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  • Small team has Herculean task

    Little known to many here is a team of 30 operators, engineers and contractors vital to the training of C-130 Hercules aircrews around the world. The team oversees more than 1,700 training courses, more than $500 million in contracts and training simulators in 10 locations worldwide. Detachment 3,

  • Chaplains deal with deployment issues

    Whether conducting service or casually chatting with Airmen seeking spiritual guidance, military chaplains here stand ready to help. The 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing’s five chaplains and three assistants offer the same services found at stateside bases. That is in addition to dealing with the unique

  • Pakistan quake relief funds nearly double

    The Defense Department is nearly doubling its funding for earthquake relief operations in Pakistan -- to $110 million -- State Department officials said Nov. 19. The devastating Oct. 8 earthquake killed an estimated 73,000 people. U.S. Agency for International Development administrator Andrew

  • Global health records system goes electronic

    The Department of Defense achieved a major milestone today, when it launched AHLTA, its global electronic health record system. Dr. William Winkenwerder, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, launched the system at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Michael O. Leavitt,

  • Uncle, niece serving together in Iraq

    When serving half a world away from home, many servicemembers treasure the little tokens they brought with them to remind them of home. Reserve Senior Master Sgt. Michael Brimmer, the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron first sergeant, has more than that -- his niece, Army Spc. Angela

  • AMC environmental program takes cleanup lead

    Air Mobility Command's environmental restoration program is leading the Air Force’s performance-based management policy. It is doing that with contracts for the operation and long-term management of 41 cleanup sites at seven bases. The command considered only sites that have reached the

  • Story time from thousands of miles away

    After years of deployments, some of the ideas Airmen come up with evolve. As the holidays approach, one of those simple ideas is making an impact on family members back home. The Story Time Video Program gives deployed troops here the opportunity to be a part of their children’s lives though they

  • Air Force sets physical training uniform wear date

    The Air Force Uniform Board established an Oct. 1, 2006, mandatory wear date of the physical training uniform, or PTU, for unit fitness activities. The board also released additional guidance for Airmen wearing the uniform for personal workouts. Airmen may wear the PTU during personal workouts given

  • Building Iraqi air force is tough job

    Building a nation's air force from the runway up is never going to be easy, a fact one can see at first glance. Dig a layer deeper, and the issues increase dramatically. For the Coalition Air Force Transition Team -- a U.S. Central Command Air Forces think tank of 28 specialists assisting with the

  • Airmen, Sailors supporting Dubai air show

    Airmen and Sailors are here to support the Dubai Air Show -- the third largest in the world -- over the next week. About 300 Airmen and Sailors, and more than 20 different Air Force and Navy aircraft from bases in the Persian Gulf region, Europe and the United States, will support the air show from

  • 'America Supports You' marks first anniversary

    One year ago this week, the Defense Department launched "America Supports You." This program showcases the nation's support for its men and women in uniform and the many ways citizens are expressing that support. Today, what began as a six-month campaign, has snowballed into a full-fledged effort

  • Test helping put the LIDS on decontamination

    Airmen from four major commands were here this week to test the effectiveness of a new decontamination system during an exercise that ends Nov. 18. The team is testing the lightweight inflatable decontamination system to see if it can effectively accomplish aircrew and ground crew contamination

  • Colonel’s bone marrow helps save baby girl’s life

    More than a decade ago, then-Capt. Marilyn Kott spent a few extra minutes at the end of a mobility processing line to learn about a program that matches Air Force volunteers with persons who need bone marrow transplants. Three assignments went by and her life went on as usual. Then one day this

  • New lieutenant colonels to attend senior developmental education

    The P0505A Lieutenant Colonel Central Selection Board selected officers for promotion and identified senior developmental education "selects." The board met at the Air Force Personnel Center here. Selects join a resource pool of officers who will be considered for future attendance at in-residence

  • Sergeant sentenced in cocaine case

    A military judge on Nov. 16 sentenced a staff sergeant for possession and intent to distribute cocaine. Staff Sgt. Vincent U. Kerley received a bad conduct discharge, three years confinement, reduction in rank to airman basic and forfeiture of all future pay and allowances. The sergeant plead guilty

