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U.S. Air Force News

  • Air Force C-130s, Navy equipment dispatched to support oil slick response

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has authorized two Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft to support the response to a massive oil slick that threatens wetlands and beaches along the Gulf Coast, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell confirmed April 30.In addition, Navy officials have dispatched 66,000

  • FEMA administrator visits Hurricane Hunters

    Craig Fugate, Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator, visited the Air Force Reserve Command's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron April 29 to address hurricane preparedness as the June 1 storm season approaches."The Air Force does a lot for FEMA," Mr. Fugate said in an address to the

  • Kirkuk Airmen facilitate relationship building between Iraqi firefighters

    U.S. and Iraqi air force firefighters facilitated a maintenance education day in an effort to foster professional bonds April 12 at Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq. 506th Air Expeditionary Group members and Iraq Training and Advisory Mission members assisted the Province of Kirkuk Fire Department and

  • Joint F-35 electronic warfare squadron stands up

    The squadron serving as the sole Department of Defense provider of electronic warfare support for the F-35 joint strike fighter activated April 23 in a ceremony here. Surrounded by artifacts from the history of airpower in the Air Armament Museum, the 513th Electronic Warfare Squadron stood up as a

  • Guard units ready as Gulf Coast braces for oil spill

    Officials in at least three states along the Gulf of Mexico are preparing for a potential call for thousands of National Guard members as government leaders ramp up a response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal sent letters to federal officials asking them to approve

  • Airmen, Soldiers join forces for exercise

    More than 140 Airmen and Soldiers worked together on a new concept during the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Eagle Flag exercise on Lakehurst April 12. Eagle Flag is the U.S. military's premiere exercise for validating logistics port-opening procedures in an expeditionary environment.The

  • Combat controllers contributions honored in ceremony

    The Air Force chief of staff presented 13 medals to 11 combat controllers during a ceremony here April 29. Gen. Norton Schwartz pinned three Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars with Valor, three Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts on Airmen from the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron for their actions during

  • Wingman Stand Down 2010 in May focuses on Airmen safety, well-being

    For a half day in May, Airmen will learn strategies to prevent suicides and private motor vehicle accidents as part of Wingman Stand Down 2010. The exact date for the stand down will be left to individual units to determine.In a jointly signed letter, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz

  • April 27 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 27 according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportAsmarAir Force F-16C Fighting

  • Boeing officials bring 787 to Eglin AFB for weather tests

    Officials at the McKinley Climatic Lab here are hosting Boeing's newest passenger aircraft, the 787 Dreamliner, for two weeks of cold and hot weather testing.The new plane arrived April 18 and was moved into the lab to begin its cold-weather testing with temperatures reaching minus 45 degrees. The

  • Air Guard rescue unit practices skills during exercise

    When the 212th Rescue Squadron Airmen of the Alaska Air National Guard arrived on-scene, the apartment complex was a jumble of broken concrete and unstable support beams. An aftershock from an 8.5 magnitude earthquake the day earlier had collapsed the structure; large slabs had crushed cars and some

  • Dignitaries visit U.S., Bulgarian exercise

    The U.S. ambassador to Bulgaria and Bulgarian minister of defense visited Plovdiv Airport to witness the partnership building between U.S. and Bulgarian military forces April 27 during Operation Thracian Spring 2010 here. The bilateral training exercise brings U.S. and Bulgarian military forces

  • Lynn discusses social media at Facebook headquarters

    You could call the Facebook headquarters the "un-Pentagon." The dress is casual, with far more T-shirts than sport coats, and many workers wear sandals instead of shoes.A skateboard was parked outside one office. An employee who spotted a group in business suits remarked, "If they're wearing ties,

  • Airmen train for firefighting mission

    Airmen from the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve are training with the Modular Airborne Firefighting System, or MAFFS, at the South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center here April 26 to 30.Air National Guard and Reserve aircrews fly MAFFS-equipped C-130 Hercules aircraft that can dispense

