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  • Environmental symposium trains thousands

    The Air Force 2005 Environmental Training Symposium, an event that combines the efforts of five major commands and focuses on nine major base organizations, began here Feb. 7.More than 1,500 students from across the Air Force, other government agencies and national academia are participating in more

  • Airmen must adhere to war trophy mailing restrictions

    Throughout history, Soldiers have come home with souvenirs from battle. Many of these war-related items end up on display in museums and showcases. Although it is tempting to bring back reminders of service in a military campaign, with few exceptions, taking or retaining individual souvenirs or

  • Program allows full-time study while on active duty

    A program allowing active-duty enlisted Airmen to attend college full time without loss of pay or benefits, and graduate with both a degree and a commission might just be the best kept secret in the Air Force, officials said.“It’s easily one of the best programs in the Air Force, and not a lot of

  • Instructor sentenced for unprofessional relationship

    An instructor here was sentenced after she pleaded guilty to two violations of Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice during a special court-martial Feb. 7.Staff Sgt. Jennifer Jones, an aerospace medical service apprentice course instructor in the 383rd Training Squadron, was arraigned

  • Officials announce Air Force budget proposal

    The Air Force piece of the 2006 defense budget is designed to make the joint team better, officials said.Announced Feb. 7, the budget grows from $96 billion that Congress enacted for fiscal 2005, to $102.9 billion in 2006, a senior Air Force budget official said. After covering the growing costs of

  • Chaplain explains suicide prevention efforts

    The Air Force’s top chaplain explained what the Air Force Chaplain Service is doing to help prevent suicides during a recent visit here.Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Charles Baldwin, chaplain service chief, advises the Air Force chief of staff on all matters pertaining to the religious and moral welfare of

  • Super Bowl commercial spotlights Airman

    A month ago, 1st Lt. Jeff McGowan would have laughed at the very idea that his face would be used to market thanks and gratitude on national television in front of 100 million viewers. But it is amazing what a few weeks and an opportunity of a lifetime can make.The engineer at the Space and Missile

  • Battlelabs help identify problems facing warfighters

    Airmen from seven Air Force battlelabs visited Air Force Special Operations Command headquarters here recently in an effort to identify the top 10 issues on the minds of warfighters.The battlelabs’ Warrior Outreach program provides an opportunity for battlelab staffs to meet face-to-face with the

  • Contracting officer experiences frontline action in Iraq

    First Lt. Ed Ruckwardt was in his office, wrapping up some contracts he had worked on the previous few days.It was typical of the lieutenant's duties. There was nothing extravagant or special about the contracts. He was doing his job.The quietness of the day was interrupted by a loud explosion

  • Plan reduces risk for truck drivers in Iraq

    Recently 250 additional U.S. truck drivers per week were removed from the dangerous roads of Iraq because of expanded air operations that deliver cargo directly from the United States to airfields in Iraq. This, combined with existing air operations, now removes about 1,280 convoy drivers per week

  • Military organizations work together to form 'CSI' teams

    Television today is inundated with shows on forensic science. Programs like “CSI” and “Dr. G., Medical Examiner” have piqued the public’s interest in how forensic experts find answers to questions surrounding a death.But what happens if that death takes place on an Air Force base? Who has

  • Tops in Blue seeks musicians

    There are lots of words that spring to mind when you think of Tops in Blue, the Air Force’s premier entertainment group, said Jeri White, Tops in Blue production coordinator at Air Force Services Agency here.“You think of ‘high energy,’ ‘world renown,’ even ‘expeditionary,’” she said. “You think of

  • History project looking for basic-training photos

    It is not often when someone has a chance to peer into the past, present and future at the same time. Fortunately, the vision of an Air Force historian has done just that with the creation of an online repository of Air Force basic training flight graduation photos.Tech. Sgt. Tracy English, a 37th

  • Cope Tiger roars over Thailand

    The sky here has been alive with the sounds of military aircraft from Thailand, Singapore and the United States supporting exercise Cope Tiger 05.“Every year there are challenges that you deal with,” said Col. George Daniels, exercise director from Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. “The exercise players

