NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Program strengthens U.S., host-nation relationships

    More than 1,000 Manas Air Base servicemembers have a unique opportunity through the base International Tours and Travel office to get out of the base from time to time. Each week, the ITT office puts together off-base request trips to more than 40 locations ranging from hiking and dining trips to

  • Football: Navy holds off Falcons

    Air Force came up short Oct. 4 in their quest to reclaim the Commander-in-Chief's trophy. A Falcon Stadium near capacity crowd of 46,339 watched Navy capitalize on Air Force mistakes and turnovers to score 24 points en route to a 33-27 victory. Two blocked punts returned for touchdowns by Navy, five

  • Special Ops weathermen get new specialty code

    Air Force special operations weathermen now have a new specialty code they can call their own. Recruiters can enlist trainees directly into the 1W0X2 special operations weathermen career field since the new Air Force specialty code is now in the enlisted classification directory. Before this new

  • Chinese military delegation visits Hickam AFB

    A delegation from China's People Liberation Army visited here as part of a professional exchange with senior U.S. military enlisted personnel Oct. 2. The People's Liberation Army delegation of 12, led by Maj. Gen. Zhong Zhiming, chief of military affairs for the PLA Headquarters General Staff,

  • AF announces selection process for deputy support group commanders

    Air Force Personnel Center officials recently released the selection process and eligibility requirements for officers interested in calendar year 2009 mission support group deputy commander positions. Following the Air Force chief of staff's force development construct, officers will be matched to

  • Financial adviser tells Airmen to 'focus on fundamentals'

    What wouldn't most Americans give for solid financial advice in the current uncertain climate? For more than 140 Officer Training School cadets, all they had to do was show up for work. A money expert from the United Services Automobile Association visited Maxwell-Gunter for a briefing at Officer

  • Tricare takes aim at childhood obesity

    October is Children's Health Month and Tricare has launched a new Web page at http://www.tricare.mil/getfit to promote a healthy lifestyle partnership aimed at military families. The new page serves as campaign "headquarters." The target? Childhood obesity. Tricare is partnering with the Defense

  • Ceremony marks beginning of U.S. mission in Baltics

    For the second time in history, an American flag was raised over the Quick Reaction Facility in Siauliai during a ceremony marking the U.S. Air Force's assumption of responsibility for the NATO Baltic air policing mission. The ceremony began with Lithuanian Lt. Col. Raimundas Matulis, Ministry of

  • 'Today's Air Force' features Gulf Coast response

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights the impact of and prompt response to the hurricanes that struck the Gulf Coast. Airmen immediately came through, handing out five tons of water, four thousand bags of ice and six hundred meals. Another team effort is demonstrated by the Airmen behind

  • Volunteer program aims to go Air Force-wide

    What started off as a desire to volunteer at a local hospital now has the potential to spread Air Force-wide. Staff Sgt. Jewell Hicks Jr., an executive communications support Airman with the 375th Communications Squadron here, began Airmen for Children in July. The program encourages Scott Air Force

  • HH-60Gs integrate with Army AH-64s for war missions

    Airmen and Soldiers here took integration one step further with rotary wing aviation operations in Afghanistan. While the Army AH-64 Apaches and Air Force HH-60 Pave Hawks have flown medical evacuation missions together for some time now in Afghanistan, on Sept. 25 they flew their first joint combat

  • Inspections ordered for A-10 Thunderbolt IIs

    Air Force officials have issued a time compliance technical order requiring immediate inspection and repair of wing cracks for a portion of the A-10 Thunderbolt II fleet. This action impacts approximately 130 A-10 aircraft with thin-skin wings installed during original manufacture and is being taken

  • A revolution in the classroom

    In an era where computers and the Internet have changed almost every aspect of daily life, from shopping to working to entertainment, is it time for technology to change the way Airmen learn? For younger Airmen, it seems, the answer is yes. Air Education and Training Command officials recently

  • AFPC Spread the Word team launches global tour

    The Air Force Personnel Center Commander, Maj. Gen. K.C. McClain, will kick off an Air Force-wide "Spread the Word" briefing tour at Oct. 7 and 8 at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. "AFPC is evolving to provide personnel services in new formats through new programs, and we want to communicate these

