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U.S. Air Force News

  • Okinawa Naval hospital unit has Air Force ties

    Members of the U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa Neonatal Intensive Care Unit located on Camp Lester are people you trust with your most valuable treasure -- your baby.The NICU is the closest neonatal intensive care unit in the Western Pacific that offers state-of-the-art neonatal care to all infants in

  • Officials to dedicate Center for the Intrepid at Fort Sam

    Officials here are opening the Center for the Intrepid and two Fisher Houses Jan. 29 in a dedication ceremony at the Brooke Army Medical Center.More than 3,000 people, including wounded and recovering military service members and their families, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace,

  • Airmen take education to a 'lower' level

    Every day, Airmen are participating in activities outside of the duty day to better themselves in their jobs, education and overall well-being. Airmen here have a unique opportunity to improve all three areas with one activity, scuba diving. Learning to scuba dive directly relates to professional

  • AFSO 21 initiatives streamline PHA process

    Airmen at Misawa AB ushered in a new era as they now complete their yearly personal health assessments, or PHAs, online. The computer-based questionnaire asks the same questions that were asked on the paper worksheet during a hospital visit, but now Airmen just log into the secure Web site and

  • Gymnastics: Academy freshman earns honors

    An Air Force Academy freshman was named Gymnast of the Week by the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation for the week ending Jan. 15, league officials announced Jan. 23.During the Falcons' season opener with the 17th-ranked Denver University Pioneers Jan. 13, Michelle Denise, of Kennewick, Wash.,

  • Commando Sling provides stronger alliance

    Exercise Commando Sling is underway for Airmen at Paya Lebar Air Base, Singapore. The goal of Commando Sling is a stronger alliance and a safer Pacific Region."Commando Sling is primarily an air-to-air combat exercise where we have the opportunity to fly with the pilots from the Royal Singapore Air

  • AFA announces annual symposium

    Top military leaders will examine air warfare at the start of the new century and what the future may hold for the Air Force at the 23rd Annual Air Warfare Symposium Feb. 8 and 9 in Orlando, Fla. The theme for this year's Air Force Association symposium is "Striking the Balance: Today's War,

  • Spangdahlem Airmen deploy to fill Army billets

    It is hard to know what to expect on a first deployment. The mystery is even deeper for Airmen deploying as In Lieu Of Forces who are filling traditional Army billets.This was the case for 1st Lt. Ben Taber and Capt. Scott MacNeil of the 52nd Logistic Readiness Squadron as the two volunteered for a

  • Service secretaries visit Guam to analyze joint basing status

    William C. Anderson, assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics, and his Navy counterpart, B J Penn, traveled to Guam to analyze the status of joint basing and future Guam development.Retired Marine Corps Maj. Gen. David Bice accompanied the assistant

  • A-10s set to soar in Al Anbar province

    A-10 Thunderbolt IIs assigned to the 438th Air Expeditionary Group landed one by one at their new home Jan. 17 here. A formation of more than 200 Airmen assembled for the 438th AEG activation and assumption of command ceremony Jan. 15 as the unit is in the Al Anbar province to provide close-air

  • Hockey: Army beats Air Force 2-0

    Army goaltender Josh Kassel made 36 saves to lift Army to a 2-0 win over Air Force in an Atlantic Hockey Association game Friday, Jan. 20, at the Cadet Ice Arena. The two teams split the series as Air Force won Friday's game, 4-1. Air Force fell to 12-9-5 overall and 9-4-5 in the league. Army is now

  • Incirlik adopts new responsible choices program

    The 39th Air Base Wing's safety office recently began implementing the Air Force's Culture of Responsible Choices Program. The program aims to shift airmen's perceptions, habits and actions to keep them safe and ready to fight.Major Ken Ernewein, 39th Air Base Wing safety chief, said responsible

  • Langley receives last Raptor, completes fleet

    The 1st Fighter Wing received its last assigned F-22A Raptor Friday when the 94th Fighter Squadron accepted tail number 5085, bringing the total to 40 F-22s to complete the fleet. Brig. Gen. Burt Field, 1st Fighter Wing commander, flew the final jet from the Lockheed Martin factory in Marietta, Ga.,

  • Hanscom welcomes heroes home

    A crowd of more than 500 gathered to welcome home 80 Hanscom deployers with praise and thanks at the Aero Club Hangar Jan. 19. The Heroes' Homecoming, the first event of its kind here, honored troops who returned from deployments over the past six months. Chief Master Sgt. Lisa Sirois, 66th Air Base

