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  • Airmen teach C-130 ops to Iraqis, learn about sacrifice

    When a crew of instructors deployed here to teach Iraqi airmen the finer points of flying and maintaining C-130 Hercules, they knew they had a monumental task in front of them. But what they found was something unexpected. Slowly over several months, Iraqi and U.S. Airmen have developed lifelong

  • New housing allowance guidelines won't result in pay cut

    Defense officials are eliminating the "geographic rate protection" clause that ensures servicemembers moving to a new area receive the same housing allowance as those already living there.Geographic rate protection is expiring in January because basic allowance for housing rates have reached a level

  • Survey seeks input in shaping civilian personnel system

    Civil service employees who soon will come under the new National Security Personnel System have an opportunity to help shape the program.The new National Security Personnel System Factor Survey gives general schedule employees the chance to register their views about several performance factors

  • Air Force changes fitness test criteria

    Air Force officials are making a few changes to the physical fitness test used to assess the fitness of Airmen.In January 2004, the Air Force underwent a major change in the way it looked at fitness. As part of the Fit to Fight program, the service adopted a more stringent physical fitness

  • Quadrennial Defense Review process revs up

    The Quadrennial Defense Review looks to make sure the Defense Department is "arranged in the way that makes the most sense for the current situation," a senior Pentagon spokesman said July 5.The QDR is a congressionally mandated study used to analyze the full range of DOD activities. DOD officials

  • Becoming Thunderbird is dream come true for Nevada native

    She was only 5 years old when she saw an F-4 Phantom fighter jet soar and maneuver through the clouds during an air show. It was then she knew she would someday do the same.Now, 26 years later, Capt. Nicole Malachowski is getting her chance to do just that and enter the history book at the same

  • F-16 maintainers make sure curtain gets raised

    Like a Broadway show, the stars get all the attention. But behind the scenes, key roles must be performed for the show to go on.The theater that the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing performs under features fast, agile fighter planes providing air support for troops on the ground. But without the hard

  • Moseley lauds education group's focus on military children

    The general nominated to be the next Air Force chief of staff praised the work of the military child education coalition here June 29 during the group's annual conference.Gen. T. Michael Moseley, currently the Air Force vice chief of staff, said the coalition not only is in the forefront of leveling

  • Air Force recognizes historical name of Iraqi air base

    What’s in a name? In the case of Ali Base, years of history. Ali Base, situated near the city of An Nasiriyah, in south central Iraq, is the main airfield in southern Iraq from which Iraqi, coalition and U.S. Airmen operate. Until January, coalition forces called the base Tallil. Now, all use the

  • C-130J conducts first-ever combat airdrop

    Air Force history was made June 30 when the newest addition to the cargo fleet proved its capabilities during the first-ever C-130J Hercules combat airdrop. The new J-model aircraft has been put to the test on various missions both at home and abroad on numerous occasions to ensure it meets all

  • NASA gives go for space shuttle return to flight

    NASA officials cleared the space shuttle to return to flight. After a two-day flight readiness review meeting here, June 30th senior managers approved a July 13 launch date for the Space Shuttle Discovery.Retired Col. Eileen Collins, mission commander, and her crew are scheduled to lift off at 3:51

  • Air Force takes part in joint training transformation

    Linking aircraft simulators with live forces and simulators of other services have been the Air Force’s most visible contributions to the Department of Defense's joint training transformation effort. DOD has been working to make training for war a team effort, pushing the four services -- who often

  • Liberty, freedom: An Airman’s journey

    Imagine living in a society where the length of a man’s hair or a woman’s skirt is determined by the government; where liberty and freedom are nonexistent to the majority. Sound far-fetched? Not for one Airman here; it is how he grew up.Chaplain (Capt.) Jin Choi, 5th Bomb Wing chaplain, was born

  • Airmen share culture with South Koreans

    Airmen here got to see what it is like on the “other side of the fence” recently when they spent the night learning and sharing experiences with more than 20 South Korean families from nearby Jeonju City.Airmen from several base squadrons volunteered for the Korean Red Cross Cultural Awareness

