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U.S. Air Force News

  • New financial manager-comptroller sworn in

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne swore in the Air Force's new assistant secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller in a ceremony at the Pentagon Jan. 15. John H. Gibson is now the Air Force's trusted advisor on all matters financial. His mission is to provide

  • Tops In Blue names 2008 team members

    Officials of Tops In Blue, the Air Force's expeditionary entertainment group, have announced the names of 25 new members of the 2008 "Deja Blue" tour. "Our 2008 team is made up of some of the most talented members we have had join us in many years," said Jeri White, production manager for Air Force

  • PACAF receives Air Force maintenance award

    The vice chief of staff of the Air Force presented Pacific Air Forces the Gen. Wilbur L. Creech Maintenance Excellence award Jan 16 at the Pentagon. Gen. Duncan J. McNabb presented the award to Chief Master Sgt. Robert L. Norcross II and Master Sgt. Jeffrey Soots for the more than 10,000 maintainers

  • German airman assists with Holloman ceremony

    Attendees at the 49th Fighter Wing change-of-command ceremony were treated to a strange sight if they looked closely at the honor guard detail that was presenting the colors Jan.11 here as one member of the six-man team stood out, due to the fact that he was wearing a different uniform and carrying

  • Airmen featured on Food Network's 'Dinner: Impossible'

    Television viewers nationwide will see a renowned chef attempt to feed 1,000 people at Sheppard Air Force Base when the Food Network airs a new episode of "Dinner: Impossible" in the coming weeks. Chef Robert Irvine and his culinary crew were given 10 hours to feed members of the base and visiting

  • 4 new pilots begin F-22 training

    The first Air Force pilots selected to fly the F-22 Raptor without previous fighter experience entered the 63rd Fighter Squadron for the Raptor Lead-in course Jan. 14 here. The four pilots are 1st Lt. Austin Skelley, 1st Lt. Ryan Shelhorse, 1st Lt. Marcus McGinn, and 1st Lt. Dan Dickinson. Prior to

  • Officials search for POW/MIAs on Wake Island

    A team of anthropologists sent by Joint Prisoner of War Missing in Action Accounting Command officials began to dig on Wake Island to determine if they have found World War II prisoners of war. When a contractor doing asbestos abatement work on the island discovered what appeared to be human

  • Personnel center leadership changes hands

    Air Force Personnel Center officials welcomed their 23rd commander during a change-of-command ceremony here Jan. 16. Maj. Gen. K.C. McClain, a 30-year career Airman, succeeds Maj. Gen. Anthony F. Przybyslawski, who was selected for reassignment as director of operations for Air Education and

  • Air Force announces top recruiters for 2007

    Fourteen Air Force recruiters were named tops in their field for fiscal 2007 by Air Force Recruiting Service officials here Jan. 14. The Air Force Blue Suit recruiters for 2007 are: -- Master Sgt. Russell Benigno of the 337th Recruiting Squadron at Fayetteville, N.C., -- Master Sgt. Brian Clark of

  • F-16 crashes in Gulf of Mexico

    An Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed at about 7:30 p.m. Jan. 15 in the Gulf of Mexico near Key West, Fla. The pilot was picked up by a Navy helicopter crew and flown to a local hospital, where a physician examined him.He was released from the hospital. The pilot was flying a training mission at

  • Airmen participate in dedication ceremony at South Pole

    Two Airmen attended the Jan. 12 Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station dedication ceremony, the culmination of the National Science Foundation's 12-year effort to construct a new station on Antarctica.Maj. Gen. Robert A. Knauff, the New York Air National Guard chief of staff and commander, and Col. Ron

  • Airman's Roll Call highlights professional associations

    This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on the benefits of professional military association membership. Professional military associations play an important role in the development of Airmen and the Air Force mission. Many private organizations provide Airmen with oppourtunities for mentoring and

  • Air Force center receives recycling award

    In recognition of significant waste diversions achieved from October 2006 through September 2007, the Arnold Engineering Development Center will receive the Government Recycler of the Year award Jan. 18 from the Tennessee Recycling Coalition. In her award notification to AEDC, Gail Randolph, chair

