NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Air Force announces new call center locations

    The proposed sites for the Air Force Financial Services Center and the Air Force Claims Service Center were announced by Air Force officials April 10.The preferred location for the AFFSC is Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., while the preferred location for the AFCSC will be in the Dayton, Ohio, area.

  • Acquisition general testifies before subcommittee

    The military deputy for Air Force acquisition testified about service contracts procedures and defended the price tags of some of those contracts before the House Armed Services subcommittee on readiness here April 5. “The Air Force recognizes that services acquisition is an area of high interest to

  • Weather flight reads the clouds over Kyrgyzstan

    According to local climatology, this area of Kyrgyzstan wasn’t supposed to see thunder and lightning until May. But when the satellite picture started growing big patches of red April 6, the 376th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron weather flight knew what it meant, said Staff Sgt. Robert

  • Spring 2006 quarterly issue of Airman available

    Read about how space-based capabilities are helping fight the war on terrorism, travel with a joint convoy mission through Iraq, follow the struggles of the Air Force family’s tiniest members as they receive life-saving care at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Wilford Hall Medical Center. These

  • Homeowner grant applications available for Katrina victims

    Eligible homeowners who sustained flood-related damage caused by Hurricane Katrina although their residences were outside the flood zone may qualify for grants of up to $150,000. This includes people who were stationed at Keesler at the time of the hurricane and have since been reassigned to other

  • Mentors or disciplinarians, first sergeants there for Airmen

    They may have no subordinates, but every enlisted Airman in the squadron is their responsibility. Some days they are disciplinarians; on others they are an Airman’s best friend. In a crisis, they help Airmen deal with grief and get them through it. The first sergeant is “a counselor, a friend or a

  • Awareness vital in preventing sexual assault

    “They beat you; they raped you; they left you for dead,” reads one. Another simply states, “It still hurts.” Creating T-shirt designs like these is meant to be therapeutic for sexual assault victims, which is the purpose of The Clothesline Project. Displaying the shirts is meant to bring awareness

  • Brady: Air Force retention, recruitment remain strong

    The Air Force is pleased overall with its recruitment and retention statistics, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel said during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee April 6. “We have been very successful, but we can never take the recruitment of great people

  • Officers selected for intermediate developmental education

    The recent major central selection board at the Air Force Personnel Center announced intermediate developmental education "selects." Officers identified as selects join a resource pool of officers who will be considered for future attendance at in-residence IDE. A complete list of selects is

  • Phoenix Raven training highlights needs of today's SF

    Students in the Air Mobility Warfare Center’s Phoenix Raven program here face many challenges in their quest to attain a coveted security forces Raven patch. The course, taught by the 421st Combat Training Squadron, originated in the late 1990s after a need was seen to better protect military

  • Widows help college students understand aging

    The two ladies share lunch almost every Friday. They talk and eat, but mostly they laugh.At first glance, they seem very different. More than 50 years separate them in age. One is in the camouflage uniform of an Airman, the other uses a cane because of hip and knee surgeries. But these two have

  • Airmen train for air evac

    Digging defensive fighting positions, driving with night-vision goggles and during chemical warfare training and hiking in to camp sound like Army training -- right? They are actually part of the annual training required for Pope’s 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. “We are considered first

  • Ramstein wins CINC Installation Excellence Award

    Brig. Gen. Robert C. Kane, 86th Airlift Wing and Kaiserslautern Military Community commander, announced April 6 that Ramstein won the 2006 Commander in Chief’s Annual Award for Installation Excellence, saying the base is "truly the biggest, busiest and best in the U.S. Air Force." “I’ve known it for

  • America Supports You site features videos for children

    Proud military parents deployed in support of the war on terrorism are featured on the America Supports You Web site devoted to April's Month of the Military Child. Messages from nearly 50 servicemembers can be found on the link "Video Greetings from Troops to Their Military Kids" at

  • Tricare launches healthy choices for life programs

    Take care of your body, and it will take care of you, say health experts. In today’s fast-paced world, they also say that is getting harder to do. Being overweight, using tobacco products and excessive drinking go against this adage and can cause serious health problems and possibly early death. 

