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  • Emulator boosts GPS training

    Gone are the days of using a compass for direction finding.Now, through a constellation of 29 satellites, warfighters, banks, automobile drivers and others benefit from the Air Force's technological advancements with the Global Positioning System.Owned and operated by the Air Force, GPS provides

  • International student training requests increase

    The business of training international students is booming for a small unit here.Requests for globetrotting teams from the Air Force Security Assistance Training Squadron have skyrocketed in recent months with the expansion of the global war on terrorism.Already this year, AFSAT is ahead of pace to

  • Combat Flightline keeps C-130s flying

    The year was 1965. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was still alive and man had yet to land on the moon. Amazingly, most of the C-130E Hercules aircraft currently based here were flying in 1965; many were used during the Vietnam conflict. Like a car, these aircraft will last longer and perform better

  • Airman shares patriotism with thousands

    The honor guard team members were at attention on the sideline, hearts pounding and adrenaline racing, although the momentous game would not begin for another half hour. The honor and glory was not for the servicemembers themselves, but for their flag, their country and their military.Tech Sgt.

  • Leave program helps activated fed employees

    Federal employees who are called up by a Reserve or National Guard unit to support a contingency can use special leave to supplement lost wages.They can receive their civilian income instead of military pay for 22 days if their civil service job pays more than the military.“Although not new to the

  • New dining facility opens in Iraq

    After several months of planning and construction, the new dining facility here officially opened for business Jan. 27. The facility broke ground in early December and served its first meal Jan. 22. With a full-sized kitchen, serving lines and a highly trained professional staff, Maj. Robert

  • K-2 airmen use innovation to prevent ‘Groundhog Day’

    For 25 members of the aerial port flight here, every day would be "Groundhog Day" if they focused only on the day-to-day task of moving passengers and cargo. But for this team from the Nevada Air National Guard's 152nd Airlift Wing, the mission is not just loading and unloading aircraft, it is

  • 'Force shaping' means some can leave active duty early

    There is good news for thousands of airmen considering leaving active duty who thought they could not because of existing service obligations.An effort dubbed "force shaping" is opening the exit doors to officers and enlisted servicemembers in select career fields and year groups by waiving some

  • Medical care at 15,000 feet

    On the ground and in the air, airmen in this part of the world can rest assured that medical care is always close by.If a person is injured, medical people on the ground stabilize and treat the patient. But if that person needs to be transported by air for specialized care, a team of medical

  • Certificate of Creditable Coverage automatically issued

    Department of Defense Military Health System officials are now automatically issuing a Certificate of Creditable Coverage to any former uniformed services sponsor or family member who loses eligibility for health-care benefits under Tricare. The service began Feb. 1.Eligibility for Tricare may end

  • Group develops C-5 grease

    A low-cost, multipurpose grease developed by Air Force Research Laboratory technicians has received a positive evaluation from Air Force maintainers. The evaluation follows nearly 1,529 airframe hours, which adds up to roughly 11 months of operation, on the C-5 Galaxy aircraft.Equipment specialists

  • Mural thanks fallen servicemembers

    Bayshore patriots wave flags, kindergartners write thank you letters and spouses send pictures, all supporting servicemembers fighting during Operation Enduring Freedom. Stewart Wavell-Smith took a different approach to show his appreciation to the military, especially those who give the ultimate

  • Squadron supports 'Freedom Hangar' mission

    People from the 728th Air Mobility Squadron’s aerial port flight have a hand in servicing just about every aircraft that transits here, whether it is supporting Operation Enduring Freedom or carrying passengers home after a holiday in the United States.While their job may not be as visible or

  • Air Force boxer takes national crown

    The Air Force has its first national boxing champion since Jerome Bennett in 1977.James Johnson, stationed at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, took home the title in the 165-pound weight class at the 2004 Everlast U.S. Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo., recently.Johnson won four fights on his way

