NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Keesler officials host Women's Soccer Championship

    Keesler Air Force Base officials are hosting the 5th Counseil Du International Sports Militaire Women's Soccer Championship tournament June 6 through 13 here. CISM sports tournaments are conducted worldwide, with the soccer championship being the only event taking place in the U.S. this year as the

  • Ceremony honors 293 medical graduates

    Dr. Kenneth Torrington, dean of the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, honored 293 physicians and allied health care providers during the annual SAUSHEC awards and graduation ceremony June 5 at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. SAUSHEC is the

  • Advisory team votes yes to building partnerships doctrine

    The LeMay Center hosted the biannual Air Force Doctrine Advisory Group in May resulting in the Department of Defense's first building partnerships doctrine. "The AFDAG prioritizes efforts and direction for Air Force doctrine," said Col. Russ Smith, director of doctrine development. "We bring

  • Information managers transform into knowledge operations managers

    Airmen in the former information management career field started a two-part transformation Oct. 31, 2008, as they changed their job titles to knowledge operations managers.Airmen in the knowledge operations management career field will undergo another transformation in October 2009 when it

  • Communications Airmen meet to discuss career field's transformation

    Senior enlisted communicators from around the Air Force held a conference at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., May 19 through 21 to discuss details for the upcoming communications Air Force specialty code conversions.During this transformation, the largest in the history of Air Force communications, more

  • 'AOR Week in Photos' highlights deployed Airmen in Southwest Asia

    A new product is highlighting Air Force equipment, weapons systems and Airmen deployed to Southwest Asia. "AOR Week in Photos" features photos of Airmen deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and other bases in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Created weekly by the staff of the Combined Air

  • CORONA yields personnel decisions, mission requirements

    Air Force senior leaders addressed numerous strategic and personnel issues, from manpower re-alignment to uniform changes to nuclear enterprise initiatives, when they met here for CORONA TOP June 4 through 6. "This is a forum where we need to address everything from fundamental strategic issues to

  • 'Today's Air Force' features a farewell to the first CMSAF

    Featured in this edition of "Today's Air Force" is a farewell to the first chief master sergeant of the Air Force, solar power at Nellis Air Force Base and Operation Southern Partner.Family, friends and admirers gathered in Arlington, Va., to pay their final respects to Paul Airey, the first chief

  • Wright-Patt building earns Air Force leadership in energy certification

    The Air Force Institute of Technology's new academic building here recently achieved the base's first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design "Silver" certification rating, a nationally accepted benchmark for facility design, construction and operation. LEED is an Air Force initiative for

  • Air Force Week Salt Lake City a success

    From kids shrieking in delight at the amazing aerial maneuvers of the Thunderbirds to their parents singing along with various Air Force bands, one thing was obvious here last week: Air Force Week Salt Lake City was a success. Air Force Week Salt Lake City ran from June 1 through 7 and Airmen from

  • Mobility Airmen, aircraft begin moving Strykers into Afghanistan

    Members of Air Mobility Command's hub for global airlift, air refueling and aeromedical evacuation here are "all in" with its commitment to support joint worldwide operations, kicking off efforts this week to airlift more than 300 Stryker vehicles to military forces in Afghanistan. The term Stryker

  • Air Force flight surgeons hand over training mission to Iraqis

    As U.S. forces withdraw over the next year, Iraqi air force members have begun the process of taking over the new missions and responsibilities including the aeromedical training of flight medical technicians here. The four-week training course is now taught by Iraqi flight medics with coalition

  • Airmen test emergency response at Joint Base Balad

    Airmen in the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing here participated in a major accident response exercise June 5 at Joint Base Balad. "A MARE is an opportunity for the 332nd AEW disaster response force to conduct response actions, evaluate emergency response plans, solidify tactics, techniques and

  • Mildenhall tanker crew deploys to Sweden for exercise support

    Air and ground crews from U.S. Air Forces in Europe joined military units from 10 other nations June 8 for Exercise Loyal Arrow 2009, a 10-day exercise hosted by the Swedish air force's Norrbotten Wing here. A team of 15 Airmen from the 100th Air Refueling Wing from Royal Air Force Mildenhall,

