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  • DOD begins Tricare Retail Pharmacy

    Department of Defense officials announced that on June 1 the new Tricare Retail Pharmacy contract takes effect for Tricare beneficiaries located in the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam.The contract has about 53,000 civilian pharmacies in the

  • Recruiting numbers decrease with force shaping

    Air Force recruiters will be searching for about 11,000 fewer people in fiscal 2005 as a result of the service’s force-shaping efforts, officials here announced May 28. Phase II of the Air Force’s force-shaping program calls for enlisted accessions to drop by about 11,000 to reach authorized end

  • Airmen train together during Commando Sling

    Airmen from the 36th Fighter Squadron at Osan Air Base, South Korea, are here to train with Singaporean Airmen during exercise Commando Sling 04-3. The exercise runs until June 14 and provides a U.S. presence in Southeast Asia and realistic dissimilar aircraft air-to-air combat training for forces

  • June issue of Citizen Airman available

    The June issue of Citizen Airman, the official magazine of the Air Force Reserve, is now available in print and online at www.afrc.af.mil/HQ/citamn/. Extra Hands -- When a group of people is carrying a load and the weight increases, a few extra hands can help relieve some of the burden of the

  • Airmen give Nepalese disaster-response training

    A small country nestled between China and India, Nepal may be best known for Mount Everest.The Himalayas cover more than 80 percent of Nepal, presenting a challenge to mountain climbers and to the Nepalese in the event of a natural disaster.Nepal is predisposed to monsoons, earthquakes and

  • American, Korean engineers ‘cement’ friendship

    Two old friends got together on the flightline here recently, and the result is an expanded strategic airlift ramp that will significantly enhance current operations. It will also serve as a key enabler for a major airfield military construction, refurbishment and replacement project that will

  • Future total-force concept aims to increase combat capability

    Active-duty Airmen, guardsmen and reservists working together to support the Air Force mission in a war zone such as Iraq or Afghanistan is not unusual. However, in a concept being studied at the Air Warfare Center, Airmen from all components will work together supporting the Air Force's RQ/MQ-1

  • Guard officials stress physical fitness

    Qatar is not as hot in November and December as it is in July and August; but the 80- to 90-degree days and the 40-degree nights in that small desert land between Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf can raise havoc with people who are not physically fit.That is a lesson some Airmen of the New York Air

  • Falcons eliminated from baseball championships

    An eight-run first inning was more than enough for the University of New Mexico, as the second-seeded Lobos downed sixth-seeded Air Force Academy 23-2 here May 27. The loss eliminated the Falcons from the 2004 Mountain West Conference Baseball Championships ending their season with a 6-49

  • Air Force officials approve force shaping Phase II

    As personnel officials review the last remaining applications for retirement or separation under the force-shaping program, a more extensive second phase of the plan has begun.The new initiatives include expanded waivers for a number of programs including active-duty service commitments and

  • F-16 technology links allied nations' aircraft

    Warriors in future conflicts will see United States and coalition nations sharing more of the battlefield load thanks to U.S. and allied countries' F-16 Fighting Falcons getting an upgraded software program.The U.S. version of the software underwent large-force operational testing during a recent

  • Pro baseball player spends day as Airman

    Major League Baseball pitcher Al Leiter swapped his New York Mets uniform May 24 for an Air Force flight suit to become a boom operator here for a day.While here, the left-hander who has played in three World Series and has 146 career wins, learned the ropes of refueling from Senior Airman Chardo

  • New system saves money, manpower

    Air Force Materiel Command experts are replacing decades-old instrument landing systems at six locations with state-of-the-art equipment.The new systems will save money and manpower and allow quicker maintenance. They work off circuit cards and computers rather than tubes and older hardware

  • Air Force takes 5-3 win over BYU

    Sixth-seeded Air Force Academy advanced to the second day of the 2004 Mountain West Conference Baseball Championships after snapping a 34-game losing streak. A solid pitching performance from Clayton Couch clenched a 5-3 win over fourth-seeded Brigham Young University here May 26. Couch improved

  • Airmen ride to nation’s capital for Memorial Day

    Fifteen motorcyclists from here started a three-day road trip May 26 to participate in Memorial Day activities at the nation’s capital. The team will join thousands of other riders paying tribute at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. They will be part of the annual Memorial Day “Rolling Thunder”

