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U.S. Air Force News

  • Hurricane Hunters tracking Gustav on Katrina anniversary

    Hurricane Hunters from the Air Force Reserve's 403rd Wing here spent the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina flying into yet another tempest, Hurricane Gustav, which made landfall just west of Grand island, La., Sept 1. Three years ago, the Hurricane Hunters evacuated aircraft and personnel from

  • McChord aircrew delivers response team, supplies to New Orleans

    A C-17 Globemaster III from the 62nd Airlift Wing, McChord Air Force Base, Wash., provided rapid deployment of a four-man contingency response team and 15,500 pounds of cargo from the 615th Contingency Response Wing at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., to the Louis Armstrong International Airport in

  • Mississippi Guard unit helps with Hurricane Gustav preparations

    When Jamie Jobe heard the knock on her door, she thought nothing of it. Having lived in Gulfport, Miss. most of her life, she was used to her neighbors coming over for a chat or the occasional youngster asking if her lawn needed mowing. This time it was neither. Instead, two soldiers in uniform told

  • McChord aircrew deploys for hurricane response efforts

    Airmen here put the words "Any time, any place" into action in the early hours Aug. 30 as a C-17 Globemaster III headed to Travis Air Force Base, Calif., for Hurricane Gustav preparation efforts. Without knowing what or who they were picking up, Airmen from the 10th Airlift Squadron headed to

  • Hurricane relief efforts underway

    An Air National Guard C-130 Hercules flew in to San Antonio Aug. 30 carrying 23 evacuees from Beaumont, Texas. The aircrew was from the 181st Airlift Squadron at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. The members on the aircraft were activated for evacuation relief efforts due

  • New Horizons leaves behind quality-of-life projects, goodwill with Peruvians

    After three months of construction, medical missions and bonding with the people of Peru, U.S. servicemembers here completed their mission of providing humanitarian aid to the people there. Since June 1, a rotating task force of 950 active duty, reservists and Guardsmen from the Air Force, Marines,

  • Aircrews take wounded warriors home

    Almost three years have passed since aircrews in the 440th Airlift Wing here started flying special missions known as Integrated CONUS Medical Operations Plan missions. These ICMOP missions are designed to get injured servicemembers home as quickly as possible after arriving in the United States

  • Technologist a four-time Scientific Research of the Year Award winner

    Mr. David McGlasson, a medical technologist in the 59th Clinical Research Division at Wilford Hall Medical Center here, was notified Aug. 7 he won the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science peer-reviewed poster contest for his poster "Comparison of a Chromgenic Factor X Assay to the

  • Advanced engine, hearing protection on display at museum

    The first aircraft to fly by pulsed-detonation engine power, along with associated hearing protection technology -- both developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory here -- became additions to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force during an Aug. 25 ceremony at the museum annex here. Members

  • Airmen continue to bring relief supplies to Georgia

    Airmen from bases throughout Air Mobility Command and the Air Force have been delivering needed supplies since Aug. 13 to individuals displaced by recent fighting in the Republic of Georgia. Since the start of the Russia-Republic of Georgia conflict Aug. 8, Airmen have delivered more than 428 tons

  • Airman plays a traditional tune

    Airmen gathered around the base flag pole just before 7 a.m. line up in formation and wait to hear the command, "Sound Reveille!" Those two words are Airman 1st Class Caitlin Davies' cue to begin playing her solo. Airman Davies, a 407th Expeditionary Communications Squadron Operations Flight network

  • Eielson Airmen turn child into pilot for a day

    Eielson Air Force Base Airmen made a 15-year-old's dream come true as base members turned the boy into a pilot for a day Aug. 22 here. Alex Lee was born with congenital heart defects and Down syndrome and wasn't expected to live as long as he has, but Alex was full of life and excitement as he

  • Medical association honors Wilford Hall doctor

    Dr. Harvey Schwertner, a medical technologist in the 59th Clinical Research Division at Wilford Hall Medical Center here, was notified on Aug. 8 that his research poster "Association between Plasma Lipid and Lipoprotein Concentrations and Plasma Cortisol and Estradial Concentrations During Pregnancy

