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U.S. Air Force News

  • Squadron supports 'Freedom Hangar' mission

    People from the 728th Air Mobility Squadron’s aerial port flight have a hand in servicing just about every aircraft that transits here, whether it is supporting Operation Enduring Freedom or carrying passengers home after a holiday in the United States.While their job may not be as visible or

  • Patriot Express restructures

    Fiscal realities and limited use have led U.S. Transportation Command to restructure Patriot Express. Patriot Express is the military's chartered commercial air service for transporting servicemembers on permanent-change-of-station orders and their families to and from overseas locations. Air

  • Civil engineers’ work noticed every day

    Every day, airmen of the 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron are seen doing a multitude of tasks, from digging trenches for electrical wiring to setting up restroom facilities.The unit’s accomplishments can be noticed when one makes a 2 a.m. trip to the restroom and comes face to face with a

  • Wing moves from Tallil to Balad

    The famed “Red Tails” were on the move recently when they relocated from a base in southern Iraq to just north of Baghdad.The 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing flag was furled here before being flown to its new home at Balad Air Base, where the wing was reactivated Jan. 30. The move is part of the

  • Now showing: Feb. 2 edition of AFTV News

    The growing effect long activations are having on reservists and Air National Guardsmen spotlights the latest edition of Air Force Television News. Staff Sgt. Melissa Allan visits a reservist at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., whose family is trying to decide if re-enlistment is an option because of

  • Oversight office changes name

    The agency that ensures the Air Force gets its money’s worth from contracts totaling more than half the service’s annual procurement budget takes on a new identity Feb. 1.The Air Force Program Executive Officer for Combat and Mission Support officially stands up, changing its name from AFPEO for

  • Air Force redesigns Web site

    The Air Force is unveiling a new look, feel and functionality for its official Web site Feb. 1.“Air Force Link, the service’s Web site, will have a cleaner, more modern look,” said Leslie Benito, chief of news technology and project manager for the redesign for Air Force News Service, a part of the

  • Winter record set at Grand Forks

    A record was set here for the coldest day in January when temperatures reached minus 37 on Jan. 29 and 30, said officials at the 319th Operations Support Squadron weather flight here.The base is also experiencing one of the snowiest winters on record,From Jan. 24 to 26, the base received 21 inches

  • New equipment saves time, money

    Paying at the pump is always cheaper and faster than using the old system with a full-service gas station attendant. The staff at the 445th Maintenance Squadron’s machine shop has a new piece of equipment that does not pump gas, but it is saving them time and money. Plus, it is great for the

  • TO management becoming easier

    Ever receive an update to a technical order that is out of sequence? For instance, update No. 11 came after update No. 12 rather than before.Ever ask for a specific technical order and never receive it? Technical orders provide the blueprint maintainers use for the upkeep of aircraft in the Air

  • Commander selections get boost

    The latest 503 officers selected as support commanders highlights a new way of identifying future commanders using force development, said Air Force Personnel Center officials here."Squadron commanders are the heart and soul of the Air Force and support command is a prestigious leadership position,"

  • Guard legal team working hard

    For some, the base legal office is a place to take care of wills or powers of attorney, but the office staff here does a lot more than that.Lt. Col. Brent Wright, an Oklahoma Air National Guard staff judge advocate, and Master Sgt. Mary Alice Rebis, a New York ANG paralegal, are teamed together to

  • Reservist selected for NASA crew

    A reserve officer assigned to the F-16 Fighting Falcon system program office here is one of four NASA astronauts named to fly on space shuttle mission STS-121. The mission, planned for November, will follow a shuttle mission scheduled for September. Making his first flight into space will be

  • February issue of Citizen Airman available

    Air Force Reserve Command's 908th Airlift Wing at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., is on the leading edge of the Air Force's effort to modernize its fleet of C-130 Hercules aircraft.C-130H-2s from the 908th, along with C-130E models from the Idaho Air National Guard's 124th Wing in Boise, will be the

