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  • Deployed servicemembers can read their children a bedtime story

    United Through Reading offers parents the chance to read to their children every day, an opportunity many servicemembers haven't had in the past.The reading is recorded onto a DVD and sent with a copy of the book to the servicemember's child. "United Through Reading's partnership with the USO has

  • Deployed servicemembers celebrate Fourth of July in Afghanistan

    Servicemembers assigned to the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan celebrated America's 232nd Independence Day today in the traditional way, but in a non-traditional setting. Serving thousands of miles away from home in a warzone, servicemembers took time off to recharge and partake in

  • Deployed servicemembers complete playground for local children

    Volunteers at a forward-deployed location in the Arabian Gulf region completed hours of hard work in the blazing sun recently to build a playground for children in a neighboring town.More than 100 volunteers participated in the project, which included removing jagged rocks and shattered glass from

  • Deployed servicemembers experience South Korean culture

    Clanging, banging and thumping were the sounds as deployed U.S. servicemembers experienced traditional Korean culture Aug. 20 at the tent city on Osan Air Base. Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines deployed here in support of Ulchi Focus Lens 2007 got a firsthand feel for traditional Korean attire

  • Deployed servicemembers honor fallen heroes

    One word was spoken, reflected upon, honored and emulated May 26: devotion. The servicemembers of the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan gathered outdoors this morning to honor their fallen brothers and sisters who gave their lives in devotion to their country this Memorial Day.

  • Deployed servicemembers step up anti-malarial protections

    It is peak mosquito season in Iraq, and U.S. servicemembers deployed supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom are taking steps to protect themselves against malaria.The high-risk season for malaria runs April to November, said Army Col. Fredric Plotkin, preventive medicine and force health protection

  • Deployed squadron flies combat ops 15 hours after arrival

    When the 134th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron arrived at the 407th Air Expeditionary Group in early December, few people outside the two units would have expected them to generate combat airpower 15 hours after landing.But that is exactly what the Airmen in Southwest Asia did.

  • Deployed structural maintainers 'do it all'

    When a homeowner needs to redo a wall, repair the roof, and re-key a lock, several calls must be made.The Air Force only has to make one.Structural maintainers are "like the carpenters, welders, roofers and handymen, kind of all rolled up into one," said Tech. Sgt. Howard Jones, 380th Expeditionary

  • Deployed surgical team keeps troops close

    While light rock ‘n’ roll plays in the background, he has a look of fierce concentration. A facial mask covers his nose and mouth, white rubber gloves cover his hands and green scrubs cover the rest of his body as he works to repair a fractured wrist.Maj. (Dr.) Warren Kadrmas, who is deployed from

  • Deployed team helping Airmen communicate

    Deployed units rely on a steady flow of communication to accomplish the mission, so computers and phones provide a vital link between organizations around the Air Force.Equally important is making sure that those computers and phones work well, especially in an environment that is not very conducive

  • Deployed teams purchase supplies, services

    If you twist it, turn it, light it, drive it, read it, wear it, drink or eat it, chances are they got it for you. Two organizations in Kyrgyzstan have one mission -- to provide the goods and services people need to get the job done.The men and women from two organizations -- the 376th Expeditionary

  • Deployed together: A tale of twin brothers

    Twin brothers often share similar experiences from birth to high school graduation. But only a few can claim to serve in a deployed unit at the same time. Senior Airman Emmanuel Taveras, an electrical and environmental journeyman, and his twin brother, Senior Airman Carlos Taveras, an aircraft

  • Deployed troops get U.S. radio, TV

    Most U.S. forces deployed supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom have access to American Forces Radio and Television Service broadcasts.The Air Force Broadcasting Service provides radio and television service to servicemembers assigned within the U.S. Central Command areas of operation in Central Asia,

  • Deployed troops offered educational opportunities

    The 320th Air Expeditionary Wing at a forward-deployed location is scheduled to have a fully operational education center by Feb. 15."Ultimately we hope to offer educational services the same as stateside bases," said Tech. Sgt. John Becker, base education officer.The base has been approved to

  • Deployed troops send relief to Southeast Asia survivors

    Deployed troops at a forward-deployed location here combined forces to send relief items to victims of the tsunamis that swept through Southeast Asia on Dec. 26. Several base agencies worked hand-in-hand with host-nation organizations to provide much-needed clothes, sanitation items and food to Sri

  • Deployed troops vibe to the beat of 'Tops in Blue'

    Members of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing and partner units rocked to the various tunes of the U.S. Air Force's 'Tops in Blue,' July 22, at an air base here.The world-traveling group of Airmen composed of 36 vocalists, musicians, dancers and technicians from different career fields throughout the

  • Deployed unit turns fuel into freedom

    Members of the 340th Aircraft Maintenance Unit here are supporting the war on terrorism with their fleet of more than 20 KC-135 Stratotankers. During the past four months, members of the 340th AMU supported more than 3,200 sorties, which provided 107 million pounds of fuel to more than 14,000

  • Deployed Warbirds participate in Australian Aces North exercise

    Airmen deployed to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, recently participated in the Australian Aces North exercise with personnel from the Australian Fighter Combat Instructor Course, which ended Dec. 4. The Aces North exercise is the capstone of the FCIC, which is the Australian equivalent of the U.S.