  • U.S. military transitions tsunami relief efforts

    The U.S. Military support effort for tsunami relief is nearly complete.Combined Support Force 536 officials announced Feb. 3 that the remaining U.S. military units in the region affected by the Dec. 26 tsunamis will begin redeployment.On Feb. 10, the country headquarters known as Combined Support

  • DOD seeks people with language skills, regional expertise

    If you speak a foreign language or have the desire and aptitude to learn one, Uncle Sam wants you.Defense Department officials are looking for people with language skills to support not only current operations, but future ones as well, said Gail McGinn, deputy undersecretary of defense for plans.And

  • AF changes, removes info given to officer promotion boards

    Air Force officials are making changes to what information will be kept in selection briefs for officers facing promotion boards this year.Starting with active-duty promotion boards through the rank of colonel in 2005, all self-initiated academic education information, including bachelor's degrees,

  • Teets to build on core competencies

    Peter B. Teets will focus on core competencies to take the Air Force through a transitional period that includes the fiscal 2006 budget process and the quadrennial defense review.Mr. Teets has served as undersecretary of the Air Force since 2001 and became the acting secretary of the Air Force

  • AAFES has been in every major conflict since World War I

    With the birthday cake in place and candles lit, Regina Koenig and a few other Army and Air Force Exchange Service employees sang “Happy Birthday” to a 21-year-old colleague at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.Halfway through the song, a 127 mm rocket exploded on the other side of the main store. As the

  • General Moseley testifies for raising death benefit

    The Senate Armed Services Committee heard testimony Feb. 1 from senior service leaders about a proposed boost in payments to survivors of military people killed in combat.Vice Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley testified on behalf of the Air Force.Under the Pentagon's plan released Jan. 31, a

  • DOD sets Combined Federal Campaign pledge record

    Cigars and roses were just part of the thanks handed out here Feb. 1 by Combined Federal Campaign National Capital Area officials after Defense Department employees raised a record-setting $14.9 million in pledges in the 2004 campaign.The $14.9 million figure far surpassed the campaign's goal of

  • Super Bowl goes super blue

    An Air Force F/A-22 Raptor will be a highlight during pre-game festivities at Super Bowl XXXIX where the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles face each other Feb. 6.The other military services will also take part, but Airmen will play a leading role in one of the nation's premier sport

  • Pentagon, Senate seek doubling of G.I. survivors' benefit

    Pentagon leaders and Capitol Hill legislators want to increase the current available combined government death benefit for families of fallen servicemembers by about $250,000.If enacted, the proposed change essentially would double the $262,000 now available to families of servicemembers killed in

  • Murray launches inaugural edition of Airman handbook

    If Airman Basic Rachel Redel ever forgets who presented her with one of the first two copies of Airman, Air Force Handbook 1, she can find the answer under “Chief Master Sergeants of the Air Force," on Page 15, "Gerald R. Murray.”If the 23-year-old basic trainee is curious about what her

  • Jumper presents Purple Hearts to Baghdad bombing victims

    Two Air Force Office of Special Investigations agents were presented Purple Hearts on Jan. 31 in a ceremony at the Brooke Army Medical Center at nearby Fort Sam Houston.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper presented the medals to Special Agents Therese Frentz and Todd King, who are still

  • A mission of compassion

    The large bus weaved through the twisting roads of the countryside here, eventually, finding the end of the pavement and dashing off onto a small dirt road leading to a countryside grade school. In front of the school, hundreds of people gathered, many taking advantage of free haircuts being given

  • Air Force works to meet QDR challenges

    Air Force strategic capabilities are already working to meet the challenges outlined in the Quadrennial Defense Review, officials said.Every four years Department of Defense officials conduct a thorough review, as requested by Congress, to ensure that each service has the right mix of people,

  • Airman returns home to Thailand

    Military exercises like Cope Tiger 2005 -- involving the United States, Thailand and Singapore -- serve to highlight close relationships between countries, but for some servicemembers involved, the link hits even closer to home.Tech. Sgt. Siamrad Maher, a public health technician and translator is