  • Latest radio technology declared ready

    For nearly a year, the Air Force has developed and tested a communications system allowing commanders to talk directly to troops operating convoys outside the bases. Today, Radio over Internet Protocol Router network, or RIPRnet has earned its initial operational capablity title, achieving a

  • Airmen help pick up the pieces for those in need

    Five first-term Airmen from Eielson AFB brought in the new year with a determination to help those in need. They ventured from Alaska to the Gulf of Mexico to help rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The group set up camp in Bay St. Louis, a small town west of Gulfport, Miss. Over the next

  • Core values make impossible happen

    The "Iceman Team" recently accomplished an enormous undertaking the Air Force way -- Airmen taking care of Airmen. Following the end of its 20-year Sprucewood Homes development lease in August, Eielson leaders made the difficult decision to relocate 241 families on very short notice. "Following

  • USAFE medics bring expertise to Liberia

    A team of eight medics from five U.S. Air Forces in Europe bases recently arrived in Liberia as part of a technical training initiative for the new Armed Forces of Liberia. The country, which was ravaged by nearly 15 years of civil war before it held a democratic election in November 2005, is

  • Basketball: Lady Falcons lose to New Mexico 60-46

    In the middle of its first conference road trip of the year, the Air Force women's basketball team lost to New Mexico, 60-46, Thursday evening at The Pit. The Falcons fall to 4-12 on the season, 0-5 in the Mountain West Conference, while the Lobos improve to 12-6 overall, 2-3 on the league. Senior

  • Deployed B-52s complete counter-sea exercise

    Usually, naval mines are placed at sea by dedicated ships traveling days from their home port. However, Airmen deployed to Guam's Andersen Air Force Base showcased the B-52 Stratofortress bomber's capability to quickly and accurately deliver naval mines while flying at 1,000 feet above the sea. The

  • Baseball: Air Force announces 2007 schedule

    The Air Force Academy baseball team is slated to take on 18 different opponents in a 53-game schedule for the 2007 season. The Falcons open the season Feb. 3 hosting Colorado Christian. Air Force is slated to play 22 home games, and 28 games total in Colorado. Highlights of the non-conference season

  • Evaluation board application process moves to virtual MPF

    Active-duty Airmen seeking a correction to or removal of an evaluation report may initiate an appeal to the Evaluation Reports Appeal Board through the virtual Military Personnel Flight effective Jan. 22. Airmen may choose to apply to the board to seek a correction or removal of a performance

  • Dashboard tool allows snapshot of organizational status

    Air Force officials are rolling out a Web-based financial management tool this summer designed to help commanders and other Air Force decision makers.By summer 2007, the Air Force's Financial Management Dashboard will be available online through the Air Force Portal.This is a Web-based "dashboard"

  • JPADS continues 'revolution in airdrop technology'

    Since October 2005, the Air Mobility Warfare Center here has partnered in an effort to revolutionize the way the Air Force does its airlift airdrops in the expeditionary environment and around the globe with the Joint Precision Air Drop System, or JPADS, initiative."When it was said to make this

  • Career enlisted aviator positions open

    Opportunities are currently available for Airmen who wish to become career enlisted aviators. The Air Force has immediate openings for flight engineers, loadmasters, airborne mission systems, flight attendants, and airborne crypto logic linguists.First-term Airmen who have completed half of their

  • Charleston squadron helps build 'a room for Phillip'

    The Airmen of the Air Force Reserve Command's 300th Airlift Squadron have a history of reaching out to those in need. Each year, the squadron donates time and money to a deserving person or family. This year the 300th AS is doing more to aid a little boy who needs some big help. Led by Master Sgt.