  • Multimedia shop keeps focus

    An airman peers through the lens of the weapon, anticipating the moment the target is in sight. The target steps off the plane. “Closer,” the airman murmurs as her eye shoots back and forth in the lens, checking the scene. Her finger squeezes gently. Click. She shoots, and another distinguished

  • Patriot Express restructures

    Fiscal realities and limited use have led U.S. Transportation Command to restructure Patriot Express. Patriot Express is the military's chartered commercial air service for transporting servicemembers on permanent-change-of-station orders and their families to and from overseas locations. Air

  • Homelink ensures family communication

    Operation Homelink is a nonprofit organization that facilitates e-mail communication between deployed servicemembers and their loved ones by providing free, refurbished computers to families of junior-enlisted servicemembers deployed overseas.“Military families want to know their loved ones are safe

  • Now showing: Feb. 2 edition of AFTV News

    The growing effect long activations are having on reservists and Air National Guardsmen spotlights the latest edition of Air Force Television News. Staff Sgt. Melissa Allan visits a reservist at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., whose family is trying to decide if re-enlistment is an option because of

  • Airmen combat sickness in community

    Airmen of the 447th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron joined soldiers to provide medical care and humanitarian assistance to residents of a local community Jan. 23. The visit to a small, impoverished town about 10 miles from here was part of the Medical Civic Action Program. The program

  • Proposed budget shows AF path

    The fiscal 2005 Defense Department budget provides the foundation upon which the Air Force will continue the war on terrorism.Maj. Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz, Air Force deputy assistant secretary for budget, discussed how the service’s budget priorities would allow airmen to be a better air and space

  • Oversight office changes name

    The agency that ensures the Air Force gets its money’s worth from contracts totaling more than half the service’s annual procurement budget takes on a new identity Feb. 1.The Air Force Program Executive Officer for Combat and Mission Support officially stands up, changing its name from AFPEO for

  • Air Force redesigns Web site

    The Air Force is unveiling a new look, feel and functionality for its official Web site Feb. 1.“Air Force Link, the service’s Web site, will have a cleaner, more modern look,” said Leslie Benito, chief of news technology and project manager for the redesign for Air Force News Service, a part of the

  • Winter record set at Grand Forks

    A record was set here for the coldest day in January when temperatures reached minus 37 on Jan. 29 and 30, said officials at the 319th Operations Support Squadron weather flight here.The base is also experiencing one of the snowiest winters on record,From Jan. 24 to 26, the base received 21 inches

  • USTRANSCOM tackles rotations

    The U.S. Transportation Command's basic mission is moving the nation's military wherever and whenever required. The current task is to redeploy the forces who defeated the Iraqi military and liberated that country and replace them with fresh troops. At the same time, forces must be redeployed from

  • TO management becoming easier

    Ever receive an update to a technical order that is out of sequence? For instance, update No. 11 came after update No. 12 rather than before.Ever ask for a specific technical order and never receive it? Technical orders provide the blueprint maintainers use for the upkeep of aircraft in the Air

  • Commander selections get boost

    The latest 503 officers selected as support commanders highlights a new way of identifying future commanders using force development, said Air Force Personnel Center officials here."Squadron commanders are the heart and soul of the Air Force and support command is a prestigious leadership position,"

  • Guard legal team working hard

    For some, the base legal office is a place to take care of wills or powers of attorney, but the office staff here does a lot more than that.Lt. Col. Brent Wright, an Oklahoma Air National Guard staff judge advocate, and Master Sgt. Mary Alice Rebis, a New York ANG paralegal, are teamed together to

  • Challenger crew memorialized on Mars

    Late Air Force Lt. Cols. Francis R. (Dick) Scobee and Ellison S. Onizuka are among those now memorialized on the red planet. NASA officials have named the landing site of the Mars rover Opportunity in honor of the Space Shuttle Challenger's final crew. The area in the vast flatland called

  • Personnel Web site slow

    Internet users trying to access the Air Force Personnel Center Web site recently are seeing unusual slowdowns and having problems connecting."We're aware of the problem and have brought in industry experts to help us resolve it as soon as possible," said Master Sgt. Gregory Brennfleck, Web