  • OEF, OIF veterans receive preference for federal hiring

    Airmen now have increased eligibility for veterans’ preference when released or discharged from active duty, Office of Personnel Management officials here wrote in a recently released memo. More servicemembers are now eligible for veterans’ preference when applying for government civilian jobs.

  • Top Air Force print and broadcast journalists announced

    A panel of civilian journalists, teachers and public relations professionals have selected the best in Air Force print and broadcast journalism for the 50th annual Air Force Media Contest. Senior Airman Joe Lacdan, from the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., is the Air Force Print

  • Continuing health care priority for DOD

    During testimony in front of both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees recently, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John D.W. Corley said that sustaining health care for servicemembers, their families and retirees is a priority for the Department of Defense. General Corley, along with the

  • Sexual assault prevention director is a myth buster

    The biggest myth about sexual abuse is that the victim lies about it, according to the director of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Outreach Office at nearby Lackland Air Force Base. Dr. Charlotte Moerbe, a psychologist who once worked in a San Antonio rape crisis center, has made it her life goal

  • Awareness can prevent sexual assault

    Sexual assault awareness and prevention has been a hot-ticket item among Air Force leaders for many months, but people will have even more exposure to the topic this month. April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and Air Force bases will observe the month with many activities ranging from

  • AF launches cyberspace task force

    Cyberspace. The word generally conjures up images of computers, wires, connections and hardware. But, for the Air Force, cyberspace is far more than that. “Cyberspace is a domain where the Air Force conducts operations," said Dr. Lani Kass, director of the Air Force Cyberspace Task Force. It is the

  • Overseas returnee, CONUS mandatory movers' assignment listing available

    The Enlisted Quarterly Assignment Listing for Airmen returning from overseas and continental United States mandatory movers from August through October will be available April 11. Airmen can work through their military personnel flight or their commander's support staff to update their preferences. 

  • Air defense, flight restrictions discussed at conference

    More effective, more efficient ADIZ and TFRs. That’s the message from Air Force pilots, battle commanders and air space controllers this week as Continental U.S. NORAD Region representatives reach out to the general aviation community attending the 2006 Sun ‘n Fun Fly-in here. Of specific interest

  • Defense leader thanks lawmakers for support of special ops

    Ultimate victory in the "long war" requires the U.S. military to adopt more unconventional and indirect approaches in the way it fights, and the Defense Department is doing just that, the Pentagon's top special operations official told a Senate panel here April 5. In testimony prepared for delivery

  • Sexual assault not just 'women's issue,' expert says

    Sexual assault cannot be relegated to being regarded as a "women's issue," said Don McPherson, the keynote speaker at the Pentagon's Sexual Assault Awareness Month observance April 4. McPherson, the executive director of the Sports Leadership Institute at Adelphi University in New York, said

  • America pays tribute to 'Cap' Weinberger

    Caspar W. Weinberger's definition of happiness was "service to a noble cause," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said at the former defense secretary's funeral April 4. Secretary Weinberger died in Maine on March 28 at age 88. He was buried April 4 at Arlington National Cemetery. He served as

  • Automated security system to go 'on duty' in Iraq -- again

    One year after answering a call by the Marine Corps' that met an urgent need, the Force Protection Systems Squadron here is preparing to do it again. It is planning to deploy a Tactical Automated Security System, or TASS, to Al Taqaddum Air Base, Iraq."The Marine Corps came to us saying, 'We want to

  • Three Air Force members receive GEICO awards

    The Government Employees Insurance Company selected two Airmen and one Air Force civilian as 2005 GEICO award winners.For 18 years, GEICO has recognized servicemembers from all branches of the service, including Guard and Reserve, for work in drug- and alcohol-abuse prevention, fire safety and

  • No cases of ID theft involve pay system

    No cases of computer scamming or identity theft involving the Defense Department's computerized pay services system have been reported, a Defense Finance and Accounting Service spokeswoman said April 4. "There has not been any identity theft and/or 'phishing' scams with the 'myPay' site," DFAS

