Keesler Medical Center rebounds from Katrina

Keesler Medical Center, the second largest Air Force medical center, has made great strides in rebounding from the damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina one year ago. The facility is rapidly returning to its pre-Katrina status, both from the standpoint of the physical plant and services. Full

Leadership development program assists GS-15 advancement

A new leadership development program called GS-15 LD provides a total force development vision for Air Force civilians in the GS-15 grade, preparing them for senior roles in the Department of Defense. "We're working hard to prepare these people to successfully lead at the Senior Executive Service

Chief McKinley says force shaping will build stronger force

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney McKinley acknowledges that today's force shaping initiatives will impact many Airmen, but the benefits will help build a stronger Air Force of tomorrow. Force shaping addresses both the size and shape of the force, and Air Force officials prioritize shaping

AFSO 21 a success at McChord

The banner hanging above the shop floor of the 62nd Maintenance Squadron wheel and tire shop is a sign of the success here for Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century. The 2005 Chief of Staff Team Excellence Award banner recognizes outstanding team performance and promotion of systematic

CENTAF releases airpower summaries

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summaries for Aug. 25 to 27.Aug. 27In Afghanistan Aug. 26, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolts and a B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with Taliban extremists near Kandahar. The B-1 expended a Guided

Bases work with FEMA to provide aid

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Air Force provided support in many ways -- some of that from a distance. Numerous bases worked closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency by providing locations for use as staging points to accelerate the delivery of supplies to hurricane victims.

Joint review fosters communication, collaboration

Air Force Office of Scientific Research officials recently traveled to Atlanta where they completed their yearly Joint Program Review of basic research funded projects. Hundreds of notable researchers and scientists attended this year's program representing the Air Force Research Laboratory,

Web site to outline voting options for Americans overseas

A new Web site being developed by the Defense Department will provide information on electronic voting options for servicemembers and other U.S. citizens living overseas. The Integrated Voting Alternative Site is scheduled to be accessible Sept. 1. It will include information from all 55 states and

Life after Katrina, Airmen ready to help again

The fifth tropical depression of the year is gathering force in the Caribbean Sea and making a beeline for the Gulf of Mexico. It might, or might not, turn into a hurricane. Either way, there is no doubt Airmen at bases along the Gulf Coast are wondering if they will soon have to hunker down and

Tenacious trainers triumph in Katrina's wake

One of Keesler's most remarkable Hurricane Katrina success stories is the resurgence of the 81st Training Group. Training, Keesler's primary mission, has not only rebounded, but has flourished in the past year, said Col. Deborah Van De Ven, who took command of the 81st TRG a month after Katrina's

Keesler Air Force Base: One year after Katrina

Bent but not broken by the worst natural disaster in the nation's history, Keesler's recovery continues to exceed expectations. "The damage to the base by Hurricane Katrina was a staggering $950 million. With that in mind, no one imagined in the days immediately after Aug. 29, 2005, we'd be where we

Joint dermatology program receives maximum accreditation

Accreditation was awarded to the Brooke Army Medical Center and Wilford Hall Medical Center Dermatology Residency Program Aug. 16. The accreditation signifies that the integrated Army and Air Force dermatology program meets or exceeds the standards set by the Accreditation Council for Graduate

Air Force leaders attend Blue Summit

More than 600 senior Air Force leaders gathered here Aug. 24 at the invitation of their top uniformed leader to discuss issues of importance to that service. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley invited all general officers from the ranks of active duty, Air National Guard and Air Force

Enthusiasm, dedication fuel Tops in Blue team

The 2006 edition of Tops in Blue, "What's Love," has completed one of two tours of the Southwest Asia area of responsibility. The team performed 11 shows over 19 days for approximately 7,500 deployed servicemembers."It's a grueling schedule," said Tom Edwards, chief of Air Force Entertainment and

Salvaged flight deck from C-5 mishap becomes tool

The crew compartment belonging to the C-5 Galaxy aircraft that fell less than a mile short of Dover Air Force Base's runway April 3 has been salvaged for use in C-5 aircraft crew training. The compartment, commonly referred to as the aircraft's flight deck, was loaded onto a C-5 and airlifted to its

CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 24

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 24.In Afghanistan Aug. 23, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists near Musah Qal'eh. The A-10s

