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  • Airmen ‘drop the ball’ on New Year’s Eve

    With inspiration from New York -- the city that never sleeps -- Airmen at this desert base that never sleeps got to drop the ball this New Year’s Eve. In less than 72 hours, some 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineering Squadron members constructed a New Year’s Eve Ball like the one dropped at New

  • Keeping Predators flying helps keep Balad safe

    Airmen who maintain the MQ-1 Predator here take great pride in ensuring the unmanned aerial vehicles they look after can keep and eagle eye on what goes on in Iraq. The 61 Airmen of the 46th Aircraft Maintenance Unit -- and three Royal Air Force Airmen -- keep the Predators flying for the pilots who

  • Military, civilian medals approved for hurricane relief work

    Servicemembers and civilians who took part in Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita relief efforts may be eligible for a medal. The director of the Joint Staff has approved awarding the Humanitarian Service Medal and the Armed Forces Service Medal for U.S. military personnel. Department of Defense

  • For Reserve aircrew, New Year’s Eve over Iraq is routine

    People around the globe welcomed 2006 with a variety of New Year’s Eve celebrations. High above Iraq, a Reserve C-130 Hercules aircrew headed for Balad Air Base, celebrated in a different way -- flying another mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. With the drone of the aircraft’s four

  • Kingpin helps manage airpower over Iraq

    When Soldiers and Marines call in an air strike on an enemy position, the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron tracks the airplanes and allocates the airspace for the mission. The squadron, known as Kingpin, is a radar control and identification agency responsible for identifying all aircraft

  • CENTAF releases combined airpower summary report

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today’s combined airpower summary for Dec. 30 to Jan. 3. On Dec. 29, Air Force and Royal Air Force tankers flew 30 sorties and off-loaded more than 2.3 million pounds of fuel. Coalition aircraft flew 54 close-air-support missions Dec. 30 for

  • Airmen help with Baby Noor evacuation

    The C-130 Hercules aircraft here have routinely hauled more than one million troops and 76,000 tons of cargo in and out of Iraq. But today the mission was not routine. At about 4 p.m., a C-130 from the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing touched down here carrying Baby Noor, her father and grandmother on

  • General brought a band (but could have flown solo)

    Maybe it was Uncle Joe or Aunt Grace. Maybe it was just dad’s old Air Force buddy or mom’s best girlfriend. Everybody seems to have somebody who whizzes into their lives much too infrequently, makes them laugh, has them talking about anything in a matter of seconds, leaves too soon and always leaves

  • Academy honors distinguished graduates

    The Air Force Academy’s Association of Graduates announced the two recipients of its 2005 AOG Distinguished Graduate Award. Chosen were retired Gens. Hansford T. Johnson, Class of 1959, and Michael E. Ryan, Class of 1965. The award is given to academy graduates for a lifetime of service to the

  • CENTAF releases daily air power summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released today’s air power summary report. Coalition aircraft flew 46 close-air-support missions Dec. 29 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to

  • Controllers keeping Iraqi skies safe

    Another small dot drags a string of numbers with it as it hesitantly shuffles onto the screen. Now there are 30 dots with numbers. Airman 1st Class Grant Gers slips a strip of paper, no wider than a magazine and shorter than two end-to-end sugar packs, neatly but quickly enters the squawk (four of

  • Chaplains: a spirit of service

    Since the time of the American War for Independence, the value of supporting the spiritual part of military members through the service of chaplains has been recognized. Here in Southwest Asia, the men and women of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing and coalition forces have the opportunity to

  • 2005: an Air Force year to remember

    It’s going to be hard to forget 2005, with the war on terrorism, tsunami response, hurricanes and floods. But light did find its way through the darkness. Most memorable are the Airmen who lent a helping hand to those in desperate need. This year also brought new technology, a continued presence at

  • CENTAF releases daily air power summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today’s air power summary. Coalition aircraft flew 36 close-air-support missions Dec. 28 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and

  • Hurricane hunters close out record season

    The "Hurricane Hunters" of Air Force Reserve Command's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flew their last mission of the record 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season in December. Squadron aircrews flew more than 145 missions into 25 storms and logged more than 1,500 flight hours. They did this while

  • Wynne: more integrated operations in Air Force’s future

    The secretary of the Air Force said the service is headed toward more integrated operations. Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne stopped at this airlift base Dec. 23 after trips to bases in Southwest Asia and Germany. He talked about the importance of force integration, new weapons platforms

