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  • Employee designs air traffic program

    The computer program an airfield manager here designed is streamlining flightline operations at nearly 45 Air Force bases, including all of those within Air Force Materiel Command.Brian Watson developed the Aircraft Traffic Logging Automated System that is helping airfield managers all around the

  • October issue of Airman available

    Learn about what it took to make the air war over Iraq a success, read about the end of an era in Saudi Arabia, and take a look into a drag-racing teen’s lifelong obstacles. These features and more highlight the October issue of Airman magazine, now available in print and online at

  • New changes in academy policies

    When the Class of 2007 cadets reported for in-processing at the U.S. Air Force Academy in late June, they found many new changes that are putting academy policies more directly in line with those of the active Air Force.Throughout the academy, privileges are now granted based not merely on

  • Bagram airmen boost village morale

    It is austere here. The rules are strict, the environment is harsh, and the enemy is near. Everyday is a workday. Alcoholic beverages and civilian clothes are prohibited. People cannot go anywhere unarmed. They eat and sleep with their weapons.Maintaining high morale in an environment like this

  • Helmet saves airman's life

    Airman 1st Class Michael Lashbrooks made a critical decision this summer. The veteran motorcycle rider decided to spend nearly $500 on a top-quality helmet to wear while riding his 2003 Kawasaki Ninja 636. Call it personal risk management or plain common sense -- it saved his life.The scars on

  • Boot Hill finds new home at Al Udeid

    The Boot Hill “cemetery” at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, has gotten the boot.For the second time in 11 years, the military’s tongue-in-cheek version of Tombstone, Arizona’s famous cemetery, has been exhumed, this time from the closed PSAB to its new resting place here.Cemetery builders

  • Navy edges Air Force

    The U.S. Naval Academy’s 2003 football media guide lists fullback Kyle Eckel as having good size and speed, and being a player who should get better with experience.Air Force head coach Fisher DeBerry calls him “possessed.”Eckel ran for 176 yards and a touchdown to lead the Midshipmen to a 28-25 win

  • New citizen pursues dreams in AF uniform

    Ivelina Konstantinova started working in a San Antonio cafeteria three days after arriving from Bulgaria, and it terrified her. “I was afraid to speak or answer phones,” she said. “Customers would get frustrated because I couldn’t speak English well. I would have preferred they just correct my

  • USO comedians bring laughter to Kirkuk

    A group of comedians from the United States visited here Oct. 2 to entertain the troops and film segments for an upcoming DVD.The comedians were part of the Laugh Factory team, which belongs to the United Services Organization tour traveling through Southwest Asia.Ralphie May, the headliner for the

  • Airmen can review records online

    The Air Force has started a new program allowing airmen to complete record reviews online through the virtual military personnel flight.Airmen will soon begin receiving e-mail notifications around their birthday each year advising them to review their electronic personnel records maintained in the

  • Airmen use funds to help rebuild Iraq

    As Iraq struggles to establish a solid foundation for self-government, airmen here are lending a hand to local Iraqis.Since July, the 506th Air Expeditionary Group has reinvested more than $300,000 of captured Iraqi money back into the local community through the commander’s emergency response

  • Eberhart: U.S. better prepared against terror

    The United States is now better prepared to face terrorist threats and the U.S. Northern Command will continue to improve U.S. capabilities, according to its commander, Gen. Ralph Eberhart.Eberhart said Northern Command brings a focus on planning and training to the homeland-defense mission that was

  • Call-to-service enlistee swears in

    The first person to enlist under the National Call to Service program swore in Oct. 1 during a ceremony at the Military Entrance Processing Station in San Antonio. Brig. Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr., Air Force Recruiting Service commander, administered the oath of enlistment to Hector Barreto from

  • AF leaders testify on academy

    Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche led a small contingent of officials to Capitol Hill on Sept. 30 for congressional testimony on allegations of sexual assault at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper and General Counsel Mary L. Walker joined the