  • President Obama visits wounded warriors

    The commander in chief focused his attention on wounded warriors during a June 5 visit to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. President Barack Obama paid bedside visits with U.S. and coalition servicemembers as well as joining an enthusiastic crowd of outpatients at the USO Warrior Center. Along the

  • Thunderbirds honor local school teacher with Hometown Hero flight

    A flight suit, G-suit, harness and helmet: not the usual daily outfit Megan Funk wears to work. As a second grade teacher at Majestic Elementary School in Ogden, Utah, she is used to working in normal business clothes. However, June 4 was not a normal day for the Ogden native as she was about to

  • President makes stop at Ramstein Air Base

    President Barack Obama passed through Ramstein Air Base on his way to spending some time with wounded warriors at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, June 5. The president's visit was his first to the hospital since coming into office. The visit to LRMC was closed to the public and media, as

  • Joint Base Balad's support team focuses on mission, quality of life

    Base residents are the beneficiaries of additional benefits since the Base Operating Support-Integration team conducted its initial planning meetings 11 months ago.In general, BOS-I is a changeover of base support functions that includes food service, lodging, vehicle operations, supply, fuel, base

  • Misawa Airmen complete reconstitution, gear up for exercise

    Since returning from a deployment to Iraq, Airmen of the 14th Fighter Squadron here spent the last three months executing a training plan to get all the pilots current and proficient in their home station mission. The training plan to build proficiency, also known as reconstitution, will culminate

  • Public invited to new NASA 'human space flight' Web site

    NASA officials are inviting people to make their voice heard as a panel of experts undertakes an independent review of planned U.S. human space flight activities. They have created a Web site for the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee to facilitate a two-way conversation with the

  • AFSOUTH gearing up for New Horizons Guyana

    Nearly 650 Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen are preparing to take part in New Horizons Guyana, a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored annual exercise starting July 1.The exercise is designed to strengthen ties with partner nations in Central and South America through combined quality-of-life

  • Air mobility maintains the fight in Afghanistan

    Being in a fight is easy; it is having the ability to stay in the fight until you win that is the hard part. This is especially true in the new type of war being fought by the coalition forces in Afghanistan where the enemy's strategy is to outlast the resolve and sustainment capability of U.S. and

  • Misawa implements new financial in-processing system

    New arrivals here can now in-process with the base finance office using the Permanent Change of Station In-Processing System, or PiPS. Misawa is the first base in the Pacific Air Forces to implement PiPS, a web-based financial system that provides general PCS in-processing information and discusses

  • Stateside donations give Kyrgyz students tools of art trade

    Members of the 376th Expeditionary Medical Group here delivered handmade art easels and art supply donations in May to children of the Atbashinskaya School in Manas Village, Kyrgyzstan.The art supplies came from care packages sent from American servicemembers' family and friends in the United States

  • Air Force Week in Photos

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

  • Barksdale bombers arrive at Andersen

    Approximately 300 Airmen from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., deployed here May 30 as part of the rotational bomber deployment here to maintain stability and security in the Western Pacific. Three Barksdale AFB B-52 Stratofortress arrived here May 30 after a 17-hour flight to support the Pacific

  • Officials announce commander of 24th Air Force

    Air Force officials announced June 4 the commander of 24th Air Force, a new numbered Air Force focused on the cyber mission. Maj. Gen. Richard E. Webber will assume command of the NAF later this year.Currently, General Webber is the assistant deputy chief for air, space and information operations,

  • Airmen aboard hospital ship, providing humanitarian help

    For Airmen traveling aboard the hospital ship USNS Comfort, 10 days spent in Colon, Panama, meant helping bring smiles to thousands of grateful Panamanians through the U.S. Southern Command's mission Continuing Promise 2009.From April through July, Airmen, along with servicemembers from all military