  • Defense news, information now customized for mobile devices

    Defense Department news releases, articles and other information are now available in a new format that is customized for easier viewing on BlackBerries and other mobile devices, officials said. The new, mobile-device-friendly format can be accessed at www.dod.mil/mobile, officials affiliated with

  • Wing begins new chapter with F-15E

    Continuing to show a strong force and a visible presence in Afghanistan, the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing added a new capability to its inventory Jan. 14. With more than 200 Airmen supporting its mission, the F-15E Strike Eagle deployed from the 391st Fighter Squadron at Mountain Home Air Force

  • Eielson dental goes digital

    With the invention of the Internet, information can be accessed at the click of a button. Songs, pictures and computer files can be placed on flash drives that fit in the palm of a hand. Technological advancements are ongoing and the world has proven time and time again, if it can be imagined, it

  • Keesler's Flying Jennies receive final C-130J-30

    A crew from Air Force Reserve Command's 815th Airlift Squadron recently delivered the unit's final C-130J-30 aircraft here after accepting it from the manufacturer at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga. Maj. Gen. Hanferd "Rusty" J. Moen Jr. piloted the aircraft from Georgia to Mississippi Jan. 9. General

  • DOD releases results of 2005 health-related behaviors survey

    The Department of Defense announced results Jan. 12 of its "2005 Survey of Health Related Behaviors Among Active Duty Military Personnel." The findings show notable decreases in the use of cigarettes and illegal drugs since initiation of the surveys in 1980 and progress toward meeting selected

  • Hub-and-spoke missions provide tactical airlift in Iraq

    Whether it's operating from rough dirt strips or dropping off troops and equipment into hostile areas, C-130 Hercules keep convoys off the road in Iraq through airpower. Members of the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron deployed from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., fly C-130 hub-and-spoke

  • Hockey: Air Force ties Holy Cross again

    For the second consecutive night, Air Force and Holy Cross skated to a 2-2 overtime tie in an Atlantic Hockey Association game Jan. 13 at the Hart Center in Worcester, Mass. "From the drop of the puck to the end of overtime, it was a great college hockey game," head coach Frank Serratore said. "The

  • Gymnastics: Cadets shine in Rocky Mountain Open

    With freshmen Brennan Wolford and Garrett Canter earning individual honors, the Air Force men's gymnastics team concluded a successful afternoon of competition Jan. 13 here at the event finals of the Rocky Mountain Open. Wolford, from Thornville, Ohio, posted a career-best 8.200 on the floor

  • Sheppard implements new phase program

    Airmen here in technical training are enjoying more freedom and responsibility as Air Education and Training Command transitions into its new phase program. The new program, which took effect after Airmen returned from holiday exodus, became fully functional across Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas,

  • Academy cadet invited to gymnastics winter cup challenge

    A U.S. Air Force Academy junior was selected to participate in the Winter Cup Challenge this February, USA Gymnastics announced Jan. 10. Cadet Greg Stine of Houston is just the third academy gymnast in the history of the program to participate at the nationally-recognized meet, which will help

  • Red Flag ramps up, F-22 to make debut

    The first Red Flag exercise this year, dubbed "Colonial Flag," is scheduled to begin Jan. 16 at Nellis AFB, marking the 32nd year for Red Flag operations. This is the first of three Red Flags this year, and the F-22 Raptor is participating for the first time.More than 200 aircraft and about 5,200

  • Minot AFB celebrates 50th anniversary

    Base officials here celebrated Jan. 10 Minot's 50th anniversary of becoming an official entity of the U.S. Air Force.Though the groundbreaking ceremony took place July 12, 1955, and the first unit, the 32nd Fighter Group, wasn't activated until Feb. 7, 1957, Jan. 10 holds just as much significance

  • Officials name top athletes for 2006

    Air Force Services Agency officials have chosen Capt. Linda Jeffery as Air Force Female Athlete of the Year and Master Sgt. Martin Bedford as Male Athlete of the Year for 2006. Captain Jeffery won the All-Air Force Women's Golf Championship and went on to lead the Air Force team to the 2006 Armed

  • Fallen EOD Airmen remembered during Sather memorial

    A memorial Jan. 10 honored the lives of three 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal Airmen killed in the line of duty Jan. 7. The members of "Team Lima" -- Tech. Sgt. Timothy Weiner, Senior Airman Daniel Miller, and Senior Airman Elizabeth Loncki -- all deployed

  • Latest Roll Call explains force shaping initiatives

    In this week's Roll Call, Air Force leaders discuss force shaping and define the measures being taken by the service to meet end-strength numbers. Air Force leaders are in the process of reducing the service's current size by 40,000 full-time equivalent positions through a variety of programs

  • 'Commando' Airmen continue heritage into future

    Keeping a promise is important to many people. But, keeping the Air Commando's promise -- to provide precise and reliable Air Force special operations air power, any time, any place -- is the motto Airmen of the 1st Special Operations Wing live by. The wing is the only active duty special operations