  • Bone-marrow donation saves life

    A 388th Maintenance Group airman here got a special phone call recently -- from a woman whose life he helped save with a bone marrow donation.“When I was in school four years ago, they were having a bone marrow drive,” said Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Dorman. “I just thought, ‘what the heck,’ and gave them

  • Changes limit quarterly IDTs for reservists

    Changes went into effect Oct. 1 limiting the number of inactive-duty-for-training periods a reservist may perform during a three-month quarter.The changes provide a training schedule policy for all Air Force Reserve Command airmen. They provide senior managers better management of training

  • System integrates military pay, personnel

    A new Web-based system will integrate all of the services' military personnel and pay systems, Department of Defense officials announced Sept. 29.The Defense Integrated Military Human Resources System will provide "one-stop shopping" for servicemembers when it is fully implemented, officials

  • NCO gives wife priceless gift

    Flowers, chocolates and jewelry are gifts any woman would love from her husband. There is even the famous saying: "Diamonds are a girl’s best friend." Sometimes though, the most precious gifts are ones that cannot be bought -- like the one Staff Sgt. Anthony Lucas gave to his high-school

  • Elmendorf rescue team delivers baby at home

    Cheryl Trinklein was at home taking a bath, trying to relax. She also was 39 weeks, 6 days along in her pregnancy. Suddenly, things were not so relaxed. Apparently, the baby decided it was time to make his grand entrance into the world.“The contractions just kept getting stronger and stronger and

  • First Raptor arrives at Tyndall

    The first operational F/A-22 Raptor was delivered to the Air Force’s F/A-22 schoolhouse here Sept. 26. Tyndall, once known as “The Home of Air Superiority” became “The Home of Air Dominance,” with the arrival of its first F/A-22. The Raptor will eventually replace the F-15 Eagle and sets the

  • Emeril salutes troops at McGuire

    Things got hot and spicy here Sept. 25 as celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse filmed his Thanksgiving special of “Emeril Live” as part of his campaign called “Emeril Kicks Up the Holidays” on the Food Network. An audience of 2,000 military and family members, representing all branches of service,

  • Fighters benefit from Link 16

    A recent Electronic Systems Center effort has improved targeting accuracy and allowed air operations centers to change F-15 Eagle and F-15E Strike Eagle mission variables “on the fly.”Members of the Tactical Data Link System Program Office equipped all 22 operational F-15 active-duty and Air

  • C-5 team achieves '23 in '03'

    Maintainers here cut four months off individual C-5 Galaxy programmed depot maintenance times in fiscal 2003 which allowed them to deliver a center-record 23rd cargo giant back to the warfighter Sept. 24.The 23rd aircraft represented the most C-5s center workers have ever taken through PDM in a

  • Computer attacks, threats continue

    Government computers and official information are subject to a wide range of threats and vulnerabilities that are a constant, invisible threat to penetrate military networks and degrade warfighting abilities.Along with those nameless, faceless hostile enemies there is also a threat from simple

  • New ribbon recognizes deployed airmen

    Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche has approved award of the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon to recognize servicemembers’ support of air expeditionary force deployments.The ribbon will be awarded to Air Force active-duty, Reserve and Guard members who completed a contingency

  • Guardsmen, reservists essential to war effort

    National Guard and Reserve forces "have been absolutely essential" to the war on terrorism, the commander of U.S. Central Command told the Senate Appropriations Committee. His comments came during a Sept. 24 hearing about the fiscal 2004 supplemental funding request for Iraq and Afghanistan."We

  • Reservists support Operation Deep Freeze

    Reservists from the 445th Airlift Wing here headed to Antarctica on Sept. 26 in a C-141 Starlifter supporting Operation Deep Freeze.Aircrew members will move passengers and cargo for the National Science Foundation's research facilities in Antarctica. This mission is the second of three phases to

  • New R&R leave program set

    Servicemembers and Defense Department civilians on 12-month orders in Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom now have a rest and recuperation leave program. The program allows them to take up to 15 days, excluding travel time, to visit family or friends in the United States or Europe.David S.C.