  • Military retirees to see pay increase

    An estimated 150,000 military retirees will see an increase in their pay Feb. 2. The National Defense Authorization Act, enacted in November, significantly modified a long-standing law preventing retirees from receiving full retired pay if they also received disability pay from the Department of

  • Airmen test skills on Korean peninsula

    More than 100 airmen, 12 F-15 Eagles and three KC-135 Stratotankers returned to Kadena Air Base, Japan, on Jan. 27 after a four-day deployment here. The mission was a test of the 18th Wing’s ability to deploy during a scheduled operational readiness exercise that began at Kadena on Jan. 24 and is

  • DFAS clarifies retro civilian pay raise

    The additional 2.1-percent pay raise for civilian employees authorized by the president Jan. 23, will be retroactive to Jan. 11. However, before it can take effect, an executive order must be issued addressing how the increase will be split between base and locality pay, said Defense Finance and

  • Soldiers leaving AF gates

    A mix of airmen, civilians, contractors and new technology will replace Army National Guard military policemen now posted at Air Force bases.The original agreement struck between the Air Force and the Army called for using the Guardsmen at base entry points for two years, enough time to find a

  • Randolph gets its first T-38C

    The first T-38C Talon destined for operations in the 12th Flying Training Wing touched down here Jan. 21 at 10:06 a.m.There were no brass bands or flag-carrying marchers to greet the new arrival. In fact, the small cluster of people waiting on the ramp gave no hint of the importance of the event.

  • New software eases workload

    Advanced software technology has arrived at the 43rd Fighter Squadron that will soon benefit all of Tyndall and beyond.Known as the Combat Crew Training Management System, the automatic tracking program checks the progress of F/A-22 Raptor students, what stage of training they have completed, and

  • Targeting pods bolster F-16 training

    The 149th Fighter Wing received something Jan. 14 that will literally put its current class of F-16 fighter pilots right on target with their training.The unit will be the first in the Air Force to graduate pilots from the F-16 Fighting Falcon basic course with targeting-pod training. The enhanced

  • Sergeant deploys with casino

    As a child, Master Sgt. Thomas Shircel enjoyed sharing games of rummy with his grandparents, and playing black jack on his video game system.Some years later, as a college student, his appreciation for casino games expanded to providing casino equipment for charity and social functions. He

  • Firefighters keep flames at bay

    Sixty seconds. Just 60 seconds is all it takes for a fire to decimate a tent in a deployed environment.But the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing’s team of firefighters is here to prevent that from happening. The team has many missions, but fire prevention is the most critical so the team never has to

  • Exercise tests shuttle rescue capabilities

    Lajes Field's capabilities to save a downed space shuttle crew will be put to the test during a daylong exercise here Jan. 30.The exercise involves American and Portuguese forces and a Defense Department agency for space flight.The combined event joins 65th Air Base Wing and Portuguese Air Base 4

  • Wife helps identify drug problem

    “No matter what kind of person you are, drugs will ruin you,” said an obviously uneasy, 21-year-old Airman Basic Michael Dancer as he nervously turned the wedding band on his finger.Wearing a blue correctional custody jump suit, Airman Michael spoke from experience. Though he was not caught driving

  • ‘Spiderman’ joins OEF

    Airmen are known for their innovation, and are encouraged and challenged to continually look for better and smarter ways to accomplish the mission.For one senior noncommissioned officer supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, that challenge led to a labor of love. He developed a computer tool --

  • Air Force saves native remains

    Quick action and the use of high-tech radar at an old radar site allowed an Air Force team to find 15 unmarked graves of Alaska natives that were in danger of being washed out to sea this winter.Earlier in the year, the rural village of Port Heiden, Alaska, saw their old graveyard get torn apart by

  • Camera phones pose risk to security

    Carrying the latest "have-to-have" electronic gadget may mean big trouble for the person who brings it into unauthorized locations.Officials from the National Security Agency said in an advisory that new cellular phones with integral digital cameras pose an unacceptable security risk to homeland

  • Tricare Standard allows civilian care

    People covered by the Tricare Standard military health care plan no longer need approval from their military treatment facility to seek inpatient care at civilian hospitals.The need to get a nonavailability statement before seeking civilian inpatient care expired Dec. 28 under a provision of the

