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  • Air Force bids farewell to Chief McKinley, hails Chief Roy

    After more than 30 years of service, the Air Force's top enlisted leader bade farewell to fellow Airmen in a June 30 ceremony here as a new Airman became the 16th chief master sergeant of the Air Force. Along the manicured ceremonial lawn, hundreds of spectators cheered the service of Chief Master

  • Wounded EOD technician has big plans

    One step on May 11 changed the life course of an explosive ordnance disposal technician assigned to the 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron here. Staff Sgt. David Flowers, 28, was deployed with the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, when he was wounded by an anti-personnel mine on

  • Unit's flight clearances initiative wins DOD recognition

    The 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center here was awarded first prize for the best operational improvement initiative during the Department of Defense's Second Annual Continuous Process Improvement Symposium June 1 to 3 at the National Conference Center in Lansdowne, Va. All military branches were

  • Air Force reservists 'tweet,' blog, post their way to cyberspace

    A couple of times a day, Master Sgt. Collen McGee logs onto the 433rd Airlift Wing's Twitter account and "tweets" updates to 675 followers from around the world. Using the twitter handle of @AFRC_433, Sergeant McGee condenses messages to 140 characters, often including links to related Web sites.

  • Airmen can now apply to transfer Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits

    Department of Defense officials began accepting applications from Airmen to transfer Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to dependents June 29. "The Post-9/11 GI Bill transfer of benefits option is a landmark benefit to eligible Airmen," said Lt. Gen. Richard Newton III, deputy chief of staff for Air Force

  • World War II vets share wartime stories with Charleston Airmen

    A new generation of Airmen came face-to-face with the "Greatest Generation" when a group of World War II veterans from the 493rd Fighter Squadron visited Charleston Air Force Base June 29. Airmen from the 16th Airlift Squadron hosted the group along with Lt. Col. Michael King, the 493rd FS commander

  • Hurricane Hunters prep for upcoming storm season

    Members of the Air Force Reserve Command's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron deployed to their detachment here recently to fly training missions over the Caribbean in preparation for the 2009 hurricane season. Unit Airmen are part of the 403rd Wing located at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., and

  • Aerial gunners provide cover for lifesaving mission

    Air Force combat search and rescue crews on HH-60G Pave Hawks fly throughout Afghanistan to provide airlift and medical care to servicemembers wounded on the battlefield. More often than not, this requires them to fly into and operate in extremely hostile and precarious situations and locations,

  • Vice president visits RAF Mildenhall, meets Airmen

    Vice President Joe Biden met and talked to several Royal Air Force Mildenhall Airmen during a stop at the base en route to an undisclosed location. The vice president thanked Airmen for their service and encouraged them to continue doing a great job for the nation.Airman 1st Class Victoria Smith of

  • Air Force officials name 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year

    Air Force officials here July 2 selected the service's top enlisted members, naming the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2009. An Air Force selection board at the Air Force Personnel Center here considered 33 nominees who represented major commands, direct reporting units, field operating

  • AMC commander visits Airmen in Southwest Asia, highlights mobility's role

    Like clockwork, an Air Mobility Command aircraft departs on a mission within the area-of-operations every two minutes every hour of every day. Providing the three cornerstones of the command's mobility mission -- airlift, aerial refueling and aeromedical evacuation -- AMC Airmen have provided

  • 86th AGE flight shows benefits of AFSO 21

    In March 2006 when former Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne called for a new way to evaluate how the Air Force operates, called AFSO 21, he encouraged the elimination of unnecessary steps. He suggested the Air Force leverage on technology, using the right tools and techniques to see any

  • Chaplain Corps accepting scholarship applications

    The Air Force Chaplain Corps is now accepting applications for the Religious Professional Scholarship program through Sept. 1, 2009. The program is designed to assist the Air Force with future faith group accessions. Scholarships are awarded to applicants who are qualified and meet Air Force faith

  • President signs bill authorizing changes to TSP for civilians

    On June 22, President Obama signed into law the Thrift Savings Plan Enhancement Act of 2009 as part of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Public Law 111-31). One of the provisions of the new law eliminates the waiting period of appropriated fund civilian employees covered under

  • WASP awarded Congressional Gold Medal for service

    A dedicated group of patriotic female pilots were recognized by President Barack Obama July 1 at the White House for their invaluable service to the nation more than 60 years ago. Women's Airforce Service Pilots Elaine Danforth Harmon, Bernice Falk Haydu and Lorraine H. Rodgers were joined by five