  • December recruiting numbers exceed goals

    Last month's recruiting figures for all military services exceeded goals, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said in testimony Jan. 11 before the House Armed Services Committee."I'm pleased to report that all active branches of the United States military exceeded their recruiting goals for the month

  • 1st Special Operations Wing mission

    The 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla., is the Air Force's only active duty special operations wing and falls under the Air Force Special Operations Command. The 1st SOW mission focus is unconventional warfare: counter-terrorism, combat search and rescue, personnel recovery,

  • First C-21 arrives in North Dakota

    The first official 119th Fighter Wing C-21 aircraft arrived Jan. 10 in Fargo.The aircraft marks the unit's transition from the F-16 Fighting Falcon to the C-21 and MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle. "The Happy Hooligans have proven themselves as the best of the best in every mission they have

  • The Air Commandos

    A sign over the doorway of a squat white building near the Hurlburt Field, Fla., runway of Eglin Air Force Base declares, "The Mission of the Air Force is to Fight." (Editor's note: This article is reprinted from Airman Magazine, September 1962.) The men wearing tennis shorts and sneakers, flying

  • Historian revisits wing's past

    The 1st Special Operations Wing has a rich and honored history that began in Burma and continues at Hurlburt Field. The 1st SOW can trace its lineage back to "Project 9" which evolved into the 1st Air Commando Group during World War II. During the Quebec Trident Conference of August 1943, it was

  • Air traffic controllers take on new roles

    Air traffic controllers deployed to Djibouti in the Horn of Africa must sometimes take on new roles in accomplishing the daily mission.During the current deployment, the controllers aren't actually controlling the skies above Camp Lemonier. "We're here in the event there's a communication barrier

  • Engineer gains valuable experience in Afghanistan

    A day in the life of a project engineer fills up pretty quickly. Between meetings and constant walks around the base to survey projects, there's concrete to be poured, gravel to be delivered and contractors needing guidance. This will be the norm for Capt. Dave Lin over the course of his six-month

  • Bush outlines new strategy for course ahead in Iraq

    President Bush's new strategy for Iraq, announced Jan. 10 in a televised speech to the nation, includes more than 20,000 additional U.S. troops on the ground in Baghdad and Anbar province, increased responsibility for the Iraqi government and Iraqi security forces, and more diplomatic and economic

  • More provincial reconstruction teams to stand up in Iraq

    President George W. Bush's new strategy for Iraq includes expanding the number of provincial reconstruction teams from 10 to at least 18 to better support political and economic progress, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said at a news conference Jan. 11.Secretary Rice joined Defense Secretary

  • USAFE commander visits units in England

    The U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander visited the geographically separated units that make up the 501st Combat Support Wing in England Jan. 8 to 10.Gen. William T. Hobbins, accompanied by his wife, Robbin Hobbins, and Chief Master Sgt. Gary Coleman, the USAFE command chief, visited with the 501st

  • DOD announces changes to Reserve component policy

    Department of Defense officials are changing the way they will manage reserve-component forces, announced Dr. Robert M. Gates, secretary of defense Jan. 11.The first aspect of the policy change will involve the way the department manages deployments of reserve forces. Currently, reserve deployments

  • Reconnaissance aircraft, team reach milestone

    It may not have the stealthy skin of the B-2 Spirit or be able to hover vertically like the CV-22 Osprey, but the RC-135 Rivet Joint is the only aircraft that Airmen can claim to be deployed continuously for 6,000 days. This milestone can be touted by Airmen in the 763rd Expeditionary Reconnaissance

  • Chief's perspective focuses on Roll Call

    The new Roll Call program is the focus of the latest Enlisted Perspective by Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley.The chief said Airmen can add to their mission effectiveness by increasing their communications, but admits it's not an easy process."We all have access to good

  • SBIRS instructors hold keys to ground floor of new payload

    Future Space Based Infrared System crews will get in on the ground level of Air Force Space Command's most advanced payload when they begin training at the 460th Operations Group's Detachment 1 on Jan. 12. Training on SBIRS' newest satellite will give students a historic chance to involve themselves

  • Involuntary phase for NCO retraining program begins

    Airmen identified as required to retrain must submit a retraining application by Jan. 15 or separate from the Air Force under Phase II of the Air Force Fiscal 2007 Noncommissioned Officer Retraining Program. After meeting the Jan. 15 deadline, Phase II eligibles must choose an Air Force specialty

