NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Services continue strong recruiting through September

    All four active services met or exceeded their numerical accession goals for fiscal year 2014 through September, and each service also exceeded Department of Defense quality benchmarks for new recruits, DOD officials announced Nov. 10.

  • Commentary: Airmen Powered by Innovation program launches new site

    In April of this year we launched the Airmen Powered by Innovation program aimed at turning your ideas into real cost savings for our Air Force. Since coming online API has received and reviewed more than 2,400 ideas and that number continues to climb. Thank you and keep the great ideas flowing.

  • Benefits claim process for voluntary separatees

    Records for all Airmen separated or retired under the fiscal year 2014 Voluntary Separation Pay program were updated Nov. 5 to reflect eligibility for transitional medical benefits.

  • Reservist celebrates 6 years of cancer remission

    When her husband threatened to take her to the emergency room, she made an appointment with a cardiologist and later had her blood drawn. An urgent call from the doctor later sent her to the emergency room, where she was as stunned as everyone else with the diagnosis -- Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

  • AF engineers log record-breaking accelerated engine test

    A highly successful accelerated mission test (AMT) of Pratt & Whitney's F135 conventional take-off and landing/carrier variant (CTOL/CV) engine was recently completed in the Sea Level 3 test cell (SL-3) at the Arnold Engineering Development Center.

  • Airman discovers grandfather's World War II story

    An Airman here recently discovered that his grandfather was among a small group of Americans who joined the Canadian military to thwart the tyranny of Nazi Germany prior to America entering World War II.

  • Historic hangars merge past with present

    Two historic hangars were fitted with solar walls last year, and the effort is saving the installation as much as $100,000 per year in utility costs. In addition to cost savings, the systems are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 470 metric tons per year -- the equivalent of

  • Wingman now a part of BMT culture

    Glamorized during the ‘80s movie ‘Top Gun,’ the concept of a wingman was to always keep the lead pilot safe, even at the cost of veering off to fight the enemy. For the past few years, “wingman” has become a pledge, promise and commitment between Airmen to take care of themselves and those around

  • AF to implement DOD TDY policy changes

    The Defense Department recently implemented two TDY policy changes impacting travel reimbursements for Airmen.The first change took effect Oct. 1, and made changes to the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR), Reimbursable and Incidental Expense Policy. The second will be a change in long-term TDY per diem

  • Radar site techs: First line of defense 24/7, 365

    At the narrowest part of the Bering Strait, where the North American and Asian land masses meet in a virtually uninhabited area, sits a vital, yet relatively unknown, asset that is the first line of homeland defense for the United States and Canada -- the Tin City Long Range Radar Site.

  • Vance flight simulators go HD

    Instead of flying in a computer-generated world reminiscent of a Windows 95 graphics reproduction, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training students will take to the simulated blue skies in high definition, beginning Oct 27.

  • Travel regulation changes affect PCS moves, travelers

    Big changes are happening with the Joint Travel Regulations, and they could affect your next permanent-change-of-station move or how you are reimbursed for temporary duty assignments. As of July 25, Army uniformed and civilian travelers are directed to use their government travel credit cards for

  • Remembering Rosie

    Thrust into the depths of war Dec. 7, 1941, the U.S. employed all its resources to meet the enemy in battle quickly but one resource began to run out -- manpower. There were a lot of things that changed during that time; one change that grew not only out of necessity but also from a sense of duty

  • Airmen support remote arctic operations

    Located just 508 miles from the North Pole and 1,140 miles north of the Arctic Circle, Canadian Forces Station Alert and its small contingent of personnel provides signals intelligence there and for its detachment stations. Due to its remote geographic location at the northernmost inhabited location

  • Cyber expansions create security considerations

    Technological advances have put the world at the fingertips of anyone with connection to the Internet and during cyber security awareness month, Airmen and their families are reminded to remain vigilant when posting personal information.

  • Altus AFB Airmen deliver aid to Liberia

    Ten Airmen from the 97th Air Mobility Wing here, delivered humanitarian and medical supplies to Liberia Sept. 25 - Oct. 3, in support of Operation United Assistance to provide aid to the Ebola stricken region.

