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U.S. Air Force News

  • Online system reduces trips to education office

    Four features now available under the Air Force's virtual education system give Airmen more control of their academic pursuits.The Air Force Virtual Education Center is a Web-based system available to the total force that allows Airmen to do many of the things online that once required a trip to a

  • Air Force restarts job reservation system May 1

    As part of force-shaping efforts, the Air Force will restart the career job reservation system May 1.The CJR system will reduce career field shortages and overages, and balance the career force within each skill, according to officials. The CJR system allows Air Force officials to limit the number

  • Organizations adopt Wings Across America, WASP museum

    The Arnold Air Society and Silver Wings organizations adopted Wings Across America and the National Women’s Airforce Service Pilots World War II Museum as their joint national projects for 2004. The announcement came as more than 1,800 delegates from every Air Force ROTC detachment in America

  • Roche visits Bagram

    Damp, drizzly weather greeted Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche when he visited Camp Cunningham and men and women of the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group here April 16. But the conditions did not dampen the spirits of the hundreds of Airmen and civilians who enthusiastically turned

  • Air Force shut out by New Mexico, 7-0, in women's tennis

    The Air Force Academy women's tennis team closed out its 2004 regular season April 18 with a 7-0 loss here to Mountain West Conference champion University of New Mexico. The Falcons finish the season with a 13-12 overall record and a 1-6 mark in the conference. New Mexico ended the season 18-3

  • Air Force baseball swept by New Mexico during weekend play

    New Mexico hit a Mountain West Conference record eight home runs to complete a weekend sweep over the Air Force Academy team with an 18-6 win April 18. The two teams combined for 10 home runs on the day with wind gusts reaching up to 45 mph and blowing straight out to right-center field.The Lobos

  • Lamb Chop visits Kadena during Month of Military Child

    Children at Kadena Elementary School and Bob Hope Primary School here got a special visit from a hand-size celebrity April 14.The famous sock puppet, Lamb Chop, gave a special performance for the students courtesy of the United Service Organizations’ celebrity-education program.Mallory Lewis,

  • CES plays role in Honduras exercise, Airmen recount experiences

    It was a trip that two sergeants said they will not soon forget. They were among 48 Airmen from the 934th Civil Engineer Squadron who deployed here recently to participate in New Horizons 2004 as part of Joint Command Task Force Orengo.The main focus of the exercise was to build local schools,

  • Immigrant brings music to military service

    From the capital of Peru to Wichita, Kan., the only zampoña player here is sharing his gift of music with the Air Force.Airman Fredy Pasco works on the commander’s support staff of the 22nd Maintenance Operations Squadron, but spends his off-duty time filling the air with the sound of an Inca

  • CMSAF becomes honorary master chief

    At the U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Academy graduation here April 14, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray became an honorary master chief petty officer.Chief Murray spoke at the ceremony to salute four Airmen who were graduates.“What a great honor to be recognized by this

  • Edwards test team fires F-16's first AIM-9X Sidewinder

    A test team from the Global Power Fighters Combined Test Force fired the newest variant of the AIM-9 Sidewinder, the X variant, for the first time from an F-16 Fighting Falcon here April 9.The Sidewinder is a supersonic, heat-seeking, air-to-air missile carried by fighter aircraft. Before this, the

  • Traffic-safety courses target vehicle fatalities

    Air Force safety officials are unveiling four new traffic-safety programs in the coming months to battle the steady increase of traffic fatalities in the last four years.“While no age, gender or rank group is immune to vehicle crashes, statistically speaking, our most at-risk population is young

  • Leaders approve new civilian-personnel plan

    Defense Department senior leaders approved the plans for the new national security personnel system, an official announced here April 14.Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England, who heads the project, made the announcement.The system, authorized by the fiscal 2004 National Defense Authorization Act,

  • Colonel reflects on 40 years of service

    When Dave Thurston joined the Air Force as an airman basic in 1964, there had been no moon landing, the SR-71 Blackbird was about to fly for the first time, the Vietnam War was just beginning, and postage stamps cost a nickel. Now a colonel, he is deployed as the director of public affairs for