  • A-staff helps sustain joint humanitarian effort

    The 818th Contingency Response Group and 24th Air Expeditionary Group continue handling hundreds of thousands of pounds of cargo each day as part of the continuing Pakistani earthquake recovery effort. Col. Richard Walberg, who commands both groups, said while much of the "visible work" goes on in

  • American peacekeepers helping families in Kosovo

    Their eyes have lost their luster. And their vacant and distant stares are enough to melt even the coldest heart. The people in Kosovo yearn for life’s most basic needs, silently crying for help from anyone who will hear them. But their silent cry has not gone unnoticed. The Airmen, Soldiers, Marine

  • Pararescuemen continue Pakistan humanitarian relief

    Above the mountainous countryside of northern Pakistan, two Air Force pararescuemen aboard a Russian-made MI-8 helicopter survey areas where people may need relief supplies. These Airmen, known as PJs, are part of a unit that traveled halfway around the world to participate in the ongoing

  • Online process simplifies tuition assistance

    Airmen are only a few mouse clicks away from financial support for their college education, thanks to the tuition assistance feature on the Air Force’s virtual education center. Online since early 2003, the center helps active-duty, Guard and reserve Airmen pursue their off-duty education from a

  • Los Angeles center partners with AFIT, Loyola

    The Space and Missile Systems Center and Air Force Institute of Technology entered a new partnership with Loyola Marymount University to meet the center’s educational goals. Lt. Gen. Michael Hamel, SMC commander, Brig. Gen. Mark Matthews, AFIT commandant and Dr. Richard G. Plumb, Dean of the Seaver

  • Big bangs destroy 2,000 munitions

    Airmen from the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal flight detonated 2,000 munitions, keeping them the out of the hands of insurgents. It took four detonations to destroy the weapons, which members of the Iraqi national guard had captured. After each big bang,

  • Tuskegee Airmen get Air Force update

    Members of the famed Tuskegee Airmen visited the Pentagon to learn about today's Air Force and visit with the secretary of defense. The Airmen visited Nov. 10. One pioneering Airman, retired Lt. Col. Howard Baugh, took time to reflect on the changes in the military since the day he joined in 1942.

  • Fundamentals course gives space students head start

    A training squadron here is offering students the first-ever spacelift course. Taught by instructors of the 392nd Training Squadron, the two-week class provides students training in spacelift concepts, capabilities and operations. There was a need for the course. In January 2004, Air Force Space

  • Tricare: Weigh facts before getting Medicare part D

    Medicare's new prescription drug plan opens today, but Tricare Management Activity officials encourage beneficiaries to weigh the facts before deciding whether to sign on to the plan. Coverage under the new prescription drug plan, called Medicare Part D, begins Jan. 1 and is open to anyone already

  • Soldiers win first Camp Bucca Raft Race

    Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors traded their military vehicles and weapons for homemade boats and paddles to take part in the first-ever Camp Bucca Raft Race. The Air Force-sponsored race, held Nov. 13 on a small pond here, matched the talents and ingenuity of 17 teams vying for the top prize and camp

  • President Bush thanks troops at Elmendorf

    President George Bush stopped here on the first leg of his week-long Asia tour and thanked servicemembers and civilians for volunteering to serve and continuing the fight the global war on terrorism. It was the president’s second visit here. He spoke for nearly 45 minutes with more than 4,500

  • Airmen should verify deployment credit

    Airmen not issued contingency, exercise or deployment orders should verify their personnel records include credit for those deployments. A deployment is any temporary duty away from home station filling a validated combatant or component commander or supported major command requirement for forces in

  • 100 medical officers chosen for developmental education

    Officials at the Air Force Personnel Center here have chosen more than 100 medical service officers to attend developmental education beginning in summer 2006. The fiscal 2006 developmental team developmental education boards were held during the summer and fall of 2005 to competitively select

