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  • Engineer team plans Bagram's future

    The combined talents of 21 servicemembers and civilians compose a facility engineer team, whose task is to prepare plans and specifications, provide inspections on construction, and offer expertise for the steady flow of projects designed to improve and expand Bagram Airfield. In addition to the

  • Airmen feedback essential to additional duty study

    Airmen may now take advantage of a free-form text questionnaire, readily identifying additional duties they believe are non-value added or need redesigning. The Air Force Manpower Agency here will use this feedback to assist in the Air Force's drive to reduce additional duty demands in order to free

  • Medical, temporary retirees now eligible for CRSC payments

    Former Airmen receiving military retired pay who served less than 20 years may now be eligible to receive Air Force Combat-Related Special Compensation. CRSC is part of a legislative initiative designed to restore a veteran's military retirement pay that has been reduced by Veterans' Affairs

  • Travel regulation change protects renters whose landlords default

    A new change to the Joint Federal Travel Regulations authorizes the military to pay to move servicemembers and their families whose landlords default on property the military members are renting. Bill Carr, deputy undersecretary of defense for military personnel policy and chairman of the Per Diem,

  • Servicemembers treat 8,100 patients, livestock in Mali

    American servicemembers completed the largest annual humanitarian medical exercise in Africa July 26 after two-weeks of intense training and humanitarian assistance in villages throughout Mali. Airmen from Aviano Air Base, Italy, were among more than 90 servicemembers who deployed for the

  • AFOSI marks 60 years of service

    Brig. Gen. Dana A. Simmons, Air Force Office of Special Investigations commander, hosted AFOSI's 60th Anniversary wreath-laying ceremony Aug. 1 at the Air Force Memorial located across from the Pentagon. The purpose of the ceremony was to honor the men and women of the organization both past and

  • History project allows veterans to share experiences

    The Veterans History Project collects and preserves the remembrances of American war veterans and civilian workers who supported them. These collections of first-hand accounts are archived in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress for use by researchers and to serve as an

  • Air Force officials reach recruitment program goal

    Air Force officials have reached the 2008 goal of hiring 25 people via the Workforce Recruitment Program for summer or permanent jobs. Coordinated by officials in the Office of Disability Employment Policy, the Department of Labor and the Department of Defense, the program is a recruitment and

  • Servicemembers mourn loss of one of their own

    The Joint Base Balad Town Hall filled with brothers and sisters mourning the loss of a military family member July 20. Tech. Sgt. Jackie Larsen, a paralegal working with the Law and Order Task Force of the 732nd Expeditionary Support Squadron, died from non-combat related causes July 17. Sergeant

  • Officials release facts about new GI Bill

    Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs officials are working out the details of a new education benefit recently approved by Congress that goes into effect August 1, 2009. "The absolute most important part of the new G.I Bill is that none of it takes effect until next year," said Rita Hughson,

  • Airman connects families to loved ones who died in Battle of Okinawa

    Although it's been more than 60 years since the battle of Okinawa, a Kadena Air Base NCO here is doing everything he can to ensure that friends and family members can remain connected to their loved ones who died in the battle. Tech. Sgt. Victor Follis, a quality assurance inspector with the 18th

  • Multitude of new ideas emerge from Randolph's Lean Week

    A final summation regarding "Lean Week" at Randolph, a period set aside for a brainstorming of ideas on how to create a more efficient base, was delivered last week. An outbrief following the May 19-23 Lean Week spotlighted a multitude of ideas brought forth by Randolph members concerning not only

  • Symposium gets to core of Air Force's role in cyberspace

    In an effort to bring together minds and ideas from across the cyberspace community, Air University officials hosted a week-long cyberspace symposium here recently. Some 250 professional civilian and military information experts gathered to discuss the implications of cyberspace, especially with

  • Gates recommends McKinley to be Guard's first four-star general

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has recommended the Air National Guard's director for a promotion that would make him the first four-star general in National Guard history. Pending nomination by President Bush and confirmation by the Senate, Lt. Gen. Craig R. McKinley would become the chief of the

  • Coast Guard provides maintenance support to 302nd AEG

    Coast Guardsmen from Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento opened their hangar doors for maintainers from the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group, making it easier for them to work on the modular airborne fire fighting system-equipped C-130 Hercules aircraft that are assisting with fighting wildfires in

