Center provides life-like situations for real-time training

A civilian aircraft exploded over the skies of western Virginia, shot down by two F-16 Fighting Falcons flying nearby, while an unmanned aerial vehicle was blasted away as it buzzed up the Potomac River toward the nation’s capitol April 19.But no one was ever in any danger. That’s because the

CENTAF releases combined airpower summary report

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary report for April 22 through today.April 24Coalition aircraft flew 52 close-air-support missions April 23 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction

NCO awarded $10,000 for IDEA

A good idea led to a good reward for an Airman from the 5th Maintenance Squadron here. Tech. Sgt. James Mazurek was awarded $10,000 from the Air Force Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program April 13. He submitted an idea to insert a warning paragraph to the technical orders for

Hot stuff: Firefighters test gear for Air Force

Being a firefighter is arguably one of the most physically demanding jobs. For that reason, the Air Force is finding ways to make the job easier. Sixteen firefighters here are testing new protective gear that may increase comfort, mobility and mission effectiveness for more than 3,600 active-duty

Rough conditions take their toll on vehicles

Vehicles -- everybody needs one, everybody wants one. But without proper upkeep, they break. That is where the mechanics with the 407th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron’s vehicle maintenance flight come in. The flight’s 27 technicians and two supply Airmen maintain about 400 vehicles here.

9th Air Force commander visits Moody

The 9th Air Force commander visited here April 18 and 19 to welcome the 347th Rescue Wing back to Air Combat Command, and visit other units. During his visit, Lt. Gen. Gary L. North toured the Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham Airman Leadership School, various wing squadrons and the 820th Security

F-22 CTF tests missile noise, vibration

The F-22 Combined Test Force here achieved another first when an F-22A Raptor flew with an AIM-120D missile in its weapons bay to test the effect of noise and vibration on the missile.What was unique about the April 14 flight was that the weapon on board, the latest version of the AIM-120 Advanced

A hero returns home

Tears welling in the eyes of family members, a bugler playing Taps and honor guard members rendering a 21-gun salute are all part of the highest honor given to America’s sons and daughters who die on the fields of battle. A fallen serviceman who fought in Vietnam will finally receive those honors,

Weather squadrons complete merger

Moving with the Air Force’s Smart Ops 21 initiative, the 20th Operational Weather Squadron from Yokota Air Base, Japan, merged into the 17th Operational Weather Squadron at Hickam. To cover its vast, new 95-million square mile area of responsibility, the 17th OWS assembled into one center, improved

Air Force wrestlers compete in Las Vegas tournament

The Air Force wrestling team competed April 12 through 15 in the USA National Senior Men’s and Women’s Wrestling Championships at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Of the approximately 30 Air Force members who competed, one was able to advance to the USA Wrestling World Team Trials. Capt. Anthony

Red Flag-Alaska readies Airmen for deployment

Red Flag-Alaska 06-2 participants have arrived and set up shop at this interior Alaska base to prepare for the annual exercise previously called Cope Thunder. More than 1,500 active duty, Reserve and Air National Guard Airmen, 84 aircraft and an Army and Navy unit will train for two weeks in the Air

CENTAF releases airpower summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.In Afghanistan April 20, coalition aircraft flew 22 close-air-support missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. They included support to coalition and Afghan troops, reconstruction activities and presence route

Reserve engineers build station for Saint Lucia police force

This tiny, 238-square-mile Caribbean island getaway has lush rain forests, sandy beaches bordering crystal clear water and pleasant weather. For six months this year, teams of Air Force Reserve civil engineers are spending their two-week tours on the isle in the Lesser Antilles Archipelago. They're

Close-air support just a phone call away

Imagine being pinned down by enemy forces, with no relief in sight. Now, imagine picking up a phone and calling your friendly local fighter pilot, flying overhead only miles away, for help. With the new Fighter Aircraft Communication Enhancement, or FACE, pod, ground units in combat are now able to

All together now: Civil engineers team up for project

Almost nothing changed on the outside of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing headquarters here until the final week of the renovation. There was always something indicating work -- trenches, heavy machinery, dusty workers taking a quick break at the gazebo. But the metal exterior itself didn’t give any

Air Force photographer receives exceptional civilian award

A civilian Air Force photographer was presented an Exceptional Civilian Service award by the Secretary of the Air Force here April 17. For 50 years, Ron Hall has documented Air Force history using still photography.“He’s made more than 18 secretaries of the Air Force and 16 chiefs of staff look a

Air Force helicopter crew rescues Korean woman

The crew of an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter from Detachment 1, 33rd Rescue Squadron here, rescued a 74-year old Korean woman from Yeong Pyeong Do Island in the West Sea April 19.The helicopter, flown by Capts. Chris Spindler and James Humphrey, began its life-saving mission at approximately 3 p.m.