  • White Room relocation a ‘success’

    The historic Complex 19 White Room here was successfully relocated to its new home in the outdoor Rocket Garden at the nearby Air Force Space and Missile Museum.The White Room is a 56-foot-tall, 46-ton structure that was used by Gemini astronauts during missions in the mid-1960s. The room, also

  • C-130 maintainers finish Herculean effort

    For two years, maintenance crews from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, have kept the 317th Airlift Group’s C-130 Hercules aircraft flying over lands far removed from the Lone Star State.This week, the unit ends 24 consecutive months of deployment and is heading home.Hercules aircrews with the 777th

  • Elmendorf opens multiplatform center

    On Sept. 24, the 3rd Wing officially opened the Air Force’s first multiplatform mission training center that uses advanced technology to maximize operational effectiveness and combat capability. The center will house multiple weapon systems simulators -- built and operated by multiple contractors

  • JAG duty goes beyond portrayals

    People who base their perception of military lawyers on the television show "JAG" most likely think those in the judge advocate general profession are pilots, traveling from courtroom to courtroom in high performance military aircraft. They may also believe military legal professionals have the

  • Recruiting service names Blue Suit winners

    The Air Force Recruiting Service recently recognized the fiscal 2003 winners of Operation Blue Suite XXV. The program recognizes the Air Force's top recruiters worldwide."This is the first time I've received a Blue Suit award," said Tech. Sgt. Scott J. Wealton, from the 368th Recruiting Squadron in

  • October issue of Citizen Airman available

    Although thousands of Air Force reservists are still actively involved in supporting operations worldwide, Air Force Reserve Command officials are busy gathering lessons learned from current and recent operations.Read about the command’s effort to examine its performance in the October issue of

  • New Air Force guidance issued for frocking

    The Air Force has issued new guidance on frocking, the practice of pinning on a higher rank after selection for that grade but before the actual promotion date.One of the changes is delegation of the approval/disapproval authority to the Air Force Personnel Center commander for frocking to major and

  • Panel releases academy report

    The blue-ribbon panel investigating sexual misconduct at the Air Force Academy reported Sept. 22 that failures in leadership led to 142 reported cases of sexual abuse in the past 10 years.“We found a deep chasm in leadership during the most critical time in the academy’s history -- one that extended

  • Secretary lauds resourceful approach

    Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche used the Air Force Association’s technology symposium Sept. 17 as a forum to praise Air Force ingenuity.Roche compared today’s leaders with those of the Army Air Corps, saying that integrating people and systems in new and innovative ways guarantees a

  • Department seeks former POWs

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials want former prisoners of war who are not using VA benefits to contact the department to find out if they may be eligible for disability compensation and other services.More than 23,000 former prisoners of war already receive compensation from the VA. This

  • Falcons defeat Wyoming, 35-29

    The U.S. Air Force Academy Falcons went to their strengths on a fourth-and-one midfield gamble and it paid off. The effort let the Falcons hold on to a 35-29 lead over Wyoming during the football game Sept. 20.Stuck at midfield with a fourth-and-one, 2:05 left in the game and a six-point lead, the

  • AF announces team-excellence awards

    Air Force officials announced the five teams selected for the 2003 Chief of Staff Team Excellence Award on Sept. 16 during the Air Force Association convention in Washington, D.C.A total of 15 teams were nominated for this year’s award, which recognizes outstanding team performance and promotes

  • Bird strike likely cause of crash

    Air Force investigators determined an F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed after at least one spot-billed duck was ingested into the engine, resulting in catastrophic engine failure, according to a report released Sept. 18. The May 29 crash happened off the end of the runway at Osan Air Base, South

  • Lab earns DOD modeling, simulation award

    Showcasing better and more effective ways to train, warfighter training research division experts here captured top honors in the Defense Department's 2003 Modeling and Simulation Award training category.The training systems technology team earned the award that recognizes units, organizational

  • Airman helps 'at risk' children

    While many take a permissive temporary-duty assignment to go house hunting prior to a move, Senior Airman Dan Magas went home to do another kind of hunting. Magas, a security controller with the 65th Security Forces Squadron here, helped about 70 children in the Pennsylvania State Police’s Camp