  • Oct. 1 – Pulse on AF force management

    Featured in this force management update are details regarding changes to the reduction in force board eligibility and ongoing civilian force management programs.

  • Global Strike provides deterrence for the modern era

    The Air Force recently demonstrated its nuclear deterrence and power projection capabilities through a coordinated display of strategic combat power.Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen -- responsible for two legs of the nation's nuclear triad -- conducted the demonstrations, which included

  • Warrior Games Profile - Mitchell Kieffer

    More than 40 athletes will represent the Air Force during the 2014 Warrior Games from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is a profile of one of those athletes, providing a behind-the-scenes look at who they are and the sport they will participate in.

  • Air Force fighters, bombers conduct strikes against ISIL targets in Syria

    U.S. military forces and partner nations, including the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, undertook military action against ISIL terrorists in Syria overnight, using a mix of fighter, bomber, remotely piloted

  • Army, AF share joint information network

    During September, the Army and Air Force achieved major network security and capacity upgrades at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, in partnership with the Defense Information Systems Agency, or DISA.

  • Simulators train aircrew at fraction of cost

    Using simulators for the majority of pilot training is a huge advantage. They operate at about 5 percent of the cost of real jets. One hour of flying in a C-17 costs approximately $23,424 -- a substantial difference compared to the simulator.

  • PIKE nears end of service

    The 22nd Space Operations Squadron will decommission the Colorado Tracking Station Sept. 29, during a ceremony here, signaling the end of operations for one of the Air Force Satellite Control Network's most valued assets of the past two decades.

  • AF recruiting software gets overhaul

    A new system has revolutionized the recruiting process for more than 5,000 recruiters and interface partners within the Air Force Active Duty, Guard, and Reserve components.

  • Women’s legacy parallels Air Force history

    As we celebrate the Air Force’s 67th birthday, we talk of how far we’ve come and look ahead to what the future holds, but it’s just as important to look at where we’ve been. The story of women in the military, specifically the Air Force, parallels that of the Air Force itself. In fact, for women

  • Director of the ANG addresses AFA Air & Space Conference

    Lt. Gen. Stanley Clarke, the Director of the Air National Guard, provided an overview of the ANG at the 2014 Air Force Association’s Air & Space and Conference and Technology Exposition in Washington, D.C., Sept. 15.

  • AF, Spokane firefighters partner for HAZMAT response

    A tanker truck leaking a hazardous chemical prompted emergency responders to shut down Interstate 90 near the Washington-Idaho state line Sept. 14, garnering regional response including Fairchild Air Force Base firefighters.

  • State of Air Force Reserve discussed at AFA

    Senior Department of Defense and industry leaders gathered at the Air Force Association’s 2014 Air and Space conference and technology exposition Sept. 15 to discuss the future of the Air Force and Air Force Reserve.

  • SecAF: From legacy of past to uncertain future, bold leadership key

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James gave her vision of bold leadership during the 2014 Air Force Association’s Air and Space conference and technology exposition here Sept. 15. She said the future of the Air Force is influenced by uncertainty of the world scene and the Air Force needs to

  • Pediatricians care for young patients of Operation PACANGEL-Nepal

    More than an hour's drive along uneven, dirt roads outside the nearest major city is the rural village of Manahari, Nepal, where the Shree Rastriya Rotary Secondary School can be found. Hundreds of Nepalese people line up outside the gate of the compound, now a temporary a site for health services

  • Air Force selects 16 weather squadron commander candidates

    The 15W Weather Officer Squadron Commander Candidate Selection Board held here July 23-24 selected 16 weather officers as candidates for nine projected calendar year 2015 weather squadron command vacancies, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced Sept. 10.

  • USA Team wraps up second day of Invictus Games training

    Members of the Invictus Games U.S. Team finished their second day of training by practicing road cycling at Lee Valley VeloPark here Sept. 9. Competitors on both upright solo and recumbent bikes tested out the one-mile road circuit to familiarize themselves with the track before the Invictus Games

  • Air Force reveals newest recruiting campaign

    The U.S. Air Force is bringing back its "Aim High" advertising slogan after a 15-year hiatus with the launch of the "I am an American Airman" recruiting campaign Sept. 8. The integrated campaign, created by the Air Force's advertising agency, GSD&M, includes three commercial spots as well as new

  • Investigation report findings released

    The U.S. Central Command recently completed its commander-directed investigation on causes surrounding a fratricide incident which resulted in the death of five U.S. Army soldiers and an Afghan National Army soldier, June 9, 2014, in the vicinity of Arghandab, Afghanistan.

