HomeNews

NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Oct. 20 airpower summary: Reaper strikes enemy target

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 20, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force MQ-9A Reaper dropped a guided bomb unit-12

  • Gates vows continued commitment to wounded warrior care

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates assured participants in the first Wounded Warriors Family Summit here Oct. 20 he will "continue to press forward with a sense of urgency" to provide top-level care and support for wounded warriors in a way that lays groundwork for the next administration's leaders

  • Service demographics offer snapshot of force

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here recently published a demographics report offering a snapshot of the service's active-duty and civilian force. This data is current as of Sept. 30 and can also be found at Air Force demographics. Statistics are rounded to the nearest tenth. Active-duty

  • Depot efforts continue to keep T-38s flying

    Members of the 573rd Commodities Maintenance Squadron here continue to put in long hours to make sure Air Force pilot training doesn't come to a halt. Many members of the squadron have been working 10-hour days, seven days a week to make a new aileron actuator lever for the T-38 Talon used to train

  • Idaho Air Guard unit wins Hawgsmoke team award

    The Idaho Air National Guard's 190th Fighter Squadron was named the top team at Hawgsmoke 2008 in Salina, Kan., Oct. 17. An awards banquet capped off four days of competition among 14 A-10 Thunderbolt II squadrons from across the Air Force. The 190th, part of the 124th Wing, based at Boise

  • Security forces employ tough, agile vehicle

    When the Airmen of the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Group took sole responsibility for base defense here in October, they did so with one of the Defense Department's newest armored vehicles. The Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, or MRAP, already is used by Air Force security forces,

  • Programs promoted for people with disabilities

    October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and Air Force officials want to ensure every Airman is aware of the ongoing efforts to support people with disabilities. "The Air Force hopes to increase awareness, promote opportunities for employment candidates with disabilities and become

  • 18 Oct. airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 18, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle dropped a guided bomb

  • 17 Oct. airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 17, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs fired cannon rounds and

  • SECAF visits wounded warriors in Europe

    The Air Force's top leader dedicated time Oct. 10 to visit wounded warriors here to thank them for their service and encourage a speedy recovery as part of his first overseas trip since being confirmed as the secretary of the Air Force. Secretary Michael B. Donley spent time meeting with wounded

  • National Veterans Creative Arts Festival begins

    More than 120 veterans from across the country who are medal winners in national creative writing, music, dance, drama or visual arts competitions are preparing to attend the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival in Riverside, Calif., from Oct. 20 to 26. "Creative expression is an important

  • Berlin Airlift vets recognized by German government

    Veterans of the Berlin Airlift were recognized by the German government for their bravery and sacrifice at an Oct. 15 ceremony here.The ceremony celebrated the 60th anniversary of the operation and marked the opening of a six-week exhibit on the Berlin Airlift at the air museum at Travis Air Force

  • Afghan baby born at Bagram Airfield hospital

    It was the middle of the night and hospital staff's pagers were going off. Inside Craig Joint Theater Hospital there was a scramble to pull together the people and equipment needed for a successful procedure. It wasn't a coalition servicemember's life they were trying to save; they were bringing a

  • Hawgsmoke A-10s dazzle local visitors

    The Hawgsmoke 2008 bombing and gunnery portion of the competition took place Oct.16 as A-10 Thunderbolt IIs attacked targets on the nearby Smoky Hill Range, dazzling the spectators who gathered to observe. It was Day 3 of the event and members of the press, community leaders and other distinguished

  • F-35 environmental impact statement released

    Air Force officials have announced that the final environmental impact statement addressing the beddown of the Joint Strike Fighter and 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) is available for public review. The publication of the notice of availability in the Federal Register begins a 30-day public

  • Secretary Donley visits Bagram Airmen

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley visited with Airmen from Bagram Airfield Oct. 15 during his first visit to the country since being confirmed by Congress earlier this month. During his visit, Secretary Donley held an Airman's call for approximately 400 Airmen stationed here. "Since I

  • SECAF discusses vision with Airmen in AOR

    After gaining insight into the diverse mission capabilities of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley discussed the Air Force vision with Airmen from the wing Oct. 14 at an air base in Southwest Asia. The secretary toured the base for much of the day, delving

