HomeNews

NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • A-10 Thunderbolt II gets technological 'thumbs up'

    The precision engagement modified A-10C Thunderbolt II received its Initial Operational Capability Aug. 21 during a ceremony here. The A-10C has received its most significant modifications in its 30-year history, said Lt. Col. Ralph Hansen, chief of A-10 requirements for Air Combat Command. The

  • Dover honors women's contribution to force

    Dover Air Force Base members commemorated the 87 years since the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed and saluted all women here Aug. 24. Since Esther Blake enlisted July 8, 1948 on the first minute of the first hour of the first day regular Air Force duty was authorized for women,

  • General, Red Sox icon make Air Force Week pitches

    An Air National Guard general and a Boston Red Sox legend both threw out first pitches before a minor league baseball game Aug. 23 at Lelacheur Park here. As part of an Air Force Week New England event, Maj. Gen. Michael D. Akey, the Massachusetts ANG chief of staff, said it was a thrill to

  • Astronaut orbits Air Force Week science day

    A former major and astronaut provided the opening remarks for the Air Force Week New England Science Day Aug. 21 at the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium in Concord, N.H. Astronaut Jay Buckey, who in 1998 served as a payload specialist aboard NASA space shuttle flight STS-90, said he was happy to see so

  • Americans, Iraqis interact at historical monument

    Approximately 80 Iraqis from the city of An Nasiriyah interacted for the first time with Airmen and Soldiers at the Ziggurat historical monument Aug. 21 at Ali Base. It has been more than 10 years since any Iraqi native has been allowed to visit the Ziggurat of Ur, which is the most dominant

  • Air Force fighter squadron celebrates 90th year

    An F-22A Raptor demonstrated its air power during the wrap-up Aug. 20 of the 90th Fighter Squadron's 90th anniversary. Former and current members of the 90th FS gathered here Aug. 17 to 20 to recall the squadron's past and look forward to its future. "It is very humbling to be part of a squadron

  • Neither snow nor deep freeze keep mail from Antarctica

    Members of the Det. 4, Pacific Air Forces Air Postal Squadron here have been busy supporting Operation Deep Freeze 2007-08 winter flights to Antarctica beginning in late August after more than 150 days since the last shipment of mail to the ice station. The detachment members collected 14,000 pounds

  • Mildenhall Airmen showcase Air Force in Russia

    American pilots, aircrew and maintainers from the 100th Air Refueling Wing from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, are on display Aug. 21 to 26 at the Moscow International Air Show in Russia. RAF Mildenhall Airmen have just one of a number of U.S. Air Force aircraft participating in the

  • Marathon signals growing partnership between base, university

    The U.S. Air Force Marathon's 5K race has a new location and date for 2007. Signifying a new partnership between Wright-Patterson AFB and nearby Wright State University, this year's 5K race will take place on the university's campus Sept. 14, the day before the marathon, which will be held at the

  • Airmen mentorship helps develop Afghan hospital

    Airmen and Soldiers are blending medical supply logistics with a dose of Afghan national army partnership in a dusty warehouse at ANA's Hero Camp near Kandahar Airfield. It's a prescription for successful mentoring as the Afghans prepare for a new hospital opening here, said Capt. Jay Snodgrass, a

  • Tops in Blue brings sergeant home for an encore

    A Tops in Blue performance at Veterans Memorial Park here Aug. 18 was an opportunity for one performer to catch up with friends and family. Staff Sgt. Mark Schmidt, the bass player for the Tops in Blue 2007 World Tour, grew up in nearby Biddeford, Maine, where he learned how to play the bass in high

  • B-24 gunner receives Purple Heart for heroism in WW II

    The scene in the rotunda of Randolph's Taj Mahal Aug. 21 probably seemed like too much hoopla to one former Army Air Corps staff sergeant. But all the TV cameras and reporters there to capture the moment, the remarks by an Air Force major general and the admiration shown by servicemembers and

  • Air Force convenes AFSO 21 summit

    The secretary of the Air Force, chief of staff and the heads of all Air Force major commands gathered here Aug. 22 to increase the capability of the individual warfighter through Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century, commonly known as AFSO 21. AFSO 21 is a dedicated effort to maximize