CENTAF releases airpower summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.Coalition aircraft flew 38 close-air-support missions April 19 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities, and operations to deter and disrupt

Air Force garners 15 Presidential Rank Awards

The White House has released the names of the 2005 Presidential Rank Award recipients. Winners of the awards are strong leaders, professionals and scientists who achieve results and consistently demonstrate strength, industry and a relentless commitment to excellence in public service. The

Pods help warfighters improve air combat maneuvers

Knowledge is power and power is influence. In the case of fighter pilots, this knowledge enables them to control adversaries in the air and on the ground. At the Ogden Air Logistics Center, the collection of information leading to air superiority begins with maintaining Air Combat Training System

Exercise prepares academy students for cyber warfare

In an obscure office park midway between Baltimore and Washington, about 50 men and women use laptop computers to break into networks at the nation's military service academies. When one of them is successful at penetrating a networked computer, they get up and ring a bell."We hit a remote desktop

Reserve aircrew airlifts CE teams supporting war on drugs

A C-17 Globemaster III aircrew flew civil engineers to this tropical isle as part of ongoing support for the war on drugs. The mission also provided an opportunity for the aircrew to maintain their proficiency.The transport started its circuitous mission April 7 at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.,

Team tests pod at 'LITENING' speed

Three Air Force units have started accelerated testing of a LITENING-AT targeting pod. The 416th Flight Test Squadron here is working with the 85th Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and the 422nd OTES at Nellis AFB, Nev., to update the existing LITENING pod with

Hill begins modifications on F-22A Raptor

A new era is under way for members of the 309th Maintenance Group here as they modify their first F-22A Raptor. This was the first of 12 to 14 aircraft scheduled to visit Hill this year for minor modifications. A total of 18 are contracted to undergo work here. "We're excited," said Guy Phillips,

Air Force honors cadet of the year

The Air Force honored its 2005 Cadet of the Year at a ceremony in the Pentagon April 17. The honoree, 2nd Lt. Janelle Jenniges, is a graduate of the University of Nebraska - Lincoln’s Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 465. “She’s the top graduate out of all our commissioning

Cheney thanks Fairchild Airmen for support

Vice President Richard B. Cheney told servicemembers gathered at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., they are playing a key role in the war on terrorism and that their countrymen believe in them and their mission. The vice president visited the home of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing April 17 and told a

Service demographics offer snapshot of force

The Air Force Personnel Center here recently published its quarterly demographics report offering a snapshot of the service's active-duty and civilian force, as of March 31. More information can be found at the center's analysis branch website: www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/demographics/. Statistics

Base defense mission goes beyond perimeter

Most security forces Airmen patrol the base looking for anything out of the ordinary and pull 12-hour shifts in towers along the fenceline.But, for Airmen assigned to the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, their mission is different. They take the base defense mission beyond the wire and

Chaplain goes south of the Equator for Easter

Deployed members of the 552nd Air Control Wing could not attend Easter services in Oklahoma this year, so the base took Easter Sunday to them.Chaplain (Capt.) Mike Curtis of the 72nd Air Base Wing here deployed to South America to provide Easter services for troops who do not have a chaplain

Officials announce 2006 Hennessy Trophy winners

Air Force Services Agency officials have announced the winners of the 2006 Hennessy Trophy awards. The Hennessy Trophy is an annual award presented to Air Force installations with the best food-service programs. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the single- and multiple-facility category

New radio technology keeps troops in touch

Riding as part of a convoy escort team outside the wire, the Airman feels alone. Feeling nervous, he keys his radio mic to check in with his base -- and hears nothing but dead air. To ensure scenarios like this don’t occur, the Air Force is leading a joint implementation of a new “Radio over

Boston Marathon comes to Iraq

Not everyone can run in the Boston Marathon -- especially if he or she is deployed. But, for U.S. and coalition forces here, the marathon came to them.For the second year, the Boston Athletic Association has brought this sanctioned event to Iraq. More than 250 men and women ran either individually