  • Tricare offers respite for caregivers

    Tricare now offers primary caregivers of active duty servicemembers much needed rest, relief and reprieve thanks to section 1633 of the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act. The respite benefit specifically helps homebound servicemembers who need frequent help from their primary caregiver. It is

  • Gen. McKinley approved to lead Guard Bureau

    Lt. Gen. Craig R. McKinley was confirmed as the 26th chief of the National Guard Bureau by the Senate Oct. 2 in Washington, D.C. He will also become the first four-star general in the nearly 372-year history of the National Guard. The current director of the Air National Guard, General McKinley was

  • Senate confirms Gen. Fraser as next vice chief of staff

    General William M. Fraser III, a command pilot, will be the Air Force's next vice chief of staff, based on a Senate confirmation vote, which occurred Oct. 2. Now the president must offer the official appointment to the general before he can assume his new position. General Fraser, who now serves as

  • Senate confirms Donley to be next secretary of Air Force

    Michael B. Donley will be the next secretary of the Air Force based on an Oct. 2 Senate confirmation vote here. Secretary Donley had been designated by the president to begin serving as acting secretary on June 21, 2008. The former director of administration and management for the Defense

  • Top cover: Airpower integral to ground force's success

    Pilots on board F-15E Strike Eagles helped turned the tide as Army Soldiers fighting terrorists in Afghanistan were pinned down and needed assistance in mid September.An improvised explosive device had disabled a vehicle and Soldiers were stranded, but airpower was there to help. "As we got within

  • Tricare Reserve and Guard family benefit now permanent

    Eligible families of activated National Guard and Reserve members will continue to save up to $300 in annual deductibles now that a Tricare "demonstration" program is a permanent benefit. Eligible family members of Guard and Reserve personnel activated for more than 30 days under federal orders in

  • Feedback sought from servicemembers, their families

    The Military Health System invites wounded, ill or injured servicemembers and their families to respond to a new pair of questionnaires designed to help MHS leaders better understand the needs and expectations of the warriors in their care. The questionnaires -- one for wounded, ill or injured

  • Air Force launches 'BlueTube' site for online videos

    When you get an interesting or funny Air Force video in your e-mail, do you ever send it out to family, friends and co-workers? Now the Air Force has its own channel, called AirForceBlueTube, for those videos on the popular video-sharing site YouTube.com. "We wanted to have a one-stop shop to host

  • Africa Command unfurls colors during Pentagon ceremony

    The flag for a new U.S. unified command that seeks to meld civilian expertise with military planning and logistics was unfurled Oct. 1 during a Pentagon ceremony. Army Gen. William E. "Kip" Ward unfurled the colors and told Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

  • Air Force medics support trauma mission for warriors

    A recent influx of trauma cases at Wilford Hall Medical Center here sheds light on the importance of the hospital's civilian trauma mission with the city of San Antonio, and the high caliber of training it provides for military doctors and medics here. During the month of September, Air Force

  • Seventeenth Air Force stands up

    The air component for U.S. Africa Command declared initial operational capability Sept. 18 in an assumption-of-command ceremony on Ramstein which also celebrated the unit's Oct. 1 activation. Seventeenth Air Force, also to be known as Air Forces Africa, marked the coming activation by handing the

  • Football: Air Force hosts service academy rival Navy

    The U.S. Air Force Academy football team takes on rival U.S. Naval Academy at 2 p.m. MDT Oct. 4 in Falcon Stadium here. The Falcons are coming off an open date following a 30-23 loss at home to Utah Sept. 20, and the Navy enters the game following a 24-17 win at No. 15 Wake Forest. The Air Force

  • Charleston officials begin transporting new Army vehicles

    Charleston Air Force Base officials began receiving and immediately shipping six new Army High Mobility Engineer Excavator vehicles to warfighters in Southwest Asia Sept. 29 here. Charleston AFB is the first Air Force base to receive and ship the HMEE, which is a newly developed military

  • Reserve contact center announces new weekend schedule

    The Reserve Personnel Contact Center support schedule is changing, Air Reserve Personnel Center officials here said. Starting Oct. 4, customer service counselors will be available the first three Saturdays of each month from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. mountain time to support Air National Guard and Air Force