  • Fairchild NCO receives $10,000 for great idea

    A Fairchild Air Force Base NCO used his knowledge and experience as a KC-10 Extender and KC-135 Stratotanker crew chief to come up with an idea worth $10,000.Tech. Sgt. Cade Peterson, a 92nd Maintenance Operations Squadron senior weapon system coordinator, used the the Innovative Development through

  • Maine Air Guard peddles Air Force Week from town to town

    After pedaling their bicycles along 170 miles of Maine roads, 18 Maine Air National Guard Cycle Team members, dressed in red, white and blue cycling outfits, coasted to the end of their three-day journey Aug. 20 in front of the local minor leage baseball stadium here. Their trek started in Bangor

  • Airman's Roll Call highlights mentorship

    This week's Airman's Roll Call highlights mentoring to prepare Airmen for increased responsibilities as they progress in their careers. A mentor is defined as a trusted counselor or guide, according to the new Air Force Professional Development Guide. Mentoring provides a framework to bring about

  • Air Force officials announce 2008 force-shaping plans

    Air Force officials recently announced plans to meet the 2008 fiscal year end-strength of 328,600, which calls for a force reduction of about 5,400 officers and enlisted members through normal attrition, retirement or force-shaping measures. The reductions are in line with Air Force efforts to

  • Artist captures Eielson mission change on canvas

    An artist recently captured the mission evolution at Eielson in an oil painting. Capt. Warren Neary, an Air Force reservist assigned to the Air Force Space Command history office, completed an oil painting that depicts the change in mission at Eielson and the 354th Fighter Wing. The painting is

  • Army Air Corps veteran talks about war experience

    The 81-year-old World War II veteran was a liar. Robert McNally shared his story at the Pease Air National Guard Base's air show Aug. 19, one of the main attractions of Air Force Week New England. Mr. McNally's military journey preceded the Air Force and started in the era of the Army Air Corps.

  • Air Force fitness test now pass, fail

    Air Force officials here recently announced a change to physical fitness test standards for all Airmen. The "marginal" category has been eliminated, and the test will now be either pass or fail. Previously, Airmen who scored below 70 on the fitness test failed, and those who scored between 70 and

  • Pacific Airlift Rally commences

    Pacific Airlift Rally 2007, co-hosted by the U.S. and Indonesian air forces, began Aug. 20 and runs through Aug. 24 at Halim Air Base, Jakarta, Indonesia. Pacific Airlift Rally is a Pacific Air Forces-sponsored military airlift symposium and live-flying exercise for nations of the Pacific Rim. The

  • Operation Deep Freeze 2007-08 begins

    Operation Deep Freeze 2007-08 winter flights began Aug. 20 ending more than five months of isolation for the research station as the first C-17 Globemaster III delivered passengers and cargo to McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Landing 15 miles from McMurdo Station at Pegasus Runway, the C-17s will carry

  • Air Force discontinues use of base decals

    Air Force officials are working with other services to allow its people to enter installations without requiring them to display a base decal on their vehicles. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley recently ended use of the sticker, officially called a DD Form 2220, on Air Force

  • Texas National Guard ready for Hurricane Dean strike

    About 4,700 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen, most of them from Texas, are making final preparations Aug. 20 for a rapid response should Hurricane Dean strike the Texas coast the end of August. Another 5,000 Texas Soldiers and Airmen are poised for activation should Texas Gov. Rick Perry deem it

  • NORTHCOM ready to help save lives

    U.S. Northern Command officials continue to monitor the progress of Hurricane Dean and are working closely with the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Guard and the state of Texas on hurricane response preparations. "While we remain fully engaged

  • Pace team encourages marathoners

    It takes encouragement and a little coaxing to get most people to run for hours and miles on end, but members of the Air Force Marathon Pace Team are vocal supporters for people who endure the annual run at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.Pace team members run the race while holding a huge time sign

  • Weather center receives production system upgrades

    The American Forces Network Weather Center here received computer upgrades recently ensuring its world-wide products equal or surpass those of its civilian counterparts. The center received two major forecast production units, known as Weather Services International systems, in early August. The