  • Historic homecoming for Tuskegee Airmen as site opens

    Hundreds of aviators, mechanics and support personnel who once worked at the Tuskegee Army Airfield and Moton Field, Ala., during the 1930s and '40s gathered here once again Oct. 10 when the National Park Service memorialized the efforts of the first black pilots, the famed Tuskegee Airmen, in the

  • Oct. 16 airpower summary: Tankers continue to fuel the fight

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 16, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs fired cannon rounds and

  • Hawgsmoke 2008 gets into full swing

    With the arrival of the last group of A-10 Thunderbolt IIs late in the afternoon, Hawgsmoke 2008 got into full swing Oct. 15 as pilots flew out to the Kansas Air National Guard's Smoky Hill bomb and gunnery range nearby for range familiarization flights. The clearing sky signaled the end of nearly

  • Training bomb strikes vehicle near Nellis

    A training weapon fell from an Air Force aircraft on a training mission and struck a vehicle traveling on a road adjacent to the base Oct. 15, said Nellis Air Force Base officials. The weapon, a 25-pound bomb dummy unit-33, landed near a mobility warehouse on the base before bouncing into the road

  • Dover Airman donates kidney to fiance

    A Dover Air Force Base NCO gave her heart to her fiance in 2005, and almost four years later she gave him the gift of life Sept. 22. Master Sgt. Laura Perry, an air Reserve technician with the 512th Civil Engineer Squadron, donated her kidney to her fiance and fellow squadron member, Staff Sgt. Mark

  • Guard unit provides 'one-stop' Predator training

    As the Air Force's and Air National Guard's unmanned aircraft system mission continues to grow, Airmen with the 163rd Maintenance Group here are stepping up their training program to ensure availability of enough highly-skilled personnel to support these systems, especially the MQ-1 Predator.

  • Pope energy initiative saves thousands, lights the way

    A 43rd Civil Engineer Squadron member here received $10,000 for a proposal of a wireless-ramp-lighting initiative. Anton Klein submitted the proposal to the Air Force Innovative Development through Employee Awareness Program, or IDEA, for base members to turn off ramp lights when planes were not

  • Oct. 15 airpower summary: A-10s support ground forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 15, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped guided bomb unit-38s

  • One of the top personnel officers 'Spreads the Word'

    Air Force Personnel Center officials sent a team of experts here Oct. 8, launching a global "Spread the Word" campaign to educate Airmen about new and changing personnel and deployment programs. As part of the two-day Spread the Word visit, Maj. Gen. K.C. McClain, AFPC commander, visited with U.S.

  • Multi-skill crew delivers first C-17 ahead of schedule

    The C-17 Globemaster III cargo plane that sat in front of a maintenance hangar here looked no different than any other C-17, but the maintenance crew around it was unique. The crew, part of the 562nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, is the first to be trained under a new "multi-skill" initiative. The

  • Secretary tours Joint Base Balad, shares Air Force vision

    The secretary of the Air Force visited Joint Base Balad Oct. 13 to learn about the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing's contributions to the war on terrorism and to share his vision for the future of the Air Force. Secretary Michael B. Donley toured the Air Force Theater Hospital, the 46th Expeditionary

  • Oct. 14 airpower summary: C-17s keep coalition supplied

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 14, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II dropped a guided bomb

  • A-10s ready as Hawgsmoke 2008 begins

    Two A-10 Thunderbolt IIs broke through the overcast skies of central Kansas Oct. 15 and crossed over the center point of the Salina Airport's north-south runway officially kicking off Hawgsmoke 2008, the Air Force's biennial A-10 bombing and tactical gunnery competition. The moment also marked the

  • SECAF gains insight into diverse missions at deployed wing

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley spent the day at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing at an air base in Southwest Asia Oct. 12. The secretary visited the wing to gain a better understanding of the infrastructure and capabilities of one the Air Forces Central area of responsibility's most

  • Airmen increase mission effectiveness 1 stat at a time

    A 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Operations Squadron Maintenance analysis team here helped improve processes and established preventive maintenance procedures to save the Air Force several million dollars since September.The five-member team measured aircraft performance, determined aircraft health

  • PRT unit makes 'a difference beyond the berm'

    Every group, every mission here in Afghanistan is designed for a purpose. It's no different for the Kapisa and Parwan Provincial Reconstruction Team. The 91-person joint-service team has a goal of improving security and government capacity in its area of responsibility, an objective its members