  • Association of Graduates names distinguished grads

    The Air Force Academy’s Association of Graduates has named retired Generals Hansford T. Johnson, Class of 1959, and Michael E. Ryan, Class of 1965, as the 2006 recipients of the association’s Distinguished Graduate Award. The award honors academy graduates for a lifetime of service to the nation,

  • C-5 crash doesn’t diminish historian’s view of aircraft

    The C-5 Galaxy crash at Dover Air Force Base, Del., April 3 placed the aging aircraft in the spotlight once again. With no deaths reported, military officials are cleaning the crash site and are convening a board of officers to investigate the cause of the accident. But the crash does not tarnish

  • Air Force releases 2006 posture statement

    The Air Force released its “posture statement” detailing the service’s missions and priorities over the next year. The 52-page document’s introduction asks Airmen to look from their heritage to the horizon, taking lessons from the past and adapting them for the future. It also opens with a letter

  • Winter sports clinic opens for disabled vets

    Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary R. James Nicholson and former Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz opened the 20th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic at Snowmass Village, Colo., April 3, praising participants for their sacrifices and their focus on their abilities, not their

  • Servicemembers spin wheel on TV game show

    It's Armed Forces Week on "Wheel of Fortune." Four Airmen are among the 15 servicemembers featured on one of the world's most popular television game shows in this week's competition. The episodes, taped in February in Culver City, Calif., are a way for the show to express its appreciation for the

  • Air Force Reserve goes Hollywood

    Hundreds of cast, crew and extras from a proposed WB Network series converged here for a marathon day of filming March 27. They came here to work on the pilot episode of “Mercy Reef,” a science-fiction themed program that could appear on the network as early as this fall, according to Lisa Lewis,

  • Family advocacy nurtures, strengthens relationships

    One out of three women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Domestic abuse occurs worldwide. Despite the professional and upstanding reputation associated with today’s military, it is not

  • Web site lets reservists correct duty history 'live'

    Air Force Reserve members worldwide can now correct or change their duty history via the virtual Personnel Center Guard and Reserve, a customer-service Web portal operated by the Air Reserve Personnel Center. Previously, Airmen had to visit their local military personnel flight or call several

  • 17 Airmen survive Dover C-5 crash

    The 17 Airmen aboard the C-5 Galaxy that crashed near Dover Air Force Base, Del., today all survived, a 436th Airlift Wing spokesman said. However, there is still no official word on the condition of the survivors, wing spokesman 1st Lt. Jamal Beck said. “We’re still gathering information,” he said.

  • Nuclear Weapons Center the right organization at the right time

    “Ladies and Gentlemen, the Nuclear Weapons Center has been activated.” With that announcement March 31, Kirtland Air Force Base took another important step in its long history as a center of nuclear activity. In a ceremony replete with military tradition, Col. Gregory Foraker, formerly the director

  • Provincial reconstruction teams training for Afghanistan

    Department of Defense teams created and designed to help with the reconstruction, security and governing of Afghanistan are training here before deploying for 365 days. Twelve provincial reconstruction teams, or PRTs, have been training here since January. The PRTs are from the Air Force, Army and

  • Engineers juggle needs, wants with reality

    The wing headquarters building here and the security forces buildings on either side of it are the kind of structures that make an engineer tip his head and rub his chin. With oddly sloping roofs and walls, these buildings seem to waste space. A peek inside a renovated building proves that the

  • Defense Department Celebrates 'Month of the Military Child'

    The Defense Department has long understood the value of caring for and celebrating children of servicemembers. April is designated as the Month of the Military Child, underscoring the important role military children play in the armed forces community. The Month of the Military Child is a time to

  • DOD program keeps employers, reservists on track

    A Department of Defense program is easing the transition from business suit to battle dress uniform and back again for Reserve and Guard members serving throughout the world. The national committee for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, or ESGR, is a nationwide network of nearly 4,200

  • Training scenarios abound during Atlantic Strike III

    Slowly walking through a quiet, deserted city, hearing nothing but your thoughts, you take a long, deep breath. Then, chaos suddenly breaks loose. An explosion throws you to the ground. The smell of smoke rushes through your nose and dust and sand cut through your skin. You immediately look for your

