Med Evac flies first non-stop from Afghanistan to Germany

The first non-stop medical evacuation flight from Bagram Air Base to Landstuhl, Germany, lifted off March 21. The lengthy three- to five-day route from Bagram AB through Kuwait to Landstuhl has been reduced to an approximate 10-hour direct flight to provide faster service to wounded servicemembers

Falcons reach NIT final four in NYC

Air Force handily won its first two games in the National Invitation Tournament, but had to survive a nail biter to advance to the semifinals. Jacob Burtschi's lay up with 7.7 seconds left was the game winner as the Falcons held on for a dramatic 52-51 win over DePaul March 21, in front of an

Track & Field: Korte named MWC athlete of the week

Air Force senior thrower Olivia Korte is the Mountain West Conference Women's Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week, the league office announced March 21.  It is the second such honor for Korte, who joins New Mexico's Anthony Fairbanks, who earned the men's weekly honor. Korte is the top

Wrestling: Crozier, Devlin named to WWC all-conference team

The Western Wrestling Conference announced March 21 its inaugural All-Conference teams for the 2006-07 season. U.S. Air Force Academy cadets selected to the conference's third-team with their finish at the 2007 NCAA West Regional March 3 were Stephen Crozier, a sophomore from Monona, Iowa, and Jacob

Airborne Laser fires tracking laser, hits target

The YAL-1A Airborne Laser, a modified Boeing 747-400F, successfully test fired its target illuminator laser March 15 during a five-hour test flight. The mission and test firing represented the Airborne Laser's first in-flight external laser firing, and used the NC-135E "Big Crow" test aircraft to

C-17 missions play vital role in war on terrorism

Sitting on the tarmac here, the "Spirit of Go for Broke," a C-17 Globemaster III from Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, looks like any other of its kind.Large, grey, boxy, with expansive wings ending in a curved wingtip, this C-17 is one of eight aircraft jointly maintained and operated by both active

Afghan generals visit Air Force training squadron

Several key leaders from the Afghan National Army toured here March 16 in order to gain a stronger understanding of key communication areas to help their training programs in Afghanistan. Afghan National Army Maj. Gen. Mehrab Ali, Brig. Gen. Baba Mirza and Col. Said Farooq Yosuf Zai came to Keesler

Air Force fosters "warrior ethos" in all Airmen

Whether it's the recent changes to basic military training, continual preparation for deployments, engaging in combat or new and better uniforms, Air Force leaders are instilling a warrior mindset in Airmen. That warrior ethos -- the foundation of what it means to be an Airman -- traces its roots to

New GPS-guided airdrops aid aircrew accuracy

Mobility aircrews now have a new tool which uses Global Positioning System, or GPS, to help them deliver cargo more accurately and safely in deployed theaters of operation. The Joint Precision Airdrop System, or JPADS, allows airdrops to be conducted from higher altitudes with improved accuracy,

Football: Air Force Academy's 2007 schedule released

The 2007 Air Force Academy football schedule, released March 21 by the Mountain West Conference, features 12 consecutive weeks of play and 11 televised games. Five of the games are nationally televised while six others are regional. The Falcons also will play two Thursday night games, one at home,

Hill AFB welcomes deployed Airman at Warrior Welcome

Members of the 75th Logistics Readiness Squadron, friends and family rallied around more than 50 Airmen who recently redeployed from various locations during a Warrior Welcome gathering here March 15. Those at the Warrior Welcome party acknowledged recently returned members from deployment, those

AFSO 21 officials offer 'Views You Can Use'

The Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century office created a new product to keep Airmen informed about AFSO 21. The new "Views You Can Use" is a monthly informational product AFSO 21 officials hope will spotlight useful AFSO21 concepts and successes stories. "Our job as America's Airmen is

Former CMSAF Murray joining retiree council

A new face will share the head of the Air Force Retiree Council table at its annual meeting May 14 to 18. Retired Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray, who left active duty in October, succeeds CMSAF Frederick J. Finch as council co-chair with Lt. Gen. Donald L. Peterson. The

