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  • Accident report out on Iraqi Comp Air 7SL

    Air Force Special Operations Command ended its investigation into the May 30 crash of an Iraqi air force Comp Air 7SL aircraft in Iraq that killed five Airmen. The primary purpose of the investigation was to set forth factual information concerning the accident. But because the investigation lacked

  • Counseling helps Airmen decide on Air Force

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

  • DOD to begin BRAC closures, realignments

    The Base Realignment and Closure Commission's recommendations for reshaping the Defense Department's infrastructure and force structure took effect at 12:01 a.m. today.Congress allowed the commission recommendations to pass into law at the mandated Nov. 8 deadline. The nine-member BRAC panel

  • Civilian personnel system allows employees control over advancement

    The National Security Personnel System, which will go on line soon, will provide a more performance- and market-based system of hiring, pay and evaluation. With NSPS, Department of Defense civilians can influence the amount of money they will receive by their performance, their value to the

  • VA program promotes employment among new vets

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

  • Defense directive sets detainee interrogation policy

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

  • Conference prepares people for today’s, future cyber crimes

    The Defense Cyber Crime Center and Joint Task Force – Global Network Operations will host a cyber crime conference here in January. The conference -- Attacking Cyber Crime -- the Evolving Professions -- will cover all aspects of computer crime. That includes intrusion investigations, cyber crime

  • Job fair highlights veterans' skills and commitment

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

  • Operation Ruthless Raven: OSI cracks down on drug smugglers

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

  • Shaw volunteers help build community for 54 local families

    Three times a week, volunteers here help build Habitat for Humanity housing for families in need. For some, building new homes has become a way of life.Master Sgt. Christopher Krohn, one of the lead volunteers from Shaw, is working on his 16th Habitat for Humanity house. Volunteers started their

  • 7th Fighter Squadron vet receives medals

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

  • Airmen lend helping hand to enlisted village residents

    Airmen here gave up their free time help their neighbors during Make a Difference Day Oct. 22 and 28. Residents of Bob Hope and Theresa villages and Eglin’s Thrift Shop benefited from these Airmen’s labors. The annual event is the most encompassing national day of helping others -- a celebration of

  • Officials express confidence in new Civilian Personnel System

    Pentagon officials want to emphasize to civilian employees that the changes in their personnel system are all about improving national security. After a two-year process, officials have designed the new National Security Personnel System to be faster, more flexible and more agile, said Michael

  • UAVs hunt ponderosa pine parasites

    Researchers in the Academy’s Department of Biology here are developing a low-cost solution to detect infected trees using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. There are more than 9,884 acres of woodland forest on the academy, dominated by ponderosa pine trees. Several years of severe drought thinned the forest

  • Maintainers resurrect historic aircraft

    A group of Edwards aircraft maintainers recently joined efforts to restore a historic aircraft for the Air Force Flight Test Center museum. A team of 36 maintainers from the 412th Equipment Maintenance Squadron's corrosion control, armament, structural maintenance, inspection flight and fabrication

  • Edwards' commanders test wheelchair accessibility

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

  • 'Open the air base' unit returns from successful desert trial

    Say you need to move troops to a war zone in some isolated region or relief supplies to a devastated area, and you need to do it in a hurry. Who do you call? The men and women of the 816th Contingency Response Group have a simple answer: "Call us." From Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to the recent

  • New personnel system's final regs sent to Congress

    Ending a nearly two-year process, the Defense Department sent Congress the final national security personnel system regulation. Acting Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England said Oct. 26 that Congress has 30 days to review the final regulations. The regulations will take effect Nov. 25. Changes to

  • Domestic Violence Awareness Month aims to reduce violence in homes

    Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the United States -- more than car accidents, muggings and rapes combined. It is also estimated that a woman is battered every 15 seconds in the United States, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

  • Sobering facts about DUI

    Breaking the law does not often require an invitation for formal attire, but Airmen here charged with driving under the influence can expect just that. When charged with a DUI, Airmen here are requested to show up in their service dress uniform at the office of Col. Edmond Keith, 96th Air Base Wing

  • Lackland assists with Hurricane Rita evacuation

    People here once again are busily preparing to receive evacuees from another hurricane along the Gulf Coast -- the second in three weeks.Hurricane Rita, classified as a Category 4 and the third worst hurricane in recorded history, is heading for the Texas Gulf Coast and could bring more than 3,000