25th Air Support Operations Squadron prepares to deploy

Tactical air controllers from the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron are practicing basic close-combat skills to prepare themselves for an upcoming deployment in support of the war on terrorism. “Not only is the training fun and keeps you physically active, but it is very practical for (Tactical

CENTAF releases combined airpower summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for April 15 to 17. Coalition aircraft flew 34 close-air-support missions April 16 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities, and operations to

Eielson units initiate total force integration

Eielson units are combining efforts in the spirit of the total force vision by streamlining cooperative continuity and training. The total force concept eliminates redundancy and simplifies resources, allowing active-duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen to meet challenges with smaller and more

C-130s keep convoys out of Sunni Triangle

It’s not as fast as the latest-model cargo jets. It can’t carry as much cargo as its sister transports and its ride can be a bit bumpy. But the C-130 Hercules -- a 50-year-old transport -- is dependable. It can carry anything from Airmen to office supplies. “We’re like the (pickup truck) of the Air

Dover Airmen stabilize C-5 crash site

When the 436th Civil Engineer Squadron fire chief responded to an emergency notification here April 3, he wasn’t sure what to expect. “Anytime you see an aircraft not sitting on its wheels, it is worse than you expected,” said Senior Master Sgt. Dwight Davis.More than 20 firefighters arrived to find

Services functions realign with manpower and personnel

Two Air Force functions are coming back together, an Air Force official here said recently, but initially the effects won’t be felt outside the Pentagon. When the services and manpower and personnel functional organizations combine, the change will be invisible to those in the field at base-level,

'Foam test' e-mail overflows with perception problems

A B-1 hangar is filled with more bubbles than a dinosaur-sized hot tub. There are people standing around with suds up to their eyeballs. People are standing on top of the rafters in the building as foam and bubbles continue to rise. Did a glacier melt? Did some kind of ultra-secret government

Desert duty: crew chiefs keep C-130s flying

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

Hickam C-17 crews learn Lean concepts

Airmen from the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 154th Maintenance Squadron here are learning how to streamline the processes they’ll use to maintain Hickam’s new fleet of C-17 Globemaster IIIs. Officials from the Boeing Company, which manufactures the C-17, headed the week-long Lean Concepts Workshop.

Vermont Guard hosts leadership, skills competition

What do you do when more than 600 of your servicemembers are deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and you’re lonely at the Vermont Air National Guard?You invite 500 Vermont high school students to take over your base for a day and you challenge their technical skills in the 2006 SkillsUSA

CENTAF releases airpower summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.Coalition aircraft flew 54 close-air-support missions April 13 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt

Physical therapy program confers first doctoral degrees

Two Air Force officers received diplomas and were conferred doctoral degrees in physical therapy during a graduation ceremony here April 7.Capt. Linda Currier and 1st Lt. Elissa Ballas graduated along with 10 Army officers after 27 months of study in the highly ranked U.S. Army-Baylor University

It's official: Andersen host unit now 36th Wing

Formations and a ceremony April 12 marked the public designation of Andersen’s host unit as the 36th Wing. The re-designation was officiated by Maj. Gen. Edward Rice, 13th Air Force commander. “Andersen is increasing in importance,” General Rice said. “This location gives us great flexibility to

Luke F-16 crashes

An Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing crashed at about 9:51 a.m. today during a routine training mission approximately two miles southwest of the base. The pilot ejected safely and is being treated at a local medical center. A board of officers will investigate the

Internet technology improves air combat capabilities

An Electronic Systems Center capability, demonstrated in a "proof-of-concept" flight at Eglin AFB, Fla., could translate into more effective information-sharing and better overall situational awareness. Flexible Access Secure Transfer, or FAST, is a technology concept managed by ESC's Global

CENTAF releases airpower summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 53 close-air-support missions April 12 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities, and operations to deter and

Pilot in F-16 crash treated and released

The F-16 Fighting Falcon student pilot whose plane crashed April 11 was treated and released from a local medical center after safely ejecting from the aircraft. Capt. Jason Attaway, assigned to the 62nd Fighter Squadron, was on a two-ship student training mission heading toward an air-to-air

Falcons sweep conference weekly awards

Sophomore Travis Picou and senior Dana Pounds were named the Mountain West Conference Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week,  league officials announced April 11. It is the first career award for Picou, while Pounds collected two such honors last season. Picou set Academy