  • 'Today's Air Force' focuses on recapitalization

    This week's edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights recapitalization -- replacing the aging F-15 Eagle with the front-line air dominance fighter, the F-22 Raptor. And see more than 22,000 Airmen, Sailors, Marines and Coastguardsmen participate in Exercise Valiant Shield. The exercise showcases

  • Pease Airmen provide a day to remember

    Airmen hosted an air show here for special-needs children Aug. 17 in advance of the Pease Air National Guard Base's air show Aug. 18 and 19. The event, which included a drill team performance, music and a front-row view of numerous aerial acts, gave children with disabilities or special

  • Pope aerovac squadron deploys for Hurricane Dean

    More than 40 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron Airmen deployed at 11:30  a.m. Aug. 19 to Brownsville, Texas, to set up a Mobile Aeromedical Staging Facility at the Brownsville airport in support of Hurricane Dean evacuations.The team left on a C-17 Globemaster III from Charleston AFB, S.C. 

  • CENTAF commander visits 379th Air Expeditionary Wing

    Lt. Gen. Gary L. North, U.S. Central Command Air Forces and 9th Air Force commander, visited the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Aug. 15, kicking off a tour that will take him to expeditionary bases throughout the area of responsibility.General North discussed issues surrounding the Air Force's

  • Boston proclamation party gets Air Force Week rolling

    More than 300 people crowded outside of historic Faneuil Hall here Aug. 17 to celebrate the start of Air Force Week New England. The crowd was entertained by the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Drill team, Air National Guard's Band of the Northeast and a flyover. Guest speakers included Massachusetts Lt.

  • Enhanced use lease will substantially benefit Air Force

    The Air Force announced Aug. 17 the selection of Sunset Ridge Development Partners LLC as the highest ranked offeror for Phase 1 of the West Side Development Enhanced Use Lease, or EUL, project here. Kathleen I. Ferguson, deputy Air Force Civil Engineer at the Pentagon, selected Sunset Ridge

  • Researchers working to reduce atmospheric interference

    The Air Force is funding an effort to reduce atmospheric interference in free space laser communication. A team of scientists has shown new ways to deal with fading effects that occur when light interferes with itself as it propagates through atmospheric turbulence. The Air Force Office of

  • Space exec course reaches out to allies, Pentagon

    August is a month of firsts for the National Security Space Institute as the school opens its senior-level class to international students and takes the course on the road to Washington, D.C. Called SOC-E, the Aug. 2 Space Operations Executive-level Course included its first international students

  • Programs help Airmen, families prepare for deployment

    As part of ongoing efforts to inform Airmen about ways to manage stress, Air Force officials here introduced a monthly campaign to highlight initiatives to help Airmen and their families cope with life's difficulties, and the initiative for August is deployment readiness.Air Force officials employ

  • Northern Viking tests command, control capabilities

    An unidentified aircraft is headed toward Iceland's coast. The aircraft is not in contact with the tower, and two F-15 Eagles deployed from Royal Air Force Lakenheath in England scramble to intercept the suspicious aircraft. This is the scenario playing itself out several times during Northern

  • Academy academics rank among best in nation

    The Air Force Academy was named the best baccalaureate college in the west, and received top rankings in several engineering programs, according to the U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Colleges 2008 rankings, released Aug. 17. U.S. News & World Report evaluated the 320 universities in the

  • U.S. military women reach out to Djiboutian women

    U.S. military women attached to Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa visited the girls' orphanage Aug. 15 in Djibouti City. During the visit, the servicemembers taught the female students the "Alphabet Song," how to count to 10, how to say and spell certain words and how to introduce

  • Air Force doctrine gets new home at Air University

    The Air Force Doctrine Development and Education Center here stood up in August with the leaders of Air University, the 42nd Air Base Wing and local business and government agencies in attendance. The new center is the result of a merger between the Air Force Doctrine Center, which was stood up 10

  • 'Perspective' focuses on feedback, evaluation

    In his latest "Enlisted Perspective," the Air Force's top enlisted Airman discusses the the new feedback forms and the importance of honest assessment of Airmen by supervisors and rating officials. "These evaluation forms are a great improvement," said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J.