  • Wilford Hall, Malcolm Grow earn DOD awards

    Two Air Force medical centers earned Department of Defense Patient Safety Awards for their leadership and innovation in quality, safety and commitment to patient care. Getting awards are the 59th Medical Wing’s patient safety office at Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas,

  • Bagram A-10s take fight to enemy

    A-10 Thunderbolt IIs continue taking the fight to the enemy by providing close air support to U.S. and coalition forces participating in Operation Enduring Freedom.  Shortly after deploying in September to this base at the foot of the Hindu Kush mountains from Davis-Monthan Air Base, Ariz., the

  • CENTAF releases daily airpower summary report

    Coalition aircraft flew 36 close-air-support missions Dec. 27 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt terrorist activities. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons performed an air strike

  • F-22A took long road to initial operational capability

    With the F-22A Raptor's initial operational capability declaration Dec. 15 came the capstone of a process that began 76 months earlier, in August 1997, when a C-5 Galaxy landed here and taxied down the expansive "Contractor's Row" with several crates and boxes in its cargo bay for what is now known

  • Herc undergoes reconstructive surgery

    After about a month of tender loving care performed by the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron's structural repair shop at a forward-deployed location, a C-130 Hercules is once again ready for flight. The C-130, from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, and currently deployed to Manas Air Base,

  • Twins double up in desert

    Twin Senior Airmen Levana Raum and Levina Sumang have been brought closer together by sharing their deployment experiences at a forward-deployed location. The sisters volunteered to deploy together so they could get an opportunity to catch up on quality time after once going their separate ways. “I

  • Routine commander’s call … sort of

    Many bases have a commander’s call right before the holiday season to see everybody off safely and wish them a merry vacation. It was no different  here … except for how the information was delivered.The stage of the base theater looked like a late-night talk show, complete with a band, desk, couch,

  • Space group to activate new unit

    Air Force Reserve Command’s 310th Space Group will travel deeper into the space program when it activates a new unit Jan. 7. Headquarters Reserve National Security Space Institute will be a Reserve associate unit to the National Security Space Institute in Colorado Springs, Colo. The institute is

  • Implementation of BRAC begins this year

    Now that the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure commission has approved, modified or disapproved the Office of the Secretary of Defense's recommendations for the 2005 round of base realignment and closure, the individual services must plan the implementation of those recommendations. The Air Force

  • CENTAF releases combined airpower summary report

    Since Dec. 23, coalition aircraft have flown nearly 150 close-air-support missions supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt terrorist activities. Air Force F-16 Fighting

  • Squadron breathes new life into old aircraft bodies

    Back in 1973, the 1553 multiplex data bus was the wave of the future for military aircraft. It replaced bulky equipment in passing data between sensors, computers, indicators and other aircraft equipment. It reduced weigh and was simpler and more flexible. That was more than 30 years ago. The old

  • Deployed Airman receives call from president

    An Airman here received an unexpected early Christmas surprise when she received a call from the commander-in-chief Christmas Eve. Staff Sgt. Melina Russell, a security forces fire team leader, received that call at 4 p.m., when the White House switchboard put the president through to her. She had

  • Parents, children reunite for Christmas in Iraq

    Two different families deployed at two different places in Iraq have reunited over Christmas. The first article, written by Sergeant Mitchell, is about a mother and son who made it a point to visit one another during Christmas even though they were stationed in different locations. The other,

  • Vandenberg activates Area Control Center

    The 30th Space Wing activated the first major center in the new Western Range Operations Control Center Dec 15. The WROCC will be used for command and control of all Vandenberg launches and to oversee the Western Range, an area that encompasses the west coast of the continental United States and

  • Air Force, Army team to care for Iraqi patients

    The 447th Air Expeditionary Group has teamed with members of the 48th Brigade Combat Team and Charlie Company, 490th Civil Affairs Battalion, to provide medical care near the Radwaniya Civil Military Operations Center. Soldiers constructed the clinic by refurbishing an existing building. The clinic

  • Pope Airman thanks Cookie Lady for desserts in desert

    Senior Airman Natalie Sanchez never imagined a care package she received last year while deployed to Iraq would lead to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Airman Sanchez, 43rd Communications Squadron who was deployed supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, received a surprise in the mail when a care

