HomeNews

NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Hyperbaric laboratory earns accreditation

    Global health and safety received a much-needed shot in the arm recently when a U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine organization here became the first nationally accredited Department of Defense hyperbaric facility, according to officials.The school’s hyperbaric medicine division, also known

  • General receives management award

    Lt. Gen. Brian A. Arnold is the winner of the 2002 Eugene M. Zuckert Management Award. Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche presented him with the award during a ceremony in the Pentagon on June 24.This award is named after Eugene M. Zuckert, who served as secretary of the Air Force from

  • Base accessed by hand scanner

    Air Force officials kicked off a 90-day test period June 23 for the first large-scale use of hand-scan technology that could allow thousands of people to enter the base with just a wave of their hand.People wanting to access the base from the new Shiloh-Scott MetroLink station now use a

  • Now showing: June 23 edition of AFTV News

    The latest edition of Air Force Television News is the first of a two-part presentation of a historic town hall meeting held at the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. The program features the secretary, chief of staff and chief master sergeant of the Air Force fielding questions from moderator

  • Bush says U.S. facing down remnants of Iraqi regime

    U.S. military personnel are facing down the remnants of the Hussein regime even as coalition personnel continue to search for Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, President Bush said in his weekly radio address June 21. Bush said American military personnel are making life more secure for Iraqis, and

  • Air Force ends Stop-Loss

    The last of the airmen whose retirement or separation was delayed by Stop-Loss for Operation Iraqi Freedom were released June 23 and will be eligible to leave the service July 31.Air Force officials authorized Stop-Loss for 43 officer and 56 enlisted specialties in early March to meet national

  • Addition extends weapon’s range

    Workers here have begun work to create greater range and accuracy for wind-corrected munitions dispensers.Area attack systems program office workers are helping design and develop wings for the dispensers as well as adding a global positioning system to aid the weapon’s inertial-guidance system.Both

  • FAST encourages minority students to fly

    The Air Force’s Flight Awareness Summer Training orientation program encourages ROTC cadets in minority-based college and university programs to investigate careers in aviation.Twenty-two cadets enrolled in the three-week program at Delaware State University attended the FAST forum at Dover Air

  • Air Force releases academy sexual misconduct study

    Less than 1 percent of male cadets and 5 percent of female cadets at the Air Force Academy have been involved in known sexual assault allegations over the 10-year period examined, according to the report on academy sexual misconduct released June 19.The report acknowledged that sexual assaults are

  • Nuclear careers combine degrees, PME

    Officers in nuclear-related career fields will be among the first to participate in a program that combines professional military education and advanced-educational degrees, a Pentagon official said.Majors through colonels in nuclear science and engineering career fields will be able to earn both

  • Team assessing bombing targets

    On June 15, the Combined Weapons Effectiveness Assessment Team visited a site targeted by coalition aircraft during Operation Iraqi Freedom. A bunker was buried underneath layers of soil and concrete, hiding more than 25 compartments used to shield parts of Saddam Hussein's regime. In the next

  • Air Force wins DOD value engineering awards

    The Air Force is the recipient of three Department of Defense Value Engineering Achievement Awards.Dr. Glenn F. Lamartin, defense systems director for the office of the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, presented the awards during a June 18 ceremony at the

  • Spending accounts open for enrollment

    Enrollments in the federal Flexible Spending Accounts program are now being accepted by the contractor. The deadline for Air Force civilians to enroll in the program has been extended to June 27, according to Air Force Personnel Center officials here.FSA is a new employment benefit that allows

  • BEST newsletter keeps civilians current

    Less than 10 percent of Air Force civilians are taking advantage of a way to get information about their benefits, and Air Force Personnel Center officials here are encouraging more people to participate.By subscribing online to the Benefits and Entitlements Service Team newsletter, Air Force

  • Miniature decoy development begins

    Experts here are helping develop a miniature air-launched decoy that Air Force officials hope will entice enemy forces to prematurely disclose their air defense locations, keeping friendly pilots further out of harms way.Precision strike system program office experts awarded an $88 million,