New Horizons provides aid, strengthens bonds

CSAF's Scope highlights AOR trip

The CSAF's Scope focuses on current topics the general feels are of special importance to today's Airmen. Among Gen. T. Michael Moseley's top issues was his February trip to the Central Command area of responsibility. "All around the world our Airmen are engaged across the spectrum of conflict, from

Air Force NCO enjoys noteworthy exchange

During a 10-day NCO cultural exchange program with the Japanese Air Self Defense Force that ended March 20, one Air Force NCO had a chance to meet some unexpected "brass." While most of the NCOs found their counterpart's jobs were quite similar to their own, there was one noteworthy exception --

Country artist Robison eager to entertain in Iraq, Kuwait

The air crackles with anticipation, as he makes his first move.G,C,C,G,C,C,D,G. The letters are the opening chords of country music artist Charlie Robison's song, "My Hometown," one of the songs he will perform during an Armed Forces Entertainment tour March 18 to 27 to Kuwait and Iraq. He feels the

Falcon forwards march over Georgia in NIT

Jacob Burtschi and Dan Nwaelele are determined to graduate as winners. The Air Force senior forwards combined for 40 points and 16 rebounds to power the Falcons to an 83-52 rout of visiting Georgia in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament, in front of a near-capacity crowd of 5,698

Development teams guide Reserve Airmen's careers

The Air Force Reserve Command is working on a new program designed to maximize the potential of its Airmen as they chart their future careers. It encourages them to forward their desires up the chain of command, and will prepare future air and space leaders to seize the opportunities afforded them

Laughlin begins services, mission support merger

In ongoing efforts to become a more responsive and efficient organization, the Air Force's services and mission support squadrons have begun merging, and the organization is using Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, as the first of six test bases as it rolls out the consolidation. The merger of the

Air power purchasing process continues to improve

Air Combat Command's award-winning acceptance team in Marietta, Ga., is setting the precedent on how the Air Force accepts airplanes. Working alongside the manufacturer, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, during production of the F-22A Raptor, ACC's Raptor Acceptance Team is a geographically

Air Force officials implement energy initiatives program

Two installations are going to serve as test bases for the Air Force's new energy initiatives pilot test program. Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and McGuire AFB, N.J., were chosen due to their geographic locations and their operational and facility characteristics. Officials will be looking at

Skeletal remains discovered during dig at Mildenhall

As the archeological team from Suffolk County Council was in the middle of a routine dig in the RAF Mildenhall officers' housing area in Beck Row March 12, they knew they'd stumbled across an interesting find when a shovel hit something solid. That  "something solid" turned out to be the skull of a

Lacrosse: Air Force falls to No. 11 Bucknell

Giving up a 5-0 lead in the opening half, the Air Force lacrosse team was unable to get past 11th-ranked Bucknell, dropping the 8-3 contest March 17 afternoon at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. The Falcons fall to 1-4 on the season with the loss, while the Bison improve to 6-1 overall. Shutting

Oldest GPS satellite being prepared for disposal

The oldest operational satellite in the GPS constellation has broadcast its signal for more than 16 years, during which time that signal's mission applications -- and the people who make sure the signal is available -- have changed dramatically. When Satellite Vehicle Number 15 launched Oct. 1,

Balad air traffic controllers maintain safer skies for Iraq

With 5,000 air operations per week within a five-nautical-mile radius from surface level to 3,000 feet, the airfield here is the busiest in the Department of Defense. In fact, the runways at Balad Air Base are part of the world's busiest combat operation. At this pace, the 22 Airmen assigned as air

Hockey: Falcons advance past Sacred Heart, 5-4

Josh Print's goal at 8:04 of overtime lifted fourth-seeded Air Force to a 5-4 win over top-seeded Sacred Heart in the Atlantic Hockey Association semifinal game here at Blue Cross Arena. With the win, Air Force advances to the league championship game 7 p.m. March 17 against the winner of the

Academy cadet triumphs over personal tragedies

As part of a church group, Cadet 2nd Class Erik Mirandette felt a need to help other people. His journey would take him more than two years and 9,000 miles across the African continent -- a journey that would cost him more than time and distance. "It was a sense of restlessness that I wanted to make