  • Military, civilian medics join forces

    About 400 civilian and military medics joined together here recently for a high-level medical conference held by the Air National Guard’s medical service.The Readiness Frontiers Medical Conference explored, among other matters, the relationship between the civilian and military medical

  • Airmen help rural Thai preschool

    More than 12 Airmen from Kadena Air Base, Japan, helped a preschool near here May 19, offering supplies, building materials and a playground renovation.Airmen from the 353rd Special Operations Group arrived at the rural school, located 30 miles south of here, at about 10 a.m. They began

  • Airmen make drops in Thailand

    “Kanto 95, winds are light, you’re cleared to drop.” As the C-130 Hercules from the 36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan, rumbled overhead at 600 feet, the cargo was released and floated under a full canopy into a dormant rice paddy.Five people from the 353rd Operations Support Squadron’s

  • Airman makes children smile in Cambodia

    Children here have already figured out that if they stop by the hospital here in the afternoon, they are almost sure to be in for some type of treat. The first day it was coloring books. Then it was lollipops and high-fives. May 23 it was clothes. But while the handouts have been random, there is

  • NCO loses leg, doesn’t miss a step

    He wishes he could be out on the flightline supporting the maintainers who work on F-117A Nighthawks, like he did before he lost his leg.With his right leg amputated below the knee and using a prosthetic, his stump is still not strong enough to allow him much time there.“I’m proud of my

  • Now showing: May 24 edition of AFTV News

    The affect of extended activations on Air Force reservists, Air National Guardsmen, their families and employers, spotlights the latest edition of Air Force Television News.Tech. Sgt. Bill Scherer travels to Pennsylvania to profile Jillian Mentkewicz, a senior airman in the Air Force Reserve who is

  • Last Randolph T-38A simulator shut down

    After 26 years of training thousands of pilots, the last full-motion T-38A Talon simulators here was retired. The once state-of-the-art equipment is being replaced by virtual reality trainers designed to reproduce the cockpit of the new T-38C aircraft. Ron Hamada, now a training manager at the Air

  • Airmen, Iraqis dig up ancient site

    An ages-old mystery is being unearthed here thanks to some amateur archeologists serving with the 506th Air Expeditionary Group.Iraqi archeologists have determined the air base has at least one site with artifacts dating back to between 1200 B.C. and 2600 B.C., possibly predating the ancient

  • AF commercials begin filming

    Air Force officials want potential recruits to know “we’ve been waiting for you.”That is the message of four new commercials under production at various locations in California.In filming May 19, three Airmen from Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., floated for seven hours with the aid of cable

  • Three Airmen participate in dog-sled expedition

    It is one thing to appreciate the hardened life of the Inuit; it is another to actually live it. Three tenderfoot Airmen, 1st Lt. Lance Brenneke, Tech. Sgt. Dan Rea and Staff Sgt. Chris Knabe, got a taste of arctic frontier life while on a six-day dog-sledding expedition from Qaanaaq to Siorapaluk

  • AF family gives two Chernobyl children health, hope

    On April 26, 1986, the world’s worst nuclear power accident occurred at Chernobyl in the former Soviet Union, now the Ukraine.Plant workers noticed something drastically wrong with a reactor and began an emergency shutdown -- a procedure that only takes 20 seconds. Unfortunately, that was 13

  • Civilian guards tapped to control base gates

    People entering the gates at 11 Air Force bases are being greeted by some new faces. About 400 contracted civilian guards began providing entry controller services at selected active-duty bases May 18. The bases gaining civilian guards are Andrews Air Force Base, Md.; Bolling AFB, D.C.; Hill AFB,

  • Air Force wins women’s soccer championship

    The Air Force team won the 2004 Armed Forces Women’s Soccer Championship in a double round-robin championship at Fort Eustis, Va., May 8 to 15. The first game of the tournament saw the Army team defeat the Navy team, 3-1. The goal by the Navy team later proved decisive in determining the

  • Geocaching: ‘X’ marks the spot

    Pirates sailed the high seas looting ships and left the bounty for future treasure hunters: Indiana Jones, Lara Croft and geocachers. What do all these have in common? Well, if “X” marks the spot, then buried treasure is the answer. Techno junkies have reinvented the wheel with geocaching,