  • Air Force Reserve exceeds recruiting goal

    Air Force Reserve recruiters signed up 8,390 people in fiscal year 2008, exceeding the goal by almost 5 percent.  The additional recruits followed as the command met its annual goal of 8,000 on Aug. 28, some 33 days ahead of schedule. Col. Francis M. Mungavin, Air Force Reserve Command Recruiting

  • Officials enter agreement to create aerospace complex

    Air Force officials announced Sept. 25 that the service has signed a long-term lease agreement with Oklahoma County that will enable the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center to establish the Tinker Aerospace Complex here. The lease, which was signed Sept. 24, covers approximately 407 acres of land

  • DOD officials move toward civilian expeditionary capability

    Defense Department officials are moving forward with setting up a global expeditionary force for civilian employees, a senior Pentagon personnel official said Sept. 30. Patricia Bradshaw, deputy undersecretary of defense for civilian personnel policy, said operations in Iraq and Afghanistan pointed

  • Simulation center prepares medics for saving lives

    In this world where hospital staffs hold human lives in their hands, where do they train to function under this ultimate responsibility? When they are put under the stress of doing a job so important that even the military considers them doctors first and military second, where do they learn to

  • U.S. Northern Command gains dedicated response force

    For the first time in its existence, U.S. Northern Command is gaining a dedicated force to respond to potential chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosive (CBRNE) incidents in the homeland. "We are now building the first of three CBRNE Consequence Management Response

  • Deep Freeze Airman given Christchurch civic award

    Fresh off the successful night-time landing of a C-17 Globemaster III on the cold Antarctica ice, a 12-year veteran of Operation Deep Freeze missions has become the first American to receive the Christchurch Civic Award. Lt. Col. Jim McGann, 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron commander, received

  • New course trains medical teams in Pacific

    Critical care specialists from the Air Force, Army and Navy are training on moving seriously ill patients in the Pacific theater at a Sept. 29 through Oct. 3 course being held here. The aeromedical evacuation regulating organization for U.S. Pacific Command, 13th Air Force's Theater Patient Movement

  • Defense contributions help NASA's 50-year legacy

    As the men and women of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration celebrate its 50th anniversary this week, Defense Department personnel also can take a bow for the key role they have played in lending technology and expertise to NASA's space exploration and research mission.NASA began

  • Airman's Roll Call: Signs of domestic violence

    This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on supervisors and co-workers ability to identify signs of domestic violence in their fellow Airmen. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, reminding us to be alert for signs of violence and help those deal with their difficult situation. The Air Force

  • Provisional team prepares for cyber mission assurance

    The Air Force Cyber Command (Provisional) staff here has spent a year defining and shaping the future of the service's cyberspace operations. There have been numerous contributions from the team that will assist the Air Force as it decides how it will "fly, fight and win" in the cyberspace domain,

  • MH-53s fly final combat missions

    Aircrews flew the remaining six MH-53 Pave Low helicopters on their last combat missions in support of special operations forces Sept. 27 in Southwest Asia. The last mission, a SOF logistical resupply and passenger movement throughout central and southern Iraq, marks their last combat mission before

  • Registry tracks effects of embedded metal fragments

    A Defense Department registry is helping officials gather data to be sure the long-accepted practice of leaving embedded metal fragments in wounded warriors' bodies as long as vital organs aren't threatened is valid. Officials at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology created the Embedded Metal

  • Officials identify pilot missing from Vietnam War

    Officials with the Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced Sept. 30 that the remains of a U.S. Airman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. He is Col. David H. Zook Jr., of West

  • Kadena Airmen aid injured mariners

    Kadena Air Base Airmen provided medical assistance to two injured mariners aboard a Panamanian freighter Sept. 27 750 nautical miles north of the island of Saipan in the Pacific Ocean. Pararescuemen and members of the 320th Special Tactics Squadron left around 2:30 p.m. aboard an MC-130 flown by the

  • Executive order eases employment for military spouses

    President Bush has signed an executive order that will make it easier for spouses of servicemembers to get federal jobs. The order authorizes noncompetitive hiring of spouses and should make the hiring process easier and faster for those in this category, said Patricia Bradshaw, deputy