  • New language program Web site aids deploying troops

    Officials who oversee a Defense Department program that provides cultural and linguistic training to soon-to-deploy military personnel have activated a new Web site. Launched this month, the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center's new online resource offers deploying servicemembers

  • Working dog kennels receive massive renovation

    Military working dogs transitioning through a base in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility are receiving a "bone-a-fide" upgrade to their accommodations, courtesy of the 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron. The renovations, which included floor stripping and resealing, and the

  • Air Force unit flies 50,000th Noble Eagle sortie

    Continental U.S. NORAD Region, known as CONR,  pilots reached a significant milestone June 8 after they flew the 50,000th Operation Noble Eagle sortie conducted over the continental United States locally over South Carolina. Two F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force

  • President salutes wounded Airman at medical center groundbreaking

    A scar peeked out from beneath the navy blue beret Staff Sgt. Scott Lilley borrowed to wear July 3 during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center here. "Luckily we have the same size head," said the cap's owner, Staff Sgt. Michael Barczik of Andrews Air Force

  • Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman sends Fourth of July message

    Seldom in our nation's history has this anniversary fallen at so critical and dangerous a time.  Al-Qaida has been beaten back in Iraq, but it is not defeated. The Taliban still claws for power in Afghanistan. Extremists of all kinds all over the world still plot against us, our fellow citizens, and

  • Airman's Roll Call: Don't become a statistic

    Independence Day weekend is almost here and this week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on playing it safe while celebrating the nation's birthday this weekend. To ensure the weekend is safe for everyone and to prevent anyone from becoming a statistic, Airmen should make operational risk management a

  • Tuskegee Airman dies

    Retired Lt. Col. Charles Dryden, 87, one of the famed "Tuskegee Airmen" who broke the military's color barrier by becoming a World War II fighter pilot, died June 24 in Atlanta. Colonel Dryden was born Sept. 16, 1920 in New York City to Jamaican parents. He graduated from Peter Stuyvesant High

  • 'Falcon' lands in Afghanistan

    The U.S. Air Forces Central band "Falcon" showcased its musical talents for audiences June 20 to 22 at Bagram Air Base. The band entertained attendees of the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group change-of-command ceremony with a variety of pop music before and after the ceremony. During the formal

  • Airmen to have more choices for death gratuity benefit

    Airmen will be able to select one or more persons of their choosing to receive death gratuity benefits beginning July 1. "This is a significant change to the (death gratuity) benefits election option for all Airmen," said Steven Kelley, the director of Air and Space Expeditionary Force Operations at

  • Born of controversy: The GI Bill of Rights

    It has been heralded as one of the most significant pieces of legislation ever produced by the federal government, one that impacted the United States socially, economically and politically. But it almost never came to pass. The Servicemembers' Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the GI Bill

  • General counsel honors AFMC Ethics Program Office

    Members of the Air Force Materiel Command's Ethics Program Office received the Air Force General Counsel's Excellence in Ethics Program Award for 2007 during a presentation ceremony June 11 at the General Counsel's Acquisition Conference in Dayton, Ohio. Mary L. Walker, the Air Force general

  • Procurement mission at Hill transfers to DLA

    A June 17 activation ceremony at the Hill Aerospace Museum marked the transfer of 43 Air Force employees to the Defense Logistics Agency here. The employees, mostly contracting officers from the 448th Supply Chain Management Group, procure depot-level reparable aviation parts for Ogden Air Logistics

  • Air National Guard's Airmen of the Year announced

    Air National Guard officials identified six Airmen as their Airmen of the Year for 2008 following their arrival here June 15 for a week-long celebration and tribute to their achievements. This year's Airmen of the Year were chosen through a process of unit, state and national selection panels and

  • Small idea making a big difference in Afghanistan

    Provincial Reconstruction Teams are engaged daily in large-scale projects building roads, bridges, schools and medical facilities to help the Afghan government develop its infrastructure. They also contribute small ideas that have the potential for large-scale impact. One such idea was to design and

