NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Officials to announce chief master sergeant selections

    Air Force officials selected 475 of 2,276 eligible senior master sergeants for promotion to chief master sergeant for a selection rate of 20.87 percent. The average score for those selected was 662.78, with an average time in grade of 3.40 and time in service of 23.23 years, respectively, and 24.49

  • Airmen sought for unique, joint program

    Air Force officials are seeking Airmen for a three- to five-year period for a Defense Department program aimed at creating greater continuity, focus and persistent engagement across the battlefield in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Afghanistan Pakistan Hands program was established by Adm. Mike

  • Airmen aid Stop Hunger Now

    About 200 volunteers from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and the surrounding communities gathered Oct. 24 at the MERCI Mission Center in Goldsboro, N.C., to help stop hunger for the people of Afghanistan and to keep them warm throughout the winter. The volunteers prepared more than 115,000 rice- and

  • DOD officials order enough H1N1 vaccine for National Guard

    Department of Defense officials here have acquired enough doses of the H1N1 flu vaccine to immunize all 460,000 members of the National Guard, officials announced Oct. 29 here. "The DOD supply will go out to the Guard based on their order through the ... U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency," said Army

  • Reserve Command general delivers latest C-17

    The commander of the Air Force Reserve Command flew and delivered here Oct. 28 the newest C-17 Globemaster III to come off the production line at Boeing's Long Beach, Calif., plant. Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner Jr. accompanied by an all-Reserve crew from the 317th Airlift Squadron from Charleston Air

  • One Airman's trash is another Airman's training aid

    Several American and Iraqi airmen are working together to move parts from a wrecked C-130 Hercules on Sather Air Base to New Al Muthana AB where they will be used as training aids for Iraqi aircraft maintainers. The 447th Air Expeditionary Group's fire department and safety office as well as Iraqi

  • President signs Defense Authorization Act

    President Barack Obama signed the fiscal 2010 National Defense Authorization Act during a ceremony at the White House Oct. 28. President Obama hailed the act, which contains $680.2 billion in military budget authority, as transformational legislation that targets wasteful defense spending. The

  • Contingency response Airmen build partnership capability in Egypt

    Airmen from the 621st Contingency Response Wing bolstered Egypt's ability to mobilize its troops by training 20 Egyptian airborne soldiers on airlift and cargo loading procedures during Exercise Bright Star in Cairo, Egypt, Oct. 9 to 21. During the eight-day training course, the Airmen taught

  • Act ends controversial personnel system

     With President Barack Obama's signature today on the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act, a controversial pay-for-performance personnel system is abolished. About 220,000 Defense Department employees who had come under the National Security Personnel System will transition back to the

  • Air Force updates guidance for wear of PTU

    Air Force officials have updated guidance for wear of the physical training uniform, replacing previous guidance published in Air Force Instruction 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel. According to a message released from Air Force A1 and signed by Lt. Gen. Richard Y.

  • Teamwork vital to promoting Air Force awareness

    The Air Force is all about teamwork. It's in recruiting brochures and Air Force commercials. No matter how big or small the mission, teamwork is a way of life. For Tech. Sgt. Rick Jones, NCO in charge of the Air Force NASCAR program, teamwork is vital in promoting Air Force awareness to millions of

  • Top spouse explains vital role of Key Spouse Program

    Suzie Schwartz, the wife of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, brought her unique perspective to the Maxwell AFB Key Spouse Forum, sharing personal stories, words of encouragement and helpful resources. The Key Spouse Program is an emphasis area for the Year of Air Force Family, which

  • 45th Space Wing Airmen support successful Ares I-X launch

    Airmen, Air Force civilians and contractors from the 45th Space Wing provided Eastern Range support for NASA's successful launch of the Ares I-X. The test rocket launched from Space Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center at 11:30 a.m. (EDT) Oct. 28. Personnel from throughout the 45th Space

  • Kirkuk ceremony marks transfer of navigational aids to Iraqi air force

    A ceremony held at Kirkuk Air Base in Iraq Oct. 26 demonstrated the emerging independence of the Iraqi Air Force. The ceremony marked the official turnover of a suite of navigational aids provided by the Electronic Systems Center, headquartered here, through a first-of-its-kind foreign military