  • Air Force mobilizes for Hurricane Rita

    As Hurricane Rita churns through the Gulf of Mexico, the Air Force is mobilizing forces in anticipation of the storm hitting the Texas Gulf Coast.The Category 5 hurricane -- some are already calling it a “monster storm” -- could make landfall near Galveston by late Sept. 23 or early Sept. 24,

  • Displaced hurricane family finds help in Air Force

    It was like walking into a family reunion. The children were riding scooters outside; the adults were mostly inside talking, surfing the Internet, and just enjoying one another’s company.Tech. Sgt. Christopher Reeves, of the 16th Logistics Readiness Squadron here, opened his base house to 22 family

  • Civil engineer units have different missions, same goal

    It is 110 degrees and temperatures are steadily on the rise. Luckily, the office is air conditioned -- until the power goes out.An Airman puts in a work order, but it is not the only office that is suffering from this side effect of the heat. However, within 15 minutes, an ice-cold breeze of

  • Systems group adds technology to Katrina relief support

    While tons of relief supplies are flowing into the Gulf Coast daily, the Operations and Sustainment Systems Group here is shoring up the vital flow of communications to the hurricane-stricken region.Hours after Hurricane Katrina made landfall, the group's team of communications, logistics,

  • OSI ‘protecting the force’ at New Orleans airport

    When Air Force Office of Special Investigations special agents arrived at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on Sept. 6, their mission was to help protect 4th Air Expeditionary Group Airmen deployed here.“We’re conducting local criminal threat assessments to determine if there are any

  • Eagle Eyes in action

    Two men were spotted at the end of the runway at a nearby Air Force base, one holding a large metal tube on his shoulder and the other with a camera.The incident caused airborne planes from that base to land here at McConnell. The suspicious activity was found not to be credible; however, it was

  • Deployed sergeant served in Marines, Army, Navy and now Air Force

    Staff Sgt. James Murphy isn’t your typical Airman. A 30-year-old tattoo of U.S.M.C. peeking out from his T-shirt sleeve and his no-nonsense attitude may shed light on some of his life story, but it wouldn’t come close to telling most of it.Sergeant Murphy, a night shift supervisor for the flightline

  • U-2 aids in Katrina relief

    The reconnaissance mission here has long been the cornerstone of providing critical information to commanders worldwide, but after hurricane Katrina that mission has moved much closer to home.For almost two weeks, the 9th Reconnaissance Wing here has supported relief efforts by flying U-2S missions

  • USSTRATCOM Airman absorbs family fleeing Hurricane Katrina

    Mornings at the Moten household became a little more chaotic on Labor Day as it grew from one to 10 people, but Tech. Sgt. Dorrell Moten does not mind because he knows all of his immediate family survived the hurricane.Eight days after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Sergeant Moten, a personnel

  • Guard counterdrug units aid hurricane rescue effort

    Guardsmen from several state counterdrug programs are here using their specialized equipment for recovery mission support after the devastating attack from Hurricane Katrina. Using Light Armored Vehicles, also known as LAVs, counterdrug Airmen and Soldiers have rescued more than 150 victims from

  • Baby arrives during hurricane via C-section by flashlight

    Hurricane Katrina’s awesome power could not keep a baby from making her debut at the medical center here during a cesarean section illuminated by a ring of flashlights.“Our team delivered a healthy, robust baby girl -- definitely not a shrinking violet,” said Maj. Betsy Majma, a nurse anesthetist.

  • AFRC steps forward to help hurricane victims

    From coast to coast, people assigned to and associated with Air Force Reserve Command are stepping forward to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.Pararescuemen, aeromedical caregivers, airlift crews, aerial porters and reservists from dozens of other specialties have logged hundreds of missions,

  • Keesler recovery efforts already showing results

    People here are well into recovery operations just a week after the base and much of the Gulf Coast sustained massive damage from Hurricane Katrina."We're in the recovery and reconstitution stages where we're assessing the damage and repairing the facilities we're going to need in order to be able

  • Guard chief describes Katrina response operations

    The chief of the National Guard Bureau declared the National Guard's role in Hurricane Katrina response operations "a great success story," after a recent trip to the Gulf Coast where he saw guardsmen providing almost three-quarters of the military's uniformed response.General Blum said he was

  • RC-26 assists Hurricane Katrina recovery operations

    The RC-26 is normally tasked to assist law enforcement in a counterdrug role, but now has now been tasked to assist state and federal officials in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.In the immediate aftermath of the devastating hurricane, the 147th Fighter Wing here dispatched its RC-26 to fly photo