  • CAOC memorializes Airman’s sacrifice

    A New York Airman, who was killed when responding to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks at the World Trade Center, was honored Dec. 22 when the Combined Air Operations Center entry control point was rededicated in his honor. After the closing of the old CAOC entry point Dec. 9, the rededication of the new

  • Oklahoma Reservists producing Christmas miracles

    Within days of Christmas, a small group of Air Force Reservists are producing holiday miracles for those less fortunate. Members of the 507th Air Refueling Wing and 513th Air Control Group have again stepped forward to raise food, clothing and more than $10,000 during their traditional Operation

  • Deployed captain trains to bring home the gold

    In his “day job,” among many other things, Capt. James Parker brings entertainment “home” for those deployed to this desert air base. At the end of many a duty day, the captain can be found out in the middle of a sandy expanse, practicing to bring something else home for his country -- an Olympic

  • AWACS mission: Track Santa

    Members of the 552nd Air Control Wing will provide support to one of the North Pole's most notable residents this year -- Santa and his team of flying reindeer. Slightly before midnight on Christmas Eve, an E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control systems aircraft and crew will leave here on one of

  • CENTAF releases daily airpower summary

    Coalition aircraft flew 34 close-air-support missions Dec. 22 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt terrorist activities. Air Force F-15 Eagles provided close air support to

  • Airmen dedicates time to fight crime

    For one Airman here, protecting and defending all enemies foreign and domestic is something he takes to heart. Tech. Sgt. Tim Allen of the 682nd Air Support Operations Squadron, is a volunteer constable in South Carolina. In South Carolina, a constable is a law enforcement officer commissioned by

  • NORAD observes 50th anniversary of tracking Santa

    The North American Aerospace Defense Command is observing its 50th anniversary of tracking Santa Claus on his annual rounds, NORAD officials here said. The tradition of tracking Santa began in 1955, when a local Sears, Roebuck and Co. store ran a newspaper ad urging children to make a phone call on

  • Firefighters ready for anything

    When many deployed Airmen receive a tasking, they normally have a day or even a week to complete it. For one group of Airmen, their deadline is only minutes, and it could be the difference between life and death. The responsibility of the men and women of the 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer

  • Schriever family members ‘deploy’ to fitness center

    About 60 Airmen and family members came to the base’s main fitness center recently for a three-hour “deployment.” Children moved through a processing line and received necklaces, certificates and hand-pressed buttons. Some went into the racquetball court to practice their marksmanship on skee-ball

  • CENTAF releases daily airpower summary report

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 54 close-air-support missions Dec. 21 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt

  • Post-Katrina relief operations bolster community recovery

    Keesler is at the tip of the sword in the battle to restore the Mississippi Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. After the storm devastated the base and surrounding communities, Keesler's training mission was broadened to include humanitarian relief operations under the direction of the

  • Ramstein Airmen bring Christmas to Polish children

    What started out as a request to adopt a few children from a Polish mission for Christmas turned into a small support operation for the 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron out of Würzburg, Germany. “We found out there were many more children at the center,” said Lt. Col. Joseph Dill, 2nd ASOS

  • 701st shows true meaning of Christmas

    Volunteers from the 701st Airlift Squadron here came together to help make the holidays a little brighter for those in need. Squadron members have adopted a family through the Department of Social Services, as well as provided Christmas gifts and food for the Charleston Women’s Homeless Shelter. “We

  • CENTAF releases daily airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 46 close-air-support missions Dec. 20 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt

  • SECAF visits deployed Airmen, shares insight

    The world and the Air Force have gone through remarkable changes since Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne hung up his Air Force uniform more than 30 years ago. The enemies, tools to fight them and tactics are all different now. But just six weeks into the job, the secretary visited Airmen

  • Teddy bears reach out to Solano County children

    Two dark teddy bear eyes surrounded by white fur peeked over the edge of a large brown paper bag making contact with the eyes of several curious kindergartners and first graders entering the classroom. The kids were smiling with anticipation. Several of Santa’s elves were waiting to greet the

  • 386th AEW wing slated as next generation of fuels mobility equipment

    The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing will become the test wing for the next generation of fuels mobility support equipment. The fuels operational resources capability equipment is scheduled to be installed by Jan. 3 with an operational utility evaluation immediately following. The equipment is designed

  • Reservists act as ‘Santa’ for Veteran’s Home residents

    Santa visited the residents of the Minnesota Veterans Home in Minneapolis Dec. 13, but this time he came in the form of the Air Force Reserve. Reservists from the Minneapolis-based 934th Airlift Wing purchased presents for 71 of the home’s residents and donated 73 miscellaneous gifts through the