  • Sergeant sentenced for larceny

    A staff sergeant with the 377th Security Forces Squadron was found guilty of larceny, making false official statements and destroying and altering public records. He was sentenced to a bad-conduct discharge, reduction in rank to airman basic, 10 months confinement and total forfeiture of pay and

  • February issue of Citizen Airman available

    Air Force Reserve Command's 908th Airlift Wing at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., is on the leading edge of the Air Force's effort to modernize its fleet of C-130 Hercules aircraft.C-130H-2s from the 908th, along with C-130E models from the Idaho Air National Guard's 124th Wing in Boise, will be the

  • Military retirees to see pay increase

    An estimated 150,000 military retirees will see an increase in their pay Feb. 2. The National Defense Authorization Act, enacted in November, significantly modified a long-standing law preventing retirees from receiving full retired pay if they also received disability pay from the Department of

  • Soldiers leaving AF gates

    A mix of airmen, civilians, contractors and new technology will replace Army National Guard military policemen now posted at Air Force bases.The original agreement struck between the Air Force and the Army called for using the Guardsmen at base entry points for two years, enough time to find a

  • Randolph gets its first T-38C

    The first T-38C Talon destined for operations in the 12th Flying Training Wing touched down here Jan. 21 at 10:06 a.m.There were no brass bands or flag-carrying marchers to greet the new arrival. In fact, the small cluster of people waiting on the ramp gave no hint of the importance of the event.

  • New software eases workload

    Advanced software technology has arrived at the 43rd Fighter Squadron that will soon benefit all of Tyndall and beyond.Known as the Combat Crew Training Management System, the automatic tracking program checks the progress of F/A-22 Raptor students, what stage of training they have completed, and

  • Targeting pods bolster F-16 training

    The 149th Fighter Wing received something Jan. 14 that will literally put its current class of F-16 fighter pilots right on target with their training.The unit will be the first in the Air Force to graduate pilots from the F-16 Fighting Falcon basic course with targeting-pod training. The enhanced

  • Exercise tests shuttle rescue capabilities

    Lajes Field's capabilities to save a downed space shuttle crew will be put to the test during a daylong exercise here Jan. 30.The exercise involves American and Portuguese forces and a Defense Department agency for space flight.The combined event joins 65th Air Base Wing and Portuguese Air Base 4

  • Tallil NCO makes history

    With history occurring here every day, there needs to be someone to make sure it is never lost. The person who makes sure that happens is Tech. Sgt. Yancy Mailes, 332nd Expeditionary Air Wing historian, deployed from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.“I collect the raw documentation that allows

  • Wife helps identify drug problem

    “No matter what kind of person you are, drugs will ruin you,” said an obviously uneasy, 21-year-old Airman Basic Michael Dancer as he nervously turned the wedding band on his finger.Wearing a blue correctional custody jump suit, Airman Michael spoke from experience. Though he was not caught driving

  • Changes in law environmental friendly

    Portions of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 2004 make it easier for the Air Force to execute its mission while protecting the environment at the same time.The act includes language allowing the National Fish and Wildlife Service to legally consider measures that may already be in

  • Camera phones pose risk to security

    Carrying the latest "have-to-have" electronic gadget may mean big trouble for the person who brings it into unauthorized locations.Officials from the National Security Agency said in an advisory that new cellular phones with integral digital cameras pose an unacceptable security risk to homeland

  • Tricare Standard allows civilian care

    People covered by the Tricare Standard military health care plan no longer need approval from their military treatment facility to seek inpatient care at civilian hospitals.The need to get a nonavailability statement before seeking civilian inpatient care expired Dec. 28 under a provision of the

  • AF creates personnel system team

    The Air Force has formed a team to implement the Defense Department’s most dramatic civilian personnel system transformation in the last 50 years.The National Security Personnel System gives DOD managers the flexibility to place civilian workers where they are needed most, without delay. It reduces