  • ‘Young Eagles' take flight

    An "experience to remember" is how 12-year-old Danielle Orcutt described her recent flight here in a World War II-era aircraft piloted by retired Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager.Danielle and 39 other "Young Eagles" were given the privilege of flying with aviation legends after winning an essay contest

  • Exercise gives warfighters’ perspective

    Thirty-eight Air Force Research Laboratory scientists and engineers traveled to Fort Drum, N.Y., May 31 to June 13 for Phoenix Warrior 2003.This annual exercise is tailored to show new technologies to the warfighting community and expose laboratory scientists and engineers to an operational

  • Online registration, voting expands

    A Department of Defense voting experiment in the 2000 presidential elections that allowed military and overseas voters to cast their ballots through the Internet will expand in 2004.Beginning this fall, Federal Voting Assistance Program officials hope to get as many as 100,000 military members --

  • 44 civilian leaders witness airpower

    Forty-four U.S. civic, business and industry leaders witnessed military life June 9 when the Defense Secretary’s 2003 Joint Civilian Orientation Course stopped here for a firsthand look at what the U.S. Air Forces in Europe has to offer. Hand-picked from more than 6,000 applicants all vying for a

  • Dyess sets record mission-capable rates

    When the 7th Bomb Wing’s B-1 Lancer maintainers and operators here surpassed Air Combat Command's monthly mission-capable rate two months in a row last June and July, officials called it "a huge success." It was the first time the wing had accomplished the feat.But that accomplishment was just the

  • On-site trainers saving time, money

    Seven Air Education and Training Command instructors will bring a Robins initiative to life soon that not only saves the government thousands of dollars, it allows 3,000 additional depot technicians to be trained annually.The program, also being implemented at Air Force Materiel Command air

  • International students build more than language skills

    In today’s world of international relations, building coalitions is important. For a group of international military students here, the term “building” recently took on a much different meaning. Rather than building a geopolitical relationship with their fellow students from other countries, these

  • Americans can join support team

    "Uncle Sam Wants You" is a familiar recruiting slogan to generations of Americans. But in this case, it is an invitation for all Americans to sign up for a different kind of military operation.Operation Tribute to Freedom, a Defense Department initiative, is a way for Americans to show their

  • Air Medal awarded 59 years later

    After nearly six decades of waiting, a retired Air Force master sergeant and former Air Force Research Laboratory employee received his Air Medal at a June 2 ceremony here.Trinidad Castinado received the Air Medal, second oak leaf cluster, from Col. Mark Stephen, acting director of the

  • Modifications give F-16s new life

    America's premier multirole fighter is “slipping” into some tougher armor that promises to extend the aircraft's life by about eight years.The F-16 Service Life Improvement Program modifications, better known as SLIP, are "all about extending these aircraft -- putting them back up to get more life

  • Vendor payments go electronic

    The Air Force will be one step closer to its goal of seamless electronic commerce with the implementation of Wide Area Workflow, finance officials said.The program, a Department of Defense-developed initiative, simplifies the way military services pay vendors and contractors by eliminating the

  • Re-enlistment bonuses adjusted

    Air Force officials recently revised re-enlistment bonuses, adding or increasing 40 career field zones and decreasing or removing 100, according to Air Force Personnel Center officials here.The revision to the selective re-enlistment bonus program includes additions of zones in two career fields

  • Ramstein continues Algerian relief

    More humanitarian relief supplies were in the sky June 5 as three C-130 Hercules aircraft flew from Ramstein to earthquake-stricken Algeria. This is the second humanitarian mission bringing eight pallets containing more than 6 tons of much-needed supplies to the people in the areas surrounding

  • Idea paves way for retirement

    One month from retirement, a 49th Civil Engineer Squadron airman received two $10,000 awards for his money-saving ideas.Master Sgt. Marshall Carroll, horizontal-construction superintendent, received the awards for buying a paving machine and an asphalt zipper. He submitted his ideas using the Air

  • U.S. forces moving in South Korea

    U.S. and South Korean officials have agreed to a plan to realign American forces stationed in "The Land of the Morning Calm."In meetings held June 4 and 5 in Seoul, according to a joint U.S.-South Korean statement, the operation will consist of two phases:Phase 1 -- U.S. forces at installations

  • Leaders hold town-hall meeting

    Battle lessons learned, professional military education and air and space expeditionary force issues headlined discussions between Air Force leaders and 300 military and civilian people here during a first Air Force Town Hall meeting June 5.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche; Gen. John P.