  • Spangdahlem Airmen reach out to Romanian community

    Members of the 52nd Fighter Wing from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, deployed to Campia Turzii in late October and donated their time and money to help renovate a children's community center dedicated to helping local children with their academic studies. The deployed Airmen provided aesthetic

  • U.S., Chilean airmen visit school children

    U.S. and Chilean air force airmen visited an elementary school during Exercise Salitre Oct. 27 in Alto Hospicia, Chile.Airmen from the two nations took time from the multinational exercise focused on interoperability between Chile, the United States, Argentina, Brazil, and France to visit the

  • Personnel Center officials expand service center hours for civilians

    To increase customer support to Air Force civilian employees and applicants around the world, officials at the Total Force Service Center have expanded the hours civilian personnel experts are available to discuss employment, benefits and entitlements. While service delivery representatives are

  • Airmen support Army's airlift needs

    American Airmen on C-17 Globemaster III and C-130 Hercules aircraft are contributing directly to support joint and coalition forces on the front lines of both operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. "The Air Force airdrops are providing needed support to Soldiers in the field; getting people

  • Shinseki cites collaboration in mental health care

    Psychological war wounds are nothing new to servicemembers, but the support of the nation to care for their injuries, until recent years, was somewhat uncharted territory. The departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs are committed to advancing that care because it's the right thing to do as a

  • A night of candy, costumes and spooky escapades

    Halloween is a night of candy, costumes and spooky escapades, however; there are several precautions adults and children can take to ensure a safe and happy night of haunting. Airmen in the 1st Security Forces Squadron recommend the following safety guidelines for anyone participating in the

  • Tanker aircrews support exercise in Chile

    Airmen aboard two Arizona Air National Guard KC-135 Stratotankers are flying daily refueling sorties above Chile to support a multinational force of fighters during Exercise Salitre II. The Airmen from the 161st Air Refueling Wing in Phoenix are participating in the Chilean-led exercise that runs

  • Airmen patrol outside to protect inside

    For some Airmen, its keep your friends close and your enemies as far away from your base as possible. Every day, the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron's force protection patrols travel outside of Joint Base Balad to provide a security presence that aims to deter anyone who would do harm

  • MacDill tankers keep mission airborne at Red Flag

    Members of the 91st Air Refueling Squadron from MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., are doing their part to ensure participants in Exercise Red Flag 10-1 stay in the air Oct. 19 through 30 here. Aircrews in KC-135 Stratotankers will fly multiple sorties per day and push more than 1.4 million pounds of

  • Medal of Honor recipients visit Airmen, wounded warriors in Germany

    Two Medal of Honor recipients visited wounded warriors and Airmen here Oct. 23 as part of an Armed Forces Entertainment tour. Retired Army Col. Robert Howard and Command Sgt. Maj. Gary Littrell, who both received the nation's highest military decoration for actions during the Vietnam conflict, were

  • Whiteman Air Force Base gains 2 units

    Air Force leaders continue to reinvigorate the nuclear enterprise, adding two new Air Force Materiel Command units to the Whiteman community with a ceremony Oct. 25 at Whiteman AFB, Mo. The 498th Munitions Maintenance Group relocates from Kirtland AFB to Whiteman AFB, along with its new subordinate

  • Mountain Roundup acts as final stage for German air force training

    The German air force is here training with the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marines through the end of October during the annual Mountain Roundup exercise. "Mountain Roundup is an annual exercise that we have here hosting the German air force mission employment phase of their fighter weapons school, or

  • Students learn to survive in 'Tropics'

    More than 500 miles away from Fairchild Air Force Base and just miles from the Pacific coast lies a tropical rainforest in the Olympic National Forest. The moisture in the air permeates your clothes and gear, and as you trek through the rain and mud it's almost as if it seeps through the skin to the

  • The weapons of warfare adapt with the age of Airmen

    Airmen are using off-the-shelf commercial gaming equipment on the battlefield, and according to one Airman operating at a base still littered with Soviet-era landmines, they're a great fit. When Senior Airman James Dobrynski, a St. Louis native, straps on his individual body armor, fire-resistant

  • Air Force officials go green, renew vehicle fleet at wing in Southwest Asia

    Air Force officials from the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing here became the first wing under U.S. Air Force Central to move to a greener vehicle fleet Oct. 26. When Maj. Michael Horsey, the 380th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, handed the keys of a new staff vehicle to Brig. Gen. Bryan J.