  • Battlefield calls go through MacDill

    American military commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan reach for their satellite phones when they want clear, secure and fast communications. More often than not, the operator who patches through their calls is sitting in a building here.People at the one-stop-shop Regional Satcom Support Center here

  • Air Force artist shows work

    At work, Master Sgt. Jeffery Kunkle is the quality assurance inspector for the 725th Air Mobility Squadron here. To friends and family, he is an aspiring artist. Sergeant Kunkle has been drawing since he was 8 years old, and recently showed his work at Peña Chuscho, a local art gallery located in

  • Airman at State of Union address

    Staff Sgt. Clinton Smith, of the 11th Security Forces Squadron at the Pentagon, was pleased and surprised with the additional temporary duties he assumed Jan. 20.Two months ago, Sergeant Smith was serving his country by performing security-forces duties while deployed in Iraq. On Jan. 20, he was

  • Dental techs to train as hygienists

    The Air Force has teamed up with Trident Technical College in Charleston to send dental technicians to an Air Force-sponsored dental hygiene training scholarship program.Tech. Sgt. Alycia Miller from Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, and Staff Sgt. Noreena Svoboda from McChord AFB, Wash., are the

  • AF wife takes deep breath after transplant

    Theresa Merkal was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age 2. Like 30,000 other Americans with CF, she struggles to live with the most common fatal hereditary disease among Caucasians, according to the American Lung Association. Cystic fibrosis is the result of a defective gene that causes the body

  • Center helping deployed airmen

    Deployed personnel specialists now have around-the-clock assistance in performing personnel actions for deployed airmen that previously may have taken days to complete. The Air Force Contact Center will now provide one-stop customer support for deployed operations, said Lt. Col. Jacqueline Harry,

  • Program offers ‘Vigilant Look’ at AFSPC

    While the Air Force encourages its personnel to "cross further into the blue" through its new force-development philosophy, Air Force Space Command officials have been using a unique application of that philosophy -- the Vigilant Look program.Nearly four years old, Vigilant Look encapsulates the

  • Civil engineers receive honors

    Three civilian professional associations joined the Air Force in honoring civil engineers Jan 13.Each year, the Society of American Military Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers and the Northeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives, partner with the Air

  • Reserve command seeks recruiters

    Air Force Reserve Command officials are looking for exceptional airmen and noncommissioned officers to become Reserve recruiters."We have a number of openings for recruiters throughout the country," said Capt. Chuck Pittman, chief of the Air Force Reserve Recruiting Service operations branch at AFRC

  • Assignment listing available Feb. 3

    The Enlisted Quarterly Assignment Listing for overseas assignments for the October-to-December cycle will be available Feb. 3.Individuals need to contact their military personnel flights to update their preferences by Feb. 19, said officials at the Air Force Personnel Center here. Airmen will be

  • Five servicemembers laid to rest

    Five veterans of the war on terror were laid to rest Jan. 21 in Arlington National Cemetery.The five military members -- four from the Air Force and one from the Army -- were aboard an MH-53M Pave Low helicopter when it crashed in Afghanistan Nov. 23 while supporting Operation Mountain Resolve, part

  • Now showing: Jan. 19 edition of AFTV News

    The last of four special editions of Air Force Television News focuses on Air Force people and some of the outstanding contributions they have made to the service’s mission and to their communities during 2003.In the first segment, Staff Sgt. Joe Wallace discovers what life is like for an airman who

  • Thunderbirds accident report released

    Pilot error caused a U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds F-16 aircraft to crash shortly after takeoff at an airshow Sept. 14 at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. The pilot ejected just before the aircraft hit the ground.According to the accident investigation board report released Jan. 21, the pilot

  • Small base has big mission

    At first glance, the little-known airfield in Karshi-Khanabad, often called K-2, appears to be nothing more than a sleepy, little whistle-stop for aircraft supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.For airmen assigned to the 416th Air Expeditionary Group here, and the aircrews they support, the base and