  • CMSAF highlights warrior Airmen, Air Force focus areas

    Airmen are fighting today's fight on fronts around the world for a more secure America and peace for future generations, the chief master sergeant of the Air Force told attendees at the Air Force Sergeant's Association Professional Airmen's Conference Aug. 26 in San Antonio. The No. 1 enlisted

  • F-15 accident report released

    Pilot error caused the Feb. 20 crash of two Eglin-based F-15C Eagles off the coast of Florida, according to an Air Combat Command accident investigation board report released Aug. 28. One pilot , 1st Lt. Ali Jivanjee, was killed in the mishap. The other pilot, Capt. Tucker Hamilton, ejected from his

  • Charleston Airmen deploy to support war on terrorism

    More than 130 Charleston Air Force Base Airmen deployed from here Aug. 27 to a forward-deployed location in Southwest Asia to support operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Members of the 15th Airlift Squadron, 437th Operations Support Squadron and 437th Maintenance Group will fly and manage

  • Keesler's first energy, environmental-friendly home certified

    Keesler Air Force Base officials received their first certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design home Aug. 28 here. This new green two-unit home at 244 and 246 Fairchild Dr., Biloxi, Miss., the first of more than 700 to be built at Keesler AFB, incorporates smart design, technology,

  • Senior leaders meet to discuss, decide way ahead for force

    Senior Air Force leaders gathered for a strategic summit Aug. 27 at Bolling Air Force Base to discuss the way ahead for the Air Force as a part of the August emphasis on strategic planning. "The summit allows us to identify issues that need senior leader review and decide on matters affecting the

  • Academy NCO found guilty, sentenced in court-martial

    An NCO assigned to the U.S. Air Force Academy was found guilty by a military judge of two violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice during a special court-martial Aug. 26 here. The violations for Staff Sgt. Angeline Bakkila, who is not a cadet and assigned to the 10th Aerospace Medicine

  • Technical review improves Minuteman III nozzle builds

    A team of scientists and engineers at the Air Force Research Laboratory Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, in collaboration with Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill AFB, Utah, and industry, have resolved a challenging technical issue confronting the nation's land-based Minuteman III

  • Small group takes small packages, makes huge impact

    When servicemen find themselves in harm's way they reach for a small item with a huge impact -- the individual first aid kit. A process here ensures they can depend on what's inside. Two Airmen from the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron and three from the 379th Expeditionary Medical

  • Airmen employ laser joint direct attack munition in Iraq

    Airmen employed a guided bomb unit-54 laser joint directed attack munition Aug. 12 against a moving enemy vehicle in the Diyala province to support a combined Iraqi army and U.S. Marine operation. The GBU-54 is the Air Force's newest 500-pound precision weapon, equipped with a special targeting

  • 36th OSS weathermen look beyond the clouds

    When ominous clouds form overhead, it's a safe bet that the forecasters of the 36th Operations Support Squadron's weather flight here have the inside scoop on sky-high happenings. A group of 10 Andersen Airmen are responsible for taking hourly weather observations which are used to inform the local

  • 'Today's Air Force' features joint operations

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights Afghan and joint operations. Included is a segment on the C-130 Hercules which has played an essential role in global operations.  Also, observe how Airmen are teaching Soldiers about airfield management. This process will provide the necessary

  • AFPC commander visits deployed air bases

    The commander of the Air Force Personnel Center  visited Airmen and Soldiers here Aug. 25 during a tour to examine some of the personnel issues facing personnelists and servicemembers in the deployed environment. Maj. Gen. K.C. McClain is responsible for ensuring the personnel life cycle of military

  • Airmen enhance Army medical evacuation mission

    Airmen of the 305th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron here have flown more than 300 medical evacuations for coalition forces and Afghan nationals since March as they carry out their mission of saving lives.Members of the 305th ERQS and their HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters are deployed to Kandahar Air Base

  • Ramstein members deliver aid to Georgia

    Ramstein Air Base C-130 Hercules aircrews continue to fly to Tbilisi International Airport in Georgia to deliver crucial humanitarian supplies Aug. 26. Department of Defense officials were asked to support the mission with a joint U.S. military operation that launched with the delivery of pallets of