  • Bases provide hurricane refuge

    Nearly 180 aircraft worth billions of dollars have safely taken refuge at four Air Force Materiel Command installations, moving away from Hurricane Isabel's wrath.The aircraft moved as part of previously-agreed-to contingency plans between the impacted base and the evacuation point, according to

  • CAP helps Air Force face Isabel

    As Hurricane Isabel makes landfall on the Eastern seaboard, Civil Air Patrol officials are helping the Air Force manage storm-related operations.The CAP is the all-volunteer U.S. Air Force auxiliary. The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, located at Langley Air Force Base, Va., has moved its

  • Deployed medics provide care to locals

    Airmen deployed from the 86th Medical Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, are treating villagers in nearby Sartichala and Ponichala who have eye problems.The treatments were part of a humanitarian civic assistance program that the 86th MDG staff conducted at clinics in each village during a

  • Jumper addresses global chiefs

    The Air Force’s top uniformed leader addressed more than 90 air chiefs from around the globe Sept. 16 as part of the Air Force Association's Airpower Symposium. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper's comments covered a broad range of topics, including the making of today's heroes, the

  • B-2 drops 80 test JDAMs

    A B-2 Spirit bomber here released 80 inert joint direct attack munitions Sept. 10 for the first time, clearing the way for warfighters to attack that many individual targets on a single bomb run.After an 11-sortie buildup toward qualifying the B-2 for the maximum munitions load, B-2 global power

  • Fuels branch airmen repair tanks, increase storage

    With a little bit of ingenuity and hard work, airmen in the 506th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels branch here were able to salvage enemy assets and use them to their advantage.The airmen recently repaired eight underground fuel tanks to increase the branch's capability to store JP-8

  • KC-135 brakes changing to carbon

    Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker brake systems will go from metal to lighter, longer-lasting carbon now that service officials approved an initiative proposed here, that will save millions in tax payer dollars.Dubbed the “largest improved item replacement program in Air Force history,” the new

  • OTS selection board results released

    Air Force officials are giving 13 enlisted airmen the chance to trade in their stripes for gold bars by choosing them to attend Officer Training School, officials announced Sept. 16.Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 307 applications as part of OTS Selection Board 0308, which met here

  • Outstanding airmen honored

    The Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2003 received a ceremonial tribute Sept. 15 at the Air Force Association convention here.Each year, the AFA honors the 12 airmen at its annual convention in Washington, D.C. The program was initiated at the organization’s 10th annual national

  • U.S., Dutch pilots train together

    Boom operator Airman Charles Converse noted something different about the Dutch F-16 that slowly moved into place for a quick gas-and-go high above Afghanistan on Sept. 11. The pilot was proudly displaying the Stars and Stripes above the windscreen in his cockpit. The Dutch had not only put a flag

  • AWACS airmen get noise-reduction headsets

    Interior aircraft noise has been a longtime problem when it comes to aircrews communicating with each other and protecting themselves from hearing loss. This is certainly true for aircrews who work aboard the E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft. The persistent noise the aircrews

  • Some AEF airmen will deploy longer

    Air Force officials have determined that some airmen in Air and Space Expeditionary Force Blue will remain deployed longer than the scheduled 120 days.Blue is the first of two transitional AEFs designed to bring the schedule back to a normal rotation. Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom

  • Dawn patrol flies in for rendezvous

    A trio of Fokker Dr. I triplanes approached the field from the north, emerging over a tree line as they began a measured descent. Their engines punctuated the air with a reverberating roar as the warbirds passed over the field and climbed to a higher altitude once again.For thousands of observers

  • Roche receives Order of the Sword

    Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche was inducted into the Order of the Sword during a ceremony here Sept. 13.Roche became the eighth Air Force-level inductee into the order, and the second secretary, since the "Royal Order of the Sword" ceremony was revised, updated and adopted by Air