Symposium focuses on needs of young veterans

Registration is open for the National Symposium for the Needs of Young Veterans scheduled for Oct. 18 to 21 in Chicago. The event will bring together a diverse and representative group of 1,500 active-duty servicemembers, reservists and veterans to find solutions to the challenges servicemembers

Little Rock Airmen train Romanian maintainers

Members of the 373rd Training Squadron, Detachment 4, are providing first-of-its-kind training for Romanian air force maintainers with a custom-made program at the C-130 Center of Excellence here.Det. 4 members built training classes specifically for the Romanians, and then four separate classes of

B-52 Stratofortress ages like wine

First deployed in 1955, the B-52 Stratofortress is already twice the age of many Airmen who maintain it. Despite its age, Airmen assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing here have an affinity for flying and maintaining this Air Force legacy aircraft and recognize its relevance today. "She gets finer with age

C-141 'Hanoi Taxi' now on display at museum

The first aircraft to return Vietnam prisoners of war to the United States is now on public display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. The C-141 "Hanoi Taxi" was the first aircraft to arrive in Hanoi in February 1973 to pick up the POWs returning to the United States.The "Hanoi

Products to revolutionize space weather forecasts

Predicting the harmful effects of space weather on a U.S. military asset or mission has been advanced with the delivery of a prototype that combines environmental information with system specifications and thresholds. The prototype, which consists of five computer-generated products, provides

CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 23

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 23.In Afghanistan Aug. 22, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small-arms fire from Taliban extremists near Oruzgan. The A-10s conducted passes, expending cannon

Air Force legal leaders meet with Afghan counterparts

Two Air Force legal leaders visited Southwest Asia in August, stopping in Kabul, Afghanistan, for a two-day seminar with Afghan military legal leaders on the rule of law.Maj. Gen. Jack Rives, Air Force judge advocate general, and Col. Lindsey Graham, appellate military judge, met leaders from the

Small-diameter bomb ready for war on terror

Four major acquisition programs -- developed in parallel -- have come together to provide Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle crews with a revolutionary capability that combines accuracy and reduced collateral damage. Military and civilian employees in seven locations worked together developing the four

AF automates Korean medal process

Officials from the Air Force Personnel Center have recently added the Korean Defense Service Medal to its list of personnel processes automatically updated in the Military Personnel Data System. The new process automatically updates an Airman's record in the data system for those who served in Korea

New senior acquisition executive on board

Air Force officials recently named the new assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition. As the Air Force's new senior acquisition executive, Sue C. Payton is responsible for all Air Force research, development and non-space acquisition activities. She provides direction, guidance and

CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 22

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 22. In Afghanistan Aug. 21, an Air Force B-1B Lancer provided close-air support to coalition troops in contact with anti-coalition forces near Musah Qal'eh. The B-1B expended guided bomb unit 31s and GBU-38s on

Bagram A-10s surge for summer offensives

Six U.S. and coalition troops peer out from a remote position on a ridge top in Afghanistan. At sunset on the third day of their vigil, a large force of Taliban extremists carrying heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades surround and pin down the team.By design, an Air Force joint tactical

340th maintainers keep pace with optempo

At one of the busiest refueling hubs in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Airmen from the 340th Aircraft Maintenance Unit are in constant motion. They support fighters, bombers, cargo and attack aircraft fighting in the war on terrorism. The fact the unit is blended from five bases --

B-1 Lancers join 379th fleet

The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing welcomed its newest airframe to the fleet here Aug. 16. For weeks the wing has played host to several B-1 Lancers, providing support to the aircraft and the people associated with it, but now the bomber is officially assigned here. "Moving the aircraft here can help

AEF Center reassigned to Air Force Personnel Center

The Air and Space Expeditionary Force Center will be assigned under the Air Force Personnel Center at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley announced today. The reassignment, which becomes effective Aug. 29, will synergize operations between the two centers

European Command takes over Lebanon mission

U.S. European Command will assume command of U.S. military forces operating off the coast of Lebanon and in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, the organization's commander said here Aug. 20. Marine Gen. James L. Jones, speaking at a Pentagon news conference, said European Command elements will assume

CENTAF releases airpower summaries for Aug. 20-21

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 20 and 21.Aug. 21In Afghanistan Aug. 20, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with Taliban extremists near Asadabad. The A-10s conducted passes, expending cannon