  • Air Force uses lasers to preserve space history

    Cape Canaveral's Launch Complex 14 is best known as the launch site for NASA's "Friendship 7," the flight that brought John Glenn fame as the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962. Now, more than 50 years later, the complex and other National Historic Landmarks are rapidly falling into decay.

  • Know your POV shipping entitlements

    Many service members may not know of their entitlements when shipping personal vehicles as they move overseas or return stateside, according to U.S. Transportation Command officials.

  • ANG engineers help Coast Guard

    More than 30 Airmen from the 134th Civil Engineer Squadron in Knoxville, Tennessee, traveled to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London Jun 1 to assist the Coast Guard in a joint effort to complete multiple projects on the USCGA campus.

  • Search for missing F-15 pilot expands

    The search for the missing 104th Fighter Wing pilot expands with Air Force resources as day breaks over the Washington National Forest near Deerfield Valley, Virginia.

  • ACC loans Global Hawk to Global Vigilance Combined Test Force

    The 412th Test Wing's Global Vigilance Combined Test Force received a Global Hawk Block 40 Aug. 6, on loan from Air Combat Command. The aircraft, from Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, is joining the Block 20 and 40 aircraft at Edwards AFB to offer an additional platform for

  • First pipeline F-35 crew chiefs graduate

    Nine Airmen became the first Air Force recruits to graduate initial skills technical training as F-35 Lightning II crew chiefs after completing Mission-Ready Airmen training here Aug. 7."The opportunity to be the first of something so important means a lot. I know many people are looking at us to be

  • Code change: Securing critical assets

    Once a year, the codes used to launch Minot Air Force Base's intercontinental ballistic missiles need to be updated.The manual process requires hundreds of Airmen work around the clock for three weeks straight to ensure all launch facilities are accessed and the missile code change is a success.

  • Air Force's new maritime radar becomes operational

    The Air Force Technical Applications Center has a welcome addition to its treaty monitoring capabilities - the Cobra King radar system aboard the USNS Howard O. Lorenzen. Cobra King is a new, state-of-the-art mobile radar system consisting of S- and X-band phased radars that AFTAC employs to provide

  • Environmental teams answer ‘Call to Future’

    As the Air Force takes a 30-year look ahead in the recently released strategy document, “America’s Air Force: A Call to the Future,” environmental teams are already helping ensure installations are prepared for operations in 2045 and beyond using the Environmental Management System.

  • AF implements intel officer retention program

    Eligible intelligence officers have until Sept. 22 to apply for a critical skills retention bonus implemented by the Air Force this month, Air Force Personnel Center officials said today.

  • Nellis AFB Airmen save elderly couple during flash flood

    Three Airmen from the 820th RED HORSE, assisted by three members of the 799th Air Base Squadron, saved an elderly couple during a flash flood Aug. 4 while they were on their way home from their work sites at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada.

  • SAPR orientation provides cohesion across Air Force

    The Sexual Assault Prevention and Response coordinators from each Air Force major command attended the first-ever three-day orientation and training here, July 29 -31, to discuss issues and innovations with Air Force SAPR top leaders and subject matter experts.

  • Team works to solve POV shipment issues

    Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command and U.S. Transportation Command are standing up a team of transportation experts this week to quickly address the most significant challenges and concerns military customers are facing when shipping their privately owned vehicles.On May 1,

  • Intel NCO named best AF pistol shooter

    The NCOIC for intelligence for the 705 Combat Training Squadron at Kirtland AFB has become the No. 1 pistol shooter in the Air Force.Staff Sgt. Terrence Sears, NCO in charge of the Air Force National Pistol Team, took top honors among Air Force shooters at the National Pistol Championships in July,

  • Joint trauma system vital link to saving lives

    A loud explosion hits close, shaking the dust from the walls. Sirens start going off and servicemembers run to check on everyone near the impact site. The 9-line report comes across the net. Helicopter rotors start spinning. The wounded receive their first care from a medic who also completes a

  • Vice chief of staff talks STEM to local educators

    Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Larry O. Spencer spoke to local educators about the particular importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics to the Air Force during an ASM Materials Teachers Camp July 18, at Shaw-Howard University, Washington, D.C.