  • No mountain too high, no bridge too far for Afghan PRT

    Whether crawling over dirt mounds to inspect a school, hiking mountains 9,000 feet above sea level or handing out stuffed animals, members of the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team are pushing progress in Afghanistan. "It's a very unique job," said Lt. Col. Christopher Luedtke, PRT commander

  • Gen. Pace visits servicemembers in Djibouti

    The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff answered questions and addressed concerns from a large audience of servicemembers during a "Town Hall meeting" Aug.14 at the Thunder Dome at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti. Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the highest-ranking officer in the U.S. military, went to Camp

  • Exercise Valiant Shield wraps up

    Exercise Valiant Shield 2007, the largest exercise of its kind in the Pacific, wrapped up eight days of flying operations Aug.13. During the field training exercise, more than 2,900 sorties were flown, with KC-135 Stratotankers and KC-10 Extenders offloading 2.29 million pounds of fuel to airborne

  • Airman's Roll Call highlights streamlined services

    This week's Airman's Roll Call highlights the merging of services and mission support squadrons at six Air Force test bases to streamline processes, increase efficiencies, maximize customer service and cut costs associated with maintaining two separate organizations. The new combined organizations

  • Air Force medics provide care aboard Navy hospital ship

    A team of more than 60 Air Force medics is in South America participating in a four-month joint Medical Readiness Training Exercise aboard the USNS Comfort hospital ship. The medical team, along with Latin American and Caribbean health officials, is providing free medical treatment to underserved

  • Automated test helps maintainers solve F-15 problems

    Maintainers from bases around the world are focusing their eyes on Robins Air Force Base, the 566th Combat Sustainment Squadron's test equipment office, and a new test set that officials developed as a solution to F-15 Eagle maintenance dilemmas. A new automated flight control system test set has

  • Virtualized servers saving time, money and power

    'The server is down' are four words you never want to hear at work, especially in Iraq. Global Cyberspace Integration Center Airmen have teamed with Multi-National Corps-Iraq communications people to evaluate server usage and provide methods of improvement to eliminate this problem, specifically

  • USO takes to the road in new mobile canteens

    One of three United Service Organizations' mobile canteens spent Aug. 11 here during drill week as part of an effort to reach out to servicemembers who are not often exposed to the USO. The USO, famous for taking the show on the road, is using the new set of wheels to help the agency travel to

  • Professor swims into record book ... again

    Lt. Col. Tim Lawrence takes to challenges like a fish to water. The long-distance swimmer extraordinaire swam the English Channel in 1999, was the first American to swim the 41 nautical miles around Britain's Jersey Island in 2002, was the first American to swim from the island of Vis to Split,

  • Airmen, Soldiers compete during boxing tourney

    Fighters from the U.S. Army and Air Force settled their interservice "differences" in the ring during the 2007 summer Smoker Boxing Tournament Aug. 11 here. The competition, sponsored by Army Morale, Welfare and Recreation, pitted 36 Airmen from Osan, Kunsan and Suwon air bases against Soldiers from

  • Misawa mayor tours base first time in 67 years

    After 67 years of living next door, the newest mayor of Misawa set foot on the base for the first time July 26. Kazumasa Taneichi, the new Misawa City mayor, received a tour of the flightline, fire station, new dorms and dining facility. He was even treated to a seat in the cockpit of the 35th

  • Crew chief awarded Purple Heart after 39-year wait

    Wayne Sufficool vividly remembers what happened to him Feb. 19, 1968, when he was a crew chief on the RF-4C aircraft at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam. It was the day the flightline area he was working on was hit with more than 40 rounds of 122 mm mortar rounds. Now Mr. Sufficool has another

  • Rock band reaches out to Djiboutian villages

    The U. S. Central Command Air Forces Expeditionary band "Thunder Roll" entertained audiences in local villages around Djibouti City during their summer concert series in Africa Aug. 8 to 10. Their stops included the villages of Hol Hol and Danerjog. The CENTAF band deployed to the area of operations

  • Upgraded armored vehicles aid Moody's war training

    Warfighters preparing for combat deployments are now using the same highly armored combat vehicles during stateside training missions as they will use in theater. The 820th Security Forces Group recently received 18 Humvees outfitted with the safest and thickest armor modifications, known as Frag 5,