  • Reservists, guardsmen bring skills to special missions

    Maj. Eduardo Alzona speaks eight languages -- nine, if you count "legalese."As an undergraduate, Major Alzona studied languages and later attended law school. So when Defense Department officials asked the reservist to teach Spanish to police officers in South Florida, it seemed like a natural

  • 50th anniversary of B-52 delivery

    Even though it recently turned 50, the B-52 Stratofortress is still capable of dropping or launching the widest array of weapons in the U.S. inventory. And its lifespan has been calculated to extend beyond the year 2040. June 29 marked the 50th anniversary for the B-52, also known as the “Big Ugly

  • Airmen get ACCES to better communication

    The most important word in a maintenance operation is “stop!” To help spread the work, the attenuating customized communications earpiece system was developed by Air Force Research Laboratory scientists and local F/A-22 Raptor specialists. The earpiece makes it easier for pilots and maintainers to

  • Civilian ensures Fourth of July celebration goes off with bang

    For Bob Howett, the Fourth of July is his time to shine, and he has the scar to prove it. During his final Air Force assignment here 25 years ago, the former jet mechanic discovered his love of fireworks. It is that love of explosives that has kept him pleasing crowds worldwide.Mr. Howett started

  • Dominguez talks about present course in Iraq, future for Airmen

    During the acting secretary of the Air Force’s visit here June 29, he said part of the reason he came was to pass on a message. “I want to let you know how deeply appreciated your service is by the men and women of the United States,” Michael L. Dominguez said. “There is a debate in our country

  • Airman missing from Vietnam War identified

    The Department of Defense POW/MIA Personnel Office announced June 29 that the remains of an Airman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial.Lt. Col. Darel Leetun of Hettinger, N.D., will be buried with full military honors July 8

  • B-1 commemorates its 20th at Dyess

    It has more than 20 years of service, has more than 100 world records for speed, payload, range and time to climb and has become the bomber of choice for warfighters in all theaters -- but the B-1B Lancer is just getting started. The multimission bomber commemorates its 20th anniversary since its

  • Airman tests new body armor

    Carried into the Air Force theater hospital, wounded badly in the shoulder and thigh, a servicemember is lucky to be alive. The body armor he was wearing protected his vital organs but could not stop the bullets from tearing into his unprotected body parts.It was not all just luck though. The

  • New Air Force adviser chosen for values, vision

    Air Force officials have created a new adviser position to help ensure the Air Force's core values are integrated into all aspects of the service's operating concepts, policies and vision.Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff, former national director of the Interreligious Affairs for the American Jewish

  • Airmen, Soldiers open lines of communication

    Since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the area surrounding Baghdad International Airport has developed into a series of bases, each with its own unique role in fighting the war on terrorism.Now, a small group of Airmen and Soldiers are working together to link each of those bases together

  • Potential recruits list critical to 'all-recruited' force

    The term "all-volunteer force" is a misnomer, a senior Defense Department personnel official said here June 23.In truth, the U.S. military is an "all-recruited force," and its success depends on recruiters having access to potential recruits, said Dr. David S. C. Chu, undersecretary for personnel

  • Exercise trains U.S. forces for combat missions

    Airmen, Sailors and Marines got a taste of realistic combat during Pacific Air Force’s premier combat-air power exercise, Cooperative Cope Thunder, which ended here June 24.About 400 U.S. forces and their 30 aircraft conducted operations together during two weeks of large-force employment training.

  • Leaders say timetable for troops’ return would be mistake

    Setting a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawal in Iraq would be a mistake, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told the Senate Armed Services Committee here June 23."Some in Congress have suggested that deadlines be set," Secretary Rumsfeld said. "That would be a mistake; it would throw a lifeline

  • Reserve Tricare enrollment requires contact center support

    The Air Force Reserve Contact Center here is the sole point of contact for Air Force reservists to enroll in Tricare Reserve Select, officials announced June 17.This is the first time Air Reserve Personnel Center officials have provided a service to all reservists under a centralized personnel

  • Air Force teams compete in pit-stop challenge

    Millions of NASCAR fans each year watch as professional pit-stop crews speedily change out tires and refill gas, but eight Air Force teams got to experience this rush for themselves. The Air Force’s car, No. 21, visited here June 23 to conduct a pit-stop demonstration and competition. The Air Force