  • DOD tsunami-relief efforts in transition

    Department of Defense tsunami relief efforts are "transitioning to something different," the assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs told a House subcommittee here Jan. 26."A lot of what the U.S. Department of Defense has provided may not be as necessary as it was, and

  • Practice makes perfect for flamenco-dancing Airman

    When an Airman here leaves work, she does not go home and sit in front of the television. She gets her second wind and dashes off to flamenco dance classes.After a full day as an administrative Airman for the 66th Mission Support Squadron, Airman 1st Class Jackqueline Raastad heads to a dance

  • Staying in the Reserve after separation can pay off

    Should I stay or should I go? For those in uniform, it is a question they face each time they come to the end of their enlistment. To many, deciding to stay on active duty or switch to the civilian sector seems to be their only options. Air Force Reserve officials beg to differ.Tech. Sgt. Michael

  • Officials redesign recruiting Web site

    Finding information on the Air Force’s official recruiting Web site is easier since Air Force Recruiting Service officials recently redesigned the site.The site also features a new “See What It’s Like” section in which visitors can see what active-duty Airmen do on and off duty.The Web site,

  • Officials reschedule OTS boards

    Because of fiscal 2005 Air Force force-shaping efforts, the nonrated (both non-technical and technical) portions of the March 28 and May 10 Officer Training School selection boards will now meet in August, Air Force Recruiting Service officials announced Jan. 27.The rated panels for these boards

  • EOD Airmen destroy explosives

    Heat, shock and friction were key ingredients in the controlled detonation of more than 1,000 pounds of explosives Jan. 23.The 455th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron’s explosive ordnance disposal Airmen spent close to six hours, three miles off base, preparing for a less-than-one-second blast,

  • Wolfowitz salutes military health-care providers

    Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz praised the worldwide efforts of military doctors, nurses, medics and other care providers Jan. 26, saying they are "maintaining the health and the effectiveness of America's defenders."President Bush, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and the entire

  • Airmen passing relief operation to UN-led team

    The more than 850 deployed Airmen from bases around Pacific Air Forces are preparing to head home. PACAF aircrews, maintainers and mission support Airmen have been here supporting Operation Unified Assistance, the humanitarian effort delivering relief supplies to several countries in Southeast Asia

  • Reservists switch to paperless LES

    Jan. 1 was the deadline for Air Force reservists to start using myPay, the Web-based method for managing pay.Airmen who did not sign up may find it difficult to know how much they are getting paid. The Feb. 1 leave and earning statement is the last paper copy they will receive through the mail.

  • Chu urges renewed focus to reduce preventable accidents

    The Defense Department wants servicemembers and civilians to concentrate on safety whether they are on or off duty, the department's top personnel official said Jan. 24.Each year scores of Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and Coast Guardsmen, as well as DOD civilians, are killed or injured by

  • Professional wrestlers thank Dyess Airmen for service

    When Airman 1st Class Fred Stewart was deployed to Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, the services troop improved the morale at the base by asking World Wrestling Entertainment for anything they might like to send to support the troops.“I’ve always been a die-hard wrestling fan,” Airman Stewart said. “A

  • Airmen provide Rhein-Main blanket of security

    For the last decade, the end has always seemed near for this historic air base. Now, the scheduled handover to Germany is officially within 12 months. As the closure nears, officials said the base is probably more important than it has ever been. Airmen and aircraft here are sustaining a heavy

  • Officials release updated transformation flight plan

    Air Staff officials recently updated the U.S. Air Force Transformation Flight Plan, which spells out the transformation strategy of the Air Force. According to the secretary of defense's transformation planning guidance, officials in the office of force transformation use the flight plan and the

  • Air Force Assistance Fund campaign kicks off Feb. 14

    The Air Force Assistance Fund "Commitment to Caring" campaign runs Feb. 14 to May 6. Program officials invite Airmen to contribute to any of the Air Force’s four official charitable organizations.The charities benefit active-duty, Reserve, Guard, retired servicemembers, surviving spouses and

  • National Nurse Anesthetist Week kicks off Jan. 23

    Whether administering epidurals for women in labor, giving patients minor sedation in the emergency room, or watching over their patients in the operating room, certified registered nurse anesthetists have been working with surgeons, dentists and podiatrists for nearly 150 years to deliver safe