  • Air Force, Navy officials agree upon F-35 depot workload

    Air Force and Navy officials here signed a memo Sept. 16 identifying a new process for allocating F-35 Lightning II depot repair workloads. The new process takes into account service competency and experience in determining workload allocation. "This was truly a joint effort on the part of the Air

  • Minot officer under investigation for taking classified device

    An officer was charged with the theft of a classified item, and an Article 32 investigation hearing began Sept. 30 at Minot Air Force Base, N.D. Capt. Paul A. Borowiecki, a missile combat crewmember with the 91st Missile Wing at Minot AFB, is accused of stealing a classified missile launch control

  • World War II women aviators gather for final reunion

    The past and present came together Sept. 25 through 28 here as women aviators from different generations took part in the final reunion for the original Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II. Women from across the country assembled to honor the courage and dedication of the pilots, and the

  • Iraqi training wing soars to 3,000th hour

    The Iraqi air force Flying Training Wing has reached yet another goal, one that may have seemed impossible a year ago, with the help of Airmen from the 52nd Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron. This partnership enabled Iraqi pilots to reach the 3,000th flying training hour milestone here Sept 23.

  • South Dakota veterans may be eligible for bonuses

    The state of South Dakota is paying a veterans' bonus of up to $500 to certain servicemembers based on monthly service during qualifying dates. Bonuses are available to servicemembers who: -- were legal residents of the state for at least six months immediately preceding entry into the armed forces.

  • 'Today's Air Force' features war-zone support

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights what Air Force men and women are doing to support the war on terrorism in Southwest Asia. See how three hospitals, each run by representatives of a different country, come together to provide the utmost medical training to Afghan medical students. Also

  • Air Force could save millions through recovery program

    A two-year proof of concept project to demanufacture and disassemble condemned jet engine parts for reuse is under way here and Air Force officials are praising initial results. About 200,000 pounds of material from the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center has already been introduced into the

  • Air Force climate survey begins Oct. 1

    Air Force leaders want to know what to know what's on the minds of Airmen. The Air Force launches its 2008 climate survey Oct. 1 via an e-mail invitation to every Airman across the total force, including civilians. The survey covers home life, work environment, leadership and morale issues. It will

  • New Air Force chief scientist has AFMC ties

    Dr. Werner J.A. Dahm will begin his assignment as the new Chief Scientist of the Air Force in October, replacing Dr. Mark Lewis. While his post will be at the Pentagon, Dr. Dahm has a connection with Air Force Materiel Command. Dr. Dahm was a research engineer from 1979 to 1981 at the Arnold

  • Troops complete disaster relief mission in Haiti

    The USS Kearsarge departed Haiti Sept. 29 after completing a 19-day disaster relief mission in the storm-ravaged Caribbean nation.  The humanitarian effort included robust helicopter and sealift support to U.S. relief efforts led by the U.S. Agency for International Development's Office of Foreign

  • Little Rock Air Force Base shifting focus

    Officials from the 19th Airlift Wing will accept operational control of Little Rock Air Force Base Oct. 1 from 314th AW officials to become the base's host wing here. The 19th AW is an Air Mobility Command wing and the 314th AW is an Air Education and Training Command wing.   With an AMC wing taking

  • Airmen train at Fort Bragg for 'outside the wire' deployment

    More than 175 Airmen from 55 different bases around the world are training here with an "outside the wire" mindset as they prepare for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan.The Airmen will be part of Provincial Reconstruction Teams on 270-day deployments to help rebuild the infrastructure and

  • Servicemembers prepare for Afghan deployments

    Airmen, Sailors and Soldiers formed 12 Provincial Reconstruction Teams and are receiving training here as part of a 270-day rotation to Afghanistan in an effort to help rebuild the infrastructure and legitimize the Afghan government. Each PRT, consisting of a main body of Airmen or Sailors and an

  • CAP provides rescue resources during emergencies

    When disasters strike, there is a select group of volunteer pilots, search and rescue teams, and trained observers who help those in need. Missing persons, flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes and downed aircraft are some of the situations to which the Civil Air Patrol responds at a moment's notice.