  • Academy cadets experience operational Air Force

    Fourteen U.S. Air Force Academy cadets specializing in engineering degrees arrived here May 16 for a two-week temporary duty to experience an operational civil engineer squadron."The cadets came to Andersen as part of a summer class called field engineer readiness laboratory," said Capt. Matt

  • Teamwork key to construction of communications hub

    A week ago, this vast expanse of land represented particles of dust, rocks, hardened dirt and scrubs located on the other side of Kandahar Airfield's perimeter, mirroring the landscape of this portion of southern Afghanistan. Today, the area is bustling with Airmen dragging cables and laboring to

  • Swedish airmen reflect on Raven training

    Two Swedish airmen working to build up a cooperative between their country and the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Phoenix Raven Training Course, recently reflected on attending the Raven instruction April 14 to May 1.Lieutenants Fredrile Gartborn and Fredrik Andersson, both Swedish air force

  • Academy of Military Science moving to Maxwell

    With the Academy of Military Science moving from Tennessee's McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base to Maxwell Air Force Base's Officer Training School, all Air Force commissioning sources, except the U.S. Air Force Academy, will be under one roof. "Starting this fiscal year, all officer trainees will

  • Law enforcement officials capture Airman on the run for 8 months

    An Airman who escaped Air Force custody in September 2008 after being charged with possession of child pornography and sentenced to three years of confinement in July 2008 was apprehended by law enforcement officials June 3 at approximately 8 p.m. in Ipswich, England. Airman Basic Jeremy Parrott was

  • Panjshir reconstruction team bids farewell to fallen comrades

    The dining facility at Forward Operating Base Lion where Airmen and Soldiers typically exchanged stories and laughter was instead filled with reminiscing and tears as the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team honored four of its fallen comrades May 31. Lt. Col. Mark Stratton, the team's commander,

  • Air Forces Southern officials commit to 'summer of engagement'

    Active-duty, Air Guard and Reserve Airmen from across the Air Force are set to begin a host of missions with the Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) team in South and Central America during the summer months of 2009. The surge in theater security cooperation missions in the U.S. Southern Command

  • Lab officials confirm Airman has H1N1 flu

    An active-duty officer from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base was diagnosed June 3 as the first case of H1N1 Flu in Wayne County, N.C.Officials from the Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine Epidemiology Lab at Brooks City Base, Texas, confirmed the officer assigned to the 4th Fighter Wing was treated

  • Senior veterans compete to win at Golden Age Games

    Military veterans competing in the National Veterans Golden Age Games each year have their own reasons for participating. Some come out for the camaraderie, while others come to socialize and catch up with old friends. But others simply come to win. This year's 23rd Annual National Golden Age Games

  • Spouses get taste of security forces' life

    Airmen of the 18th Security Forces Squadron here held a civilian police academy course for Kadena Air Base spouses to give an inside look at what happens behind the scenes of a security forces patrolman. "This is a course geared toward not only educating the base populace on the range of services we

  • Demonstration to showcase life-saving information-sharing technologies

    Wildfires in California, hurricanes battering the East Coast and insurgents attacking a U.S. convoy are among simulated real-time events that will put life-saving information-sharing technologies on center stage during the Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration scheduled for June 15 to

  • General cites importance of airpower for Afghanistan

    The Afghan National Army Air Corps is a vital and rapidly growing component of Afghanistan's security forces and is building airpower to deny terrorists a safe haven in Afghanistan, a U.S. Air Force general here said. Afghanistan's vast and forbidding terrain, the threat posed by roadside bombs and

  • AFMC, union leadership reaffirm partnership

    The commander of Air Force Materiel Command and the national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO reaffirmed a strong partnership and discussed workforce issues here May 28. Gen. Donald Hoffman and John Gage joined other command and union officials for an afternoon

  • St. Lucia police team with Airmen during Operation Southern Partner

    Nearly 30 members of the Royal St. Lucia police force's special service unit worked with a U.S. Air Force Guardian Angel team here June 1 through 3 to enhance search and rescue efforts for the island nation.The Guardian Angel team deployed for Operation Southern Partner is comprised of a combat

  • Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft makes first flight

    Members of the Air Force Research Laboratory and Lockheed Martin's famed 'Skunk Works' launched a new era of aircraft manufacturing technology and performance with the successful initial demonstration flight of the Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft June 2 at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif.