  • Price family glad to leave New Orleans

    Ralph Price Sr. had a smile on his face Sept. 3 when he and his family got off the C-9 Nightingale aircraft that brought him here from New Orleans.He and his family had finally escaped what he called “the hell-hole of New Orleans.” And, he said, the nightmare of the New Orleans airport.The waters

  • Hurlburt combat engineers rush to aid of Keesler Airmen

    Combat engineers capable of rapid deployment into war zones are proving to be effective first responders in bringing aid to areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Airmen with the 823rd Red Horse Squadron here left early Aug. 30 bound for Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., one of the worst-hit areas in

  • People venture outside Keesler shelters

    For the first time since Hurricane Katrina forced them into shelters, 6,000 people at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., ventured outside for a breath of fresh air.That was late in the day on Aug. 30, just after eating their first hot meal since the devastating hurricane nearly blew the base and that

  • Gulfport Armed Forces Retirement Home residents evacuate

    Officials at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport, Miss., announced plans Aug. 30 to evacuate 416 now-homeless veterans from the hurricane-decimated home and move them to its sister facility here.Most of the veterans were preparing to leave Gulfport on Aug. 30 by charter bus for the Armed

  • Military providing full-scale response to hurricane relief effort

    Joint Task Force Katrina is setting up Aug. 31 at Camp Shelby, Miss., as the Defense Department's focal point to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency's relief efforts along the Gulf Coast, said Maj. Eric Butterbaugh, a U.S. Northern Command spokesman.Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, 1st U.S.

  • Guard, NORTHCOM respond to hurricane aftermath

    Twenty-four hours after Hurricane Katrina battered the Gulf Coast, about 7,500 National Guardsmen from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi were on duty supporting civil authorities, distributing generators, providing medical care, and setting up shelters for displaced residents.In addition,

  • Air Force civilian donates bone marrow to save life

    When an Air Force civilian employee lost a cousin to leukemia in 1990 because he could not find a bone marrow donor in time, she made it her mission to do all she could to prevent that from happening to anyone else.Nancy Lenz, a 1st Fighter Wing Safety Office administrator, underwent a two-hour

  • Air Force leaders announce religious guidelines

    Air Force officials announced the release of interim guidance on free exercise of religion Aug. 29.Air Force Directorate of Personnel officials issued the interim guidelines after careful consideration of the U.S. Constitution, laws and military necessity. The guidelines were developed after a

  • 1st Air Force transitions to warfighting headquarters

    First Air Force and Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region are making structural changes to transition into one of 10 warfighting headquarters to better support geographic and functional combatant commanders worldwide.The transition is part of the Air Force’s move to

  • Child development center offers parents car seat guidance

    Child development center employees who are trained and certified by the National Safe Kids Campaign are offering car seat checks here.“It’s a proven fact that child safety seats and seat belts save lives and prevent injuries,” said Bernice Padilla, of the 22nd Air Refueling Wing’s safety office.

  • Carlson assumes command of AFMC

    Gen. Bruce Carlson assumed command of Air Force Materiel Command from Gen. Gregory S. Martin on Aug. 19 at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.General Carlson, who previously commanded the 8th Air Force at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., pinned on his fourth star in a private

  • Couple gets surprise home delivery

    While most pregnancies end with a trip to the hospital and delivery with the assistance of medical professionals, one Airman here and his wife got to experience their child’s birth from the “comfort” of their own home.Staff Sgt. David Hayes, of the 347th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, quickly turned

  • Advance planning key to successful deployment financial management

    Get ready early. This is the common theme among base agencies that assist Airmen preparing for deployment.The preparation can be stressful, time consuming and exciting, but above all, requires planning and thinking ahead to the future.Oftentimes, the focus of deployment is on taking care of the

  • AFPC notifies Airmen of criminal activity

    The Air Force is notifying more than 33,000 Airmen that a security breach has occurred in the online Assignment Management System.The notification comes after Air Force Personnel Center officials here alerted Air Force and federal investigators to unusually high activity on a single user's AMS

  • New flag-folding script focuses on history, AF significance

    Air Force leaders recently approved a new script that can be read during flag-folding ceremonies. Though there are no official ceremonies in the Air Force that require a script to be read when a flag is folded, unofficial ceremonies such as retirements often do, said Lt. Col. Samuel Hudspath, Air

  • Deployed firefighters modern day dragon slayers

    Throughout Iraq, sleeping dragons lie in slumber, ready to wreak havoc, death and destruction if disturbed.Air Force firefighters here remain vigilant serving as modern day dragon slayers who stand ready to bring down any dragon that threatens innocent civilians or coalition forces.Iraq’s dragons