  • Airmen train on combat search, rescue missions

    Airmen participating in Exercise Angel Thunder 2010 here performed a combat search and rescue mission at the Barry M. Goldwater Range April 19 more than 140 miles northwest of Tucson, Ariz. Two HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters carrying teams of pararescuemen accompanied by multiple A-10

  • TIME magazine recognizes Airman in top 100

    TIME magazine editors have named Chief Master Sgt. Antonio D. Travis to the 2010 TIME 100, the magazine's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world for his efforts after the Haiti earthquake. Chief Travis was one of the first U.S. military members on the ground at the Toussaint

  • April 26 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 26 according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportKonduzAir Force F-15E Strike Eagle

  • Fisher House groundbreaking ceremony set May 1

    The groundbreaking ceremony for the Fisher House and Meditation Pavilion for the Families of the Fallen at the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center is scheduled for May 1here.AFMAO members will direct the Fisher House as it provides free on-base lodging for families who come here to witness

  • Air Force officials activate rescue squadron at Camp Bastion

    The 79th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron was officially activated during a ceremony April 22 at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan.Lt. Col. Mike Hinsch assumed command of the unit from Col. John Cherrey, 451st Expeditionary Operations Group commander, who officiated the ceremony. The search and rescue mission

  • Lynn details approach to changes in warfare

    Warfare has changed, and the U.S. military must shift to meet the new threats, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said to members of the World Affairs Council here April 27.Mr. Lynn said he and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates have tried to shift military strategy "to move the tectonic

  • Guard kids are different, but programs still available to them

    Guard kids differ from active duty kids in only one way: access. This means access to support programs and access to peers who understand what they are going through.Everything else is the same: missing their parents terribly when they deploy, counting the days until they come home and trying to

  • U.S. ambassador visits Balad's leaders and provincial reconstructive team

    The U.S. ambassador to Iraq visited Joint Base Balad April 23, to better understand the work the joint base's provincial reconstruction team is doing to prepare Iraq for its future. Ambassador Christopher Hill received an update from base leaders of the programs and missions civilians and

  • Registration open for 2010 Air Force Energy Forum III

    The Air Force Energy III Forum, focusing on the service's most pressing energy issues, is slated to take place May 27 through 28 here. Highlighting the event's theme "A New Culture: Energy as an Operations Enabler," Air Force, government and industry energy representatives will discuss the service's

  • New Air Force cyberspace badge guidelines released

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz has approved the new cyberspace badge and associated wear criteria.In his Apr. 21 memorandum, General Schwartz set forth guidelines and addressed standard eligibility requirements for officers working in the cyberspace domain. Eligibility criteria for

  • New recruits make commitment at Sun-N-Fun Air Show

    Eighteen new recruits recited the oath of enlistment at the Sun-N-Fun Air Show at Lakeland, Fla., April 17.Lt. Col. Chase Cunningham, U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron "Thunderbirds" commander, administered the oath of enlistment in front of about 60,000 patriotic onlookers. The oath is a

  • Exercise enhances training, partnerships for U.S., Bulgarian military

    Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors teamed with Bulgarian armed forces members to conduct Exercise Thracian Spring 2010 April 22 thorugh 28 here.Eighty-one Airmen from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, joined Soldiers from the 5th Quartermaster Company at Rhine Ordnance Barracks, Germany and Sailors from the

  • Pace of changes clouds future, Mullen says

    The pace of changes in the military and in the world has made looking ahead a difficult proposition, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said April 26.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen told members of the Colorado Air National Guard's 140th Wing during a town hall-style meeting at Buckley Air Force Base,

  • Deployed Airmen memorialize air mobility legend through mural

    Retired Master Sgt. Roy Hooe died April 18, 1973, but in a way he came back to life some 37 years later to the day in the form of art.Airmen deployed to the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing put the finishing touches on a mural April 18 highlighting Sergeant Hooe's legacy, in Roy's Flight Kitchen,

  • April 25 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 25 according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air Support:ShkinAir Force F-15E Strike Eagle