  • Gates visits Elmendorf, addresses servicemembers

    The secretary of Defense held a town hall meeting and visited military members June 1 at Elmendorf Air Force Base. Some of the topics Secretary Robert M. Gates spoke about deployment increases and return dates, Air Force cutbacks, future replacement aircraft and weapon upgrades. "What I'm here for,

  • Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors to conduct air defense exercise

    An Oregon National Guard base will host nearly 200 Soldiers and Airmen, and a U.S. Navy destroyer will patrol coastal waters while participating in a major U.S. Northern Command air defense exercise in mid-June. Exercise Amalgam Dart '09 will take place at Camp Rilea and nearby Warrenton, Ore., June

  • Multinational mobility unit welcomes top Air Force mobility Airman

    The first-of-its-kind mobility unit comprising airmen from 12 nations recently hosted the commander of Air Mobility Command at Pápa Air Base, Hungary. The Heavy Airlift Wing, the operational-level unit of the Strategic Airlift Capability consortium of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations, brought

  • Air Force jobs, people on display during Air Force Week Salt Lake City

    Pioneer Park here has been transformed into an Air Force "playground" during Air Force Week Salt Lake City. The park is the site for the "Our Nation's Defenders Showcase," an event that highlights Air Force specialties, skills and people through exhibits, interactive games and various

  • World War II vets visit former home

    A group of veterans, college students and faculty members were joined by members of the 100th Air Refueling Wing to honor the heroes of World War II, particularly those who participated in the allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day June 1 at Thorpe Abbots, England. The airfield at Thorpe Abbots was

  • Senior veterans set to compete in Golden Age Games

    Nearly 700 American military veterans from conflicts ranging from World War II to the Persian Gulf war arrived here June 1 to prove that their best days are still ahead of them as they prepare to compete in the 23rd Annual National Veterans Golden Age Games.The games are the world's largest sports

  • Officials activate 617th Air and Space Operations Center

    Officials at 17th Air Force took another big step toward full operational capability May 29 with the activation of the 617th Air and Space Operations Center here. The new AOC gives leaders at 17th AF, also known as Air Forces Africa, an increased command and control capability integral to their

  • Airman uses training to help man hit by train

    Senior Airman Eric Slaugh was returning to Cannon Air Force Base from leave in December when he encountered a snowstorm in northeastern New Mexico, a storm that would detour him into assisting in saving someone's life. After missing a turn because of the near whiteout weather conditions, the Slaugh

  • Kandahar Airmen protect servicemembers from IEDs

    Improvised explosive devices kill people. The vast majority of military members serving in combat make it a point to go out of their way to avoid them. For the Air Force explosive ordnance disposal team at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, they make it a point to go out of their way to find them.

  • Secretary Gates calls on Asian partners for help in Afghanistan

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today called on U.S. allies in Asia to render more aid to bolster the fight in Afghanistan. In his opening remarks at the "Shangri-La Dialogue" Asia security summit here, Secretary Gates said terrorist groups rooted in training camps along the Afghanistan-Pakistan

  • Military training instructors transform recruits into Airmen

    Rising at 3 a.m. is a small sacrifice for military training instructors.  The future of the Air Force awaits.With uniforms in perfect order, they pull the immediately identifiable campaign hats low and straight, down their foreheads to nearly the eyebrows. With stern voices and stoic physical

  • Proclamation kicks off Air Force Week Salt Lake City

    A proclamation officially naming June 1 through 7 as Air Force Week Salt Lake City was declared here June 1 during a ceremony on the steps of the Utah state capitol building. Attending the event were Utah Governor Jon Hunstman Jr., Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley and Gen.