  • Airman immerses into language for deployment

    An Airman deploying soon to Afghanistan as part of a Provincial Reconstruction Team will be able to use a hobby of his to help make his deployment easier for himself and his team. Senior Airman George Williams joined the Air Force almost four years ago in hopes of being a linguist specializing in

  • Village of Hope training center graduates final class

    A program designed to help "Sons of Iraq" citizen security group members learn skills that will enable them to help Iraq move forward graduated its final class of 60 students here Sept. 25. "The Village of Hope was part of a civil service corps program that took Sons of Iraq members from checkpoints

  • More documentation necessary to replace, renew ID cards

    Homeland Security Directive 12 now requires retirees and family members seeking to renew or replace a military identification card to provide two types of ID. Retirees and family members needing identification cards must have two of the following types of current identification, one of which must

  • Hill employee convicted of bomb-making charges

    A Hill Air Force Base, Utah, employee was convicted of bomb charges in a federal court Sept. 25 in Utah. Raymond Bradley Parr, a marketing director with the 75th Air Base Wing's Services Division, was arrested in September 2007 on suspicion of manufacturing and possessing explosive devices, some of

  • VA secretary establishes ALS as a compensable illness

    Veterans with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," soon may receive badly needed support for themselves and their families. The Department of Veterans Affairs secretary announced recently that ALS will become a presumptively compensable illness for all veterans with

  • Tricare retiree dental benefit available overseas

    Retired Tricare beneficiaries living overseas may enroll in the Tricare Retiree Dental Program beginning Oct. 1.The Enhanced-Overseas TRDP is available for all eligible uniformed service retirees and their families. "For many years, military retirees and their families have requested a dental

  • Recruiting group closes its doors

    Air Force Recruiting Service officials are deactivating the 367th Recruiting Group here Oct. 1 as recruiting units are realigned from four groups into three and reducing recruiting squadrons from 27 to 24. AFRS officials are reorganizing health professions recruiting into 24 regional hubs throughout

  • New organization changes how to get info, entertainment

    The Oct. 1 establishment of the Defense Media Activity will change the way Defense Department members get news, entertainment and information to servicemembers and their families. Servicemembers will not immediately notice a change: the Armed Forces Network will still broadcast football games and

  • Airmen support new Hollywood movie 'Eagle Eye'

    Members of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations will get ready for its close-up Sept. 26 as the movie "Eagle Eye" will be released to selected theaters around the country. The movie stars Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan and is directed by D. J. Caruso."This was a great opportunity for

  • International Space Station conducts tests for Air Force

    Air Force Research Laboratory officials here recently partnered with NASA to conduct materials experiments aboard the International Space Station. The project incorporates 500 materials samples into two suitcase-like containers attached to the exterior of the International Space Station. The

  • AEF move to AFPC now complete

    Air Force officials held a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony designating full operational capability for the Air and Space Expeditionary Force and Personnel Operations Directorate Sept. 26 at the Air Force Personnel Center here. The AEF Center, previously located at Langley Air Force Base, Va., became

  • Test results show Active Denial System as nonlethal weapon

    Air Force Research Laboratory officials here recently completed an extensive bioeffects research program for an invisible, counter personnel, directed-energy weapon known as the Active Denial System.Data showed that millimeter waves do not promote cancer or cause reproductive problems, and

  • Senior leaders held accountable for nuclear enterprise missteps

    Air Force leaders released details today about administrative actions being taken against 15 officers in connection with deficiencies outlined in a report reviewing elements of the service's nuclear enterprise. "The Air Force has no more solemn obligation than the security and reliability of the

  • U.S. troops help build Afghan air corps

    A team of 170 U.S. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines have been tasked with recruiting, training and equipping the Afghan National Army Air Corps. "Our goal is to develop this Air Corps to be fully independent and fully operational, capable to meet (the) security requirements of Afghanistan," Air

  • Financial Services Center officials work through challenges

    The shift to processing pay and travel transactions at the newly established Air Force Financial Services Center here has caused some customers to see delays in the payments of travel vouchers and other transactions. "We are keenly aware of the impact that long processing time has on our Airmen and