Senior leaders eye robust intelligence capabilities, people

Several active duty and retired senior leaders from the Air Force intelligence community gathered with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley at the Pentagon recently as part of an intelligence summit and strategy session. The leaders are reviewing how and when the Air Force uses

CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 19

In Afghanistan Aug. 18, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small arms fire from Taliban extremists in the vicinity of Musah Qal'eh. The A-10s conducted passes, expending cannon rounds and ending the engagement. Royal Air Force GR-7 Harriers also

Kansas ANG home of newest intelligence center

Kansas became home to "America's newest intelligence center," the largest intelligence processing center in the Air National Guard, on Aug. 16.The state-of-the-art Distributed Ground System intelligence facility at McConnell Air Force Base will be the permanent home to the Kansas ANG's 161st

Guardian Challenge teams reach finish line

Climbing, jumping, swinging from ropes and running in the summer heat, the Guardian Challenge 2006 security forces teams competed in the obstacle course portion of the competition at Schriever Air Force Base, Colo., on Aug. 16. Teams prepared for the past several months to be physically fit enough

CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 18

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 18.In Afghanistan Aug. 17, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition troops ambushed and taking small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists near Moqor. The

Medical records nearer to going electronic

Medical troops throughout the Air Force soon will be using the Department of Defense's global electronic health record system to keep track of patient records. The Armed Forces Health Longitudinal Technology Application, known as AHLTA, is the largest system of its kind, defense officials said. The

Falcons eye 'Return to Dominance'

The Air Force football team broke out new uniforms for its annual media day following their first fall practice last week. The players told reporters the 2006 season will be the Falcons' "Return to Dominance." "Their motto sends a great message to me," Air Force head coach Fisher DeBerry said.

Convoy Airmen face challenging duties

For more than two years Airmen have been driving convoys for the Army on some of the most dangerous roads in the world. From their Army camp to the border of southern Iraq and to the most northern reaches of a country roughly the size of California, members of the 586th Expeditionary Logistics

Viper Lance pilots trade rides

Among the sounds of jets starting their engines and Romanian air force maintainers prepping their aircraft for departure, an American fighter pilot climbing into the back seat of a MiG-21 Lancer was a rare sight on the flightline here Aug. 11. Pilots from the 22nd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron here

Space Command focuses on tailoring mission with new triad

Strategic deterrence, securing the space domain and recapitalizing on a lesser budget are among the priorities for the Air Force Space Command commander.In keeping with the theme, "Global missions... meeting the challenge," Gen. Kevin P. Chilton spoke on the future of Air Force space missions at the

CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 17

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 17.In Afghanistan Aug. 16, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with Taliban extremists near Musah Qal'eh. The A-10s expended a Guided Bomb Unit-12 on the

Air Force recruiting meeting its goal for 7th year

The Air Force is on track to make its recruiting goal this year, marking the seventh consecutive year the service has brought in the right number and mix of new Airmen. To date, 25,645 people have enlisted in the Air Force and entered active duty in fiscal 2006. That puts the Air Force on pace to

California Air National Guard embraces new mission

The sun heats a Nevada desert landscape as a small group of warriors focus on computer terminals. These men and women know their actions directly support others facing the heat of another desert half a world away. Members of the California Air National Guard's 163rd Air Refueling Wing have spent the

New platforms provide patients comfort

In an effort to improve safety and comfort for patients being transported on high-deck aircraft, Air Mobility Command officials plan to soon acquire several high-deck patient loading platform, or HDPLP, vehicles. The HDPLP is a vehicle with a series of hoists that allows the cab and patient seating

Raptor meets new challenges, expands capabilities

For the men and women taking care of the Air Force's newest and most lethal fighter aircraft, the F-22A Raptor, firsts seem to be a common occurrence. Along with milestones by the 27th and 94th Fighter Squadrons have come new challenges in places such as Alaska, Utah and Florida that have left

Deployed Airmen register for marrow program

The faces on posters that call attention to a number of worthwhile volunteer causes are often lost in the hustle of accomplishing the daily mission. However, the association of one poster to a deployed Airman at a recent drive in Southwest Asia put a face on the critical need for all to register as

Massachusetts gains new Air National Guard unit

As part of the Air Force Total Force Integration initiative, the Massachusetts Air National Guard will establish a distributed ground station unit here. A DGS unit provides real-time intelligence processing, exploitation and dissemination for commanders. Experienced members of the Massachusetts Air