  • Tuskegee Airman passes away

    An original Tuskegee Airman passed away May 26 in Cleveland.Retired Sgt. James F. Travis Sr. served in the Army Air Corps from 1943 to 1946 and became an aerial engineer, gunner and crew chief attached to the 477th Bombardment Group during World War II.Trained at Tuskegee, Ala., he flew in P-47 and

  • DeCA officials announce outreach award winners

    Defense Commissary Agency officials recognized seven commissaries for outstanding outreach May 20 during the agency's 2009 Conference and Training Event in Richmond, Va.  Air Force commissaries took four of the seven awards.The winning commissaries are Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. (best outreach to

  • 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

  • Guard chief emphasizes communication, collaboration, coordination

    Communication, collaboration and coordination are the keys to navigating challenging times when it is hard to discern true north, the chief of the National Guard Bureau said May 27 here. "The National Guard has evolved over the last eight years into a force ... that has been through the crucible of

  • Whiteman Airmen prepare to redeploy back home

    Airmen here are preparing to redeploy to Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., after completing more than 120 flights, or sorties, in three and a half months while supporting the continuous bomber presence here. "We have been here as part of the continuous bomber presence in support of Pacific Command's

  • Fishing community gives back to military

    Active-duty, Guard and Reserve servicemembers from each branch competed in the third annual combat fishing tournament here May 21. The tournament has grown from 66 servicememebers in 2007 to nearly 300 in 2009.  Taking this many people out wouldn't be possible if it wasn't for the 30 boat captains

  • Chief master sergeants of the Air Force gather for dedication

    Eight chief master sergeants of the Air Force joined Bolling Air Force Base Airmen in a dedication ceremony honoring the service's highest enlisted position in the newly renamed Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Room in the Bolling Club May 26. Bolling AFB Airmen escorted the chiefs for the

  • 'Today's Air Force' features security forces

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights security forces at Misawa Air Base, Japan; Hurricane Hunters from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., and the Critical Days of Summer.Security forces Airmen from Misawa AB were graded on gate security, how they handle a crisis such as a robbery, and on other

  • Air Force officials publish new nuclear operations doctrine

    Air Force officials here published its newest version of Nuclear Operations doctrine June 1 to replace the 11-year old existing doctrine. One of the most significant updates to new Air Force Doctrine Document 2-12 is the change in the focus of nuclear operations from a Cold War stance to one more

  • Air Force named among top HBCU supporters

    In a 2009 survey, U.S. Black Engineer and Information Technology magazine recently named the Air Force among the "Top Supporters of Historically Black Colleges and Universities." USBE & IT magazine and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Computer Science at Howard University, Washington,

  • A tribute to Senior Airman Ashton Goodman

    On May 26, Senior Airman Ashton Goodman, Lt. Col. Mark E. Stratton II, the commander of the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team, and Army Master Sgt. Blue Rowe were killed near here from wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device. Over the past few weeks, this senior airman on the

  • Joint team moves critically ill infants over holiday weekend

    A joint team of U.S. servicemembers spanning the globe from Japan to Texas successfully moved two critically ill infants needing specialized care over the Memorial Day weekend. The infants -- one 9 months old and the other 20 days old when moved -- were flown from Kadena Air Base, Japan, to San

  • Servicemembers gear up to provide New Horizons for Guyana

    Nearly 650 Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen are preparing to take part in New Horizons Guyana, a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored annual exercise starting July 1 designed to strengthen ties with partner nations in Central and South America through combined quality-of-life improvement projects.

  • ID card process at Beale undergoes rapid improvement

    In an effort to shorten customer wait time at the 9th Mission Support Group common access card/identification card section, Beale personnelists conducted a Rapid Improvement Event May 18-21. With the help of Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century specialists from Air Combat Command, the

  • Airmen honored for heroic life-saving efforts

    The Altus Fraternal Order of Police honored two Airmen for saving a local police officer from certain death during a ceremony at the City Park May 22 . Staff Sgt. Matthew Treadwell, 97th Security Forces Squadron Combat Arms noncommissioned officer in charge, and Special Agent Ross Bergstresser, Air