  • Air Force band performs in Hiroshima

    Aiko Hayashi smiled, cheered and laughed as she listened to a U.S. Air Force band perform here April 14.“They’re very good,” she said. “They really play great music. I’m glad they came here.”Almost 60 years ago, the thought of a U.S. military presence here was unthinkable. Ms. Hayashi knows of

  • Vice president thanks servicemembers in Alaska

    Amid a sea of nearly 3,000 flag-waving Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, Vice President Dick Cheney thanked servicemembers stationed in Alaska for their efforts in the war on terrorism.“I stand here today to say ‘thank you’ from a grateful nation -- and not just to the military

  • Despite ‘tough' period, U.S. won't waver in Iraq, Bush says

    The United States will continue in its commitment to an independent, free and secure Iraq, and the United States "must not waver" despite "a tough, tough period," President Bush said at a news conference April 13.The president stood before reporters in the East Room of the White House to make his

  • Foundation seeking inputs for Air Force memorial

    Air Force Memorial Foundation officials are seeking ideas for inscriptions to be placed at the new memorial site.The official groundbreaking will take place Sept. 15 at the memorial site, just southwest of the Pentagon. The focal point of the Air Force memorial will be a 270-foot monument featuring

  • Falcons lose 16-2 to Oklahoma

    Eighteenth-ranked University of Oklahoma hit a season-high five home runs to beat the Air Force Academy team here 16-2. The Falcons fall to 5-27 for the season, while the Sooners improve to 22-11.Tyler Gooch (1-0) picked up the win for the Sooners, holding the Falcons scoreless through seven

  • Effort in Iraq ‘going to take time’

    People worldwide have to realize the coalition effort in Iraq is a long-term project, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here April 13.Gen. Richard B. Myers is here for meetings with Bahraini leaders. During the flight over, he said the problems in Iraq can be solved, but it will take

  • Readiness system saves time, money

    Robins is the test site for a new Web-based readiness system estimated to save the Air Force $79 million over the next five years. The system, called the deployment readiness service, will improve tracking and reduce the time and effort to keep people ready for deployments. It gives people access to

  • Air Force wrestling team wins national title

    The Air Force wrestling team won its second consecutive national team title, took home two Greco-Roman division medals and added an unexpected name to the 2004 Olympic trials roster during the U.S. National Wrestling Championships here April 9 and 10.Greco-Roman wrestlers Steve Woods took the silver

  • Enlisted Heritage Hall honors fallen Airman

    A fallen hero was honored recently when the Enlisted Heritage Hall on Gunter Annex dedicated the Tech. Sgt. John Chapman exhibit.Members of Sergeant Chapman's family and colleagues from the 24th Special Tactics Squadron were among more than 200 people attending the dedication ceremony. A combat

  • Hospital develops pregnancy wellness program

    A new program at Wilford Hall Medical Center here teaches expectant mothers about the effects of stress on the mind and body during and after pregnancy. The pregnancy wellness program is a joint project between specialists in the clinical-health psychology and the obstetrics and gynecology

  • Two new medals recognize units

    Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche approved two new medals recognizing units for outstanding heroism in combat and for achievement or service in direct support of combat operations.The Gallant Unit Citation and the Meritorious Unit Award can be awarded to Air Force active-duty, Reserve

  • Guard, Reserve leaders address Senate subcommittee

    Reserve component leaders from the Air Force, Army and Marine Corps met before a Senate subcommittee reviewing the fiscal 2005 military budget here April 7.The leaders discussed transformation goals and spending requirements. They also touched on issues such as deployments, stress on the force and

  • Deployed servicemembers step up anti-malarial protections

    It is peak mosquito season in Iraq, and U.S. servicemembers deployed supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom are taking steps to protect themselves against malaria.The high-risk season for malaria runs April to November, said Army Col. Fredric Plotkin, preventive medicine and force health protection

  • Software helps Airmen track fitness progress

    The Air Force recently released a tool to help Airmen keep track of their fitness efforts. The Air Force Fitness Management System is available to all Airmen through the Air Force Portal. The system provides a history of their fitness scores and allows unit fitness managers to enter new scores.