  • Air Force transformation in Europe aiding terror war

    The transformation taking place throughout the Defense Department started early for U.S. Air Forces in Europe, which began reshaping and repositioning its assets 15 years ago and is now better prepared to support the war on terrorism, the command's top officer said June 23.Gen. Robert H. "Doc"

  • Airmen add armor to convoy vehicles

    Airmen here are adding life-saving armor to large trucks to protect troops on convoy missions throughout Iraq. While these monsters of the road may look menacing now, it was not always this way, officials said. In many cases, their complete transformation can be traced back to the Airmen of the

  • New system improves KC-135 performance, saves money

    After years of development, the wheel and brake system improvement program for the KC-135 Stratotanker is ready for implementation by workers at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center here.The steel brakes currently used on the KC-135 are being replaced with carbon brakes which allow the aircraft to

  • Life support takes new meaning for deployed Airmen

    Two small shops with more than double the workload as at home station pray their efforts supporting Operation Enduring Freedom are all for naught.That is because lives depend upon flawless work on the life support equipment in their care. If the equipment is never used, life support Airmen say that

  • Competitors battle ants and obstacles on Rodeo course

    One hundred million ants, 800 possible points, 150 pounds to carry, 13 umpires, eight obstacles, five teams, two visiting generals, and one endurance course … priceless.Participants in the aeromedical evacuation endurance course event may be new to Rodeo, but they took the challenge head-on and made

  • Report: Academy grapples with religion in the public forum

    A team looking at the religious climate of the Air Force Academy found an institution grappling with a challenge that is the subject of significant debate in the public arena.Part of the problem appears to be a lack of operational guidance as to what is and is not acceptable in the area of religious

  • Lowry redevelopment assists Denver's renaissance

    When Lowry Air Force Base, Colo., was selected to be shuttered as part of the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Act, many recession-battered Denver residents thought the end had come to the "Mile High" city.Lowry, a military training installation with a 50-year history, was providing 7,000

  • Communications Airmen complete Rodeo ‘puzzle’

    Months of preparation have allowed base officials to assemble the puzzle pieces necessary to run Rodeo 2005. Perhaps one of the most essential, and busiest, pieces of the puzzle has been the Airmen of the 62nd Communications Squadron here.With more than 1,000 people coming here for the one-week air

  • Maintainers keep 'Thunder' rolling

    With more than 47 aircraft from the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom converging on the flightline here for Cooperative Cope Thunder, the "Thunder Dome" is serving as the nerve center of maintenance activities vital to deployed units.The Thunder Dome is nothing like the gladiator-style

  • Architect of Air Force space and missile programs dies

    Retired Gen. Bernard Adolph Schriever, widely regarded as the father and architect of the Air Force space and ballistic missile programs, died of natural causes at home in Washington on June 20.Under General Schriever’s leadership, the Air Force developed programs such as the Thor, Atlas, Titan and

  • Premier air mobility competition kicks off

    “Ladies and gentlemen, let the fight begin -- Rodeo’s on!”Brig. Gen. David S. “Scott” Gray kicked off the Rodeo 2005 competition with those words June 19 when Rodeo participants and observers gathered on the flightline here for the opening ceremony. He is the Rodeo commander and the commander of

  • Indian Springs renamed Creech Air Force Base

    Nearby Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Air Field officially changed its name to Creech Air Force Base on June 20 in honor of Gen. Wilbur L. “Bill” Creech.As the commander of Tactical Air Command from 1978 to 1984, General Creech shaped the Air Force of today with a call for new weapons and

  • Predator provides close-air support to embattled Marines in Iraq

    An MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle destroyed an anti-Iraqi forces mortar launch site near Al Qaim on June 18 while assisting Marines under enemy fire.The air strike occurred during Operation Spear in which U.S. and Iraqi security forces in Iraq’s Anbar province called in air strikes on

  • Granite Thunder 2005 rocks New Boston

    A van lies on its side at the edge of a road where two men sprint from the scene into the nearby woods. As a figure lies motionless in the grass beside the van, an ear-piercing explosion suddenly rocks the vehicle, shrouding it and the unknown figure in smoke. Debris arcs high into the air before