  • Iraqis learn, overcome challenges of helo operations

    Iraqi helicopter aircrews are increasingly in demand as Iraqi security forces assume responsibility of their nation's security from their American counterparts. These crews are trained at Taji Air Base, Iraq, using UH-1 Hueys and Mi-17 Hips, where they learn the ins and outs of helicopter

  • Military leaders discuss National Guard role

    Air and Army Guardsmen from across 54 U.S. states and territories met to discuss current and future plans at the 130th conference of the National Guard Association of the United States Sept. 20 through 22 here. Some 2,000 citizen-Soldiers and citizen-Airmen heard from key military leaders including

  • Gen. Schwartz outlines future role, relationship with Guard

    The Air Force chief of staff reached out to National Guard leaders, inviting collaborative planning and support of the total force as he spoke at the National Guard Association of the United States Conference Sept. 22 here. Gen. Norton A. Schwartz addressed 2,000 citizen-Soldiers and citizen-Airmen

  • Deployed Airman witnesses daughter's birth via Internet

    For Airman 1st Class Roger Prokes, a patrolman with the 95th Security Forces Squadron here, being deployed didn't mean he would miss the birth of his daughter. Modern technology would see to that. "Just in case my husband wasn't back, I had spoken with the director of labor and delivery at my

  • Airpower integral to Kajaki Dam turbine delivery

    Coalition airpower focused on a critical part of southern Afghanistan from Aug. 28 to Sept. 2 to protect more than 4,000 ground forces and to support the delivery of an electric turbine for the 30-year-old hydroelectric Kajaki Dam in the Helmand Province. The new turbine, part of a U.S.-funded

  • New battle gear improves capabilities for combat Airmen

    Battlefield Airmen will soon receive a new equipment item that will improve their ability to execute their combat duties. The new airman battle system-ground is a tactical ensemble, or equipment item, for Airmen who perform their mission outside the wire in close coordination with ground forces. "It

  • Bystander intervention vital in preventing sexual assault

    Air Force officials here are developing a bystander intervention training program for the annually-required Sexual Assault Prevention and Response training to enhance the annual training Airmen receive. The new training, geared for small groups and interactive skills development, helps train Airmen

  • Air Force Association honors AFMC during conference

    Air Force Association officials presented awards to six individuals and one team from Air Force Materiel Command during AFA's 24th Annual Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition. The conference took place Sept. 15-17 in Washington, D.C. The commander of AFMC, Gen. Bruce Carlson was

  • Airmen to deliver 10,000th MRAP to troops

    The 10,000th mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle is scheduled to be delivered to troops supporting Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom Sept. 25 by Air Mobility Command Airmen.MRAPs were introduced in 2007, and AMC Airmen have been working around-the-clock planning, coordinating and executing

  • Civilian leaders learn strength of U.S. airpower in Europe

    Civilian business and community leaders got firsthand and sometimes hands-on exposure Sept. 23 to U.S. Air Forces in Europe's multiple missions of supporting warfighters, building partnerships and strengthening its historic NATO ties. U.S. Air Forces, Europe, or USAFE, is as critical to U.S.

  • Conference speakers say users' needs matter most

    Speakers at the sixth annual Network Centric Operations Conference held here Sept. 22 offered various perspectives on the pathways to achieving "net-centricity," but all agreed on the goal. It's about better serving the people whose missions -- and sometimes lives -- depend on receiving timely and

  • New Weather Agency facility sets gold standard

    The Air Force Weather Agency headquarters facility here recently became the first facility in the Air Force to earn a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold rating by the U.S. Green Building Council. The Lt. Gen. Thomas S. Moorman facility earned its gold rating in the Version 2.1 LEED

  • AAFES mobile field exchange heads to Galveston Island

    The Army & Air Force Exchange Service, at the request of the Texas National Guard, has moved a mobile field exchange from Ellington Field south to Scholes International Airport in Galveston, Texas. "We moved the MFE on Saturday and opened the doors on Sunday, Sept. 21," said the Fort Sam Houston

  • Brothers meet at 20,000 feet

    Family reunions are always special, but for two brothers stationed at different bases in Southwest Asia their meeting at 20,000 feet over a combat zone is even more memorable. During the encounter Sept. 10, Capt. Jason Moraes, a KC-10 Extender pilot for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, refueled his

  • Partnership with New Zealand emphasized at air conference

    Partnership between the United States and New Zealand militaries is vital to meeting the security challenges of the Pacific region, said the 13th Air Force commander at the Royal New Zealand Air Force Chief of Air Force Conference Sept. 23. Lt. Gen. Loyd S. "Chip" Utterback provided a U.S.