  • Student earns $128,000 for college

    An Osan American High School student here won a $128,000 scholarship for college and a guaranteed job with the Defense Intelligence Agency.Jason Pederson, an 18-year-old senior, applied for the scholarship at the prodding of his junior ROTC sergeant and will now receive an $18,000-a-year stipend.A

  • Osan officer helps maintain the alliance

    He speaks Chinese, Japanese and Korean with fluency and teaches northeast Asia international relations, U.S. military doctrine, English and North Korean politics to the future leaders of the South Korean air force.Maj. Brian S. Hobbs, is a U.S. Air Force exchange professor at the Korean air force

  • Air Force teams win acquisition awards

    Two Air Force teams received the 2003 David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award during a ceremony June 4 at Fort Belvoir, Va.The Air Force winners of the Department of Defense’s most prestigious team award for acquisition excellence are the Joint Direct Attack Munition’s joint program office and

  • Two airmen honored for public service

    Two airmen were among 12 federal employees who were honored as recipients of the 2002 Arthur S. Flemming Awards in a ceremony June 5 at George Washington University, D.C.Flemming Awards honor people with three to 15 years of government experience for their extraordinary contributions in three

  • Crew chief circles Earth 104 times

    Tech. Sgt. Rodger Folkerts is the first person to reach the 5,000-hour mark in a C-17 Globemaster III.It has been an “amazing” journey, said the aircraft pneudraulics specialist and flying crew chief.Folkerts reached the 5,000-hour mark during a recent Operation Enduring Freedom mission, according

  • Rumsfeld clarifies civilian-workforce proposal

    Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld cleared up some misconceptions about the proposed Department of Defense civilian personnel system during testimony before the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee on June 4.Rumsfeld said that the current system is not flexible and agile enough to confront the

  • Drill team faces ‘tip of the spear’

    Standing shoulder to shoulder, the drill team members twirled, tossed and caught their 35-inch-long, 19-ounce sabers. Often coming perilously close to their teammates, the well-practiced team flawlessly executed the routines.The Sabre Drill Team, the only active-duty enlisted group of its kind in

  • Civilian-personnel system ‘not cutting it’

    The civilian-personnel system in the Defense Department "is not cutting it," said Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on June 3.Rumsfeld, who spoke at the National Press Club, said that the department is handcuffed by its reliance on an antiquated personnel system. He called today's

  • Phoenix Readiness training ends

    Air Mobility Command’s Phoenix Readiness combat training has ended and will be replaced in October by the Air Force's expeditionary combat-support training program, Eagle Flag. The training cadre at the Air Mobility Warfare Center here are excited about Eagle Flag.“It's exciting for us to be

  • Lab techs ensure precision engagement

    Air Force precision munitions, used with great success during Operation Iraqi Freedom, could only achieve those results through expertly calibrated weapon systems, said the service’s metrology and calibration program manager at the Pentagon.That job, said Senior Master Sgt. Maurice Hubbard, is the

  • Rumsfeld: Cut safety mishap rates in half

    Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld challenged the military services to cut the number of mishaps by 50 percent in the next two years.“World-class organizations do not tolerate preventable accidents,” Rumsfeld wrote in a May 19 memorandum to the heads of military departments and defense

  • Machinist full of money-saving ideas

    Findings ways for the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center to save money is turning into a lucrative sideline for one maintenance directorate machinist here.Timothy Case has earned two $10,000 awards from the IDEA program since December for submissions that amount to annual savings of more than

