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  • World powers bring soft touch to African neighbors

    World powers!  The words often bring to mind the image of a military might with continuous armed presence around the world. Although this is definitely a key capability, there is also a softness demanded of world power leaders and that is exactly what people of Africa have found in their western

  • Training prepares Airmen to handle violent situations

    In most schools, students are expected to behave. At Homestead, one group of students not only fought with their instructors, but it was encouraged. Twenty-five security forces Airmen took part in unarmed defensive tactics training here Feb. 10. The class taught skills such as law enforcement

  • Helicopter support trailer provides rapid mobility

    It appears to be just a plain gray box, with a drop down rear ramp and external lighting. There are no flashy unit murals or logos. In fact, there is no labeling on the trailer at all, other than a government license plate. This nondescript trailer, recently purchased by the 723rd Aircraft

  • 2nd Air Force issues breathalyzers for test

    Second Air Force has begun distributing nearly 25,000 individual breathalyzers to five bases for use during a test focused on alcohol abuse education and awareness. The program originated at the Air Force Safety Office and was given to 2nd Air Force because of the large number of students who have

  • Manas Airmen making a difference in the local community

    After Manas Air Base was established here in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Air Force and 376th Air Expeditionary Wing officials wanted to find a way to show their appreciation to their new neighbors. To achieve this, the Manas Air Base Outreach Society was established in December 2003. "For

  • Airmen gain perspective of environmental compliance

    Kadena AB Airmen conducted their annual Environmental, Safety and Occupational Health Compliance Assessment Management Program, or ESOHCAMP, Jan. 22 to 26 to check unit compliance of Air Force and Japanese laws and regulations.ESOHCAMP, aimed at protecting the people and environment of the base, was

  • AFSO 21: Fairchild initiative reduces wait for critical parts

    A maintenance technician here used to wait up to an hour to get a screw and washer before he could complete a KC-135 Stratotanker repair on the flightline. Soon, thanks to an Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century initiative at the 92nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, he is just minutes away

  • U.S. passport requirement changes

    As of Jan. 23, citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico and Bermuda are required to present a passport to enter the United States when arriving by air from any part of the Western Hemisphere. This change in travel document requirements is the result of recommendations made by the 9/11

  • DOD to discontinue remote home school program

    The Department of Defense Education Activity will discontinue its Remote Home School Program beginning in school year 2007-2008, DODEA officials announced Jan. 25."We understand this unique program is valued by our families," said Joseph D. Tafoya, DODEA director. "Unfortunately, with the funding

  • DNA registry unlocks key to fallen servicemembers' identities

    Deep within a nondescript warehouse in this Washington suburb lie millions of blood-smeared cardboard cards that hold the key to every servicemember's unique personal identity, captured in DNA. DNA is a substance within every person's cells that provides a personal blueprint, known as a DNA profile.

  • New technology expands Air Force's combat capability

    The 820th Security Forces Group was selected recently as the first Air Force unit to purchase and deploy the Ground Situational Awareness Toolkit. The GSAT system, consisting of the Scan Eagle unmanned aerial system and ShotSpotter gunfire acquisition technology, will allow Airmen to identify

  • Okinawa Naval hospital unit has Air Force ties

    Members of the U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa Neonatal Intensive Care Unit located on Camp Lester are people you trust with your most valuable treasure -- your baby.The NICU is the closest neonatal intensive care unit in the Western Pacific that offers state-of-the-art neonatal care to all infants in

  • Winter storm alerts Texas National Guard

    Governor Rick Perry has alerted the Texas National Guard to assist during the winter storm expected to sweep through Texas the evening of Jan. 14 and last through Jan. 15, according to officials in Austin, Texas.Two-hundred-and-fifty Guard members and 75 Humvees are standing by to support the

  • Bush outlines new strategy for course ahead in Iraq

    President Bush's new strategy for Iraq, announced Jan. 10 in a televised speech to the nation, includes more than 20,000 additional U.S. troops on the ground in Baghdad and Anbar province, increased responsibility for the Iraqi government and Iraqi security forces, and more diplomatic and economic