  • Air Force receives 4 Presidential Rank Awards for intelligence

    White House officials here recently chose four career intelligence senior executives for 2007 Presidential Rank Awards for their exceptional long-term accomplishments. Winners of this prestigious award are strong leaders and professionals who achieve results and consistently demonstrate strength,

  • Fellowship offers spouses portable skills

    Frequent military relocations can take a toll on spouses' careers unless they have a portable skill, which is exactly what one foundation has set out to provide them. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Investor Education Foundation has partnered with the Association for Financial Counseling

  • Dover, McGuire raise money for CFC in hockey game

    Members of Dover Air Force Base and McGuire AFB, N.J., raised $1,500 for the Combined Federal Campaign in the first-ever ice hockey fundraiser Jan. 13 in Philadelphia. The event drew about 300 spectators and saw the Dover AFB team topple McGuire AFB's team 9-4. Michael Ramos, one of the offensive

  • Tops In Blue 2008 needs musicians, technicians, drivers

    If you play the trumpet, trombone, saxophone or guitar you could be the person the Air Force's premier expeditionary entertainment group is searching for. In addition, if you have technical skills or can drive a truck then you have an opportunity to become a member of Tops In Blue. "Our 2008 team is

  • New ALS curriculum creates new challenges

    Airmen attending Airman Leadership School here and at all Air Force bases come into the new year with many changes to its core curriculum that may create a more challenging course for students ready to become NCOs. ALS institutions Air Force-wide are required to have a "historic, total rewrite" of

  • It's better to give

    January is National Blood Donor Month and the Armed Services Blood Program extends a worldwide thank-you to all blood and platelet donors. The ASBP manages the colossal responsibility of supplying more than 1.3 million troops and family members with blood worldwide, said Ralph Peters, an ASBP Blood

  • $92 million facility slated for trauma research

    The groundbreaking of a $92 million research center Jan. 11 marked the first Base Realignment and Closure construction project at Fort Sam Houston directed by the 2005 BRAC legislation. Once completed, the 150,000-square-foot Joint Center of Excellence for Battlefield Health and Trauma Research will

  • Airmen airdrop 80,000 pounds of food, supplies for Afghans

    Airmen of the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron here airdropped nearly 80,000 pounds of food and water through the Afghan sky Jan. 14 as part of humanitarian efforts in the region. The supplies were pushed out the backdoor of a C-17 Globemaster III and the cargo landed at the feet of

  • Biomedical maintainers ensure combat medical success

    Airmen of the 332nd Medical Support Squadron Biomedical Maintenance Flight here help save lives by ensuring proper preparation of patients prior to air evacuation from the theater of operations every day.The Air Force Theater Hospital at Balad Air Base is the hub for en-route patient care, and

  • Air Force official alters cold-weather gear policy

    The deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel here recently authorized commanders to use their discretion to authorize deviation from policy for wear of cold-weather battle dress uniform outer garments with the airman battle uniform during the coming winter months. "The original guidance was

  • Kadena F-15s returning to flight

    Officials from the 18th Wing anticipate resuming flight operations here Jan. 14 as 39 Kadena Air Base F-15 C and D model Eagles are cleared to fly again after remaining on the ground for more than two months as a result of a fleetwide stand-down. The order to resume flight operations came from Gen.

  • Exercise trains next Horn of Africa task force leaders

    Leaders preparing to deploy to Djibouti as the next headquarters staff at Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa are wrapping up a week-long exercise to prepare them for the challenges they'll face.The mission rehearsal exercise is under way at U.S. Joint Forces Command's Joint Warfighting Center

  • Closing enemy windows of opportunity

    The team is huddled around a laptop outside an enemy compound. One of the team members adjusts the image on the laptop and the picture becomes clear. Now the team can see the display of the enemy's computer, on a secure network, on the fifth floor of the building. After a decade of information

  • Air Force announces captain selections

    Air Force officials here selected 3,569 first lieutenants for promotion from 3,594 officers considered during the calendar year 2007C captain selection process. The entire list of promotion selects is posted on the Air Force Personnel Center's public Web site. The results of the board are as

  • Yellowcard rocks servicemembers in Southwest Asia

    More than 250 servicemembers assigned to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing were infected with a special blend of rock and pop Jan. 12 when the band Yellowcard performed live for an hour at the base theater. Yellowcard, a Los Angeles-based band, entertained American servicemembers during their final