  • Firefighters ‘adapt’ to situation

    Necessity is said to be the mother of invention. Two firefighters here have taken this old saying to heart and invented an adapter to increase their capacity to fight fires.Staff Sgt. Clinton Saul, of the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron fire department, and Army Spc. James Michaels, of

  • AF creates personnel system team

    The Air Force has formed a team to implement the Defense Department’s most dramatic civilian personnel system transformation in the last 50 years.The National Security Personnel System gives DOD managers the flexibility to place civilian workers where they are needed most, without delay. It reduces

  • Mentoring Month brings out role models

    Most people know how hard it can be to take time, especially quality time, to spend with their children.But finding time in a busy schedule to spend with other people’s children takes dedication -- the dedication given to children by adults who choose to be their mentors.January is National

  • Air Force artist shows work

    At work, Master Sgt. Jeffery Kunkle is the quality assurance inspector for the 725th Air Mobility Squadron here. To friends and family, he is an aspiring artist. Sergeant Kunkle has been drawing since he was 8 years old, and recently showed his work at Peña Chuscho, a local art gallery located in

  • Airman at State of Union address

    Staff Sgt. Clinton Smith, of the 11th Security Forces Squadron at the Pentagon, was pleased and surprised with the additional temporary duties he assumed Jan. 20.Two months ago, Sergeant Smith was serving his country by performing security-forces duties while deployed in Iraq. On Jan. 20, he was

  • Forces prepare for Yama Sakura

    U.S. airmen and Japan self-defense forces are gearing up for exercise Yama Sakura ‘04 taking place here Jan. 25 to 31. Yama Sakura is an annual joint/bilateral command post exercise, and is one of the most important simulation-driven, force-on-force battle staff training exercises in Japan, said

  • JDAM team earns precision strike award

    The Air Force Joint Program Office received the William J. Perry Strike Award for developing and delivering the Joint Direct Attack Munition to the warfighter.The award was presented by the Precision Strike Association on Jan. 21 at its Winter Roundtable meeting in Arlington, Va.The award recognizes

  • Air traffic controllers own Iraqi sky

    From American and coalition aircraft to civilian airliners now traveling through the Iraqi airspace, the number of aircraft coming and going over Iraq has increased exponentially in the last year. In southern Iraq, 19 Air Force air traffic controllers here are ensuring the safety of the aircraft

  • AF wife takes deep breath after transplant

    Theresa Merkal was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age 2. Like 30,000 other Americans with CF, she struggles to live with the most common fatal hereditary disease among Caucasians, according to the American Lung Association. Cystic fibrosis is the result of a defective gene that causes the body

  • Center helping deployed airmen

    Deployed personnel specialists now have around-the-clock assistance in performing personnel actions for deployed airmen that previously may have taken days to complete. The Air Force Contact Center will now provide one-stop customer support for deployed operations, said Lt. Col. Jacqueline Harry,

  • Program offers ‘Vigilant Look’ at AFSPC

    While the Air Force encourages its personnel to "cross further into the blue" through its new force-development philosophy, Air Force Space Command officials have been using a unique application of that philosophy -- the Vigilant Look program.Nearly four years old, Vigilant Look encapsulates the

  • Simulator gives airmen realistic training

    A new simulator is providing realistic, localized training for 72nd Operations Support Squadron air traffic controllers here.The simulator gives airmen the opportunity to operate in a computer-based environment before they take the helm in the tower.“Our new controllers customize what they have

  • Academy aircraft return to flight

    Forty-five aircraft previously grounded amid safety concerns were cleared for normal flight operations Jan. 17. Air Force officials regained confidence in the contract maintenance program and permanent fixes were established for all discrepancies identified.Three UV-18 Twin Otter aircraft of the

  • Rocket test stand gets facelift

    The rocket test stand used more than 30 years ago for Apollo Moon-mission F-1 rocket engine production testing has been modernized and is ready for use.Test Stand 2-A is the only Department of Defense stand capable of performing full-scale rocket thrust chamber development testing in the