  • U.S. limits contact with Honduran military

    The American military contingent in Honduras has limited its contact with Honduran forces as the U.S. government evaluates the situation in the Central American country, a Pentagon spokesman said. Roughly 600 U.S. forces are stationed at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, 50 miles northwest of the

  • Innovative maintainers save time, lives of front line troops

    Maintainers here have come up with an innovative phase maintenance process to keep as many close-air-support aircraft airborne in theater that is being hailed by U.S. Central Command senior leaders. A-10 Thunderbolt II maintainers deployed from the 23rd Maintenance Group at Moody Air Force Base,

  • Chief McKinley bows out

    After more than 30 years of service, the Air Force's top enlisted leader said his goodbyes to fellow Airmen in a June 30 ceremony in Washington, D.C.Former Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley told the gathered throng that his father took him and two friends to the Military

  • Chairman recalls Lincoln in Independence Day message

    In his annual Independence Day message to members of the U.S. armed forces worldwide, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff recalls a speech Abraham Lincoln delivered in Chicago in 1858. Here is Navy Adm. Mike Mullen's holiday message: The Fourth of July in America perpetually binds us to the

  • Air Mobility Command's 'Rodeo 2009' just weeks away

    Air Mobility Command's premier mobility competition will take place July 19 to 24 at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., AMC officials said.The international competition focuses on improving worldwide air mobility forces' professional core abilities and features more than 40 aircraft participating in

  • Largest solar panel farm in Utah commissioned at Hill Air Force Base

    The largest photovoltaic array solar panel farm in Utah was commissioned at Hill Air Force Base during a ceremony June 25. "Currently the peak load of this system ... is 220 kilowatts," said Harry Briesmaster, 75th Civil Engineering Group director, during the commissioning ceremony. "That is enough

  • Air Force Week in Photos

    This week's photo highlights feature 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.

  • July 1 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations July 1, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs employed 30mm Avenger

  • July 2 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations July 2, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, a coalition aircraft executed a strike with a guided

  • July 3 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations July 3, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, a Royal Air Force GR-4 Tornado used a Paveway guided

  • Air Force chief of staff to deliver keynote address at C2ISR Symposium

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz will be a keynote speaker at the Air Force C2ISR Symposium and Technology Exposition, to be held Sept. 28-30 at the MGM Grand Hotel at Foxwoods in Ledyard, Conn.  C2ISR is command, control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.General Schwartz,

  • Reaper crash in southern Afghanistan

    An MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft system crashed in southern Afghanistan July 4. The crash was not due to hostile fire. The aircraft is a medium-to-high altitude long-endurance, unmanned aircraft system. The MQ-9's primary mission is as a persistent hunter-killer against emerging targets to achieve

  • July 4 airpower summary: Predators protect friendly units

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force trooops in Afghanistan during operations July 4, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer used guided bomb unit-31s to

  • Airmen rescue aids in 'Golden Hour' recovery of coalition forces

    Racing against the clock, rescue flights launch into action to retrieve wounded servicemembers and other battlefield casualties. As the helicopters hover over a hostile area, the Guardian Angel team rushes out to retrieve the wounded - often risking their own lives "so that others may live." The

  • Airmen coordinate smooth transition of wounded to higher medical care

    An Airman with the aeromedical evacuation liaison team looks and shields his eyes as a helicopter touches down just outside of the hospital at Camp Bastion. A litter team rushes forward. A Marine's life is saved. All in a day's work for the aeromedical evacuation liaison team. Getting wounded

  • Operation Pacific Angel set to begin

    The United States will join local authorities in three Pacific nations in July and September to provide medical, dental, and engineering assistance as part of Operation Pacific Angel 2009. More than 150 Airmen and Soldiers will fly via C-17 Globemaster IIIs, C-130 Hercules, and KC-135 Stratotankers

  • July 5 airpower summary: Helicopters rapidly transport patients

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations July 5, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, a Royal Air Force GR-4 Tornado conducted a strafing run

  • Commissary officials raising the bar on customer service

    Even with customer satisfaction at an all-time high, the Defense Commissary Agency's leaders are raising the bar and sending every one of their 18,000 employees to Dale Carnegie Training on World Class Customer Service. "We are focused on building upon our strengths so we can provide the very best

  • Nonlethal capabilities provide alternative to deadly force

    When shouting isn't enough to stop someone who poses a threat, nonlethal weapons provide an alternative to lethal force. "Non-lethal weapons give warfighters crucial escalation-of-force options between shouting and shooting," said Kelley Hughes, strategic communications officer for the Joint

