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U.S. Air Force News

  • Advanced engine, hearing protection on display at museum

    The first aircraft to fly by pulsed-detonation engine power, along with associated hearing protection technology -- both developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory here -- became additions to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force during an Aug. 25 ceremony at the museum annex here. Members

  • CSAF defers heritage coat decision, focuses on current uniform issues

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz decided on Aug. 28 to defer a decision on the Air Force heritage coat until the summer of 2009 to address current uniform issues, according to a senior Air Force official. "We are going to fix, improve and upgrade uniforms in our current inventory,"

  • Airmen continue to bring relief supplies to Georgia

    Airmen from bases throughout Air Mobility Command and the Air Force have been delivering needed supplies since Aug. 13 to individuals displaced by recent fighting in the Republic of Georgia. Since the start of the Russia-Republic of Georgia conflict Aug. 8, Airmen have delivered more than 428 tons

  • Airman plays a traditional tune

    Airmen gathered around the base flag pole just before 7 a.m. line up in formation and wait to hear the command, "Sound Reveille!" Those two words are Airman 1st Class Caitlin Davies' cue to begin playing her solo. Airman Davies, a 407th Expeditionary Communications Squadron Operations Flight network

  • Eielson Airmen turn child into pilot for a day

    Eielson Air Force Base Airmen made a 15-year-old's dream come true as base members turned the boy into a pilot for a day Aug. 22 here. Alex Lee was born with congenital heart defects and Down syndrome and wasn't expected to live as long as he has, but Alex was full of life and excitement as he

  • Medical association honors Wilford Hall doctor

    Dr. Harvey Schwertner, a medical technologist in the 59th Clinical Research Division at Wilford Hall Medical Center here, was notified on Aug. 8 that his research poster "Association between Plasma Lipid and Lipoprotein Concentrations and Plasma Cortisol and Estradial Concentrations During Pregnancy

  • Air Force, AMC officials poised for Hurricane Gustav support

    In response to preliminary reports that possibly point Hurricane Gustav toward the Gulf Coast of the United States, Air Force officials are postured to support relief efforts, if needed. Hurricane Gustav, which formed Aug. 25 about 260 miles southeast of Haiti, is the third hurricane of the 2008

  • Football team to wear AF symbol to honor Airmen

    The Air Force Academy football team is honoring the men and women of the Air Force by wearing the Air Force symbol on its uniform this season. The U.S. Air Force symbol honors the heritage of the past and represents the promise of the future. It retains the core elements of the Air Corps heritage --

  • CMSAF highlights warrior Airmen, Air Force focus areas

    Airmen are fighting today's fight on fronts around the world for a more secure America and peace for future generations, the chief master sergeant of the Air Force told attendees at the Air Force Sergeant's Association Professional Airmen's Conference Aug. 26 in San Antonio. The No. 1 enlisted

  • Air Force Materiel Command receives acquisition authority

    Air Force Materiel Command officials here recently signed an acquisition authority agreement with Air Force acquisitions officials and now are authorized to pursue services acquisitions valued at up to $500 million. Under the agreement reached in August, AFMC received "Probationary Silver Delegation

  • Air Force leaders discuss AFSO 21's future

    The Air Force's senior leaders met Aug. 26 to discuss the future role of Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century during a quarterly AFSO 21 Process Council meeting on Bolling Air Force Base. Brig. Gen. John Posner, AFSO 21 director, presented to the council a draft proposal to formally

  • Air Guard officials discuss top concerns at leadership summit

    Safety, culture and the Air National Guard's future were among topics adjutants general, wing commanders, command chief master sergeants and others from around the nation discussed at a recent conference in Wisconsin. More than 500 Air National Guard senior leaders and safety experts met at the Volk

  • F-15 accident report released

    Pilot error caused the Feb. 20 crash of two Eglin-based F-15C Eagles off the coast of Florida, according to an Air Combat Command accident investigation board report released Aug. 28. One pilot , 1st Lt. Ali Jivanjee, was killed in the mishap. The other pilot, Capt. Tucker Hamilton, ejected from his

  • Officials accepting physician assistant applications

    Air Force officials are taking applications from active-duty enlisted Airmen for Physician Assistant Phase I training classes beginning January, April and August 2010. Completed applications must arrive at HQ AFPC/DPAMW, 550 C Street West, Suite 27, Randolph AFB TX 78150-4729 no later than Jan. 25