  • New museum to inspire Airmen

    Two Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland museums, the Airman Heritage Museum and the Security Forces Museum, will consolidate into the Enlisted Heritage and Character Development Center by October 2014 and will serve as a stepping stone for a larger $50 million, privately-funded museum set to open in

  • Social media requires care, caution with political material

    While U.S. culture promotes opinions and debate, the Airmen should be reminded that, while on active duty -- and even for reservists who may be perceived as active military representatives, participating in politics on social media is exactly the same as it is in person: strictly prohibited.

  • Medical training in hyperreality

    The Air Force Medical Modeling and Simulation Training, or AFMMAST, is improving medical training is by adding hyperreality and high fidelity through the use of the Tactical Combat Casualty Care Cut Suit.

  • Airman's remains returned home 62 years after his death

    The remains of 17 service members were recovered by the Joint Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Accounting Command and Joint Task Force team from a 1952 aircraft crash site. Among the casualties was Airman 3rd Class Howard Martin, of Elwood, Indiana, whose remains returned home to rest July 10.

  • Acting VA secretary outlines problems, actions taken

    In testimony before the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs July 15, Acting VA Secretary Sloan D. Gibson outlined serious problems regarding access to health care and key actions the department has taken to get veterans off waiting lists and into clinics.

  • CMSAF tours Edwards AFB, discusses fiscal realities, changes

    Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James A. Cody, the 17th chief master sergeant appointed to the service's highest enlisted rank, and his wife, Athena, visited the high desert to meet with and thank Airmen and their families, and to get an up-close look at the local mission.

  • Transcending Tragedy

    At a stage in life that many would consider to be over the hill, Ronald Ball hardly fit the profile of an Air Force recruit. Starting over, a middle-aged man, no one would have blamed him for giving up.

  • CSAF visits Ramstein, focus on people, pride, respect

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III returned to Ramstein Air Base July 8-9 to speak with Airmen, listen to their stories of service, update them on pressing issues facing the Air Force, and thank them for their service.

  • Airmen, aircraft continue Greenland mission

    Approximately 70 Air National Guard Airmen and two ski-equipped LC-130 Hercules completed the fourth rotation in the Arctic region to support the National Science Foundation, June 27-30 here.

  • ANG partners with Croatian army for renovations

    Airmen from the 219th RED HORSE Squadron and Minnesota Air National Guard’s 133rd and 148th Civil Engineering Squadrons partnered with the Croatian army June 27, to renovate bathrooms at an elementary school in Ogulin, Croatia.

  • Latest Airman magazine issue now available

    The July/August issue of Airman magazine is now available to download and viewable through a Web browser.Our cover story, titled “The Perfect Edge” takes you into the forests of Washington state to learn how survival, evasion, resistance and escape students learn to survive in austere environments

  • Philippine and U.S. Airmen renovate school in need

    Airmen from the 374th Civil Engineer Squadron spent 31 days building two classrooms and renovating utilities throughout the Buyong Elementary School in Barangay Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines, as part of Operation Pacific Unity 14-6, a bilateral engineering program meant to strengthen ties

  • Airman supports task force in Belize

    Senior Airman Mario Acevedo is one of the busiest airmen assigned to the U.S. Southern Command-sponsored New Horizons exercise in Belize. As the lodging representative, he makes room assignments, tracks personnel accountability and works with the host nation hotel to make sure things such as

  • U.S. conducts successful missile intercept test in Pacific

    The U.S. military today successfully intercepted an intermediate-range ballistic missile test target launched from the U.S. Army’s Reagan Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, according to a Defense Department news release issued today.

  • USAFE Band sets stage for APF Senegal

    The U.S. Air Forces in Europe six-person rock band "Afterburner" kicked off African Partnership Flight here June 13, with weekend performances and continues to reach new audiences.The band is in Senegal as part of APF Sengal, a week-long program featuring eight African nations meeting to discuss and