  • Reservists oversee Dover C-5 modernization program

    Bought a C-5 lately? Chief Master Sgt. Donald Cunningham has. He technically hasn't purchased anything but "buying" C-5s is part of the 512th Acceptance Check Flight superintendant's job. It's the term the 512th ACF uses for the C-5 Galaxys they've inspected and accepted back into the Air Force

  • Student set for medical college with Air Force scholarship

    As most 18-year-old students in the U.S. brush up on their grammar skills for college English 101 in the fall, Maria Kravchenko reviews advanced chemistry for medical school with help from the Air Force Medical Corps Health Professions Scholarship Program. Following graduation from the University of

  • Wright-Patterson unit wins Defense secretary logistics award

    Defense Department officials here announced Aug. 6 the 478th Aeronautical Systems Wing was named the winner of the Secretary of Defense System Level Performance-Based Logistics Award. The wing staff directs all acquisition and sustainment activities for the F-22 Raptor and is part of the

  • General, spouse recognized for AF contributions

     A former Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, wing commander and his wife recently received the 2008 General and Mrs. Jerome O'Malley award. Brig. Gen. Darrell D. Jones and Mrs. Holly Jones were recognized for their contributions to the nation, the Air Force and the local community as a

  • Task force visits Kunsan to study how Airmen use their time

    An Airmen's Time Task Force visited Kunsan Air Base Aug. 20 and 10 Air Force bases across several different major commands and continents to study how much time Airmen spend away from their primary duties. Made up of members from the Air Staff, the Air Force Personnel Center and the Air Force

  • Officials stand up HUMINT detachment

    Air Force officials re-established human intelligence Aug. 14 as a core intelligence discipline to focus on critical Air Force HUMINT requirements. It was marked by the formal establishment of a HUMINT detachment, collocated with the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency's

  • Airmen receive Sijan leadership award

    The Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Duncan J. McNabb presented the Lance P. Sijan Air Force Leadership Award to four Airmen during a ceremony Aug. 20 at the Pentagon. The award, named after the first U.S. Air Force Academy graduate to receive the Medal of Honor, recognizes Airmen who

  • NATO AWACS conducts Strike Eagle dogfights

    A NATO E-3A Sentinel and its crew arrived here Aug. 8 to conduct training missions with 4th Fighter Wing aircrews. The Sentinel, which is an Airborne Early Warning and Control System aircraft from Geilenkirchen, Germany, will conduct mock dogfights between the wing's fighter aircraft. Using its

  • F-15 tests alternative jet engine fuel

    An aviation first was accomplished when an F-15E Strike Eagle flew here Aug. 19 using an alternative fuel. Engineers from the 830th Aircraft Sustainment Group, maintainers with the 561st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and pilots from the 339th Flight Test Squadron joined with the Air Force

  • Reaper drops bomb on anti-Iraqi forces

    An MQ-9 Reaper dropped a 500-pound bomb against an anti-Iraqi target Aug. 16 in one of the first weapons engagements for the unmanned aircraft system.The Reaper began flying combat sorties in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom July 18 and joined the MQ-1 Predator as another UAS patrolling the sky to

  • Village resident receives volunteer award

    When people make it to 81 years, they may be tempted to take it easy. But for one resident of the Air Force Enlisted Village here, kicking back is the last thing she wants. Instead, Dian Haynes has made volunteerism her call to duty, and she recently was recognized by the Florida Association of

  • Airmen gather for professional development conferences

    Airmen from around the globe will assemble in San Antonio for the Air Force Sergeants Association Professional Airmen's Conference Aug. 23 to 27. "This conference is a tremendous opportunity for those serving in and supporting our Air Force to meet and share their knowledge and ideas," said Chief

  • University course teaches principles of information operations

    In the midst of the Korean War in the 1950s an American fighter pilot came up with a revolutionary concept that changed tactical, operational and strategic war planning. Based on his tactical dogfighting experience with North Korean MiGs, Col. John Boyd coined the term - OODA (observe, orient,