  • Charleston Airmen deploy to support war on terrorism

    More than 130 Charleston Air Force Base Airmen deployed from here Aug. 27 to a forward-deployed location in Southwest Asia to support operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Members of the 15th Airlift Squadron, 437th Operations Support Squadron and 437th Maintenance Group will fly and manage

  • Keesler's first energy, environmental-friendly home certified

    Keesler Air Force Base officials received their first certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design home Aug. 28 here. This new green two-unit home at 244 and 246 Fairchild Dr., Biloxi, Miss., the first of more than 700 to be built at Keesler AFB, incorporates smart design, technology,

  • General Schwartz featured on NPR's All Things Considered

    Tom Bowman, National Public Radio Pentagon correspondent featured Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz during the Aug. 26 edition of NPR's All Things Considered. The 4:32-minute segment provides not only General Schwartz's plans for moving the Air Force forward in areas like intelligence,

  • Senior leaders meet to discuss, decide way ahead for force

    Senior Air Force leaders gathered for a strategic summit Aug. 27 at Bolling Air Force Base to discuss the way ahead for the Air Force as a part of the August emphasis on strategic planning. "The summit allows us to identify issues that need senior leader review and decide on matters affecting the

  • TRANSCOM officials announce rollout of new program for DOD moves

    Officials from the United States Transportation Command and the Army's Military Surface Distribution and Deployment Command have announced the initial rollout of the Defense Personal Property System, or DPS. DPS is the automated management system for movement of household goods for members of the

  • Academy NCO found guilty, sentenced in court-martial

    An NCO assigned to the U.S. Air Force Academy was found guilty by a military judge of two violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice during a special court-martial Aug. 26 here. The violations for Staff Sgt. Angeline Bakkila, who is not a cadet and assigned to the 10th Aerospace Medicine

  • Servicemembers strive to brighten future for Afghan youths

    Airmen and Soldiers of the Zabul Provincial Reconstruction Team are overhauling a local boy's middle and high school campus to help provide a brighter future for youths in Qalat.The team worked directly with Afghan community leaders recently to discover sustainable projects that directly improve

  • Technical review improves Minuteman III nozzle builds

    A team of scientists and engineers at the Air Force Research Laboratory Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, in collaboration with Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill AFB, Utah, and industry, have resolved a challenging technical issue confronting the nation's land-based Minuteman III

  • Small group takes small packages, makes huge impact

    When servicemen find themselves in harm's way they reach for a small item with a huge impact -- the individual first aid kit. A process here ensures they can depend on what's inside. Two Airmen from the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron and three from the 379th Expeditionary Medical

  • Airmen employ laser joint direct attack munition in Iraq

    Airmen employed a guided bomb unit-54 laser joint directed attack munition Aug. 12 against a moving enemy vehicle in the Diyala province to support a combined Iraqi army and U.S. Marine operation. The GBU-54 is the Air Force's newest 500-pound precision weapon, equipped with a special targeting

  • U.S. military delivers 2 million pounds of aid to Georgia

    After two weeks of high-tempo humanitarian relief operations, the U.S. military reached another milestone by delivering more than 2 million pounds of aid to Georgia in the wake of conflicts there earlier this month. The U.S. military's role in the overall humanitarian assistance effort, dubbed

  • 36th OSS weathermen look beyond the clouds

    When ominous clouds form overhead, it's a safe bet that the forecasters of the 36th Operations Support Squadron's weather flight here have the inside scoop on sky-high happenings. A group of 10 Andersen Airmen are responsible for taking hourly weather observations which are used to inform the local

  • Airman's Roll Call: Risk management

    This week's Airman's Roll Call reminds Airmen to be safe while celebrating the last long holiday weekend of the 101 critical days of summer.This year, the Air Force has lost nearly an Airman a week to on- and off-duty fatal mishaps during this summer's 101 critical days. The majority of these

  • State Department learns customer service from AFPC

    Seven members of the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Human Resources visited the Air Force Personnel Center to learn the many technological initiatives the center members have undertaken to deliver personnel services to its customers Aug. 25 and 26 here. "We want to continue to enhance our human

  • 'Today's Air Force' features joint operations

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights Afghan and joint operations. Included is a segment on the C-130 Hercules which has played an essential role in global operations.  Also, observe how Airmen are teaching Soldiers about airfield management. This process will provide the necessary