  • Airmen complete Marine Corps martial arts training

    Staff Sgt. Eric Earp does not necessarily consider himself athletic, but that did not keep him from completing a “grueling” weeklong Marine Corps martial arts training program. “I wanted to see if I could complete a Marine Corps program,” said Sergeant Earp of the 735th Expeditionary Communications

  • Yokota mail detachment is largest, busiest

    Detachment 2 of the Air Postal Squadron here operates the Air Force’s largest and busiest central mail processing activity. Its 48-person team of Airmen and local Japanese workers oversee the movement, sorting and distribution of more than 50 million pounds of mail annually.Det. 2 also has remote

  • Medics help with war stress

    Their stories and experiences are harrowing: improvised explosive devices and small-arms fire attacks, comrades killed and injured in action and near-death experiences. It is the unfortunate reality of a combat environment that many U.S. servicemembers are confronted with daily throughout Iraq.

  • Access to pay information gets easier

    Defense Finance and Accounting Service officials announced May 12 that Airmen can receive personal identification numbers for myPay through their official Air Force e-mail accounts.Airmen can expect to receive a new or updated PIN within two hours of requesting it on the myPay Web site.The e-mail

  • Four Falcons claim championship titles

    Four members of the Air Force Academy’s track and field program claimed conference titles May 14 and 15 at the 2004 Mountain West Conference Outdoor Championships in Las Vegas. For the third consecutive year, the men earned a third-place finish with 161.5 points, while the women finished seventh

  • Major accident response tested at Air Force station

    A little known Air Force station in New Hampshire was the focal point for hundreds of emergency workers May 15 as they responded to a simulated terrorist attack involving a weapon of mass destruction.The exercise, named Granite Thunder 2004, encompassed more than 20 local, state and federal agencies

  • Airman sentenced to life in prison for murder

    An Airman from Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., was sentenced to life in a federal prison May 17 for murdering an Airman based here.Col. Mary Boone, chief circuit trial judge for the central circuit, convicted Staff Sgt. Jason Arindain, a fuels technician, of unpremeditated murder May 15. The

  • Medics provide multifaceted care

    Medical technicians here are perfecting the art of multitasking.Although they receive initial training in a variety of jobs, at a home base the technicians are usually only assigned one job at a time, said Master Sgt. Bill Wnek, the 447th Expeditionary Medical Squadron’s nursing services

  • Falcons swept at New Mexico with 16-6 defeat

    Joe Salas and Daniel Stovall hit two back-to-back home runs to lead the University of New Mexico to 10-run rule shortened 16-6 seven inning win and series sweep over Air Force Academy in Mountain West Conference baseball here May 16. The Lobos improve to 22-25-1 overall and 18-9 in the conference,

  • New commands in Iraq replacing combined joint task force

    Two new military commands will stand up in Iraq on May 15, replacing the current coalition military organization. Multinational Corps Iraq and Multinational Force Iraq will replace Combined Joint Task Force 7.Coalition military spokesman Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, at a Baghdad news conference

  • DOD officials expand Pentagon Channel

    The Pentagon Channel, the Defense Department's news and information television source, officially expanded its service May 14 with a live broadcast from Andrews Air Force Base, Md. The Pentagon Channel, which previously existed as an information channel within the Pentagon, is now distributed 24

  • Airman struggles to save her family

    Soon, Airman 1st Class Ayaan Nduli hopes to sleep well at night.It would mean 15 years of worrying and waiting were over.It would mean her family is safe.The story of Airman Nduli, an honor guard member here, begins in Somalia in 1981, when her mother, Sahra Cali Sherwac, was pregnant with her, the

  • Battlelab improves in-flight patient care

    Specialists at the Air Mobility Battlelab here have resolved a significant lighting deficiency aboard aeromedical evacuation aircraft by developing a portable lighting kit prototype.Because of insufficient lighting, several care providers reported having difficulty assessing patients, observing

  • Recalled officer retires -- again

    An Airman who began his military career as a Marine Corps rifleman in 1962 is retiring for the second time.Lt. Col. Theron Sims, who is on terminal leave, rejoined the Air Force on May 15, 2002, as part of the Rated Officer Recall Program. Colonel Sims was the service’s senior lieutenant colonel,