  • DOD cautions servicemembers against 'loan-shark' lenders

    The Defense Department has launched a new effort to educate servicemembers about the dangers of borrowing from "loan-shark" lending companies and to teach them how to avoid ending up in a spiral of compounding debt, a DOD official said here June 17.The most prevalent type of loan-shark lending

  • DOD launches sexual assault prevention Web site

    Servicemembers who are victims of sexual assault or who need information on the Defense Department policy on preventing sexual assaults can find the information at a new Web site.The site, launched by Joint Task Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response, is basically a place to go to for

  • Schwartz nominated to command TRANSCOM

    President Bush has nominated Lt. Gen. Norton A. Schwartz for the rank of general and to command U.S. Transportation Command here.General Schwartz is currently serving as the Joint Staff director in Washington. Before that assignment he was the Joint Staff’s director for operations.A 1973 graduate

  • New one-star joins two-star brother

    As Maj. Gen. Stanley Gorenc watched his younger brother, Brig. Gen. Frank Gorenc, pin on his first star, they became two of 271 general officers in the active-duty Air Force out of its more than 350,000 AirmenThe younger brother was promoted during a frocking ceremony June 15 as he relinquished

  • New majors selected for IDE

    The P0404A Major Central Selection Board recently held at the Air Force Personnel Center here selected officers for promotion and identified those selected for intermediate developmental education.Officers selected will join a resource pool of officers who will be considered for future attendance at

  • Online purchase turns into historical find

    The online purchase of one person here will soon be displayed in an Air Force historical museum. Jeffery Hughes, a 305th Mission Support Squadron human resource assistant, recently donated a rare set of 1955 Airman test stripes to the Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover Air Force Base, Del.Mr.

  • Life on the other side of the litter

    During the 1991 Gulf War, Marine Sgt. Brian Ackerman was a member of Task Force Grizzly, the American force that swept through the desert into Kuwait to liberate it from Iraqi forces.After Sergeant Ackerman’s unit made it into Kuwait City and began busting down doors looking for resistance, an Iraqi

  • Airmen establish early warning network with locals

    Instead of relying solely on patrolmen and sensors to analyze the ever-evolving installation defense puzzle, security forces specialists here are using the help of a previously underused weapon system -- word of mouth. Security forces patrol teams responsible for securing Tallil’s perimeter are

  • DOD issues guidance for medics dealing with detainees

    Department of Defense officials recently issued new guidelines for military medics dealing with detainees.The new rules deal with patient care, interrogations and medical-record confidentiality, among other issues, the department’s top doctor said June 17.Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr., assistant

  • Air Force releases findings of Wassaw Sound survey

    Air Force officials completed their evaluation of radiation levels in the Wassaw Sound where an incomplete nuclear weapon was lost off the coast of Georgia in 1958.During a June 17 press conference in Savannah, Ga., Air Force officials released results of a data collection survey conducted Sept.

  • U-2, early Cold War reconnaissance exhibit opens at museum

    An exhibit highlighting the Air Force's early Cold War reconnaissance opened to the public at the National Museum of the United States Air Force here June 15."Dragon Lady: The U-2 and Early Cold War Reconnaissance" exhibit joins the museum's permanent displays in the Cold War Gallery.The U-2 has

  • 2006 Thunderbirds team includes first female pilot

    U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, “Thunderbirds,” officials announced their new pilots for the 2006 demonstration season which includes the first female demonstration pilot in the 52-year history of the Thunderbirds. Capt. Nicole Malachowski, of the 494th Fighter Squadron at Royal Air Force

  • Guardsmen familiarize Polish airmen with F-16

    Once adversaries, American F-16 Fighting Falcons and Soviet-era MiG-29s sit side by side on the flightline here during exercise Sentry White Falcon 2005.Warm emotions can be felt as the Polish and American pilots share each other’s planes; sometimes the fighter pilots cannot fight away the

  • Airman saves life while TDY

    Air Command and Staff College student Maj. Michael Jansen cannot explain his actions while on temporary duty to Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., for specialized study of air and space power. “Something like that may happen once in your lifetime, but hopefully never,” he said. “You can’t plan how you