  • Chaplains go where needed

    The Geneva Convention of 1949 gave military chaplains their status as noncombatants, which, among other things, means they are not allowed to carry weapons.Given that fact, it would seem rational for chaplains to stay behind their desks or pulpits out of harms way; however, that is not where you are

  • Tactical controllers stand strong

    For Air Force tactical air control party airmen, "The strong will stand, the weak will fall by the wayside," is more than just a motto; it serves as a battle cry.Wherever American military forces are found, TACP airmen are usually nearby. Unofficially nicknamed the "Air Force infantry" because they

  • Service demographics available

    Air Force Personnel Center officials recently published the quarterly demographics report offering a snapshot of the service's active-duty and civilian force as of Dec. 31.The report outlines information regarding the Air Force’s 372,305 active-duty airmen and 139,083 civilian employees, such as

  • Back pain becomes Childs’ play

    Capt. John Childs, a physical therapist, is literally taking on a pain in the backside. By studying how patients respond to certain treatments, Captain Childs is aiming to reduce lower back pain, a condition that afflicts millions of Americans.Captain Childs, an Air Force Institute of Technology

  • Cargo, pax all in a day’s work

    Air Force and coalition forces are working together to keep cargo and passengers moving through the aerial port here.Airmen from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., and Lackland AFB, Texas, have teamed with members of the Estonian military to move more than 4,000 passengers and 880 tons of cargo on

  • Transient alert keeps airflow moving

    Unlike the old saying which goes, “jack of all trades, master of none,” the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing’s transient alert team here are "airmen of all aircraft, masters of most."The team is primarily responsible for meeting the fuel, cargo and maintenance needs of military and commercial passenger

  • AAFES helping deployed troops

    Since setting up a mobile store at Tallil Air Base, Iraq, in April, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service continues providing "a little bit of home" to deployed troops.There are 30 exchanges in Iraq and 52 throughout operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, said Judd Anstey, AAFES public

  • Defense institute gets new home

    The new home of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute officially opened here Jan. 14.Dr. Davis S. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, cut the ribbon to open the two-story, 92,000-square-foot facility.A new-campus task force was established in the early 1990s,

  • Veteran hiring increases

    Hiring of military veterans across the federal civilian work force increased in fiscal 2002, the government's director of personnel said recently.In fact, hiring of veterans in the federal work force was up more than 19 percent over the previous fiscal year, said Kay Coles James, U.S. Office of

  • New GPS satellite operational

    Global Positioning System satellite IIR-10, which launched from here Dec. 21, is now fully operational."It is officially 'turned on' for the warfighter as of Jan. 12," said Capt. Thomas R. Ste. Marie, an Air Force launch controller with the 1st Space Launch Squadron here. "IIR-10 will appear on GPS

  • Air Force translator arraigned

    The opening session in the court-martial case involving Senior Airman Ahmad A. Al Halabi convened here Jan. 13. The accused is charged with Uniform Code of Military Justice violations including failure to obey a lawful general order, making false official statements and attempted espionage. The

  • Development changes affect chiefs

    The Air Force is transforming the way it manages and develops chief master sergeants as part of a servicewide change in professional development.“For more than a year now … we have begun major cultural changes in the Air Force, a new vision -- how to best develop our force for the future” said Brig.

  • AF committing 2,000 airmen to war

    Airmen vulnerable to deploy as part of the Silver Air and Space Expeditionary Force but not originally asked to go, could end up going after all. In a message sent to the major commands in late December, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper said continuing efforts in the war on terrorism

  • Prescribed fire destroys 30 acres at MacDill

    A raging fire decimated 30 acres of forest in 12 hours here Jan. 7. The good news is that was the whole idea.Since Tampa Bay is the lightning capital of the world, the prescribed burn dramatically cut the chance of a wildfire. Lightning strikes could naturally set off a fire that would be

  • D.C. Guardsmen have worldwide mission

    It would be hard to pick out pilots David Morales or John Moring III in a crowd most days when they are flying for the District of Columbia Air National Guard. And that is just the way they like it. They wear civilian shirts, ties and slacks, so they will not draw attention to themselves as U.S.