B-2 Spirit exceeds mission standard

The B-2 Spirit exceeded Air Combat Command's fully mission capable rate standard of 51 percent in June, a feat not achieved since September 2004. Keeping the B-2 ready for war is an effort that requires the hard work and support of everyone who works on base, said Col. Bob Dulong, 509th Maintenance

CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 16

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 16.In Afghanistan Aug. 15, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small-arms fire from Taliban extremists near Gardez. The A-10s conducted a pass, expending cannon

AFSO21 Leans out uniform development

In January, a limited number of the new Air Force utility uniforms will roll off production lines. Their arrival will mark the end of a nearly five-year development cycle. Lessons learned from development of the Airman Battle Uniform will be applied to the Air Force's next uniform project, the

C-5 Galaxy undergoes dynamic runway testing

As part of the C-5 Galaxy's Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program, the aircraft is undergoing dynamic taxi testing to check the structural strength and flexibility of the four-engine modification. The main focus of the RERP testing was the C-5 structure's movement when traveling over

Web site honors Air Force heroes

A nonprofit organization's Web site is letting people pay tribute to Air Force heroes. A section in the Air Force Memorial Foundation's Web site, titled Air Force Heroes, allows people to honor an Airman with a paragraph about what makes them extraordinary. With the Air Force memorial scheduled to

Military pays tribute to World War II bomber pilot

A World War II bomber pilot was laid to rest with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery on Aug 11. Retired Maj. Gen. Jack I. Posner was one of the last remaining bomber pilots from World War II. His burial site is in a direct line of sight of the new Air Force Memorial. The general's

Modifications to extend service life of A-10s

At first glance the A-10 Thunderbolt II cockpit looks like a Category 5 tornado just touched down in the middle of it. The chaotic scene, with hundreds of loose wires and instrumentation ripped from consoles, is really the beginning of modifications that will extend the service life of A-10s while

Decorated Vietnam vet back at war

It may be surprising to hear that the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing has a Vietnam era Purple Heart recipient working at the wing. It is even more surprising to hear that the combat veteran is actually a C-130 Hercules deployed from Ramstein Air Base, Germany. On the flight deck of aircraft 63-7865 is

CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 15

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for Aug. 15.In Afghanistan Aug. 14, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with anti-coalition forces near Asmar. The A-10s expended cannon rounds and general-purpose 500-pound

Air Force sweeps armed forces golf tournament

The Air Force capitalized on its home-course advantage to capture the 2006 Armed Forces Golf Championship on Aug. 11 at the Marshallia Ranch Golf Course here. Air Force golfers took top honors at the conclusion of the four-round tournament, winning the men's and women's team competitions, as well as

Cyber Security Boot Camp graduates Class of 2006

Thirty-five college students from across the nation were recognized Aug. 10 as graduates of the 2006 Advanced Course in Engineering, or ACE, Cyber Security Boot Camp, a 10-week program at the Air Force Research Laboratory information directorate. This year's class included 19 Air Force cadets, three

CENTAF releases airpower summaries for Aug. 13 and 14

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summaries for Aug. 13 and 14.Aug. 13In Afghanistan Aug. 12, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with Taliban extremists near Oruzgan. The B-1 expended Guided

AFSO 21 breathes new life into old system

The 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron here has streamlined the way its receiving shop conducts business using the Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century concept.The material maintenance flight began by assembling a team from the traffic management, vehicle operations and supply offices

Bagram security forces fly away to support airlift mission

Security forces protect Air Force people and resources worldwide, even when those resources are on the move at more than 300 mph. The C-130 Hercules cargo plane is the primary means of moving supplies and troops around Afghanistan. Aircrews frequently land at remote, dirt landing strips to support

CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 12

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 12. In Afghanistan Aug. 11, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1B Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with Taliban extremists in the vicinity of Oruzgan. The B-1B expended guided

C-130s hit Jackpot over Baghdad

A C-130 unit assigned here is carrying a fairly conventional piece of equipment throughout the skies over the Central Command area of responsibility in an unconventional way. Instead of hauling people and cargo, the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron is carrying an airborne command and control