  • New mission arrives at Incirlik

    A new mission kicked off here recently with the arrival and departure of C-17 Globemaster IIIs carrying cargo to Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.The new mission, which works on a “hub and spoke” concept, calls for cargo to come into the base from Charleston Air Force Base, S. C., and be

  • Off-duty travel site opens Australia as vacation destination

    Military travelers can purchase vacations to Australia for about the same cost as a getaway to Europe simply by visiting a military-sponsored Web site.Authorized morale, welfare and recreation patrons can go to the Off-Duty Travel Web site and click on "Joint Services Travel Specials" to begin a

  • Volunteers fly 'greatest generation' to see their memorial

    Thousands of visitors have come to the National World War II Memorial here since it opened last year. But the miles between the memorial and the ever-dwindling, increasingly frail ranks of World War II veterans make it difficult for many members of "The Greatest Generation" to make the pilgrimage

  • System increases B-52 target precision

    Along with successfully developing a new targeting capability for the B-52 Stratofortress, 53rd Wing test managers and aircrews also demonstrated a new $8.6 million avionics system capability for the aircraft June 14.A B-52 from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., was launched with Boeing’s prototype

  • Communications flight Airmen link base with outside world

    Without people like Staff Sgt. Karisa Szczygiel and Senior Airman Keith Hopson life at this forward-deployed location would be lonely and quiet. Morale and mission accomplishment certainly would be severely degraded if not downright nonexistent. The two Airmen are part of a 12-person shop within

  • Top runners to participate in Air Force Marathon

    Two of the top distance runners of all time will be part of the ninth annual U.S. Air Force Marathon in September.Bill Rodgers and Alberto Salazar became running legends in the 1970s and 1980s before the cable television explosion brought new exposure to athletes.Both will conduct separate free

  • Supply Airmen keep deployed essentials on shelf

    Continuously keeping supplies on the shelf to support military operations here falls on the shoulders of a group of Airmen from the 416th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron’s supply section.They ensure warfighters have the necessary gear and parts to effectively fight the war on terrorism. They

  • Latest C-130J evolution arrives on desert ramp

    The faster more powerful C-130 Hercules J-models and the stretch version arrived in Southwest Asia on June 7 and 8, bringing state-of-the-art technology to the war on terrorism.Airmen with the Rhode Island Air National Guard’s 143rd Airlift Squadron, the California ANG’s 146th AS and the Maryland

  • Teen queen makes 'dream come true'

    One child stood out above the rest of the nearly 100 children from military families and their parents packed into the room here on Capitol Hill on June 10.They were here to meet teen actress and singer Hilary Duff. Alyssa Weishoff, 12, came as Ms. Duff's special guest. When the actress finally

  • Iraqi airmen tack on master sergeant’s stripes

    An Airman here chose to have two unusual attendees, or in his words, his adopted family, tack on his new stripes recently. Master Sgt. Bubba Beason, 777th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron pneudraulic systems technician instructor deployed from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., asked two

  • Airmen join Soldiers taking Kenya military to new heights

    As the sun rose June 6, seven Airmen wearing desert flightsuits stood outside the guarded entrance to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport waiting for their passengers.The C-130 Hercules crew, deployed to Southwest Asia from the 440th Airlift Wing at General Mitchell Air Reserve Base, Wis., were

  • Volunteers collect supplies for local Iraqi schools

    Most adults remember the joy of receiving a new box of crayons or coloring book as a child. In the U.S., this moment of joy is easy to achieve, but in Iraq, it is nearly impossible for some schoolchildren.Airmen and Soldiers here are trying to change that -- one school packet at a time.As

  • Yokota couple wins O’Malley award

    Sources have it that behind every good man stands a good woman.Col. Mark Schissler, a former 374th Airlift Wing commander here, said he has to agree.His wife, Marcia, and himself led the wing and its tenant units through two years of relief efforts, community relations events, inspections and

  • Tricare benefits enhanced for certain active-duty survivors

    Citing the debt of gratitude owed to those who have served the country and made the ultimate sacrifice, a top defense health official recently revised the Tricare policy for transitional survivors. The change allows active-duty families who live overseas, and who are on accompanied orders at the