  • Guard units provide real-time video of flood damaged areas

    Flying at 8,000 feet above flood ravaged Wisconsin, members of the Wisconsin Air National Guard with assistance from Air Guard units from Arkansas and Mississippi provided emergency management officials with "eyes in the sky" to help with disaster relief efforts. Recent heavy rains have left

  • World's largest, oldest aviation museum preserves history

    Skilled artisans at the National Museum of the United States Air Force on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, work diligently to return aircraft to their original form with no embellishments. "We are here to preserve history," said Dave Lazzarine, the Collection Management Division

  • Safety video promotes driving, recreation safety

    The top Air Force safety officer appears in a video for the service's annual "101 Critical Days of Summer" safety campaign, which started May 23 and ends Sept. 2. In the production, Maj. Gen. Wendell Griffin, the Air Force chief of safety and commander of the Air Force Safety Center at Kirtland AFB,

  • Improvements target morale for troops in Afghanistan

    A genuine caring attitude drives the morale, welfare and recreation Airmen who continuously work to improve the MWR facilities and events for Airmen and Soldiers here. Assigned to the Laghman Provincial Reconstruction Team, two of the three MWR Airmen arrived in March to discover a facility

  • Airmen help Iraqi air force become self-sustaining service

    High above the desert terrain, they fly in providing security to the people of Iraq. The airmen are vigilant, alert and ready to engage the enemy while patrolling the sky over Iraq. They are the new breed of Iraqi airmen. The Iraqi air force has evolved by leaps and bounds in recent years, and

  • Osan Airmen save lives, property

    Members of the Osan Air Base town patrol were in the right place at the right time and provided assistance after a fire broke out in a nearby off-base restaurant the evening of May 30. "We were doing our regular health and welfare checks, making sure our fellow servicemembers were staying safe when

  • Air Force Week Philadelphia culminates with McGuire air expo

    Officials opened the gates here for an air expo to highlight the men, women and equipment of the Air Force May 31 and June 1 to culminate Air Force Week in Philadelphia. The weather hampered aerial demonstrations May 31, but base and New Jersey officials still held a wreath-laying ceremony to open

  • Safety video promotes driving, recreation safety

    The Air Force's top safety officer appears in a video for the service's annual "101 Critical Days of Summer" safety campaign, which began May 23 and ends Sept. 2. In the production, Maj. Gen. Wendell Griffin, the Air Force chief of safety and commander of the Air Force Safety Center, addresses

  • Modernized asset provides increased capabilities

    Airmen from the Rhode Island, California and Maryland Air National Guard deployed with the Air Force's newest Hercules C-130J and C-130J-30 to enhance airdrop and airlift capabilities supporting military and civilians in Afghanistan. "The biggest advantages are its capabilities in terms of what it

  • Cadet cyberwarriors head to AFIT

    Two Air Force Academy first-class cadets will soon be the first graduates to go directly from the Academy to the Air Force Institute of Technology's cyber warfare track. Cadets 1st Class Aaron Gross and Nicholas Fritts have followed the Academy's undergraduate cyber warfare degree track as computer

  • Air Force leaders send Memorial Day message

    In a joint Letter to Airmen, the Air Force secretary and chief of staff send their Memorial Day message to Airmen and their families worldwide. Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley remind Airmen that May 26 is a day that Americans remember and pay

  • Military better prepared than ever for disaster relief

    The Defense Department and U.S. military are better prepared than ever to aid disaster-relief efforts, and have improved measures for tracking military families affected by catastrophe, a top Pentagon official here said May 21. Among other services, department entities are poised to assist with

  • Leaders stress summer safety

    In a joint Letter to Airmen, the Air Force secretary and chief of staff emphasize the importance of safety during the days between Memorial Day to Labor Day, the 101 Critical Days of Summer. Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley want Airmen to be

  • Security forces Airmen honor fallen comrades

    Airmen deployed to the 386th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron here commemorated National Police Week May 11 through 17 at a Southwest Asian air base. Members of the 386th ESFS paid homage to those killed in action by hosting a series of events celebrating the memory of their fallen comrades.