Airmen train to help Iraqi air force rebuild

Air Force instructors at the Army's Camp Bullis are training Iraq-centric and basic warfighting skills to students from a host of different career fields. The focus of this training is to teach students a unique blend of training techniques so they can help the Iraqi air force rebuild their

Additional charges filed against cadet

Academy officials have filed additional charges against a cadet. Cadet 2nd Class Christopher Wolff, a junior, was charged March 14 with two more violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The new charges are two specifications of violating Article 92 of the UCMJ, failure to obey an order or

New program lets Air Force members speak their minds

A group of Airmen and Air Force civilians are being invited to become the Air Force's Internal Communication Assessment Group, called the ICAG. Internal communication refers to how the Air Force delivers information to Airmen and Air Force civilians. Senior Air Force leaders want to know Airmen's

Anthrax program becomes mandatory for some Airmen

 The Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program, or AVIP, mandates Airmen assigned to high-threat areas receive the Anthrax vaccine, while also providing Airmen the choice to continue anthrax vaccines if they are not assigned to a designated high-threat area. Headquarters Air Force sent out an

Five Ramstein Airmen earn Army combat badge

Five Airmen from the 435th Vehicle Readiness Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany received Army Combat Action Badges, for their deployment to Iraq last year in support of the Army. During their time in Iraq all five Airmen were actively engaged in combat. The vehicle operators were deployed to

Letter to Airmen focuses on education, training

In the latest Letter to Airmen, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne recognizes the importance of the training every Airman receives, and credits these knowledge-enabled Airmen with exploring new technologies to get the job done.The secretary said that the training, skill and knowledge of a

Hockey: Academy Cadet a finalist for Hobey Baker Award

Air Force junior Eric Ehn has been selected as a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, college hockey's most prestigious individual honor. A center from Dexter, Mich., Ehn has led the nation in scoring 14 of the last 17 weeks. He currently leads the nation with 1.68 points per game with 62

Hockey: Two Falcons earn awards

Air Force junior Eric Ehn and senior Andrew Ramsey were honored at the Atlantic Hockey Association banquet March 15, at the RIT Inn and Conference Center in Rochester, N.Y. Ehn was named the league's player of the year and earned first-team all-conference honors. Ramsey was a second-team all-AHA

Nature of war requires successful airlift

The commander of United States Transportation Command visited Bagram Air Base March 14 to observe and speak about the airlift mission being performed throughout Afghanistan. Airlift is an important part of Operation Enduring Freedom, said the visiting General Norton Schwartz. Making up the airlift

Airmen learn new perspectives from leadership

Air Force leaders invited more than 50 junior and senior NCOs to the nation's capital March 12 to 13 to discuss Air Force triumphs and challenges with senior leaders. Participants ranged from staff sergeants to chief master sergeants in a variety of career fields and from a variety of locations. The

Ramstein's 50-year-old runway gets makeover

After years of construction on Ramstein's flightline, the end is in sight. First the base got a brand new runway, now construction crews are working on the last segment of a year-long make over to Ramstein's old north runway. "About a year ago we started construction," says Capt. David Vanderburg,

AMC, 463rd Airlift Group welcome first C-130J

Gen. Duncan McNabb, Air Mobility Command commander, delivered the 463rd Airlift Group' s first combat-ready C-130J Hercules March 13. The aircraft will be used in combat operations around the world. "This is a big day for Little Rock and it is a big day for Air Mobility Command. I'm really excited

Falcons fly high in NIT debut

The Air Force Academy Falcons didn't let the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament snub on March 11 sidetrack them in their National Invitation Tournament debut three days later. In a statistical rarity, all five Air Force starters -- Matt McCraw, Tim Anderson, Jacob Burtschi, Dan Nwaelele and Nick Welch

New tower cab opens at Ramstein

After two-and-a-half years of planning and construction, Ramstein Air Base's new tower cab is finally open for business.The new cab is vital for mission success, since Ramstein has taken on more air traffic control responsibility with the closing of Rhein-Main Air Base. Among the new improvements to

First MQ-9 Reaper makes its home on Nevada flightline

The MQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle's  younger, yet larger and stronger, brother, the MQ-9 Reaper arrived March 13 at its new home at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. The remotely piloted aircraft completed initial testing in California, then flew more than 250 miles in two hours to land here. The