  • New law changes handling procedures for troops' remains

    A new law that took effect Jan. 1 changes the way the remains of servicemembers killed in combat are transported and handled. The 2007 National Defense Authorization Act states that the primary mode of transportation for remains of servicemembers being returned to the U.S. is military aircraft or

  • ESGR looking for few good employers

    The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve is looking for a few good employers to recognize this year.The committee, in conjunction with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, announced Jan. 8 that it has begun accepting nominations for the 2007 Secretary of Defense

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Jan. 5

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Jan. 5.Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1 Lancer provided close-air support to International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, troops in contact with enemy forces near Orgun-E. Air Force A-10s provided close-air

  • Airmen train Iraqi police

    It beats patrolling the flightline and issuing traffic tickets on base. Ask anyone assigned to the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron's Detachment 6 here. They're one of just two Air Force teams doing what they're doing: training Iraqi policemen in the province of Salah ad Din to run a

  • Airmen build future with present mission

    There are many things that go into constructing buildings that servicemembers live and work in while serving in Iraq.In order for offices, dining facilities and dormitories to become a reality, someone drew plans, ordered supplies and constructed every room. That construction responsibility falls on

  • Airmen to provide support for Ford's memorial services

    Airmen from the Air Force Band and Air Force Honor Guard will be involved over the next five days with the memorial services planned for former U.S. President Gerald R. Ford who passed away Dec. 26.Bandmembers from the Air Force Band of Flight out of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and the

  • Rumsfeld remembers Ford as patriot

    Former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld remembered Gerald R. Ford as a patriot who led the United States through difficult days and helped restore confidence in its government."President Ford was a man of great decency and towering integrity," Rumsfeld said in a written statement released Dec.

  • Ford helped U.S. recover from Watergate

    Americans will remember former President Gerald R. Ford as a man with the courage to heal a nation.President Ford, who died at his California home Dec. 26 at age 93, assumed the presidency at a grim time in American history. In the midst of a distinguished career in the House of Representatives, the

  • Serving through the season: Airman 1st Class Amber Roaten

    Making sure security forces are properly armed and have sufficient ammunition to support their tour is what Airman 1st Class Amber Roaten will be tasked to do as one of the armorers on duty for the 341st Security Support Squadron Christmas day. "I know I have an important job to do making sure law

  • Agreement enhances hydraulic repairs at Hill

    Ogden Air Logistics Center officials completed a partnering agreement with Parker Aerospace Dec. 18 paving the way for enhanced warfighter support. According to Hill AFB officials, the public-private sector team integrates the best of both worlds to meet 21st century warfighter needs on weapon

  • New legislation facilitates Total Force

    When President George W. Bush signed the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act into law Oct. 17, important clarifications were made regarding Title 10 and 32, the laws governing the legal distinctions between the armed forces of the United States and the armed forces of the National Guard and

  • McGuire Airman fatally wounded

    An Airman from McGuire AFB was fatally wounded in an incident as he and his wife attempted to leave a club early Dec. 17 in Philadelphia. Airman 1st Class Lam Mai Ho was an air transportation apprentice in the 819th Global Support Squadron based at McGuire AFB.The incident is under investigation by

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Dec. 10

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Dec. 10.In Afghanistan Dec. 9, Navy F/A-18 Hornets provided close- air support for International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, troops in contact with Taliban extremists near Lashkar Gah. One of the F/A-18s

  • Luke community rallies to support downed pilot's family

    A Luke AFB pilot killed in action Nov. 27 in Iraq was remembered by Air Force leaders and friends as a warrior-patriot who made a difference in everything he did in a ceremony Dec. 6 here. Maj. Troy L. Gilbert's F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed while flying a combat mission in support of ground forces