  • Airman's Roll Call: Stay informed about PTSD

    This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on post traumatic stress disorder and its affects on Airmen. The war on terrorism has significantly expanded the opportunity for Airmen to be exposed to a serious traumatic event. Even though battlefield trauma is most often associated with causing PTSD, it's

  • Holographic research could enhance aircraft antennas

    Air Force-funded researchers at HRL Laboratories in Malibu, Calif., are working on holographic impedance surfaces for antennas that will give aircraft improved aerodynamics. The team is using a design technique that is similar to how people make holograms, said Dr. Daniel Sievenpiper, the lead

  • Tinker civilians provide communications support to Iraqis

    Seven members from the 38th Engineering Installation Group's Systems Telecommunications Engineering Managers are helping to rebuild Iraq's air force by designing the entire communications infrastructure. The lead engineer for the coalition air force training team and 38th EIG STEM manager, Mike

  • Air Force officials announce team excellence awards

    Air Force officials here recently announced the five teams selected for the 2008 Chief of Staff Team Excellence Awards. The awards recognize teams that used a systematic approach to enhance mission capability, improve operational performance, and create sustained results. Improvements made by the

  • Joint unmanned aircraft system mission crosses Atlantic

    An Air Combat Command RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system from the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., made a trans-Atlantic flight Sept. 20 with the assistance of Navy officials. The 19-hour flight from Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., to Southwest Asia had Air

  • Special Operations Command earns multiple AFA awards

    Air Force Special Operations Command officials here took home four awards during the Air Force Association's annual Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition held from Sept. 15 to 17 in Washington, D.C. Each year, AFA officials honor the outstanding achievements of men and women throughout

  • STRATCOM leader charts nuclear path for American military

    The U.S. Strategic Command commander here recently laid out his vision for the future of America's strategic deterrence mission and the importance of nuclear stewardship. Gen. Kevin P. Chilton also outlined the necessary measures to correct the accountability and day-to-day management issues with

  • 'Perspective' goes outside the wire

    In his latest "Enlisted Perspective," the Air Force's top enlisted Airman discusses how Airmen in conventional and uncoventional taskings all contribute to the fight against terrorism. "Our Airmen are warriors. We come from a proud heritage of warriors, and today we continue our combat tradition by

  • Airmen honor America's fallen

    Crouched in the shade of an elm tree between the Washington Monument and World War II Memorial here, a major used portable communications equipment Sept. 20 to direct three F-15 Eagle pilots to fly over a national tribute to honor America's fallen and their families. "It was inspirational and

  • Ramstein Airman killed in Pakistan

    An 86th Airlift Wing major from here was killed after a Sept. 20 explosion in Islamabad, Pakistan. Maj. Rodolfo Rodriguez, 34, of the 86th Construction and Training Squadron, was deployed to the area in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. "Our heartfelt sympathies go out to his family and friends

  • Reserve C-130s begin aerial spraying in Louisiana

    An Air Force Reserve C-130 Hercules aircraft and 10 reservists from the 910th Airlift Wing are scheduled to begin aerial spray missions in Louisiana from here Sept 22. Barksdale AFB was chosen as the base of operations for the aircrews and maintenance personnel because of its proximity to the spray

  • Iraqi airmen keep helicopter fleet flying

    An American Airman assigned to the 770th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron at Taji Air Base is helping Iraqi airmen learn how to be aircraft maintainers as the Iraqi air force takes steps to take off on their own.Tech. Sgt. Lee Everhart, an Mi-17 air adviser with the 770th AEAS, is part of the

  • Football: Utah downs Air Force 30-23

    The University of Utah scored on a 9-yard game-winning touchdown with 58 seconds to play giving them a narrow 30-23 win over the U.S. Air Force Academy Sept. 20 here. The Air Force appeared to have the momentum when they scored on a 1-yard touchdown run by Savier Stephens that tied the game at 23