  • Airmen defend against rabies menace

    Against the backdrop of a rising sun, a small group of Airmen make their way stealthily around the in search of the enemy. Their mission is safeguarding the Airmen, Soldiers and Department of Defense contractors assigned here from some dangerous intruders: stray animals. Team of pest management

  • Labor Department launches veterans employment program

    Military personnel and veterans will receive 300,000 wallet-sized cards and key charms with critical employment and job-training information in the next six months, the U.S. Department of Labor said. The department also unveiled the recovery and employment assistance lifelines -- REALifelines --

  • Innovative program helps troubled veterans turn lives around

    A unique center is helping troubled veterans turn their lives around by providing a military style program designed to help them beat addictions, develop career skills, land jobs, find homes and become productive citizens. The Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training, MCVET for short,

  • General Smith takes helm of joint forces, NATO transformation commands

    Gen. Lance L. Smith took command of NATO's Allied Command Transformation and U.S. Joint Forces Command during an assumption ceremony aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower at the Norfolk Naval Station here. General Smith assumed his duties Nov. 10. He thanked the personnel of both commands for their

  • U.S. troops in Turkey will no longer receive tax exclusion

    Beginning Dec. 31, U.S. military members in Turkey will no longer be exempt from paying federal taxes. U.S. European Command requested, and the Pentagon approved, terminating Turkey's certification as an area in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, U.S. military officials in Europe said. This

  • Fund fighting financers

    When deployed, the last thing one wants to worry about is their finances. The 379th Expeditionary Comptroller Squadron is here to provide timely and accurate financial services for all personnel here and throughout the area of responsibility. The fund fighting team processes military pay

  • Wilford Hall team helps save baby girl

    Upon request from a Texas senator, the United States Air Force was tasked to transport a 2-month-old Galveston baby girl to Santa Rosa Children's Hospital in San Antonio. The baby has been hooked to an Extra-Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation machine at a local hospital there for 19 days and has a

  • AWACS crews watch over president

    Members of the 552nd Air Control Wing were in Argentina through Nov. 7th to provide airborne surveillance for the Summit of the Americas attended by President George W. Bush. Thirty-three North and South American leaders convened at the summit to discuss solutions to common political, economic and

  • Travis hosts Veteran's Powwow

    About 2,000 people, including representatives from 20 Native American nations, took part in the fourth annual Veterans Powwow here. The event, held Nov. 5 and 6, was hosted by the Travis Native American Heritage Council and was the first two-day powwow celebration. “We had folks from Oregon, Nevada

  • Kadena Airmen teach English to Japanese Airmen

    In a combat environment communication between allies is important. That’s why more than 25 Kadena Airmen practiced English communication with Japan Air Self Defense Force Airmen preparing to deploy to Southwest Asia recently. Kadena Airmen -- from senior airmen to major -- paired up with their

  • Counseling helps Airmen decide on Air Force

    Average income for a civilian eight years after high school graduation –– $42,000. Total compensation for a staff sergeant with eight years time in service and no dependants –– $52,244. Attending the right decision and career decision briefings –– priceless. Making the right decision in which way to

  • JCS chairman sends Veterans' Day message

    Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace has sent the following  Veterans' Day message:"This Veterans’ Day we honor those men and women who have defended our nation in the armed forces. Today is an opportunity for Americans to recognize the tremendous accomplishments and proud

  • USO initiative keeps troops connected

    The United Service Organizations is launching a pilot partnership program with the Family Literacy Foundation to help keep deployed military parents and their children connected. The program allows troops to send video tapes of them read aloud from children’s books. The mission of United Through

  • Cadets designing, building unmanned aerial vehicles

    At the Sensor-based Intelligent Robotics Laboratory in the department of electrical and computer engineering here, cadets and faculty are designing and building more sophisticated autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles. These UAVs will able to communicate with each other and search, track and destroy

  • General Myers receives Presidential Medal of Freedom

    President George Bush presented retired Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a White House ceremony today. General Myers, who stepped down as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Sept. 30, was one of 14 Americans honored with the nation's highest civilian award.