Air Force wins two modeling, simulation awards

The Air Force has won two of the five awards presented by the Department of Defense in modeling and simulation.Air Force winners are: Analysis: Weapon Effects Analysis and Probability System Team, Air Force Materiel Command. The team was awarded for developing and maintaining a world-class software

Air Force extends Pennsylvania Guard flight ops

The Air Force and the National Guard Bureau have directed the 111th Fighter Wing to extend their mission until 2010 at Naval Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, Pa. The 111th Fighter Wing is an Air National Guard unit that operates the A/OA-10 Thunderbolt II. In 2005, the Base Realignment and

CENTAF releases airpower summary report

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.Coalition aircraft flew 52 close-air-support missions April 11 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter

Air Force takes three DOD environmental awards

Department of Defense officials announced the winners of the 2005 Secretary of Defense Award Environmental Awards. Out of the nine awards handed out, three were given to the Air Force. The Air Force winners are: -- Environmental Quality (Team): Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. -- Pollution Prevention

Small business integral part of Air Force operations

When President George W. Bush declared April 9 to 15 National Small Business Week, he noted that “small businesses create most new jobs in our country, and small businesses have been a driving force behind America’s tremendous economic growth and job creation.” Translated into impact on the U.S. Air

Dental specialists train to deploy

Dental specialists here trained in expeditionary field dentistry April 3 to 7. The training demonstrated how dentistry fits into the concept of deployable medical and dental assets and the expeditionary medical support, or EMEDS, facility. “This training supports the heart of the Air Force medical

U.S., Australian forces team up in realistic training

Three Air Force B-1 Lancers recently flew more than 7,000 miles and 16 hours to participate in the Royal Australian Air Force’s Aces South exercise, providing realistic training for the coalition partners. “It was a tremendous success for all parties,” said Lt. Col. Thomas Curran, commander of the

Stop, check the tires

"Foreign objects and debris" checkpoints are important to helping win the war against foreign object damage.FOD is anything that does not belong on the flightline. It could be as small as a pebble or as large as a steel pipe. Several "weapons" are used to help in the battle against FOD. One of the

Globemaster III fleet increases at Hickam

The fourth C-17 Globemaster III to arrive here marks the transition from training to execution for the 15th Airlift Wing and the Hawaii Air National Guard's 154th Wing.Beginning this month, the C-17 will pick up regular scheduled taskings from Pacific Air Force’s Air Mobility Division. The composite

Palmdale detachment takes testing to new heights

Edwards Air Force Base has a history of testing cutting-edge weapons systems for the Air Force. A little-known detachment at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif., also has a testing history, but the aircraft tested there are not as well-known as the newest Air Force assets. Warner Robins Air

DOD plans to boost access to military childcare

The availability of child-care services for military families will receive a boost from a multi-faceted approach by the Defense Department, a senior official said recently. "We project the (child-care) needs as greater than what we're offering at this point," said Jan Witte, director of DOD's office

CENTAF releases airpower summary report

Coalition aircraft flew 46 close-air-support missions April 10 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt terrorist activities. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons, F-15

Controllers handle a third of Iraqi airspace

With more than 10,000 aircraft flying through their airspace each month, the Airmen of the 407th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron stay busy. “We are responsible for one third of Iraq -- any aircraft coming in or going through,” said Senior Master Sgt. Troy Hammond, 407th EOSS chief

Weather flight reads the clouds over Kyrgyzstan

According to local climatology, this area of Kyrgyzstan wasn’t supposed to see thunder and lightning until May. But when the satellite picture started growing big patches of red April 6, the 376th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron weather flight knew what it meant, said Staff Sgt. Robert

Spring 2006 quarterly issue of Airman available

Read about how space-based capabilities are helping fight the war on terrorism, travel with a joint convoy mission through Iraq, follow the struggles of the Air Force family’s tiniest members as they receive life-saving care at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Wilford Hall Medical Center. These

Mentors or disciplinarians, first sergeants there for Airmen

They may have no subordinates, but every enlisted Airman in the squadron is their responsibility. Some days they are disciplinarians; on others they are an Airman’s best friend. In a crisis, they help Airmen deal with grief and get them through it. The first sergeant is “a counselor, a friend or a

Awareness vital in preventing sexual assault

“They beat you; they raped you; they left you for dead,” reads one. Another simply states, “It still hurts.” Creating T-shirt designs like these is meant to be therapeutic for sexual assault victims, which is the purpose of The Clothesline Project. Displaying the shirts is meant to bring awareness

Brady: Air Force retention, recruitment remain strong

The Air Force is pleased overall with its recruitment and retention statistics, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel said during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee April 6. “We have been very successful, but we can never take the recruitment of great people

CENTAF releases combined airpower summary report

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary report for April 8 to 10. April 10 In Iraq April 9, Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons providing close-air support to coalition troops successfully strafed a group of men trying to plant an improvised explosive device near Samarra.