  • April 24 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 24 according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportAsadabadAir Force F-15E Strike

  • April 23 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 23 according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportAsmarAir Force F-16C Fighting

  • Air Guard civil engineers benefit from improvements

    Frequent mobilizations are still challenging the Air National Guard's civil engineers, but the planning, training and support for them has improved dramatically, Guard officials said April 26 here.About 400 Air Guard civil engineers joined with security forces Airmen at a conference here to discuss

  • Falcons' Garland signs with Denver Broncos

    Air Force senior defensive lineman Ben Garland has signed a professional contract with the Denver Broncos, according to an announcement April 26 from the National Football League team.Garland is required by Department of Defense policy to serve at least 24 months active duty before applying for an

  • Airmen build facilities for warfighters

    As 30,000 servicemembers continue to pour into the region as part of the troop surge in Afghanistan, a 15-man team of Airmen with the 1st Expeditionary RED HORSE Group here is building structures for warfighters."Our mission here is to construct the facilities that directly support the

  • Air Force-wide social media access begins

    Air Force officials began a two-week phased opening April 26 of access to social media sites Air Force-wide. Pacific Air Forces bases gained access to social media sites earlier in April, serving as the test-bed prior to the Air Force-wide initiative.Air Force Space Command, Air Education and

  • B-1 adapts, remains effective after 25 years

    The non-nuclear B-1 Lancer has adapted from a strategic mission to a close-air support role, and will continue to play an effective part in today's fight in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to leaders here. While the remaining bombers in the Air Force inventory transferred to Air Force Global Strike

  • Gen. Odierno notes progress of Iraqi forces

    As the troop drawdown continues in Iraq, the top U.S. commander there said he's convinced the Iraqi security forces are ready to take over more responsibility, and that the sacrifices the United States has made to get to this point will prove worthwhile."I think we have an opportunity in Iraq we

  • Italian navy, air force officials visit F-35 training wing

    Representatives from the Italian air force and navy visited the 33rd Fighter Wing here April 20 in an effort to check the progress of the first F-35 Lightning II integrated training center and learn more about this new coalition venture. "Things are moving, and this program is becoming real," said

  • U.S., Indonesian airmen jump into training

    U.S. and Indonesian airmen conducted high-altitude, low-opening jumps over the Gorda drop zone in Indonesia as part of Exercise Cope West 2010 here.Cope West is a Pacific Air Forces-sponsored bilateral tactical airlift exercise involving U.S. and Indonesian air forces designed to advance

  • Air Guard security forces at the top of their game

    Air National Guard security forces are at the top of their game, their top officer said here April 21. "We're better equipped, better trained, better (tasked) than we have ever been," said Col. John Wakefield at a conference of nearly 400 ANG security forces personnel.Thousands of them have deployed

  • April 22 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 22 according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportKonduzAir Force F-15E Strike Eagle

  • April 21 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 21 according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportOruzganCoalition operators provided

  • Cope West shows U.S. partnership with Indonesia

    Members of the U.S. and Indonesian air forces held an opening ceremony here April 20 that officially marked the beginning of a joint tactical airlift exercise called Cope West 2010. Cope West is a weeklong bilateral field training exercise sponsored by the two countries' air forces. Cope West is

  • Airmen train Japanese customs agency members to detect threats

    Air Force Office of Special Investigations agents from Det. 623 here and Airmen from the 35th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Unit here trained Hakodate customs inspectors with the Japan Ministry of Finance April 23 on counterterrorism measures to deter potential threats that may pass

  • Airman contributes to advancement of Afghan women

    Recent efforts by Airmen and their coalition partners have led to opportunities for women in Afghanistan to serve as commissioned officers in the Afghan National Army.Lt. Col. Lisa Pike, assigned to the Air Force Manpower, Services and Personnel Directorate, contributed to standing up the first