  • AFSO 21 makes processes smarter, faster, cheaper

    Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, more commonly referred to as AFSO 21, is the Air Force's version of Lean Six Sigma. Lean Six Sigma is a civilian business strategy which is designed around the idea of making a product or procedure "smarter, faster and cheaper."For many corporations

  • AFSOUTH set to begin Operation Southern Partner in Caribbean

    More than 60 Airmen from across the Air Force are preparing to board a C-130J Hercules on May 30 to participate in the second iteration of "Operation Southern Partner" in seven Caribbean and Latin American nations. The Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern)-led event is aimed at providing

  • Gates downplays rhetoric on North Korea

    As the plane flying him to a security conference in Singapore travels into a storm of regional unrest stirred up by this week's North Korean nuclear tests, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates May 29 downplayed the swirling rhetoric and said he sees no need to adjust U.S. military forces levels in the

  • Airmen, F-22s support Pacific presence mission

    Approximately 280 Langley Air Force Base Airmen and 12 F-22 Raptors from the 94th Fighter Squadron depart this week for an air and space expeditionary force deployment to demonstrate the continued U.S. commitment to fulfill its security responsibilities throughout the Western Pacific. The 94th FS

  • AF dermatologist uses laser to treat wounded warrior scars

    Maj. (Dr.) Chad Hivnor, chief of pediatric dermatology at Wilford Hall Medical Center here, is using a new fractional laser to treat battle scars on troops injured in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. "The laser softens the texture of the scars," said Doctor Hivnor. "We are following

  • Airmen overcome bumps in road

    Up, over, over, over and down. Drivers who find speed bumps annoying shouldn't pass through security checkpoint gates here; however, speed-mitigation efforts may be viewed as less of a hassle if they are perceived as a measure that may thwart possible terrorist threats. After 506th Air Expeditionary

  • Streamlined disability evaluation system introduced at Elmendorf

    Wounded, ill and injured Airmen entering into the Disability Evaluation System here are now enrolled in a new pilot evaluation process. This new joint Department of Defense-Veterans Affairs effort is designed to streamline and expedite disability recovery and processing to create improved treatment,

  • Air Force Week in Photos

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

  • CITS key to Air Force cyber superiority goal

    The Combat Information Transport System is a high-priority item for Air Force officials who seek to create, manage and defend a truly enterprise-wide internet. During a recent Electronic Systems Center program prioritization effort, CITS was listed as number two out of more than 300 total programs.

  • Visitation searchers balance efficiency, safety, humane treatment in Iraq

    Airman 1st Class Alberto Lopez knew the guy was hiding something. He could feel it. The detainee was giving off "the vibe" that three months of working the visitation center at the theater internment facility here had taught him to detect. The Altus, Okla., native continued to search in the

  • Chief Airey laid to rest at Arlington Cemetery

    Surrounded by family and friends, colleagues and fellow Airmen, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Paul Airey was laid to rest here May 28. More than 400 people came to Ft. Myer, Va., for his funeral service and then on to Arlington for his grave site ceremony. Located in section 34, Chief

  • Airmen in joint motor pool keep vehicles rolling

    Airmen from the 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron here work with their Army compatriots in the base motor pool to keep the squadron's tactical vehicles running like clockwork. Four members of the Air Force security forces unit are part of a joint motor pool and learning more than they

  • Air Force team conducts air-assault training from Army helos

    Airmen from the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron jumped in and out of helicopters from the Army C Company, 1-137th Aviation Regiment during air-assault training here May 23. "The purpose of air-assault training is to add another option of infiltrating a targeted area," said Master Sgt.

  • Photo essay: Taking a closer look

    Senior Airman Lilia Linares uses a fluorescent magnetic particle process to inspect an aerospace ground equipment hook for cracks May 27 at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C. The nondestructive inspection section inspects more than 40,000 pieces of weapon systems and nonweapon systems assets a year.