  • Southern Command transformation promotes new approach to regional challenges

    Along with U.S. Africa Command going fully operational Oct. 1, the Defense Department will reach another milestone as U.S. Southern Command officials complete a major reorganization that also promotes joint, interagency and even private- and public-sector cooperation. The concept supports universal

  • Air Force IT Conference kicks off

    The Air Force Information Technology Conference kicked off Aug. 25 in Montgomery as members of the 754th Electronics System Group host the week-long seminar for approximately 5,600 government and civilian attendees. Lt. Gen. Robert J. "Bob" Elder Jr., the 8th Air Force commander, and Robert H.

  • AFPC commander visits deployed air bases

    The commander of the Air Force Personnel Center  visited Airmen and Soldiers here Aug. 25 during a tour to examine some of the personnel issues facing personnelists and servicemembers in the deployed environment. Maj. Gen. K.C. McClain is responsible for ensuring the personnel life cycle of military

  • Airmen enhance Army medical evacuation mission

    Airmen of the 305th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron here have flown more than 300 medical evacuations for coalition forces and Afghan nationals since March as they carry out their mission of saving lives.Members of the 305th ERQS and their HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters are deployed to Kandahar Air Base

  • Ramstein members deliver aid to Georgia

    Ramstein Air Base C-130 Hercules aircrews continue to fly to Tbilisi International Airport in Georgia to deliver crucial humanitarian supplies Aug. 26. Department of Defense officials were asked to support the mission with a joint U.S. military operation that launched with the delivery of pallets of

  • Reservists oversee Dover C-5 modernization program

    Bought a C-5 lately? Chief Master Sgt. Donald Cunningham has. He technically hasn't purchased anything but "buying" C-5s is part of the 512th Acceptance Check Flight superintendant's job. It's the term the 512th ACF uses for the C-5 Galaxys they've inspected and accepted back into the Air Force

  • AFPC expertise raises manning for 31 critical skills career fields

    Thirty-one critical skills career fields received a boost in manning recently when 1,888 volunteers were accepted for retraining. This number included 315 exception-to-policy Airmen who were contacted for the first time and approved by personnel experts at the Air Force Personnel Center here.

  • Iraq, Afghanistan airdrops reach all-time high

    Resupplying U.S. and coalition forces on the ground is a critical logistical component of combat operations. Seven months into 2008, the Air Force has already supplied forces in Iraq and Afghanistan with more than 8.5 million pounds of goods. This surpasses the 2007 total and reaches an all-time

  • Air Force chief of staff discusses leadership goals

    The Air Force chief of staff shared his vision concerning Air Force leadership and discussed his goals for the direction of the Air Force during the Air Force Sergeants Association's Professional Airmen's Conference Aug. 25 in San Antonio. Gen. Norton A. Schwartz began his speech discussing the

  • Student set for medical college with Air Force scholarship

    As most 18-year-old students in the U.S. brush up on their grammar skills for college English 101 in the fall, Maria Kravchenko reviews advanced chemistry for medical school with help from the Air Force Medical Corps Health Professions Scholarship Program. Following graduation from the University of

  • Aid to Georgia surpasses million-pound mark

    The U.S. military has delivered more than 1 million pounds of humanitarian relief supplies to Georgia. As of Aug.22, 36 missions had been flown by Air Force C-17 Globemaster III and C-130 Hercules transport aircraft as well as Navy C-9 Skytrain, C-130 and C-40 Clipper aircraft, U.S. European Command

  • Top leaders stress importance of excellence

    Keeping the Air Force's promise to America, to the joint team and to Airmen and their families was the focus of Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, the Air Force chief of staff, during an Aug. 22 visit to Malmstrom Air Force Base. Acting Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley and General Schwartz

  • Iraqis sign container contract with Joint Base Balad

    An Iraqi businessman, a local tribal leader and the commander of Joint Contracting Command-Iraq/Afghanistan gathered here Aug. 21 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony of the latest contract for the Iraqi First program between Joint Base Balad and the Miran Co. Hashim Abd Al-Amir Mahdi of the Miran Co. won