'In lieu of' Airmen learn Soldier skills at Fort Bragg

Several hundred Airmen from varied skill sets are in the midst of three months of training at Fort Bragg, N.C., in preparation for a future deployment to Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Afghanistan. The training is designed to teach basic Army ground maneuver skills. The Airmen from around the

General discusses options for growing USAFE mission

As the Air Force evolves to meet and defeat future challenges, the Airmen of U.S. Air Forces in Europe are also expanding their mission toward the future. During a visit to Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., Gen. William T. Hobbins discussed expanding operations in Africa and new NATO countries. "The

What's on the Chief's Scope?

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley launched a new Web feature March 14 to tell Airmen what is of special interest to him. Known as "The Chief's Scope," it is designed to briefly highlight current topics General Moseley feels are important to America's Airmen. "The issues on my scope

Virtual Flag exercise hosted at Pentagon

The Air Force's C4ISR Visualization Center at the Pentagon, along with the 705th Combat Training Squadron from Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., hosted a simulation exercise March 7 to help joint tactical air controllers experience the challenges of calling in air strikes to enemy targets

Air Guard crew flies mission to save Soldier's life

They flew at night and into the next day from Iraq nonstop to the United States. Fifteen hours and 10 time zones later, they handed over their precious cargo in Maryland: a Soldier who had been wounded in combat. Then, to the hum of jet engines, they packed their gear and returned to fly similar

Golf: Air Force finishes in tie for 13th

Shooting a 304 in the final round, the Air Force golf team finished tied for 13th place at the USF Triumph, being held at the par-71, 7,077-yard Pauma Valley Country Club. St. Mary's, led by individual medalist Mike McRae, took the team championship, finishing at 853 (+1). The Falcons tallied a

Eielson powers its own mission

Every morning, as Airmen here drive onto base, they are greeted by friendly waves -- waves of billowing steam stretching into the crisp morning sky. This steam is more than just hot air. It is the life's blood of the base, and it comes from the central heat and power plant here. "It is unique," said

Nellis F-16 crashes on approach to test range

An F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 16th Weapons Squadron from the U.S. Air Force Weapons School here crashed March 12 at 8:50 p.m. near the end of the runway while on approach to the Tonopah Test Range Airfield, approximately 20 miles southeast of Tonopah, Nev. The pilot ejected safely and

Data links give Airmen attack controllers 'big picture'

A small group of Airmen are having a dramatic effect on the battlefield. They're in demand from everyone from Army squads and platoons to large defense contractors. Everyone wants a joint terminal attack controller on their team -- and with good reason. They are crucial to putting air force bombs on

'Abort Court' gets to bottom of Moody's mission scrubs

The 723rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron recently began taking broken jets "to court" as a way to discover the root cause of mission-scrubbing system failures. The "abort court" which began in January, examines all lost sorties from the previous month and analyzes their causes by looking at the 'big

'New Horizons' breaks ground for Belize school buildings

The opening ceremony for New Horizons Belize was held here March 8 with a groundbreaking for a new school building for the village. Airmen and Soldiers from both active and National Guard units will build four more new school buildings in different villages during their deployment to Belize. "This

AFIT offers distance learning degree program

The Air Force Institute of Technology recently achieved two milestones that will help the school move forward into the 21st century and serve the Air Force with greater responsiveness. This month, AFIT began offering its first distance learning graduate degree program. AFIT has been using DL

Life-saving turret prototype stems from Airman's death

Less than 80 days after Airman 1st Class Leebernard Chavis was felled by a sniper's bullet near Baghdad, Airmen in Iraq were testing an improved turret that designers hope will offer service members better protection. Airman Chavis, of Hampton, Va., was killed by enemy gunfire Oct. 14 while

Dover Reserve squadron flies final C-5 flight

The 326th Airlift Squadron, a unit in the Air Force Reserve Command's 512th Airlift Wing here, flew its final C-5 Galaxy flight March 10. The squadron converts to the C-17 Globemaster III mission April 1. The base's first C-17 arrives in June and it will receive 12 more of the aircraft over the