  • Military conservation agents recognized for support

    From chasing bears out of housing, enforcing fish and wildlife laws, to educating the public, the efforts of Elmendorf's military conservation agents tend to be behind the scenes and rarely noticed ... until now. The program was recently recognized by the National Military Fish and Wildlife Agency

  • 'Dirt Boyz' pave way for aircraft, Airmen

    Kettles filled with scalding tar, 300-degree asphalt, concrete chemicals that can burn skin are the tools of the trade for heavy equipment operators who labor here under a scorching Iraqi sun. Airmen assigned to the 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, known as "Dirt Boyz" know their duties

  • Security forces, lawmen train together for crises

    Bodies lay strewn about on the floor like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Cries for help reverberate off the walls as four-man teams search for the creator of this carnage. Gunshots cut through the cries, and the acrid smell of gunpowder fills the air. Fortunately, as real as this scenario seemed, it

  • Officials extend spouse career advancement initiative

    Career and training opportunities for military spouses just got better, as the Defense and Labor departments' career advancement demonstration project has been expanded to include all active-duty military spouses, along with four additional career fields. "In the first days of the demonstration

  • Officials to explore cyberspace mission at symposium

    Air Force officials invite military and civilian defense personnel, industry and business leaders, academics and others interested in the Air Force's cyberspace mission to attend its upcoming symposium to analyze and discuss the service's role in cyberspace. Aimed at engaging military, industry and

  • Judge advocate general announces award winners

    Maj. Gen. Jack L. Rives, the Air Force judge advocate general, has announced the 2007 Judge Advocate General Award winners. The award recipients will be formally recognized at an awards banquet during KEYSTONE 2008, the JAG Corps' leadership summit, to be held the first week of November in

  • Humanitarian aid provided to more than 1,600 Salvadorans

    An 18-person medical team made up of Airmen and Soldiers spent two days operating a makeshift clinic at an elementary school near Comasagua, El Salvador, May 7 and 8 during Fuerzas Aliadas Humanitarias 2008. The team, part of the Joint Task Force-Bravo Medical Element at Soto Cano Air Base,

  • Defense forum highlights need for scientists, engineers

    Air Force and U.S. officials forecast a serious shortage of scientists and engineers. That assessment was made by Joe Sciabica, executive director of the Air Force Research Laboratory, during a Regional Defense Forum here May 6. About 370 business and government leaders attended the event to foster

  • U.S., British Reaper operations combined in Afghanistan

    Since taking flight for the first time here in October 2007, Reapers have flown more than 320 missions and 2,400 combat hours throughout Afghanistan, providing close-air support and precision engagement. The unit contributing to this effort is the 42nd Expeditionary Attack Squadron, a combined unit

  • Bush, Gates honor military spouses at ceremony

    President Bush and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates paid tribute May 6 to about 1,100 military spouses who gathered for a Military Spouse Day celebration at the White House, where President Bush promised to continue pushing for more benefits for military families. Following a tradition President

  • Bagram Airmen provide training to Afghan police

    Approximately one dozen Afghan National Police from several districts gathered in the Processing Coordination Center at the Parwan Provincial ANP Headquarters in the Charikar district April 22 to receive training. Airmen assigned to the Bagram Police Technical Advisory Team provided the training

  • Airmen help restore Berlin Airlift memorial

    Approximately 30 Airmen from Ramstein Air Base volunteered approximately 260 total man-hours to help restore the Berlin Airlift Memorial site at the former Rhein Main AB near Frankfurt International Airport in Germany April 22-24. Airmen teamed up with volunteer employees from Luftansa Technik, the

  • Conference focuses on challenges facing acquisition workforce

    Air Force and industry leaders gathered at Wright-Patterson AFB April 22-23 to chart a course to speed the development and delivery of a new crop of revolutionary weapon systems to joint warfighters. Nearly 500 government and industry professionals attended the Defense Acquisition University's

  • DOD, VA leaders chart way forward for wounded care

    Officials in the Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs are diligently working together to solve problems for America's wounded warriors, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England told the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee April 24. The two departments are working to "improve

  • Top AF trainer receives feedback from ILO Airmen

    The commander of 2nd Air Force, responsible for the development, oversight and direction of all operational aspects of basic military training and technical schools for enlisted and support officers, kicked off a theater-wide tour April 22 at an air base in Southwest Asia. Maj. Gen. Michael Gould's