  • Balad Airman creates wounded warrior program

    An Airman here helped develop the Balad Wounded Warrior Program, a program created to ease the transition of wounded servicemembers through the medical evacuation process.Senior Airman Raymond Jones, a plans and programming projects manager with the 332nd Expeditionary Communications Squadron,

  • VA, DOD officials host national mental health summit

    Officials with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense are hosting a first-of-its-kind national summit to address the mental health care needs of America's military personnel, families and veterans, harnessing the programs, resources and expertise of both departments to deal

  • Navigation aids keep F-15s on course

    Two Airmen from the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., are keeping F-15 Eagles on course using portable Tactical Navigation Systems, or TACAN, during a Chilean-led multinational exercise in Antofagasta and Iquique, Chile. The portable TACAN is usually used by combat controllers

  • 'Mini Herc' set to join Air Force fleet

    Air Force plans to include the C-27J Spartan, the latest propeller-driven airlifter planned for the Air Force inventory, are steadily progressing. In April, through Resource Management Decision 802, Defense Secretary Robert Gates moved the C-27J program and its related direct support mission from

  • Air Force future bright with adaptable, connected Airmen

    The U.S. Air Forces Central command chief has a good perspective on the lives of the Airmen serving in support of operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom after more than 21 months on the job. A younger generation of Airmen is adapting to an ever-changing operating environment, gaining

  • American servicemembers in Afghanistan break ground for new high school

    Members of the Air Force-led Zabul Provincial Reconstruction Team along with senior Afghan government officials and community leaders, celebrated the ground-breaking of a new high school for girls during a ceremony here Oct. 22. The school will be the first of its kind in the town of Shajoy, which

  • Chief of staff honors fallen Airmen in moving ceremony

    It was May 17, 1962, and NASA Astronaut Scott Carpenter was preparing for the Mercury program's second-ever orbital mission. Half way around the world, 13 Airmen were also preparing, getting situated to provide an emergency recovery site in Africa, only one of several such units positioned around

  • NASA app now available

    A NASA app for the iPhone and iPod touch is available free of charge at the App Store from Apple. The NASA application will deliver a wealth of information, videos, images and news updates about NASA missions. "Making NASA more accessible to the public is a high priority for the agency," said Gale

  • New Web site offers supervisor growth through e-learning tools

    Air Force supervisors now have online access to a robust collection of continuous learning tools. The Supervisor Resource Center is a Community of Practice site that offers an assortment of Air Force e-learning tools, such as training courses, books, simulations, exercises and job-aids, and the

  • Orientation day gives spouses inside look at Nellis operations

    Military spouses here got an inside look at  base operations during a spouses orientation day, Oct. 16. The event, hosted by the 66th Rescue Squadron, showcased the unit's mission and allowed the spouses to experience what their Air Force husbands and wives do on daily basis.  "These orientation

  • Top enlisted Airman visits Ellsworth Airmen

    The 16th chief master sergeant of the Air Force visited Ellsworth Air Force Base Oct. 21 and 22 to tour the installation and speak with Ellsworth members about education, deployments, fitness and family support. "We are a nation at war," Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy said during an

  • Battlefield Airmen considered a weapon system

    The capabilities of battlefield Airmen are considered just as lethal as any advanced weapons system. For that reason, tactical air control party personnel, pararescuemen, security forces personnel and special operations weathermen have been included in the annual Weapons and Tactics Conference

  • Little Rock Airmen fuel up to save environment, money

    Airmen from the 19th Logistics Readiness Squadron's Fuels Management Flight here have been selected to test two types of aviation fuel in an effort to save money and the environment. The first is the commercial grade Jet A. This fuel is cheaper and more common throughout the aviation industry; it's