Air Force's satellite-loaded Atlas V is 50th launch success

The Air Force marked its 50th consecutive successful launch March 8 with an Atlas V loaded with six experimental satellites. Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif., successfully launched the rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., with the 45th Space Wing spacelift

Course enhances Airmen's self-defense techniques

For security forces Airmen, the use of force is a possibility every day. From firing on a vehicle attempting to crash through a gate to repelling an enemy attack on a forward-deployed base, security forces face the potential of using raw, deadly force as a part of their job. But not every situation

CENTAF leaders visit Airmen deployed to Mehtar Lam

The U.S. Central Command Air Forces commander visited Airmen serving in Afghanistan March 7-10, making stops here, at the Mehtar Lam Provincial Reconstruction Team and Kandahar Airfield. Speaking to Airmen at Mehtar Lam, Lt. Gen. Gary North praised the work the PRTs are doing to improve the lives of

Ramstein prop shop keeps blades turning

The C-130 Hercules plays a role in many of the most versatile missions in the Air Force, such as relief efforts and combat operations. With the high operations tempo in Operation Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, maintenance is key to keep the missions going. The 86th Maintenance Squadron's C-130

Future is bright for Air Force space assets

The Airmen of Air Force Space Command are tracking a lot more than the man-made space junk that orbits the Earth. Space operators are troubleshooting the way they do business. They're focusing on getting their capabilities -- the ones most Americans know little about -- to the forefront of the

Lacrosse: Falcons fall to Yale at First 4

Unable to answer a 6-0 run by the Bulldogs, the Air Force lacrosse team dropped a 12-9 decision to No. 18 Yale March 10 in the opening game of the First 4, held at Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego. The Falcons drop to 1-3 on the season, while the Bulldogs remain undefeated

Air Force kicks off energy forum

Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne, welcomed members of the energy industry to the Air Force Energy Forum at the Crystal Gateway Marriott here March 8. "The interesting thing that we are looking for in the Air Force is to actually change the environment that we operate in so that we can

CMSAF McKinley visits Airmen at Hurlburt Field

Enlisted Airmen here gained the opportunity this week to meet and hear from Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley. During his three-day stay, Chief McKinley immersed himself in the Air Force Special Operations Command mission. "I've been fully impressed since day one with

2 Air Force Mentor-Protégé teams capture DOD awards

Two U.S. Air Force Mentor-Protégé company teams captured Nunn-Perry awards March 7 at the annual Department of Defense Mentor-Protégé Conference here. The awards recognize outstanding efforts by DOD prime contractors, or mentors, and their protégé small businesses. The Air Force mentor-protégé

Gymnastics: Men set season-best team score

Backed by top three finishes from junior Greg Stine of Houston and sophomore Josiah Loeser of Alvin, Texas, the No. 16 Air Force men's gymnastics team set a new season-best team score of 194.850 in a dual meet with No. 14 Illinois-Chicago March 9. UIC won the meet with a score of 203.100, but the

Logistics officials discuss Stratotanker sustainment

"Air Force and Defense Logistics Agency partnership is critical to success." That's the message Michele Rachie, deputy director of the 827th Aircraft Sustainment Group at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., focused on during her visit here March 1. Ms. Rachie met with members of Defense Supply Center

Airmen upgrading 'Giant Voice' systems in England

Airmen from the 1st Communications Maintenance Squadron at Kapaun Air Station, Germany, are installing giant voice systems throughout the United Kingdom. The 'Giant Voice' is a 2,000-watt speaker that alerts people on base of danger, whether from natural disasters or terrorist attacks. "Most people

Curator an example of base's close community tie

With 140 years of military history at her disposal, the museum director has a lot of information to share with visitors at the Warren ICBM/Heritage Museum. Paula Taylor describes herself as a fifth-generation local ranch daughter. She said her family has had a long tradition of working with F.E

New survey aims to streamline information for Airmen

The Secretary of the Air Force Office of Communication at the Pentagon has launched a study to find out how Airmen want to get information about the Air Force. A randomly selected group of Airmen and Air Force civilian employees will soon receive an e-mail invitation from Brig. Gen. Erwin Lessel,

