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  • Airmen support NORAD exercise

    Airmen from the 201st Airlift Squadron are participating May 21 to 22 in an exercise testing the North American Aerospace Defense Command's intercept and identification capabilities. NORAD and its geographical component, the Continental United States NORAD Region, will conduct Exercise Falcon Virgo

  • Week In Photos features Airmen around the globe

    The "Week In Photos" Web feature provides visitors with photos highlighting Air Force missions around the world. Among this week's photos are: In Africa, Staff Sgt. Myla Baker and Senior Airman Jacob Buckley give school supplies to teachers and students at the Gisimba orphanage in Kigali, Rwanda.

  • Air Force One featured on new stamp

    The U.S. Postal Service unveiled two stamps featuring military aircraft at the Joint Service Open House at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., May 18.Air Force One, the president's Boeing 747 jetliner, appears on the $4.60 priority mail stamp, while Marine One, the presidential helicopter, is shown on the

  • Officials emphasize motorcycle safety across force

    With motorcycle fatalities on the rise over the past two years in the Defense Department, senior military officials are making sure that servicemembers and civilians are keeping safety in mind while hitting the roads this summer. The Army took the lead by hosting the two-day National Capital Region

  • Heritage abound in books on Air Force Reading List

    Three books have been added to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force reading list . "The books on our Reading List link our heritage to the horizon before us," said Gen. T. Michael Moseley. "They help Airmen better understand our Air Force's and our nation's rich military heritage. But they also give

  • Airmen support Rwandan Defense Force troop rotation

    Ramstein Airmen returned from Kigali, Rwanda, May 15 after supporting a two-week airlift mission in the Darfur region of Sudan. Airmen provided logistics and training support for the Rwandan Defense Force troop rotation. Approximately 2,200 Rwandan peacekeepers were airlifted into and out of Sudan

  • Ramstein Airmen test new communications systems

    Twenty-eight Airmen and civilians from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, tested new communications systems at the U.S. European Command-sponsored exercise, Combined Endeavor, held April 27 through May 10. The 1st Combat Communications Squadron's team from the 86th Airlift Wing is at the Lager Aulenbach

  • Thinking lean, a must for stronger, smaller Air Force

    The U.S. Air Forces in Europe vice commander, Maj. Gen. Marc Rogers, spent time with senior leaders at Incirlik Air Base to discuss the importance of Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, or AFSO21. General Rogers began with a big picture explanation of the Air Force's strong focus on the

  • Lt. Dan Band salutes servicemembers overseas

    Everywhere he goes, actor Gary Sinise is recognized as Lieutenant Dan from the movie "Forrest Gump." It was this recognition that gave him the inspiration for his band name: The Lt. Dan Band; a tool that Mr. Sinise uses to support the men and women in the Armed Forces by playing overseas tours and

  • Air Force announces aviation resource management awards

    Air Force officials announced the 2006 Outstanding Air Force Aviation Resource Management Award winners. The 2006 Aviation Resource Management Award winners are: -- Airman of the Year is Senior Airman Kristel Weires of the 12th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. -- NCO of the Year

  • Air Force research team's 'out of box thinking' earns honors

    Efforts to advance experimentation war gaming within the Air Force and the Defense Department resulted in a team from the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate receiving the Air Force Modeling and Simulation Experimentation Award for 2006. The team, which consists of team

  • Logistics team makes logical, money-saving move

    To support the warfighter, the Air Force airlifts cargo such as computer equipment, supplies and spare parts all around the globe. Some of this cargo has to be shipped with special packaging. At Incirlik Air Base, the 39th Logistics Readiness Squadron's Cargo Movement Flight used to contract out

  • Iraqi air force capabilities continue to increase

    The capabilities of the Iraqi air force continue to grow as they performed their first double patient transfer May 8 here. Two months the Iraqi air force conducted its first aeromedical transfer, a policeman transported from the American 28th Combat Support Hospital to an Iraqi treatment facility,

  • Nations at Combined Endeavor combat cyberspace security

    As technology continues its steady advance, controlling cyberspace becomes increasingly critical to securing warfighting capabilities. In order to help prevent future conflicts by integrating and streamlining communications on a global scale, the 13th annual Combined Endeavor exercise April 27 to