  • No plans to extend Guard, Reserve

    Air Force officials do not plan to extend the involuntary deployment of Reserve and Air National Guard airmen to Iraq.About 4,700 ANG and Reserve airmen are deployed supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. According to a senior Air Force official, about 12,000 deployed Air Reserve Component airmen have

  • Myers sends AF birthday message

    The following is a message from Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:“The 18th of September this year marks the 56th birthday of the U.S. Air Force -- an important milestone on both the paths of aviation history and the defense of our Nation. This year is also the centennial

  • AF offers multilingual thank you

    Airmen whose parents speak languages other than English can now order Air Force Parent Pins with accompanying cards translated into one of 100 languages.The new Your Guardians of Freedom initiative is an extension of the Parent-Pin program called “E Pluribus Unum.” The Latin term comes from the

  • Airmen remember pain of Sept. 11

    Time is said to heal all wounds, but how much time heals emptiness left behind when more than 3,000 lives are instantaneously and mercilessly cut short? Two years have passed since Sept. 11, yet servicemembers here, like all Americans, continue to sort through the pain of personal and symbolic

  • Pentagon renovations continue

    Reflective arrows sit at crawl-level, about a foot up from the floor, hugging the lightly colored walls. Sparkling floors lead to escalators, elevators and well-lit hallways. Renovations, completed nearly a year ago, still give the Pentagon's Wedge 1 a fresh look. Yet, for all its newness, this

  • Retired colonel reflects on 9-11

    Col. Diana Fleek sat alone on the Pentagon parade field among hundreds of gray metal chairs left empty by people who had just attended the Oct. 11, 2001, one-month anniversary of the terrorist attack on the nation.At the time, Fleek said she was pondering the evil of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks

  • Canine defenders keep warfighters safe

    A 12-inch-long mortar round lay partly hidden in the overgrowth near a checkpoint at Baghdad International Airport. It was found and safely destroyed thanks to the keen senses of a four-legged member of the 447th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron.Rudy, one of several military working dogs

  • BRAC e-mail story deemed a hoax

    An e-mail hoax has been circulating through inboxes. The e-mail contains a spoofed Air Force Print News story about proposed base realignment and closure actions allegedly affecting all services.Air Force public affairs officials were alerted to the hoax by a military officers’ association in

  • Falcons sneak past Wildcats, 22-21

    Nate Allen’s electrifying 79-yard interception return for a touchdown sparked the Air Force Academy Falcons to a fourth-quarter come-from-behind victory, 22-21, over the Northwestern Wildcats. “That (score) gave our football team a new life; it gave us a belief,” said Fisher DeBerry, the Falcons

  • Life ‘booms’ for KC-10 airman

    At midnight, Airman 1st Class Katherine Monke looked out over Afghanistan from here KC-10 Extender. She said one of the best things about her job was just sitting up in the cockpit. “I think to myself, ‘I wonder what my friends back home are doing?’ Then I look down and realize I am flying over

  • Leaders issue Patriot Day message

    The following is a Patriot Day message from Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper:“The second anniversary of the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, provides us all an opportunity to remember those murdered in New York, at the Pentagon and in

  • Airmen arrive in Poland for air meet

    U.S. pilots and maintainers arrived here Sept. 4 for an operation placing them with, and pitting them against, the world’s foremost fighter aircraft. NATO Air Meet 2003, a major recurring exercise, kicked off live-flying exercises Sept. 5 and runs through Sept. 19 here and at Powidz Air Base,

  • Officials offer tips for West Nile

    Base health officials here confirmed Sept. 4 that a sample of mosquitoes collected on base tested positive for the West Nile Virus. Other Air Force bases have reported similar discoveries.As part of ongoing monitoring, workers at the public health flight here have been setting mosquito traps at

  • Turkish native enlists, returns home

    An airman here has known what he wanted to do ever since he was a small boy growing up in a middle-class neighborhood near Balgat Air Base in Ankara, Turkey.Staff Sgt. Erim Celik, a contract specialist assigned to the 39th Contracting Squadron, wanted to live the American dream. There was only one