  • Children honor sacrifice in Veterans Day walk

    Their strides might not have been as long as the adults in the crowd, but each step they took meant just as much. Decked out in patriotic red, white and blue, children from Oak Hill Elementary School beamed with pride as they marched in their annual All Veteran’s Memorial Walk here last week. The

  • Centers helps combat vets to cope

    Combat veterans dealing with readjustment issues as they return home have a place to turn, thanks to a Department of Veterans Affairs initiative. The Vet Center program provides returning veterans with someone to talk to who can relate to their experiences. To date, readjustment counseling service

  • McConnell testing new Air Force personnel initiative

    The Air Force is testing a new organizational structure at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., designed to improve convenience and timeliness for customers worldwide.The Personnel Services Delivery, or PSD, Transformation initiative allows Airmen to complete transactions online or through contact

  • National Veterans Awareness Week continues

    A Senate resolution designates Nov. 6 to 12 as National Veterans Awareness Week. The week focuses on programs to make students in elementary and secondary schools aware of the contributions of veterans and their importance in preserving American peace and prosperity, said Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden,

  • Changes on horizon for PME

    The Air Force professional military education process has developed grade-related education and education opportunities that support specific jobs for officers. "On the enlisted side, the Air Force has long had a continuity of PME programs that are associated with rank advancement, but you also have

  • VA program promotes employment among new vets

    The Department of Veterans Affairs is promoting job opportunities for those leaving military service with a new program. R. James Nicholson, the VA secretary, spoke to the American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon Channel in anticipation of National Veterans Awareness Week, which began Nov. 6

  • Newest vets get VA medical care priority

    Some 120,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans receiving Department of Veterans Affairs medical care are getting top priority at some of the world's best-quality medical treatment, the secretary of Veterans Affairs said. R. James Nicholson spoke to the American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon

  • Health program will help returning troops

    Servicemembers returning from deployments will now participate in a post-deployment health reassessment program that all the services are instituting. Defense Department officials said the new program will assess the health -- both physical and mental -- of servicemembers from 90 to 120 days after

  • 76 recruits ‘sign up’ at 49ers game

    Seventy-six delayed entry program recruits swore into the Air Force before a crowd of 70,000 at a San Francisco 49ers game here Nov. 6. The recruits -- some traveled 100 miles to the Monster Park football field -- enlisted through the 364th Recruiting Squadron out of Sacramento, Calif. The annual

  • Special ops reservist helping rebuild Iraqi air force

    During a deployment to Iraq, Brig. Gen. Frank Padilla led a team of Air Force and coalition partner experts to plan for and help to rebuild a more robust and effective Iraqi air force. The group’s mission is to help the Iraqis establish the very best air force possible with the resources they have

  • Air Force facing higher energy bill

    Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were summer events, but their impact will probably be felt this winter. And that impact will not just be on the Gulf Coast, but across the nation and on military installations as facility energy prices continue to increase, Air Force officials said. The storms caused

  • Defense directive sets detainee interrogation policy

    The Defense Department has a new policy on detainee interrogations.Officials began writing the directive in December 2004. Acting Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England signed the directive Nov. 3. It is the first formal defense directive on this policy. DOD Directive 3115. 09 -- DOD Intelligence

  • Eagles, Raptors team to deter ‘attack’

    Every day, F-15 Eagle instructor pilots here teach dozens of student pilots how to fight and win in combat. But the instructors rarely get a chance to showcase their own warfighting skills. Fortunately, some 1st Fighter Squadron instructors got a chance to test their skills against the toughest and

  • Officers chosen for education, cross-flow duties

    More than 210 officers from 18 career fields were selected to attend developmental education or for cross-flow assignments beginning in summer 2006. The development team special program selection and Air Force Institute of Technology boards considered officers from various fields. They included

  • Job fair highlights veterans' skills and commitment

    Employers anxious to tap into the skills and discipline military service instills in its members converged at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center here during the first Salute Our Heroes Veterans Job Fair and Career Expo. There were also thousands of job-seeking veterans at the Nov. 3 event.The

  • Schriever's rabbi teaching Hebrew class

    The 50th Space Wing chaplain’s office held the first “Beginning Hebrew” class for people interested in learning the basics of the language. From the first base bulletin advertising the four one-hour sessions, the response has been nothing but positive, base officials said. “When we first advertised