  • Defense officials to implement Guard, Reserve changes

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has charged his staff to take action on 20 of 23 recommendations made by an independent commission for changes in the reserve components. Secretary Gates presented alternatives to the commission's other three recommendations to department leaders. In a May 10

  • International flight surgeons train in critical care

    International flight surgeons from the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine partnered with the Critical Care Air Transport Team course in May to gain experience not otherwise available. The flight surgeons are a part of the Advanced Aerospace Medicine for International Medical Officers

  • Airmen selected for dental training program

    Air Force Dental Service officials have selected the next group of dental assistants to participate in the Dental Hygiene Training Scholarship Program, conducted at Trident Technical College in Charleston, S.C. and St. Petersburg College in Tampa, Fla. Ten current Air Force dental assistants were

  • Airmen complete realistic deployment exercise

    Airmen here completed a Phase I and II combined exercise May 11 after two weeks of realistic combat training. The wing simulated deploying the F-117A Nighthawk, along with assets from across the wing to a forward operating base in Iraq. To replicate the experience of deploying, assets from the base

  • New tactical vehicle rolls onto Moody

    Airmen of the 820th Security Forces Group here in May received two of the 18 new light medium tactical vehicles scheduled to replace the aging five-ton M923 and 2.5-ton "Deuce" M35 utility trucks. The group is expected to receive nine five-ton capacity medium tactical vehicles and nine 2.5-ton

  • Northern Command exercise concludes

    After nearly 10 days of mock terrorist attacks, drug runners and train collisions, the Alaska Shield/Northern Edge 2007 exercise came to a close May 15. The exercise, part of U.S. Northern Command's nationwide Ardent Sentry/Northern Edge 2007, improved coordination between the Department of Defense

  • Airman found not guilty of 2005 murder

    A military jury of eight Air Force officers and six enlisted members here May 16 found Airman Calvin Eugene Hill not guilty of the Aug. 14, 2005, premeditated murder of Airman 1st Class Ashley Turner while the two were stationed at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland.Airman Hill was also found not

  • Little Rock Airman killed in Iraq

    Staff Sgt. John Self, a security forces specialist from the 314th Security Forces Squadron, was killed May 14 by a roadside bomb near Baghdad, Iraq. Sergeant Self had been in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since September on a 365-day deployment. "John volunteered for this deployment

  • Goals card a compass for today's Airmen

    As Airmen serve around the world, they now have a "compass" to steer them toward more effective service.  This compass is the Secretary of the Air Force's Goals Card."These cards encapsulate more than just the Air Force mission," said Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne.  "Every one of those

  • Airman saves four lives, earns Soldier's Medal

    A staff sergeant from the 99th Civil Engineering Squadron here was awarded the U.S. Army Soldier's Medal in an award ceremony here May 10 for saving the four Soldiers' lives. U.S. Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona summed up the actions of Staff Sgt. Scott White, an explosive ordnance disposal journeyman.

  • AF, Sacramento agree on privatized environmental cleanup

    Air Force and Sacramento County officials recently announced the signing of an agreement allowing for the rapid environmental cleanup and early transfer of property on the former McClellan Air Force Base. The agreement is the Department of Defense's first that will transfer contaminated land, money

  • DOD humanitarian projects help fight HIV epidemic

    One of five volunteer counseling and testing centers aimed at mitigating the effects of the HIV virus opened here May 9. Two U.S. Air Forces in Europe Airmen assisted with this project funded by the U.S. Department of Defense's Office of Defense Cooperation Humanitarian Assistance Program. Tech.