  • Pilot helps boy breathe easier

    If you ask Blake Henderson, a young boy from nearby Niceville, to tell you who Capt. James Dykas is he will most likely reply, “my pilot,” with a look of ownership and pride. But is was not until recently that the two met.When Blake was born four years ago, he underwent heart surgery for congenital

  • Back pain becomes Childs’ play

    Capt. John Childs, a physical therapist, is literally taking on a pain in the backside. By studying how patients respond to certain treatments, Captain Childs is aiming to reduce lower back pain, a condition that afflicts millions of Americans.Captain Childs, an Air Force Institute of Technology

  • Airmen restoring old mosque

    Among a landscape filled with tree stumps, old barbed wire, concrete and rebar, airmen from the 506th Air Expeditionary Group found a hidden jewel -- an old building in desperate need of repair. Thanks to base chapel, contracting and civil engineers leaders, and with the help of a large volunteer

  • Transient alert keeps airflow moving

    Unlike the old saying which goes, “jack of all trades, master of none,” the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing’s transient alert team here are "airmen of all aircraft, masters of most."The team is primarily responsible for meeting the fuel, cargo and maintenance needs of military and commercial passenger

  • AAFES helping deployed troops

    Since setting up a mobile store at Tallil Air Base, Iraq, in April, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service continues providing "a little bit of home" to deployed troops.There are 30 exchanges in Iraq and 52 throughout operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, said Judd Anstey, AAFES public

  • Defense institute gets new home

    The new home of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute officially opened here Jan. 14.Dr. Davis S. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, cut the ribbon to open the two-story, 92,000-square-foot facility.A new-campus task force was established in the early 1990s,

  • Veteran hiring increases

    Hiring of military veterans across the federal civilian work force increased in fiscal 2002, the government's director of personnel said recently.In fact, hiring of veterans in the federal work force was up more than 19 percent over the previous fiscal year, said Kay Coles James, U.S. Office of

  • New GPS satellite operational

    Global Positioning System satellite IIR-10, which launched from here Dec. 21, is now fully operational."It is officially 'turned on' for the warfighter as of Jan. 12," said Capt. Thomas R. Ste. Marie, an Air Force launch controller with the 1st Space Launch Squadron here. "IIR-10 will appear on GPS

  • Incirlik serves as Army 'terminal'

    Incirlik has a new role as a temporary "terminal" for U.S. soldiers traveling home after serving about a year in Iraq.The more than 300 soldiers who arrived here Jan. 6 are the first of what will be thousands transiting through Incirlik during the massive Army troop changeover."We're providing a

  • AAFES receives special award

    The Army and Air Force Exchange Service received the American Spirit Award during the National Retail Federation's annual convention recently.AAFES was selected for the 2004 honor because of its support of U.S. servicemembers fighting terrorism. The award is designed to recognize exceptional

  • Development changes affect chiefs

    The Air Force is transforming the way it manages and develops chief master sergeants as part of a servicewide change in professional development.“For more than a year now … we have begun major cultural changes in the Air Force, a new vision -- how to best develop our force for the future” said Brig.

  • D.C. Guardsmen have worldwide mission

    It would be hard to pick out pilots David Morales or John Moring III in a crowd most days when they are flying for the District of Columbia Air National Guard. And that is just the way they like it. They wear civilian shirts, ties and slacks, so they will not draw attention to themselves as U.S.