  • Directive re-emphasizes protecting Afghan civilians

    A new tactical directive for coalition forces serving in Afghanistan re-emphasizes the importance of preventing civilian casualties. Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan, released the directive July 2. It builds on

  • Airmen train with Army to become JTACs

    Rain and mud may not have been forecasted for radio operators, maintainers and drivers' training in the wilderness, but Airmen geared up anyway to practice combat lifesaver skills, convoys, air-assault egression, and improvised explosive device reaction with one goal in mind: to become combat

  • AFSO 21 improves wash rack ops

    The group was assembled as part of the Air Force-wide implementation plan for Air Force Smart Operations for the 21 Century. Washes are part of a corrosion-control process used to extend the life and reliability of Air Force aircraft. Corrosive stuff is deposited onto the aircraft from various

  • Photo essay: inspecting the mail

    A team from the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron must inspect mail that comes into Baghdad that is improperly labeled, doesn't have a return address or gets lost in the system.  The Iraqi government returns the mail to the Joint Military Mail Terminal, or JMMT,  on good faith, but the

  • Band performs on 'Today' show

    Members of the Air Force Band Ceremonial Brass performed in New York City July 4 on NBC's "Today" show. The band has performed on every Independence Day since 1998 on the "Today" show, which reaches an estimated 5.38 million viewers each morning and more than 17 million on the Fourth of July. When

  • Air Force offers assistance with adoption expenses

    With thousands of children available for adoption in the U.S. alone, and with adoption fees that can reach well into the thousands of dollars, Air Force officials are helping ease the initial financial obligations for those military families opting to adopt. Through the Adoption Expense

  • Airmen help shape future of 52nd Fighter Wing

    Wing leaders here are striving to continuously improve the way the mission is accomplished, and they want every member of the team, from the newest slick-sleeves and butter bars to retired chief master sergeants now in the civilian work force, to participate in the process. There are a number of

  • Air mobility, tanker support key elements of Global Thunder

    Air Mobility Command airlift and tanker support were key contributors to Exercise Global Thunder 2009 that ran June 24 through 30, AMC officials said recently. Global Thunder 2009, a U.S. Strategic Command-led exercise, provided training opportunities for various service components, units and their

  • Russia allows transit for Afghanistan-bound U.S. troops

    An agreement signed in Moscow July 6 permits the United States to transit troops and weapons across Russian territory en route to Afghanistan. The pact, signed during President Barack Obama's visit to the Kremlin, permits 4,500 flights per year through Russian airspace, and saves the U.S. government

  • Obama, Medvedev agree to reduce nuclear stockpiles

    President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev agreed in Moscow July 6 to reduce U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons stockpiles by up to a third. President Medvedev said during a news conference with President Obama at the Kremlin that the two leaders have forged an understanding on a

  • NASA research to help aircraft avoid ocean storms, turbulence

    NASA officials here are funding the development of a prototype system to provide aircraft with updates about severe storms and turbulence as they fly across remote ocean regions. Scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo., in partnership with colleagues at the

  • Flight engineers: Critical component to combat search, rescue mission

    If the actions of a combat search and rescue crew were viewed as a symphony, flight engineers would be the conductors. They are experts on the aircraft's weapons systems, know how to operate the hoist, serve as radio operators and operate the .50 caliber machine gun. In many ways, it's man in

  • AFPC officials accepting applications for Test Pilot School

    Officers interested in applying for the next annual Air Force Test Pilot School Selection Board should submit their applications to the Air Force Personnel Center here by Aug. 14.The selection board will convene Sept. 28 through Oct. 2 at AFPC for classes beginning in July 2010 and July 2011. "The

  • Defense Education Forum panelists discuss modernization, emerging missions

    Defense Education Forum panelists recently gathered at the Reserve Officers Association headquarters here to discuss the Air Force Reserve's role in modernization and emerging missions. Maj. Gen. Howard N. Thompson, the Air Force Reserve deputy, cited the importance of volunteerism as Reserve Airmen

  • H1N1 cases confirmed in Elmendorf community

    Officials from the Alaska State Public Health Laboratory and Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine Laboratory confirmed several cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza virus in the community here July 6. The patients did not require hospitalization and have made full recoveries. These cases have had no impact

  • 927th leans forward with AFSO 21 Level II certification

    Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, or AFSO 21, is an improvement model customized to the unique environment of the United States Air Force which leverages improvement methods from various sources such as Lean, Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints and Business Process Reengineering. AFSO 21