  • 1st Air Force female pilot in combat reflects on career

    As she attends Air War College here, the first female pilot in the Department of Defense to fly in combat reflected on some of her career experiences so far. An A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot, Lt. Col. Martha McSally is also the first female in the Air Force to serve as the commander of any combat

  • F-16 pilot status confirmed

    Maj. Troy L. Gilbert, the pilot of the Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon engaged in support of coalition ground combat operations that crashed approximately 20 miles northwest of Baghdad Nov. 27, was officially listed as killed in action.Positive identification was made through DNA analysis by the

  • SERB-eligible officers must apply for retirement by Dec. 15

    To preclude Selective Early Retirement Board consideration, SERB-eligible officers must submit a retirement application by Dec. 15. The 2007A SERB is scheduled to convene Jan. 8 at the Air Force Personnel Center, and officers must submit their applications by Dec. 15 to ensure approval by the Jan. 1

  • Cold weather warning: Silent killer lurks

    Air Force medical officials warn personnel to be aware of the dangers that can accompany the use of home heating systems during cold weather. The greatest danger comes from carbon monoxide poisoning. "CO is a silent killer," said Lt. Col. (Dr.) Shawn Varney the 59th Medical Wing Emergency Department

  • Patrolmen lauded for life-saving response

    A base Airman who attempted suicide is alive today because of the fast reaction of four patrolmen from the 366th Security Forces Squadron here. This month, 366th Fighter Wing officials showed its gratitude by selecting Tech. Sgt. Rich Richardson, Tech. Sgt. Galen Dickerson, Staff Sgt. Tom French and

  • U.S. forces to stay in Iraq 'until job complete'

    U.S. leaders will consider all options on moving forward in Iraq, but three tenets of U.S. Iraq policy "remain firm and they're fixed," President George W. Bush said after a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki Nov. 30 in Amman, Jordan.He also reiterated that U.S. forces would remain in

  • Stepping out of the blue for Army green

    Change is good, as one Airman in the 16th Electronic Warfare Squadron here finds out as he changes from "Into the Blue" to "Army Strong." Senior Airman Mike Goldman, 16th EWS journeyman, will become Specialist Goldman Dec. 28, as he enlists into the Army through the "Operation Blue to Green"

  • Technology transfers benefit warfighter, first responders

    The Defense Department's technology transfer program, which shares newly developed DOD technologies with civilian first responders, benefits both communities in cost effectiveness and mission accomplishment, the DOD official in charge of the program said here Nov.21. Congress mandated the technology

  • Attorney general speaks to U.S. Air Force Academy cadets

    U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales told cadets here Nov. 18, that terrorists will not rise to the example of the United States. The judge addressed civil liberties and war on terrorism issues during his lecture to 700 cadets."The United States has rightfully positioned itself in this conflict

  • Officials discontinue Command Responsibility Pay

    Command Responsibility Pay, which has been authorized for payment to selected Air Force commanders since 2002, will be phased out by Sept. 30, 2007. "Several factors have contributed to the need to eliminate CRP," said Maj. Gen. Tony Przybyslawski, Air Force Personnel Center commander. "These

  • Bush: Asia, U.S., share common threats, interests

    The U.S. remains committed to Asia, because the two regions face similar threats from terrorism and share economic and security interests, President Bush said at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, Nov. 21. Stopping to have breakfast with troops after a Southeast Asia tour that included visits to

  • Vandenberg sets pace in base security

    Vandenberg has set the pace for Air Force installation security by implementing a new method of checking identification cards at base access points. A new security scanner now in use here does much more than just check military ID cards. It has the ability to check a wide variety of ID cards,

  • Guard, Reserve troop rotations haven't changed, official says

    The National Guard and Reserve are still operating under the same rules for mobilization length, and no troops have been mobilized for longer than the allowed 24 cumulative months, the top Defense Department official for Reserve affairs said here today. The current law actually allows President Bush