Fueling the fight

The punch behind the wing's airpower footprint is fed by fuel -- nearly 12 million gallons every four months. The 332d Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron's petroleum, oil and lubricants flight provides that fuel to aircraft at the second busiest single-runway in the world. Aircraft siphon

Dental corps aims to stem shortage

It may be a tooth and nail struggle for the Air Force to keep its dentists, but its dental service is dedicated to providing expert care to Airmen worldwide, said the director of the Air Force Dental Corps here recently. "I think Airmen need to know that we are committed to providing them the dental

CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 11

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 11.In Afghanistan Aug. 10, an Air Force B-1 Lancer and Royal Air Force GR-7s provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small arms fire from Taliban extremists near Oruzgan. The B-1B expended guided

Wings combine strengths to solve Raptor issue

Four wings are combining efforts to analyze, develop and test a new advanced medium-range air-to-air missile data collection system for the first F-22A Raptor at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. The 53rd Wing, 46th Test Wing, 1st Fighter Wing and 325th Fighter Wing worked side by side to solve the

Air Force still hiring

Despite rumors to the contrary, the Air Force is still hiring. People interested in joining are always encouraged to apply, even in light of the Air Force's recently released force-shaping initiatives. To match the Air Force's new strength numbers, next year's recruiting goals have reduced by nine

New airline security measures apply to AMC travelers

Airline travelers are facing new security measures at the nation's airports today that promise to disrupt flights and cause a domino affect around the world. The Department of Homeland Security increased airport and air travel security measures in response to a foiled plot by extremist to blow up

Sather medics treat detainees

Airmen here supported an Army forward surgical team in providing medical treatment to detainees as they transitioned from the Abu Ghraib Theater Internment Facility to a new facility on Camp Cropper near Baghdad.Multi-National Force-Iraq officials established the new facility July 30 to replace Abu

New Web portal to help enlisted career development

Enlisted Airmen will soon have a new development Web site portal designed to meet all of their career development needs, allowing them to navigate different aspects of their time in service from their desktop computers, Air Force officials here said. My Enlisted Development Plan, or MyEDP, is

CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 10

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 10.In Afghanistan Aug. 9, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops taking sniper fire from Taliban extremists' near Musah Qal'eh. The A-10s conducted passes on

Airman recognized for work with Iraqi army

"This is a big deal ... this is a big deal ... a Bronze Star!" said Col. Michael Boera, 36th Wing commander. He was presiding over a ceremony in which Tech. Sgt. Ruben Vazquez of the 36th Medical Operations Squadron was awarded a Bronze Star for his service as an independent duty medical technician

33rd Fighter Wing gains F-35 training mission

Air Force officials announced plans to assign the mission of training new Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and allied F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter pilots and maintainers to the 33rd Fighter Wing here. Final planning for the move is dependent on the results of the ongoing environmental impact

Officials announce clarification of EPR criteria, policy

The Air Force has released a policy to clarify senior rater endorsement and stratification procedures for enlisted performance reports. While many supervisors and senior NCOs looked to completion of the Senior NCO Academy and a Community College of the Air Force degree as criteria for consideration

Congress approves separation incentives for officers; no decision for enlisted

As part of the Air Force's Force Shaping Program initiatives, officers are being offered voluntary separation pay to leave the service earlier than scheduled, said an Air Force officer here recently. VSP allows government agencies that are downsizing or restructuring to offer employees a lump-sum

Old is new again

KC-135s take on aeromedical evacuation role

While the KC-135 Stratotanker was originally designed to extend the length of other aircrafts' flight times, aircrews at Fairchild are also using the airplane for a completely different mission: to extend medical care to critically injured patients. Tanker aircraft began augmenting the Air Force's

CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 9

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for Aug. 9.In Afghanistan Aug. 8, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and B-1 Lancers provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists near Asadabad. The B-1

'Spirit of Solano' arrives at Travis

The much anticipated C-17 Globemaster III, the "Spirit of Solano," arrived home at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., on Aug. 8. Festivities began with a flyover of all three major airframes now based at Travis: the C-5 Galaxy, KC-10 Extender and C-17. The crowd of approximately 2,000 applauded as Maj.