  • Officials mandate base housing for military families at Okinawa

    U.S. military leaders on Okinawa approved a policy to require all incoming military families to reside on base beginning Aug. 1. The change comes as an effort to save money as military family housing on Okinawa sits at just more than 50 percent capacity while families living off base are given an

  • Logistics support officials take the lead in transforming supply

    For more than a decade, Air Force supply chain leaders and their commercial industry peers have met with nearly identical objectives: finding ways to enhance the Air Force supply chain to improve support to the warfighter. Recently, Air Force Global Logistics Support Center officials along

  • July 6 airpower summary: Tanker crews put in long hours

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations July 6, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fired warning shots from

  • Airmen provide presidential support in Moscow

    Two C-130 Hercules aircraft and aircrews from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, hauled a 17-member presidential support team, 10 portable light carts and a utility truck to Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport July 3 in preparation for President Barack Obama's visit to the region. Planning the travel

  • Airman's Roll Call: Ancillary training

    This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on changes to Air Force ancillary training programs. A new Air Force policy streamlines redundant and outdated ancillary training programs and aligns expeditionary skills training with warfighter requirements. Air Force leaders are also addressing the time

  • Moody A-10s to receive new sniper pods

    Moody Air Force Base A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots operating over Iraq and Afghanistan this fall will be armed with new targeting pods designed to increase the already lethal capabilities. A number of the 23rd Fighter Group's A-10s will be upgraded to the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods, which are

  • Airmen push endurance to limit with triathlon

    Thirty-eight Airmen and civilians participated in the Sprint Triathlon here recently.  It was a triathlon that proved to be anything but ordinary. The triathlon, hosted by members of the 39th Force Support Squadron, challenged the participants with three grueling events: run, bike and swim."The

  • Defense schools work to raise awareness, prevent suicides

    Officials from Defense Department schools are taking on the tough topic of suicide to prevent what is a leading cause of death among teens. Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among 15- to 19-year-olds, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, and that makes it an important topic for

  • Air Force wounded warrior visits White House

    Senior Airman Duane Dunlap enjoyed a very special Independence Day with President Barack Obama. Airman Dunlap, a security forces journeyman assigned to the 59th Patient Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, was one of five Airmen chosen to participate in a Fourth of July Salute to the Military

  • General Koziol recognized with Air Force's top management award

    Lt. Gen. John C. Koziol, the former commander of the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency and now deputy under secretary of defense for joint and coalition warfighter support and the director of the Department of Defense Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Task

  • New software release provides clearer deployment picture

    Air Force officials here recently rolled out a new software upgrade whose benefits extend well beyond the office setting to the often arduous expeditionary arena. The new 4104 version of the Deliberate and Crisis Action Planning and Execution Segments, or DCAPES, consolidates all personnel

  • Team keeps mission cool

    In today's technology-driven world, computer systems are integral to supporting missions and operations throughout U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility. These mission-essential computer servers are kept ready thanks to the constant maintenance and upkeep by the 379th Expeditionary Civil

  • Air Force Safety Center wins 22 communications awards

    The Air Force Safety Center has won a total of 22 communications awards from two different programs that recognize excellence in communications.  Eighteen Awards of Excellence were presented by Communicator Awards and four Awards of Excellence were presented by APEX.Communicator Awards is the

  • Hanscom team works to upgrade airborne comm for top U.S. officials

    A Hanscom Air Force Base team is working to acquire a comprehensive system that will provide highly reliable, secure and integrated voice, data and video equipment for airborne U.S. senior leaders. Those leaders include the vice president, secretary of defense, secretary of state, numerous senior

  • F.E. Warren officials host national-level exercise

    A simulated terrorist attack on a 90th Missile Wing intercontinental ballistic missile launch facility provided the exercise scenario for Nuclear Weapon Accident/Incident Exercise 2009. This national-level exercise involved 11 federal agencies and 1,300 personnel. Accident response and associated

  • Air Force Communications Agency to change name

    The Air Force Communications Agency will be redesignated the Air Force Network Integration Center to more accurately reflect its role in cyberspace operations July 15 here.The name change comes at a time when the Air Force continues to align its cyber forces under Air Force Space Command, located at

  • Air Force combat camera team discusses role of media in military

    The media has played a major role in every American military conflict, from the use of newspapers and pamphlets to stoke the American Revolution to embedded journalists in the Middle East. But a story often lost in the mix is that of the military journalists; those men and women in uniform whose