  • Wright-Patterson unit wins Defense secretary logistics award

    Defense Department officials here announced Aug. 6 the 478th Aeronautical Systems Wing was named the winner of the Secretary of Defense System Level Performance-Based Logistics Award. The wing staff directs all acquisition and sustainment activities for the F-22 Raptor and is part of the

  • General, spouse recognized for AF contributions

     A former Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, wing commander and his wife recently received the 2008 General and Mrs. Jerome O'Malley award. Brig. Gen. Darrell D. Jones and Mrs. Holly Jones were recognized for their contributions to the nation, the Air Force and the local community as a

  • Task force visits Kunsan to study how Airmen use their time

    An Airmen's Time Task Force visited Kunsan Air Base Aug. 20 and 10 Air Force bases across several different major commands and continents to study how much time Airmen spend away from their primary duties. Made up of members from the Air Staff, the Air Force Personnel Center and the Air Force

  • Manas Airmen provide aid to Kyrgyz airliner crash

    Manas Air Base first responders supported a Kyrgyz 737 airliner that crashed shortly after takeoff Aug. 24 approximately six miles east of the base and the Manas International Airport. Base leaders received notification of the crash from Kyrgyz authorities shortly after 9 p.m. local time. Members of

  • AF senior leaders address Hill Airmen

    The acting secretary of the Air Force and the Air Force chief of staff spoke to top leaders and several thousand airmen here Aug. 22. Michael Donley and Gen. Norton Schwartz brought a tone mixed with both optimism and practicality in their speeches to Airmen. "It's been two months and one day since

  • Labor officials launch 'America's Heroes at Work' Web site

    U.S. Labor Department officials have launched a Web site called "America's Heroes at Work" to help veterans afflicted with traumatic-brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder succeed in the workplace. "America's Heroes at Work really focuses on the employment challenges of our returning

  • Airmen provide care to 1,500 Guatemalans

    California Air National Guard members provided care to more than 1,500 Guatemalans over a three-day period from Aug. 18 to 20 living in Aldea Estanzuelas near Santa Rosa.Members of the 163rd Medical Group are in Guatemala as part of a two-week medical readiness training exercise as the Airmen

  • Memorial designer reflects on work as opening nears

    Being chosen to design the Pentagon Memorial that will be dedicated here Sept. 11 is an achievement that may never be topped in an architect's career, one of the Pentagon Memorial's lead designers said. Keith Kaseman and Julie Beckman, his wife and business partner, were selected in March 2003 out

  • Officials stand up HUMINT detachment

    Air Force officials re-established human intelligence Aug. 14 as a core intelligence discipline to focus on critical Air Force HUMINT requirements. It was marked by the formal establishment of a HUMINT detachment, collocated with the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency's

  • Airmen receive Sijan leadership award

    The Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Duncan J. McNabb presented the Lance P. Sijan Air Force Leadership Award to four Airmen during a ceremony Aug. 20 at the Pentagon. The award, named after the first U.S. Air Force Academy graduate to receive the Medal of Honor, recognizes Airmen who

  • Academy named best school in West region

    The U.S. Air Force Academy was named the best baccalaureate college in the West for the second year in a row, and received top rankings in engineering in the U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Colleges 2009 rankings, released Aug. 21. U.S. News & World Report officials evaluated 319

  • NATO AWACS conducts Strike Eagle dogfights

    A NATO E-3A Sentinel and its crew arrived here Aug. 8 to conduct training missions with 4th Fighter Wing aircrews. The Sentinel, which is an Airborne Early Warning and Control System aircraft from Geilenkirchen, Germany, will conduct mock dogfights between the wing's fighter aircraft. Using its

  • Air and Space Basic Course celebrates 10 years

    Air University's Air and Space Basic Course here marks its 10-year anniversary in August as course and local officials are celebrating. In a surprise announcement Aug. 19, Montgomery, Ala., Mayor Bobby Bright proclaimed that Aug. 23 would be known as Air and Space Basic Course Day in Montgomery. "We

  • Early lessons shaped Air Force chief of staff's perspective

    The Air Force chief of staff recently shared some insight on the experiences that shaped his career and perspective he carries with him in his new position. The general spoke as part of Air Force Week in the Heartland Aug. 15 at the Criss Auditorium of the Bellevue University here. Gen. Norton A.

