures. With a scheduled phase one completion date of Jan. 15, Lt. Col. James Starnes, commander of the

  • Project promises economic boost for Afghans

    A recently-approved $300,000 construction contract promises economic growth for Afghans here, according to the Airman leading engineering efforts for the Mehtar Lam Provincial Reconstruction Team. The contract for the construction of four new agricultural buildings in the Mehtar Lam agricultural

  • Air Force cartoonist publishes book while deployed

    It's hard being only a figment of someone's imagination. Just ask 1st Lt. Kenneth Dahl, an F-15 Eagle fighter pilot with the imaginary 809th Fighter Squadron. Lieutenant Dahl, call sign "Barbie," is the star of the online Web comic Air Force Blues, and a hero, of sorts, to his Internet following.

  • U.S., Afghan partnership to bring prosperity to region

    "I make promises and my job is to fulfill these promises," Laghman Provincial Governor Gulab Mangal told more than 200 tribal elders during a shura, or tribal council, held here recently. Six weeks later, that declaration came true with the Dec. 31signing of an $8 million contract between the