  • President thanks veterans for service during inaugural ball

    President Bush and first lady Laura Bush were greeted with resounding cheers as they made the first stop of their whirlwind tour of inaugural galas here Jan. 20. At the "Salute to Heroes" inaugural ball, hundreds of veterans from across the country, along with their wives and families, greeted the

  • Airmen honor president during inaugural parade

    Thousands of people lined Pennsylvania Avenue on Jan. 20, waiting for the passing of the presidential motorcade during the inaugural parade.Two things were immediately apparent to people attending the event. The first was the overwhelming amount of security, and second was the large contingent of

  • Airman’s hobby goes to the dogs

    The barking is deafening, but there is no perpetrator lurking around the property or a violent storm on the way. There is only a woman approaching the dog pen with a fistful of harnesses. The dogs know one thing, they are going to run. Senior Airman Mary Lunde, with the 5th Munitions Squadron, is a

  • The human element of a humanitarian mission

    A.P. Tudor Jayasekera and his wife of 20 years, K. Rupawathi, stand in the ruins of what was once their home. All that remains are bricks, cement pieces and six pieces of wood from their roof, but they said they feel lucky.They were out of their home when a 20-foot tsunami crashed into their

  • CMSAF: Our airlift is what makes us a global power

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray highlighted the Air Force’s airlift mission during a three-day visit here Jan. 12.“We could not do what we do in the United States military and as a nation without our great airlifters,” Chief Murray said. “Our airlift is what makes us a global

  • Medical team crucial to avoiding an epidemic

    The tsunamis that devastated southern Asia left a breeding ground for an outbreak of diseases in their wake, which threatens both those displaced by the natural disaster and those involved in relief efforts.Combined Support Force 536, as part of Operation Unified Assistance, is here to help prevent

  • Joint fighting now norm for U.S. military

    Servicemembers joining the military today are not joining just the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corps -- they are joining a truly joint force.The American military has reached unprecedented levels of joint operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom, military officials here said."When I joined the

  • AF teams win armed forces bowling championships

    First Lt. Rickie Banister and Master Sgt. Christine Dash led their Air Force teams to the men's and women's team titles in the 2005 Armed Forces Bowling Championships here Jan. 12.The tournament was held in conjunction with the 2005 USA Bowling National Amateur Championships, and the field was cut

  • Deployed C-130Js exceeding expectations

    When the C-130J -- the newest variant of the versatile C-130 Hercules -- deployed for the first time in December, Air Mobility Command officials said they were confident of the aircraft’s capabilities.During the first few weeks of the aircraft's deployment, the J model has met and in some cases

  • Airmen help train Iraqi soldiers

    A professional military education instructor had to overcome a language barrier, an unfamiliar curriculum and a trust issue with his students to contribute to the development of a new nation.Master Sgt. Mark Leuquire was one of 28 Air Force instructors deployed to Iraq to train noncommissioned

  • Air Force continues aid in Sri Lanka

    Three weeks after the most devastating tsunamis on record slammed into this island south of India and killed an estimated 38,000 people, Airmen continue to help people here.More than a million were left homeless. Children without parents, or grandparents. Parents without children. In some cases, a

  • Service demographics offer snapshot of force

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here recently published the quarterly demographics report offering a snapshot of the service's active-duty and civilian force, as of Dec. 31.More information can be found online at www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/demographics/. Statistics rounded to the nearest tenth.

  • Officials announce OTS selections

    More than 50 people from throughout the United States have earned an opportunity to become Air Force leaders following their selection for a commission, officials here announced Jan. 14.Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 387 applications as part of Officer Training School Selection

  • OSI -- putting the pieces together

    Many people know the Air Force Office of Special Investigations as the Air Force’s felony-level investigative service that uncovers crimes and fraud.However, there is a side of OSI that most people do not know about, at least until they deploy.“Our primary mission, both at home and deployed, is

  • Gala honors those who serve

    Those who fight America’s wars were entertained by their own and by celebrities at an invitation-only event in the heart of the Nation’s capital.More than 7,500 Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines gathered at a state-of-the-art sports and entertainment facility here Jan. 18 to be honored for their

  • Civilian pilot killed in midair collision with T-37

    A civilian pilot was killed after a midair collision of his crop-duster with an Air Force T-37 Tweet in southwestern Oklahoma near the town of Frederick on Jan. 18.The two military pilots ejected safely. Base officials identified them as Capt. Christopher Otis, an instructor pilot, and 2nd Lt.