  • Forces winning Iraqi ‘hearts, minds’

    While overwhelming force brought a quick end to major combat operations in Iraq, it is the coalition’s ability to win over its people that will ultimately lead to a free Iraq, said U.S. Central Command’s deputy commander.During a quick visit here Jan. 12, the first of three in a daylong tour of

  • Captain donates marrow to save life

    When Capt. Brent Davis agreed to help drum up support for a bone marrow donor drive, he had no idea that 18 months and 1.5 liters of bone marrow later his actions may have saved a young man’s life.The journey began when a fellow officer contacted Captain Davis, 910th Airlift Wing public affairs

  • Development teams up, running

    Every officer career field now has development teams set up to “vector” officer career development. "They're up and running," said Col. Kathleen Grabowski, chief of assignment policy at the Air Force Personnel Center here. "They're applying a great deal of collective officer career experience to

  • Four airmen vie for GEICO awards

    Four Air Force noncommissioned officers have been chosen to represent the Air Force and vie for the 2003 Government Employee Insurance Company Military Service Awards.The NCOs' records will compete against other members of the armed forces in three categories. Staff Sgt. Mashawn Black and Senior

  • Medical priority for disabled vets

    Veterans Affairs officials want to send veterans with service-connected medical problems to the front of the line when it comes to receiving medical treatment at VA facilities.Anthony J. Principi, VA secretary, issued a new directive to all VA medical facilities requiring that "priority access" be

  • Airmen ensure runway safety

    Aircraft come, and aircraft go. Whether it is for training or a real-world mission, it is an everyday part of Air Force life.Without certain people to accomplish certain missions, the aircraft will not come, and the aircraft will not go. Maintainers, air traffic controllers, flight engineers,

  • ART leave no longer authorized

    Volunteerism by Air Force Reserve Command's full-time military technicians may drop as result of a new interpretation of law. Air reserve technicians can no longer use 44 days of military leave while serving on active duty outside the continental United States, said officials in the office of the

  • C-5 lands safely after emergency

    A C-5 Galaxy leaving Baghdad International Airport declared an in-flight emergency Jan. 8, at 6:20 a.m. Baghdad time, because of an explosion in the No. 4 engine.The crew immediately returned the aircraft to the airport and landed safely. The 11 crewmembers and 52 military personnel on board were

  • 'Fellows' get front-row view of government

    At a time when citizen airmen are being activated and deployed, making personal sacrifices and being placed in harms way, it is important the government they defend understands the issues facing them.To ensure they are represented in Congress, Air Force reservists participate in the Air Force

  • DOD resumes anthrax shots

    A federal judge ruled Jan. 7 that the Defense Department could again legally administer anthrax immunizations to servicemembers.Military commanders "should immediately resume the anthrax vaccination program," wrote Dr. David S.C. Chu, DOD personnel chief, in a department-wide memorandum. The

  • Airman fulfills 'the American dream'

    She is of Bulgarian descent, her last name is Irish and she picked up English as her fifth language.Although Senior Airman Deliana Kelly, of the 376th Mission Support Group, has lived in the United States for less than five years, she feels she is the living, breathing embodiment of “the American

  • Plant could get airmen in legal hot water

    A hallucinogenic plant, lawful to possess and use, is being reviewed as a controlled substance that could land airmen in legal hot water.The plant, Salvia divinorum is a perennial herb related to sage and a botanical cousin to an ornamental favored by gardeners, said Ven Sovo, of Tinker's Joint Drug

  • 2005 BRAC process begins

    Base commanders in the United States and its territories and possessions have been asked to gather data on their installations in preparation for the 2005 round of base realignments and closures, Defense Department officials said here Jan. 6. The fiscal 2002 National Defense Authorization Act

  • Voluntary NCO retraining begins

    The Air Force needs 1,100 noncommissioned officers in surplus career fields to voluntarily retrain into shortage career fields to balance the enlisted force in 2004.The voluntary phase of the fiscal 2004 NCO Retraining Program began Jan. 5 and ends Feb. 23. The program helps balance the enlisted