  • Robins employee sheds 150 pounds

    An employee here replaced her size 28 pants and more than 150 extra pounds with a size 16 and a new lease on life. Irish Frederick, 35, of Byron, Ga., said she is slimmer, fitter and “lookin’ good.”The classroom program assistant at Robins’ Child Development Center said she lost weight by changing

  • Personnel Center changes phone systems

    Offices at the Air Force Personnel Center here will convert to a new telephone system starting May 17. Although the switch to the new telephone system should be transparent, customers encountering problems can call the Air Force Contact Center at (800) 616-3775, DSN 665-5000 or commercially at (210)

  • Investigation determines cause of T-1A accident

    Air Force officials completed their investigation of an accident where a T-1A Jayhawk ran off the runway Aug. 16 after landing at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. The accident caused an estimated $2.5 million in structural damage to the aircraft.Accident investigation board officials determined the

  • Female cadets no longer face short haircut

    Female academy appointees no longer have to experience the most “hairifying” part of inprocessing. Rules regarding hair length have been changed allowing women to avoid the traditional extreme haircut, so long as they are able to remain within Air Force standards.Starting July 1, the longstanding

  • NASA selects servicemembers to explore space

    Four servicemembers were among 11 candidates NASA has chosen to be the next generation of space explorers, officials announced May 6.Maj. James Dutton, 35, and Marine Corps Maj. Randolph Bresnik, 36, were chosen to be space shuttle pilots. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Cassidy, 34, and Army Maj. Shane

  • Blood donors necessary in war, peace

    It may seem like blood centers are always asking for more. The fact is, there is a constant need for blood.Technological advances have a lot to do with this continuous need for blood, said Capt. Christine Murphy, the 48th Medical Group executive officer here. More and more, there have been

  • News anchor, base cook swap jobs

    A grill cook here saw what the view was like on the other side of the camera in the newsroom May 7 when she co-anchored the local news’ “Midday Edition” with host Rachel Wheat.Kimbra Lyons, a grill cook at the 360th Training Squadron's dining facility, earned her minute and a half on the air through

  • Air Force reservist pitches for San Diego Padres

    When he is not wearing the blue and gray uniform of the San Diego Padres, relief pitcher Jason Szuminski switches to Air Force blue as a first lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve. The 6-foot, 4-inch, 220-pound right-hander is the only Air Force reservist in Major League Baseball. He is assigned to

  • Command post controllers key to information flow

    There is an organization that many people think is the place to go for information. In part they are; however, the unit is a lot more than that. Airmen in the command post do much more than just pass along information, especially in a combat zone. The 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing’s command post

  • Deployed reservists help charities in Kyrgyzstan

    Air Force reservists from here deployed to Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, are supporting combat operations in Afghanistan. They also are helping to make life better for people near there.Airmen of Air Force Reserve Command’s 908th Airlift Wing arrived at the old Soviet airfield in early December to

  • Falcons swept at Utah with 17-3 loss

    Scoring in all but one inning, Utah swept a five-game series with Air Force with its 17-4 seven-inning win in Mountain West Conference baseball action May 9. The Utes improve to 20-27 overall, 10-13 in the conference while the Falcons fall to 5-38 and 0-19.Utah had 17 hits in the game, with Jay

  • Desert ice just as nice for deployed Airman

    For the average Airman, the last thing on his or her mind when deploying to the desert is ice hockey. Not so for Senior Master Sgt. Daniel Morin. As soon as he heard he was being sent to a forward-deployed location as the 380th Expeditionary Maintenance Operations Squadron’s quality assurance

  • New system simplifies vehicle management

    A new program in production aims to revolutionize the way the Air Force’s fleet of vehicles is managed.The Logistics Integrated Asset Management System replaces five systems with one consolidated Web-based application, said Senior Master Sgt. Rex Curry, Air Force Vehicle Policy team member.“This

  • Mother reunites with daughter after 15 years

    It was a mother’s nightmare. Juanita Heismann’s daughter, April Turner, was gone without a trace. It was June 1988. Mrs. Heismann, estranged from April’s father, dropped off the first-grader for a scheduled visit with him in Lawton, Okla. When it came time for April to return a few days later,