  • Secretary Roche retires

    Airmen, along with servicemembers from more than 14 nations, bid farewell to the 20th Secretary of the Air Force here Jan. 18.Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz presented Air Force Secretary Dr. James G. Roche the Department of Defense award for distinguished public service upon his

  • AFSOC unit wraps up Asian aid mission

    Airmen from the 353rd Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan, are going home. Almost a month after a monster earthquake and killer tsunamis claimed untold thousands of lives, the Airmen’s quick-reaction work here is complete as conventional Air Force units have arrived.The MC-130 Combat

  • Kadena Airmen ensure link to the world

    Although they are not in the thick of things handing out food and supplies, Airmen from the 18th Communications Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan, said that the parade of huge lumbering aircraft that come and go from here, only validates how their mission affects the success of relief

  • Air Force Band ready for inauguration

    After a 22-year Air Force music career, Col. Dennis Layendecker will march in the biggest parade of his life Jan. 20 when he leads the 99-piece Air Force Band down Pennsylvania Avenue during the president's inauguration parade.As the band rehearsed here Jan. 13 for the big event, Colonel

  • Servicemembers brave cold in final inaugural rehearsal

    It was freezing here Jan. 16, but that did not stop thousands of servicemembers from taking part in a final dress rehearsal for the Jan. 20 presidential inaugural parade.Lt. Col. Bruce Alexander, chief of the external media division for the Joint Task Force-Armed Forces Inaugural Committee said

  • Officials announce annual civil engineer award winners

    Air Force officials joined three civilian professional associations in honoring Air Force civil engineers recently.The Society of American Military Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers, the Northeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives and Air Force

  • DOD official approves expanded use of flu vaccine

    As part of national efforts to protect more people against the flu, the Defense Department's top health official authorized the use of military flu vaccine previously held in reserve Jan. 14.Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr. signed a memorandum directing the expanded use of stored flu shot serum for

  • Four Airmen vie for GEICO awards

    Four Airmen have been chosen to represent the Air Force to compete for the 2004 Government Employee Insurance Company Military Service Awards.Their records will compete against other servicemembers in three categories: drug and alcohol abuse prevention, fire prevention and safety, and traffic safety

  • Cadet found guilty of steroid-related violations

    A general court-martial found a cadet here guilty of steroid-related violations Jan. 15 and dismissed him from the Air Force.Lt. Col. Kurt Schuman, military judge, found Cadet Jonathan Belkowitz guilty of making a false official statement and soliciting another to purchase and use steroids.Cadet

  • Fate reunites key players in 33-year education odyssey

    Don Jenrette was an Air Force one-striper working on the back of a mail truck here in the pre-e-mail days of 1971. He said he suspected that his life, while interesting, held more promise than running eight to 10 daily mail routes peppered with stacks of “Holey Joes.”His suspicions were confirmed

  • Guam tour lengths change

    The assistant secretary of defense has approved a tour length change to Guam.Beginning Jan. 1, 2006, accompanied tours will change from 24 to 36 months, and unaccompanied tours will go from 15 to 24 months. This makes an assignment to the island a long tour versus a short tour.Airmen who report to

  • AF nominates combined test force for Collier Trophy

    Air Force officials nominated the Global Reach Combined Test Force here for the National Aeronautic Association’s 2004 Robert J. Collier Trophy.Task force workers were cited for accomplishing test projects that increased aircraft performance, safety and efficiency, said Lt. Col. Kelly Latimer,

  • Relief effort making progress

    Servicemembers deployed across Southeast Asia remain busy "providing literally tons of relief" supplies to impoverished victims of the Dec. 26 tsunamis, a U.S. officer reported Jan. 13 from Utapao, Thailand.U.S. Sailors, Marines and Airmen continued the massive airlift and sealift of food, medicine