  • Squadron dedicates kennel in memory of fallen Airman

    Base officials, family members and friends gathered here Nov. 7 to remember a fallen NCO and participate in a dedication ceremony. The Tech. Sgt. Jason Norton Military Working Dog Facility was dedicated in the base's security forces complex. Sergeant Norton was killed Jan. 22 while deployed in

  • Veterans reflect on Veterans Day meaning

    As Airmen around the world honor the service, dedication and sacrifices of veterans today, America's veterans are thankful. "We are all very grateful for our troops our seas," said retired-Maj. John Yingling. "I wish I had something more uplifting to say, but it's just that simple." Mr. Yingling is

  • Three brothers complete Air Force basic training together

    Three brothers from Fort Worth, Texas, will be "doing something amazing" for the Air Force in the coming years after graduation from Basic Military Training Nov. 10. Twins Chaz and Logan Hatcher, 22, and their younger brother, Derek, 19, completed the 6.5-week course while assigned to three

  • Health care for reservists highlights defense bill

    In addition to a 2.2 percent across-the-board pay raise, Air Force reservists can look forward to better health care options in 2007. Beginning Oct. 1, 2007, drilling reservists can enroll in the new Tricare Standard for Selected Reserve health plan. They pay 28 percent of the premiums. The federal

  • Bush calls Saddam verdict 'milestone'

    Without the help of American servicemembers, the verdict against Saddam Hussein would not have been possible, the commander in chief said Nov. 5 in Waco, Texas. President George W. Bush called the trial "a milestone" in Iraq's efforts to replace the rule of a tyrant with the rule of law. Today's

  • Saddam Hussein guilty, faces death sentence

    An Iraqi court sentenced Saddam Hussein to death Nov. 5 for ordering the execution of 148 men in Dujail, Iraq, in 1982. Thousands of people in Baghdad took to the streets to celebrate the verdict. The Iraqi High Tribunal sentenced two other defendants to death and four to prison and acquitted one.

  • Officials encourage absentee voters to cast ballots

    A letter sent by the National Association of Secretaries of State urges all military and overseas absentee voters to cast their ballots in the upcoming Nov. 7 elections and assures them that their vote will be counted. The letter, sent Nov. 2 by NASS president Deborah Markowitz, reminds U.S.

  • Transition workshop valuable to vets, labor officials say

    All separating servicemembers should know about Transition Assistance Program workshops, Labor Department officials said here Nov. 2. The Labor Department teams with DOD and the Department of Veterans Affairs to offer these workshops to transitioning servicemembers, Charles S. Ciccolella, assistant

  • Open season begins Nov. 13 for civilian health insurance programs

    The Office of Personnel Management has announced an open season will be held Nov. 13 through Dec. 11 for three civilian benefit programs. The three programs are the Federal Employees Health Benefits, or FEHB, program; the Federal Flexible Spending Account, or FSAFED, program; and the new Federal

  • Automation efforts to aid disaster response teams

    Aeronautical System Center's Enterprise Knowledge Management experts may have found a way to help Air Force initial response forces and similar groups respond to disasters faster and more effectively. The team is working to automate some of the functions of Air Force command posts, battlestaffs and

  • DOD task force considers safety crackdown for drivers

    Servicemembers could expect stricter consequences for engaging in unsafe behavior behind the wheel if changes suggested by a Defense Department safety task force are implemented. The Private Motor Vehicle Accident Reduction Task Force is looking at changing how the services handle driving

  • Servicemembers' right to vote comes with rules

    As the 2006 elections fast approach to decide House of Representative and Senate seats, as well as local and state elections, there are some rules military members need to know about the political process.These rules are not in place to restrict a military member's political freedoms, said Maj.