  • Kunsan Airmen arm F-16s during Red Flag-Alaska

    Airmen with the 8th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron hone their wartime skills during the 10-day combat exercise known as Red Flag-Alaska at Eielson Air Force Base from April 19 through May 18. "Without weapons on jets, they are just plain aircraft," said Capt. Drew Garcia, officer in charge for the

  • Air Force officials announce criteria and candidate list for basing of C-17

    Air Force officials released the candidate basing locations April 23 and the criteria they used to determine the candidate basing locations for additional C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.The list of candidate bases was approved by the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force: Eastern West

  • Warrior Games approaching fast

    With fewer than three weeks to go, the Air Force team is making preparations for the Department of Defense's inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 10th through the 14th.What started as an e-mail from one athlete asking questions about the upcoming event turned into a process of

  • Aircrew breaks C-17 record with heaviest airdrop

    Members of the 418th Flight Test Squadron here set a record for the heaviest single payload ever extracted out of a C-17A T-1 during flight April 14 over Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz. A 77,000 pound jumbo drop test vehicle was extracted out of a C-17 at 25,000 feet. The JDTV is used to test the

  • Airmen help Sailors get back in the air

    Airmen here assisted a Navy flight crew when they experienced in-flight complications and were forced to make an emergency landing at Yokota Air Base April 15.The crew members of an SH-60 Seahawk helicopter from nearby Atsugi Naval Base were participating in a routine exercise when they began

  • Airmen, Soldiers team up to tackle threats

    Air Force and Army members here performed a joint, force-protection patrol April 14 near one of the U.S. Air Force's Central Command's main airbases in Iraq.Members of the Air Force's 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron and the Army's 1st of the 28th Infantry Battalion  teamed up and armed

  • Airman MIA from WWII is identified, returned home

    The remains of an Airman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors, according to Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office officials.Tech. Sgt. Walter A. McClellan of the U.S. Army Air Forces will be

  • April 20 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 20 according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportQal E NawAn Air Force B-1B Lancer

  • April 19 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 19 according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportKonduzAir Force F-15E Strike Eagle

  • Air Force's most tenured recruiter retires

    Nearly 26 years ago Doug Sikat felt it was time for a change in his three-year Air Force career. The New York City native was a buck sergeant working as an F-15 Eagle crew chief at Kadena Air Base, Japan. While he loved his job, he knew there was something else out there for him.That "something

  • Appointees get a large glimpse of Academy life

    Officially accepting a college offer can be intimidating when one is admitted to several competitive academic institutions. Upon receiving an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy, some applicants know without a doubt they will accept if given the chance. Other applicants would like some more

  • Air Force officials launch Atlas V carrying X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle

    Members of the 45th Space Wing here launched a United Launch Alliance-built Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle carrying an X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle at 7:52 p.m. EDT April 22 here.The X-37B, making its first space flight, will provide a flexible space test platform to conduct various

  • Air Force, community reps plant trees across America

    In recognition of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, Air Force Real Property Agency officials enlisted the participation of people in 40 communities to plant a tree at one of 40 former and active Air Force bases, from Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii to the former Loring AFB in Maine, as

  • Four Airmen receive Sijan award

    The Air Force's 2009 Capt. Lance P. Sijan Award recipients were honored in a ceremony April 21 in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes.The Sijan Award annually recognizes four Airmen who demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities. Officer and enlisted honorees are chosen in senior and junior

  • Air Force officials launch Combat Airman initiative

    Properly outfitted and equipped Airmen are essential to mission success, according to Air Force logistics officials who recently unveiled a new program focused on what Airmen wear and carry during training, at home station or deployed.Air Force officials hosted an initial planning conference in

  • Contract award to enhance in-flight operations for top U.S. officials

    Air Force officials here issued a contract award in mid-April that will provide highly reliable, secure and integrated voice, data and video equipment for airborne U.S. senior leaders. The nearly $209 million award to Rockwell Collins will allow Air Force officials to retrofit a fleet of 20 special