  • Academy awarded $285,000 for wave energy research

    The next source of alternative energy could come from ocean waves, and Air Force Academy professors have been granted funding to dive into this research. The National Science Foundation has awarded the Academy's Aeronautics Department $285,619 to support a cyclodial propeller wave energy converter

  • Teamwork among depots keeps T-38s flying

    Workers from the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center's 76th Maintenance Wing here combined with Air Force Materiel Command's other two depots in a round-the-clock push to make hundreds of levers, helping Air Force officials keep the T-38 Talon training jet flying. The effort came on the heels of an

  • Eielson NCO bugs mosquitos

    Summer in Alaska may be the best time of the year with virtually continuous daylight and warm weather. However, with nice weather comes a small blood-sucking menace: the mosquito. In Alaska there are 35 different species of mosquitoes and all but a few will feed on people. They breed near stagnant

  • Formal training sustains AF readiness, aids Airmen

    Formal training managers at the Air Force Personnel Center here are committed to ensuring Airmen are provided adequate time to prepare for their formal training classes, and that every Airman who needs to attend has the opportunity. Empty seats due to 'no shows' have an impact on the entire Air

  • Expeditionary Center students save a life

    Two Air Force Expeditionary Center's Contingency Response Mission Orientation Course students attending class here saved a man from drowning on their off-duty time July 30 in Bordentown, N.J.Staff Sgt. Milton Cobo and Senior Airman Nestor Rivas went to the do some studying with their classmates and

  • Security forces Airman at Academy scheduled for Article 32

    An Article 32 hearing for an enlisted Airman assigned to the 10th Security Forces Squadron convenes Aug. 21 at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Airman 1st Class David Christie, who is not an Academy cadet, has been charged with violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice by deserting with intent to

  • Yokota Airmen participate in Japanese festival

    Members from Yokota Air Base, Japan, participated in the Fussa City Tanabata Festival Aug. 8 here. Airmen and U.S. citizens from Yokota AB had the opportunity to carry a Mikoshi, a type of portable shrine, from Shinmeisya Shrine to Fussa's City Hall. It is believed that carrying the shrine brings

  • Predator passes 400,000 flight hours

    The MQ-1 Predator unmanned aircraft system surpassed 400,000 flight hours during a mission in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Aug. 18. Members of the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron, part of the 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., flew the milestone mission in

  • New recruits enlist during Chicago Air and Water Show

    Following fast passes and vertical climbs by an F-22 demonstration, 60 young men and women were sworn in to the United States Air Force Aug. 16 during the 50th Annual Chicago Air and Water Show held Aug. 15 -17. Maj. Gen. Anthony F. Przybyslawski, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command vice

  • Acting secretary addresses VFW

    Acting Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley spoke before an audience of Veterans of Foreign Wars members Aug. 18 at their national convention here. He gave a snapshot of today's Air Force and its contributions to the war on terrorism. "Our veterans have answered their country's call to duty,

  • Chief McKinley talks about Air Force focus areas

    "Hold your heads up high," said Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley during his enlisted call in the Louis F. Garland Department of Defense Fire Academy high bay here Aug. 13. The chief opened his talk by telling Airmen that despite the bumps and bruises the Air Force has taken

  • Air Guard Predator pilots increase combat air patrols

    Although they are some of the busiest pilots in the U.S. military, Air National Guard pilots who are now flying unmanned aircraft from the ground said they still climb into the cockpit and get some flight time whenever they can. Lt. Col. Rick Gibney, operations group commander and MQ-1 Predator

  • Future Predator/Reaper formal training unit announced

    Gen. John D.W. Corley, Air Combat Command commander, with concurrence from the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, announced today that Holloman AFB, N.M., is the preferred potential location for an additional unmanned aircraft system formal Training unit. This is the first step in a series of actions

  • Officials work to reduce air violations over conventions

    The Continental U.S. NORAD Region is partnering with the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Aviation Administration to help reduce airspace violations near Denver and Minneapolis/St. Paul during the 2008 Democratic and Republican National Conventions. Public and private airports, known as

  • Program gives vets advantage in owning a business

    Military veterans interested in being owner-operator truck drivers now can achieve that goal quicker and less expensively, thanks to an agreement between the Department of Veterans Affairs and Schneider National, Inc. Officials from the VA and Schneider signed a memorandum of understanding July 1,