  • MRE menu debuts new items

    Servicemembers in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere will soon have several new MRE options to choose from for their deployed-dining pleasure.The newest meals, ready-to-eat, feature three new entrée items: pot roast with vegetables, barbecue pork ribs and vegetable manicotti. The menu also includes

  • Committee debates tanker lease plan

    Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee do not question the Air Force’s need for new tankers, only how the service plans to get them.Air Force Secretary Dr. James G. Roche met with the committee Sept. 4. He outlined the importance of immediately upgrading the service’s aging aerial refueling

  • Airmen join nations in exercise

    More than 70 airmen from U.S. Air Forces in Europe bases arrived here Sept. 1 for Exercise Cooperative Key 2003. They joined servicemembers from eight NATO nations and 12 partner nations.According to officials here, the goal of the exercise is to enhance the interoperability of NATO and partner

  • Romanian pilot calls Pope home

    In 1991, 13-year-old Nick Radoescu took his first trip away from home. That morning, he helped his mother pack the suitcases they would carry to the airport. He was excited because this would be his first trip to another country. He was even more excited because his family would now have

  • Space-A changes affect Europe

    Regular space-available travel from Lajes to Italy and Spain will end Oct. 1, while a new stop finds its way onto the weekly channel route. Although the weekly "Patriot Express" L-1011 will no longer stop at Aviano Air Base, Italy, the aircraft will land at Rhein Main AB, Germany, beginning with the

  • Officials announce OTS selections

    Air Force officials are giving 11 enlisted airmen the chance to trade in their stripes for gold bars by choosing them to attend Officer Training School, officials announced Sept. 3. Air Force Recruiting Service officials conducted OTS Selection Board 0307, which met here. The board considered 206

  • Roche testifies on tanker lease

    Air Force Secretary Dr. James G. Roche testified before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on Sept. 3 to answer questions about the 2004 Air Force Tanker Lease Proposal.The final defense committee hearing will be held Sept. 4, in the Senate Armed Services Committee.

  • Murray discusses issues at Minot

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald Murray discussed current issues with airmen here during a visit Aug. 28 to 30.Topics included the test utility uniform, the Dorms-4-Airmen Program, the new fitness standards, air and space expeditionary force rotations, and retention and recruiting

  • Airmen patrol enemy’s side of wire

    In a hot and dusty Afghani valley, there is land scarred with land mines and tied down with concertina wire fences separating American heroes from terrorists. The environment alone is hostile, featuring sweltering summers and bone-chilling winters. The habitat is a haven for venomous creatures and

  • Airmen supporting JTF in Cuba

    A handful of airmen are among those supporting Joint Task Force-Guantanamo charged with supporting the detainee mission here. More than 2,000 soldiers, sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and airmen are supporting the war on terrorism by providing humane treatment and care to approximately 660

  • Lieutenant leaves Iraq, now calls U.S. home

    For one Air Force lieutenant, March 19 was not just the night coalition forces began attacking Iraqi targets, it was also the day war broke out in his former homeland.Known only as Mohammed for security reasons, the lieutenant is an Arabic linguist deployed here as part of Joint Task

  • Airmen attend Army weather course

    Several experienced Air Force forecasters completed a pilot version of a new course designed to help airmen provide weather support for Army operations.The first official staff weather officer course is scheduled for October. Its instructors teach Air Force weather specialists some of the Army’s

  • Falcons shut out Wofford, 49-0

    Fullback Dan Shaffer dove one yard to score the go-ahead points and give head coach Fisher DeBerry his 150th career win in a 49-0 shutout of Wofford College on Aug. 30.Shaffer returned from last year’s season-ending knee injury to score a career-high three touchdowns, as the Academy Falcon fullbacks

  • Now showing: Sept. 1 edition of AFTV News

    How the transformation of the Air Force will affect Air Mobility Command is spotlighted in the latest edition of Air Force Television News. In a special Eye on the Air Force, Staff Sgt. Joe Wallace goes to Scott Air Force Base, Ill., to examine what role AMC will play in the transformation