  • Simulator prepares Airmen for combat

    Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to infiltrate enemy territory in the cover of darkness. Sentries will be posted at various checkpoints throughout your path to offer additional assistance. Armed with night-vision goggles, weapons and wits, your mission will be trying and perilous.

  • Air Force Museum receives WWII stone roller from China

    A stone roller Chinese workers used during World War II to construct airfield runways as long as 8,500 feet in Kunming, China, will make a permanent stop at the Air Force Museum here this summer.Hundreds of Chinese workers pulled the roller, made of solid stone and weighing nearly 11,000 pounds, to

  • New special-duty assignment process under way

    Enlisted assignments division officials at the Air Force Personnel Center here unveiled a new assignment process to account for many special-duty jobs now being coded as maximum tour assignments in the continental United States.The new process, starting in mid-April, is called the CONUS Mandatory

  • Jumper urges Airmen to 'stay encouraged'

    The war on terrorism, force shaping and the new fitness program are all major priorities in today's Air Force, said the service's senior leader during a visit here April 5. With the recent gruesome murders of four U.S. contractors and the almost daily loss of American servicemembers’ lives, the Air

  • Top chief discusses Air Force issues

    Force shaping, housing plans, the proposed uniform and fitness proved hot topics for the Air Force's top enlisted leader as he talked with Airmen during a visit here.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray said the retention rate for first-term Airmen is the highest the Air Force has

  • Air Force announces Thrift Savings Plan open season

    Civilian and military employees can sign up for, or change, their Thrift Savings Plan contribution amounts during the open season April 15 to June 30."TSP is a long-term retirement savings plan which everyone should consider," said Senior Master Sgt. Felipe Ortiz, superintendent of the Air Force

  • Seven Iraqis head to Houston for treatment

    As Iraq rebuilds after 35 years of oppression and cruelty under Saddam Hussein, seven men and their families will finally begin to repair the pieces of their lives destroyed by the former leader’s injustice. The men had their healthy right hands amputated in 1996 for allegedly dealing in foreign

  • Communications Airmen help Iraqis connect

    Airmen worked for two days rebuilding and improving the communications infrastructure at Baghdad International Airport.A team of 447th Air Expeditionary Group cable maintenance shop and telephone systems Airmen started a job April 3. “Basically we were asked to come out here and establish high-speed

  • Air Force sneaks past Montana, 4-3, in men's tennis

    The Air Force men's tennis team captured victories at the top three singles positions and top two doubles spots April 4, defeating the University of Montana, 4-3, in the Falcons' final home match of the season. Air Force, currently on a three-match winning streak, is now 12-8 this season.Junior

  • Flightline upgrades boost mission

    New upgrades to the flightline are boosting operational capabilities, helping Airmen accomplish the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing’s expanding role to provide intra-theatre airlift for deployed forces.The latest upgrades completed March 31 include a new 320,000-square-foot C-130 Hercules parking ramp.

  • Electronic recorder adds realism to bugle playing

    The Tinker Air Force Base Honor Guard recently received three ceremonial bugles which play a high-quality recording of “Taps,” helping to show the nation’s deepest gratitude at the funerals of those who have served their country.The Department of Defense worked with a private company to create the

  • Air Force wants new human-resources system

    In testimony before Congress on March 31, the Air Force chief information officer said the service would like to accelerate development of a new joint personnel system.Air Force Chief Information Officer John Gilligan told members of the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on terrorism,

  • Air Force Reserve begins fitness testing

    Air Force reservists across the country are under the new Air Force fitness-testing standards as of April 1.Previously, fitness was measured by height-based weight restrictions, and reservists were tested on aerobic health through a 3-mile walk. The new standards include a waist measurement,

  • It may be buried, but it’s not treasure

    Sweeping is practically part of everyday life here among the constant dust, sand and gravel that tends to build up everywhere.But there are other sweepers here who play a much more critical role in keeping Tallil “clean.”A team of explosive ordnance disposal experts systematically sweep the entire