  • Air Force awards $14M to 2010 Young Investigators Research Program

    The Air Force Office of Scientific Research announced it will award more than $14 million in grants to 38 scientists and engineers who submitted winning research proposals through the Air Force's Young Investigator Research Program. The YIP is open to scientists and engineers at research

  • Airmen spend day with Chilean children

    Members of the Air Forces Southern Cooperation Team-One began their nation building trip to Santiago, Chile, by taking children to an interactive museum for children here Oct. 13.Members of 12th Air Force and the Texas Air National Guard completed four days of subject matter exchanges in Santiago in

  • Servicemembers hammer out, nail down construction in Iraq

    Military contracting officials deployed to Baghdad work to rebuild the economy in Iraq by hiring local contractors to build and remodel facilities throughout the International Zone. Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors have been hands-on with several structure projects, including the construction of an

  • Air Force Week in Photos

    This week's photo highlights feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force. View slideshow.

  • KC-10s provide rapid aerial refueling

    Think of this number: 1.2 million. That's the number of pounds of fuel the KC-10s from the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing deliver daily to aircraft that provide air support to warfighters in Afghanistan. This means that when coalition forces need air support, aircraft such as A-10 Thunderbolt IIs,

  • Obama signs veterans health care legislation

    President Barack Obama signed new legislation Oct. 22 that creates predictable funding for veterans' health care. The Veterans Healthcare Reform and Transparency Act fundamentally changes how Department of Veterans Affairs receives health care funding. The reform calls for appropriations a year in

  • Photo essay: B-1s at Ellsworth AFB

    A B-1B Lancer and aircrew here prepare for a training mission Oct. 15, 2009. The flight crew consists of the pilot, co-pilot, defensive systems operator and offensive systems operator. View the slideshow.

  • Reconstruction team opens new girls' school in Afghanistan

    A crowd of Afghans and U.S. servicemembers celebrated the building of the new Bibi Khala Girls' School Oct. 19 in Qalat city, located in Afghanistan's Zabul province. Bibi Khala is the largest girls' school in Qalat, with approximately 1,500 students. The new building consists of eight classrooms

  • Globemaster conducts first mission for Cope India

    A C-17 Globemaster III crew conducted the first ever combined airdrop mission with Indian air force personnel here as part of exercise Cope India. The 535th Airlift Squadron from Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, conducted a high-altitude low-opening mission with four U.S. Air Force Airmen and Soldiers

  • AFPC now accepting nominations for deputy commander positions

    Interested and eligible officers in the grade of O-5 may now submit applications to be considered for deputy commander positions in mission support groups in 2010. Applications are due via e-mail to the base support officer assignments section at the Air Force Personnel Center here by Nov. 20.

  • Iraq-based platelets travel to Afghanistan

    The Air Force Theater Hospital platelet apheresis lab here began dispatching blood platelets to Afghanistan Oct. 14, 2009. The AFTH functions as the sole platelet provider in Iraq. Now, it is the first in-theater medical facility to send platelets collected in one operational area to another, said

  • Airmen integrate into Chilean CAOC for SALITRE

    Air Forces Southern Airmen are integrating themselves into a Chilean combined air operations center for SALITRE, a Chilean air force-led coalition exercise Oct. 17 to Nov. 2 in Antofagasta and Iquique, Chile. The effort can be challenging, considering France, Brazil, Chile, Argentina and the United

  • 15 units, 3 countries converge on Nellis for Red Flag

    Nearly 1,300 servicemembers, more than 80 aircraft and 15 units from three countries converged on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., for the start of Red Flag 10-1 Oct. 19. American, Norwegian and Dutch airmen and soldiers comprise the allied team in the exercise. "The exercise is a great opportunity for

  • McChord C-17 lands at newly upgraded airstrip in Wyoming

    A C-17 Globemaster III from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., approached the 5,500-foot-long stretch of paved runway, landed, then rolled to a stop. That's not much space on which to land a heavily loaded, half-million pound cargo plane, but officials here say it's the perfect runway for C-17 pilots to