  • Iraqi participation key to president's new strategy

    President Bush's new strategy in Iraq will hinge on the Iraqi government and security forces stepping up and making decisions they have avoided, a senior White House official said Jan. 10.White House communications director Dan Bartlett said Iraqi leaders have pledged to make these decisions. The

  • New law changes handling procedures for troops' remains

    A new law that took effect Jan. 1 changes the way the remains of servicemembers killed in combat are transported and handled. The 2007 National Defense Authorization Act states that the primary mode of transportation for remains of servicemembers being returned to the U.S. is military aircraft or

  • Hill mourns the loss of 3 Airmen

    Hill AFB leaders reflected on the loss of three Airmen who were killed in Iraq by a car bomb. Tech. Sgt. Timothy R. Weiner, 35, of Tamarack, Fla., Senior Airman Elizabeth A. Loncki, 23, of New Castle, Del., and Senior Airman Daniel B. Miller Jr., 24, of Galesburg, Ill., died in the Jan. 7 explosion

  • Texas National Guard team responds to bird deaths

    In a scene reminiscent of emergency measures seen in cities across the country after 9/11, downtown Austin, Texas, was temporarily blocked to people and traffic so authorities could investigate the unexplained deaths of more than 60 birds Jan. 8. Together with local, state and federal responders,

  • AETC commander addresses training changes

    As part of a visit to Pacific Air Forces here, the commander of Air Education and Training Command discussed training with other countries' air forces. During his visit, Gen. William R. Looney III explained the changing role of the Air Force and how training is changing to accommodate today's

  • Improvised explosive device kills three Hill Airmen

    Three Airmen from Hill AFB were killed Jan. 7 by a car bomb while performing duties in the Baghdad area. The explosion also injured a fourth Airman not assigned to Hill. The Airmen were assigned to the 775th Civil Engineer Squadron's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight. While in Iraq, the Airmen were

  • Airpower strikes insurgent stronghold in Iraq

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces air and space power supported coalition actions in Operation Iraqi Freedom with F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-15E Strike Eagle and B-1 Lancer aircraft that dropped precision munitions Jan. 8 on a known insurgent stronghold south of Balad Ruz, Iraq. The strike targeted

  • DOD identifies Air Force casualties

    The Department of Defense announced Jan. 8 the death of three Airmen who were killed Jan. 7 by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device while performing duties in the Baghdad area supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Airmen were assigned to the 775th Civil Engineer Squadron, Hill Air Force

  • PACAF leads major commands in energy conservation

    Pacific Air Forces officials have seen a 17 percent reduction in energy use from fiscal 2003, well on its way to exceeding the Energy Policy Act of 2005's goal of reducing energy consumption by 2 percent each year from 2006 through 2015 for a total of 20 percent. PACAF had the largest energy use

  • Airmen keep communications running in Ethiopia

    Airmen ensure all communications are operational at a remote camp bordered by grass-hut villages, a dormant volcano and packs of hyenas that roam just outside the gate. Senior Airman Jeremy Cole and Airman 1st Class Steven Brumley are the only Air Force members assigned to Contingency Operating

  • Wrestling: Falcons wrap up competition

    The Air Force wrestling team went 1-3 at the Lone Star Duals Jan. 6, defeating Brown, 18-13, while falling to No. 4 Oklahoma State, No. 1 (Division II) Central Oklahoma and No. 19 Wisconsin. The Falcons are now 2-4 on the season. Air Force began the day against fourth-ranked Oklahoma State. Notching

  • Personnel specialists provide support to deployed Airmen

    "First in, last out" is the battle cry of the Personnel Support for Contingency Operations team, better known as PERSCO. It's definitely the case during a deployment at Balad AB, headquarters to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, when you're responsible for processing more than 7,000 Air Force

  • National Guard to the rescue in 8 states

    Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen in eight states rescued people and hauled hay to livestock following a severe end-of-year winter storm that stretched from America's northern to southern borders. Hundreds of Guard members in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Washington

  • Research officials outline funding process

    Providing U.S. warfighters with a technological edge in battle is a huge responsibility and the staff of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research is actively involved in the process. Each year, AFOSR program mangers evaluate thousands of basic research proposals received from scientists and