New Bagram hospital offers state-of-art care

In 2006, Army Staff Sgt. Heathe Craig was holding on desperately to a patient as the two were hoisted from a ridgeline by a Blackhawk helicopter. Halfway to the chopper, the line snapped. Sergeant Craig and his patient fell to their deaths. The Craig Joint-Theater Hospital, named for the heroic

Secretary Gates: Care for America's returning wounded warriors

When I was nominated to take this post just over three months ago, I said that the patriots who have volunteered to serve in our armed services have no equal in the world. I made a solemn commitment to the Congress, to the nation, and to you to keep the welfare of men and women in uniform uppermost

Lajes civil engineers fix beacon on air traffic control tower

Members from the 65th Civil Engineer Squadron's electrical shop recently fixed the beacon that rests atop the air traffic control tower at Lajes Field. The beacon is vital for pilots landing at Lajes to recognize that it is a military flight-line and to help guide them safely during inclement

Air Force falls to Wyoming in MWC tournament

The third time was a charm for the Wyoming Cowboys, as they made up for two regular-season losses to Air Force by beating them March 8 in the Mountain West Conference tournament 67-62. The loss dropped the Falcons all-time MWC tournament record to 0-8 and puts their NCAA tournament prospects in

Reserve Airmen contribute to medical mission in Iraq

Air Force Reservists from the 920th Aeromedical Staging Squadron at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., found themselves integral to the success rate of the Air Force Theater Hospital here. Nine Airmen from the 920th ASTS, part of the Reserve's 920th Rescue Wing, are deployed here working for the 332nd

Edwards launches first base-focused video podcast in DOD

More than 16 months after Edwards launched its first audio podcast, the base launched base-focused video podcasts on its public Web site Feb. 28, the first such podcasts in the Department of Defense. Podcasting is an Internet publishing technology that allows users to subscribe to an automatic feed

Warfare center is now U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center

The Air Mobility Warfare Center flag was rolled up and a new flag bearing the name "United States Air Force Expeditionary Center" was unfurled March 5 during a re-designation ceremony here. "If you want to know why you've become the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, it's because you earned it,"

Air Force cadets conduct research for NASA

A group of small Pitot tubes, shaped like a hand rake, sit inside one end of a wind tunnel. A miniature space capsule is attached on the other end. It looks similar to what Apollo era astronauts used, but this model plays an important role in the future of human space flight. The Crew Exploration

Air Force officer reduction board to convene in June

The Air Force will convene an officer reduction in force board June 11 here at the Air Force Personnel Center. All eligible officers should have received an Officer Pre-selection Brief around Feb. 15. Officers are responsible for reviewing their records for accuracy and ensuring information their

Medics learn combat environment skills

Even the setting is realistic. Men and women dressed in field and camouflage uniforms, military vehicles and helicopters in evidence everywhere, officers and Airmen hunched over topographical maps and the usual good-natured complaints about the C-rations forming a buzz of background

Eielson Airmen get aggressive about training

Maj. Robert Kelly is getting ready to try and shoot down Air Force aircraft. But, the weapons officer from the 353rd Combat Training Squadron is not an enemy. He is becoming what is known as a Red Flag aggressor pilot, an invaluable training asset for any Red Flag exercise. "As far as becoming an

Two former top Air Force chiefs visit Keesler Airmen

Two retired chief master sergeants of the Air Force addressed a capacity crowd March 2 as guest speakers at the 81st Training Wing's annual awards banquet. The first Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Paul Airey, and eighth, Sam Parish, took the opportunity earlier in the day to tour several

Operation Deep Freeze ends record-setting season

Ski-equipped LC-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster IIIs redeployed from Christchurch, New Zealand, wrapped up the 2006-2007 season of Operation Deep Freeze in late February. This unique joint and total force mission has supported the National Science Foundation and U.S. Antarctic Program since 1955

Expeditionary wing supports war efforts in many ways

The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing directly supports the war on terrorism on many different levels. Combat sorties are flown daily, and multitudes of U.S. servicemembers and coalition partners, equipment and supplies are transported in and out of theater. Other missions are not quite as visible. Many