  • Officials discuss new civilian system in open letter

    A letter signed by Defense Department leaders asks DOD civilian employees to be patient as teams work to make the new National Security Personnel System a reality. The April 1 letter, signed by David S.C. Chu, undersecretary for personnel and readiness, and Navy Secretary Gordon England, stresses

  • Congress congratulates U.S. Air Force Academy

    An academy graduate, who is now a U.S. congresswoman from New Mexico, took time March 30 on the House floor to honor the school’s 50th anniversary.Rep. Heather Wilson, a 1982 distinguished graduate, submitted a resolution congratulating the academy on its 50th anniversary and recognizing the

  • Idaho Guard helps train B-52 crews

    There’s a “war” going on. Every day deployed Airmen from the 266th Range Squadron at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, are shooting, eluding and attempting to destroy B-52 Stratofortresses flying here.However, no one gets hurt and no aircraft actually go down because the battle is done using

  • April issue of Airman available

    Read about how operations are going at the Air Force’s only blended wing, take a look at two locations where Airmen serve in Italy and learn how a retired first sergeant is getting her life back after a package bomb took her hands. These features and more highlight the April issue of Airman

  • Cold War space approach must change

    Transformation across the armed forces is happening much faster than expected when the concept was announced two years ago, the Defense Department's director of force transformation told the Senate subcommittee on strategic forces."It's happening due in large part to the information and power

  • Airmen reach out to help Iraqis

    The bright yellow ball bounced boldly out of the box as Iraqi children eagerly clamored to snatch the sphere from an Air Force chaplain’s hands.One young Iraqi boy emerged victorious, waving the soccer ball wildly over his head before tossing it back and forth to a friend in the crowd gathered

  • Air Force conducts network-defense exercise

    Air Force officials finished a two-week computer network-defense exercise March 26, which validated and strengthened the Air Force’s ability to defend its network against a wide range of attacks.About 200 people at network operations security centers and associated network control centers Air

  • Troop rotation to Iraq continues

    The largest rotation of U.S. forces since World War II continues in Iraq, Defense Department officials said March 31.In all, more than 250,000 U.S. servicemembers are affected.Planning for the rotation began months ago. New units worked with units already in Iraq to learn their mission and plan the

  • Weapons testing enters new era

    Engineers and technicians here ushered in a new weapons-testing era by dropping an inert, precision laser-guided bomb from an F-15E Strike Eagle that struck an offshore floating target 21 miles away.The test is the first in a program to build an offshore-scoring system on the Eglin Gulf Test Range,

  • Airmen recruit Iraqi military

    Two Air Force recruiters are using their training and skills to recruit a distinct group of people into an organization far different from the U.S. Air Force.Capt. Pete Ellum and Master Sgt. Greg Elmore are in Iraq recruiting that country’s new military. They are recruiting for the armed forces,

  • Reserve employment information program begins

    A new Defense Department reporting system has begun so members of all seven reserve components can register their employers. DOD decision-makers need to know the civilian employers and government agencies of the department's nearly 1.2 million National Guardsmen and reservists, officials said. The

  • Flying ‘bug’ bites WASP early, pilot recounts service

    It was not Charles Lindbergh, but “a fella before him” whose name escapes her now. She remembers he came through Charleston, W.Va., when she was very young, and she said he inspired her to learn to fly.“I was about 7 or 8 years old when this famous flier came to town. Everyone turned out to see

  • Stopping corrosion before it stops mission

    Like cancer, it grows and spreads, risking men, machines and missions.In the docks where E-3 Sentries are sidelined for programmed depot maintenance, workers are as skilled at eliminating corrosion and its risks as surgeons are at cutting out a cancer.The work consists largely of inspections, checks

  • Minot B-52 aircrews refine, polish skills in Guam

    Capt. Jeremiah Baldwin, a B-52 Stratofortress pilot, said he could not wait to get out of the cockpit. He was tired, exhausted and just wanted to lie down and sleep after flying a 20-hour mission. “It’s one of the longest flights I’ve ever flown. It was great training, but it’s not something I

  • Air Force seeks to eliminate inadequate housing

    Air Force senior leaders spoke with members of Congress on March 30 about the service’s requests for military construction funding in the fiscal 2005 budget. In testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee subcommittee on military construction, the Air Force civil engineer, Maj. Gen. L.