  • Iraqi soldiers taught 'strength through truth' in PA course

    Iraqi Special Operations Forces have learned the value of "strength through truth" through a public affairs and photojournalism course conducted in Baghdad, Iraq, recently. Ten ISOF soldiers who graduated the 15-day course can now effectively combat anti-Iraqi forces' misinformation campaigns. As

  • Airmen help Iraqi pilot earn his wings

    Dressed in a tan flight suit adorned with the Iraqi flag, an L.A. Dodgers hat and aviator sunglasses, one pilot is helping his country take a step closer to having an independent air force. With help from U.S. Airmen, Iraqi air force Maj. Thagel took his last training flight prior to being certified

  • Travis, California firefighters extinguish blaze

    Travis Air Force Base emergency responders and members from several fire departments from the local area battled through the night and into the morning to prevent an eight-alarm blaze from potentially spreading through base housing Aug 16. The fire initially started off base at approximately 3 p.m.

  • Offutt Airmen hold airshow for special needs families

    Airmen here pulled out all the stops to make several hundred people smile a little more during the Aug. 15 Air Force Week in the Heartland Special Needs Airshow. Offutt Air Force Base Airmen brought community members who would have difficulties attending the official airshow schedule because of

  • Operation Air Force puts cadets in the air over Europe

    The airlift mission prepping to depart here was nothing out-of-the-ordinary for the seasoned C-130 Hercules crew of six. It was another weekly training sortie putting cargo in a drop zone 150 miles away. For two U.S. Air Force Academy cadets invited to fly with the 37th Airlift Squadron as part of

  • Falcon Hill Enhanced Use Lease agreement announced

    "Falcon Hill has finally gone from a dream to a reality!" Maj. Gen. Kathleen Close, commander of the Hill AFB Ogden Air Logistics Center, proudly stated at the Aug. 13 signing of the Master Lease and Master Development Agreement between the Air Force and Sunset Ridge Development Partners, LLC. The

  • Female leaders from Omaha, Air Force gather at Offutt

    Nebraska female executives met some of the Air Force's leading women during the Ten Dinner Aug. 14 at the Patriot Club on Offutt Air Force Base. The Air Force's top acquisition leader, the Reserve mobilization assistant to the deputy surgeon general of the Air Force, the deputy director for global

  • Building capable allies, strong bonds

    Over European castles, Middle Eastern deserts and Pacific islands, F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots are soaring in ever-increasing numbers. Their landscapes, nationalities and cultures are different, but they share several common bonds. They are allies, they are friends and they learned to fly their

  • Despite reduced numbers, New Horizons exercise a success

    With only half their medical team and three less days to see patients, the final medical readiness training exercises for New Horizons-Peru 2008 still provided medical care to more than 2,000 Peruvians. A 19-man team from the 433rd Medical Group out of Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, treated the

  • AF Marathon offers more than 26.2 mile race

    People can become a part of history by registering for the 12th annual United States Air Force Marathon. The event will take place Sept. 20 at here at Wright-Patterson AFB, near Dayton, Ohio. Races include the full marathon, including wheeled division; a half-marathon; and individual and four-member

  • U.S. humanitarian support to Georgia continues

    United States humanitarian efforts continued as another U.S. military aircraft delivered a second shipment of humanitarian supplies on Aug. 13, for the people of Georgia in response to the crisis situation. A C-17 Globemaster III, from the 305th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.,

  • Air Force surgeon general returns to Heartland

    The surgeon general of the Air Force and native Nebraskan returned to his home state during Air Force Week in the Heartland Aug. 13 in Omaha. Lt. Gen. (Dr.) James G. Roudebush, originally from Gering, Neb., retraced his roots and visited the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine

  • Air Force Week mixes past, present, future at museum

    Airmen brought current and future operations to the historic Strategic Air and Space Museum here Aug. 13 as part of Air Force Week in the Heartland. At a venue famous for Gen. Curtis LeMay exhibits, numerous aircraft and the home base for looking back at the Air Force's former Strategic Air Command,