  • Balad Airmen take on galactic mission

    For Airmen assigned to the 721st Aircraft Mobility Operations Group Det. 5 here, going to work each day means taking on two of the largest aircraft in the Air Force inventory. Charged with maintenance support for the C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III, the Airmen provide en route maintenance,

  • 'Today's Air Force' features alternative energy sources

    This week's edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights an Air Force priority: alternative sources of energy.  Milestones have already been reached in the synthetic fuel testing program, and another version of the fuel has been used in some flightline ground vehicles that run on aviation gas. Also

  • Polish air force commander visits AETC

    The commander of the Polish air force visited several Air Education and Training Command locations during a visit to the United States Jan. 6-8. Lt. Gen. Andrzej Blasik, a 22-year veteran, was here primarily to focus on the Polish air force's F-16 Fighting Falcon and C-130 Hercules implementation

  • Balad Airmen help improve quality of life for Soldiers in Iraq

    A 13-man team from Balad Air Base made quality-of-life improvements, security repairs and facilitated more than 85 emergency maintenance repairs during a 30-day assignment in December and January to an Army patrol base in Samarra, Iraq. Among the improvements the group of Airmen made were

  • Air Force selects bowling team

    The Air Force Bowling Team concluded its team selection process here Jan. 3 with eight members making the cut among 50 competitors. Four women and four men gained spots on the team and are currently competing at the Armed Forces Bowling Championship at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. This year, the

  • State-of-the-art battlefield system to integrate controllers

    Construction is scheduled to begin this month on a facility to house a state-of-the-art battlefield command and control system that will integrate air traffic management throughout Iraq. The $30 million Battlefield Command and Control CENTAF, or BC3, will house air traffic controllers from the

  • Active duty, retired Air Force leaders gather

    Air Force leaders met with retired senior Air Force leaders at Bolling Air Force Base, D.C., this past week to discuss important issues facing the Air Force. "The Air Force is at a critical moment in history," Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne said. "Our nation needs to be proud of our

  • Tactical airlift key to winning war on terrorism

    For every 24 tons of cargo airlifted in Iraq, a supply truck and two troops are spared a trip on a dangerous road. For every 50 passengers airlifted, one more busload of servicemembers is also spared from Iraq's dangerous roads. Members of the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron moves everything

  • All active services meet December recruiting goals

    All four services met or surpassed their monthly active-duty recruiting goals for December, and five of the six reserve components showed similar success, Defense Department officials announced Jan. 10. The Air Force met its December goal of recruiting 1,772 active-duty Airmen and 561 Air Force

  • Bagram security forces Airmen pass torch as unit inactivates

    Airmen of the 755th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron stood together for the last time Jan. 11 to bid farewell to their squadron as the unit was inactivated during a formal ceremony at Bagram Air Base. The 755th ESFS was originally formed in December 2005 in response to an Army request for

  • Dover exercise tests Airmen's combat environment skills

    Once fine tuned and sharpened with razor-edge precision, an ordinary axe became something magnificent during the Middle Ages. The battleaxe, a choice weapon due to its inexpensive cost and abundant availability, was a dangerous weapon on the battle fields of long ago. The methods of warfare have

  • Winter: Time for sunscreen and sweaters

    Winter is here and that means it is time to pull out the sunscreen and sweaters! Yes, sunscreen. Outdoor fun activities such as skiing, ice skating and sledding can be fun, but it is important to protect your skin from the bitter cold, heavy winds and winter sun. When any of us think about winter we

  • Air Force leaders discuss F-15 accident, future

    Senior Air Force leaders gathered for a press conference here Jan. 10 to share findings from the accident investigation board currently examining the Nov. 2 crash of a Missouri Air National Guard F-15C Eagle. The upper right longeron -- one of four metal beams that help hold the cockpit to the main

  • F-15 Eagle accident report released

    A failure of the upper right longeron, a critical support structure in the F-15C Eagle, caused the crash of a Missouri Air National Guard F-15C, four miles south-southeast of Boss, Missouri, Nov 2. According to the Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released Jan. 10, a technical