  • Predators of the mountains

    In an environment where the enemy troops conceal themselves among civilians and mountainous terrain, Airmen in the 62nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron provide the warfighter real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data to combat that enemy. The weapon of choice: the MQ-1

  • Iron Flow program concludes at Kadena

    With the departure of the final three F-15C Eagles from Kadena Air Base April 23 to Air National Guard units in the United States, the 18th Wing concluded Kadena AB's role in the Pacific Air Forces Iron Flow program. Begun in 2005, the Iron Flow program was a process to exchange Kadena's aging F-15

  • Bagram Airmen fly outside the box

    The job of locating and returning servicemembers throughout the area of responsibility has taken a back seat for Airmen of the 305th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron here who now help save lives. Bagram Air Base Airmen provide aeromedical evacuation with their HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters for injured

  • Officials award $194.5 million consolidation contract

    The Army Corps of Engineers district office in Louisville, Ky., announced April 16 the construction contract award that will house the bulk of missions consolidating here as a result of Base Realignment and Closure 2005 decisions. A joint venture that includes Dayton, Ohio, contractor Butt

  • Airman becomes citizen in Pentagon ceremony

    Senior Airman Cassandra Obermuller Brandon's grandmother set her straight. For years, the Airman flip-flopped around the idea of becoming an American citizen. Born and raised in Linden, Guyana, the 28-year-old Air Force reservist still felt a connection to the warm, tropical land of her birth. But

  • Officials work to improve absentee-voting procedures, boost participation

    The Defense Department has made great strides over the past four years to ensure servicemembers, particularly those stationed and deployed overseas, have greater opportunity to vote, a senior defense official told Congress April 15. Michael L. Dominguez, principal deputy undersecretary of defense

  • Trial date set for former legal officer

    A trial judge approved the former commander of the Air Force Legal Operations Agency's defense counsel's requests for deferments of plea and court forum choice during an arraignment April 14 in a courtroom at Bolling Air Force Base, D.C. Col. Michael Murphy's general court-martial was tentatively

  • Air Force secretary discusses tankers, cyber operations

    The secretary of the Air Force spoke of the future while reflecting on the past during an April 3 and 4 visit to Hanscom Air Force Base. "For all the advances we've made, I still believe there are more imaginative things to be done with electronics," Secretary Michael W. Wynne said. He said he

  • Deployed dad watches son's birth via Web cam

    Rylan Todd was born weighing 8 pounds and 5 ounces at 11:01 p.m. March 25, and his parents watched him being born at a hospital near Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. The only thing different about this birth was that the father, Staff Sgt. Nicholas Todd, watched the birth via Web cam from thousands of

  • Reservists may face limit on man-day tours

    Later this year hundreds of reservists nationwide could reach the limit on the number of man-days they can serve in Air Force Reserve Command. Reservists through the rank of colonel received permission 3.5 years ago to serve up to 1,095 man-days of the previous 1,460 days in a rolling four-year

  • Officials activate 711th Human Performance Wing

    Officials at the Air Force Research Laboratory officially activated the 711th Human Performance Wing during a ceremony at the Air Force Institute of Technology's Kenney Hall here March 25. The new wing combines AFRL's Human Effectiveness Directorate with elements transitioning to Wright-Patterson

  • Program takes safety, occupational health to next level

    Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials continue to focus on developing and caring for the safety of Airmen, civilians and their families to build a culture of safety with the Voluntary Protection Program, senior Air Force leaders said here recently. "The Air Force implemented VPP (a

  • Determination, ingenuity prevail for Bagram Airmen

    When Airmen of the 819th RED HORSE Squadron here were faced with a $400,000 challenge in March, they used ingenuity to save the Air Force hundreds of thousands of dollars.A  water-well drilling rig was shipped from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., in September 2007, but a series of incidents prevented

  • SARC helps deployed servicemembers respond to crisis

    Air Force Sexual Assault Response Coordinators will be stressing education and awareness about sexual assault throughout the month of April, which is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.Those deployed, with a three-drink-a-night limit on alcohol and General Order 1 applying to their interactions with