  • Most BRAC '05 environmental restoration remedies in place

    The Defense Department has identified and provided remedies for environmental restoration issues associated with most of the installations on the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure list, a senior DOD official told the BRAC commission Aug. 11."From a base-reuse perspective the department will enter

  • Deadliest week in summer lurks near

    As summer comes to a close, the “101 Critical Days of Summer” fades away, but keeping safety in the forefront should remain a priority, officials here said.This year, the Air Force lost 24 Airmen. Most of these losses were preventable. However, the worst week historically in the Air Force, Aug. 21

  • Class bell rings for cadets

    Sports has its opening day, Broadway its opening night, and the academy its first day of class.The anticipation of the new school year that begins Aug. 10 brings a book bag full of optimism for cadets and faculty as diverse as themselves.“There’s so much excitement in that first meeting. It’s the

  • Deployed Airmen reflect bravery, selfless determination

    Security forces Airmen here have demonstrated their bravery in the face of the enemy as they work side by side with Soldiers in detainee operations.Col. Jim Brown, 18th Military Police Brigade commander, praised the Airmen with the 447th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron for their noble

  • International affairs program available to officers, civilians

    Air Force officers and civilians have the opportunity to continue their education through the Global Master of Arts Program II.This graduate studies program is available to all midcareer officers and civilians serving in international affairs positions who have at least eight years of international

  • Rumsfeld lauds AF progress in adapting to fight terrorists

    Airmen worldwide have been filling nontraditional roles to contribute to the fight against a multifaceted, adaptive insurgency, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here Aug. 2.Addressing a meeting of the Air Force Sergeants Association, Secretary Rumsfeld highlighted the different jobs Airmen

  • Long-term care insurance small price to pay

    Active-duty Airmen, some reservists, appropriated-fund civilian employees, retirees and qualified family members can still apply for the Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Program.The program can help federal employees defray the costs of in-home care, nursing-home care, or assisted-living facilities

  • Geren designated acting Air Force secretary

    The president designated Pete Geren to be the acting Secretary of the Air Force on July 29, replacing Michael L. Dominguez.The appointment is in accordance with the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, Air Force officials said.Mr. Geren, who was special assistant to the secretary of defense, assumes his

  • ESGR gives support to reservists, guardsmen, employers

    A viable Guard and reserve force -- a critical weapon in the struggle against violent extremism -- depends on having viable employer support, said Gary Walston, newly appointed program specialist for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve in Texas.Mr. Walston, a retired Air National

  • Deployed leaders take ‘vest-ed’ interest in being cool

    The first test was in an outhouse.Saddled in the middle of Baghdad -- where temperatures are reaching at least 120 degrees -- that outhouse had all the qualities Capt. James Ross needed to test his idea to cool off flightline logistics workers from the stifling heat.His idea -- a “cool vest.” The

  • First Future Total Force wing proves successful

    The first Future Total Force wing, the 116th Air Control Wing, is nearing its third birthday since merging active-duty Air Force, Army and Air National Guard units to form a “blended wing.”In October 2002, America’s first total force wing took flight as the 116th ACW and made history by combining

  • Reservists protect Airmen at Baghdad base

    Two reservists at Baghdad International Airport are shaping force protection for more than 700 people, meshing the future total force with the reality of what is currently around them.Capt. Lisa Maloney and Master Sgt. Mary Webb run the anti-terrorism/force protection office here. Working daily with

  • Panel adds bases for closure, realignment consideration

    The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission voted to add several military installations, including Pope Air Force Base, N.C., to a list for closure or realignment considerations during July 19 hearings here.The previous day, senior Defense Department officials provided testimony before the

  • PACAF receives national award for legal assistance

    A Pacific Air Forces committee designed to increase the legal readiness of PACAF Airmen was recently awarded the Legal Assistance for Military Personnel 2004 Distinguished Service Award.The award recognizes those who display exceptional achievements and service in support of military legal

  • AMC uses alternate dispute resolution to solve conflicts

    Air Mobility Command officials here have taken significant steps to promote greater use of a program that has proven to be effective at resolving conflict, especially workplace disputes.The program, known as alternate dispute resolution, significantly reduces the dollars and hours expended annually

  • Defense review matches strategy with capabilities

    The Quadrennial Defense Review, due to Congress in February, is a long-term look to ensure the Defense Department has the tools needed to do the missions of the future, a senior DOD policy official said.Douglas Feith, undersecretary of defense for policy, said the review will take its cues from the