  • Command celebrates Air Force's 60th Anniversary

    Airmen, family and friends from throughout the Kaiserslautern Military Community celebrated the 60th Anniversary of the United States Air Force here Aug. 11 with band performances, demonstrations and special guest speakers. "In addition to celebrating our historical anniversary, this year marks the

  • Recent ops eval challenges Lakenheath Airmen

    While most Airmen either have participated in or are familiar with an operational readiness inspection -- both the Phase 1 and Phase II portions--some are scratching their heads over a recent evaluation exercise held here.  The operations evaluation, more commonly known as an "ops eval," looks and

  • Recovery agency teams complete 100th Laos mission

    Four recovery teams from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command recently completed JPAC's 100th recovery mission in Laos."The JPAC mission is as important in our effort to account for each missing American here as it is in Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Korea and everywhere else where we have unresolved

  • SERE training to be required for all Airmen

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley met Aug. 10 at the Pentagon with several Air Force leaders to discuss the road ahead for survival, evasion, resistance and escape training. Air Force leaders plan to broaden the focus of SERE training for all Airmen due to the threat of isolation and

  • Balad's medics move into new facility

    Approximately 150 base volunteers and 380 Airmen with the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group moved patients and equipment as they closed the doors on the old Air Force Theater Hospital and opened the doors to their pre-engineered facility here Aug. 3. Starting at 4 a.m., Airmen in each tent tunnel

  • General shares Tuskegee heritage with Balad Airmen

    Airmen serving with the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing here got a chance to meet with a man who shared some heritage with them July 31. On his sixth visit to Balad Air Base in recent years, Maj. Gen. Darryl A. Scott, the son of a Tuskegee Airman, arrived with a number of purposes. As the commander of

  • Chernobyl children's group visits RAF Lakenheath

    More than 20 Belarusian children huddled around a 494th Fighter Squadron pilot Aug. 3, staring curiously at an F-15E Strike Eagle. "Where does the fuel go?" asked one child through his interpreter. "Can the missiles fire while the plane is on the ground?" asked another. For most of these children,

  • Airman's fight-back bravery earns him Bronze Star

    Whenever Senior Airman Phillip King looks at his medal, he is reminded of Aug. 8, 2006. That was the day Airman King, through his brave actions, earned the Bronze Star Medal with Valor. Col. Bryan Gallagher, 95th Air Base Wing commander, presented the medal to him during a ceremony here July 30.

  • NCO's training proves worth for accident victims

    An NCO attending a deployment training course at Fort Eustis, Va., became a hero recently when she used her self-aid and buddy care experience to tend to several people injured in an automobile accident. Staff Sgt. Brenda Johnson, the 8th Air Force manpower and personnel readiness NCO in charge

  • Predator soars to record numbers of sorties

    When terrorists tried shooting mortar rounds at Balad Air Base in July, they didn't count on the tireless, unblinking eye of an MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle overhead, transmitting their every move to Airmen on the ground here. Airmen assigned to the 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance

  • Elmendorf welcomes F-22 Raptor

    It was a historic day for Elmendorf as the base officially welcomed the first of its F-22 Raptor fleet during a ceremony here Aug. 8.Elmendorf became the second operational base and the first Pacific Air Forces installation to receive the Air Force's new superiority fighter. "These incredible

  • Rules change to require technicians to wear uniforms fulltime

    When people visit an Air Force Reserve Command unit during a normal work week in the coming months, they are likely to see more people in military uniforms. Air Force officials changed three instructions Aug. 7 to require all air reserve technicians to wear military uniforms rather than civilian

  • Valiant Shield exercise brings services together

    Kadena-based units departed Okinawa Aug. 5 on their way to Guam to join fellow Airmen and sister services in the joint Exercise Valiant Shield which runs through Aug. 14. The 44th Fighter Squadron, with elements of the 67th FS, and the 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron and 909th Air Refueling

  • Enlisted aviator career fields open for retrainees

    Opportunities for Airmen to retrain into one of eight career enlisted aviator career fields have just been released by Air Force officials here. The Air Force has openings for first-term Airmen to retrain into the flight engineer, flight attendant, and aerial gunner specialties. In addition, the