  • Air Force band plays final tribute for President Ford

    The U.S. Air Force Band of Flight accompanied by the Air Force Band of Liberty performed in the cold rain Jan. 3 to honor Gerald R. Ford, the 38th U.S. president.Conducting musical performances for state funerals is the Air Force Band of Flight's No. 1 mission, and with the passing of President Ford

  • Wings of Blue win national championship

    For the 28th time, the U.S. Air Force Academy's Wings of Blue Competition Parachute Team won the National Collegiate Parachuting Championships held Dec. 27 to Jan. 1 at Lake Wales, Fla.The team set a new national record with 116 points, winning 32 medals, including nine gold.Air Force swept the

  • Panjshir team aids mosque repair

    Thanks to the cooperative efforts of an Afghan village, coalition forces and an engineering firm, a mosque that was in the way of a road construction project here has been repaired. A temporary bridge had to be erected while the permanent bridge across an irrigation canal in Bazarak was being

  • Air Force may hold RIF board if goal not met

    The Air Force will convene an officer reduction in force board in June if it fails to meet its force-shaping goal, said the service's senior most officer for manpower and personnel. "While the goal has been to reduce active-duty end strength through voluntary programs where possible, if at the end

  • Football: New Air Force coach meets the press

    Air Force head football coach Troy Calhoun met local and regional media Jan. 4 for the first time since becoming the sixth coach in school history Dec. 22. Calhoun, a 1989 graduate of the academy, is the first graduate to hold the position. Calhoun also announced five members of his staff. Brian

  • Space shapes today's front lines

    Its existence is only acknowledged by its absence. It doesn't attract attention, yet it changes our behavior. It is there without asking; thus it is often taken for granted. Theater space operators put the power of space at the fingertips of warfighters. "We are combat integrators," said Maj. Troy

  • Wyoming Air Guard dropping hay for Colorado cattle

    The Wyoming Air National Guard arrived in Pueblo, Colo., on Jan. 3 to begin flying missions to drop hay to stranded Colorado cattle.One C-130 Hercules and 10 Airmen are assisting the Colorado National Guard with feeding cattle in the southeastern corner of the state, near Lamar."Although the

  • USAFE commander awards Air Medals to Danish pilots

    It's not often an American four-star general has the opportunity to present prestigious war medals to coalition partners, but Jan. 2 was a special occasion. Gen. William T. Hobbins, U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander, flew to Fighter Wing Skrydstrup, Denmark, to present U.S. Air Medals to 35 Danish

  • Airmen train Iraqi police

    It beats patrolling the flightline and issuing traffic tickets on base. Ask anyone assigned to the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron's Detachment 6 here. They're one of just two Air Force teams doing what they're doing: training Iraqi policemen in the province of Salah ad Din to run a

  • Air Force plans to deactivate Willow Grove wing

    Air Force Reserve Command officials briefed congressional leaders today on plans to deactivate the command's 913th Airlift Wing located at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Willow Grove, Pa. The deactivation process would result in personnel authorizations being removed Oct. 1, 2007. The Air

  • Those aging ghosts of Pearl Harbor

    If you are under 30, Dec. 7, 1941, is probably only another date in your history book. The day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Ho-hum. If you are over 40, the date is one you may never forget. And like everyone else in that age group, you probably have your own story of "what I was doing when I

  • New unit strengthens U.S.-Japan alliance

    More than a year of planning reaches a milestone in strengthening the U.S.-Japan security alliance Jan. 5 with a ceremony activating Detachment 1, 13th Air Force, at Yokota Air Base, Japan.Col. Michael MacWilliam, formerly the 5th AF director of operations and plans, will command the detachment,

  • Structural fire trainer saves lives, money

    Airmen with the 35th Civil Engineer Squadron's Fire and Emergency Services Flight here are honing their skills on a new structural fire trainer. The better training not only can translate into less injuries, but also it consolidates a variety of scenarios in one area: putting out fires, working in

  • 2006 a year of transformation for Airmen

    In a year when Air Force operations around the globe helped positively impact countless lives affected by violence, intimidation and natural disaster, 2006 also served as a platform for evaluating how such missions can be accomplished more proficiently by capitalizing on training and technology.