  • DOD officials promote 'World No Tobacco Day'

    For the first time, the Department of Defense is endorsing the observance of World No Tobacco Day by encouraging servicemembers to participate. The effort is part of DOD's multiyear tobacco cessation campaign, Quit Tobacco--Make Everyone Proud. "On Memorial Day, when we reflect on the sacrifices our

  • VA Web site helps college counselors aid veterans

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials launched a new Web site to strengthen the connection between college and university mental health professionals and veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts studying on their campuses. "Many of our newest veterans are beginning their post-service lives

  • Airmen contribute to the fight in Iraq

    The 586th Air Expeditionary Group is one of three Air Force groups organized to complete joint expeditionary taskings and is contributing significantly to operations in Iraq and Kuwait, the group's commander said. Col. Alan Metzler, 586th AEG commander, spoke with journalists and bloggers during a

  • Defense officials identify Air Force casualties

    The Department of Defense officials announced May 27 the death of two Airmen who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died May 26 near Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device. Killed was Lt. Col. Mark E. Stratton II, 39, of Houston, who was

  • America's first combat aviators memorialized

    In a lush and serene park on the outskirts of Paris, U.S. Air Forces in Europe Commander, Gen. Roger A. Brady joined several hundred American and French citizens beneath an ornately sculpted ceremonial arch to pay homage to aviators, known as the Lafayette Escadrille. The 68 volunteers flew in

  • Obama touts solar power at airpower hub

    President Barack Obama held up Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., as an example for America to follow toward energy independence during a visit there May 27. The air base, a huge facility outside Las Vegas best known as the "Home of the Fighter Pilot," also is the site of the largest solar electric plant

  • Airmen 'unleash' new recovery program for patients

    Trained in explosives detection, narcotics detection and more, military working dogs here are now assisting in a different type of fight: The fight to rehabilitate patients at the Air Force Theater Hospital here. Members of the AFTH medical staff here held the first session of the K-9 Visitation

  • Dedication culminates efforts of embedded American advisors

    More than 250 U.S. servicemembers and Afghan security forces celebrated seven years of military cooperation during a monument dedication ceremony at Camp Blackhorse here May 14. The ceremony also culminated the efforts of nearly 20 Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors who have embedded with the 5th Kandak

  • Controllers keep aircraft moving

    Air traffic controllers here manage the base's runway that never rests, averaging 5,100 takeoffs and landings a month, or approximately 200 each day. Members of the 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron are responsible for anything within the base's air space, which extends out in a 5-mile

  • Air Force officials test new constant-pressure fuel system

    Air Force officials officially began to test a 50-50 mixture of synthetic and JP-8 fuels in a Type 3 constant-pressure fuel hydrant system here May 18. Fuel tankers, including five trucks with 100 percent synthetic fuel and three with the 50-50 blend, arrived at the base May 17 to unload 113,000

  • New PCS program puts customers in the driver's seat

    With nearly 200,000 permanent change of station moves expected in the approaching season, it is important for Department of Defense personnel to note several broad changes to the personal property shipment process. The uniformed services began using the Defense Personal Property System to move DOD

  • 'Ironman' visits Edwards

    About 60 members of Edwards Air Force Base Scenes supported the upcoming "Ironman II" movie as extras in the film and technical advisers May 11 through 13 here. Parts of the first "Ironman" as well as other movies and television shows have also filmed at Edwards AFB in the past. "Edwards has a long

  • Officials look for best, brightest to fill first sergeant positions

    Taking care of today's Airmen is the responsibility of everyone in leadership and supervisory positions in the Air Force. But, for a select group of senior non-commissioned officers, this specific mission is their primary job. Air Force first sergeants are the eyes and ears of a unit and serve as

  • New options available for accompanied Korea tours

    Air Force members headed to certain locations in Korea now can request an accompanied tour and serve with their families for two or three years. Current base facilities, such as housing, schools and support activities, will limit the number of Airmen authorized to serve the accompanied,

  • First Iraqi ISR aircrew members graduate

    The first class of Iraqi Air Force Squadron 87 King Air intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircrew members completed their yearlong training May 17. The Iraqi King Air program, headed by Air Force and Navy aircrew instructors, trained four Iraqi pilots, seven co-pilots and five mission