  • AETC closes global address lists Nov. 19 to 20

    All Air Education and Training Command Microsoft Exchange e-mail users will find something missing from their global address lists Nov. 19 to 20. E-mail services will be available all weekend. But as part of a planned upgrade to the system, command e-mail users will not be able to view any

  • Air Force selects 589 new chief master sergeants

    The Air Force selected 589 senior master sergeants for promotion to chief master sergeant. The Air Force will release the promotion list Nov. 9. The complete list of selectees will be available by 5 p.m. CST that day at http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/eprom/. A total of 2,580 senior master sergeants

  • Operation Ruthless Raven: OSI cracks down on drug smugglers

    The Air Force Office of Special Investigations is heading up Operation Ruthless Raven, a joint task force to combat drug smuggling. Ruthless Raven Task Force goals are to identify vulnerabilities in the Air Force transportation and mail systems and to leverage internal and external capabilities to

  • Skeet shooters bring home victory for Air Force

    The Air Force Skeet Team presented a plaque to the director of the AIr Force SErvices Agency in a ceremony at the Pentagon here Nov. 2, capping a season that blasted Navy, Marines and Army teams in competition. Maj. Vernon Lucas, who represented the skeet team and works at the Pentagon, expressed

  • CFC opened new frontiers for NASA scientist

    Terry Morris was about 4 years old when his parents pushed him out the front door into the snow-covered streets of Chicago. They didn't want him to come back. In that world, the Windy City's newest homeless child found towering drifts, more ash gray than white and more ice than snow, instead of the

  • SOC shutdown marks end of era at Blue Cube

    With each flip of a switch, the room grew eerily quieter as the end of an era drew closer. The equipment room of the Satellite Operations Center-52 inside the Blue Cube here ceased operations recently, after 36 years of around-the-clock support to the space community. Members of 21st Space

  • Summit helps young children, families cope

    A Defense Department summit today addressed how trauma and stress impact children's well-being and what interventions work to support their healthy development and family competence. The summit, titled "When Duty Calls -- Supporting Military Families Through Challenging Times" -- ends Nov. 5. More

  • Commissary, Fisher House offer scholarships

    The Defense Commissary Agency and the Fisher House Foundation have teamed up again to offer educational scholarships to children of military families and retirees. The Scholarships for Military Children Program is marking its sixth year, DeCA spokesman Kevin Robinson said, with the goal to provide

  • Pentagon Channel Adds Podcasting to Product Line

    The Pentagon Channel will add podcasting as a means of distributing the channel's military news and information targeted to servicemembers beginning Nov. 7."We are excited about leveraging technology that allows for more programming choices for our men and women in uniform," said Allison Barber,

  • SECAF: Integrity first

    The newly confirmed Secretary of the Air Force has set a strong emphasis on both individual and organizational responsibility and accountability -- one of his goals for his tenure. "We have to … continuously emphasize the integrity of purpose and integrity of the individual," Secretary Michael W.

  • Base fire department responds to unauthorized landing

    Firefighters here responded to an unauthorized landing that took place Oct. 25 near the fire department’s truck maintenance area. The flyer was taken into custody, and when he responded to interrogators’ questions with unintelligible clicks and whistles, he was placed in a cage and given nothing but

  • 7th Fighter Squadron vet receives medals

    Sixty years after serving in the Army Air Corps, a 7th Fighter Squadron pilot received a Distinguished Flying Cross and an Air Medal. First Lieutenant James Costley, a P-38 pilot in World Word II, received the last of his military decorations in front of three generations of his family, friends and

  • Wynne sworn in as 21st secretary

    Michael W. Wynne was sworn in today in front of 4,200 U.S. Air Force Academy cadets, during their noontime meal, as the 21st secretary of the Air Force. In this role, he is responsible for the affairs of the Department of the Air Force, including organizing, training, equipping and providing for the