  • Airmen volunteers help improve medical facilities in Kyrgyzstan

    Airmen are working to improve the lives of patients at two Bishkek medical facilities. Last week, volunteers from the Manas Air Base Outreach Society, or MABOS, visited patients in a children’s heart ward and a burn unit in medical centers in Bishkek. They delivered donated medical supplies, linen,

  • Tour of Kyrgyz base marks milestone

    Air Force leaders from Manas Air Base toured a Republic of Kyrgyzstan air base March 28 following an invitation by the Ministry of Defense here. The tour of Frunze Air Base No. 1 here marked a milestone in U.S. and Kyrgyz Air Force relations, and is a key element in the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing

  • Memorial held for Airman killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom

    More than 300 people attended a memorial ceremony April 1 for the first Airman from Sather Air Base killed in combat while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Tech. Sgt. Walter Moss, 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal flight technician, was killed in an explosion

  • Child development organization aids military children, families

    Recognizing that children of servicemembers often face challenges that other children do not, the nonprofit child development organization "Zero To Three" launched a special project geared specifically toward military families. "Supporting military children is an essential element of supporting

  • AFMC civilian course gains other commands' interest

    Representatives from three commands plan to meet with Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command professional development staff here in May to discuss adapting the AFMC Orientation Course for their commands. Leadership from the three commands, Air Mobility Command, Air Education and Training Command

  • Personnel Services Delivery System initiative begins

    The Air Force Contact Center’s Web-based services and contact center officially began taking calls after a ceremony at the Air Force Personnel Center at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. The center is part of a new initiative called Personnel Services Delivery Transformation, or PSD, which uses

  • Lackland NCO Academy renamed to honor CMSAF Gaylor

    The NCO academy here recently took on a new moniker. From now on, the Air Force will recognize the tenant unit in Bldg. 10634 as the Robert D. Gaylor NCO Academy to honor the former Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. "Since his retirement in 1979, Chief Gaylor has dedicated his personal time to

  • SECAF testifies on future budget concerns

    The Secretary of the Air Force explained the Air Force priorities that drive the fiscal 2007 budget request to members of the Senate Appropriations Committee subcommittee on defense March 29. Secretary Michael W. Wynne told the committee there are three crucial areas of concern for the Air Force --

  • Atlantic Strike III provides realistic deployment training

    Hundreds of troops from all branches of the military gathered March 27 to 31 at Avon Park, Fla., to train and prepare joint air and ground troops for future deployments. Atlantic Strike II provided realistic deployment preparation to more than 250 servicemembers. The training allowed servicemembers

  • Ramstein airlift mission at full speed

    This airlift hub is now the main “pit stop” on the United States-to-Iraq supply route because of its high-tech facilities and ability to fix aircraft. That makes Ramstein not only the “gateway to Europe,” but also the “gateway to U.S. Central Command,” said Col. Jeff Derrick, commander of the 723rd

  • Results are in: Airmen voice opinions in 2005 climate survey

    More than half of all Airmen participated in the 2005 chief of staff organization climate survey, which allows participants to voice their opinions on issues affecting them and their jobs. Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. T. Michael Moseley released the results of the survey to all the major

  • Program helps strike balance between work, play

    Whether stationed in remote Minot Air Force Base, N.D., or at bustling Keesler AFB, Miss., more Airman around the world are learning the advantages of the Air Force arts and crafts program. From photography to fixing a car, Airmen can turn to arts and crafts to help build a better quality of life

  • Mechanics work to keep vehicles in motion

    Airmen from various bases are deployed here to do one of many, behind-the-scene jobs in the Air Force. It’s one that Airmen may take for granted until their cargo loader breaks or their government vehicle doesn’t start in the morning. It’s the job of being a multipurpose vehicle mechanic. For the 16

  • Air Force finds cost savings for Raptor with multi-year purchasing

    The Air Force believes it can save nearly $500 million by going to multi-year procurement with the next 60 F-22A Raptor aircraft. The Air Force has asked Congress to approve multi-year funding for the remaining 60 Raptors it plans to purchase over the next three fiscal years. Multi-year funding