  • Official: AF nurses provide key support in OEF, OIF

    Air Force nurses have provided tremendous support in operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, treating more than 200,000 patients throughout Southwest Asia, Maj. Gen. Barbara C. Brannon told the Senate Appropriations Committee's subcommittee on defense April 28.General Brannon, the Air Force’s

  • Brother escorts brother in sister-service convoy

    When Lt. Col. Greg Harbin landed at the airport in Mosul, Iraq, he knew he had to travel to the operational headquarters on the other side of town. He also knew an Army convoy would be escorting him. What he did not know was that his brother would be the convoy commander.Colonel Harbin was there

  • Security forces provide protection on, off Bagram

    Besides their more traditional role of providing installation security, security forces Airmen here have taken on two other important combat-related responsibilities supporting the war on terrorism.Airmen assigned to the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron are providing security for convoys

  • European memorials honor those who fought for freedom

    An American bomber was shot out of the sky by German fighter aircraft 60 years ago, and on April 29, Airmen from U.S. Air Forces in Europe honored the fallen aircrew in a ceremony in Dinklage, Germany.The B-24 Liberator bomber, named “El Lobo,” was returning from a bombing mission to Berlin during

  • 1st Air Force looks inward to keep America safe

    It was the day the screens went black. Sept. 11, 2001, was the day that breathed life into what some considered a “sunset mission.” It was the day when everything changed. In the hours before the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, 1st Air Force and the Continental United States North

  • May issue of Airman available

    Read about how Airmen at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and other locations protect America’s interior; take a look at the new Air Force basic training; and learn about Airmen who maintain lesser-known bases throughout South Korea. These features and more highlight the May issue of Airman magazine,

  • World War II ‘evaders’ congregate at memorial

    Their shoulders may be stooped, and their pace a little slow. Hearing aids are a common “fashion statement,” and their hair, what’s left of it, is a tad gray. But one look into their eyes is enough to know the old spirit of adventure is still there.About 80 members of the Air Forces Escape and

  • Exhibit illustrates French, American cooperation

    The Air Force's vice chief of staff participated in the dedication of an exhibit here May 1 that honored some of the first Americans to fly aerial-combat missions.The exhibit, at the New England Air Museum at Bradley International Airport, commemorates the heroism of American aviators who flew for

  • U.S. participates in multinational air combat exercise

    U.S. Air Force and Navy units are here participating in Maple Flag 37, an international air-combat exercise held May 3 to 14 by the Canadian air force.About 20 aircraft and 600 people from the United States are practicing combined air operations with air forces from Canada, Germany, France, New

  • Academy golfers finish 8th in conference

    The Air Force Academy men's golf team finished in eighth place here at the Mountain West Conference Championships Crosswater Course. The Falcons improved their score each day of the event, carding a three-day total of 320-306-303. The tournament was the team's final event of the season.Air Force

  • Air Force baseball swept by UNLV with 22-12 loss

    University of Nevada-Las Vegas broke open a 12-12 baseball game by scoring eight runs in the eighth inning to complete a weekend sweep of the Air Force Academy with a 22-12 win here May 2. The Rebels tied a Mountain West Conference record -- set two weekends ago by New Mexico vs. Air Force -- by

  • Water polo team wins five games in tournament

    The Air Force Academy water polo team won five games in the Rocky Mountain Water Polo Tournament, including a four-overtime victory over the alumni/seniors team. Teams traveled from Florida and New Mexico to participate in the spring tournament, held here May 1 and 2. In the highlighted game of the

  • Air Force scientists battle aviator fatigue

    Air Force scientists here are using their research to help battle fatigue in aviators. “Fatigue from sustained operations can place pilots at severe risk from (decreased alertness) unless effective fatigue-management strategies are (used)” said Dr. John Caldwell, a scientist with the Air Force

  • Long-awaited World War II Memorial opens

    Almost 50 years after the “Greatest Generation” saved the world, a grateful nation paid its respects to the 16 million Americans who served freedom’s cause with the opening of the World War II Memorial here April 29.While the official dedication ceremony for the landmark will not occur until May 29,