  • Maxwell shelters Navy Seahawks from Tropical Storm Fay

    Dozens of Navy helicopters evacuated from the Florida coast to Maxwell Air Force Base Aug. 20 in an effort to avoid the destruction of Tropical Storm Fay. Navy Cmdr. Chris Fallia said the decision to evacuate to Maxwell AFB happened when the tropical storm was projected to veer back inland after

  • F-15 tests alternative jet engine fuel

    An aviation first was accomplished when an F-15E Strike Eagle flew here Aug. 19 using an alternative fuel. Engineers from the 830th Aircraft Sustainment Group, maintainers with the 561st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and pilots from the 339th Flight Test Squadron joined with the Air Force

  • Guard members bring medical relief to Guatemalan citizens

    Thirty-one Airmen from the California Air National Guard's 163rd Medical Group traveled to Guatemala Aug. 18 for a two-week medical readiness training exercise in and around Santa Rosa.Hosted by Guatemala and with the cooperation of the Guatemalan military and public health department, the American

  • Team puts travel voucher process under microscope

    Air Force Reserve Command officials here hosted a total force team of financial experts from around the Air Force Aug. 11 through 14 to improve delays in processing travel vouchers. The team, under the direction of Richard P. "Gus" Gustafson, the deputy assistant secretary for financial operations

  • Special developmental education opportunities available

    Air Force officers interested in 2009 special developmental education programs must apply for the Olmsted Scholarship, White House Fellowship, Mansfield Fellowship or Information Assurance Scholarship programs by Sept. 15. A completed Air Force Form 3849 and senior rater nomination must be received

  • Reaper drops bomb on anti-Iraqi forces

    An MQ-9 Reaper dropped a 500-pound bomb against an anti-Iraqi target Aug. 16 in one of the first weapons engagements for the unmanned aircraft system.The Reaper began flying combat sorties in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom July 18 and joined the MQ-1 Predator as another UAS patrolling the sky to

  • Reestablished council reaches milestones

    The Air Force's reestablished Force Management and Development Council has reached two milestones, securing the vice chief of staff's endorsement of the Air Force Learning Committee and the Officer Force Development Panel. The council, chaired by Gen. Duncan J. McNabb, reestablished its charter

  • Village resident receives volunteer award

    When people make it to 81 years, they may be tempted to take it easy. But for one resident of the Air Force Enlisted Village here, kicking back is the last thing she wants. Instead, Dian Haynes has made volunteerism her call to duty, and she recently was recognized by the Florida Association of

  • Airmen gather for professional development conferences

    Airmen from around the globe will assemble in San Antonio for the Air Force Sergeants Association Professional Airmen's Conference Aug. 23 to 27. "This conference is a tremendous opportunity for those serving in and supporting our Air Force to meet and share their knowledge and ideas," said Chief

  • University course teaches principles of information operations

    In the midst of the Korean War in the 1950s an American fighter pilot came up with a revolutionary concept that changed tactical, operational and strategic war planning. Based on his tactical dogfighting experience with North Korean MiGs, Col. John Boyd coined the term - OODA (observe, orient,

  • Academy awarded $285,000 for wave energy research

    The next source of alternative energy could come from ocean waves, and Air Force Academy professors have been granted funding to dive into this research. The National Science Foundation has awarded the Academy's Aeronautics Department $285,619 to support a cyclodial propeller wave energy converter

  • PRT proving ingenuity is all it takes to make a difference

    In a country where the reality is that parents will have to bury one of their children before the age of 5, members of a coalition provincial reconstruction team at Zabul, Afghanistan, are working to reverse this staggering trend. After two Air Force medical professionals spent some time on the

  • Teamwork among depots keeps T-38s flying

    Workers from the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center's 76th Maintenance Wing here combined with Air Force Materiel Command's other two depots in a round-the-clock push to make hundreds of levers, helping Air Force officials keep the T-38 Talon training jet flying. The effort came on the heels of an

  • Manas Airmen give from their hearts to fix 'broken' ones

    Some Airmen deployed here recently demonstrated the gift of compassion through a donation that will help mend the hearts of Kyrgyz children in need of life saving operations. In response to a challenge from the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing vice commander, Col. Robert Athan, to match his $1,000

  • Eielson NCO bugs mosquitos

    Summer in Alaska may be the best time of the year with virtually continuous daylight and warm weather. However, with nice weather comes a small blood-sucking menace: the mosquito. In Alaska there are 35 different species of mosquitoes and all but a few will feed on people. They breed near stagnant