  • Air Force, Army to purchase small cargo aircraft

    By 2010, both the Army and the Air Force may be flying the same aircraft  to provide airlift inside places like Afghanistan and Iraq. The Secretary of Defense has given approval for the Army and the Air Force to work together to purchase those aircraft. The Army has been calling it a "Future Cargo

  • AFPC contact center to open

    The Air Force Personnel Center’s Web-based services and contact center, known as Personnel Services Delivery Transformation, will officially open it doors March 31. The new initiative means Airmen will be able to conduct routine personnel transactions via the Web that are currently worked through

  • Deployed Airmen move troops in, out of theater

    When traveling throughout the area of responsibility, accountability is key. Ensuring that servicemembers get where they need to go safely is the responsibility of Airmen here. As one of the main staging points for servicemembers traveling in and out of theater, It’s not unusual to see more than a

  • Enlisted retraining centralized

    The active duty retraining program is going virtual, and applications will be processed by the Air Force Contact Center beginning March 31 as part of the first phase of the Personnel Services Delivery Transformation. Airmen interested in voluntary retraining as well as those identified for

  • Global Hawk 'sets sail' from Edwards

    A Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle known as N-1 took off from Edwards' main runway March 27 on a one-way mission to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. The N-1, an RQ-4A Global Hawk -- one of two acquired by the U.S. Navy through the Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration Program -- is the first of

  • USAFE reaching out to establish security ties

    Airmen and their counterparts from other countries meeting to discuss ways to fix runways may not impact the war on terror like an airstrike against al Qaeda forces. But these face-to-face meetings could one day lead to a security accord that could help combat terrorism, said Mike McMullan, chief of

  • Balance keeps trailblazer on course

    Betty Mullis is quick to speak about her inspirations. The retired Air Force major general served more than 33 years on active duty and in the Guard and Reserve, and accomplished many firsts along the way. Now she uses that wealth of experience and inspires other women to advance in their careers.

  • Chief chaplain discusses role of service

    There are 2,200 chaplains and enlisted support people from the active and Air Reserve components serving a unique mission in today's Air Force. Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Charles C. Baldwin, Air Force Chaplain Service chief, visited Edwards on March 16 as part of a tour of five base in five days. He took

  • Air chiefs discuss Middle East challenges

    Air chiefs from 13 nations gathered here March 25 to 27 for the fifth Middle East Air Symposium to discuss issues and challenges facing the region. The focus of the talks was the unconventional roles of air forces in the changing security environment. King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of

  • Secretary Wynne considers Airmen as diplomats

    Warfighting is about relationship building as the Air Force moves forward in the 21st century, especially in the Pacific where bilateral exercises are taking on increasing importance. That was one of the messages from the secretary of the Air Force as he addressed a crowd of about a thousand Airmen

  • Seminar brings hope, help to abused, neglected children

    More than 16,000 cases of suspected child maltreatment are reported annually in the military, according to the Armed Forces Center for Child Protection Web site. The AFCCP is helping to protect children throughout the DOD through education and awareness training such as that held here at Wilford

  • Retired general reflects on life of service

    During her three-day visit here last week in observance of National Women’s History Month, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Karen S. Rankin, who served as the executive assistant to the secretary of the Air Force, commanded two training wings and directed the Plans and Programs Division at Headquarters,

  • Manas Air Base volunteers restore children’s home, hope

    A children’s home near Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, damaged by a fire, is being put back together, piece by piece, by volunteers from nearby Manas Air Base. Everywhere in the house there are sounds of progress … floorboards ripped up, window sills sanded down, nails hammered into the new floor. A more

  • Collaboration improves solar storm forecasting

    A new partnership between the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Air Force Weather Agency seeks to reduce the impact of space environmental effects on Department of Defense assets through better forecasting of violent solar storms. Space-based communications, navigation and surveillance systems