  • Force Shaping Phase II evolves for fiscal 2006

    The Air Force achieved its congressionally mandated active-duty end strength of 359,700 Airmen for fiscal 2005. The Air Force had exceeded that ceiling until now.Force Shaping Phase II initiatives successfully reduced the overall size of the force; however, the Air Force still has more officers

  • FEHB premiums extended for reservists, guardsmen

    Department of Defense civilian employees called to active duty supporting a contingency operation may continue their Federal Employees' Health Benefits coverage, and have the agency pay their share of the premiums, for up to 24 months.This applies only to reserve component civilian employees called

  • Airman finds freedom in United States

    Most 12-year-olds are trading baseball cards and feeling hesitant about entering middle school. By the time young Duc Tien Luu was 12, he had been a Vietnamese refugee, attempted to smuggle himself into Thailand more than 10 times, was tortured in prison and sent back to his home country on strict

  • Reservists, guardsmen bring skills to special missions

    Maj. Eduardo Alzona speaks eight languages -- nine, if you count "legalese."As an undergraduate, Major Alzona studied languages and later attended law school. So when Defense Department officials asked the reservist to teach Spanish to police officers in South Florida, it seemed like a natural

  • Airman flies to Dog Island to test radio communication

    An avid private pilot and amateur radio operator assigned here participated in Field Day 2005 on June 25, a national emergency preparedness exercise aimed at ham radio operators.Working alone on a desolate island, Lt. Col. Edward Linch combined his two passions and brought a concept he has long

  • Last TSP 'open season' ends June 30

    The restrictions of having only two open seasons each year for civilian and military members to sign up for, stop, resume or change their Thrift Savings Plan contributions has ended.Public Law 108-469 goes into effect July 1, eliminating restrictions on contribution elections that have always been

  • Officials urge Airmen to be wary of scams

    “Congratulations! You’re the winner of $6 million. All we need you to do is contact our agent to begin the claim process.”At one time or another, most people have received this type of offer in the mail or by e-mail. This “to-good-to-be-true” offer is in fact a scam to entice people to give up

  • Leaders say timetable for troops’ return would be mistake

    Setting a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawal in Iraq would be a mistake, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told the Senate Armed Services Committee here June 23."Some in Congress have suggested that deadlines be set," Secretary Rumsfeld said. "That would be a mistake; it would throw a lifeline

  • Granite Thunder 2005 rocks New Boston

    A van lies on its side at the edge of a road where two men sprint from the scene into the nearby woods. As a figure lies motionless in the grass beside the van, an ear-piercing explosion suddenly rocks the vehicle, shrouding it and the unknown figure in smoke. Debris arcs high into the air before

  • DOD cautions servicemembers against 'loan-shark' lenders

    The Defense Department has launched a new effort to educate servicemembers about the dangers of borrowing from "loan-shark" lending companies and to teach them how to avoid ending up in a spiral of compounding debt, a DOD official said here June 17.The most prevalent type of loan-shark lending

  • DOD issues guidance for medics dealing with detainees

    Department of Defense officials recently issued new guidelines for military medics dealing with detainees.The new rules deal with patient care, interrogations and medical-record confidentiality, among other issues, the department’s top doctor said June 17.Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr., assistant

  • O'Brien: BRAC communities regained 90 percent of lost jobs

    Redevelopment efforts have created more than 115,000 new jobs nationwide in communities affected by the last four Base Realignment and Closure actions, a senior Defense Department official said here.Those employment gains account for "nearly 90 percent of the civilian jobs that were lost" as the

  • Officials find nothing wrong with cadet’s e-mail

    Air Force and academy legal officials found that a former cadet wing commander’s e-mail and its attachment contained neither information that violated the Establishment Clause of the Constitution, nor any Department of Defense or Air Force policies or instructions.Newly commissioned 2nd Lt. Nicholas

  • New launch date projected for new civilian personnel system

    The first phase of the Defense Department's new National Security Personnel System has been adjusted slightly, to later in the fiscal year, NSPS officials said June 7.The Defense Department will work with the Office of Personnel Management to adjust the proposed NSPS regulation based on public

  • New technology unveils hidden data in images

    Using the power and speed of high-performance computers, Air Force Research Laboratory engineers here are finding the keys to unlock hidden data in the digital world.Working with an algorithm, engineers have reached a major milestone in the research and development of steganographic key-breaking,