  • Deployed weather Airmen keep birds out of stormy conditions

    Many may not think much of rain, fog or mostly sunny days here, but to a base that conducts 30 percent of U.S. Air Forces Central Command's air tasking order sorties, weather monitoring is no simple matter. The 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron Weather Flight conducts around-the-clock

  • Deployed wing becomes part of Air Force, Tuskegee Airmen legacy

    The 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing deactivated in a ceremony May 8 at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.Maj. Gen. James Jones, the deputy commander of U. S. Air Forces Central, presided over the ceremony which brought a storied era of 332nd history to a close. Also in attendance were Matthew

  • Deployed wing counts down to ‘The Move’

    The next time Airmen from the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing pack their bags, it will not be to return home. Instead they will travel to a new home right here. That home is the Temporary Cantonment Area, or TCA. As construction progresses at the TCA, base leadership scheduled April as the month “to

  • Deployed wing to deactivate

    The 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, is scheduled to deactivate in January 2014 as part of the bigger Afghanistan retrograde efforts.The 451st AEW is currently comprised of four groups, but will reorganize as one air expeditionary group, remaining at KAF, and reporting

  • Deployed wing transports its 1 millionth passenger

    The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing lived up to its motto of “Boots on the Ground” when it recently transported its 1millionth passenger in a little more than two years.The wing reached this historic milestone when they transported 10 Army soldiers to their final destination within the area of

  • Deployed wing 'Walks a Mile' for Sexual Assault Awareness Month

    Airmen from the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing here participated in the "Walk A Mile In Their Shoes" in observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month April, 19. Signs with information on sexual assault were placed along the route while participants read them and walked in silence. The event was

  • Deployed? Find something to sweat about

    Categorizing events on the weekly base activities calendar reveals a simple truth about the Airmen deployed here: They love to stay active, even after a 12-hour shift. “It’s the whole ‘Fit to Fight’ mindset along with the chance for people to enjoy themselves,” said Tech. Sgt. L.J. Kincade, the

  • Deployers help support coastal cleanup in Guam

    Eight members of the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron here left their B-52 Stratofortress' idle Sept. 15 and volunteered their off-duty time to participate in Guam's 13th annual coastal cleanup. The 20th EBS' cleanup target was in the village and diving area near Agat, Guam. Their time was well

  • Deploying Airmen wait in Italy through six-day layover

    Airmen deploying to operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom had an Italian holiday of sorts in late January at Aviano AB. Active duty and Reserve Airmen coming from such places as Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England; Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii; and Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; made a

  • Deploying does not mean classroom is closed

    Wearing desert battle dress uniforms and living in a tent city do not necessarily mean people need to put their educational goals on hold, said the chief of the learning resource center at a forward-deployed location.Tech. Sgt. James Norton Jr. recently arrived from the 480th Intelligence Wing at

  • Deploying physicians to use acupuncture

    At the acupuncture clinic here, Col. (Dr.) Richard Niemtzow and Col. (Dr.) Stephen Burns run the service's first full time acupuncture clinic. For them, acupuncture treatments are a full-time job. The Air Force surgeon general announced recently that a pilot program to train a cadre of active duty

  • Deploying troops getting priority for laser eye surgery

    Many people choose laser eye surgery because they think it will make them more attractive or save them from having to grapple to find their glasses.But for an increasing number of servicemembers, laser eye surgery is not a cosmetic or convenience issue. It is about saving lives on the

  • Deployment briefings important for spouses

    When your spouse is deployed, it is inevitable that your car will break down, your house will spring a leak and everyone in the household will come down with a rare illness.The good news is there is help, no matter what the situation. And the best place to start is the Airman and Family Readiness

  • Deployment history to be removed from promotion briefs

    Air Force officials here recently announced that deployment history data will be deleted from duty qualification briefs for officer selection and preselection and from senior noncommissioned officer evaluation briefs. This total-force initiative will apply to all active-duty members, Reserve and