  • Air Force Research Lab gives new meaning to ‘battlebots’

    An unidentified man walks toward a security forces vehicle. A loud, firm voice warns the man to “halt and be identified.” The man does not comply and continues to advance. The vehicle backs up cautiously flashing its red and blue lights to make sure the man knows he is dealing with security

  • DOD to increase Tricare access for reserve components

    Defense Department officials have made "tremendous efforts and strides" to meet the needs of reservists and guardsmen who now qualify for health-care coverage under the Tricare program, the program manager said June 8.The recent introduction of new patients into the Tricare system presents "a

  • Air Force leaders testify on IG tanker lease report

    The Air Force's two most senior leaders testified June 7 on Capitol Hill about the Service's efforts to recapitalize its fleet of refueler aircraft. Michael L. Dominguez, acting secretary of the Air Force, and Gen. John P. Jumper, Air Force chief of staff, both answered questions for the Senate

  • O'Brien: BRAC communities regained 90 percent of lost jobs

    Redevelopment efforts have created more than 115,000 new jobs nationwide in communities affected by the last four Base Realignment and Closure actions, a senior Defense Department official said here.Those employment gains account for "nearly 90 percent of the civilian jobs that were lost" as the

  • Health-behavior survey tracks military trends

    Midway through the survey period, Defense Department officials are reporting steady returns on the latest health-related behaviors survey, and officials are urging others selected to participate to weigh in with their responses.The 2005 Health Related Behavior Survey assesses active-duty

  • New launch date projected for new civilian personnel system

    The first phase of the Defense Department's new National Security Personnel System has been adjusted slightly, to later in the fiscal year, NSPS officials said June 7.The Defense Department will work with the Office of Personnel Management to adjust the proposed NSPS regulation based on public

  • State-of-the-art carbon dioxide laser speeds up production

    A unique tool used to cut parts for all weapons systems supported here brings a whole new meaning to cutting edge technology at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center.“This (carbon dioxide) laser supports all weapon systems here … and the engine workload,” said Alan Casey, computer numerical control

  • Pennies, POGs -- dollars, cents of setting up shop in war zone

    While Army and Air Force Exchange Service officials have responded to the needs of deployed troops in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, there has been some confusion about where the metal currency goes once servicemembers hit the ground."In contingency operations, AAFES must rely on

  • USAFE civilian personnel servicing moves to AFPC

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe family members looking for employment will soon have a centralized site for handling civilian personnel servicing when civilian personnel operations move July 10.The move is part of the Air Force’s long-term plan to streamline operations by having the Air Force Personnel

  • VA chief: Opportunity ensures care for all servicemembers

    The secretary of Veterans Affairs said June 3 that where some might see challenges for the department, he sees opportunities."One of the big opportunities we have, and it's a priority of ours, is to make sure that our servicemembers coming out of the combat theater are well taken care of," R. James

  • BRAC changes to medicine focus on care, training, research

    Airmen bound for a career in the Air Force Medical Service will start off by training in a joint environment if all Base Realignment and Closure recommendations are approved.The changes will not completely homogenize training for enlisted medical specialists, but they will allow all the services to

  • New technology unveils hidden data in images

    Using the power and speed of high-performance computers, Air Force Research Laboratory engineers here are finding the keys to unlock hidden data in the digital world.Working with an algorithm, engineers have reached a major milestone in the research and development of steganographic key-breaking,

  • Deployed plumbers keep water flowing

    Water. It is one of life’s most basic necessities. Without it, battles have been lost and entire armies have fallen.It can mean the difference between success and failure -- and even life and death.The Airmen of the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron utilities team know that getting clean

  • Airmen guard camp, detainees in Iraq

    Airmen here are performing jobs normally reserved for deployed Soldiers. They are escorting patrols and convoys, helping provide force protection for an Army camp and guarding detainees. More than 6,000 detainees are housed in the temporary internment facility here while awaiting legal proceedings