  • Team set to improve Latin American airspace management

    The U.S. Southern Command officials could begin conducting site selection surveys as early as next month for a regional coordination center that would help synchronize airspace management among Latin American nations. Airspace management includes both civil air traffic control services and military

  • Air strikes hit more than 40 targets in Iraq

    More than 40 targets were hit after precision air strikes destroyed reported al-Qaida safe havens Jan. 10 in Arab Jabour, Iraq. The precision air strikes supported Operation Phantom Phoenix, the overarching operation that includes Operation Marne Thunderbolt. Thirty-eight bombs were dropped within

  • January-February Airman available online

    Air Force depot maintenance workers, like those at the Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, keep Air Force aircraft flying in the war on terrorism. These mostly civilian home-front warriors, though half a world away from the front lines, play a vital role in the Air Force's

  • Eielson maintainers use AFSO 21 to improve performance

    Members of the 354th Maintenance Squadron's Aerospace Ground Equipment Flight here recently implemented Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century initiatives to reorganize the unit to save resources and manpower.The flight reorganized into five cells for scheduled and unscheduled maintenance

  • South Korean civic leaders gain insight on Air Force mission

    Gunsan civic leaders received a firsthand look at how the United States and South Korean air forces work together to maintain peace and stability in the region Jan. 7 during a tour of Kunsan Air Base. Officials from the 8th Fighter Wing hosted 15 leaders from the local community including Gunsan

  • Air Force maintainers help improve future for Afghans

    The efforts of a trio of Airmen here are helping ensure success for a mission bringing self-governance, security and economic growth to the people of Afghanistan's Paktya and Logar provinces. Vehicle maintainers Tech. Sgt. Kendrick Ouzts, Staff Sgt. Andrew Hawley and Staff Sgt. Russell Achee enable

  • Medical capability grows in Afghan province

    A joint Air Force and Army team helped build Afghanistan's medical capability as five men from the Zabul Province completed a three-month basic emergency medical technician training course Jan. 8 here. The course was facilitated by Provincial Reconstruction Team Qalat members and is similar to a

  • Airman's Roll Call highlights new enlisted career tool

    This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on a new enlisted tool Airmen can use to plan their careers. The My Enlisted Development Plan, or MyEDP, is designed to help Airmen track their own careers and the careers of those they supervise or mentor. The one-stop website allows Airmen to play a bigger

  • Air strike destroys safe house, reveals large cache

    Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots dropped two 500-pound bombs Jan. 6, destroying an al-Qaida safe house near Busayefi, Iraq, where improvised explosive devices were made and stored. After the structure was destroyed, a site survey was conducted by Multinational Division Center Soldiers. The

  • Air Combat Command clears selected F-15s for flight

    Air Combat Command officials cleared a portion of the F-15 Eagle A through D model aircraft Jan. 9 for flying status and recommended a limited return to flight for Air Force units worldwide following engineering risk assessments and data received from multiple fleet-wide inspections. The return to

  • Civilian personnel system offers workers opportunities, officials say

    In its second year of implementation, the Defense Department's new civilian personnel system is meeting its goal of shifting the department to a performance-based pay system while giving employees the power to boost their own careers, two officials with the program said here Jan. 7. The National

  • Ramstein Airmen help Burundi military deploy

    Members of the 86th Contingency Response Group here deployed to Burundi Dec. 1 to train the country's military for its deployment to support the United Nations. In order to make the deployment successful, the 86th CRG deployed mobility experts to assist with deployment planning, processing, and

  • Virtual enlisted promotion release proving successful

    Since its introduction in November, the new virtual enlisted promotion release system has received positive reviews from the field.  And, while it may be a bit of a culture shock for some, the new system provides several benefits for Airmen of all grades. "The new process resolved several challenges

  • Airmen, Soldiers aid local beach in oil spill clean-up

    The smell of crude oil was still evident as 45 Airmen and Soldiers from Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, joined more than 150 workers and volunteers in another day of beach clean-up Jan. 4 following the nation's worst oil spill, which occurred almost one month ago at Mallipo Beach. South Korean coast

  • Pararescueman raises money for AIDS awareness

    An Airman battled body, mind and social stigmas to raise awareness about AIDS and HIV testing for African Americans by running from San Francisco to Los Angeles in 14 days in December, which was approximately 26 miles a day for two weeks. Tech. Sgt. Lejon Boudreaux, a California Air National Guard