Be prepared for tornado season

Driving to work Sept. 7, 2004, Senior Airman Joshua Hjemvick saw cloud cover and well-defined rain showers south of the base. Suddenly, the forecaster from the 28th Operational Weather Squadron saw flying debris from the buildings to his right. He stopped the car and threw it into reverse, but

Staging facility puts wounded warriors on ‘road to recovery’

What do a bank manager, a school nurse and a Seattle Symphony chorus member have in common? They’re all reservists, they all volunteered to serve at Balad Air Base, Iraq, and they all work at the Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility, part of the 332nd Expeditionary Aerospace Medicine Squadron

Fighting Falcon pilot earns Jabara Award

Capt. John Vargas, a 1996 graduate of the Air Force Academy, has won the 2006 Colonel James Jabara Award, presented annually by the Air Force for excellence in airmanship. Captain Vargas, an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot, completed 45 combat missions totaling more than 200 hours in operations Iraqi

Phoenix Raven training highlights needs of today's SF

Students in the Air Mobility Warfare Center’s Phoenix Raven program here face many challenges in their quest to attain a coveted security forces Raven patch. The course, taught by the 421st Combat Training Squadron, originated in the late 1990s after a need was seen to better protect military

Widows help college students understand aging

The two ladies share lunch almost every Friday. They talk and eat, but mostly they laugh.At first glance, they seem very different. More than 50 years separate them in age. One is in the camouflage uniform of an Airman, the other uses a cane because of hip and knee surgeries. But these two have

Airmen train for air evac

Digging defensive fighting positions, driving with night-vision goggles and during chemical warfare training and hiking in to camp sound like Army training -- right? They are actually part of the annual training required for Pope’s 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. “We are considered first

CENTAF releases airpower summary report

Coalition aircraft flew 47 close-air support missions April 6 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to Coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt terrorist activities. U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagles, F-16 Fighting

Ramstein wins CINC Installation Excellence Award

Brig. Gen. Robert C. Kane, 86th Airlift Wing and Kaiserslautern Military Community commander, announced April 6 that Ramstein won the 2006 Commander in Chief’s Annual Award for Installation Excellence, saying the base is "truly the biggest, busiest and best in the U.S. Air Force." “I’ve known it for

Top Air Force print and broadcast journalists announced

A panel of civilian journalists, teachers and public relations professionals have selected the best in Air Force print and broadcast journalism for the 50th annual Air Force Media Contest. Senior Airman Joe Lacdan, from the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., is the Air Force Print

Vandenberg launches Minuteman III

An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from Vandenberg today at 6 a.m. The launch was part of a developmental test to demonstrate the weapon system’s effectiveness in a stressed environment on extended range. The missile's single unarmed re-entry vehicle traveled

Space A allows dependent travel

U.S. European Command and U.S. Air Forces in Europe policy now allows permanent party and their family members -- regardless of command sponsorship -- to fly Space-Available travel.  For everyone stationed in Turkey, eligible family members can now come visit at a much lower cost by using

Ground combat skills prepare Airmen for base survival

As the desert sun beat down on the deployed Airmen, Staff Sgt. Stacy Miller crawled along the ground, digging her helmet and face into the sand as she pushed her body along the barren ground. At one point during the low-crawl, she actually tasted sand, grittiness and all. An information management

Defense leader thanks lawmakers for support of special ops

Ultimate victory in the "long war" requires the U.S. military to adopt more unconventional and indirect approaches in the way it fights, and the Defense Department is doing just that, the Pentagon's top special operations official told a Senate panel here April 5. In testimony prepared for delivery

CENTAF releases airpower summary report

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary report.In Iraq on April 5, U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornets provided close-air support to coalition troops who identified insurgents emplacing an improvised explosive device in the vicinity of Al Miqdadiyah. The F/A-18s successfully

Shaw pilot located after crash

The pilot of the F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned here that crashed April 5 at around 5:40 p.m. was found by the U.S. Coast Guard about two hours later and taken to a nearby U.S. Navy ship for stabilization. Capt. Ted Shultz, assigned to the 55th Fighter Squadron here, was then transported via Coast