  • PACAF continues to conserve energy

    It’s hard to pick up a national publication of any sort this winter and not see headlines screaming of impending financial peril because of sky-rocketing fuel prices. But, Pacific Air Forces has been combating energy resource concerns even before President Bush’s 2005 Energy and Fuel Conservation

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 50 close-air-support missions Dec. 19 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt

  • 23rd SOPS volunteers donate time at local soup kitchen

    Among other items, the recipe calls for 14 pounds of ground beef, 12 eggs and one quart of milk. It yields 50 portions of meatloaf, just about right for another hot meal at the Sonshine Soup Kitchen. Since 1989, the small soup kitchen in Derry, N.H., has served about 40 hot meals to local area

  • AFPC changes AMS access procedures

    In a recent change to improve security and standardize access controls, access to the Assignment Management System is now controlled by the Air Force Personnel Center's Secure Web site. Airmen can access the AFPC Secure site through the public Web site at www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/ by establishing a

  • Developmental engineering officers needed

    Some developmental engineering cross-flow opportunities exist for 2002 year group officers. However, to be considered, their applications must be received at the Air Force Personnel Center here by Jan. 3. Eligible officers, currently serving in over-strength career fields, must have an accredited

  • CENTAF releases combined daily airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's combined airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 50 close-air-support missions Dec. 18 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and

  • TSA trains bomb dog teams for transit systems

    Six mass transit officers partnered with bomb dogs are graduating today at Lackland, marking the Transportation Security Administration’s first full-scale expansion into canine protection for people riding trains, light rail and buses in America’s major cities. The TSA office on Lackland is sharing

  • Airmen continue filling Army billets

    Moving supplies across Iraq can be a daunting task, but it is one more than 150 Airmen of Detachment 2632 have come together to do each day. These 732nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron “in-lieu-of” forces assist the Army's 181st Transportation Battalion run convoy missions primarily to

  • ROVER gives joint force new vision

    “ROVER” is an unimpressive piece of equipment. But one Air Force officer swears it’s the link to the Air Force’s future in communications -- where the Xbox generation meets real-time battle. “You can’t get any simpler than this -- a laptop with a bunch of antennas and cables,” said Lt. Col. Gregory

  • Coalition forces share small-arms skills

    Thirty people from the military security forces of five countries gathered for a coalition weapons training exercise at a desert air base Dec. 15. The training was a cooperative training program to enhance international understanding within the security forces, said Master Sgt. Kevin Follis of the

  • Special tactics Airmen train on submarine

    A U.S. fighter pilot has been shot down. He is injured and behind enemy lines. But he has established communications and is evading the enemy. Time is a critical factor. He needs to be rescued, and he needs to be rescued now. Submerged off the coast lies 19,000 tons of stealth in the form of a

  • 'Hat-in-the-Ring Gang' says goodbye to its Eagles

    The 94th Fighter Squadron flew its last F-15 Eagle sortie today, marking the squadron’s official evolution to F-22A Raptor operations. The “Hat-in-the-Ring Gang” is the second squadron at Langley to convert from the F-15C/D -- a strictly air-to-air fighter -- to the Raptor, which has air-to-ground

  • CENTAF releases daily airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 68 close-air-support missions Dec. 15 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt

  • Airmen bring holidays to remote village

    For the 38th year, Airmen from Elmendorf Air Force Base have brought the holidays to a small village in northern Alaska. The tradition started in 1967 when, due to migration changes, Arctic Village hunters were unable to get the caribou that sustained them. That year, the 17th Tactical Airlift

  • C-5 airlift readies Soldiers for battle conditions

    The first-time loading of a new Army helicopter flight simulator into a C-5 Galaxy required Airmen to build new ramps. Members of the 436th Aerial Port Squadron loaded the Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer, a helicopter training simulator, onto the transport. But they had to build special

  • Security forces help hurricane victim

    We see them everywhere. At the gates. In their cars and our rearview mirrors. By the flightline. They’re so omnipresent that many of us ignore them as part of the landscape. However, at least one man in the civilian community can't miss the 45th Security Forces Squadron Airmen who helped him rebound