  • Humvee egress training increases survival in combat

    Airmen from the 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron are receiving Humvee egress assistance training to increase their survival in combat.  More than 260 Airmen were trained recently over a four-day period. "The purpose of the training is to teach combat Airmen the proper procedures to

  • AMC commander visits Airmen in Southwest Asia

    Deployed Airmen need modern aircraft and equipment to continue to effectively prosecute the war on terrorism, the commander of Air Mobility Command said in January during a recent tour of Southwest Asia air bases. Gen. Arthur J. Lichte made his first trip downrange since taking command of AMC in

  • 'Letter to Airmen' focuses on achievement

    In the latest Letter to Airmen, the secretary of the Air Force focuses on how Air Force people need to set personal and organizational goals for 2008. "I encourage each of you to set personal goals that will take care of your mind, body and your family so you are ready to defend our great nation

  • General Brady offers parting thoughts

    To many below the headquarters and major command levels, the title "AF/A1" may not mean much, but it should. AF/A1 is the office of the Air Force's senior officer in charge of all personnel issues from force shaping to education and training, and for nearly four years, Lt. Gen. Roger A. Brady has

  • Air Force funds fiber laser research, considers applications

    The Air Force Office of Scientific Research officials have recently funded a project that creates fiber-lasers as thin as a human hair. The ultra-fast fiber laser development will provide compact and cost effective solutions across a number of technologies of direct relevance to the Air Force.

  • Commercial flights move servicemembers around Africa

    The secretary of defense recently granted a waiver to allow Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa members to partner with a civilian contractor to take American servicemembers from major cities in the area of operation and fly them to smaller, remote locations.Secretary Robert M. Gates approved

  • Wind tunnel helps determine impact of hypersonic speeds

    Funding provided by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research has resulted in the world's only quiet hypersonic wind tunnel, which researchers are now using to test the performance of vehicles traveling at hypersonic speeds, or approximately 4,000 mph. A team of researchers at Purdue University,

  • Airmen design everything from bridges to buildings for Army

    Airmen here are helping their Army brethren everyday in different parts of Iraq, improving their quality of life by creating the blueprints for what may be the next place the Soldiers rest. Those Airmen are the engineering assistants of the 732nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Det. 6. They're

  • Reintegration begins now for Airmen returning home

    Long before bags are packed, replacements are in place and final out-processing is complete, redeployment preparations begin for Airmen. Redeployment preparations here help with reintegration at home station, said Chaplain (Capt.) Cliff Jones."Our focus is continuity of care," he said. "We want to

  • Academy seeks enlisted applicants

    Enlisted Airmen interested in attending the U.S. Air Force Academy this entry year must submit completed forms no later than Jan. 31. There are 135 slots available for enlisted Airmen each year through the Leaders Encouraging Airman Development program. "The LEAD program is an ongoing effort to give

  • New analysis tool boosts AF's wartime mission

    The Air Force has developed a new tool for personnelists and functional area managers that provides a complete and accurate accounting of deployment assets. For the first time, FAMs at the Air Force headquarters and major command level can look at their Air Force specialty codes and make accurate

  • 2007 a time of reflection, success

    The year 2007 was a time for reflection as Air Force people celebrated the service's 60th anniversary, but it was also a time of great success as Airmen across the world defended their nation through air, space and cyberspace. In celebration of the 60th anniversary, six locations across the country

  • Emergency airdrop rescues stranded ship

    Teamwork, flexibility and airpower were used to deliver critical repair parts to a stranded British fishing vessel, the Argos Georgia, and its 25-person crew Jan. 4. The vessel had lost all main power and been frozen in the ice flow off the Ross Ice Shelf since Christmas Eve, New Zealand

  • Jan. 5 airpower summary: B-1B conducts precision strikes

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Jan. 5, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer conducted several missions with

  • Air Force officals announce OTS selections

    One hundred seventy one men and women from across America have earned an opportunity to become Air Force leaders following their selection for an officer's commission, officials here announced Jan. 3. Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 328 applications as part of Officer Training