  • Better prosthetics coming for wounded warriors

    From developing a new microprocessor-controlled prosthetic leg to a non-chafing socket device, the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center here is making big strides in advancing prosthetic science to improve wounded warriors' quality of life.The center reaches out to a broad spectrum

  • Mobility officials adapt to volcanic ash plume

    Air Mobility Command members continue to provide airlift capabilities despite the cloud of ash from an Icelandic volcano that has troubled air travel, a senior officer responsible for moving military personnel and equipment around the world said April 21 here."As soon as we saw the potential impact

  • Band rocks Bagram servicemembers

    The sound of music filled the air as members of the U.S. Air Forces Central Command Band Reserve Generation performed here as part of a two-month tour of the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility April 15 through 20. Bagram Airfield was one of the last stops for the band, deployed from Robins

  • Joint training mission enables reservists to train as they fight

    Reservists from the 815th Airlift Squadron here completed a joint airborne and air transportability training mission with Army special forces Soldiers April 16 in Key West, Fla. The JA/ATT program provides the 815th AS members with unique training opportunities, said Lt. Col. Mark Carter, the 403rd

  • Operation Arctic Care members helping people in remote areas

    A member of the Tennessee Air National Guard traveled to Kotzebue for Operation Arctic Care April 16, to provide medical care for individuals located in the remote area. Col. Cory Strobel, the chief of aero medical services for the 134th Medical Group, at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tenn.,

  • Combat arms team supports all operations

    Airmen at the 451st Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Combat Arms Training and Maintenance team here are directly responsible for ensuring each Air Force member is issued ammunition upon arrival here. In addition, the two-person team of Staff Sgt. Chanson Johnson, and Senior Airman Jacob

  • Air Force family celebrates 'Facility Energy' initiatives this Earth Day

    Air Force men and women join millions of people across the country and around the globe this year in celebrating 40 years of Earth Day. Celebrated annually on April 22, Earth Day promotes awareness and appreciation for the environment. The slogan, "make every day Earth Day" is exemplified in the Air

  • Additional resources online to support NSPS conversion

    Online training courses are now available to help smooth the upcoming transition of more than 40,000 current Air Force National Security Personnel System employees into non-NSPS personnel systems. To facilitate the conversion, multiple resources have been added to the NSPS's official Web site,

  • Earth Day: Taking action for a greener tomorrow

    Members of the Air Force family, in uniform and out, will join millions of people across the nation and around the world in observing the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, said the service's assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics."We are dedicated to the

  • Airman gets NASCAR 'Royal' treatment

    It's not every day the morning starts with a phone call from a NASCAR driver, but that's exactly how a 56th Maintenance Group Quality Assurance inspector began work April 8 here.Staff Sgt. Damon Thurman's supervisor handed him the phone and Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Crown Royal Black car,

  • Volcanic ash reroutes transport of Afghan war wounded

     U.S. military officials have rerouted some American troops wounded in Afghanistan through Iraq instead of Germany due to ash from an Icelandic volcano limiting European air traffic. A plume of ash continues to block European and transatlantic flight paths, including those of military aircraft.

  • Department hailed as leader in 'green' movement

    In a prelude to this week's Earth Day events, a major independent research group April 21 called the Defense Department a leader in energy conservation."The department is doing more than sounding an alarm; it has enacted energy goals and is inventing, testing and deploying new technologies and

  • Doolittle Raiders reunite at Air Force Museum

    Four of the remaining eight Doolittle Raiders, known for their nearly impossible bombing raid on Japan during World War II, reunited for the 68th year at the National Museum of the United States Air Force April 16 through 18.Retired Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole, 94, of Comfort, Texas; Maj. Thomas C.