  • McChord Airman earns top leadership award

    A joint tactical air controller with the 5th Air Support Operations Squadron at Fort Lewis is the junior enlisted recipient of the 2005 Lance P. Sijan Air Force Leadership Award. Senior Airman Grailin Blamer was recognized for his quick and cool-headed thinking while providing air cover for Soldiers

  • F-22A Raptor goes operational

    The F-22A Raptor -- Air Force’s most advanced weapon system -- is ready for combat, Air Force officials announced here today. In reaching initial operational capability, the Raptor is certified ready for operational use. The first combat-ready Raptors are flying with the 27th Fighter Squadron of the

  • CENTAF releases daily airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary report.Coalition aircraft flew 60 close-air-support missions Dec. 14 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and

  • Airmen earn awards for innovations, improvements

    Airmen from seven major commands received the Chief of Staff Team Excellence Awards and Air Force Best Practice certificates for mission process improvements. Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel Gen. Roger A. Brady presented the trophies and

  • Air Force leaders discuss current issues

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley met with the media at the Pentagon to discuss a wide range of topics and issues. The leaders provided updates on aircraft and the new Air Force mission statement at the Dec. 13 meeting. F-22A Raptor The

  • Computer program crash was a good thing

    There's nothing like a computer program crash to ruin your day, especially when it’s used to track patients in the Air Force’s largest medical facility. But with luck, a computer expert can help figure out the problem. And if you’re really lucky, the solution can be even better than the original.

  • Pakistan gets two upgraded F-16s

    In the early 1980s, the Pakistan air force received its first F-16 Fighting Falcons from the United States. Since then, the maintenance support for the jets has been as unpredictable as world politics. It wasn't until late 2003 that the U.S. government agreed to assess Pakistan's F-16 fleet and

  • Troops learn to play by the rules

    Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors attended the Air Mobility Warfare Center here for the Rules of Engagement/Rules of Use of Force Tactical Training Seminar. The seminar held from Dec. 6 to 8 and hosted by the center for the first time, familiarized more than 40 students with the legal and tactical

  • Families together through video teleconferencing

    “Daddy, where are you? When will you be home?” 7-year-old Gabrielle Hamed asked repeatedly. “Daddy, I miss you,” chimed in sister Annalyn, 8, daughter of Master Sgt. Roger Hamed, who is deployed to Iraq. Friends and families had a rare opportunity Dec. 13 to see and talk via video teleconferencing

  • Comm squadron develops Air Force Standard Desktop

    The 50th Space Communications Squadron here is spearheading development of the Air Force Standard Desktop Configuration. This move will strengthen network defenses on all Air Force active-duty, Reserve and Guard installations in 2006 and may become a part of an approved configuration for all federal

  • Air Force names 2005 Sijan award recipients

    The Air Force recognized four Airmen with the service's 2005 Lance P. Sijan Air Force Leadership Award. The Sijan award annually recognizes Airmen who demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities while assigned to organizations at the wing level or below. The 2005 recipients are: Senior officer --

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

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

  • Civil engineers announce award winners

    The Air Force and three civilian professional associations announced their 2005 Air Force civil engineer award winners Dec. 12. The awards are sponsored by the Society of American Military Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers, the Northeast chapter of the American Association of

  • Conference paves way for efficient Air Force

    The Air Force is looking to civilian companies to find ways to streamline itself, eliminate waste and save money in the process. Civilian companies like General Electric and Toyota have been successfully using process improvement programs to cut waste and increase efficiency. Now the Air Force plans

  • Guardsmen meet to discuss 2020 vision

    Senior Air National Guard leaders met for a three-day conference here to discuss the future and their role in the Air Force. Scores of generals, command chief master sergeants and adjutant generals attended the Dec. 12 event opening. They will spend the duration of the conference discussing a global

  • From the frying pan into the gas tank

    What smells like barbecue and can go 80 miles per hour? Master Sgt. Brian Hosken’s ride to work. Sergeant Hosken, the 45th Space Communications Squadron base land mobile radio manager, uses used vegetable oil to fuel his 1985 turbo-diesel Mercedes Benz car. He’s been doing that for nearly three

  • Vandenberg helicopter crews help seize drugs

    The 76th Helicopter Squadron here helped seize $284 million of marijuana while supporting Joint Task Force North counterdrug operations this year. The joint task force bases operations on requests for Department of Defense assistance from the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Border Patrol in

  • Skill pairing helps develop future leaders

    Force development teams now have a new tool -- skill pairing -- to help them better shape future leaders. Skill pairing is a method of combining developmental expertise across functions to meet Air Force sustainment requirements. Airmen gain this expertise through education and training