  • ROTC instructor duty now includes NCOs

    Air Force ROTC officials have just expanded instructor duty opportunities to include enlisted Airmen from diverse career fields.The secretary of the Air Force has approved a test program designed to incorporate enlisted perspectives into the curriculum. The addition of enlisted instructional staff,

  • Air Force announces new SRB list

    Bluesuiters will see significant changes in the newly released selective re-enlistment bonus list resulting from solid retention rates, Pentagon officials said.Following the selective re-enlistment review board, the Air Force has published the latest SRB list which contains 62 Air Force

  • Airmen make sure A-10s keep flying

    When many people were passing out candy to trick-or-treaters last October, 26 crew chiefs left their home at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., and arrived here, ready to do their part in the war on terrorism.Through the holidays, this group of Airmen has not missed a beat in keeping the A-10

  • A-10 pilot wows Smithsonian crowd

    The Iraqi republican guard may have had luck on their side that miserable Baghdad day, but they did not know who was flying the A-10 Thunderbolt II they had just hit with a rocket.It was April 7, 2003, and an elite unit of Iraqis had U.S. forces pinned down along the Tigris River, firing

  • Families of high-school seniors may get to stay in place

    Some Air Force families with a child entering his or her senior year of high school may get to stay longer at their current duty stations thanks to a new policy announced in March."In today's environment of deployments and high operations tempo, it's important that we alleviate stress on families

  • Countries join NATO alliance

    The Allied Air Forces Northern Region commander welcomed seven new nations as full members of the NATO alliance March 29 here, raising the number of countries in the alliance from 19 to 26. The new countries joined after a process that started at the November 2002 Prague Summit when NATO’s heads of

  • Now showing: March 29 edition of AFTV News

    Air Combat Command’s “Canadian connection” highlights the latest edition of Air Force Television News. In a special “Eye on the Air Force,” Tech. Sgt. Bill Scherer goes to North Bay, Ontario, to examine the close relationship between ACC and the Canadian air force. Before Sept. 11, the Canadian

  • Guard, Reserve, employers named 'Citizen of the Year'

    The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation named Reserve and Guard forces and their employers as the "Citizen of the Year" March 23 during the foundation’s annual Circle of Honor dinner at the New York Stock Exchange."We are privileged to honor as our citizen of the year, America's citizen-Soldiers

  • AFPC works to keep people connected

    For those having problems with computer connections, technicians at the Air Force Personnel Center here have some words of advice.Instead of assuming what is tripping up the computer connection, report it."We've had cases where customers trying to take care of personnel business on the Web assume

  • AF officials testify regarding importance of space

    Air Force officials joined those from the U.S. Navy in congressional testimony March 25, speaking before a Senate Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on strategic forces, about future plans for using space.Peter B. Teets, undersecretary of the Air Force and director of the National

  • Group reflects on OIF mission one year later

    March 27 holds special meaning for people of the 86th Contingency Response Group; it marks an accomplishment they made during Operation Iraqi Freedom.Last year on that day, 20 Airmen from the 86th CRG parachuted into northern Iraq along with more than 1,000 Soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade

  • April issue of Citizen Airman available online

    For the past 33-plus years, Lt. Gen. James E. Sherrard III has been contributing to the Air Force mission as a reservist, with the last five-plus years as the commander of Air Force Reserve Command and chief of Air Force Reserve. During that time, he has fought for better benefits and entitlements

  • C-17 crew wins Mackay Trophy

    One year after they led the biggest combat airdrop since Operation Just Cause in Panama in December 1989, five Airmen from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., are the winners of the National Aeronautic Association's Clarence Mackay Trophy for 2003.Lt. Col. Shane Hershman, from the 7th Airlift Squadron;

  • Dynamic mission planning allows rapid response

    Technology is helping put today's warfighters at the right fight at the right time with the flexibility to change target identification or redirect aircraft in flight.Rapidly maturing satellite technology supports dynamic planning for fast-changing battlefield environments, and Electronic Systems