  • Kingpins use blend of old, new technology to counter threats

    In the sky over Iraq, technology developed in the 1940s helps fight a 21st century war. From their unique vantage point, the Kirkuk long-range radar surveillance site searches the sky. It’s almost as if the slow cyclonic pace hypnotizes everything in the airspace to spill their deep dark secrets --

  • Ramstein’s transformation edging toward fruition

    Parts of this hectic airlift hub are still under construction as the historic base transforms into the Air Force’s European super base. The work is part of the Department of Defense’s largest ongoing construction project -- a $500 million boon for the base near Kaiserslautern, said Col. Carlos

  • McConnell employee donates marrow

    An Air Force civilian employee traveled to Washington, D.C., on March 23 to give the gift of life to a 10-year-old boy with severe aplastic anemia, a condition where the bone marrow does not produce enough -- or any -- new cells to replenish the blood cells. James Speanburg donated 5.5 cups of

  • Academy satellite lost after launch

    An Air Force Academy satellite was lost March 24 shortly after launch. The cadet-built FalconSAT-2 small satellite was the primary payload on the maiden flight of the SpaceX Falcon I rocket, launched from the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Test Site on Kwajalien Atoll in the Marshall Islands. “We

  • California base wins water recycling award

    Ever think the sign of the times would state, “To conserve water, this building uses reclaimed water to flush toilets and urinals?"The significance of the reclaimed water signs posted in restrooms in new base facilities was apparent March 12, at the WateReuse Association’s awards luncheon in San

  • DOD working to prevent sexual assaults

    Sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes in the military and in society as a whole, a top defense personnel and readiness official said. "Some studies indicate that only 5 percent of sexual assaults are reported," said Air Force Brig. Gen. K.C. McClain, who heads the Department of

  • Japanese Airmen intern with Kadena NCOs

    Could something as simple as tying engine wires by hand instead of by tool bring two allies closer together? For Staff Sgt. Aiko Koba and Senior Airman Airica Velazquez, it means gaining a greater appreciation for what they do for their respective air force. Sergeant Koba is one of seven Japan Air

  • Top enlisted leader visits Lakenheath

    As threats against the United States evolve, Airmen can expect the Air Force to evolve as well. During his visit to Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray talked about the Air Force evolution and the initiatives leadership is taking to modernize the

  • Manas AB and local Kyrgyz communities forge bonds of friendship

    With warm and milder weather, spring has brought opportunities for the base and local community to strengthen friendly relations. Emergency responders on base pulled out all the stops to host officials and staff from the Kyrgyz Ministry of Emergency for an annual tour and barbeque March 18. The two

  • Three Air Force trailblazers among Hall of Fame inductees

    Three Air Force trailblazers were among the five women inducted into the Women in Aviation, International, Pioneer Hall of Fame here March 25. An audience of more than 2,000 witnessed the induction of retired officers -- Maj. Gen. Jeanne Holm, Maj. Gen. Betty Mullis and Lt. Col. Betty Jane Williams.

  • Squadron keeps deployed Airmen in touch with their families

    During World War II and the Korean and Vietnam Wars, deployed troops looked forward to mail call. This was their primary mode of communication with family and friends. However, letters could take weeks or even months to arrive. Today’s warriors still receive mail, but now they have instantaneous

  • Loyal four-legged friends protect Aviano, deter crime

    With their powerful jaws, strong sense of smell and unwavering loyalty, they are not only man’s best friend, but also an incredible asset to the 31st Security Forces Squadron. Aviano’s seven explosive and two narcotic working dogs are always training and patrolling the base as part of their mission

  • Deployed Airmen teach English to Kyrgyzstan teenagers

    With the help of volunteers from the American military base just a few miles away, teenagers in Kyrgyzstan are learning the English language. During hectic deployment hours and long work weeks, Airmen from U.S. Central Command Air Force’s Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan still find time to help out the

  • AFIT graduates Class of 2006

    More than 270 scientists, engineers and management specialists received graduate and doctorate degrees from the Air Force Institute of Technology. AFIT’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management held its 2006 graduation ceremony March 21 on the school’s campus. The graduating class was awarded