  • EC-130 squadron surpasses 10,000 combat hours

    Members of the 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron here surpassed 10,000 combat hours in the EC-130H Compass Call while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in September. The 41st EECS, deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., flies the EC-130H. The Compass Call's primary

  • Negotiations to exchange Tyndall property announced

    Air Force officials and Florida Congressman Allen Boyd announced Oct. 14 the selection of Tyndall Development Partners, LLC, as the highest ranked offeror for negotiating a transfer of the Lynn Haven Fuel Depot property in Lynn Haven, Fla., in exchange for performing military construction at Tyndall

  • Oct. 13 airpower summary: C-5s resupply coalition forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 13, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, coalition aircraft dropped a guided bomb unit-12 onto

  • Oct. 12 airpower summary: Predator fires Hellfire Missile

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations Oct. 12, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force MQ-1B Predator fired an

  • 'Today's Air Force' features unmanned aircraft systems

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights the Air Force's unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS, and how Air Force officials plan to train more UAS operators. And more Airmen are finding themselves in non-traditional roles. At Joint Base Balad in Iraq, a segment shows how the skills Airmen possess

  • President meets with Airmen, families during S.C. visit

    President George Bush and First Lady Laura Bush visited Airmen and their families here during a trip to South Carolina on Oct. 10. "Team Charleston is humbled and thankful for the opportunity to once again host our commander in chief," said Col. John "Red" Millander, 437th Airlift Wing commander.

  • Oct. 11 airpower summary: F-15 Strike Eagles provide close-air support

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 11, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles dropped guided bomb

  • Oct. 10 airpower summary: B-1Bs engage anti-Afghan forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with Coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 10, according to combined air and space operations center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle dropped a guided bomb

  • Building dedication honors Airman killed on 9/11

    Members of the 445th Airlift Wing here honored the life and service of one its former members who was killed as part of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks by dedicating the new operations building to him Oct. 4 here.Maj. LeRoy W. Homer Jr. died while serving as the first officer on United Airlines Flight

  • Oct. 8 airpower summary: A-10s engage anti-Afghan forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 9, according to combined air and space operations center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped a guided bomb

  • Airmen to support presidential inauguration

    More than 85 Airmen from 30 different Air Force bases formed the 320th Air Expeditionary Wing in September to support the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee in Washington. The 320th AEW members will combine with members from the other military services to provide ceremonial support to the presidential

  • Recruiters meet, exceed goals for ninth year in a row

    Air Force recruiters met their active-duty enlisted recruiting goal for the ninth year in a row and met their chaplain and Officer Training School accession goals for fiscal year 2008. "I'm proud of our highly professional recruiting force, who continues to exemplify the Air Force core values of

  • Band to team with music legends for TV special

    Air Force Band members from here will be in the national spotlight in a Veterans Day extravaganza when the symphony orchestra and Singing Sergeants join celebrities and recording artists Nov. 10 on public television.Band members collaborate with two-time Grammy winner Patti LaBelle, country western

  • AFMC captures AF Marathon major command trophy

    Air Force Materiel Command, headquartered here, is the sophomore winner of the U.S. Air Force Marathon Major Command Challenge Commander's Trophy. The announcement was made Oct. 3 at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz. General

  • Giving Airmen time back

    Improvements in technology, review of manpower solutions and additional duty workload, and refining ancillary training topped the recommendations presented to Lt. Gen. Richard Newton III, deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services, by a team he chartered to find what impacts Airmen's

  • Pararescuemen recall recent rescue mission

    If jumping out of a perfectly good airplane into the middle of the Pacific Ocean in the middle of the night to help out complete strangers isn't your idea of a rush, then maybe a career as a pararescueman isn't for you. That's exactly what a team of PJs from the 31st Rescue Squadron and the 320th

  • Rescue Airmen undergo confined-space training

    Fifteen pararescuemen from the 31st Rescue Squadron and 320th Special Tactics Squadron here recently took part in training to help them execute rescue missions in confined spaces and collapsed structures. According to Maj. Jason Pifer, the 31st Rescue Squadron commander, the training came about as a

  • Ceremony recognizes disabled employees' contributions

    Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England praised the work and contributions provided by disabled Defense Department contract employees at a Pentagon award ceremony Oct. 9."I'm here to say thank you for your great, great work," Secretary England, the event's host, told a group of disabled employees