C-17 Globemaster III crew doing its part

A long day of loading and unloading cargo off of the C-17 Globemaster III is nothing new to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron aircrew. On this day the crew was able to fly in more than 80 aircraft pallets full of supplies to Balad, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. "The deployed

More programs added to virtual MPF

The Air Force will add the Selective Re-enlistment and Career Job Reservation programs to the Virtual Military Personnel Flight, furthering Personnel Services Delivery Transformation. Beginning Sept. 1, the automated SRP process will e-mail commanders a monthly roster notifying them of their Airmen

CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 8

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 8.In Afghanistan Aug. 7, an Air Force B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists near Oruzgan. The B-1 expended Guided

KC-10 maintainers keep mission flowing

KC-10 Extender maintainers work long days on the flightline with temperatures reaching nearly 135 degrees on the scorching concrete, and it is even hotter in the KC-10s parked on the ramp. These are the conditions facing the Airmen of the 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. The

Weather agency employs new forecast model

The Air Force Weather Agency headquartered here took the first steps to use the new Weather Research and Forecasting model, known as WRF, for operational forecasts. The WRF model, the first worldwide fine-scale computer forecasting program in nearly a decade, was created through a collaborative

Vandenberg golfers exploit home course advantage

In a battle of hometown heroes, one Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Airman beats out another in the playoff round of the 2006 Air Force Golf Championship Aug. 4 at the Marshallia Ranch Golf Course here. In the end it was Air Force golf veteran Geoffrey Mann, who won the same tournament in 2003,

Airpark dedication honors Tuskegee Airmen

More than 50 Tuskegee Airmen attended an airpark dedication ceremony in their honor Aug. 2 in front of the 944th Fighter Wing headquarters here. The airpark features an F-16 Fighting Falcon static aircraft painted in World War II Tuskegee colors in recognition of the "Red Tail" warriors of the

Space brings invisible power to the fight

When space professionals deploy, they learn how to better provide combat effects, and warfighters learn more about the invisible power space brings to the fight. "It's not good enough to fly satellites from afar," said Lt. Col. John Shaw, the 4th Space Operations Squadron commander. "We need to

Air Force defeats Simon Fraser 72-70

The Air Force Academy women's basketball team wrapped up its four-game Canadian tour with a 72-70 win over Simon Fraser Sunday afternoon at SFU's West Gym. With just 2.1 seconds remaining in regulation, junior Pamela Findlay of Glenview, Ill., drained a pair of free throws to give the Falcons the

Letter to Airman asks Airmen to become communicators

In the latest Letter to Airmen, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne recognizes the importance of every Airman communicating the Air Force story, especially the contribution the Air Force makes to the nation's security.  The secretary said that success of an enhanced strategic communication

New Air Force lieutenant colonels selected for SDE

The lieutenant colonel central selection board held at the Air Force Personnel Center here has identified senior developmental education "selects." Officers identified as selects join a resource pool of officers who will be considered for future attendance at in-residence SDE. SDE enhances the

Reserve personnel center expands news service

Air Reserve Personnel Center news can now be delivered directly to desktops via ARPC's new Really Simple Syndication, or RSS, feeds or to e-mail addresses via the new ARPC news service. "These two new services will serve to enhance our ability to communicate with Air Reserve Component members about

CENTAF releases airpower summaries for Aug. 6-7

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summaries for Aug. 6 and 7.Aug. 7In Afghanistan Aug. 6, an Air Force B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with Taliban extremists near Musah Qal'eh. The B-1B expended a Guided Bomb Unit-38 on the

CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 5

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 5.In Afghanistan on Aug. 4, an Air Force B-1B Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small arms fire from Taliban extremists in the vicinity of Orgun-E.  The B-1B expended Guided Bomb

CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 4

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 4. In Afghanistan Aug. 3, a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle conducted a precision strike against Taliban extremists in the vicinity of Kandahar, expending Hellfire missiles on the extremists' location. Also in the

Transformation redefines multi-national exercise

As the Air Force transforms the way it does things, Pacific Air Forces is changing the way it conducts combat training exercises.At the forefront of this effort is PACAF's largest multi-national exercise, Cooperative Cope Thunder, soon to be renamed Red Flag Alaska. The exercise incorporates the

New AFSPC commander touts 'invisible force'

The new commander of Air Force Space Command visited the 90th Space Wing and 20th Air Force July 28 to Aug. 1, touting what he called the "invisible force" with the big hammer. Gen. Kevin P. Chilton said he is excited to leverage the creative talent of the Airmen at all levels of the command and is