  • Air mobility supports Georgia humanitarian relief

    Air Force mobility Airmen and aircraft are actively involved in airlift operations to aid the people of Georgia. "We have crews engaged to deliver supplies to those in need, and others on standby, ready to go at a moment's notice if called upon to go in and provide relief," said Gen. Arthur Lichte,

  • U.S. military provides humanitarian aid to Georgia

    A C-17 Globemaster III departed Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and landed at Tbilisi International Airport today delivering $1 million in humanitarian aid to reduce the suffering of the people of the Republic of Georgia. The joint military effort supported coordination by the U.S. State Department and

  • Air Force museum receives highest national recognition

    The National Museum of the United States Air Force has again achieved accreditation by American Association of Museums officials. It is the highest national recognition a museum can receive.  Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies and to

  • 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

  • Missile successfully launches from Vandenberg

    A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration, or NNSA, test assembly was launched from North Vandenberg at 1:01 a.m. Aug. 13. The launch was an operational test to determine the weapon system's reliability and accuracy. The missile's

  • WWII ammunition finds new life in war on terrorism

    A team of Air Force weapons specialist turned to ammunition first introduced into service in 1942 to provide lower cost training ammo for the AC-130 Gunship's 40mm cannon. Gunship training with the 40mm Bofors cannon normally calls for high explosive incendiary ammunition produced in the 1970s and

  • Airmen land at Omaha zoo for Air Force Week

    Airmen and an F-16 Fighting Falcon descended on Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo to increase understanding of the Air Force throughout the community Aug. 12 in Omaha. The event was part of Air Force Week in the Heartland, a week-long schedule of events in the Omaha area aimed at showcasing the Air Force,

  • General Schwartz to Airmen: Be proud

    On his first day after being sworn in as the Air Force chief of staff, Gen. Norton Schwartz wasted no time in getting his message out to Airmen. "The key thing we need to do is achieve stability," General Schwartz said. "At the same time, we need to focus on those things that are most important,

  • General Schwartz in as 19th chief of staff

    The Air Force's 19th chief of staff spoke of mending fences and earning trust in his speech after taking charge of the service during a ceremony here Aug. 12. "Without trust, we are nothing," Gen. Norton A. Schwartz said to the crowd of about 600 people on the base's ceremonial lawn. "Trust must be

  • Airman advocates safer skies for civilian, military pilots

    To make the skies safer for general aviation and U.S. military pilots, Air Force officials sent a safety expert here to the world's largest airshow, the Experimental Aircraft Association's Oshkosh Air Venture airshow, to educate pilots on midair collision avoidance and on the need for flight safety

  • Coalition exchange tours enhance vital partnership

    Coalition air forces have proved instrumental in the continued success of airlift missions for Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. This was exemplified in July as the 386th Expeditionary Maintenance Group conducted C-130 Hercules aircraft exchange tours with the Japanese Air Self Defense Force's

  • 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

  • Recruiter assistance program offers ranks more than non-chargeable leave

    While preparing to move to his first duty base at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Airman Todd West wanted to spend time with his family in Missouri, but he didn't know how to do it without using up his personal leave. Then he learned about the Recruiter Assistance Program. RAP is an active-duty

  • Commander in 'perfect' shape sets example for Airmen

    Every year, most Airmen set a goal of hoping to pass their annual fitness test, and some even set a goal to score a 100 percent. But how many people can get a perfect score on the toughest scale when they can do it at their own level? And how many also really hold themselves to the standard of

  • Airman helps injured warriors 'face' the world

    The characteristics of a person's face are unmistakable. They are the uniqueness that makes you recognize a family member, a friend, a co-worker. Now imagine suddenly being stripped of those defining characteristics. Many Soldiers, Sailors, Airman, and Marines have experienced this debilitating

  • Air Force secretary meets veterans, addresses issues

    The acting secretary of the Air Force talked to Airmen, military veterans and Nebraska civic leaders during Air Force Week in the Heartland Aug. 11 in Omaha and at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. Secretary Michael B. Donley had breakfast with Airmen assigned to Offutt AFB, visited the Veterans