  • Airmen training Iraqi NCOs to lead protection force

    Security forces pride themselves on making a good first impression for base visitors. Now they are instilling that same pride and professionalism in Iraqi Airmen. Three Air Force security forces members are training the Iraqi protection force that will ultimately inherit security operations at New

  • CENTAF releases its airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.Coalition aircraft flew 58 close-air support missions Dec. 12 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt

  • Disabled veteran earns DOD award

    An Air Force civilian received top-level recognition at the 25th Annual Department of Defense Disability Award ceremony. John Hanson is the 2005 Outstanding DOD employee with a disability. Mr. Hanson, who works at the base family support center here, was the lone Air Force recipient out of 18 who

  • Wrestling superstars end Afghan tour

    World Wrestling Entertainment superstars, and its flamboyant chairman Vince McMahon, wrapped up their third “Tribute to the Troops” tour with a live-to-tape show of WWE’s Monday Night “RAW.” The wrestlers ended their tour Dec. 9. Before leaving Dec. 10, WWE Women’s Champion Trish Stratus said her

  • Airmen keeping search and rescue 'choppers' flying

    Whether it’s for a matter of life and death or a routine mission, 64th Expeditionary Helicopter Maintenance Unit troops here keep their combat search and rescue helicopters ready. The unit’s more than 30 Airmen never stop working to maintain and repair the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters that fly from

  • Supersonic Raptor drops first guided bomb

    An F/A-22 Raptor flying at supersonic speed dropped its first 1,000-pound guided joint direct attack munition over the range here. Since July, Raptor program have flown seven JDAM supersonic separation test missions under a variety of conditions. The aim is to prove the JDAM can safely separate from

  • Airman gets 17 years confinement

    A general court-martial sentenced an NCO to 17 years confinement after finding him guilty of rape, sodomy and striking a child. A military judge also sentenced Tech. Sgt. Larry Pauly to a dishonorable discharge and reduction to airman basic. Sergeant Pauly, of the 3rd Maintenance Operations

  • Warfare center offers online courses

    Ever wonder how wartime planners decide the best ways to organize and deploy air mobility forces and assets? Who goes in to start a bare-base operation, security forces or the tanker airlift control element and what are the variables in determining how many pallets you can load on a fully tanked

  • Male, female athletes of the year announced

    One shoots at targets, the other at strikeouts, but both are the Air Force Services Agency’s Athletes of the Year for 2005. Maj. Roger Sherman, a special assistant to the commander of U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., is the 2005 Male Athlete of the Year. He is a member of the

  • Lab keeps fuel, oxygen flowing

    Some laboratory workers here provide a quality analysis of all fuels and gases used in the region. They also analyze fuel when a mishap or possible contamination occurs.In a war zone, both these functions are important missions. “The majority of the samples we receive are products that have been

  • Armor Airmen helping save lives

    Not many people can say their work saves lives everyday. But Airmen at “Big Bob's” Add-on Armor Shop can. The 49 Airmen of the 732nd Expeditionary Logistic Readiness Squadron’s shop strip down heavy equipment and tactical vehicles and rebuilding them stronger. The shop got its name from the Army

  • Weather flight spins up 'Santa's Mailbag' program

    Air Force volunteers are once again hosting Santa’s Mailbag, a free holiday program that lets children from around the world request and receive a letter from Santa Claus postmarked from North Pole, Alaska. Members of the 58th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron started the program more than 50 years

  • CENTAF releases its airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.Coalition aircraft flew 53 close-air support missions Dec. 11 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt

  • Thunderbirds lose team member

    A staff sergeant stationed here with the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, died in a San Diego house fire Dec. 8. Staff Sgt. Brad Coker, a dedicated crew chief died at approximately 3 a.m. Sergeant Coker was an important member of the Thunderbirds and a great American who

  • Report indicates success of 2004 absentee voting efforts

    Federal Voting Assistance Program efforts for the 2004 national election were successful, the program's director said. Effective voting assistance officer training and voter education programs contributed to record participation by groups covered under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee

  • Chief of staff lauds evacuation teams

    The Air Force chief of staff said 19 Airmen here provided an “awesome” example of what Airmen do in wartime. Two critical care teams were just doing their job when they escorted 12 battlefield-wounded patients, six in critical condition, on a mission from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center Andrews