  • Moving tips in time for summer

    For people who are preparing to move due to PCS, separation or retirement, a successful move is not a matter of chance. It is the result of planning and hard work. Officials at the Air Force Claims Service Center say there are things servicemembers can and should do to safeguard their belongings

  • Air Education, Training Symposium to prep Airmen for war

    The 2007 Air Education and Training Symposium is scheduled for Sept. 5 to 7 in San Antonio aiming to adapt training programs to better prepare Airmen to operate in a wartime environment. The symposium, to be held in the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center, will feature four tracks of instruction:

  • Airman's Roll Call focuses on Combat Action Medal

    In the spirit of cultivating warrior ethos in all Airmen, Air Force officials created the Air Force Combat Action Medal, which recognizes Airmen who have engaged the enemy. Through an evolution of Air Force warfighting roles, more Airmen are finding themselves involved in combat actions. Some Airmen

  • Airmen strengthen Kyrgyzstan ties with construction project

    Airmen from Manas Air Base volunteered their time May 11 to fill in potholes and other hazardous road safety conditions in and around Oktyabrskoye improving the quality of the roads for the Kyrgyzstan village. The Airmen from the 376th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron and 376th Expeditionary

  • New hangar optimizes aircraft painters' capabilities

    A new facility designed around the need to house a C-5 Galaxy for paint application and removal officially opened May 9 here . The aircraft corrosion control hangar optimizes the paint removal and application process for the C-5 and the C-17 Globemaster III and increases the level of safety for the

  • Structural maintainers embrace joint-service environment

    As servicemembers fight the war on terrorism, joint operations between the Army and Air Force are happening in many facets, including some unexpected ones. Airmen from the 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron aircraft structural maintenance shop and metals tech shop have pitched in to help the

  • Air Force secretary sets sights on space

    "Setting the strategic conditions for victory starts right here in (Air Force) Space Command," said Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne as he visited here May 7.Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, the AFSPC commander, met with the secretary for an office call and several briefings, focusing on the

  • DOD identifies Air Force casualty

    The Department of Defense announced today the death of an Airman who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Staff Sgt. John T. Self, 29, of Pontotoc, Miss., died May 14 as result of enemy action near Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 314th Security Forces Squadron, Little Rock Air Force Base,

  • Tyndall to residents: Wildfires pose no threat

    As wildfires continue to burn much of Florida and on base, Tyndall Air Force Base officials are telling residents not to worry. "No base assets are threatened by these fires," said Walt Walter, the base's Wildlands Fire Program manager. Two active fires are burning on the base, but they are located

  • 41-year-old N.Y. doc answers Air Force's call

    Little else is audible above the sounds of construction and traffic. Although it's been nearly six years, a constant flow of onlookers still gather on the breezeway above to view the site of one of the most tragic events in American history -- 9/11. Passersby pause at the "Ten House" long enough to

  • Joint AF-VA hospital provides world-class healthcare

    In July 1994, Nellis Air Force Base's Mike O'Callaghan Federal Hospital became one of four Department of Defense hospitals to consolidate Air Force and Department of Veteran's Affairs medical needs under one roof. "It's all about medicine and keeping everyone healthy and in top form," said Maj. Tom

  • Special ops pilot chosen for academy airmanship award

    A special operations instructor pilot and a 1993 U.S. Air Force Academy graduate was named the recipient for the 2007 Col. James Jabara Award for Airmanship May 11.Maj. Mark Visconi received the award after he flew 106 combat sorties and logged 136 combat hours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom

  • SECAF sees bright future for Eielson Airmen

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne highlighted the importance of the local mission to the future of the Air Force and victory in the war on terrorism during his visit here May 8 to 10. During a trip to the 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron May 9, he praised Alaskan Airmen for their

  • CCAF graduates largest class

    Airmen around the world improve their education every day because of the Community College of the Air Force. Recently, the CCAF graduated it largest class ever at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. More than 120 Airmen from the base earned their degrees during the spring 2007 graduation. Marking the

  • AFSO 21 changes improve C-17 availability at McChord

    Airmen here are using Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century to come up with more efficient ways to use available C-17 Globemaster IIIs for training missions during the week. By shortening the turn time of each aircraft from three hours and 15 minutes to two hours and using an engine

  • Joint initiative transforms air defense in Asia

    Air Force and the Japanese Self Defense Force leaders paved the road to increased interoperability with the stroke of a pen at a ceremony here May 15. Brig. Gen. Joseph Reheiser, 5th Air Force vice commander and 13th Air Force deputy commander, and JASDF Maj. Gen. Haruhiko Kataoka, director of the