  • Hickam AFB, community combat underage drinking

    Hickam Air Force Base has been selected to receive a grant from the Department of Justice which will allow the base and the state to share $950 thousand over the next three years to reduce drinking by underage Airmen. Lt. Gov. James R. Aiona Jr.; Dr. Chiyome L. Fukino, director of the Hawaii State

  • President Bush visits Charleston, rallies military

    President George W. Bush met and spoke to a crowd of more than 4,000 servicemembers and families as he praised the military for their efforts fighting the war on terrorism Oct. 28 at a rally on the Charleston AFB flightline. The president's visit follows an Oct. 27 stopover by Vice President Dick

  • Pay chief discusses new defense bill's military compensation

    With the 2.2 percent across-the-board pay raise that is part of the Fiscal 2007 National Defense Authorization Act, the Defense Department will reach its goal to bring military basic pay to the 70th percentile when compared to civilians with comparable education and training, a top DOD compensation

  • Wellness and Safety incorporates 0-0-1-3 principles

    This year the Air Force has included 0-0-1-3 in its Culture of Responsible Choices Campaign and Air Force Materiel Command officials has incorporated the principles of 0-0-1-3 into its Wellness and Safety Campaign initiatives. The concept behind 0-0-1-3 is to encourage responsible alcohol

  • Two new programs guide enlisted force shaping

    Air Force officials here announced Oct. 16 two additional enlisted programs to help support current force shaping efforts to reduce 40,000 active-duty Airmen. The programs, a date of separation rollback and a limited active duty service commitment waiver, join the current tools of reducing the

  • America Soars on Air Force Wings

    The United States of America depends on its Air Force to defend the population, deliver global effects and jointly accomplish national objectives to an extent unseen in the history of mankind. In my 35 years of service, many things have changed. Yet, what has remained constant is the extraordinary

  • Airmen facing drug charges at Lakenheath, Mildenhall

    Ten Airmen at Royal Air Force Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall are under investigation for suspected use of and sale of cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy, according to an Air Force spokesperson. Nine of the Airmen are from Lakenheath's 48th Maintenance Group and 48th Medical Group, and the other is from

  • Reconstruction team prepares to make history

    The Air Force-led Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team will make history when it completes two bridges in the Salang Valley early next month. The reconstruction team finished the final quality assessment of the bridges Oct. 5. When the bridges are complete, it will be the first time in Afghan

  • NATO takes lead for operations throughout Afghanistan

    NATO took the lead for international military operations throughout Afghanistan Oct. 5, assuming authority from the coalition for 14 eastern provinces at a ceremony in the Afghan capital of Kabul. Regional Command East is the last of four regional NATO commands in its International Security

  • Guard, British officers exchange views

    An Arkansas Air National Guard officer and a Royal Auxiliary Air Force warrant officer participated recently in an exchange officer program to help further cement the relationship between the two countries' air Reserve forces. For Maj. Dom Sarnataro, a 154th Training Squadron pilot, the National

  • 'Old Ironsides' hosts Medal of Honor recipients

    More than 70 Medal of Honor recipients took part in a special Medal of Honor flag presentation during a ceremony aboard USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides," here Sept. 30. The flag was created by an Act of Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush Oct. 23, 2002, and each service is

  • Bush signs bill funding war on terror

    President Bush on Sept. 29 signed into law H.R. 5631, the "Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2007," which appropriates the funds needed to fight the war on terror, advance other U.S. interests abroad, and support the armed forces. The bill includes an additional $70 billion in emergency

  • New system streamlines Air Force sustainment funding

    In an unprecedented move that will radically simplify and streamline the Air Force sustainment funding system, Air Force Materiel Command will become the Air Force executive agent for programming, budgeting and execution for many of the Air Force's sustainment needs beginning Oct. 1. Money

  • Blind, disabled Americans help prepare Airmen for battlefield

    In several factories around the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, Americans who are blind or severely disabled are now assembling the uniforms Airmen will soon wear while fighting the war on terrorism. Under federal law, when purchasing certain items, the Department of Defense and other

  • Afghanistan's president notes progress, problems

    Although progress has been profound and his country continues to move forward, terrorists have stepped up their efforts to derail that progress, Afghanistan's president told the United Nations General Assembly in New York Sept. 20. "We have seen terrorism rebounding as terrorists have infiltrated