  • Cadets take controls of tomorrow’s fighter

    Tomorrow’s fighter pilots got a taste of tomorrow’s combat airpower Jan. 8 and 9 at the Air Force Academy when F/A-22 Raptor manufacturer Lockheed Martin Corporation let cadets take the controls in their updated F/A-22 cockpit flight simulator.The F/A-22 Raptor is the next generation of multi-role

  • Sheet metal shop workers help warfighters

    Fifty years ago, William "Bill" Shirah picked up a skill that today is helping "shape" the U.S. Air Force.Over the years, as a master sheet metal worker, he has bent and shaped the metal that wraps around countless Air Force aircraft.Today he shares his years of experience with 53 other people in

  • Medical priority for disabled vets

    Veterans Affairs officials want to send veterans with service-connected medical problems to the front of the line when it comes to receiving medical treatment at VA facilities.Anthony J. Principi, VA secretary, issued a new directive to all VA medical facilities requiring that "priority access" be

  • ART leave no longer authorized

    Volunteerism by Air Force Reserve Command's full-time military technicians may drop as result of a new interpretation of law. Air reserve technicians can no longer use 44 days of military leave while serving on active duty outside the continental United States, said officials in the office of the

  • Roche unveils AF hero memorial

    The secretary of the Air Force unveiled a memorial at Arlington National Cemetery on Jan. 8 to honor the service’s highest-decorated combat controller.Tech. Sgt. John A. Chapman, from the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, was killed March 4, 2002, while fighting against the Taliban during Operation

  • Leaders do first official PT test

    The Air Force’s most senior leaders, both officer and enlisted, completed their fitness evaluations Jan. 7 at the Bolling Air Force Base Wellness Center. The group was among the first in the Air Force to have their physical fitness evaluated using the service’s new fitness standard. Under the

  • AFRL computer guides Mars rovers

    Radiation-resistant computers Air Force Research Laboratory experts here developed helped steer one of NASA's Mars exploration rovers to a safe landing on the red planet Jan. 4.The AFRL's Rad6000 32-bit microprocessors, manufactured for the Air Force by BAE systems, controlled the spacecraft during

  • New law protects servicemembers

    A new law replacing the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940 provides servicemembers greater protections to handle personal financial and legal obligations, officials said.President Bush signed the Service Members' Civil Relief Act into law Dec. 19."The focus of the (new act) is the same

  • Rumsfeld outlines DOD priorities

    The war on terrorism will remain the Defense Department's top priority in the new year, as officials continue to focus on improving and modernizing its programs, systems and forces to make them more responsive to 21st century requirements.Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said the department

  • More airmen may live off base

    A change in how the Air Force figures unaccompanied housing requirements will call for fewer dormitory rooms -- meaning more airmen could move off base in the future.Under the new policy, which took effect Jan. 1, the Air Force must provide dormitory housing for unaccompanied E-1s through E-3s and

  • Kirkuk airmen provide relief supplies

    The words of a Kurdish refugee woman living in a tent on the outskirts of Kirkuk keep ringing in the ears of all who heard it. “This is no life for my children here,” the mother said, pointing to the dirt her young child walked through with no shoes. “This is no life in Iraq,” she cried out as

  • Loans temporarily help reservists

    Overseas deployments can be tough on families. Naturally, the initial focus falls upon the emotional cost of separation. But, for guardsmen and reservists who own small businesses, the cost involved in a deployment takes on a whole new meaning.For the past two years, the U.S. Small Business

  • Operation Hero Miles expands

    Alice Rodgers, a single mother, paid more than $1,000 for round-trip tickets from Tipton, Iowa, so she and her daughter, Lindsey, could visit her son. He is recuperating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here from wounds he suffered in an ambush in Iraq.However, when Rodgers returns for her next

  • AFMC improves deployment process

    Air Force Materiel Command officials fielded a tool in the summer designed to help people keep better track of their deployment information and they said it is already making a difference.The Deployment Qualification System is a Web-based tool providing units with capabilities they have never had

  • President calls airman for Christmas

    An airman here got an extra Christmas gift this year.Senior Airman Sean Strong, an air traffic control specialist with the 332nd Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, received a call from a White House operator Dec. 21 informing him he was going to receive a call from the president Dec. 24.“I

  • Officials may improve commissary benefits

    Finding ways to improve commissary benefits tops the Defense Department's list of things to do to enhance quality of life for servicemembers and their families.But when DOD officials announced they were studying the "variable pricing" concept being used by private-sector grocery stores and