  • McGuire NCO Academy closes its doors

    After three decades of operation, officials at the McGuire NCO Academy closed its doors, furled and encased its flag, and held its inactivation ceremony here May 3."I'd like to put this NCO academy into perspective," said retired Col. Leland Martin, the academy's first commandant, a former base

  • Major League Baseball team honors military service

    The Washington Nationals baseball team saluted the military during an evening pre-game program May 11 that featured fireworks, a group enlistment and servicemembers tossing ceremonial pitches. Military Appreciation Night activities held at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium here also included Deputy Defense

  • Airmen mentor Afghan depot personnel

    Airmen stationed here supporting Operation Enduring Freedom are taking the time to mentor Afghan national army soldiers at the Central Maintenance Depot in Kabul. Serving a one-year deployment, the Air Force mentors are embedded training team members supporting the Central Maintenance Depot's

  • Air Intelligence Agency to become Air Force ISR Agency

    Air Force officials here announced May 14 a force structure change designating the Air Intelligence Agency at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, as the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency.AIA reported to Air Combat Command, but the new agency will be aligned under the Air

  • AF releases draft amendment for new helicopter proposals

    Air Force officials here announced May 14 the release of a draft amendment to the combat search and rescue replacement vehicle request for proposal."We're releasing this draft RFP amendment to foster open communications with our partners in industry, the Department of Defense and Congress as we

  • Air traffic controllers manage safe, efficient operation

    A team of Airmen observe the diversity of air power used in the war on terrorism from the highest vantage point on base: the air traffic control tower. Forward-deployed U.S. armed forces and coalition partners depend on every flight that takes off from and lands at the air base run by the Airmen of

  • Government, local agencies test emergency coordination

    In a training exercise May 8, local, state and federal government agencies proved they could work together, not only to the public, but also to each other as well. This incident was part of Alaska Shield/Northern Edge, the state's portion of an annual national training exercise designed for multiple

  • Flight information management initiative saves time, money

    Air Mobility Battlelab members successfully completed an initiative named the Comprehensive Combat Flight Information Management System at the Rockwell Collins International, Inc.'s aviation laboratory in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The CCFIMS initiative combines commercial and government systems to prove

  • Military, civilian emergency communications tested

    A two-week national-level exercise involving local, state and federal government agencies is proving the capabilities of a system designed to provide effective communication and organization between different emergency responders. Being tested at Ardent Sentry/Northern Edge 2007, the Incident

  • DOD blocks 12 popular Internet sites to protect grid

    Defense Department officials are blocking access to many popular Internet sites from department-owned computers due to bandwidth issues, U.S. Strategic Command officials said May 14.Joint Task Force Global Network Operations members, who direct the operation and defense of DOD's global information

  • Army aids in aerial evac during North Pole exercise

    Two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crews teamed with Airmen and civilian emergency responders May 10 to evacuate simulated victims of a terrorist attack as part of Alaska Shield/ Northern Edge 2007. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation regiment's "Flying Dragons" based at Fort Wainwright,

  • Joint team helps save 2-year-old boy in Pacific

    When Airmen from the 13th Air Force's Theater Patient Movement Requirements Center here received a request in early May from a Saipan pediatrician requesting critical assistance for a 2-year-old suffering from pneumonia with subsequent organ system failure, unit members understood time was critical

  • Department names 'Best of Best' in communication media

    Servicemembers whose words and pictures best communicated the Defense Department's activities to its internal audience and the public last year were recognized May 11 at the institution that trains the nation's military journalists, broadcasters, photographers, graphic artists and

  • Chief McKinley offers service dress perspective

    In his latest "Enlisted Perspective," Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley discusses the new heritage service dress uniform and how the uniform will better represent the Air Force to the American public."I look forward to the day when I stand tall in a new service dress uniform with

  • NORAD celebrates 49th birthday

    North American Aerospace Defense Command officials celebrated its 49th anniversary May 12 with cake and reflected on the importance of its mission."Today we celebrate 49 years of tradition and of history of defending both the nations of the United States and Canada," said Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr.,

  • Latest 'Today's Air Force' now available

    In this week's edition of "Today's Air Force" see how Airmen are in the fight against terrorism, filling Army "In-Lieu-Of" requirements, and how these Airmen warriors are helping meet the immediate demands of the surge in Iraq. Also, when people think of the Air Force they think of aircraft and