  • Citizen Soldiers, Airmen make difference on border

    The Department of Homeland Security has seen a drop in the number of illegal immigrants crossing the U.S. border with Mexico for the first time, and the National Guard has made the difference, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said here Sept. 18."For the first time, we are seeing a

  • Maj. Jill Metzger arrives home

    The Air Force officer found alive and in good condition after disappearing in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, arrived at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., Sept. 14 at approximately 6 p.m. EDT on an Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. Maj. Jill Metzger was deployed to Manas Air Base as part of an Air

  • Ceremony marks first step for command's relocation

    The Army's Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, or SDDC, took its first official step in relocating from Virginia to Scott Air Force Base, Ill., with the opening of the SDDC advanced team's facility Sept. 12. Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, commander of the U.S. Transportation Command,

  • Selective Early Retirement Board to convene Jan. 8

    In an effort to shape the force to support core and emerging missions, Air Force officials will convene a Selective Early Retirement Board Jan. 8 to balance the excess of officers in the colonel and lieutenant colonel ranks. The SERB will evaluate line of the Air Force and chaplain colonels and

  • Major receives Asthma Educator Certification

    A 59th Medical Wing major here is now one of only 1,600 certified asthma educators nationwide. Maj. James Hurst, the Allergy and Immunizations Flight nurse manager at Wilford Hall Medical Center, recently passed the National Asthma Educator Certification Board exam, a voluntary testing program used

  • Major's family rejoices at her return

    The world seemed to stand still for retired Lt. Col. John Metzger as he listened for news of his daughter Maj. Jill Metzger. Major Metzger was reported missing Sept. 5 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and found alive Sept. 8 by Kyrgyz law enforcement officials. Respecting the wishes of his daughter to live

  • Missing major in process of returning home

    Initial details of the ongoing investigation into the Air Force major reported missing Sept. 5 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and found alive Sept. 8 by Kyrgyz law enforcement officials indicate she may have been abducted, according to a statement by U.S. Embassy officials at Bishkek. The investigation by

  • Missing major found

    Police in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, found Maj. Jill Metzger alive Sept. 8, four days after she disappeared during a shopping trip there. Bishkek police notified the U.S. embassy in the capital city at 3:15 p.m. EDT that they had found the officer. In Southwest Asia, U.S. Central Command Air Forces

  • 'Treasure Hunters' meet Air Force leaders

    A team made up of Air Force Academy grads that recently competed on a reality-television show visited the Pentagon Sept. 7 and met with senior Air Force leaders. They also toured the Air Force Memorial site here. Husband and wife, Matt and Brooke Rillos, and their best friend, Matt Zitzlsperger,

  • Research team reveals increased UAV ability

    A Brigham Young University team of scientists and engineers, funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research here, has recently demonstrated increased consensus capabilities among unmanned air vehicles. "This research on cooperative control involves developing methods to enable multiple UAVs

  • Air Force major still missing in Kyrgyzstan

    U.S. Air Force special investigators and Kyrgyz authorities are continuing search efforts to locate an Air Force officer missing since Sept. 5, officials said. Maj. Jill Metzger, personnel chief at the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing, was last seen by a group of her coworkers at the Zum shopping center

  • Armed Forces Voters Week focuses on electronic options

    The Defense Department is focusing efforts to ensure servicemembers stationed overseas and in the United States know their options for voting in the 2006 congressional and local elections. Sept. 3-9 is Armed Forces Voters Week. Officials caution that this is the last safe week to submit a Federal

  • Small Diameter Bomb I delivered ahead of schedule

    The culmination of more than five years of extraordinary teamwork was realized when the GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb was successfully delivered to the warfighter ahead of schedule and under cost. "This achievement represents an unparalleled team victory for the combined Air Armament Center and

  • Bush: Terrorists view Iraq as linchpin in global battle

    An early U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq would play into terrorists' plans of establishing a new world order of radical Islam, President George W. Bush told members of a military officers' group here Sept. 5. "These evil men know that a fundamental threat to their aspirations is a democratic Iraq

  • Yokota Airmen deploy throughout Southwest Asia

    Approximately 70 Airmen from the 374th Airlift Wing here set out on a 120-day deployment this week in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.Airmen assembled at the Deployment Processing Center here on the Labor Day holiday, spending time with family and friends before departing.