  • Inaugural warrior and survivor care conference held

    "Care beyond duty" was the theme for the Warrior and Survivor Care Conference hosted by Air Force Personnel Center officials here April 6 through 9."The goal for this conference was to bring three major groups together: the recovery care coordinators, base level community readiness consultants and

  • April 18 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 18, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportMorghab Air Force F-15E Strike

  • Air Force officials unveil new rescue aircraft model

    A new model of an aircraft used in Air Force rescue efforts since 1956 was formally presented to the Air Force in a ceremony April 19 here. The HC-130J Super Hercules combat rescue tanker is configured to provide support to special operations missions and will become a backbone of Moody Air Force

  • April 17 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 17, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportQarah BaghAir Force F-15E Strike

  • April 16 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 16, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportKandahar Air Force MQ-1 Predator

  • Virtual world prepares mobility Airmen for real mission

    Airmen preparing for the worldwide mobility mission of the 621st Contingency Response Wing here now have a powerful new training tool. A state-of-the-art virtual firearms training simulator with a 300-degree field of view is now being operated by members of the 819th Global Support Squadron to

  • Airmen deliver new Army helicopter to Europe

    A C-17 Globemaster III loaded new Army light utility helicopters for delivery to the warfighters April 12 here.This marked the first time UH-72 helicopters were transferred directly overseas via Air Force transport. The C-17 assigned to the Mississippi Air National Guard's 172nd Airlift Wing in

  • Altus Airman, Soldier help set world record

    A Soldier with the Army's Golden Knights parachute demonstration team attempted to set a new world wing-suit distance record April 14, over Altus Air Force Base. According to Army Staff Sgt. Ben Borger and a C-17 Globemaster III crew, he broke the record by a mile and a half. The total distance

  • Airmen participate in NATO exercise

    American Airmen are partnering with air forces from the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Turkey to participate in Exercise Brilliant Ardent 10 April 12 through 22 here.Members of the 22nd Fighter Squadron at Spangdhalem Air Base, Germany and the 351st Air Refueling Squadron from

  • Joint training at 12,500 feet

    In less than 10 seconds, they were gone.Traveling toward earth at speeds of approximately 150 mph, the operators open their parachutes and slowly drift to the ground.Once safely on land, they repack, board a C-17 Globemaster III and do it again. This scenario happened four more times over a drop

  • April 15 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 15 according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportBagramAn Air Force B-1B Lancer

  • Maintenance Airmen ensure rescue missions save lives

    When aircrews and pararescuemen of the 41st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron here get a category-alpha alert call, the HH-60 Pave Hawk they use to conduct their mission has to be off the ground in 10 minutes. Here, where rescue crews average five or six alert calls a day, the 43 Airmen at the 451st

  • New AF dining program opens doors for retirees, base employees

    Air Force Services Agency officials are implementing a new Food Transformation Initiative, enabling base employees and retirees living near six bases to use military food service establishments previously reserved for active-duty Airmen. Retirees and base employees will pay the same menu price as

  • Air Force club reciprocal privileges extend to Soldiers, Sailors

    Air Force Services Agency officials here, recently changed club policies to extend member benefits to all U.S. armed forces members with a valid dues-paying club membership card."As part of the joint basing initiative, we reviewed our club membership policies with regard to reciprocal privileges

  • Chief of staff kicks off Caring for People Forum

    As Airmen from throughout the Air Force gathered here April 20 through 22 for the 2010 Caring for People Forum, the chief of staff of the Air Force underscored the importance of their participation.Approximately 250 active-duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen and civilians gathered for the second annual

  • Officials visit Operation Arctic Care

    Military and Department of Defense senior leaders traveled here to visit Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors participating in Operation Arctic Care 2010.This operation is the largest recurring joint military medical readiness and logistics training exercise, providing real-world humanitarian assistance and

  • Photo essay: Strike Eagle, Fighting Falcon 'thunder' over Kentucky

    Two Air Combat Command demonstration teams landed at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base here April 15, just in time for "the thunder."The F-15E Strike Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon are just two of many aircraft taking flight this weekend for the Thunder Over Louisville air show.  During the ACC

  • Capital-area medical centers set for reorganization

    With a reorganization of units overseeing military medicine in the national capital area under way, interim steps are in place to maintain good care and emergency preparedness during the transition.As part of a Base Realignment and Closure Commission action announced in 2007, Walter Reed Army