  • Doolittle Raiders to attend Air Mobility Rodeo

    Three of the remaining nine Doolittle Raiders will attend the Air Mobility Rodeo July 19 through 24 at McChord Air Force Base, Wash. The Doolittle Raiders are special guests of Gen. Arthur J. Lichte, the commander of Air Mobility Command, and are scheduled to attend Rodeo competitions,

  • 2 Airmen chosen as astronaut candidates

    Two Air Force officers have been chosen by NASA officials for the 2009 Astronaut Candidate Class July 9.Lt. Col. Mike Hopkins and Maj. Jack Fischer will attend the first iteration of a program designed to ready astronaut candidates for new missions and settings.With NASA's space shuttle program

  • Air Force accepting nominations for 2009 Lance P. Sijan award

    Air Force officials here are now accepting nominations for the 2009 Lance P. Sijan Air Force Leadership Award. This award recognizes the accomplishments of officers and enlisted members who have demonstrated the highest quality of leadership in the performance of their duties and their personal

  • Remains of 7 troops killed in Afghanistan return home

    The remains of seven American troops killed July 6 during combat operations in Afghanistan returned to their nation during a dignified transfer July 8 here. Twenty-six family members from every region of the country stood on the tarmac witnessing their loved one's return. Subdued voices of the carry

  • Officials release Lackland ground accident report

    An Air Combat Command accident investigation board report into the Jan. 12 death of a Combat Controller Selection Course student who was removed from life support three days after a training incident was released July 7 by Air Force officials here. Based on the accident investigation board report,

  • Airmen in EC-130H unit complete 2,000th combat mission

    An EC-130H Compass Call aircrew here completed their unit's 2,000th combat mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom July 8. The Airmen, assigned to the 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron, provided direct support to coalition ground forces in Afghanistan on the milestone

  • Lackland civilian, Asheville Airman selected for meritorious service award

    Air Force officials here selected a master sergeant and a civilian as the winners of the 2009 Society of American Indian Government Employees Meritorious Service Award. Master Sgt. Angela Tristan, assigned to the 14th Weather Squadron in Asheville, N.C., and Rhonda Battles, assigned to the 343rd

  • Civilian development 'roadmap' launched

    Air Force officials here recently approved four initiatives that make up part of the civilian institutional development "roadmap." The initiatives are key to helping civilians excel professionally while working to achieve the Air Force mission of fly, fight and win in air, space and cyberspace. Air

  • Chief of staff visits with Elmendorf Airmen

    The Air Force's top uniformed member spent time with the men and women of Elmendorf Air Force Base July 6. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz received mission briefings from Col. Thomas Bergeson, 3rd Wing commander; visited the 3rd Wing's award-winning hospital; and stopped in at Hangar 1

  • ESC, MITRE officials take hands-on approach to terminal management

    Officials at Electronic Systems Center and MITRE Corp. are taking a hands-on approach to managing a major satellite communications terminal program, especially now that they have purchased and set one up in their own backyard. More specifically, a team from the 653rd Electronic Systems Wing's Space

  • Air Force Week in Photos

    This week's photo highlights feature 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.

  • July 7 airpower summary: A-10s end enemy attacks

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations July 7, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, in the vicinity of Gereshk, an Air Force B-1B Lancer

  • Force Development announces new civilian orientation course

    As the Air Force continues developing its total force initiatives, heritage, culture and core values are now available to new civilians with the advent of a comprehensive online "bluing" program. The online Air Force New Employee Orientation, or NEO, course ensures civilian employees receive a solid

  • Def Leppard, Raven Drum Foundation offer free concert tickets

    The rock group Def Leppard and Raven Drum Foundation have started giving away 100 free concert tickets to military members and veterans with military ID for each show in the 2009 Def Leppard summer concert tour to honor the military and provide a little fun and excitement over the summer months.

  • Rescue Coordination Center officials help save 3 lives

    Air Force Rescue Coordination Center officials here helped coordinate three separate search and rescue operations in Utah, Washington and Colorado July 8 with local and state agencies saving the lives of three American citizens. The Beaver County Sheriff and Utah Department of Safety contacted the

  • Report urges timeline for tobacco-free military

    The military has come a long way from the time when it packaged cigarettes in with rations, but more must be done, according to an Institute of Medicine report. The report, titled "Combating Tobacco in Military and Veteran Populations," calls for Defense Department officials to set a timeline to