  • Air Force technology helps put out fires faster

    Scientists at Tyndall AFB, Fla., have developed ultra high pressure water firefighting technology that has resulted in a smaller, leaner air transportable fire truck. Starting in fiscal 2008, these new trucks can be deployed in sets of two on a C-130 Hercules, whereas the former fire trucks could

  • 3-D models of urban environments to aid military efforts

    An Air Force Office of Scientific Research-funded team at the University of California, Berkeley, has built 3-D models of urban environments for the first time in a fast, scalable and automated way. Dr. Avideh Zakhor, a professor of electrical engineering at the university, leads a team that has

  • Air Force leaders hold Heritage to Horizons summit

    Air Force leaders past and present met with the Air Force chief of staff for the Heritage to Horizons summit Aug. 7 at Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C. Gen. T. Michael Moseley led the group, which included retired Air Force chief master sergeants and general officers as the leaders provided

  • Center delivers new accounting, management system

    A state-of-the-art financial management system that serves the Air Force and U.S. Transportation Command came to fruition last month when the Defense Enterprise Accounting and Management System Increment 1, Spiral 1 was successfully fielded at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. The DEAMS program, a vision

  • To Stem the Tide - A Korean War Perspective

    Warnings had sounded as early as March 10, 1950. The U. S. Korean Military Advisory Group had relayed a report through channels to Washington, D.C., that North Korea would likely cross the 38th Parallel and invade its neighbor to the south--possibly as early as June. But there were plenty of

  • Improved health care plan for reservists starts in October

    Reservists can begin signing up Aug. 11 for more affordable Tricare Select Reserve health care that starts Oct. 1. For some, it means they will pay a third of what they are paying today. "All drilling reservists, including individual mobilization augmentees, will have access to the health-care

  • Services, mission support merger complete at test bases

    The merger of services and mission support squadrons at six Air Force bases is now complete. The new combined organizations, called "force support squadrons," are paying huge dividends through improved service to customers, better synergy between organizations and increased efficiency in processes

  • Info sharing allows realistic coalition training

    Simulated air campaigns practiced during aircrew training scenarios gained an increased level of realism as members of the Distributed Mission Operations Center here implemented a complex, new electronic filter designed to bring more "reality" to virtual reality simulations. Exercise Northern

  • Falcons have everything to prove this football season

    Unlike previous seasons, the 2007 Air Force football team has no catchy slogan it will use as a rallying cry or the media can use as a sound bite or a headline. Instead, first-year head coach and 1989 Academy grad, Troy Calhoun, told the annual media day gathering of local and regional reporters on

  • 'Today's Air Force' highlights Afghan operations

    The first segment of this week's edition of "Today's Air Force" features the Craig Joint Theater Hospital, a state-of-the-art facility at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, that provides top-notch healthcare for deployed Airmen.This new facility was constructed by a provincial reconstruction team, or

  • Former secretary of the Air Force dies

    Former Secretary of the Air Force John C. Stetson died Aug. 2 at his home in Lake Forest, Ill. Mr. Stetson was the 12th secretary of the Air Force, serving from June 1978 to May 1979. He was born in Chicago in 1920. He received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from

  • Cadets get firsthand knowledge of deployments

    Members of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing here hosted a rotation of U.S. Air Force Academy cadets who visited Southwest Asia to experience a deployment firsthand. The cadets toured the Combined Air and Space Operations Center, security forces and the fire department to give them a better working

  • Airmen, drug runners play game of cat and mouse

    Airmen play a constant game of cat and mouse with the drug runners they search for who try sneaking their cargo into the United States. Sometimes the Airmen win and sometimes they lose. But they always try to find ways to beat the odds using a combination of sophisticated E-3 Sentry and other

  • B-1 crews excel at shows of presence

    Airmen and B-1B Lancers from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, have taken the reins from the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron here. Since arriving in July, the 9th EBS has logged about 25 missions, dropping bombs on enemies throughout Iraq and Afghanistan.To help ease the transition, the 9th EBS deployed

  • Manta Airmen continue their counterdrug war

    American forces flying from here to hunt down drug runners could soon have to pack up their whole operation and move elsewhere. That is because Ecuadorian President Raphael Correa wants American forces out of the Andean country. He vows not to renew a 1999 agreement with the United States that