  • Exercise Cope India begins

    More than 400 airmen from the United States and India began the fourth installment of exercise Cope India, a bilateral humanitarian assistance disaster relief exercise, here Oct. 19. The exercise will exchange airlift, air land, and tactical airdrop delivery techniques using three C-130H Hercules,

  • Weapons, tactics conference puts warfighters' needs in focus

    Nearly 1,200 Air Force warfighters are meeting here in late October to decide on what's needed to succeed in future battles and missions. This year's Air Guard and Reserve Weapons and Tactics Conference is the biggest ever, said Col. Jon Mott, the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command

  • Stop loss Airmen eligible for compensation

    Current and former Airmen who were involuntarily held on active duty beyond an approved separation or retirement date as a direct result of stop loss between Sept. 11, 2001, and Sept. 30, 2009, may be eligible for a Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay compensation of $500 for each month they were

  • Team exchanges ideas with Chilean air force

    Members of 12th Air Force and the Texas Air National Guard completed four days of subject matter exchanges in Santiago, Chile, in late October with Chilean air force members on topics such as crisis management, media relations and air operations center processes and procedures. The exchange was a

  • 21 Air Force food service professionals win culinary honors

    Twenty-one Air Force food service professionals were honored at the 2009 Hennessy Travelers Association Educational Foundation Armed Forces Forum for Culinary Excellence Oct. 4 to 10. The forum at Culinary Institute of America Greystone Campus in Napa Valley, Calif., recognized a total of 25 members

  • Officials change promotion policy regarding senior NCO academy

    Completion of the resident Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy or a sister service equivalent will be required for promotion to senior master sergeant effective Jan. 1, an Air Force personnel official said recently.This policy change supersedes the current policy which requires Air

  • AFSOUTH Airmen participate in Exercise SALITRE II

    More than 190 Air Forces Southern Airmen are representing the United States during Exercise SALITRE II, a Chilean air force-led coalition exercise which began Oct. 17 and ends Nov. 2, in Antofagasta and Iquique, Chile. SALITRE is a coalition air exercise, including search and rescue, aerial

  • Combat metals flight fabricates essential aircraft parts

    When maintainers here need new parts for their C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, they can't just head down to the local parts store and pick one up. That's where the 386th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron's Combat Metals Flight comes in. The unit fabricates aircraft parts from

  • Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft gets X-plane designation

    Air Force officials have approved X-55A as the new designation for the Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft. The X-55A is a technology demonstrator for the design and manufacturing of future aircraft using advanced composite materials. The X-55A is a modified Dornier 328J aircraft with the fuselage aft

  • Aeromedical staging facility staff to reach major milestone in warrior care

    Members of the 86th Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility here will soon be reaching a new milestone since opening its doors and receiving its first patient six years ago. Unit members provide critical care to wounded warriors, and are scheduled to complete its 100,000th patient movement sometime

  • Airman helps Army get connected

    Shoot, move and communicate is a Soldiers motto on the battlefield, but without stable Internet connection, communication would not be possible. Staff Sgt. Jeremy Emond at Combat Outpost McClain does his part in aiding Soldiers communicate by providing Internet access. "Here I'm supporting the

  • Cooperation Team-One exchanges ideas with Chilean air force members

    Members of 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) and the Texas Air National Guard completed four days of subject matter exchanges in Santiago, Chile, with members of the Fuerza Aerea Chile, or FACh, on topics such as crisis management, media relations and Air Operations Center processes and

  • New PT rules will not take away from unit fitness

    Everyone in the Air Force is required to maintain fitness. In fact, in January 2010 the new physical fitness testing criteria will take effect, requiring Airmen to meet minimum requirements in each category or fail the test. Now, Air Force officials are restructuring the requirement for commanders

  • Keating passes PaCom torch to Willard

     Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, presided over a change-of-command ceremony here Oct. 19 as Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating passed the U.S. Pacific Command helm to Navy Adm. Robert F. Willard. Admiral Willard assumed command of the

  • German fliers achieve 55,555 flight hours at Holloman

    With the landing of a specially painted Tornado aircraft, airmen at the German air force Flying Training Center here completed 55,555 Tornado flight hours Oct. 13, and a reception commemorating the accomplishment followed. German air force members shared the momentous occasion with Airmen from the

  • Authorities call off search for missing F-16 pilot

    Authorities are still looking for the wreckage of an F-16 Fighting Falcon that crashed with its pilot into the Atlantic Ocean off South Carolina's coast Oct. 15. An official at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., said Oct. 19 that there is nothing new to report since authorities announced Oct. 17 that Capt.