  • Weather, chance turn climbing trip into rescue mission

    What started off as a personal challenge for three civilian employees from RAF Mildenhall, climbing three mountains in 24 hours to raise money for charities, ended up as a dramatic rescue mission when the trio helped save a man's life at the top of the final peak Oct. 3. Alan Coldwell, Chris Gould

  • Oct. 8 airpower summary: F-15Es deter enemy activities

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 8, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, coalition aircraft dropped guided bomb unit-12s onto

  • Pilot missing in action from the Vietnam War is identified

    The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced Oct. 8 that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. He is Capt. Lorenza Conner, U.S. Air Force, from

  • Hawgsmoke to continue despite A-10 inspections

    "Hawgsmoke 2008," an A-10 Thunderbolt II bombing and gunnery competition scheduled Oct. 15 to 18 in Salina, Kan., will continue despite an Air Force directive to sideline some of the aircraft. Air Force officials issued a time-compliance technical order Oct. 3, requiring immediate inspection and

  • Alaskan long range radar station goes green

    In an effort to reduce high operating costs at the Tin City Long Range Radar Station, engineers with the 611th Civil Engineer Squadron here have completed the construction of a wind turbine generator there.  It is the first such generator to be installed on an Alaskan Air Force installation and

  • Former POWs now eligible for posthumous Purple Hearts

    A policy change to expand eligibility for the Purple Heart award to prisoners of war who died in captivity represents the right decision that recognizes their sacrifice, a senior defense official said. Pentagon officials announced the new policy Oct. 6 that will extend criteria for receiving Purple

  • Officials revise Purple Heart eligibility criteria

    Department of Defense officials announced Oct. 6 that eligibility criteria for the Purple Heart have been expanded to permit prisoners of war who died in captivity to receive the award. The revised department policy presumes, for service members who die in captivity as a qualifying prisoner of war,

  • Training instructors build tactical course for Iraqi airmen

    Military training instructors saw an unmet need in the Iraqi air force basic military training program and found a way to fill the need. For Staff Sgt. Matthew Coltrin and Tech. Sgt. Chris Ramsdell, MTIs deployed from the 322nd Training Squadron, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, no BMT course is

  • Oct. 7 airpower summary: B-1Bs strike anti-Afghan forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 7, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer dropped guided bomb unit-31s and

  • Retirement home earns prestigious accreditation

    The Armed Forces Retirement Home has received accreditation from the prestigious Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities-Continuing Care Accreditation Commission.The accreditation, which will extend through August 2013, results from the findings of an on-site survey of the AFRH

  • Ohio reservists complete aerial spray mission in Louisiana

    Air Force Reserve aircrews and C-130 Hercules aircraft from the 910th Airlift Wing at Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio, sprayed more than 770,000 acres in seven Louisiana parishes from Sept. 21 to Oct. 2. Reservists from the wing's 757th Airlift Squadron dropped pesticides to control insects

  • Air Force training facility underway at NAS Pensacola

    Officials at the Naval Facilities Engineering Command-Southeast, in partnership with representatives from Air Education and Training Command and a construction conglomerate known as NTF, L.L.C., broke ground Oct. 2 for a new training instruction facility at Naval Air Station Pensacola.NAVFAC

  • Air Force senior leaders take up key decisions

    The nuclear enterprise, cyber organization, end strength, force shaping, and command and control of Air Force operations were just some of the topics discussed when Air Force senior leaders met at CORONA on Oct. 1-3 at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley

  • Oct. 6 airpower summary: F-16s conduct shows of force

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 6, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle dropped a guided bomb unit-31

  • USAFE Airmen exchange ideas with Romanian counterparts

    The United States Air Forces in Europe command chief and three other Ramstein senior noncommissioned officers visited Romanian air force senior enlisted leaders at the Boboc Training Center, Romania, Sept. 22-27 as part of an ongoing USAFE theater security cooperation engagement. Chief Master Sgt.

  • Officer volunteers sought to operate unmanned aircraft

    Air Force officers are being sought as volunteers to operate unmanned aircraft systems. Applications are due to the Air Force Personnel Center no later than Nov. 3. The first ten officers selected will start UAS operator training in January 2009, and another ten will begin training in April 2009.