  • General Jumper qualifies in F/A-22 Raptor

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper ended two weeks of training here Jan. 12, flying his qualification flight in the F/A-22 Raptor, the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft.“I’ve been involved with the Raptor program for years, in one way or another,” General Jumper said. “Now, to be able

  • Military support group prepares for presidential inauguration

    A little-known group of Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen is preparing to provide behind-the-scenes military support for presidential inaugural activities, the organization's deputy commander said here Jan. 11.The Joint Task Force - Armed Forces Inaugural Committee provides all

  • Charges against Airman referred to general court-martial

    Maj. Gen. Robert W. Chedister referred charges against Maj. Gregory McMillion to a general court-martial which is scheduled for April 5.Major McMillion is charged with failing to obey a lawful general order and failing to report and turn over captured or abandoned property. He was also charged with

  • Operation Hero 'deploys' Airmen's children

    Today’s servicemember has a good understanding of what a deployment is, how it goes and what to do. But sometimes family members, especially the children, do not understand what is happening or why their mom or dad has to go.Children of 33rd Fighter Wing Airmen recently got a taste of what their

  • Airman moonlights as CAP officer

    During the week Jillian Smith is called “airman first class”; on the weekends it is “lieutenant.” Why the change? The 27th Intelligence Support Squadron communications troop splits her time between the Air Force and the Virginia Wing of the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol. A nonprofit

  • Commissioning program available for active-duty Airmen

    In 2001, Second Lt. Christiane Makela was one step away from leaving the Air Force. At the time, she was a staff sergeant assigned to the 56th Civil Engineer Squadron at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.She changed her mind and traded her stripes for gold lieutenant bars via the Airman Education and

  • Guardsmen help with tsunami relief

    Alaska and Hawaii, the two closest states, are supporting American relief efforts by sending Air National Guardsmen and resources to the region devastated by the Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunamis, Guard spokesmen said.Guardsmen are supporting the unprecedented relief effort for Indonesia, India, Sri

  • Twins celebrate a half century of service

    Many things have changed at Robins in the past 50 years. There have been runway extensions, new buildings, new units and a string of commanders. But there has been one constant: the presence of Billy and Bobby Edwards, who are logistics management specialists. The 69-year-old identical twins

  • Relief effort switches gears

    The tsunami relief effort has switched gears and moved out of the crisis-response stage, the commander of the Air Force expeditionary airlift wing at Utapao, Thailand, said.Sixteen days after tsunamis hit 12 countries in Southeast Asia, the flow of aid into the region has moved into a more

  • Airman recovers from cancer, rejoins Air Force Band

    At U.S. Air Force Band headquarters here, his locker remained just the way he left it three years ago. Inside the locker were performance uniforms starched and pressed, ready for what could very well have been another gig at the private residence of the vice president, laundry that would have been

  • 'Air and Space Power Journal' launches Arabic edition

    The professional flagship publication of the Air Force, the “Air and Space Power Journal,” is adding an Arabic version to its list of international editions in January.The journal has been produced by the College of Aerospace Doctrine, Research and Education here since 1949. The Arabic version will

  • 'Scholarships for Military Children' application deadline nears

    The deadline to apply for $1,500 scholarships from the Scholarships for Military Children program is Feb. 16, and applications must be delivered to a Defense Commissary Agency store by then.At least one scholarship will be awarded at every commissary location with qualified applicants, agency

  • Air Force officials select ROTC detachment commanders

    Air Education and Training Command officials recently announced the Air Force ROTC detachment commanders for 2005.The Airmen were selected by a board that convened here Nov. 8. They will assume command in July.The complete list is available online at

  • AF’s former top military lawyer to retire in reduced rank

    Air Force Secretary Dr. James G. Roche has directed that Maj. Gen. Thomas J. Fiscus, the former Judge Advocate General of the Air Force, be retired in the permanent grade of colonel effective Feb. 1. Retirement in the grade of colonel instead of major general will result in a future retired pay

  • Yokota C-130s continue to fly aid to tsunami victims

    C-130 Hercules crews from the 36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan, continue to fly vital supplies and equipment to tsunami-stricken areas in Southeast Asia.“It feels great to help. It makes you feel good to be an American when we are able to share with those who are in need,” said Maj.