  • 'Brave' baseballs make way around deployed bases

    The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing received a special package from Georgia last week that aims to spotlight Air Force later this year. A briefcase containing Atlanta Braves baseballs is making its way around the CENTCOM area of responsibility as part of Air Force 60th Anniversary "Heritage to

  • Teen becomes 'Pilot for a Day' at Fairchild

    It isn't every day a 13-year-old boy gets to pilot a KC-135 Stratotanker destined from Washington for Hawaii, but one teen flew the mission May 3 as Fairchild Air Force Airmen helped one local youth become a Pilot for a Day. Dylan Nickerson experienced a day in the life of a pilot with the

  • Cash flow easier for Airmen deployed forward

    Deployed servicemembers here can now access their funds 24-hours a day, seven days a week with a new, automated money management program called Eagle Cash. Co-sponsored by the Army and the Department of the Treasury, Eagle Cash is a financial management tool to support military members deployed in

  • Raptors return from historical deployment

    The first overseas deployment of America's newest fighter aircraft ended when the stealthy planes arrived here May 11.The first wave of F-22 Raptors from the 27th Fighter Squadron returned from Kadena Air Base, Japan, as part of a three-month air and space expeditionary force deployment where the

  • 'Week in Photos' features Airmen around the globe

    The "Week In Photos" Web feature provides visitors with photos highlighting Air Force missions around the world. Among this week's photos are: At Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Senior Airman Andrew Caro and Staff Sgt. Dustin Maglinti take aim at a target during a training exercise. They are

  • Military, civilians partner for vital disaster training

    In a unified effort to save lives and protect vital infrastructure facilities, Airmen, Soldiers and civilian first responders trained together May 9 as they responded to a mass casualty exercise scenario. The training event was part of Alaska Shield/Northern Edge, Alaska's portion of an annual

  • Charleston test platform for new all-electric vehicle

    Over the next six months four new, energy-saving vehicles can be seen zipping across the base's roads. The Department of Transportation-certified, all-electric, zero-pollution, low-speed vehicles are Miles ZX40 and ZX40S. They are capable of moving at speeds of 25 mph for 50 miles before a recharge

  • Airmen mIssing In action from WWII identified

    The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced May 11 that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors. First Lt. Archibald Kelly, U.S. Army Air Forces, of

  • Bush proclaims May 11 Military Spouse Day

    President Bush issued a proclamation May 10 commemorating May 11 as Military Spouse Day and laid plans to observe the day honoring servicemembers and their spouses personally at the White House. "America's military spouses inspire our nation with their sense of duty and deep devotion to our

  • Predators ready to aid Missouri flood victims

    MQ-1 Predators are on standby to launch and help with search, rescue and recovery efforts over the areas of Missouri devastated by floods. Four of the unmanned aerial vehicles and the Airmen who launch and recover them await U.S. Northern Command orders to deploy to a location near the affected

  • Air support is crucial vein in ground force's lifeline

    Joint terminal attack controllers direct the action of combat aircraft to provide close-air support missions for U.S. ground forces in Iraq. Close-air support missions require highly-detailed communication channels and a well-coordinated process. Those communication channels and coordination

  • Moms honored as Hometown News tests new greeting method

    As part of a test, Airmen around the world had a rare opportunity to send a greeting to their moms on Mother's Day. Army and Air Force Hometown News officials used the occasion to test a new program as they seek to find a quicker and more cost-effective way to film, process and distribute annual

  • USAFE commander visits Spanish base

    The U. S. Air Forces in Europe commander met with Spanish airmen and commanders of the 712th Air Base Group and observed firsthand how the Spanish and U.S. work together May 11 at Moron Air Base.Gen. William T. Hobbins toured Europe's en-route base for Air Force fighters and tankers while Spanish

  • Personnel Center reps demonstrate 'Excellence in Government'

    An individual and a team from the Air Force Personnel Center here received Alamo Federal Executive Board "Excellence in Government" awards during a luncheon May 4 honoring the nearly 90,000 federal employees in the San Antonio area. AFEB officials presented Emily Covarrubia, from the Civilian Force