  • Gunship commander receives Cheney Award

    The aircraft commander of an AC-130H Spectre gunship was named the recipient of the Cheney Award Oct. 6 for providing close-air support to troops on the ground in Afghanistan in May 2007. The Cheney Award is presented each year to aviators who demonstrate an act of valor, extreme fortitude or

  • Cannon Airmen train for special operations forces resupply

    What seems like routine training for 27th Special Operations Wing C-130W Hercules aircrews, loadmasters and logistics Airmen here in reality prepares them to execute missions downrange. "Special operations forces that are deployed rely on this type of air drop very much," said Staff Sgt. Jerimy

  • Readiness center offers personal, professional guidance

    Deploying can be difficult on servicemembers for a number of reasons. They may experience personal, financial and professional strains within the area of responsibility, which can detract from their operational readiness. One shop here shoulders the burden to ease that stress. Being the first and

  • ACC maintainers expedite A-10 inspection actions

    Air Combat Command maintenance Airmen will begin an immediate inspection of all A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft with thin-skinned wings for cracking following a Time Compliance Technical Order issued to ACC A-10 units on Oct. 3. ACC officials are working closely with those in Air Force Materiel

  • Special Ops weathermen get new specialty code

    Air Force special operations weathermen now have a new specialty code they can call their own. Recruiters can enlist trainees directly into the 1W0X2 special operations weathermen career field since the new Air Force specialty code is now in the enlisted classification directory. Before this new

  • Chinese military delegation visits Hickam AFB

    A delegation from China's People Liberation Army visited here as part of a professional exchange with senior U.S. military enlisted personnel Oct. 2. The People's Liberation Army delegation of 12, led by Maj. Gen. Zhong Zhiming, chief of military affairs for the PLA Headquarters General Staff,

  • Oct. 5 airpower summary: Predator fires missile

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 5, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles dropped a guided bomb unit-38,

  • Ceremony marks beginning of U.S. mission in Baltics

    For the second time in history, an American flag was raised over the Quick Reaction Facility in Siauliai during a ceremony marking the U.S. Air Force's assumption of responsibility for the NATO Baltic air policing mission. The ceremony began with Lithuanian Lt. Col. Raimundas Matulis, Ministry of

  • Oct. 3 airpower summary: F-15Es provide CAS

    Coalition airpower integrated with Coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations Oct. 3, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer dropped guided bomb

  • Volunteer program aims to go Air Force-wide

    What started off as a desire to volunteer at a local hospital now has the potential to spread Air Force-wide. Staff Sgt. Jewell Hicks Jr., an executive communications support Airman with the 375th Communications Squadron here, began Airmen for Children in July. The program encourages Scott Air Force

  • HH-60Gs integrate with Army AH-64s for war missions

    Airmen and Soldiers here took integration one step further with rotary wing aviation operations in Afghanistan. While the Army AH-64 Apaches and Air Force HH-60 Pave Hawks have flown medical evacuation missions together for some time now in Afghanistan, on Sept. 25 they flew their first joint combat

  • Oct. 2 airpower summary: C-17s provide airlift support

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 2, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, coalition aircraft dropped guided bomb unit-12s onto an

  • Top cover: Airpower integral to ground force's success

    Pilots on board F-15E Strike Eagles helped turned the tide as Army Soldiers fighting terrorists in Afghanistan were pinned down and needed assistance in mid September.An improvised explosive device had disabled a vehicle and Soldiers were stranded, but airpower was there to help. "As we got within

  • Air Force medics support trauma mission for warriors

    A recent influx of trauma cases at Wilford Hall Medical Center here sheds light on the importance of the hospital's civilian trauma mission with the city of San Antonio, and the high caliber of training it provides for military doctors and medics here. During the month of September, Air Force

  • Seventeenth Air Force stands up

    The air component for U.S. Africa Command declared initial operational capability Sept. 18 in an assumption-of-command ceremony on Ramstein which also celebrated the unit's Oct. 1 activation. Seventeenth Air Force, also to be known as Air Forces Africa, marked the coming activation by handing the

  • Oct. 1 airpower summary: A-10s bomb anti-Afghan forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 1, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped guided bomb unit-38s

  • Charleston officials begin transporting new Army vehicles

    Charleston Air Force Base officials began receiving and immediately shipping six new Army High Mobility Engineer Excavator vehicles to warfighters in Southwest Asia Sept. 29 here. Charleston AFB is the first Air Force base to receive and ship the HMEE, which is a newly developed military