  • X-45A successfully releases inert weapon

    The Joint-Unmanned Combat Air System X-45A successfully carried out an inert-weapons release here March 20, marking the first weapons release from the internal bay of the high-speed, stealthy unmanned aircraft."All testing leading up to (the) weapon jettison went extremely well," said Maj. Mike

  • ANG welcomes new command chief

    Confident that he still has a lot to give to this country, Chief Master Sgt. Richard Smith is preparing to move from his home in rural Lexington, Ohio, to Washington to become the ninth command chief master sergeant of the Air National Guard."My appetite to serve is still there," said Chief Smith,

  • Officials announce program for retiree employment

    Defense Department officials implemented a new policy March 22 allowing defense managers to hire civil-service retirees needed in critical positions without offsetting their retirement pay, which was required under a previous law. A similar provision was previously implemented for military

  • AFIT class includes first enlisted graduates

    Eight enlisted Airmen graduated from the Air Force Institute of Technology on March 23, marking one of the more historic achievements in the history of the service's enlisted force.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche, in delivering the graduation address to a crowd of more than 1,000

  • Airmen provide exercise tips to prevent pain

    Military hospitals have seen more injuries than usual since the Air Force adopted the new physical fitness test.The majority of these injuries could have been prevented with common sense and "listening to your body," said Maj. Chu Soh of the 374th Medical Operations Squadron’s physical therapy

  • AFIT graduates Class of 2004

    More than 200 scientists and engineers received graduate and doctoral degrees from the Air Force Institute of Technology.AFIT’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management held its 2004 graduation ceremony March 23 at the Air Force Museum. Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche delivered

  • Officials working for reserve health benefits

    Defense Department officials are working as quickly as possible to implement enhanced Tricare health-care benefits for reserve component sponsors and their family members, officials said.The Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act and the 2004 National Defense Authorization Act authorized the new

  • Women play important role in military

    Throughout history, women have broken barriers to serve in the military, some legitimately and some not. Many women worked as nurses on battlefields, while others disguised themselves as men so they could join. Even though the contributions women made were recognized, Americans would not allow

  • Surgeon general testifies on servicemembers’ health

    Pre- and post-deployment health care coupled with the in-theater deployment surveillance health program have resulted in the healthiest servicemembers in history, the Air Force surgeon general told a congressional panel March 18.Lt. Gen. (Dr.) George Peach Taylor Jr. told the House Armed Services

  • New parts can cost less than old ones

    C-5 Galaxy mechanics here recently found that making new aircraft floorboards rather than repairing used ones saves nearly $5.5 million per year and reduces work-flow days from 42 to nine.When a C-5 floorboard team started rethinking their work process, 923 floorboards were on backorder, and C-5s

  • Armament summit examines joint weapons communication

    A global grid where information can be passed from weapons to aircraft to command and control facilities highlighted discussions at the sixth annual air armament summit here March 16 to 17.The theme of the summit that brought leaders from government, industry and academia together was, "Joining the

  • First C-130J arrives for active duty

    The first C-130J Hercules assigned to an active-duty unit arrived here March 19.“We are proud to call Little Rock Air Force Base and central Arkansas home -- home of the United States Air Force’s first active-duty C-130J,” said Col. Joseph Reheiser, 314th Airlift Wing commander. “We look forward to

  • Getting fit sets good example

    When the Air Force unveiled its new exercise program many Airmen did not think much of it, but for some it was an eye-opener and more of an incentive to get in shape.That is what Master Sgt. Michael Moss of the 33rd Maintenance Squadron’s aerospace ground equipment flight thought. Six months ago,

  • Pet donkey inspires children to publish book

    Three children of an Airman here have completed a two-year project and published their story.Myles, Scarlett and Preston Gallagher are the children of Chief Master Sgt. Richard Gallagher and his wife, Gwenyth. The youngster published a children's book, "The Adventures of 'Sweet Pea' the Donkey,"