  • C-21 Accident Investigation Board completed

    Air Mobility Command released the results of its investigation into the Oct. 2, 2006, C-21A aircraft accident at Decatur Airport, Ill. The aircraft was assigned to the Air Force Flight Standards Agency in Oklahoma City. The Accident Investigation Board, convened by AMC, determined that the primary

  • Air Force plays part in entertainer's memorial

    More than 10,000 visitors flocked to the shores of Waikiki Beach May 5 to pay their respects to singer and Air Force veteran Don Ho.Mr. Ho, who passed away in April at the age of 76, flew cargo planes in the 1950s. After his Air Force career, Mr. Ho continued to support the military with concerts

  • New dorms boost quality of life for Spangdahlem Airmen

    A ribbon-cutting ceremony opened a new chapter in the living conditions for some of Spangdahlem Air Base's unaccompanied Airmen as new dormitories are the latest quality-of-life improvements here.The $6.4 million dorm project comes equipped with controlled heating and ventilation systems, electric

  • National Guard cleaning up devastated Kansas town

    It's hard to describe the immensity of the destruction in Greensburg, Kan. State and FEMA officials say 95 percent of the town is destroyed; gone as well are 961 homes, and 136 businesses have major damage. Standing in the center of town and looking in all directions is an endless scene of disaster:

  • Multinational communicators network at seminars

    Phoenix Endeavor, a part of Combined Endeavor 2007, offered three weeks of spectrum-management seminars to military communication specialists from 12 nations. The seminars, April 27 through May 10, introduced the finer points of managing and requesting frequencies from host nations. Combined

  • Aviano deployment club helps children cope

    School faculty members here were recognized recently for their dedication to the children of deployed Airmen. Aviano Air Base's Elementary School Deployment Club was formed to help kids understand and cope with a parent's deployment. This can have a tremendous positive affect on the stress involved

  • Air Force's WC-130 crews hunt Atlantic coast hurricanes

    Although the 2007 Atlantic Ocean hurricane season officially starts June 1, Keesler Air Force Base's Hurricane Hunters got off to an early start. Flying a specially equipped WC-130 Hercules, Airmen from the Air Force Reserve Command's 403rd Wing tracked their first tropical disturbance May 9 off the

  • Track and field: Falcons' Brian Walsh wins MWC decathlon

    U.S. Air Force Academy Senior Brian Walsh claimed his second conference multi-event championship, in as many years, as he won the decathlon at the Mountain West Conference Track and Field Championships May 10 in San Diego. With 7,321 points, Walsh became the Falcons' first decathlon champion of the

  • Donated mural honors servicemembers

    Two artists have donated their time and money to create a mural for Bagram Air Base to honor those who wear the uniform. The 10-by-8 mural, which has an image of the upper portion of the Statue of Liberty and a message in large letters that reads "Land of the Free, Because of the Brave," is covered

  • Airmen tell Air Force story over airwaves

    Throughout the month, Pacific Air Force Airmen are sharing the Air Force story on one of Hawaii's most popular radio stations. May is Hawaii Military Appreciation Month and KHVH (AM 830) is featuring the military on radio spots and live interviews. Four Airmen from the 15th Airlift Wing based at

  • Realism gives Air Force pilot new perspective

    Evasion training helps the Air Force's pilots stay up-to-date on survival techniques in emergency situations. Staff Sgt. Anthony Raciborski, a Survival, Evasion Resistance, Escape specialist, with the 35th Operations Support Squadron likes to give pilots the most realistic experience possible. "The

  • Charleston maintainers foster AFSO 21 process improvement

    The idea that small changes in processes can make big impacts in productivity is one of the concepts behind Air Force Smart Operations 21, or AFSO 21. Leaders of the 437th Maintenance Group met recently for an intensive four-day process improvement study and found smarter ways of getting aerospace

  • Fitness month focuses on health, social benefits

    May is National Sports and Fitness month, and there are positive health and social benefits to getting off the couch and over to the fitness center, a track, running trail, pool, court, park or other venue of your choice.In other words, just choose it!Jill Goff, fitness program manager at Yokota's