  • Family fitness room lets parents get fit while children play

    The fitness center here is making getting into shape a family affair with the addition of a new family fitness room.The room provides customers who have small children the freedom to workout and watch their children, said John Enterman, the fitness center director.Once an old racquetball court in

  • Air Force improving force protection

    Protecting military people or equipment is not a new thing in the Air Force, but the way it is being done is. More and more emphasis is being placed on how the Air Force does force protection business and the effects are being seen at home bases servicewide and the U.S. Central Command’s area of

  • Military responders geared up for active hurricane season

    With forecasters predicting an active hurricane season this year, military responders are geared up for whatever Mother Nature whirls their way.Hurricane season officially kicked off June 1, and meteorologists expect the decade-long trend toward active hurricane seasons in the Atlantic to continue

  • Robots, Airmen defuse unexploded ordnance

    With the help of new, faster and more agile robots, explosive ordnance disposal Airmen here have an opportunity to keep their distance from bombs set to harm servicemembers off the base.Teaming man and machine is giving Airmen of the EOD unit an upper hand in the seemingly never-ending battle

  • Vice president addresses academy Class of 2005

    Vice President Richard B. Cheney told 922 graduating cadets here that they are taking their places as commissioned officers of the most powerful air and space force in the history of mankind.“Responsibility comes to you in a period of unprecedented challenge for your country and extraordinary change

  • World War II women warriors pass on history, heritage

    After pooling her quarters with her cousin to pay the whopping, 1920s fee of $1.50, Caro Bayley climbed into a Tri-motor Ford airplane at Springfield Airfield, Ohio. She was about to make a historic flight -- the first in her life.Soaring over the clouds, the young girl looked down at the ground.

  • Academy sports recap: Falcon lacrosse MVP selected for all-star classic

    Air Force lacrosse player Tim Hade has been selected as an alternate to play for the North squad at the 64th annual STX-GEICO North/South Classic, which will be held June 11 on the campus of State University of New York - Cortland. Recently, Hade, a long-stick midfielder/defender, was honored as

  • Motorcycle safety forum held at Andrews

    The muffled roar of motorcycles filled the air here May 28 as the base held the inaugural Air Force Motorcycle Safety Forum.The main goals of the forum were to save lives by promoting safe riding and to encourage the motorcycle mentoring concept called for by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P.

  • Air Force marathon set for Sept. 17

    Air Force Services officials will hold the ninth annual Air Force Marathon at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, on Sept. 17. The marathon will also include a half-marathon, wheelchair race, a four-person relay and a 5k race.The deadline for registration is Sept. 2. The race is open to the

  • PACAF officials establish warfighting headquarters

    Pacific Air Forces headquarters officials established the George C. Kenney Headquarters (Provisional) here June 1. The newly formed warfighting headquarters will focus exclusively on planning and executing military operations throughout the Pacific theater, excluding the Korean Peninsula. It is

  • Arlington National Cemetery gains 70 acres of land

    In 1998, burial space at the country's most prestigious resting place for servicemembers and their spouses was becoming scarce, and officials worried they would run out of room at Arlington National Cemetery in about 25 years.After years of searching for more space, Defense Department officials have

  • Airman magazine changes to quarterly publication

    Beginning in July, Airman magazine will be distributed on a quarterly basis versus monthly, to include the January almanac edition.Readers can expect to see enhanced photography and changes in content, layout and design. Because of the transition, the June issue will not be published, but excerpts

  • Paperless transition of emergency data cards complete

    After decades of Airmen updating emergency contact information in their personnel records, everyone is now required to update the information online rather than visiting their military personnel flights.Effective immediately, personnel flight officials are no longer required to print and file a

  • Air Force finalizes new utility uniform

    Blue and green tiger stripes are out; the digitized pattern with subdued green, tan, blue and gray is in.After reviewing more than 150,000 bits of feedback throughout the initial seven-month wear test of the proposed utility uniform, Air Force leaders recently decided to eliminate the original color

  • 'Chief's View' focuses on communication

    A new television production featuring the chief master sergeant of the Air Force is providing an information venue for key Air Force issues to Airmen worldwide.The one-minute segments, called "Chief's View," air globally on American Forces Radio and Television Service, the Pentagon Channel and are