  • Military postal agency offers advice for holiday mail

    "Pack it well" and "mail it early" are two tips a military postal official offered today for holiday mail being sent to servicemembers overseas. The Defense Department announced recommended holiday mail dates Oct. 31. The first deadline occurs Nov. 12 for parcel post items headed overseas to APO and

  • New SECAF sends 'Letter to Airmen'

    The following is a "Letter to Airmen" from Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne:"It is an honor to serve as Secretary of the Air Force, and I look forward to working alongside you in keeping our Nation safe. Because of your dedication, skill, and sacrifice, the U.S. Air Force gives an

  • Brooks City-Base entomologists demonstrate pioneering techniques

    They don't "kill bugs dead" as the advertising slogan suggests, but they're finding them a lot faster now before deadly microorganisms can cause havoc through disease outbreaks. Air Force medical entomologists here have developed an innovative capability that could have a profound impact in

  • Training teaches medics how to 'operate' in hostile areas

    A Tyndall Airman quickly took a position in the dirt and aimed his M-16 rifle as a group of suspicious-looking men carrying AK-47 assault rifles hid behind a bush.However, the men left without incident and the Airman avoided a potentially deadly firefight. This may sound like a dangerous

  • Virtual commissary opens for business

    Defense Commissary Agency shoppers looking for a different kind of gift can let their fingers do the clicking at the new Virtual Commissary. Commissary officials said Virtual Commissary will open up new options of Internet shopping for authorized users. “We’re excited about DeCA’s first adventure

  • Airmen bring airpower to Central American air shows

    Approximately 150 Airmen and 14 Air Force aircraft brought airpower to Central America Oct. 23 to 30 to participate in two international air shows, as part of U.S. Southern Command’s cooperation efforts with Guatemala and El Salvador. Under the direction of U.S. Southern Command Air Forces

  • Transportation commander discusses separation of commands

    Change, not only in the delineation of command responsibility among Air Mobility Command and U.S. Transportation Command, but also in the way USTRANSCOM projects military power, was the theme of the opening address at the 37th Annual Airlift/Tanker Association Conference here Oct. 28. Gen. Norton

  • Joint Fires Center of Excellence begins training

    The Joint Fires Center of Excellence opened its doors Oct. 17 as the U.S. military’s only Europe-based joint firepower education center. The U.S. Air Forces in Europe-inspired initiative is designed to enhance close air support operations by providing a convenient training environment for

  • Educating Airmen on medication misuse, abuse may prevent future deaths

    While the Air Force continues to focus on suicide prevention and awareness, one specific issue Airmen should understand is proper medication use and suicide attempts. Drug overdose and self-poisoning are two of the most common methods used in suicide attempts, said Lt. Col. (Dr.) Donald Christensen,

  • Wilma visits couple during Mexican honeymoon

    They enjoyed long walks on the beach, romantic dinners and winds of 159 miles per hour? Master Sgt. Leon Palmer and his new bride, Staff Sgt. Rena Palmer, both members of 22nd Security Forces Squadron, had an unexpected visitor during their honeymoon earlier this month in Cancun, Mexico. “We were in

  • New technology 'dazzles' aggressors

    A laser technology weapon will be the first man-portable, non-lethal deterrent weapon intended for protecting troops and controlling hostile crowds. The weapon, developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate, employs a two-wavelength laser system and is a hand-held,

  • Air Force authorizes Berlin Airlift streamers

    Nearly 60 years after the operation, Air Force units involved in the Berlin Airlift are now authorized a new streamer to add to their unit guidons. “A question was raised to Dick Anderegg (the Air Force historian) a couple months ago if the Berlin Airlift was a campaign, and if so, do we have a

  • Recruiters, enlistees highlighted at A/TA Convention

    Pledging one’s devotion to their country and reciting the Oath of Enlistment can be inspirational to most. This first step to becoming a member of the nation’s military is special in itself, but 10 enlistees from the 330th Recruiting Squadron had this moment made even more memorable during this

  • Enlisted aide career field continues to improve

    From preparing meals to arranging official social events, enlisted aides have long proven themselves invaluable to general officers. But over the last three years, their career field has evolved to include better training, recognition programs and the chance to earn a Community College of the Air