  • Air Force cadets thrive at West Point’s Sandhurst competition

    Eleven cadets conquered nine field events and maneuvered through about five miles of New York terrain to capture fourth place out of 45 teams at West Point’s annual Sandhurst competition April 24.“They did awesome!” said Brig. Gen. Johnny A. Weida, academy commandant of cadets. “This is exactly

  • Officials announce OTS selections

    Air Force officials here announced April 29 that 187 enlisted Airmen have been chosen to attend Officer Training School, and trade in their stripes for gold bars.Air Force Recruiting Service officials conducted OTS Selection Board 0404, which met here March 29 to April 2. The board considered 324

  • Academy trains with new incident response system

    Emergency responders here were introduced to the new national incident management system that was signed into federal law March 1.The new program outlines the National Response Plan all federal, state and local emergency responders must adhere to by end of 2004 when responding to an incident

  • Understanding Tricare benefits while traveling

    It is easy for a person to access his or her health benefits at home, but it can get complicated when they going on vacation across America or overseas.Emergencies, including injuries threatening someone’s life, limb or eyesight, are covered by Tricare Prime; but, the beneficiary still has some

  • ‘The Rocket’ lands at Offutt

    The all-time strikeout leader in American League history, Roger Clemens, visited here April 26 as part of a United Service Organizations tour.Mr. Clemens, known in baseball circles as “The Rocket,” also participated in a USO tour to Qatar, Kuwait, Afghanistan and the Arabian Sea about a

  • Prevention, screening allow Airmen to come home healthy

    Surgeons general from the Army, Navy and Air Force testified before Congress on April 28 on the status of health care in the services. Air Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. (Dr.) George Peach Taylor Jr. spoke to members of the Senate Appropriations Committee defense subcommittee. He said the Air

  • Communications director prepares to leave Air Force

    When William C. Bodie leaves his job as director of communications to begin work for the private sector, he will do so with an elevated appreciation for the Air Force and the challenges it faces daily.In return, the Air Force comes away with a level of strategic communications capability that many

  • Academy track team breaks school records

    The Air Force Academy’s track and field team set several school records during the annual Drake Relays here April 22 to 24. Competing in nine events, the team broke three school records, and one team member was crowned an event champion.Dana Pounds threw a school record 172 feet 1 inch in the

  • Idaho Air Guard helps test new stackable cargo pallets

    As part of an ongoing Air Expeditionary Force Battlelab initiative, a team tested a new bilevel aircraft loading system aboard an Idaho Air National Guard C-130 Hercules here April 22.People from the battlelab, a think tank for new and innovative ideas based at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho,

  • 'M' for mobility: Air Force introduces new AFSC

    The Air Force will introduce new Air Force specialty codes for mobility pilots and navigators May 1.The new codes will replace the airlift "A" and tanker "T" with the new "M," said Col. John Clatanoff, chief of Air Mobility Command’s operations and training division. All airlift and tanker pilots

  • Medevac squadron proves it’s 'always ready'

    The 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron lived up to its motto, “always ready,” April 19 as a routine C-130 Hercules channel mission to Pristina, Kosovo, turned into a life-saving assignment. An hour before takeoff, Maj. Chuck Wheeler, 86th AES training flight commander, learned there would be a

  • Mother risks life for son

    Maria Reyes had a choice back in May 1995: Risk her life or get an abortion.A doctor at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., told her that keeping her baby would put her life at risk.Now-Staff Sgt. Reyes-Witak is assigned to the 72nd Test and Evaluation Squadron here. Then a single senior airman, she

  • Now showing: April 26 edition of AFTV News

    In the latest edition of Air Force Television News, Tech. Sgt. Pachari Lutke visits Florida to report on the counterdrug program run by both the Air and Army National Guard. The program focuses on educating older children on the dangers of drug use and teaches them how to pass the message on to

  • Combat controllers play key role in war on terror

    The largest class of future combat controllers is training at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., to provide critical skills required in the war on terrorism. The current class of 32 students will help bolster the cadre of 360 combat controllers -- special-operations forces who deploy quickly into

  • Space, missile competition set to launch

    The 30th Space Wing here will hold Guardian Challenge 2004, the largest test of space and missile warfighting skills outside of real-world operations, May 2 to 7.Nearly 200 competitors from around Air Force Space Command will test their mettle here in the Air Force’s only space and missile