  • Air Force, partners deliver aid to Indonesia

    Unfamiliar partners from disparate lands have tuned the tools of their humanitarian outreach trade and are working in unison in the wake of one of the world’s worst natural disasters.Airmen of the 353rd Special Operations Group, based in Langkawi, Malaysia, said the 16-hour days typically begin,

  • On-Ground reality drives combined support force

    The global effort based here to help pick up the pieces in the tsunami-devastated region of Southeast Asia continues to respond to ever-pressing needs.Initially the responsibility of a U.S. joint-service task force, the job of picking up the pieces was turned over to a combined support force

  • Instruction clarifies enlisted Airmen’s roles, responsibilities

    Air Force officials further clarified and standardized the roles, responsibilities and duty titles of its enlisted Airmen with the latest version of Air Force Instruction 36-2618, The Enlisted Force Structure.The 19-page document, certified by Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray,

  • Airmen bring aid where needed

    The children of Banda Aceh, Indonesia, a province in the northern tip of Sumatra hit hard by the Dec. 26 tsunamis, returned to school Jan. 10. It is not the same school they remember, and the class lists have been revised downward, too often halved. But it is a small step toward recovery -- a path

  • New year brings new missions for Air Force Reserve

    This year, citizen Airmen will see some new missions headed their way as they continue their efforts to fight and support the war against terrorism.Responding to the active-duty needs, reservists will take part in Future Total Force initiatives that will test new organizational constructs to

  • Deployed Airmen support Operation Unified Assistance

    The mission was simple: bring a forklift here only to be moved by another unit to Banda Aceh, Indonesia, the next day. Airmen of the 374th Air Expeditionary Wing at Utapao, Thailand, support Combined Support Force 536, which is playing an integral role to the international support effort called

  • Combat weather team forecasts mission success

    Cloud reading may seem an ethereal art, but predicting the effects of alto cumulus clouds blowing over the southwest mountain range here is a pure science to aviators and ground troops traveling there.Leaders here rely on the technical know-how of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing’s Combat weather

  • Course changes enhance enlisted professionals

    Air Force officials recently standardized enlisted professional enhancement courses and changed the supervisory structure for career assistance advisers and First Term Airman’s Center course managers. These changes enhance enlisted professionals by linking formal training, education and on-the-job

  • Contract controllers vital link between airport, deployed base

    Civilian contractors play a vital role in keeping the sky safe here. The Air Force Contingency Augmentation Program Air Traffic Control liaison contractors serve as a link between the Manas International Airport and the base.“We are a conduit between the base and the airport authorities for

  • Airman rescues woman, baby from icy river

    An Airman here plunged into an icy river recently to save a woman and her baby from a sinking car just minutes after proposing to his girlfriend.While home on leave in Kellyville, Okla., Airman Basic Joshua Johnson went to Tulsa to propose marriage to Brittany Campbell on a pedestrian bridge over

  • Airman making ‘inaugural’ performance

    When Tech. Sgt. Bradley Bennett sings the national anthem Jan. 20 at the presidential inauguration here, it will be a first for both him and the Air Force. "This will be the first time in history that the Air Force has had such a performing role at the inauguration," said Sen. Trent Lott, Joint

  • AMC aircraft, people support tsunami-relief operations

    In the days following the Dec. 26 tsunami disaster around the Indian Ocean, Air Mobility Command aircraft and people have delivered tons of relief equipment and hundreds of servicemembers into the affected region.As of Jan. 6, AMC aircraft and aircrews had delivered more than 1.66 million pounds of

  • Servicemembers with unique jobs sought for documentary

    Do you or someone you know have an intriguing job that many people would never guess exists in the military? If so, this may be your golden opportunity to shine in a made-for-TV documentary to be shot this summer.Officials in the Defense Department’s joint advertising, market research and studies