  • Deployment offers tax options; not filing not one of them

    Mobilized Air Force reservists deploying overseas are not automatically excused from filing their federal income tax return, according to Air Force Reserve Command staff judge advocate officials here.Deploying reservists have four options when it comes to filing taxes. They can file before they

  • Deployment opportunities available for civilians

    Qualified Air Force civilians can broaden their career experience and bring valuable knowledge back to the workplace by volunteering for deployments in a variety of career fields, including civil engineering, contracting, intelligence, logistics management and security administration.As part of the

  • Deployment opportunities available for civilians

    Whether it's helping Iraqis with reconstruction projects or assisting Afghans with their motor pools, Air Force officials rely on its civilian workforce to help meet global mission requirements. And the Air Force is not alone, as more than 1,100 Department of Defense civilians volunteered to fill

  • Deployment presents challenge for firefighters

    The sandy desert terrain and base infrastructures in Southwest Asia pose new challenges to Airman 1st Class Eric Theer, a firefighter deployed from Beale Air Force Base, Calif. "I'm used to fighting grass fires back home," said the 20-year-old Airman assigned to the 379th Expeditionary Civil

  • Deployment provides reservist teacher valuable experience for classroom

    Master Sgt. Jason Paseur, currently deployed in Southwest Asia as the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing historian, is always on the hunt for creative lessons for the classroom where he teaches as a civilian. Paseur is a reservist deployed from the 94th Airlift Wing out of Dobbins Air Reserve Base,

  • Deployment volunteers needed

    The operations tempo for Air Force employees, both civilian and military, is still high, but volunteers for extended deployments have dropped by more than 20 percent in the past two years. According to an internal Air Force Materiel Command memo released April 21 by Gen. Donald Hoffman, AFMC

  • Deployments keep air operations squadron on the go

    Directing airstrikes in Afghanistan and Iraq might be easier for the 4th Air Support Operations Squadron than finding enough Airmen to meet deployment commitments.With a workload that rivals any in the Air Force, a third to a half of the unit’s Airmen “are gone all the time,” said Maj. Mike Abair,

  • Deployments, assignments added to senior NCO board briefs

    Two new sections are being added to senior noncommissioned officer evaluation briefs to give a snap shot of a person's career for promotion boards. Beginning with the Chief Master Sergeant Evaluation Board in October 2007, deployment and assignment histories will be included on all evaluation briefs

  • Depot efforts continue to keep T-38s flying

    Members of the 573rd Commodities Maintenance Squadron here continue to put in long hours to make sure Air Force pilot training doesn't come to a halt. Many members of the squadron have been working 10-hour days, seven days a week to make a new aileron actuator lever for the T-38 Talon used to train

  • Depot liaison engineers speed up aircraft repair process

    The 380th Expeditionary Maintenance Group hosts one of only five Depot Liaison Engineer positions within the Air Force Central Command area of responsibility.“I have a pretty boring job if there are no aircraft broken – which is fine, we accept that.” said 1st Lt. M. Rebecca Kretzer, AFCENT DLE and

  • Depot liaison engineers support aircraft maintenance units

    Growing up in Arizona was practically like having a desert as a backyard. That backyard served as the perfect place for mountain biking -- a passion of 14-year-old Mark Eilertsen. For an avid biker, an ideal choice for a career would be doing something with mountain bikes. So the teenager did his

  • Depot technicians begin using automatic test station

    The Versatile Depot Automatic Test Station, or VDATS, was put to the test here July 9 as it examined its first production asset as an Air Force and Department of Defense Family of Testers member. Operators used VDATS to test a decoder assembly from the Pave Penny pod, which is a targeting device

  • Depot's around-the-clock service better for warfighters

    A new one-stop customer service center here is helping get aircraft replacement parts to “downrange” customers much faster. The Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center here established the center -- open around-the-clock -- to provide customers timely, accurate and “action-based” service. The center goes

  • Dept. of Energy lauds AF for conservation efforts

    The Air Force's innovative ideas and procedures for saving facility energy and aviation fuel have earned it recognition by the Department of Energy. Each year, the DOE presents a Federal Energy Management Program award to individuals and organizations within the federal government that significantly

  • Deputy defense secretary named Great American Patriot

    Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England was presented with the first Great American Patriot Award Dec. 23 at a halftime ceremony during the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Secretary England, a Fort Worth resident, said he was very humbled by the award. "Also in a way

  • Deputy defense secretary outlines protections for information

    Although information technology enables the Defense Department to make gains in military capabilities, those gains come at a cost, the deputy defense secretary told industry executives in New York. "The Defense Department makes a tempting target," Mr. William J. Lynn III said. "We have 7 million