  • Quality-of-life survey results are in

    The results of the 2002 Chief of Staff Quality-of-Life Survey have been compiled and show an increase in satisfaction with the Air Force as a job and way of life, survey officials said.The survey, sent to more than 100,000 active-duty airmen and civilian employees in September, included questions

  • Rumsfeld says Iraqi problems real but workable

    Iraq, with the help of the Coalition Provisional Authority, will work past its current problems, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said to the Council on Foreign Relations in New York May 27.Rumsfeld said Iraq's problems are real, but shouldn't be blown out of proportion. Every country making a

  • Deployed airmen help Iraqi school

    Reaching out across miles of desert, a group of airmen helped Iraqi schoolchildren May 25 when it delivered the results of a “Win the Peace” program drive.Nine men and women representing the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing traveled Baghdad from their forward-deployed location to deliver more than

  • DOD announces details of tanker lease program

    The approval of the Air Force KC-767 tanker lease initiative was announced May 23 by Edward C. "Pete" Aldridge, under secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.The agreement provides for leasing 100 KC-767 aircraft from the Boeing Co. for six years starting in 2006, at a cost of

  • Split disbursement now mandatory for all military travelers

    All military travelers must now select the split disbursement option on their travel voucher claims to directly pay their government travel card expenses, according to finance officials.Split disbursement requires travelers to tally up their GTC expenses and authorize enough funds to be sent

  • Now Showing: May 26 edition of Air Force Television News

    The end of an era in Turkey and Air Force ground support in the wake of the war against Iraq spotlight the latest edition of Air Force Television News. Senior Airman Israel Aviles reports on the end of Operation Northern Watch, a decade-old operation that enforced the northern no-fly zone over

  • Former CMSAFs offer advice

    Two key members of Air Force enlisted history and former chief master sergeants of the Air Force are visiting with U.S. Air Forces in Europe airmen. Retired Chief Master Sgts. of the Air Force Paul Airey, the first person to hold the title, and Sam Parish, the 8th CMSAF, are here as guest speakers

  • Hill prepares F-16s for Italian air force

    Italian defense officials accepted the first of 34 modified and refurbished F-16 Fighting Falcon A and B models from experts here May 16.Maj. Gen. Tommaso Ferro, air defense and defense cooperation attaché for the Italian air force, lead a delegation of military and diplomatic dignitaries in

  • University assists Air Force programmers

    Airmen are improving their programming skills with help from experts called in from Auburn University at Montgomery by Standard Systems Group officials here.Standard Systems Group manages information technology contracts and standard information system programs commonly used at all active and

  • Air Force Reserve support continuing

    As Operation Iraqi Freedom shifts from combat to reconstruction, hundreds of mobilized Air Force reservists are returning home to family and civilian life. Thousands more, however, remain on active duty, and Air Force Reserve Command officials here say they have no clear picture as of May 21 as to

  • New bearing system could cut costs

    Advances in bearing systems for engines powering target drones and cruise missiles could cut costs by 20 percent and increase fuel efficiency.Scientists and engineers in the Air Force Research Laboratory's Propulsion Directorate are testing a bearing using a compliant foil -- a thin, flexible sheet

  • Predator proves worth in war against terrorism

    The Air Force officer is a transport plane pilot, but these days his aircraft flies "solo," and he doesn't leave the ground.Capt. Sam J. Vanzanten, is an earthbound controller of the Predator unmanned aerial vehicle. He's been in the Predator program for the past two years, the eight-year military

  • Deployed airmen send love with music

    Leaving loved ones behind is one of the most difficult aspects of deployment, but now deployed airmen can send their love back home in a unique way.For several years, the U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band here has produced compact discs for troops and their families. Now the band has expanded

  • Med tech follows dream of becoming doctor

    Reserve 2nd Lt. Cynthia Reed, formerly an active-duty senior airman, is pursuing her goal of becoming a primary-care doctor through the Air Force Health Professions Scholarship Program.Reed is attending the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, a satellite school of Midwestern University in