  • AMC commander reinforces need for new tanker

    While many are focused on the formal protest of the recent KC-45A contract award, the needs of the warfighter -- and the nation -- remain unchanged. The Air Force's nearly 50-year-old KC-135 Stratotanker must be replaced with a newer, more capable aircraft as soon as possible. "This is a matter of

  • Little, but strong: Burned Iraqi child overcomes odds

    Editor's Note: The names of the Iraqi mother and son in this article have been changed, at the mother's request, to protect their identities from terrorists who would harm them if it was known that the pair received help from American servicemembers and the U.S. government. A photo of an adorable

  • 'Today's Air Force' features security forces

    This week's edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights security forces and their responsibilities to ensure the safety of weapons, property and people from hostile forces. Deployed security forces Airmen not only spend time enforcing the law, but also mentoring their Southwest Asia counterparts in

  • Top leaders testify on '09 budget

    The Air Force's top two leaders testified before the House and Senate Committee on Appropriations subcommittees on Defense during hearings about the fiscal 2009 budget March 11 and 12. While the main topic of discussion among congressmen and senators remained the KC-45A contract award, Secretary of

  • Instinctive action by Bagram Airman prevents catastrophe

    An Airman's quick action following an explosion of a jet fuel starter Feb. 26 that sent shrapnel across the Bagram Air Base flightline averted a possible explosion of an F-15E Strike Eagle.Staff Sgt. Jonathan Billie was working on the flightline near a fellow Airman prepping an F-15E when the small

  • Fighters respond to Temporary Flight Restriction violation

    Two F-16 Fighting Falcons and a Coast Guard helicopter under the direction of North American Aerospace Defense Command intercepted a small Cessna aircraft flying through the Temporary Flight Restriction zone March 12 over the National Capitol Region. The civilian aircraft entered the TFR from the

  • New York City bomb targets military recruiting station

    A bomb went off outside the U.S. military recruiting station in Times Square March 6, injuring nobody but causing minor structural damage, said Air Force Recruiting Service officials. The bomb went off at approximately 3:45 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, cracking the glass door, bending the door frame,

  • How to build a bomb

    "Some people think you open a box and there is a bomb, ready to be loaded on an aircraft," said Tech. Sgt. Erick Chrostowski, the 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron munitions production supervisor here. "There is more to it than that," he said. The initial steps of the process are identifying,

  • 3 people found dead in Tinker AFB housing unit

    Three people are dead following an apparent homicide/suicide at Tinker Air Force base, Okla., Feb. 25.Tinker AFB security forces and Oklahoma County law enforcement officials responded to a domestic disturbance in the military family housing area at approximately 2:30 p.m. after being advised of a

  • RED HORSE team improves flightline operations

    Airmen assigned to the 1st Expeditionary RED HORSE Group are nearing the completion of installing a barrier arresting kit on the flightline at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. "The BAK 12 is an emergency stopping system for tail-hook equipped aircraft when they have in-flight emergencies and they don't

  • Course provides pinpoint space education for leaders

    Until recently, many senior military and civilian leaders in the Department of Defense faced a dilemma regarding their understanding of space. There were no classes available to teach them the basics quickly and effectively. "We saw the need and designed the Space Operations Executive-level Course,"

  • AFOSI officials seek special agent candidates

    The Air Force Office of Special Investigations is seeking exceptional non-commissioned officers for duty as enlisted special agents. The AFOSI mission is to identify, exploit and neutralize criminal, terrorist and intelligence threats to the Air Force, Department of Defense and U.S. Government. With

  • Air Force team aids Afghan police with UXO disposal

    Airmen from the explosive ordnance disposal, 755th Air Expeditionary Group, assisted Kohistan II district Afghanistan National Police with unexploded ordnance disposal Feb. 2. "The police chief requested our assistance with removing the UXOs during our last visit," said Tech. Sgt. Francis Warren,

  • Service still seeking special compensation claimants

    The approval rate of claims for Combat-Related Special Compensation is currently running 66 percent, but one-third of the eligible retirees still have not applied for the program. Air Force Personnel Center officials expected an increase in claims when the benefit was expanded to include all combat