  • First phase of legal complex nears completion

    The first phase of a $10.2 million project to construct the expeditionary legal complex here inches closer to completion as Air Guard civil engineers put their finishing touches on its various structures. With a scheduled phase one completion date of Jan. 15, Lt. Col. James Starnes, commander of the

  • Scholarships for military children application deadline nears

    Applications for the 2008 Scholarships for Military Children Program must be turned in to a commissary by close of business Feb. 20. Scholarship applications are available in commissaries worldwide or online through at http://www.commissaries.com and directly at http://www.militaryscholar.org, where

  • Project promises economic boost for Afghans

    A recently-approved $300,000 construction contract promises economic growth for Afghans here, according to the Airman leading engineering efforts for the Mehtar Lam Provincial Reconstruction Team. The contract for the construction of four new agricultural buildings in the Mehtar Lam agricultural

  • Reserve Command Recruiting Service seeks applicants

    The Air Force Reserve Command Recruiting Service is now seeking applicants to fill recruiting positions in locations across the globe. In addition to finding qualified applicants for careers in the Air Force Reserve, a recruiter interacts with the community and serves as a representative of the

  • Air Force cartoonist publishes book while deployed

    It's hard being only a figment of someone's imagination. Just ask 1st Lt. Kenneth Dahl, an F-15 Eagle fighter pilot with the imaginary 809th Fighter Squadron. Lieutenant Dahl, call sign "Barbie," is the star of the online Web comic Air Force Blues, and a hero, of sorts, to his Internet following.

  • Balad radar air traffic controllers run skies of Iraq

    It looks simple in theory. All you have to do is keep little blips on a screen from bumping into each other. Now consider that those blips represent billions of dollars of government assets and hundreds of lives, all relying on one person's ability to control air traffic. This is the job of the

  • Air Force officials recognize top cadet

    Air Force officials honored the 2007 Cadet of the Year in a ceremony Jan. 3 at the Pentagon. The Cadet of the Year Award recognizes the most outstanding cadet in an Air Force commissioning program. Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Duncan McNabb presented the award to U.S. Air Force Academy

  • U.S., Afghan partnership to bring prosperity to region

    "I make promises and my job is to fulfill these promises," Laghman Provincial Governor Gulab Mangal told more than 200 tribal elders during a shura, or tribal council, held here recently. Six weeks later, that declaration came true with the Dec. 31signing of an $8 million contract between the

  • Trio of deployed Airmen get holiday surprise

    Three Airmen deployed here from the 110th Fighter Wing at Battle Creek Air National Guard Base, Mich., received a welcome holiday message recently. Staff Sergeants Bryce Moore, Kevin Rynbrandt and James Liston received word on Dec. 21 that they all were selected for pilot training. "Our supervisor

  • Airman participates in Marine Corps martial arts program

    An Airman deployed to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa received the Marine Corps martial arts program green belt Dec. 28 here. Airman 1st Class Joseph Cawood, an 81st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron aerospace ground equipment technician, is participating with more than 30 Marines assigned to

  • Road warrior: Airmen honor fallen comrade

    One Airman's commitment to a fallen comrade came full circle with the dedication of "Master Sgt. Randy Gillespie Way," here Jan. 1. The road was dedicated in honor of Sergeant Gillespie, a career fuels specialist who died July 9 from wounds sustained during small arms fire near Herat, Afghanistan.

  • Calendar provides troop-support ideas

    New Year's resolutions frequently include good intentions, such as joining a gym, calling parents or organizing closets. But through its America Supports You program, the Defense Department is helping Americans resolve to support the nation's servicemembers throughout 2008. America Supports You is a

  • 'Wheel' saves lives in Afghanistan

    Days after deploying here, Tech. Sgt. Stephen Thackery saw first-hand the cost of the Taliban's war on the Afghan people, and responded as he was trained, by saving lives. The Hamilton, Va., native was on alert when the call came in to the 33rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron. A suicide bombing had

  • Airmen, Soldiers deliver wheelchairs to Hondurans

    A Civil Military Operations team from Joint Task Force-Bravo delivered 100 donated wheelchairs to disabled villagers along the Miskito Coast of Honduras Dec. 28. The Alabama non-profit organization Missions Unlimited contacted the U.S. Agency for International Development to coordinate the donation.