  • B-52 undergoes worldwide testing

    The B-52H Avionics Midlife Improvement project recently completed two missions to test new hardware and software upgrades in extreme conditions around the world.The missions were part of the research and developmental test for the project before it moves to operational test and evaluation, allowing

  • Civilians eligible for spending accounts

    Most Air Force civilian employees are now eligible to contribute to a flexible spending account which allows money to be set aside tax-free for certain health-care and eligible family member-care expenses.Flexible spending accounts are a new benefit that allows federal employees to set aside

  • Some civilians to see 'adjustment bill'

    Some employees enrolled in the long-term care insurance program may soon receive an adjustment bill for uncollectible premiums, Office of Personnel Management officials announced.Missed payments have occurred for various reasons, such as an employee entering into nonpay status; a paycheck with

  • Enlisted aide upgraded to special duty

    They have been part of the Air Force enlisted force since its beginning, but they have never had a formalized position description or job qualification standard -- until now. The enlisted aide program, now an official Air Force special duty, was authorized the new Air Force Specialty Code of 8A200

  • Tech conference stresses 'partnerships'

    "Partnerships for War-Winning Capability" was the theme here May 13 to 15 as military and industry representatives discussed changes in military operations, requirements, challenges and solutions at the fourth annual National Aeronautical Systems and Technology Conference.Operation Iraqi Freedom's

  • U.S. 'committed to winning the peace' in Iraq, Feith says

    While there's much to do to assist the Iraqi people in the establishment of a free, democratic government of their choosing, the United States remains committed to achieving that goal, a senior DoD official told U.S. legislators today.In testimony on Capitol Hill today, Under Secretary of Defense

  • Air Force negotiates extra Raptor

    Air Force officials have negotiated the procurement of one additional F/A-22 Raptor as part of a recent purchase, raising the total to 21 aircraft, according to service acquisition officials.The F/A-22 acquisition has a “buy-to-budget” philosophy, said Dr. Marvin R. Sambur, assistant secretary of

  • Zettler: People first in reconstituting force

    As the dust of Operation Iraqi Freedom settles, the Air Force installations and logistics community is turning its attention to the challenge that lies ahead: readying the service for the next big contingency.Replenishing the materiel and equipment reserved for wartime use, rebuilding the munitions

  • Air Force eases Stop-Loss restrictions

    Air Force personnel officials announced May 14 the release of more than half of the Air Force specialty codes restricted from retirement or separation May 2 under the Stop-Loss program.Following a review of operational requirements, 31 officer and 20 enlisted career fields were released from

  • Unit puts the 'deploy' in 'deployment order'

    Television images of jets launching and bombs dropping during Operation Iraqi Freedom showed airmen doing what they are trained to do. What most viewers did not see were the people responsible for getting the jets there to put bombs on targets and patrol the sky.The Air Combat Command Air

  • Pilot tours with his ‘Dream Machine’

    Air Force Reserve Command’s recruiting service has teamed up with a veteran F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot and aerobatic performer to increase command awareness and attract young people interested in aviation.Maj. Ed Hamill is a private contractor in civilian life. He owns and operates the Air Force

  • Program needs volunteer ‘terrorists’

    Officials from the Air Force Research Laboratory here need “bad guys” to act as terrorists and threaten the U.S. space system.The lab’s Space Countermeasures Hands On Program builds special teams -- usually four junior officers or civilian grade equivalents -- to look for potential vulnerabilities

  • Now showing: May 12 edition of AFTVNews

    A list of symptoms and simple precautions to protect airmen against Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome are spotlighted in the latest edition of Air Force Television News.Staff Sgt. Joe Wallace’s story on SARS emphasizes the Air Force has not been affected by the virus, thus far, but as a member of

  • Arlington chaplains provide spiritual support

    More than 280,000 people are buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Another 25 are added to those ranks each day.For the organization charged with providing spiritual support to those left behind when a veteran passes away, those numbers can add up to a hectic schedule. But according to the head