  • CMSAF talks fitness, force shaping

    During a visit here March 15, the top enlisted Airman talked about fitness and force shaping. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald Murray explained there was no plan to use the new fitness assessment as a part of the Weighted Airmen Promotion System.“(Leaders have) talked about a possible

  • Air Force names top public affairs performers

    The secretary of the Air Force and the Air Force chief of staff have announced the following 2003 Air Force public affairs achievement award recipients.Winners of the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs director’s excellence awards are:Major Command Category: The "Brig. Gen. Harry

  • Officer’s school changes recognition program

    The Air Force leadership school for company grade officers has changed the way it recognizes its graduates who excel in all facets of the curriculum.Squadron Officer School, which has been educating company grade officers for more than 50 years, has implemented a new Top Third Graduate Award.

  • Air Force announces media contest winners

    A panel of civilian journalists, teachers and public relations professionals selected the best in Air Force print and broadcast journalism for the 48th annual Air Force Media Contest. The winners were announced March 17. Master Sgt. Deborah Smith, from the Colorado National Guard headquarters

  • New service delivers civilian personnel news to inbox

    Officials from the Air Force's National Security Personnel System implementation office recently unveiled a simple way to keep employees informed of coming changes to the Department of Defense civilian personnel system.The 2004 National Defense Authorization Act established the NSPS, a new human

  • New machine makes materiel storage, retrieval easier

    A new mechanized cargo-handling machine here will make materiel storage and retrieval easier.The 60-ton Elevated Transfer Vehicle is a part of the Department of Defense Mechanized Materiel Handling System. The $11 million system, the largest in DOD, is being installed at the new air freight

  • Leaders getting tool to help people in distress

    Leaders throughout the Air Force are receiving a new tool this spring they can use to recognize and respond to people in distressing situations.Every squadron commander and first sergeant will get a CD copy of the “Leader's Guide to Managing Personnel in Distress,” an interactive product that

  • Basic training creates mission-ready Airmen

    Air Force leaders expect basic military training squadrons to deliver a tough program, professionally. Trainees want it tough as well, officials here said.This is great because training officials said they deliver. Graduates complete a rigorous indoctrination program and leave here as highly

  • AMC central to historic troop rotation

    Department of Defense officials have challenged those from Air Mobility Command to play a central role in the Southwest Asia troop rotation by moving 250,000 people in 60 days. That roughly equates to the number of passengers who can sit in 720 wide-body commercial aircraft or the entire population

  • Civilian job process going ‘PRO’

    A new base-level central-approval authority for filling civilian positions is currently being tested at seven bases across the Air Force.The Personnel Resource Official, or PRO, will be the point of contact in an organization or at a base that lets a manager trying to fill a position know whether he

  • Now showing: March 15 edition of AFTV News

    The shifting focus of the Air Force mission to meet new world threats is in the spotlight in the latest edition of Air Force Television News. In a two-part report, Tech. Sgt. Rusty Barfield and Staff Sgt. April Lawrence report from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and Minot AFB, N.D., on the

  • Pocket change: Local artist designing new nickel

    Graphic designer Susan Gamble is one of 24 artists from across the country selected by U.S. Mint officials to create original designs for the nation’s coins and medals.The U.S. Mint issued a nationwide call for artists in November and received 306 applications from professional and student artists

  • Murray talks rotations, uniforms, quality of life

    Retro was all the rage March 10 here as Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald Murray met with enlisted Airmen here.Chief Murray, the Pacific Air Forces command chief before assuming his current job, addressed a standing-room-only crowd about several issues concerning the base, Pacific Air Forces

  • U.S. forces get tax break for combat-zone service

    American forces serving in designated combat zones supporting the war against terrorism continue to get a tax break from Uncle Sam.Depending upon rank, eligible servicemembers can exclude from federal income tax either all or some of their active-duty pay, and certain other pays, earned in any month

  • Target identification system nears completion

    By the end of the year, U.S. military forces will be able to pinpoint targets with equipment that is lighter and more compact, thanks to the Air Force Research Laboratory's Laser Integrated Target Identification System.For U.S. forces to pinpoint a military target now, they need eight separate