  • Airmen pull motorist from burning vehicle

    Two members of the 341st Maintenance Operations Squadron rescued a resident of Belt, Mont., June 26 after his pickup struck a bridge, caught fire, left the road and came to a stop upside down in Belt Creek in Montana. Senior Airmen Christopher Zachary and Kyle Long where driving on Hughsville Road

  • All active-duty, most Reserve components meet recruiting goals

    All active-duty military components met or exceeded their recruiting goals in June, with the Marine Corps adding the highest percentage of its target to its ranks, Defense Department officials here announced July 10. Military Reserve components, with the exception of the Army National Guard, also

  • Scholarship program rewards more than 600 military children

    The 2009 Scholarships for Military Children Program has awarded 625 scholarships worth $1,500 each to children across the United States and overseas. "We know education is the key to a better future," said Defense Commissary Agency Director and CEO Philip E. Sakowitz Jr. "And, over the past nine

  • New Air Force sexual assault prevention, response Web site announced

    To reinforce the Air Force's commitment to eliminating incidents of sexual assault, officials here have debuted a new Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Web site to raise awareness and provide prevention training, education, and victim advocacy. "Sexual assault is absolutely inconsistent with

  • Air Force Academy officials responding to flu cases

    U.S. Air Force Academy health professionals are currently caring for a number of basic cadets exhibiting symptoms consistent with the Centers for Disease Control criteria for influenza-like illness, or ILI. Since July 6, 88 cadets have met the CDC criteria for ILI. These cadets are receiving medical

  • Military leaders embrace social media

    The very day he assumed his post as NATO's supreme allied commander for Europe last week, Navy Adm. James Stavridis reached out in a way none of the previous 15 NATO commanders since Army Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower had: he posted a blog. Admiral Stavridis has had a lot of firsts in his military

  • Airpower Summary for July 8

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations July 8, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, near Kandahar, an Air Force B-1B Lancer stopped an

  • Tops In Blue entertain deployed forces in Kyrgyzstan

    Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and coalition forces got a taste of America July 9 through 10 as the Air Forces' expeditionary entertainers, Tops in Blue, visited Manas Air Base to lift the spirits of troops supporting expeditionary operations.Tops in Blue, some of the Air Force's most talented

  • Military Health System embraces social media

    The Military Health System is one of the many Defense Department organizations embracing social networking in order to provide information to and receive feedback from servicemembers. Dr. Michael Kilpatrick, director of strategic communications for the Military Health System, detailed the

  • Latest Red Flag exercise begins at Nellis

    Southern Nevada residents may notice increased military aircraft activity as the Air Force begins Red Flag 09-4 July 13. Red Flag is a realistic combat training exercise involving the air forces of the United States and its allies. The exercise is conducted on the 15,000-square-mile Nevada Test and

  • French unmanned aircraft protect Bagram Airmen, coalition forces

    Airmen of the French unmanned aircraft system operational squadron here are active on patrols in the sky over Afghanistan looking for any movement that could mean danger to friendly troops as they provide coalition and International Security Assistance Force troops with intelligence, surveillance

  • Air Force officials release Predator accident report

    Air Force officials here announced an MQ-1 Predator that crashed just short of Ali Base, Iraq, Oct. 19, 2008, was due to a quill shaft bearing failure, according to an Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released July 13 here. The $3.7 million Predator, assigned to the 432nd Wing

  • Air Force officials release Reaper accident report

    Air Force officials here announced an MQ-9 Reaper that crashed March 20 at Fort Irwin, Calif., was due to an improperly assembled oil system temperature control valve, according to an Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released July 13 here. The Reaper, assigned to the 42nd

  • Officials announce Predator, Reaper additional formal training location

    Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico will be the new location for an additional MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper formal training unit, announced the commander of Air Combat Command here July 13. Gen. John D.W. Corley, with concurrence from the chief of staff of the Air Force, announced the additional

  • Airmen improve base in Iraq

    Airmen of the 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron are changing the landscape of Contingency Operating Base Basra rapidly. Some buildings already have been built by engineering specialists from 76 bases throughout the United States have improved the operational capability of Multinational Division

  • Airmen build new Diyala operations center

    Officials from the U.S. Army and Iraqi security forces turned to Airmen of the Detachment 6, 732nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron to build a new operations center outside of the city limits of Baqubah, Iraq.After years of cooperation between Iraqi and U.S. security forces at the Diyala

  • Academy officials continue flu treatment, response

    Air Force Academy health professionals are continuing care for a number of basic cadet trainees who are exhibiting symptoms consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for influenza like illness, or ILI. As of July 13, 121 cadets have met the CDC criteria for ILI. Those