  • Prior-service airmen receive SKT exemptions

    Prior-service airmen who do not possess the minimum required primary Air Force specialty skill level commensurate with their grade will now automatically receive a two-year exemption from taking the Specialty Knowledge Test during promotion fitness exams.The change will become effective with the

  • AF leaders send holiday message

    The following is a joint message from Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper:“During this holiday season, Americans have placed their hopes for peace with those who have answered the call to secure freedom: The soldiers, sailors, airmen and

  • CMSAF sends holiday message

    The following is a holiday message from Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray:“To our airmen stationed at home and abroad, and their families -- Sherry and I send our warmest wishes to you this holiday season. It is an honor for us to serve in our U.S. Air Force with each of you.“The

  • UK now requires entry clearance

    New immigration regulations enacted by the United Kingdom require people visiting for more than six months to obtain entry clearance before travel.These new rules apply to military family members, as well as civilian personnel, contractors and their families. Active-duty military members on orders

  • Blood donors needed during holiday

    Armed Services Blood Program officials are urging eligible donors to give blood this holiday season to ensure supplies are available to treat servicemembers, retirees and their families.The blood program organization collects, processes and distributes blood and blood products for the Department of

  • New MRE entrees coming soon

    Servicemembers in the field about to grab a Meal, Ready to Eat combat ration might want to choose the Jamaican pork chop, the pasta with alfredo sauce or the beef with mushrooms.These entrees will soon be gone from the MRE inventory, and replaced by new dishes that food technologists at the U.S.

  • Operation Season’s Greetings airs on AFRTS

    A television version of Air Force Reserve Command’s Operation Season’s Greetings will be broadcast Dec. 23 and 24 to American servicemembers worldwide on Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.The annual tour starred country music group Restless Heart, and also brought four New England Patriots

  • AF leaders visit Bagram airmen

    Air Force senior leaders praised the dedication and sacrifice of airmen here during a visit Dec. 19.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray were welcomed to Afghanistan by 455th Expeditionary Operations Group airmen who are supporting

  • Rocket launches from Florida

    One hundred years after the Wright Brothers flew 120 feet, a Delta II rocket placed a Global Positioning System satellite into orbit from here Dec. 21.A team consisting of people from the 1st Space Launch Squadron, the Space and Missile Systems Center, Lockheed and Boeing launched the 49th GPS.“The

  • Two missing airmen identified

    Two airmen missing in action from the Vietnam War have been identified and returned to their families for burial. They are Maj. Richard W. Cooper Jr., of Salisbury, Md.; and Chief Master Sgt. Charlie S. Poole, of Gibsland, La.On Dec. 19, 1972, Cooper and Poole were crewmembers aboard a B-52D

  • Now showing: Dec. 22 edition of AFTV News

    The Dec. 22 edition of Air Force Television News celebrates the centennial of flight, the Air Force contribution to man’s eternal quest to fly and the repository highlighting that quest.Produced and hosted by Tech. Sgt. Bill Scherer, the second of four special editions of Air Force Television News

  • Pilot talks about Enola Gay mission

    “Airspeed and altitude” was the flight strategy that positioned the Enola Gay to deliver the first atomic bomb used as a weapon nearly 60 years ago, said the pilot who planned and flew the mission.Retired Brig. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets spent several days in the nation’s capital attending events leading

  • Pilot talks about Enola Gay mission

    “Airspeed and altitude” was the flight strategy that positioned the Enola Gay to deliver the first atomic bomb used as a weapon nearly 60 years ago, said the pilot who planned and flew the mission.Retired Brig. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets spent several days in the nation’s capital attending events leading

  • ‘First-strike rations’ developed

    "Ration stripping" is what they call it when forward-deployed combat servicemembers get rid of all but the most essential items from their Meals, Ready to Eat so they do not have so much to carry as they set out on a mission.Servicemembers in Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan reported sacrificing

  • Rumsfeld welcomes combat controllers

    Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld welcomed a new crop of Air Force combat controllers Dec. 18 during a visit to Pope Air Force Base, N.C.During his graduation remarks, Rumsfeld said the Combat Control School "produces some of the finest warriors in the Air Force and the armed services."In fact,