  • Deputy defense secretary releases shutdown guidance

    The Defense Department is hopeful that a government shutdown will be averted, but is releasing guidance to help plan for an orderly process if a shutdown becomes necessary, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said in a memo issued April 7."The president and the (Defense) Secretary (Robert

  • Deputy SECDEF releases memo to employees on possible government shutdown

    The Department of Defense could be affected by a possible government shutdown if an omnibus appropriations bill is not approved before the current appropriation expires Dec. 16 at midnight, wrote Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter in a memorandum Dec. 14.In the memo, which was addressed to

  • Deputy SecDef visits Minot

    The Deputy Secretary of Defense, Dr. Ashton B. Carter, visited Minot Air Force Base here Nov. 2.Carter came to Minot AFB to be briefed on the base's capabilities and to speak to the Airmen on base.During Carter's visit, he received briefings on B-52 and intercontinental ballistic missile readiness

  • Deputy SecDef's message to DOD workforce on potential government shutdown

    "The department remains hopeful that a government shutdown will be averted. The president has made it clear that he does not want a government shutdown, and the administration is working to find a solution with which all sides can agree. However, prudent management requires that we plan for an

  • Deputy secretary of defense visits McChord

    An audience of more than 800 Airmen and Soldiers took part in a unique question-and-answer session with one of the nation’s top military leaders here July 23.Dr. Paul Wolfowitz, deputy secretary of defense, held a town hall meeting with Airmen from here, Soldiers from neighboring Fort Lewis, and

  • Deputy secretary visits Minot, notes strong morale

    Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work said morale is strong at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, after he visited facilities and spoke with Airmen Feb. 11, at the only base to host two legs of the nuclear triad.

  • Deputy SG talks about future of Air Force medicine

    Reshaping medical career fields as lean, efficient tools for providing 21st century healthcare is a priority for the Air Force deputy surgeon general.Maj. Gen. (Dr.) James G. Roudebush, who was at Offutt recently for the 2006 NOVA conference, an annual gathering of leaders from Air Force medical

  • Desert Depot: Equipping and supplying the fight

    Within the 380th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron there is a shop that stores and issues mission essential items. From batteries to aircraft parts, the Desert Depot provides them to the warfighters at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates.

  • Desert dust in the wind

    Just about midnight recently the wind kicked up here as suddenly as someone turning off a light switch, bringing with it huge clouds of dust that rolled in and obliterated everything from view.People who were sleeping in their tents were rudely awakened as tent ropes strained and even some beds were

  • Desert duty

    Tech. Sgt. Rey Rodriguez prepares support brackets for shower tent at a forward-deployed location April 1. Rodriguez is a load team superintendent with the 621st Tanker Airlift Control Element and is deployed from the 821st Air Mobility Squadron at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J. (U.S. Air Force

  • Desert duty: crew chiefs keep C-130s flying

    No one wishes for an aircraft to break -- especially flying crew chiefs. But, that’s when the mobile C-130 Hercules maintainers receive the most attention -- when something is wrong with the plane and they are far away from home. “Fortunately, C-130s are extremely reliable,” said Senior Master Sgt.

  • Desert Hawk enhances security

    It launches with a bungee cord and looks like it is made of plastic foam.But three deployed airmen from the 72nd Security Forces Squadron swear by their “Desert Hawk” and the technology behind it.The portable unmanned aerial vehicle is an “eye in the sky,” seeing all and transmitting real-time

  • Desert Hawk gives security forces an eye in sky

    Airmen at one forward-deployed location who routinely work, eat, run errands and sleep may not think to look up in the sky. But if they did, they would see something looking right back at them. Flying at about 300 feet above the ground is a small foam aircraft with a built-in video camera. It is

  • Desert Hawk helps protect Tallil

    Not every unmanned aerial vehicle in the sky here is a Predator.The 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron is using its “Desert Hawk” UAV here, providing an extra set of eyes in the sky for looking for potential terrorists and criminals.“Desert Hawk allows us to interdict our adversaries

  • Desert Hawk UAV patrols Tallil

    Not every unmanned aerial vehicle in the sky is a Predator.Airmen of the 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron here are using a miniature UAV called a “Desert Hawk” that provides an extra set of eyes in the sky, gathering information and identifying threats. The small, 7-pound remote

  • 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

  • Desert lifestyle results in big weight loss

    Most of the people assigned at this forward-deployed location as part of Air and Space Expeditionary Force 3/4 have rotated home, but they left behind a lot of excess baggage – unwanted pounds.Airmen hit the gym in heavy numbers, sometimes filling the two facilities here, and many left in much