  • Air Force journalists win DOD awards

    Air Force print and broadcast journalists won 12 categories in the 2002 Thomas Jefferson Awards for excellence in military media. The results were announced May 6 by Defense Information School officials at Fort Meade, Md.Air Force winners in the print-media category are:-- Print Journalist of the

  • SECAF talks to students

    The Air Force’s top civilian spoke to an eighth-grade history class here May 7 about leadership, his career, the service and the war in Iraq.During the event, Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche answered questions from the Northern Bethesda Middle School students on topics ranging from his

  • Airmen blend science of healing with art of caring

    Air Force medical troops are playing an instrumental role in restoring the quality of life of individuals experiencing problems from physical trauma or general “wear and tear.”The seven-person physical therapy team from the 374th Medical Group here provides services that help restore function,

  • CSAF adds books to reading list

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper announced May 5 the addition of three books to his recommended reading list.In a Chief’s Sight Picture, Jumper said the new books will help provide a broad understanding of where the service is as an air force, the challenges and demands it faces, and a

  • Robins spouse wins Joan Orr Award

    When her phone rang on an otherwise routine afternoon last week, Tammie Bocook was surprised at what she heard: "Please hold for General Wetekam."In seconds, Maj. Gen. Donald Wetekam, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center commander, was congratulating Bocook on being named winner of the 2003 Joan Orr

  • C-17 modification marks partnership

    A ceremony May 1 celebrated the first C-17 Globemaster III to go through the Global Reach Improvement Program here.Lt. Gen. Charles Coolidge, Air Force Materiel Command vice commander, received the symbolic hand off of the Air Force Form 981, returning the aircraft to Air Mobility Command at the

  • DOD reaches out to help families during wartime deployment

    The Defense Department is working to lessen the burden that deployments are having on family members left at home.Many are faced with tasks of juggling finances, doing car and home repairs, cooking, and raising children.John Molino, deputy under secretary of defense for military community and family

  • Pin honors parents, bolsters support

    A new program will help airmen honor those who are often their biggest supporters -- their parents.All uniformed airmen can now sign their parents up to receive a new lapel pin. The pins are about three-fourths inch square and feature a silver letter "P" cradled within the Air Force symbol. A

  • Air Force nursing corps meeting challenges

    The Air Force assistant surgeon general for nursing services met with the Senate Appropriations Committee subcommittee on defense April 30 to discuss the current state of the nursing corps."As we vigorously execute our mission at home and abroad, Air Force nurses and enlisted nursing personnel are

  • Air Force preparing for next contingency

    Even as deployed airmen return home from Operation Iraqi Freedom, Air Force officials are focusing on what they need to do to reload the service for the next contingency.According to Lt. Gen. Ronald E. Keys, deputy chief of staff for air and space operations, the three priorities in reconstituting

  • Youth center goes global

    Children at the youth center here are going global -- the old-fashioned way.In a world of e-mail, modems and ever-changing technology, the center's “Journey Around the World” club gives its members the chance to make friends with others their age who live on Air Force bases worldwide, by simply

  • Air Force earns two public service awards

    Organizations at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., and Schriever AFB, Colo., recently earned Public Service Excellence Awards from the Public Employees Roundtable.The 355th Aerospace Medicine Squadron’s airman’s attic at Davis-Monthan, earned the award in the community service category.The

  • 2002 mission support awards announced

    Officials recently announced the winners of the 2002 Air Force Mission Support Awards.The awards recognize airmen and their units for outstanding performance in the areas of personnel, military equal opportunity, professional military education and training.The winner of the Gen. Robert J. Dixon

  • CSAF: Instructor duty vital to future

    The Air Force’s top uniformed leader is stressing the importance and value of instructor duty to all officers.In a Chief’s Sight Picture released in April, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper encouraged officers to invest in the future force by considering instructor opportunities an

  • Test sets world land speed record

    A 192-pound, fully instrumented Missile Defense Agency payload traveled a little more than three miles in 6.04 seconds April 29, validating Holloman's high-speed test track hypersonic upgrades and setting a world land speed record.Air Force Materiel Command experts conducted the test in New Mexico's