  • Hydrogen-powered vehicles sign of future

    Along with the increasing number of hybrid vehicles sharing the roadways with traditional fossil-fueled autos, there has also been an increase of hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles on Air Force bases.Hydrogen station officials here say the concept of hydrogen isn't new. NASA has been using the

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Jan. 2

    United States Central Command Air Forces and coalition partners continue to support NATO and the International Security Assistance Force and the government of Afghanistan to achieve a secure and stable country.Over the course of the new year, airpower will be a key asset for ISAF's goals of

  • Joint operations center keeps funeral plan on track

    Every military operation requires a headquarters, even those that are ceremonial in nature. For state funeral honors of former President Gerald R. Ford, that role is being filled by the Forward Operations Center located in the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel here.A conference room has been transformed into

  • Airmen build future with present mission

    There are many things that go into constructing buildings that servicemembers live and work in while serving in Iraq.In order for offices, dining facilities and dormitories to become a reality, someone drew plans, ordered supplies and constructed every room. That construction responsibility falls on

  • Volunteerism at heart of medical evacuation mission

    Airmen from the 908th Airlift Wing here have been transporting wounded, injured and sick servicemembers home from Andrews Air Force Base, Md., since September when Air Force Reserve Command took over primary responsibility for stateside aeromedical transportation. Operating from three hubs, located

  • Serving through the season: Airman 1st Class Jack Smithson III

    With security forces' manning levels already low due to deployments to Iraq, Airman First Class Jack Smithson knew he would work at the main gate on Christmas. It's a job he joined the Air Force to do, as he follows in his father's footsteps. "Sitting in a patrol car is easier duty," Airman Smithson

  • Commissaries ring up increased savings

    Commissary customers are ringing in the new year with record-breaking savings. "Average customer savings for a family of four have risen to nearly $3,000 annually," said Patrick Nixon, the Defense Commissary Agency director and chief executive officer. "As an agency, we always deliver the message

  • Serving through the season: Staff Sgt. Kyna Davis

    Tracking Santa's progress from the North Pole was not the only job a Kadena Airman had this holiday season. As a weather meteorologist from the 33rd Rescue Squadron, she was tasked to forecast weather patterns and brief squadron members for upcoming missions. Staff Sgt. Kyna Davis has been in the

  • Shoppers welcome Operation Holiday Surprise

    Spirits are high during the holiday season, but checking accounts do not always follow suit. So when Sheilah Franklin was preparing to pay for a shopping cart full of groceries at the Ramstein Commissary, she was shocked and pleased by a last-second intervention by Operation Holiday Surprise. Under

  • Basketball: Falcons come back against Weber State 78-73

    Led by a career-best 26 points from junior Alecia Steele, the Air Force women's basketball team was able to overcome a nine-point halftime deficit to defeat Weber State 78-73 Dec. 30 at Clune Arena here. The Falcons improve to 4-7 on the season, while the Wildcats fall to 5-8. Weber State took

  • Vehicle readiness squadron jumps onboard with AFSO 21

    Airmen everywhere are coming up with new ideas to improve their work areas as part of the Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century program. The Airmen with the 435th Logistics Readiness Squadron here are no different. When Senior Airman Yan Voskanov first came to the squadron, he noticed

  • Theater distribution center equips Airmen

    Entering the 376th Expeditionary Theater Distribution Center's issue and return building correlates to walking into a wholesale outfitters store -- all the gear one needs to get through the mission. "The primary purpose of this ETDC is to outfit all battlefield Airmen going downrange to Afghanistan

  • Wrestling: Air Force concludes Midlands championships

    Six members of the U.S. Air Force Academy wrestling team competed in the 44th Annual Midlands Championships Dec. 29 at Northwestern University. Senior captain Bridger Lord picked up the lone Air Force victory. Lord, competing at 149 pounds, began the day with a 4-0 loss to Purdue University's Mark

  • McGuire Airmen to be honored New Year's Eve

    Two Airmen from here will be honored guests of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg when the ball is dropped at midnight in Times Square on New Year's Eve. First Lt. Erick Saks and Tech. Sgt. Sonya Bulluck were chosen for their contributions to their country, community and the continuing war on

  • NCO awarded $10,000 for money saving IDEA

    A New Hampshire Air National Guard sergeant came up with an idea that saved the Air Force thousands of dollars and earned him some cash, too. Tech. Sgt. Frank Stephens was awarded $10,000 through the Air Force Innovative Development through Employee Awareness, or IDEA, program on Nov. 21. The