Guard fighter aircraft transition

GPS signal enhances navigation, timing

Warfighters now have a new way to receive Global Positioning System location and timing data -- online. The 2nd Space Operations Squadron here is delivering Zero Age of Data Navigation Message Replacements, or ZAOD NMR, on the Secure Internet Protocol Router Network. The first end user of this new

Academy cadets help Spangdahlem drill team hone sabers

Eleven U.S. Air Force Academy Saber Drill Team cadets were here this week to work with the 52nd Fighter Wing Honor Guard's Eifel Sabres drill team they helped train last year. The team is the only one in U.S. Air Forces in Europe. Since the team’s inception last April, they have performed for the

Automated security system to go 'on duty' in Iraq -- again

One year after answering a call by the Marine Corps' that met an urgent need, the Force Protection Systems Squadron here is preparing to do it again. It is planning to deploy a Tactical Automated Security System, or TASS, to Al Taqaddum Air Base, Iraq."The Marine Corps came to us saying, 'We want to

Three Air Force members receive GEICO awards

The Government Employees Insurance Company selected two Airmen and one Air Force civilian as 2005 GEICO award winners.For 18 years, GEICO has recognized servicemembers from all branches of the service, including Guard and Reserve, for work in drug- and alcohol-abuse prevention, fire safety and

AFA selects services career field for annual award

The Air Force Association, or AFA, selected the “services” enlisted career field for its 2006 AFA Team of the Year Award. The following Airmen were named to the team: -- Staff Sgt. Heather Schaffer, Cheyenne Air National Guard, Wyo., representing the Air National Guard; -- Senior Airman John

CENTAF releases airpower summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.Coalition aircraft flew 52 close air-support-missions April 4 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities, and operations to deter and disrupt

Association of Graduates names distinguished grads

The Air Force Academy’s Association of Graduates has named retired Generals Hansford T. Johnson, Class of 1959, and Michael E. Ryan, Class of 1965, as the 2006 recipients of the association’s Distinguished Graduate Award. The award honors academy graduates for a lifetime of service to the nation,

C-5 crash doesn’t diminish historian’s view of aircraft

The C-5 Galaxy crash at Dover Air Force Base, Del., April 3 placed the aging aircraft in the spotlight once again. With no deaths reported, military officials are cleaning the crash site and are convening a board of officers to investigate the cause of the accident. But the crash does not tarnish

Arresting system stops aircraft safely

An F-16 Fighting Falcon has an emergency braking system that can bring it to a stop called aircraft arresting systems. There are eight arresting systems here designed to safely bring an aircraft to a stop whenever a pilot feels it is unsafe to stop the aircraft on his or her own power, said Senior

Award winners save Air Force big bucks

Seven teams and two individuals recently received top honors for their resource-saving productivity improvements to the Air Force. The winners’ efforts resulted in more than $28.6 million in total tangible savings. The Air Force Productivity Excellence Award recognizes individual Airmen and small

Servicemembers spin wheel on TV game show

It's Armed Forces Week on "Wheel of Fortune." Four Airmen are among the 15 servicemembers featured on one of the world's most popular television game shows in this week's competition. The episodes, taped in February in Culver City, Calif., are a way for the show to express its appreciation for the

Air Force Reserve goes Hollywood

Hundreds of cast, crew and extras from a proposed WB Network series converged here for a marathon day of filming March 27. They came here to work on the pilot episode of “Mercy Reef,” a science-fiction themed program that could appear on the network as early as this fall, according to Lisa Lewis,

Family advocacy nurtures, strengthens relationships

One out of three women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Domestic abuse occurs worldwide. Despite the professional and upstanding reputation associated with today’s military, it is not

Shaw NCO awarded $10K for idea

A Shaw NCO is $10,000 richer thanks to a suggestion he made. He thought it would be more economical to stop replacing an $8,500 valve on the F-16 Fighting Falcon every time the $50 heat shield that covers the valve is damaged. The suggestion was submitted through the Air Force’s Innovative

Web site lets reservists correct duty history 'live'

Air Force Reserve members worldwide can now correct or change their duty history via the virtual Personnel Center Guard and Reserve, a customer-service Web portal operated by the Air Reserve Personnel Center. Previously, Airmen had to visit their local military personnel flight or call several