  • AFRL computer guides Mars rovers

    Radiation-resistant computers Air Force Research Laboratory experts here developed helped steer one of NASA's Mars exploration rovers to a safe landing on the red planet Jan. 4.The AFRL's Rad6000 32-bit microprocessors, manufactured for the Air Force by BAE systems, controlled the spacecraft during

  • New law protects servicemembers

    A new law replacing the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940 provides servicemembers greater protections to handle personal financial and legal obligations, officials said.President Bush signed the Service Members' Civil Relief Act into law Dec. 19."The focus of the (new act) is the same

  • SVS helps airmen stay fit, fed, entertained

    Adopting the slogan “Not without us,” airmen of the 506th Expeditionary Services Squadron routinely take on the daily challenge of keeping the people assigned here fed, fit and entertained. “You can’t sustain a long-term forward presence and world-class combat capability … without bringing services

  • Rumsfeld outlines DOD priorities

    The war on terrorism will remain the Defense Department's top priority in the new year, as officials continue to focus on improving and modernizing its programs, systems and forces to make them more responsive to 21st century requirements.Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said the department

  • Balad medics aid villagers

    She could not walk or sit. The 5-year-old girl was the size of a child two years younger. In the United States she would have had surgery in infancy and would have likely grown and developed normally. That is in the United States. In Iraq, millions of Iraqis have gone without proper medical care

  • Some tax statements now online

    Tax statements are now posted on myPay for Army, Navy and Air Force Reserve, Department of Defense and Department of Energy civilian employees, military annuitants and military retirees.The W-2 and 1099 statements are available for these groups to view and print, allowing them to submit their tax

  • Second language just what doctor ordered

    Imagine how frightening it must be to lie in a hospital bed and not be able to understand the people taking care of you. Now imagine how frustrating it would be if you are the doctor or nurse trying to care for a patient who cannot tell you where they hurt. A call went out Jan. 3 for anyone who

  • Now showing: Jan. 5 edition of AFTV News

    The celebrated history of the Air Force’s precision aerial demonstration team, the Thunderbirds, is the subject of the latest edition of Air Force Television News. Produced and anchored by Staff Sgt. Marty Rush, the program is the third in a series of four special editions during the holiday

  • Loans temporarily help reservists

    Overseas deployments can be tough on families. Naturally, the initial focus falls upon the emotional cost of separation. But, for guardsmen and reservists who own small businesses, the cost involved in a deployment takes on a whole new meaning.For the past two years, the U.S. Small Business

  • Airmen provide humanitarian relief

    An adolescent Afghan girl watched protectively over a group of small children as they looked for winter clothing amidst a pile of boxes containing humanitarian relief supplies. As crowds of people from neighboring villages pressed their way forward, the girl stood her ground and pushed people back

  • Operation Hero Miles expands

    Alice Rodgers, a single mother, paid more than $1,000 for round-trip tickets from Tipton, Iowa, so she and her daughter, Lindsey, could visit her son. He is recuperating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here from wounds he suffered in an ambush in Iraq.However, when Rodgers returns for her next

  • Airman country, faith ambassador

    In the military, servicemembers pull double duty as worker bees in their daily jobs and, on a more far-reaching level, U.S. ambassadors in their communities and around the world. One noncommissioned officer here pulls triple duty. He is also an ambassador for his religion -- Islam. Tech. Sgt.

  • Visual information flashes light on mission

    Thousands of unsung heroes are contributing to the rebuilding of Iraq, and a team of military visual information specialists at Baghdad International Airport are letting the American public see more of these dedicated airmen.“Primarily, we support the 447th Air Expeditionary Group by documenting

  • Officials may improve commissary benefits

    Finding ways to improve commissary benefits tops the Defense Department's list of things to do to enhance quality of life for servicemembers and their families.But when DOD officials announced they were studying the "variable pricing" concept being used by private-sector grocery stores and