  • Lackland civilian wins DOD award

    Department of Defense officials named the 2003 Outstanding DOD Employee with a Disability Award during a recent ceremony in Bethesda, Md.Raymond Jenks, an instructional systems specialist with the 37th Training Support Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, is the winner.“It really feels great

  • B-2 reaches full operational capability

    The B-2 Spirit reached full operational capability status, Lt. Gen. Bruce Carlson announced Dec. 17 during a ceremony here. The event was marked by the Spirit of Missouri's re-enactment of its first delivery here 10 years ago."The B-2 Spirit is combat-proven. It's now officially fully

  • Crowds gather for re-enactment

    More than 34,200 people stood in mud, the cold and rain, and under gray sky to witness the climax of a yearlong celebration.The event was not even something original or new, but something that had been done before -- exactly 100 years before.The crowd gathered to watch a re-enactment of Orville and

  • Roche visits RAF Mildenhall troops

    The secretary of the Air Force visited here Dec. 11 and 12 to say “thanks” to the men and women for their hard work during the past year.During his two-day trip, Dr. James G. Roche toured aircraft and units, received mission briefings and, most importantly, met with the airmen he specifically came

  • C-17 debuts in exercise

    For the first time, the C-17 Globemaster III was included in a mission-employment exercise held here the first two weeks of December. The C-17 adds a greater air-mobility presence to the exercise, which allows combat air forces to get a better idea of how the airlifters are used, said Lt. Col. John

  • AF identifies operational shortfalls

    Air Force officials released a list of operational shortfalls Dec. 17. The list came from a two-year analysis of current and future warfighting effects and capabilities, a process called a capabilities review and risk assessment.The assessment identified and prioritized critical operational

  • ‘Spirit of Freedom’ dedicated at AF museum

    U.S. Air Force Museum officials formally inducted a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber into the institution’s aircraft collection Dec. 16. The Air Force’s national museum is the first place to permanently exhibit the stealth bomber to the public.During the dedication ceremony, officials christened the

  • Replacements sought for aging helicopters

    An aging fleet of combat search and rescue helicopters is leading Air Force officials on a quest for a new personnel recovery vehicle.The HH-60G Pave Hawks that comprise the CSAR helicopter fleet are 14 years old on average. The oldest are 23 years old and have surpassed the 7,000 flying-hour mark.

  • KC-10 crew flies flag of hope

    A KC-10 Extender crew at a forward-deployed location carried a special message of hope and peace on their flight over Iraq on Dec. 9.As part of the project “Hands on America,” the crew displayed from their boom window an 86-by-76-inch American Flag hand-crafted by Iowa school students. In doing so,

  • Secretary discusses Air Guard’s future

    Bold innovation and seamless integration of active-duty and Air Reserve Component forces are vital to winning America’s future battles, the service’s top executive said.“The Air National Guard must remain ready, reliable and relevant … to meet the joint force’s needs in theater combat,” Secretary of

  • Group explains re-employment rights

    Bobby Hollingsworth calls it “closing the loop.”He is the executive director of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, commonly referred to as ESGR. He is referring to how that organization is taking its message to members of the National Guard and other reservists,

  • Iraqi translators react to news

    “No more nightmares,” said Mohammed Taha. “A lot more good will happen in Iraq after 35 years of nightmares.”Taha was just one of thousands of Iraqis who reacted with joy about the news that Saddam Hussein was captured Dec. 13 and is now in U.S. custody.What makes Taha unique is that he is one of a

  • AF suicide prevention recognized

    A landmark University of Rochester study of suicide in the U.S. Air Force concluded that the service’s suicide-prevention program reduced the risk of suicide by 33 percent during the past six years. The research was reported in the Dec. 12 edition of the British Medical Journal. "This is a

  • FEGLI rates rise for some

    Some Air Force people covered by Federal Employees Group Life Insurance will see an increase in premiums in January.Civilian employees in the Option B 70 to 80 or older age bands are slated for the increase the first full pay period of the new year, said Janet Thomas of the Air Force Personnel