  • Formal training sustains AF readiness, aids Airmen

    Formal training managers at the Air Force Personnel Center here are committed to ensuring Airmen are provided adequate time to prepare for their formal training classes, and that every Airman who needs to attend has the opportunity. Empty seats due to 'no shows' have an impact on the entire Air

  • Night-vision initiative sheds light on refueling improvements

    Members of the Air Mobility Battlelab here have helped KC-135 Stratotanker aircrews to see in the dark through the KC-135 Exterior Night Vision Imaging System-compatible Lighting initiative. Teaming with the Air Force Research Laboratory's Night Vision Center of Excellence of Mesa, Ariz., a

  • Airman's Roll Call: Quit tobacco

    This week's Airman's Roll Call offers Airmen who smoke a new resource to help them quit.The Web site, Quit Tobacco -- Make Everyone Proud, is an educational tool sponsored by Department of Defense officials to help servicemembers quit, both for themselves and for the people they care about.There are

  • Expeditionary Center students save a life

    Two Air Force Expeditionary Center's Contingency Response Mission Orientation Course students attending class here saved a man from drowning on their off-duty time July 30 in Bordentown, N.J.Staff Sgt. Milton Cobo and Senior Airman Nestor Rivas went to the do some studying with their classmates and

  • Security forces Airman at Academy scheduled for Article 32

    An Article 32 hearing for an enlisted Airman assigned to the 10th Security Forces Squadron convenes Aug. 21 at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Airman 1st Class David Christie, who is not an Academy cadet, has been charged with violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice by deserting with intent to

  • Yokota Airmen participate in Japanese festival

    Members from Yokota Air Base, Japan, participated in the Fussa City Tanabata Festival Aug. 8 here. Airmen and U.S. citizens from Yokota AB had the opportunity to carry a Mikoshi, a type of portable shrine, from Shinmeisya Shrine to Fussa's City Hall. It is believed that carrying the shrine brings

  • $2 million humanitarian mission in Georgia to continue

    The U.S. military has delivered $2 million worth of humanitarian aid to Georgia in an ongoing effort to relieve the war-torn former Soviet republic that came under Russian attack 10 days ago. In addition to 130 tons of airlifted cargo, U.S. European Command has granted the Georgian government in

  • Tricare beneficiaries can 'stay alert' by e-mail

    Officials with the Tricare Management Activity are now providing benefit news electronically. From the latest beneficiary newsletters and changes in coverage, to pharmacy updates and news releases, all 9.2 million Tricare beneficiaries now have an easy way to stay informed by e-mail. A new

  • TDY per-mile rate increases

    In response to the mid-year rise in gasoline prices, General Service Administration officials raised the temporary-duty mileage rate from $0.505 per mile to $0.585. The increase applies to all uniformed personnel and civilian employees traveling on official business by privately owned automobile or

  • Career enlisted aviator positions open for retraining

    The Air Force still has openings for first term Airmen to retrain into the flight engineer and flight attendant specialties and other career enlisted aviator positions. In addition to the FTA openings, staff and technical sergeants required to retrain under the Noncommissioned Officer Retraining

  • Predator passes 400,000 flight hours

    The MQ-1 Predator unmanned aircraft system surpassed 400,000 flight hours during a mission in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Aug. 18. Members of the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron, part of the 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., flew the milestone mission in

  • 'Perspective' addresses evaluation system

    In his latest "Enlisted Perspective," the Air Force's top enlisted Airman discusses the Airman evaluation system and how it should be accurate and grounded in integrity. "To truly develop our Airmen, we must accurately and honestly assess their strengths and weaknesses and chart their course to

  • Teams to assist troops with holiday greetings

    People usually get to hear their deployed loved one's voice on the telephone, but don't always see them until they return. For the 25th year, the Army and Air Force Hometown News Service holiday greeting teams will leave in late August from San Antonio for a mission allowing nearly 15,000 families

  • 'Today's Air Force' features deployment topics

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights an Initial Readiness Response Exercise. This exercise allows base personnel to evaluate deployment processes that will help Airmen deploy smoothly. Also featured are humanitarian missions, such as Operation Medflag, part of the Air Force's Medical Civic