  • Desert Storm attack pilot integrates 30-years of tactics with new technology

    A Tyrannosaurus rex replica named “Stan” proudly stands in front of the Google Corporation’s headquarters in California. With his threatening gaze and gaping mouth, he provides a stark contrast to the rest of the campus. Google highlights the extinct apex predator as a sobering reminder innovation

  • Desert Storm veterans return after 13 years

    When Saddam Hussein ordered his forces to march south through Kuwait on Aug. 2, 1990, little did he know of the resolve of the young airmen who would rise to the occasion to repulse the attack.From November 1990 to May 1991, Senior Airmen Darrell Wiedenbeck, Elbert Bembry and Edward Timberman, and

  • Desert Storm: 2nd Bomb Wing leads the air war

    In the early morning of Jan. 16, 1991, the 2nd Bomb Wing deployed seven B-52G Stratofortresses and crews to Iraq in a single, secret mission that would mark the beginning of Operation Desert Storm.

  • Design for Air Force memorial unveiled

    For the better part of the past century, the men and women of the Air Force and its predecessors have soared high above the clouds in defense of the nation and freedom-loving people everywhere.Those ideals will soon be reflected in a memorial designed to reach high into the skyline of the nation's

  • Design of Air Force Memorial evokes air itself

    When architect James Ingo Freed set out to conceive a memorial for the Air Force, he faced a problem: How to design a monumental structure that evokes the air itself."It's easy to describe an element that the Army deals with, which is land, and the Navy, which is water. It's more challenging to

  • Desktop configuration coming for ACC network users

    Air Combat Command is taking steps to standardize its 68,000 Windows-based computers by Dec. 31 -- a change that will affect every Airman and Air Force civilian who uses a computer on the network. This project, called the Standard Desktop Configuration, or SDC, is a first-time initiative that will

  • Despite ‘tough' period, U.S. won't waver in Iraq, Bush says

    The United States will continue in its commitment to an independent, free and secure Iraq, and the United States "must not waver" despite "a tough, tough period," President Bush said at a news conference April 13.The president stood before reporters in the East Room of the White House to make his

  • Despite danger, convoy Airmen keep on trucking

    The hours are long, and their jobs are dangerous, but Airmen keeping supply lines running on northern Iraq roads are determined to keep on trucking. That is because they realize the importance of what they do, said Capt. Harley Smith, commander of more than 140 Airmen assigned to Detachment 1 of the

  • Despite fires, cadets arrive on time at Academy

    With fires still burning in the nearby Waldo Canyon and most of the base evacuated, about 1,000 new cadets of the class of 2016 in-processed on schedule June 28 at the U. S. Air Force Academy, Colo.To minimize the amount of cadets on base, Academy officials relocated about 550 cadets with about 200

  • Despite illness Warrior Games Airman rolls on

    Former Staff Sgt. Jeanne Goldy-Sanitate used to be referred to as "our lady of perpetual motion." A broken back and Multiple Sclerosis may have slowed her down, but at 54 years old, she's still rolling. Ms. Goldy-Sanitate, known as Jersey Jeanne to her teammates, will be shooting, swimming and

  • Despite predictable weather, specialists still keep busy

    When an area averages an annual temperature of about 100 degrees and less than 1 inch of rain, a person could assume that the weather is fairly predictable. One could also assume that a bunch of weather specialists would not be gainfully employed at such a location. But then again, everyone knows

  • Despite reduced numbers, New Horizons exercise a success

    With only half their medical team and three less days to see patients, the final medical readiness training exercises for New Horizons-Peru 2008 still provided medical care to more than 2,000 Peruvians. A 19-man team from the 433rd Medical Group out of Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, treated the

  • Despite Smaller Budget, Air Force Seeks to Protect Satellites

    Despite tremendous budget uncertainty and a shrinking bottom line, the commander of the Air Force Space Command said that he will do his best to protect all of the Air Force's satellite constellations.Speaking with reporters at a recent meeting of the Defense Writers Group, Air Force Gen. William L.

  • Despite stormy start, 'Katrina baby' thrives

    No, her name is not Katrina. Sage Madison Post's dramatic birth at Keesler Medical Center during a cesarean section by flashlight as Hurricane Katrina stormed ashore was an inspirational story in the tumultuous days after the storm. However, without the family's consent, federal regulations to

  • Destructive F-16 test makes strides toward new drone's development

    An F-16 Fighting Falcon was intentionally blown apart on the range here as part of a test on an aerial-target flight termination system Aug. 19. The purpose of the test conducted by the 780th Test Squadron, and overseen by the QF-16 special programs office, was to demonstrate that the FTS design