  • Reserve contact center announces new weekend schedule

    The Reserve Personnel Contact Center support schedule is changing, Air Reserve Personnel Center officials here said. Starting Oct. 4, customer service counselors will be available the first three Saturdays of each month from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. mountain time to support Air National Guard and Air Force

  • Simulation center prepares medics for saving lives

    In this world where hospital staffs hold human lives in their hands, where do they train to function under this ultimate responsibility? When they are put under the stress of doing a job so important that even the military considers them doctors first and military second, where do they learn to

  • U.S. Northern Command gains dedicated response force

    For the first time in its existence, U.S. Northern Command is gaining a dedicated force to respond to potential chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosive (CBRNE) incidents in the homeland. "We are now building the first of three CBRNE Consequence Management Response

  • Deep Freeze Airman given Christchurch civic award

    Fresh off the successful night-time landing of a C-17 Globemaster III on the cold Antarctica ice, a 12-year veteran of Operation Deep Freeze missions has become the first American to receive the Christchurch Civic Award. Lt. Col. Jim McGann, 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron commander, received

  • New course trains medical teams in Pacific

    Critical care specialists from the Air Force, Army and Navy are training on moving seriously ill patients in the Pacific theater at a Sept. 29 through Oct. 3 course being held here. The aeromedical evacuation regulating organization for U.S. Pacific Command, 13th Air Force's Theater Patient Movement

  • Defense contributions help NASA's 50-year legacy

    As the men and women of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration celebrate its 50th anniversary this week, Defense Department personnel also can take a bow for the key role they have played in lending technology and expertise to NASA's space exploration and research mission.NASA began

  • Sept. 30 airpower summary: C-130s support airlift missions

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 30, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped guided bomb unit-38s

  • MH-53s fly final combat missions

    Aircrews flew the remaining six MH-53 Pave Low helicopters on their last combat missions in support of special operations forces Sept. 27 in Southwest Asia. The last mission, a SOF logistical resupply and passenger movement throughout central and southern Iraq, marks their last combat mission before

  • Kadena Airmen aid injured mariners

    Kadena Air Base Airmen provided medical assistance to two injured mariners aboard a Panamanian freighter Sept. 27 750 nautical miles north of the island of Saipan in the Pacific Ocean. Pararescuemen and members of the 320th Special Tactics Squadron left around 2:30 p.m. aboard an MC-130 flown by the

  • Air Force, Navy officials agree upon F-35 depot workload

    Air Force and Navy officials here signed a memo Sept. 16 identifying a new process for allocating F-35 Lightning II depot repair workloads. The new process takes into account service competency and experience in determining workload allocation. "This was truly a joint effort on the part of the Air

  • Iraqi training wing soars to 3,000th hour

    The Iraqi air force Flying Training Wing has reached yet another goal, one that may have seemed impossible a year ago, with the help of Airmen from the 52nd Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron. This partnership enabled Iraqi pilots to reach the 3,000th flying training hour milestone here Sept 23.

  • South Dakota veterans may be eligible for bonuses

    The state of South Dakota is paying a veterans' bonus of up to $500 to certain servicemembers based on monthly service during qualifying dates. Bonuses are available to servicemembers who: -- were legal residents of the state for at least six months immediately preceding entry into the armed forces.

  • Sept. 29 airpower summary: F-15Es provide overwatch

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 29, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, a Navy F/A-18C Hornet dropped a guided bomb unit-38 and

  • Air Force climate survey begins Oct. 1

    Air Force leaders want to know what to know what's on the minds of Airmen. The Air Force launches its 2008 climate survey Oct. 1 via an e-mail invitation to every Airman across the total force, including civilians. The survey covers home life, work environment, leadership and morale issues. It will

  • Little Rock Air Force Base shifting focus

    Officials from the 19th Airlift Wing will accept operational control of Little Rock Air Force Base Oct. 1 from 314th AW officials to become the base's host wing here. The 19th AW is an Air Mobility Command wing and the 314th AW is an Air Education and Training Command wing.   With an AMC wing taking

  • Airmen train at Fort Bragg for 'outside the wire' deployment

    More than 175 Airmen from 55 different bases around the world are training here with an "outside the wire" mindset as they prepare for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan.The Airmen will be part of Provincial Reconstruction Teams on 270-day deployments to help rebuild the infrastructure and