  • Cal's late rally beats Air Force

    Reserve quarterback Kevin Riley threw three touchdowns and ran for a fourth rallying the University of California to a 42-36 win over Air Force in the fifth annual Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, before a bowl-record 40,905 at Amon G. Carter Stadium and a nationally televised audience on Dec. 31

  • Air Force nurse helps save lives in rural Kansas

    Christmas is the season for giving. But giving is a year-round job for Air Force nurse Maj. Randy McBay. It's a given that things happen when we least expect it. And so is the case with Major McBay, an operating room nurse assigned to the Air Force's largest training hospital in the world, Wilford

  • Certain officer, enlisted bonuses expired Dec. 31

    Certain bonus programs for Reserve and active duty officer and enlisted personnel expired Dec. 31 due to the president not signing the fiscal 2008 National Defense Authorization Act and returning it to Congress for changes. All reenlistments for eligible Airmen in Air Force Specialty Codes with a

  • Operation Iraqi Child donations packed, ready

    More than 50 Airmen from across the 407th Air Expeditionary Group came together here  Dec. 22 to help sort through thousands of school supplies items, toys and more for children in southern Iraq. Hundreds of boxes filled with donations were gathered to support the Operation Iraqi Child project. "We

  • 'Today's Air Force' features the F-22 Raptor

    This week's edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights the F-22 Raptor.  Also featured are an air combat training exercise called "Red Flag" and the F-35 Lightning II. The F-22 reached initial operational capability two years ago, but until recently that operational presence was restricted to the

  • Marriage seminar helps Kirkuk servicemembers

    Being away from family for an extended period of time, like a deployment, can really stress a relationship. To help reduce the stress, members of the 506th Air Expeditionary Group Chapel along with the 506th Expeditionary Medical Group Mental Health Flight sponsored a three-week marriage seminar at

  • Enhanced health information sharing supports warriors

    Department of Defense officials here recently announced the organization-wide release of enhancements to share electronic health information with the Department of Veterans Affairs.DOD information will be shared through the Bidirectional Health Information Exchange and the Clinical Data

  • Deployed Airmen find ancient artifacts at Iraqi air base

    An Airman and his team discovered fragments of pottery, possibly dating back as far back as 2,000 years during a recent job at Kirkuk Air Base. Tech. Sgt. Kelly Wayment, a heavy equipment operator with the 506th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron here, was carrying out a routine operation near a

  • Time, and softball, heal old wounds

    Players from two senior softball clubs met here recent to play a historic game. The Kids & Kubs senior softball team from St. Petersburg, Fl., and the Over the Rainbows senior softball team from Japan played a game at Hans L'Orange Park in Waipahu.The players ranged in age from 75 to 88 years old,

  • Malmstrom Airmen replace missile guidance systems

    Missile maintenance Airmen installed the final replacement to the missile guidance system at each missile launch facility of the base's Minuteman III fleet Dec. 4 at Malmstrom Air Force Base. The NS-20 system has been replaced with the NS-50 system through the Guidance Replacement Program. The GRP

  • Tricare can help make New Year's resolutions reality

    Saving money, tobacco use and fighting the battle of the bulge are among the hot topics on most people's New Year's resolution lists, but this year Tricare officials can help. Saving money on regularly used prescriptions got a lot easier in 2007 with the new Member Choice Center.The MCC can save a

  • Reserve recruiting earns business award

    Air Force Reserve Command Recruiting Service officials earned a nationally recognized sales award Dec. 6 at a ceremony in Las Vegas. Judges handed a "Stevie" Award, the business world's own Oscar awards, to recruiting officials as the Recruitment/Staffing Sales Organization of the Year Award for

  • AFMC team wins 'hazardous' Air Force competition

    An Air Force Materiel Command team of bioenvironmental engineering and emergency management professionals won the Air Force's 2nd annual Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Challenge held Dec. 10 through the 14 at Brooks City-Base, Texas.Considered to be the olympics for the two career

  • Bagram Airmen celebrate season

    Airmen in Afghanistan found ways to celebrate the holiday season while providing continuous airpower and combat support for U.S. and coalition forces throughout the country. While family and friends back home marked the holiday season with gifts and celebrations, deployed Airmen in Afghanistan