  • Sniper ATP-equipped B-1B has combat first

    A Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod-equipped B-1B Lancer had its first weapon employment in combat here Aug. 4 successfully targeting enemy forces on the ground and dropping one guided bomb unit-38 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Sniper ATP, a long-range precision targeting system,

  • $1 headset fix improves Predator mission

    MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial system pilots here can now talk over a secure Internet phone line using their headsets thanks to one Airman's ingenuity and one dollar. Staff Sgt. Ray Stetler, the NCO in charge of base information and infrastructure for the 407th Expeditionary Communications Squadron

  • Raptor crews practice drive-through refueling

    Now that the F-22 Raptor arrival ceremonies are over and the anticipation of the arrival has subsided, Airmen here are on an aggressive training schedule to prepare them for combat operations. As part of that training, members of the 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and 49th Logistics Readiness

  • Pilots provide emergency close air support

    For F-15E Strike Eagle and A-10 Thunderbolt pilots deployed here, joint terminal attack controllers, or JTACs,  play a vital role in the close air support mission. However, there's not always a JTAC on the ground when close air support, or CAS,  is needed. In these rare situations, pilots step

  • Conference highlights force support transformation efforts

    In June, signifying A1 Force Support transformation efforts, more than 350 manpower, personnel and services commanders, directors of personnel, major command, field operating agency and Air Staff leaders gathered in Keystone, Colo., for the first combined worldwide conference. With the integration

  • Aug. 10 airpower summary: B-1Bs bomb enemy compound

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Aug. 10, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force Reaper MQ-9 dropped a guided bomb unit-12 onto

  • Runners get fit to fight during Air Force Week in the Heartland

    Approximately 250 runners spiraled through Offutt Air Force Base and the surrounding community in the first Bellevue/Offutt Runway Run as part of Air Force Week in the Heartland Aug. 10 here. Military members and civilian running enthusiasts did their part to be fit to fight as they ran through the

  • Air Force Week in the Heartland kicks off with a bang

    Fly-bys, music, military precision and fireworks broadcast the beginning of Air Force Week in the Heartland as more than 10,000 witnessed Airmen at their best Aug. 9 at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha. Airmen from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., hosted the free event to let the public experience what the

  • Aug. 9 airpower summary: A-10s drop bomb, fire cannon at enemy targets

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Aug. 9, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs fired cannon rounds and dropped

  • PMEL Airmen deliver precision to warfighters

    The door opens into a dimly-lit labyrinth of technology. The bright light from outside sears through, revealing the truth behind the Air Force's precision of wartime capabilities. Though they work from the shadows of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing mission, the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance

  • Weather Agency provides edge to warfighters

    Today's warfighters are constantly looking for any combat advantage that they can gain on their enemies. One factor that can be the difference between a failed mission and a successful one is the weather. Bad weather can disable a Global Positioning System unit or cause low visibility for an

  • Sergeant improves process, saves time

    An Airman with the 437th Maintenance Squadron wheel and tire shop has helped save man-hours with a better way of cleaning C-17 Globemaster III nose-wheel bolts that need to be inspected. Tech. Sgt. Eddie Melendez, an aircraft maintenance craftsman in the 437 MXS wheel and tire shop aircraft

  • Aug. 7 airpower summary: F-15Es remain vigilant

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Aug. 7, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles dropped guided bomb

  • Air Force officials release report on Columbus T-38 accident

    Air Force officials here recently completed its investigation of the April 23 T-38C Talon accident at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., which resulted in the deaths of two pilots and destroyed the airplane. Maj. Blair Faulkner, a 43rd Flying Training Squadron instructor pilot, and 2nd Lt. Matthew

  • Air Force officials release report on Sheppard T-38 accident

    Air Force officials here completed their investigation of the May 1 T-38C Talon accident at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, which resulted in the deaths of two pilots and destroyed the airplane. Maj. Brad T. Funk, a 90th Flying Training Squadron instructor pilot, and 2nd Lt. Alec F. Littler, a

  • Base members improve processes to increase efficiency

    Members of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing here have refined and streamlined processes in order to increase productivity and the level of support provided to the warfighter in theater.Supporting an average of 70 missions per day couldn't be accomplished without the combined logistical support of