  • New earned income credit rules lucrative for some Airmen

    Filing his family's taxes each year online, Master Sgt. Ron Przysucha says he normally receives about $3,000 in tax returns. This year however, he was taken by surprise when the same Web site he traditionally uses calculated his return at nearly $8,000. "I immediately thought it was a mistake and I

  • Airmen mentor Afghan National Police

    Airmen assigned to the Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team conducted a training class Jan. 25 for Kohistan II district Afghanistan National Police in the Parwan and Kapisa Provinces. "Working with ANP in the different districts is more than part of our mission; it is a great opportunity for all

  • PIT crew brings realism to Pacific Lifeline exercise

    Airmen from the 446th Aerospace Medicine Squadron and 446th Aeromedical Staging Squadron aren't being graded on the test, but their work impacts those involved with the Pacific Lifeline exercise. Known as the PIT crew, 16 reservists from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., will add realism to the

  • Military working dog teams fine-tune relationships

    It's a simple, age-old act of classical conditioning, the dog finds what the master desires and the dog is rewarded. In the case of Tommy, a three-year-old Belgian Malinoise assigned to Joint Task Force-Bravo Joint Security Forces here, the softball-sized round rubber toy is about all the reward he

  • McChord Airmen provide lifeline in Pacific

    More than 140 Airmen from 446th Airlift Wing here are participating in the Pacific Lifeline exercise Jan. 26 through Feb. 9 in Hawaii. Pacific Lifeline is a total-force exercise designed to exercise the military's ability to rapidly arrive and leave a trained, equipped team anywhere in the Pacific

  • Troops to receive retroactive pay next month

    Active duty troops will receive retroactive earnings next month, followed weeks later by a supplemental payday for non-active personnel, a Pentagon official said today. The National Defense Authorization Act signed into law Jan. 28 by President Bush stipulates a 3.5 percent military pay raise. This

  • Arizona Air Guard to watch over Super Bowl

    Pilots assigned to the 162nd Fighter Wing's Alert Detachment at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., will fly air patrols and air defense deterrence missions in support of the Super Bowl XLII Feb. 3 in Glendale, Ariz. Arizona's Air Guardsmen are teaming up with the North American Aerospace Defense

  • Air Force band kicks off tour in Djibouti

    The nine-piece U.S. Central Command Air Forces Band Live Round kicked off their tour in Africa with a one-hour show for American servicemembers and local law enforcers Jan. 22 at Djibouti's national police academy. The ensemble performed before about 100 members of the nation's police force and

  • Military absentee voting 'primary' concern for officials

    For Federal Voting Assistance Program officials, getting deployed troops and their families engaged in the current election season is a primary goal. Ahead of the November general election, officials with the FVAP, which fosters voting participation by uniformed and U.S. citizens abroad, are

  • Officials search for POW/MIAs on Wake Island

    A team of anthropologists sent by Joint Prisoner of War Missing in Action Accounting Command officials began to dig on Wake Island to determine if they have found World War II prisoners of war. When a contractor doing asbestos abatement work on the island discovered what appeared to be human

  • $92 million facility slated for trauma research

    The groundbreaking of a $92 million research center Jan. 11 marked the first Base Realignment and Closure construction project at Fort Sam Houston directed by the 2005 BRAC legislation. Once completed, the 150,000-square-foot Joint Center of Excellence for Battlefield Health and Trauma Research will

  • Civilian personnel system offers workers opportunities, officials say

    In its second year of implementation, the Defense Department's new civilian personnel system is meeting its goal of shifting the department to a performance-based pay system while giving employees the power to boost their own careers, two officials with the program said here Jan. 7. The National

  • Certain officer, enlisted bonuses expired Dec. 31

    Certain bonus programs for Reserve and active duty officer and enlisted personnel expired Dec. 31 due to the president not signing the fiscal 2008 National Defense Authorization Act and returning it to Congress for changes. All reenlistments for eligible Airmen in Air Force Specialty Codes with a

  • Pacific area legal teams train to deploy

    Two dozen experts in military law deployed to this desolate training area on the island of Hawaii Dec. 9 to spend a week sharpening their skills in preparation for upcoming deployments. The Pacific Air Forces-sponsored Pacific Joint Operations Legal Exercise, or PACJOLE, is an annual localized