  • Officials: TSP good way to increase wealth

    Defense Department officials urge servicemembers to invest in their future through the Thrift Savings Plan.Now is a good time for servicemembers to start paying themselves, officials said. The current TSP open season started April 15 and runs until June 30. This is the time servicemembers can

  • Senior-enlisted course improves joint education

    U.S. Joint Forces Command officials will take a first step in kicking off the Command Senior-Enlisted Leader Capstone Joint Operations Module course at the Joint Warfighting Center here April 27 to 28.The course provides command senior enlisted Airmen, Soldiers, Marines, Sailors and Coast Guardsmen

  • XC-99 begins piece-by-piece trip to Air Force Museum

    Several parts of a historic XC-99 aircraft located at the Kelly Annex to Lackland were hauled to the Air Force Museum near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, recently. A C-5 Galaxy from the 433rd Airlift Wing here hauled the initial load of the three-phase dismantling project.Disassembling began

  • Child-abuse prevention: Break cycle of pain

    “Rose’s” earliest memories are not of family trips to the zoo or picnics at the park; they are of three-hour-long beatings and endless pain. She said she remembers nothing but terror and abuse. “There was always food in my house, but also an ever-present sense of fear,” said Rose, whose name was

  • Tanker aircraft delivers 1 billionth pound of fuel

    If you were to count from one to 1 billion it would take about 95 years. It took a little over a year for U.S. Central Command’s Combined Force Air Component Command-controlled tanker airlift to deliver 1 billion pounds of jet fuel. A KC-135 Stratotanker delivered 84,000 pounds of fuel to three

  • Officials explain CJR 'waiting list'

    To help meet end-strength goals under force shaping, Air Force officials will limit re-enlistments of Airmen in constrained specialties by establishing quotas, a waiting list and career job reservation application windows."All first-term Airmen must have an approved career job reservation prior to

  • Air Force announces design awards

    Air Force officials recently announced the winners of the 2004 Air Force Design Awards Program and the 2004 Air Force Agent Awards. Awards will be presented to winners at a July 29 luncheon here. Winners for the 2004 Air Force Design Awards are: -- Honor Award, Planning Studies and Design Guides:

  • Wearable computers move to flightline

    Maintenance is about to change because of new tools maintainers will have at their disposal.Through a pilot program at the 116th Air Control Wing here, 116th Maintenance Group workers are beginning to integrate a new wearable computer, which can be used across the maintenance spectrum.The small

  • Reserve C-130 crews critical to front-line fighters

    While many people here are at the end of their average workday, eagerly anticipating working out, eating dinner or catching a movie before turning in for the night, Maj. James Hayes’ duty day is just beginning.At 4:30 p.m., the telephone rings, alerting the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron pilot

  • Bagram Airmen receive taste of America

    With hand-written messages like, “We support you 100 percent,” and “Thanks for protecting our country,” on every package, reinforcements recently arrived here from the United States.More specifically, about 150 boxes of Girl Scout cookies sent by Brownie Troop 2859 from Marlboro, Mass., showed up at

  • Organ donation gives woman life, hope

    The gift of life through organ donations took on a new meaning five years ago for a senior noncommissioned officer here.Master Sgt. Jan Cutrona, a 56th Fighter Wing information manager, was prepared for the worst after her sister’s heart was attacked by a virus in February 1999.Sergeant Cutrona’s

  • JEFX 04 Spiral 2 showcases future of air battle management

    Responding quickly to lessons learned in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 04 showcased the future of air battle management command and control. The experiment, the Air Force’s primary venue for innovative command and control technology and

  • Colonel reflects on attempted rescue mission

    It was Thanksgiving weekend in 1979 when then-Capt. Michael Sumida received an unusual call on a day off summoning him to the squadron from the comfort of his home.Captain Sumida was a C-130 Hercules navigator with the 1st Special Operations Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan. He said he had not

  • Secretary Roche visits Manas Air Base

    Airmen of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing welcomed Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche for his inaugural visit here April 14 to 16. Manas is the primary strategic airlift hub for operations in and around Afghanistan and provides tactical-airlift and aerial-refueling support for Operation