  • Tallil’s Predators on patrol in Iraq

    Information. Today, it may be the world’s hottest commodity. It is often the key to success in all walks of life: sports, business and definitely, in the military. The MQ/RQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle has been providing information to the military since the beginning of Operation Iraqi

  • 'Hunters' fly with hurricanes

    As the midway point of hurricane season approaches, the 53rd Reconnaissance Squadron "Hurricane Hunters" here remain vigilant about tropical-weather threats.The Hurricane Hunters are part of Air Force Reserve Command’s 403rd Wing here. They are the only Department of Defense organization still

  • Letters, small packages move quicker

    The U.S. Postal Service and the Military Postal Service Agency process about two million pounds of mail a week for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Of those, some items make it to the recipient faster than others, said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Brian Lomax, agency chief of plans and policy.Depending on where

  • Base is first to test alternative fuel cell

    A new fuel cell is giving airmen here a sneak peek at the Defense Department's proposed plan for using hydrogen as an alternative fuel source. The test unit installed here is the fifth in the Department of Defense and the first to be evaluated on an Air Force base, officials said.Thirty military

  • Jumper talks uniforms, ops, tankers

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper talked to airmen here about upcoming changes in the Air Force during a visit to the base Aug. 22.He shared his thoughts on the new fitness program, the new uniform, deployment issues and the acquisition of new tankers.All of these changes were brought on by

  • Recruiting, retention outlook good

    Despite predictions to the contrary, Americans are continuing to volunteer for the military, and those already in are re-enlisting at a vigorous rate.Early in the war on terrorism, many critics predicted the United States would have to return to the draft to man the forces. But in this 30th year of

  • Fitness experts: Start training now

    Air Force fitness experts say airmen must begin preparations now if they want to pass the new fitness evaluations in January. "They need to start training today for year-round fitness to meet mission readiness. They must include running, push-ups and crunches into their program," said Sylvia Goff,

  • Contractor to control air traffic at Bagram

    The base here is scheduled to be the first of four supporting Operation Enduring Freedom to replace Air Force air traffic controllers and airfield managers with contracted civilians. The transition is expected by the end of September.“We expect a seamless transition with no interruption to air

  • Airmen keep Bagram protected

    Firemen always have had a lot of responsibility resting on their shoulders, from the proverbial rescue of a kitten stuck in a tree to selflessly entering towering infernos to rescue those inside. The Air Force firefighters of the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group here say they are aware of this

  • Americans officially end era at PSAB

    U.S. officials transferred control of portions of Prince Sultan Air Base to Saudi officials at a ceremony Aug. 26. The ceremony also marked the inactivation of the 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing."We came here under difficult circumstances following the Khobar Towers bombing (at Dhahran Air Base),”

  • Airmen play in national exercise

    Operations, logistics and medical experts here continue to assist state and federal agencies in a simulated nation-wide battle against the pneumonic plague, wildfires and bad weather, which began Aug. 18.The exercise, Determined Promise ‘03, was designed to test U.S. Northern Command’s

  • Teamwork reaches back to junior ROTC

    While flying combat missions over Iraq, 1st Lt. Brian Huster is never alone.As a co-pilot on a KC-10A Extender, he is part of crew of four aviators, and he is connected with the team of thousands of U.S. and coalition troops fighting the global war on terrorism. But for this new flier, there is an

  • Laser simulator provides weapons training

    A high-energy laser weapon simulator is helping F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots gain valuable experience with high-energy weapons. The simulator is located at the Fighter Weapons Training Branch in Mesa, Ariz.The simulator allows pilots to use those simulated weapons in tactical engagements against

  • Rumsfeld: Two options in terror war

    Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told servicemembers at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Aug. 25 the United States faced only two options in its war on terror: Fight the terrorists where they live today, or fight them in America tomorrow.Rumsfeld said the war on terrorism is unlike any the United

  • Tinker employee saves AF $5 million

    A logistics management specialist in the cruise missile product group came up with a suggestion to save the Air Force close to $5.5 million.In the process, Tracy Thompson earned $10,000 for himself through the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program.Thompson came up with his