  • New recruits enlist during Chicago Air and Water Show

    Following fast passes and vertical climbs by an F-22 demonstration, 60 young men and women were sworn in to the United States Air Force Aug. 16 during the 50th Annual Chicago Air and Water Show held Aug. 15 -17. Maj. Gen. Anthony F. Przybyslawski, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command vice

  • Acting secretary addresses VFW

    Acting Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley spoke before an audience of Veterans of Foreign Wars members Aug. 18 at their national convention here. He gave a snapshot of today's Air Force and its contributions to the war on terrorism. "Our veterans have answered their country's call to duty,

  • Chief McKinley talks about Air Force focus areas

    "Hold your heads up high," said Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley during his enlisted call in the Louis F. Garland Department of Defense Fire Academy high bay here Aug. 13. The chief opened his talk by telling Airmen that despite the bumps and bruises the Air Force has taken

  • Air Guard Predator pilots increase combat air patrols

    Although they are some of the busiest pilots in the U.S. military, Air National Guard pilots who are now flying unmanned aircraft from the ground said they still climb into the cockpit and get some flight time whenever they can. Lt. Col. Rick Gibney, operations group commander and MQ-1 Predator

  • Future Predator/Reaper formal training unit announced

    Gen. John D.W. Corley, Air Combat Command commander, with concurrence from the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, announced today that Holloman AFB, N.M., is the preferred potential location for an additional unmanned aircraft system formal Training unit. This is the first step in a series of actions

  • Officials work to reduce air violations over conventions

    The Continental U.S. NORAD Region is partnering with the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Aviation Administration to help reduce airspace violations near Denver and Minneapolis/St. Paul during the 2008 Democratic and Republican National Conventions. Public and private airports, known as

  • Program gives vets advantage in owning a business

    Military veterans interested in being owner-operator truck drivers now can achieve that goal quicker and less expensively, thanks to an agreement between the Department of Veterans Affairs and Schneider National, Inc. Officials from the VA and Schneider signed a memorandum of understanding July 1,

  • Iraqi soldiers taught 'strength through truth' in PA course

    Iraqi Special Operations Forces have learned the value of "strength through truth" through a public affairs and photojournalism course conducted in Baghdad, Iraq, recently. Ten ISOF soldiers who graduated the 15-day course can now effectively combat anti-Iraqi forces' misinformation campaigns. As

  • Airmen help Iraqi pilot earn his wings

    Dressed in a tan flight suit adorned with the Iraqi flag, an L.A. Dodgers hat and aviator sunglasses, one pilot is helping his country take a step closer to having an independent air force. With help from U.S. Airmen, Iraqi air force Maj. Thagel took his last training flight prior to being certified

  • Updating education just clicks away for civilians

    Air Force civilian employees who wish to update education information in their civilian personnel records have a new, easier way to do so: through the "MyBiz" Web site. MyBiz is the self-service module in the Defense Civilian Personnel Data System. Instead of faxing their transcripts and waiting for

  • Travis, California firefighters extinguish blaze

    Travis Air Force Base emergency responders and members from several fire departments from the local area battled through the night and into the morning to prevent an eight-alarm blaze from potentially spreading through base housing Aug 16. The fire initially started off base at approximately 3 p.m.

  • Registration figures up for 2008 Air Force Marathon

    Registration figures for the 2008 Air Force Marathon continue to outpace the numbers from this time last year and remain on track to break 2007's overall record of more than 6,700 runners. As of Aug. 4, the total number of runners registered for the 12th annual event stood at 4,550, which compared

  • Offutt Airmen hold airshow for special needs families

    Airmen here pulled out all the stops to make several hundred people smile a little more during the Aug. 15 Air Force Week in the Heartland Special Needs Airshow. Offutt Air Force Base Airmen brought community members who would have difficulties attending the official airshow schedule because of

  • New Global Hawk exhibit opens at museum

    Officials from industry, the Air Force and the National Museum of the United States Air Force gathered for the opening of the new RQ-4A Global Hawk exhibit Aug. 12 here. The Global Hawk is a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft system that sends near-real-time reconnaissance imagery to

  • Operation Air Force puts cadets in the air over Europe

    The airlift mission prepping to depart here was nothing out-of-the-ordinary for the seasoned C-130 Hercules crew of six. It was another weekly training sortie putting cargo in a drop zone 150 miles away. For two U.S. Air Force Academy cadets invited to fly with the 37th Airlift Squadron as part of