  • Space program pioneers meet AF leaders

    The father of the Air Force space program and a key leader in the development of weapons systems such as the Minuteman missile assembled former colleagues here April 23 to 27 for the annual meeting of the "Old Timers."Retired Gen. Bernard A. Schriever led the intercontinental ballistic missile

  • Program documents art of war

    Four aviation artists spent two days visiting Tallil Air Base in southern Iraq to visually document and experience firsthand bare-base Air Force operations there. John Witt, Phil Weisgerber, Gregg Thompson and Harley Copic traveled to Southwest Asia to support the Air Force Art Program. Their job

  • CSAF presents Purple Heart to pararescueman

    After being hit by enemy fire April 18 during a mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Staff Sgt. Robert L. Disney Jr. was on the receiving end of the lifesaving steps he knows well as an Air Force pararescueman.At a Pentagon ceremony April 30, he received a Purple Heart presented by Air

  • War reunites deployed brothers

    None of them were supposed to be here. Two pairs of brothers thrown together as if a game of jacks were being played with aircraft and aircrew; each one being snatched up and dropped randomly at a Royal Air Force base in the eastern Mediterranean. But before anyone could swipe all the Air Force

  • U.S. aircraft leaving Saudi Arabian base

    Department of Defense officials said the combined air operations center here will be mothballed and all U.S. aircraft operating at the base will be gone by August.The decision was made by "mutual agreement," said Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld following a meeting with Saudi defense minister

  • Former Robins employee sentenced for fraud

    A former Robins employee was recently sentenced to five months imprisonment, five months house arrest with electronic monitoring and three years supervised probation after being convicted of Federal Employees' Compensation Act fraud.A U.S. district judge also ordered the former aircraft electrician

  • Conventional missile plays crucial role

    From the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, much of the success coalition forces experienced depended largely upon the ability to inflict maximum damage to precise targets while incurring minimum risk. The plan required accurate weapons as much as skilled strategists.One such weapon is the

  • DOD expands vaccination eligibility list

    Adult family members of some servicemembers have joined the list of those eligible to receive smallpox and anthrax vaccinations.According to Department of Defense officials, the voluntary vaccinations are available in designated higher-threat areas, including State Department missions. Eligible

  • Now showing: April 28 edition of AFTVNews

    The gradual Air Force shift from war to support in Iraq is highlighted in the latest edition of Air Force Television News.Staff Sgt. Chris Vadnais reports from Bashur Airfield in northern Iraq on how airmen are helping get supplies to troops on the ground. In the United Kingdom, Staff Sgt. Michelle

  • Deployed airman attacks educational dreams

    Most airmen serving overseas supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom use their spare time catching up on sleep or writing to loved ones back home. But one sergeant kept education as a priority in his busy schedule.Master Sgt. Craig Pate is the first student to complete an Air Force Institute of

  • CV-22 reaches high point in history

    The CV-22 Osprey test program recently reached a high point in its flight test history when Osprey 7 successfully completed a terrain-following radar exercise during the multimode radar test plan segment here.Osprey 9, expected to return to normal flight testing in June, is undergoing hydraulic and

  • Tinker employees awarded $10K for ideas

    Collectively saving the Air Force more than $700,000 in the next year recently made two employees here $10,000 richer thanks to suggestions submitted to the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program.Karen Goss, a publications systems specialist earned her $10,000 by discovering a

  • NCO retraining programs begin

    The Air Force recently began the voluntary phase of its fiscal 2003 and 2004 noncommissioned officer retaining programs. The program is designed to help the Air Force balance its enlisted force by moving NCOs in specialties with surpluses to those with shortages, personnel officials said. It

  • Space units provide impact during OIF

    During Operation Iraqi Freedom, thousands of Air Force reservists helped drop bombs on the enemy, deliver supplies and fuel to coalition forces, and rescue stranded or besieged troops on the ground.Many of these reservists worked behind the scenes, including several hundred Air Force Reserve Command