  • Ali Base assumes 'advise and assist' as additional duty

    As the responsible drawdown of forces continues in Iraq, Airmen here have embraced the additional role of advising and assisting the local Iraqi army and citizens during the transition. The 407th Air Expeditionary Group, which operates, maintains and secures the largest airfield in Southern Iraq, is

  • Academy Assembly guests discuss bridging war, peace

    The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told Class of 2010 cadets here Oct. 8 that their education will not end at graduation during his keynote address for the 2009 U.S. Air Force Academy Assembly. "The world demands more education today," said Marine Gen. James Cartwright. "This is the

  • Kyrgyz women visit Manas, experience mission firsthand

    Twenty female Kyrgyz civic leaders, known as the Congress of Women, visited Airmen here Oct. 16 to familiarize themselves with the center's mission and talk to Airmen around the base. The visit changed the way some of the women viewed the Transit Center and gave them a better understanding of what

  • Veterans Affairs secretary announces new gravesite locator

    The secretary of Veterans Affairs announced Oct. 16 here that the Department of Veterans Affairs has made the gravesites of more than 6.7 million veterans easier to locate using handheld devices with Internet capability, such as "smart phones." "This innovative program continues VA's commitment to

  • Airmen wrap up relief efforts in Pacific

    Airmen providing humanitarian assistance following the recent natural disasters in the Pacific have wrapped up their efforts and are returning home, Pacific Air Forces officials here said Oct. 19. The missions began Sept. 30 when Hawaii Air National Guard crews flew two C-17 Globemaster IIIs loaded

  • VA officIals contacting veteran-students about new GI Bill

    Representatives of the Department of Veterans Affairs here will be telephoning veterans across the country to explain their education benefits under the new Post-911 GI Bill and ensure beneficiaries are able to receive payments due them. "The Post-9/11 GI Bill is one of our highest priorities," said

  • Football Frenzy winners to attend NFL game

    Four members of Air Force clubs are the winners of a trip to attend a regular season NFL game between the Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals Nov. 1 in Glendale, Ariz. The club members were drawn from nearly 3,000 entries received during the first six weeks of the Air Force Services Agency's

  • Iraqi children come out to play at Joint Base Balad

    Nearly 100 Iraqi children spent Oct. 10 running, playing and, more than anything, smiling as they had fun with American servicemembers on Joint Base Balad. The local Iraqi youths, from 5 to 18 years old, were invited to the base as part of a project initiated by the U.S. Department of State's Salah

  • 'Today's Air Force' features basic military training

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights the beginning of a great journey for Airmen: basic military training.  See what individuals go through to become the best in the Air Force, from arrival night to life in the dorm to overcoming obstacles and finally, emerging ready and fit to fight with

  • Mobility Airmen continue peak pace for Operation Enduring Freedom

    When President Barack Obama authorized an additional 17,000 troops to "surge" into Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom in February, mobility Airmen answered the call. To move that many personnel, a concentrated effort in the mobility airlift and air refueling community was needed. According

  • Charleston Airman honored for heroic actions

    A Charleston Air Force Base technical sergeant was honored Oct. 15 for his heroism and bravery while suffering from injuries sustained during a patrol on his seventh deployment to the Middle East. Tech. Sgt. Michael Williams, an explosives ordnance disposal technician with the 437th Civil Engineer

  • Brothers in arms march for cause

    Five states, 12 men, 13 batons, 24 pairs of boots, 600 pounds carried more than 800 miles all traveled for one cause: honoring special tactics Airmen who sacrificed their lives in combat. Special tactics Airmen from here and across the special operations forces community embarked on a 10-day