  • Panel recommends services for wounded vets

    There is a new era of cooperation within the federal government to work together to provide services for troops returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan, Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Secretary Nicholson told the House Veterans Affairs Committee May 9. Secretary Nicholson reported on

  • Deployed F-22s leave Pacific, return to Langley

    After almost three months in the Pacific, 12 F-22A Raptors departed here May 10 having completed the first overseas deployment for the Air Force's newest air supremacy aircraft. The Raptors and more than 250 Airmen assigned to the 27th Fighter Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Va., arrived in

  • Charleston C-17 transports NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander

    The Phoenix Mars Lander began its journey to the red planet in May by first flying on board a C-17 Globemaster III from Charleston Air Force Base.An Aircrew from the 16th Airlift Squadron transported the Phoenix Mars Lander, built by Lockheed Martin in association with NASA, from Buckley AFB, Colo.,

  • Airborne staff connects ground forces

    Convoys going on patrols in Iraq can run into problems when they lose communication. Communication is an integral factor in ensuring servicemembers' safety while on the roads. It can be the difference between mission success and failure. Unknown to many road-faring warriors, a lifeline is already in

  • NATO Response Force works to improve communications

    Representatives from 26 NATO nations met during the first week of May for NATO Response Force Exercise Allied Reach '07 at Allied Air Component Command Headquarters in Ramstein Air Base, Germany. NATO commanders and other senior leaders attended the exercise that examined the command and control,

  • Air Force opens newest air ops center

    Twelfth Air Force and Air Forces Southern will open the Air Force's newest Falconer, the 612th Combined Air Operations Center, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 9. The 612th Combined Air Operations Center, serves as the operations hub for all air and space activities during combat and

  • DOD helps prepare U.S. for pandemic flu outbreak

    The Defense Department is teaming with other federal agencies to prepare the nation to deal with a potential pandemic outbreak of influenza, a senior official said May 8 here. "Right now, we're as ready as we can be at this point," said Richard Chavez, director of chemical, biological, radiological

  • World War II pilot receives Distinguished Flying Cross

    A former Army Air Corps first lieutenant received the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions he took almost 63 years ago, during a ceremony May 7 at the Travis Air Museum. Art Cader earned the medal for his heroism during a World War II bombing mission he was part of Sept. 30, 1944. The medal is

  • New security measures added to myPay system

    A new security feature has been added to protect myPay customers' data on the pay account system. As part of an on-going commitment to strengthen password and account security, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service has implemented the "virtual keyboard" to assist in protecting against malicious

  • Air Force gains larger presence in Romania

    The Romanian parliament passed legislation the first week of May that now authorizes the U.S. military to use several of its bases. The announcement came just as the Air Force was wrapping up a 10-day exercise, called Sniper Lance 2007, in the former Eastern Bloc country. This was the second

  • Airmen live, learn warrior ethos

    Airmen going through basic training are focusing on living and learning what it means to be combat-ready. This education centers on Air Force warrior ethos -- strengthening an Airman's mind, body and spirit. "The warrior ethos has always been a part of an Airman's character, but some people may have

  • Air Force Honor Guard demonstrate team esprit

    The Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team is typically very critical of their drill performance, analyzing and reviewing every move checking for the tiniest flaws. During a national drill championship here, all eyes were on the team, seeking to learn and expecting only the best from the team. The drill

  • Airman's Roll Call focuses on new UAV wing

    Global intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance are the missions of the new unmanned aerial vehicle wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. The 432nd Wing at the base, located near Las Vegas, was reactivated to be the first MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper wing in the Air Force. With an increase in

  • Pilots, attack controllers sharpen war skills in Nevada

    Pilots and joint terminal attack controllers, or JTACs, here practiced skills needed in both Iraq and Afghanistan during training over two southern Nevada towns April 23 and 24. The two towns were Caliente and Panaca, with a combined population of about 1,500 residents, and the training was urban

  • Air Force to test consolidated personnel services

    The Air Force Personnel Center and the Air Force Material Command are embarking on a test that will allow the Air Force to closely study and review consolidated civilian personnel support services to a large civilian employee population. For a one-year period, AFPC will provide staffing referral