  • Maintainers multi-task to keep C-17s safe

    In a dusty tent in the middle of maintenance town, computers are humming and a lone radio squawks the status of an incoming C-17 Globemaster III. The only sign that anybody works here is a row of desert camouflage blouses hung neatly near the door. A few of them belong to crew chiefs. The rest were

  • Lee Greenwood to entertain deployed, overseas troops

    The man best-known for writing and performing “God Bless the U.S.A.” will entertain U.S. troops in Europe, Southwest Asia and the Pacific from April 5 to 18. "I am thrilled that Restless Heart, Dick Hardwick, the New England Patriot Cheerleaders and members of the Air Force band have all agreed to

  • SECAF makes first official tour of Pacific Region bases

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne is currently touring the Pacific Region to introduce his top priorities for the Air Force -- winning the war on terrorism, fostering mutual integrity and respect, and revitalizing for the service’s aging infrastructure and fleet. The 21st secretary of the

  • Alaska Air Guard rescues state trooper whose plane crashed

    Members of the Alaska Air National Guard saved a state trooper March 22 after his personal Piper Cub aircraft crashed 90 miles north of Dillingham. The pilot, Justin Rodgers, is a trooper with the Dillingham post of the Alaska Bureau of Wildlife Enforcement. Officer Rodgers and his father, Charles,

  • Statistics show command's fitness program needs to improve

    Since the new fitness program began in 2004, Air Force Reserve Command’s performance has stumbled. In 2003, 76 percent of unit reservists took the fitness test. Most of them -- 98.9 percent -- passed their assessments. Now, two years later, 68 percent of the reservists tested. But, this time 7

  • Air Force pilot becomes one of newest astronauts

    A former F-22A Raptor test pilot has now joined the ranks of an even more elite group of pilots. Lt. Col. James Dutton became an astronaut with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration following his graduation in February. “I wanted to be an astronaut when I joined the Air Force so I always

  • Cheney gives Oath of Enlistment to servicemembers at Scott

    Nine servicemembers and one enlistee had the privileged opportunity to raise their right hand and receive the Oath of Office from the vice president of the United States. During a recent visit to Scott Air Force Base, Ill., Vice President Richard Cheney assisted 375th Airlift Wing commander Col.

  • New Orleans A-10s arrive at Whiteman

    This base continues to absorb people and planes from hurricane-ravaged Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, La., accepting the second to last A-10 Thunderbolt II March 16. Falling in line with Base Realignment and Closure committee recommendations, the original plan had the naval base delivering

  • Civil Air Patrol volunteers affected by hurricanes

    During Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, hundreds of aircraft flew missions to evacuate the stranded residents of New Orleans. But, it wasn't just military aircraft running rescue missions in the congested skies above the hurricane-stricken region. Members of America's Civil Air Patrol also provided

  • Class of 2009: You are recognized!

    “No corrections need to be made.” This was the appraisal given by squadron element leaders March 18 to the class of 2009 after a whirlwind two-day training event. First class cadets formally recognized the fourth classmen by awarding them their prop and wings insignia, which symbolizes the end of

  • NCO gets jail for promotion test cheating

    An 18-year master sergeant was sentenced to a bad conduct discharge, demotion to airman basic and two months confinement by a military judge during a special court-martial here March 20 after pleading guilty to cheating on a promotion test in 2004.Master Sgt. Ulysses S. Dotson of the 733rd Air

  • 'Federal 100' winners named for 2006

    Federal Computer Week magazine has named its 2006 Federal 100 list. The awards recognize government, industry and academia executives who have played pivotal roles in the federal information technology community. Five of the 100 have an Air Force connection. Those award winners are: -- Capt. Jeffrey

  • C-17s would help USAFE’s air mobility business

    As the need grows for more Air Force transports to move cargo and troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. Air Forces in Europe is feeling the pinch. Today, most Air Force airlift missions support military operations in the two countries, said Col. Phil Bossert, commander of 16th Air Force’s air

  • CENTAF releases combined airpower summary

    Coalition aircraft flew 56 close-air-support missions March 20 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities, and operations to deter and disrupt terrorist activities. In addition, 14 Air Force, Navy, Royal Air