  • Edwards' commanders test wheelchair accessibility

    The Air Force Flight Test Center has a long history of testing aircraft and parachutes, but one little known fact is that each year leaders here also "test" wheelchairs. Edwards' annual Wheelchair Test Day is held during National Disabilities Awareness Month in October. Organizers said the intent is

  • Air Force introduces new helicopter for pilot training

    The Air Force will rollout the TH-1H helicopter at the home of pilot instructor training and Headquarters Air Education and Training Command on Nov. 5 in conjunction with the base's 75th anniversary and 2005 air show. The TH-1H, the latest version of the UH-1H Huey, has undergone an extensive

  • DOD announces recommended holiday mail dates

    The Department of Defense announced Oct. 31 the recommended mailing dates to ensure that holiday cards and packages for service members arrive overseas in time for the holiday season. "To ensure delivery … to military APO/FPO addresses overseas and to international addresses, we suggest mail be sent

  • New space badge wear begins today

    Air Force Space Command commander Gen. Lance W. Lord authorized wear of the new space badge to begin today. “We will unify our USAF credentialed space professional community under a single space badge -- a recognizable, distinctive symbol of the unique and challenging space mission and those who

  • Air Force announces fiscal 2006 CJR quotas

    The Air Force announced the fiscal 2006 quotas for the career job reservation program recently, adding three Air Force Specialty Codes to the constrained list, while releasing 13 others. Reenlistment eligible first-term Airmen who apply for a CJR in the constrained AFSCs will be added to a waiting

  • Cheney thanks Robins troops for terror war support

    Vice President Dick Cheney traveled to Robins Air Force Base, Ga., Oct. 28 to thank the troops personally for their contributions to the war on terror and recent national disasters around the world. Cheney thanked the troops for meeting their commitment to the nation during what he called "a very

  • Airman completes mission with pride, satisfaction

    As he completes his tour of duty at this small, forward-deployed desert air base, Master Sgt. James Royuela looks back with satisfaction and pride knowing his hard work directly contributed to the overall success of coalition forces fighting the global war on terror. Sergeant Royuela, a 1988

  • First deployed SARC stationed at Manas

    In the continuing effort to ensure that deployed Airmen are as well taken care of as their home station counterparts, the Air Force recently deployed its first sexual assault response coordinator here. The effort is part of the Air Force’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program drive to have

  • The AC-130U Gunship program explores viper strike capability

    The AC-130U Gunship, managed by Aeronautical Systems Center's Special Operations Forces Systems Group here, is undergoing an Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration for a standoff precision-guided munition called Viper Strike. Viper Strike is a small, precision-attack munition with guide/glide

  • Turtle patrol volunteers give baby sea turtles new life

    Fifty eight newly hatched baby green sea turtles got their first taste of life and the Gulf of Mexico after the Eglin’s sea turtle patrol volunteers released them to the wild Oct. 27. While this was deemed a great day of success for the volunteers, the prospects of the baby turtles surviving to see

  • Air Force depots exceed major maintenance goals

    For the second consecutive year, the Air Force's three air logistics centers exceeded their aircraft production goal and met their engine production goal, putting more hardware essential to the global war on terrorism and peacetime training missions into the hands of U.S. warfighters. The overall

  • Airmen performing non-traditional security

    The camp has the look and feel of many Army bases with one exception, the majority of the force protection presence is Airmen -- including the two security forces squadron commanders. Traditionally an Army function, here, Airmen are providing perimeter defense, convoy and area security and security

  • Combat communications answers the call

    They can set up communications to anywhere in the world from anywhere in the world. They can take a strip of land and turn it into an airfield capable of carrying out military or relief missions, but for now, members of the elite 5th Combat Communications Group are at a former Soviet republic making

  • Chaplain provides insight to Islam

    A chaplain here has received a national award recognizing his efforts to help warfighters better understand Islam. Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Thomas Azar, 347th Rescue Wing head chaplain, was named the 2004-2005 best military chaplain by the National Ministries, American Baptist Churches. “I was totally