Basketball: Air Force knocks off Colorado State

Hitting the game-winning layup with 0.7 seconds left on the clock, junior Alecia Steele helped lead the Air Force women's basketball team to a 47-46 victory over Colorado State in the first game of the Mountain West Conference Championships, March 6 at the Thomas & Mack Center. With the win, the

Services gather, communicate ballistic missile defense

Service members and civilians from across the Pacific met at Hickam late February for a conference to discuss ballistic missile defense for the PACOM Area of Responsibility. Lt. Gen. Chip Utterback, 13th Air Force commander, said the conference, "allowed us to bring our experts in Ballistic Missile

Air Force program reconnects Airmen to heritage

Air Force History Office officials are launching a new program to help unite Airmen, past and present, commemorate and preserve their shared heritage. During this year, in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of the Air Force, history office staff members are reaching out to those involved in

Motivational program ending at Ramstein

After three years of helping Airmen get back on track, the Ramstein Area Motivational Program, or RAMP, correctional custody facility is closing its doors. More than 200 Airmen have come through the program, with a huge majority of them successfully completing the training. RAMP opened its doors

Better intel boosts Air Force munitions drops, sorties flown

In 2006, the Air Force dropped more than 1,700 munitions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. A year earlier, the Air Force dropped only 176 munitions as part of that same operation. The increase is due to better intelligence, said Lt. Gen. Gary L. North, the U.S. Central Command Air Forces

Heritage Conference mixes old with new

F-35 production a step closer after wind tunnel test

Arnold Engineering Development Center workers completed the last developmental wind tunnel test in February for all Joint Strike Fighter variants, helping put the F-35 Lightning II a step closer to manufacturing. It was the culmination of more than 8,600 hours and $50 million worth of wind tunnel

Airmen receive cutting-edge satellite training

As a satellite systems crew chief, Staff Sgt. Lori Browning has a job that is out of this world. She is currently receiving training on the Space Based Infrared Systems, or SBIRS, that is scheduled to become operational sometime next year. Sergeant Browning is part of the first class that is being

Spangdahlem, Incirlik Airmen unite in training

The cooperation between Airmen from Incirlik AB and Spangdahlem AB, Germany, has improved the development of the 39th Maintenance Squadron ammunition members through high-fidelity training opportunities. As aircrews from two F-16 Fighting Falcon squadrons from Spangdahlem AB train in a different

General encourages AFSO 21 mind-set for PACAF successes

The Pacific Air Forces director of logistics outlined changes in the Air Force and what those changes mean to the logistics community within the command during a recent visit to Kadena. "In regards to our mission in the Pacific, our number one challenge is maintaining regional stability out here in

Security forces Airmen protect Iraq's airpower hub

Although it is distinctly a guard mount formation with defenders intently listening to the towering flight chief, one may liken the experience to a press conference. Notes from the previous shift's reported activities and expected trends for the new shift are jotted onto worn, hand-fitted

Manas Airmen train with Kyrgyz firefighters

Airmen of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing fire department here have worked and trained side-by-side with Manas International Airport firefighters for five years. With each new Air Expeditionary Force rotation, a new crew of Airmen arrives and trains with the Kyrgyz firefighters of the MIA to stay

New ammo improves pilot safety, reduces collateral damage

Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots at the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing here are employing a new 20mm cannon round in their M61/A1 Gatling guns for the first time, improving pilot safety while reducing collateral damage.Airmen first validated the rounds at a firing range and then employed them in

Lacrosse: Air Force falls to UMBC 13-7

In the first game of the Pioneer Face-off Classic here, the Air Force lacrosse team fell to 20th-ranked University of Maryland at Baltimore County 13-7. With the loss, the Falcons fall to 1-1 on the season, while UMBC improves to 2-0 on the year. The Retrievers rolled out to a 4-0 lead before senior

Air Force serves as host for energy industry forum

Energy policy, aviation platforms and future fuel utilization are just a few of the topics that will be presented at the Air Force's Energy Industry Forum March 8 to 9 in Arlington, Va. The forum will have various plenary and concurrent sessions that will look at the full spectrum of the Air Force's