  • Military responders geared up for active hurricane season

    With forecasters predicting an active hurricane season this year, military responders are geared up for whatever Mother Nature whirls their way.Hurricane season officially kicked off June 1, and meteorologists expect the decade-long trend toward active hurricane seasons in the Atlantic to continue

  • Air Force rabbi speaks at Memorial Day observance

    An Air Force rabbi spoke to more than 1,000 people at a Memorial Day observance here May 30. Chaplain (Capt.) Sarah Schechter was the keynote speaker for the program that also included a presidential proclamation and individual observances for each of the United States' major conflicts since the

  • Honoring fallen heroes full-time job

    Click, click, click. People can hear the crisp, unmistakable sound of heels tapping together simultaneously.With precision movements, Homestead Air Reserve Base Honor Guard Airmen march in unison to take their spot in the funeral procession. They are dressed in pristine Air Force dress uniforms

  • Moment of remembrance celebrated on Memorial Day

    The National Moment of Remembrance on Memorial Day is an act of national unity, remembrance and rededication to the ideals upon which the nation was founded, the executive director of the White House Commission on Remembrance said.At 3 p.m. local time May 30, Major League Baseball games will stop,

  • Airman sentenced in contraband court martial

    A former 728th Air Control Squadron Airman here was sentenced to confinement for one year and dismissal from active duty in a general court martial May 20.Maj. Gregory McMillion was found guilty on three of four charges: violating a lawful general order; failure to give notice and turn over to

  • Air National Guard leaders focus on BRAC

    Air National Guard leaders are urging citizen Airmen nationwide to remain focused on their missions while they and others consider the organization's future during this year's Base Realignment and Closure process. Lt. Gen. Daniel James III, ANG director, and Chief Master Sgt. Richard Smith, ANG

  • Airmen discover illegal aliens aboard aircraft

    Attention to detail and great military-civilian cooperation helped local and state officials nab six illegal aliens here May 16.Air traffic controllers received an emergency call from a civilian pilot who said he was in danger of running out of fuel. The military controllers offered the pilot a

  • Civilian’s conviction highlights fight against sexual assault

    While the recent sexual assault conviction of a civilian employee here reinforces the base’s intolerance of such crimes, base leaders said they hope it also serves as a deterrent to future offenses.Dee Dial, 78th Air Base Wing’s chief of labor law and federal litigation, said the offender was

  • Sending charitable donations via MPS prohibited

    Each year, the Department of Defense plays a huge role in delivering relief supplies and assisting in relief operations worldwide. For people overseas who want to contribute, the problem is getting the package where it needs to be.However, the military postal service is not an option, said U.S. Air

  • BRAC Commission chairman describes panel's role

    The Defense Department's base realignment and closure recommendations are now in the hands of the nine-member commission that will make the final decisions.The Base Realignment and Closure Commission takes its independent role very seriously, said the BRAC chairman, and he vowed an "open and

  • New law to affect SGLI payments, premiums

    Defense Department and Veterans Affairs officials are ironing out details of programs that will expand benefits provided through Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance.The $82 billion supplemental legislation signed into law by President Bush on May 11 increases maximum SGLI coverage to $400,000 and

  • IRS, DOD officials encourage improved tax compliance

    Internal Revenue Service officials have asked the Defense Department to help ensure that DOD federal civilians receiving pay or retirement checks from Uncle Sam also pay him his due in federal income taxes.A great percentage of federal employees and retirees pay their federal taxes than the general

  • Deployed Airmen honor fallen police officers

    Security Forces Airmen gathered near the flightline at the International Airport here May 13 to honor and remember fellow police officers who died in the line of duty, including military police officers who gave their lives defending freedom in military operations worldwide.The ceremony was part of

  • Careless recycling causes identity theft concerns

    Postal officials in Europe are asking people to read before they recycle to reduce the threat of identity theft.During the past few years, U.S. Air Forces in Europe postmasters have had great success combating litter problems with post office recycling bins; however, now there is a concern that

  • Air Force meeting nurse recruiting and retaining challenges

    The nurse shortage is a growing national and international problem, but Air Force officials are taking several measures to sustain its 3,608 person active-duty nurse corps, the Air Force’s assistant surgeon general for nursing services told a Senate panel May 10.“The nurse shortage continues to pose

  • Rumsfeld recommends 5 to 11 percent cut in infrastructure

    Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's recommendations to the Base Realignment and Closure Commission would cut excess military infrastructure between 5 and 11 percent, he said during a Pentagon news conference May 12."The department is recommending fewer major base closures than had earlier been