  • Air Force integrates space operations into A-staff

    Air Force officials here completed the final phase in integrating space functions into key Air Staff processes for operations, plans and requirements, or A3/5. As of Aug. 1, space functions previously found within the Directorate of Strategic Security, or A3S, have been reorganized to better

  • DOD, VA pass information sharing milestone

    Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs officials here Aug. 3 announced the departments have successfully tested and deployed an interface that was developed to extend the reach and capabilities of the Bidirectional Health Information Exchange.With BHIE, the DOD and VA can share

  • Raptor maintenance training 'ramps' up at Sheppard

    The world of F-22 Raptor maintenance is becoming as high-tech as the sophisticated fighter itself. Because of new equipment called Portable Maintenance Aids,  or PMAs, maintainers here have vastly improved capabilities over past procedures and the initial skills training will reflect this advanced

  • Life support, survival equipment career fields merging

    Aircrew life support and survival equipment Airmen always have had jobs that mirrored each other somewhat. Under a new directive, the two Air Force specialty codes are merging, and Airmen here are far into the merger process. More than 60 Kadena Airmen are undergoing cross-utilization training to

  • Airmen, Soldiers form relationships with Iraqi children

    With little care for surrounding hostilities, a small Iraqi boy stomped his sandaled foot on Baghdad's dusty ground, and chanted an Arabic nursery rhyme. He clapped his hands to the beat and sung with several other children. All were gathered to watch a tall, muscled Airman dance to their song.

  • Air Force team a large presence in annual bike ride

    After seven days of bicycling nearly 500 miles across Iowa, the 148-member Air Force Cycling Team rode into the final stop July 28 amidst a cheering crowd of hundreds. A police escort led the two-column formation as spectators cheered "Go Air Force" and took photographs of the riders. The final stop

  • July 31 airpower summary: F-16s provide effective overwatch

    Coalition airpower supported coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations July 31, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped guided bomb unit-12s

  • New active-duty competition to debut at Air Force Marathon

    Which Air Force major command comprises the fastest, fittest flock of fine physiques? The answer may become clear Sept. 15 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base when a new type of competition for active-duty Air Force servicemembers debuts at this year's Air Force Marathon. The Major Command, or

  • Aerial porters help demonstrate new transportation concepts

    Airmen from the 305th Aerial Port Squadron here recently played a major role in helping U.S. Transportation Command officials assess joint modular intermodal distribution, or JMIDS, concepts. Through JMIDS, USTRANSCOM officials seek greater efficiency in delivering cargo to the warfighter while

  • Airmen teach Afghan police forces tactics, training

    Members of the Police Technical Advisory Team here have trained more than 200 Afghan national police and Afghan national auxiliary police since April to help improve the security of Afghanistan.Team members train 10 to 20 Afghan national police and Afghan national auxiliary police every week and

  • Predator crashes on base in Iraq

    An MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle crashed at the end of the runway while landing at approximately 11 p.m. local time July 30 at Balad Air Base. The crash site is an unpopulated area and no collateral damage or injuries occurred. The aircraft is a medium-altitude long-endurance, remotely

  • Air Force funds research on self-healing materials

    A research team at the University of Illinois, funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, is creating new, cutting-edge structural microvascular materials which will have repetitive, self-healing capabilities as well as self-cooling behavior.Professor Scott White and his colleagues are

  • Contractors help equip warfighters

    The local base magazine, sports drinks, construction projects ... many servicemembers pass by these things everyday not knowing where they came from, how they got here or how they're maintained. That's where the 379th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron comes in. The 379th ECONS procures the

  • Global Cyberspace Integration Center hot bench active

    The Global Cyberspace Integration Center here houses an operations center that serves as a test bed or "hot bench" that assesses various software and information systems to detect potential problems before they are delivered to the field. A team guides innovation, experimentation and sustainment

  • Joint servicemembers convoy supplies to Afghan refugees

    Dozens of joint servicemembers delivered clothing and supplies to an Afghan refugee camp near Kabul July 27 as part of a volunteer community relations program offered by the garrison chaplains at Camp Eggers. Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan members delivered a truck full of