  • First Spangdahlem jets return home from desert duty

    Six F-16 Fighting Falcons returned home to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, on Labor Day after a two-and a half month deployment to Southwest Asia. The fighter jets, of the 23rd Fighter Squadron, spent their deployment providing close-air support to coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, 52nd

  • Military helps wounded troops return to work

    Officials from the Defense Department and military services got together here Aug. 30 for the first "From Deployment to Employment" conference to discuss ways to better serve America's severely injured servicemembers. The day-long conference was a forum to exchange ideas about how to improve the

  • After Katrina: ACC's intel team applies lessons learned

    The men and women of Air Combat Command's intelligence directorate haven't been stocking up on distilled water and plywood, but they are prepared for the busy part of the 2006 hurricane season or any natural disaster that might affect the United States. "We're light-years ahead of where we were this

  • Electronic travel system streamlines business process

    The Air Force has completed deployment of a new computerized travel system at all its major installations. The Defense Travel System was installed Aug. 10 at Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., marking the end of a nearly three-year deployment of the system to bases in both the United States and

  • AF Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame inducts 6

    Six trailblazers were inducted here Aug. 24 into the Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame for their significant accomplishments in the advancement of space and missile programs in the Air Force. The inductees, whose work formed the basis upon which Air Force Space Command now operates,

  • 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

  • Unique mission: Guarding a space wing missile complex

    The rolling prairie hills here are blanketed with wind-driven swaying fields of golden grain. With an average of nine people per square mile in this state, the farm lands here seem to be a postcard setting for tranquil, peaceful living. Appearances can be deceiving. One hundred and fifty Minuteman

  • 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

  • Tracking technology improves sustainment

    Air Force Materiel Command members are taking advantage of Automatic Identification Technology and finding ways to improve it. Logistics and depot maintenance experts demonstrated some cutting-edge tracking technology projects during an AIT Showcase Aug. 15 attended by senior AFMC people. The

  • 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

  • AFRL awards $49.9 million contract to Colorado firm

    The Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate has awarded a $49.9 million contract to Intelligent Software Solution Inc. of Colorado Springs, Colo., to upgrade intelligence capabilities at U.S. sites around the world. The five-year agreement is an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity

  • Justice Department Web site explains military rights

    The Department of Justice has launched a Web site to protect servicemembers' rights, said the attorney general. Alberto R. Gonzalez, speaking to the Disabled American Veterans annual convention in Chicago, said the Justice Department has made it a priority to enforce civil rights laws for American

  • History comes full circle for black aviators

    The past and present came together Aug. 4 as black aviators from different generations took part in a historic flight aboard a C-17 Globemaster III. An all-volunteer, black aircrew from the 315th and 437th Airlift Wings at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., and the 446th AW at McChord AFB, Wash., flew

  • Reserve income replacement begins Sept. 1

    The Reserve Income Replacement Program became effective as of Aug. 1. The first RIRP payments for eligible service members will begin in Sept. 1.The RIRP was developed to provide specific payments to eligible members of the National Guard and Reserve who are involuntarily serving on active duty --

  • Air Force meeting requirements for F-22 multi-year funding

    The Air Force will meet all requirements to proceed with multi-year funding on purchasing of the last 60 F-22 Raptor aircraft.During a July 26 testimony before the Senate Armed Service Committee air-land subcommittee, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne said the service has met five of six

  • U.S. military involvement ending in Lebanon departures

    The U.S. military today performed its final scheduled assisted departure for U.S. citizens in Lebanon, a U.S. military spokesman in Cyprus said.The military has worked with the U.S. State Department and the governments of Turkey and Cyprus for the past 10 days to assist U.S. citizens departing from