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  • 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

  • Kadena Airmen aerovac patients in need

    Airmen from the 18th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron here aerovaced a patient on a KC-135 Stratotanker Dec. 18 from Yokota Air Base, Japan. Members of the 18th AES travel throughout the Pacific picking up critical patients and transporting them to hospitals that can meet their needs.Every week a

  • B-2 mission shows bomber flexibility

    Members of the 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron deployed here with B-2 Spirits from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., took off on a two-ship exercise destined to Alaska Dec. 18 when one bomber was diverted to a global power sortie. Global power missions, which are more than 20 hours long, demonstrate

  • DOD identifies Air Force casualty

    Department of Defense officials here announced Dec. 26 the death of an Airman who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Senior Airman Nicholas D. Eischen, 24, of Sanger, Calif., died in a noncombat related incident Dec. 24 at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 60th Medical

  • Maxwell trainers develop Iraqi air force officers

    Four Officer Training School instructors returned here recently after spending the past several months in Iraq building the country's air force officer training program from the ground up. Maj. Scott Bergren and Capt. Michael Powell worked at Taji Air Base, Iraq, to establish a stand-alone officer

  • Comm team prepares Kadena for cyber war

    "Intruders" from cyberspace are trying to hack into the Kadena Air Base network and steal information from unsuspecting e-mail users. The intruders are not hackers, though they pretend to be to gain access to information they would need if they wanted to cripple the mission here. Fortunately, they

  • American servicemembers deploy to Costa Rica

    More than 600 patients were seen during a two-day medical readiness training exercise Dec. 18 and 19 in Costa Rica by Joint Task Force-Bravo American servicemembers from Soto Cano, Honduras. The team, made up of 28 Airmen and Soldiers spent two days in the village of Piedra Mesa operating a

  • Dec. 23 airpower summary: F-16 destroys enemy rocket site

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Dec. 23, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan,A-10 Thunderbolt IIs engaged enemy combatants who were in

  • Dec. 22 airpower summary: F-15s support coalition forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Dec. 22, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle deterred enemy activities

  • Families displaced by ice storm find home on Tinker

    Three hours after being notified, Tinker Air Force Base leaders were providing emergency shelter for Air Force families left without heat and power, some with infants, following an ice storm Dec. 10 here. 72nd Medical Group first sergeant  Master Sgt. Lisa Sears obtained 30 unused dormitory keys to

  • Air Force provides Army burn flight team with training

    Since Operation Iraqi Freedom began in March 2003, Army burn flight and Air Force critical care air transport teams have evacuated and treated hundreds of patients who've suffered burn and inhalation injuries primarily resulting from improvised explosive device detonations. In response, joint

  • Television holiday greetings available online

    Too busy to sit in front of the television to catch a holiday greeting from a friend or family member stationed or deployed overseas? Don't worry, the video hellos are now available online. The holiday greetings program, videotaped and produced by the Army and Air Force Hometown News Service, is in

  • Comfort group takes care of servicemembers

    Needles, thread, cookies and warm hearts surrounded two folding tables covered in fabric. Holiday carols, cheerful voices and the low whir of sewing machines filled the room. Several women sat chatting and sewing what some may consider "irregular" articles of clothing. Members of the Sew Much

  • President sends holiday message

    The following is a message from President George W. Bush:"On behalf of a grateful nation, Laura and I send our best wishes for the holidays. "In this season of giving, we remember our duty to others, and we see that sense of duty fulfilled in the men and women who wear our nation's uniform. Our

  • Delta II with GPS payload successfully launches

    Air Force space technicians successfully launched a United Launch Alliance Delta II booster Dec. 21 carrying the fifth modernized NAVSTAR Global Positioning System satellite into space. The NAVSTAR GPS was launched at 3:04 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 17A here. The satellite will join the

  • C-17 polar airdrop capability successful

    During the winter season at the South Pole, temperatures often dip as low as minus 100 F and can paralyze an aircraft's hydraulic systems, crystallize the fuel and solidify lubricants. However, freezing temperatures did not deter Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica Operation Deep Freeze crews

  • Airmen, Sailors complete interservice air combat training

    Forty Kunsan Air Base Airmen returned here Dec. 20 after completing an 11-day training exercise for air combat training with Sailors at Atsugi Naval Air Facility, Japan. During the training exercise, pilots received training on different basic fighter maneuvers as F-16 Fighting Falcons and F-18

  • NORAD set to track Santa; commander thanks troops, families

    Members of North American Aerospace Defense Command are gearing up to track Santa Claus' travels on Christmas Eve, providing detailed information about his whereabouts on the command's Web site and through a toll-free telephone line. Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr., commander of NORAD and U.S. Northern

  • Servicemembers celebrate school dedication in Djibouti

    American Servicemembers from the 486th Civil Affairs Battalion and Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa were greeted with a traditional Djibouti dance by the students and community members of Kouta Bouya Dec. 17 as part of the school dedication ceremony here. During the five months of

  • McChord combat controllers receive medals

    Twenty-five medals were presented to 15 combat controllers and special tactics officers by the Air Force Special Operations Command commander during a Dec. 18 ceremony at McChord Air Force Base. Lt. Gen. Donald C. Wurster presented a Silver Star, seven Bronze Stars with Valor, three Bronze Stars,

  • Holiday Notes from Home airs Dec. 24, 25

    Viewers around the world will have a chance to see this year's Holiday Notes from Home featuring the Band of the Air Force Reserve and a list of guest artists. Two shows air on Great American Country Television and the Armed Forces Radio and Televsion Network Dec. 24 and 25. Holiday Notes from Home

  • Pope says goodbye to last A-10s

    Pope Air Force Base officials held a Dec. 19 ceremony to say goodbye to their last three A-10 Thunderbolt IIs as the aircraft took off here and flew to Moody AFB, Ga.  The reorganization of aircraft is designed to mitigate Air Force hardship from the shrinking budget. To preserve the heritage of the