  • Special tactics Airmen complete 800-mile march

    After walking more than 800 miles through five states, 12 special tactics Airmen arrived here Oct. 16, officially completing a memorial march for their fallen comrades. The marchers, made up of several combat controllers and pararescuemen and one combat weatherman, split up into six two-man teams

  • CMSAF Roy visits Scott Airmen

    The 16th chief master sergeant of the Air Force visited Scott Air Force Base Oct. 15 and 16 to speak to the enlisted force here and to participate in a conference along with two former CMSAFs. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy learned how Airmen at Scott AFB enable combat power and

  • Elmendorf Honor Guard participates in funeral of H1N1 victim

    The Elmendorf Honor Guard served in the memorial service of an Air Force member at the Fort Richardson National Cemetery, Oct. 15. Staff Sgt. Shawn J. Rankin, who hailed from nearby Anchorage, died Oct. 4 from complications related to the H1N1 virus at his off-base residence in Glendale, Ariz. 

  • Acceptance crew ensures flight safety for Air Force

    Whenever Boeing officials roll a new C-17 Globemaster III off the plant in Long Beach, Calif., Tech. Sgt. Sidney De Leon and his team have to make sure it's ready for the Air Force to fly it. "The Air Force expects to receive a perfect product, and it is up to us to identify and correct any problems

  • Kandahar Airmen fly missions of mercy

    They are the "Angels of the Battlefield," medics dedicated to transporting wounded U.S. and coalition servicemembers, as well as locals to the medical care they need. "It's our job to take care of these wounded warriors," said Maj. Dawn Rice, a flight nurse and medical director assigned to the 451st

  • ESC team efforts bring new combined air, space operations center to life

    An Electronic Systems Center team from here worked in the past few weeks to bring to life a new, state-of-the-art combined air and space operations center in Southwest Asia for joint and coalition combat forces. "We're constantly striving to bring enhanced AOC capabilities to the warfighters, and

  • Iraqi agency assumes full air traffic control at Baghdad airport

    The Iraq Civil Aviation Authority assumed full control of daily air traffic operations at the Baghdad International Airport air traffic control tower Oct. 1.Before the transition to full Iraqi control, air traffic operations at BIAP were conducted by Iraqis and U.S. Airmen assigned to the 447th

  • VA deputy highlights bond between Defense and Veterans Affairs

    An innovative, far-sighted partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense will improve the health care system for Veterans and dramatically change the way health care is delivered to all Americans, according to Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs W. Scott

  • Chairman's wife vows support for military families

    Deborah Mullen, wife of the nation's most senior military officer, had a message for military families while on the Sesame Street TV set here Oct. 14: servicemembers and their families have a wealth of support behind them."I just would like to assure people that there are folks who care, who are

  • Airmen bid farewell to Spanish forces at Transit Center at Manas

    Airmen of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing here held a ceremony to say goodbye to their Spanish counterparts as the Spanish Detachment vacated the Transit Center at Manas Oct. 13. During the ceremony, the Spaniards paid their respects to their fallen comrades and fallen American servicemembers by

  • Gen. Wyatt: Maintainers must look beyond future

    The future will provide some "great opportunities" for the Air National Guard, but it will also take a completely different way of thinking, the ANG director said Oct. 15 at the ANG Maintenance Group Mega-Conference in Boise, Idaho. "For those in this room, we're going to rely on your skills as

  • Rescue center providing assistance to find downed F-16

    Air Force Rescue Coordination Center officials here have dispatched two HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters and an HC-130 from the 23rd Wing at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., in response to a collision of two F-16 Fighting Falcons from Shaw AFB, S.C., that collided in mid-air over the Atlantic Ocean Oct.15

  • Airman renders combat first aid to Soldiers

    An Air Force medic applied combat first aid to Soldiers when their vehicle was attacked by an improvised explosive device in Kapisa Province, recently. Senior Airman Ashley Jackson, a medic deployed from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, with Kapisa Provincial Reconstruction Team was riding in a