NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Special unit provides airfield operations in New Orleans

    Without the quick deployment of an Air Mobility Command special unit, the air evacuation plan here would not have happened.The 818th Contingency Response Group from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., arrived Aug. 31, a day after Hurricane Katrina demolished the area. They instantly provided relief to

  • Katrina floodwaters a biohazard-laden ‘soup’

    Airmen who continue to fly search and rescue missions must protect themselves from a host of biohazards in the floodwaters from where they pluck survivors.Contact with the polluted water, now called “the soup,” can cause rashes, illness and disease, said Col. (Dr.) Lewis Neace, a reserve flight

  • Air Force expands child care for hurricane-affected Airmen

    Air Force families affected by Hurricane Katrina and those involved in hurricane relief operations are eligible for free or subsidized child care.Air Force officials opened the Air Force Extended Duty Child Care Program to those involved with relief efforts and those affected by the hurricane,

  • Barksdale helps hurricane evacuees, families

    The family assistance control center here continues to help relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina.Hundreds of servicemembers and Department of Defense civilians have fled to the Bossier City and Shreveport area in northern Louisiana seeking a safe haven, said Theresa Marvin, family support

  • Civil engineers use 'Dominator' for rescue

    Noah's Ark came here disguised as a big blue vacuum truck during Hurricane Katrina.While preparing for the Aug. 29 storm, the 81st Civil Engineer Squadron here loaded the tank of the "Dominator" with water to ballast the vehicle so it would not be swept away by the anticipated flood waters. The

  • Keesler Airmen, Sailors, Marines rally to aid local community

    Military and civilian volunteers here are reaching out to help the local community after surviving and beginning recovery operations after Hurricane Katrina struck Aug. 29. More than 12 Airmen from the 81st Training Wing here provided medical aid, food, water and ice Sept. 3 to about 450 Biloxi

  • RC-26 assists Hurricane Katrina recovery operations

    The RC-26 is normally tasked to assist law enforcement in a counterdrug role, but now has now been tasked to assist state and federal officials in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.In the immediate aftermath of the devastating hurricane, the 147th Fighter Wing here dispatched its RC-26 to fly photo

  • Offutt services crew provides comfort to hurricane victims

    Some Airmen may wear the uniform for quite a while before they truly learn what it means to be in the Air Force.But for Airman 1st Class Keith Torgersen, it only took 10 months.Airman Torgersen is a services specialist with the 55th Services Squadron. He, and about 20 of his peers from Offutt Air

  • CLEP testing saves money, time, headaches

    There is a way for Airmen to earn their degrees using knowledge gained from work and personal study, while at the same time saving money and shortening time spent in classes.The College Level Examination Program and the Excelsior examination program are available to servicemembers in pursuit of a

  • Edwards tests production Global Hawk for possible deployment

    Global Hawk flight test efforts were completed Aug. 28, bringing the latest version of the aircraft one step closer to warfighter employment.The tests on the unmanned aerial vehicle, conducted here by the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center's Detachment 5, the 31st Test and Evaluation

  • Airmen build tent city for relief workers

    While helicopters continue to airlift victims of Hurricane Katrina to the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, a group of Airmen are constructing a massive tent city for relief workers.More than 70 Airmen of different backgrounds and units have come together to form the beginnings of

  • Eglin provides for displaced families through Airman’s Attic

    It is not unusual to see vehicles lined up, five to six deep, patiently waiting in the aftermath of a hurricane. Usually these long lines are for fuel to power cars and generators. Here, however, these cars are lined up for a different reason: they are waiting to donate goods to those in need.A

  • Air Force MASF last stop for some hurricane victims

    Usually, this airport is pretty sterile. With waxed floors and fresh air, everybody moves through quickly and nobody plans staying long. That was before Hurricane Katrina. Now, instead of businessmen and vacationers, a different kind of traveler packs the airport -- evacuees trying to catch a plane

  • Air Force support of Hurricane Katrina continues

    A week after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, the Air Force continues its fever-pitch support effort to aid the people it has affected.Airmen, aircraft and equipment from bases nationwide are playing a vital role in the Federal Emergency Management Agency-directed Hurricane Katrina

  • Volunteers help keep Airmen safe by searching vehicles

    Several Airmen here recently received a small taste of what it is like to part of security forces for a day when they volunteered to help at the visitor control center search pit here.“Providing security for the base is our first duty as Airmen,” said Senior Airman Ben Abbott, a 407th Expeditionary

  • Holiday greetings teams begin worldwide tour

    Four teams of broadcasters from the Army and Air Force Hometown News Service here will begin their annual worldwide holiday greetings tour Sept. 10, giving thousands of servicemembers and Department of Defense civilians stationed overseas a chance to send a message to their families back home.The

  • Air Force announces OTS selections

    More than 60 men and women from throughout America have earned an opportunity to become Air Force leaders following their selection for a commission, officials here announced Sept. 2. Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 467 applications as part of Officer Training School Selection

  • Hurricane-affected Airmen to redeploy

    More than 300 active-duty and Reserve Airmen deployed from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., will return early from their deployments to attend to their families’ needs and aid in base recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.Nearly 100 Airmen who were scheduled to deploy from Keesler will remain

  • Airmen provide communications capabilities

    Several Airman from the 5th Combat Communications Group left their families here Sept. 1 to provide communications capabilities for servicemembers in the devastated Gulf Coast region. Airmen from all four squadrons of the 5th CCG loaded about 25 pallets of communications equipment and headed to

  • Safety enforced by motorcycle club

    Motorcyclists here know there is safety in numbers, which is one reason they created a motorcycle club.Missileers on Bikes is a private organization dedicated to offering motorcyclists here an opportunity to meet fellow riders, ride in a group, learn from more experienced riders and participate in

  • Air Combat Command Airmen provide hurricane relief

    More than 500 combat engineers, communication specialists, medics and helicopter crews from Air Combat Command are providing relief in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.The 823rd Red Horse Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., deployed to Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., along with an 88-person ACC team

  • Raptor releases JDAM during first 'follow-on' evaluation mission

    Members of the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron here flew the first F/A-22 Raptor Follow-on Operational Test and Evaluation mission Aug. 29, releasing Joint Direct Attack Munitions on the Utah Test and Training Range.In one of the largest Raptor test phases to date, Air Force organizations are

  • Lackland Airmen turn office areas into living spaces

    Airmen from nearby Lackland Air Force Base turned a building of office cubicles into living spaces Sept. 2 for as many as 2,500 people displaced from Hurricane Katrina.About 200 Airmen were part of a citywide effort to prepare a 350,000 square foot office building, located at Kelly USA here, for

  • Little Rock, Tyndall, Guard Bureau helping evacuees

    As recovery efforts continue in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Air Force bases are opening their doors to help evacuees."We will do everything we can to get (families) situated here and to be comfortable," said Brig. Gen. Joseph M. Reheiser, 314th Airlift Wing commander at Little Rock Air Force

  • AMC response groups establish airfield operations for hurricane relief

    In support of massive relief operations to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, several elements of the Air Mobility Command Contingency Response Group deployed to Louisiana and Mississippi Aug. 30 and 31 to establish air mobility operations.On Aug. 30, a four-person assessment team from the 615th

  • Hurricane Hunters rebound, gear up for next storm

    For a week and a half, Air Force Reserve Command's Hurricane Hunters from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flew in and out of Hurricane Katrina around the clock gathering data.The Airmen provided the National Hurricane Center in Miami with critical information on the monster storm as it

  • Maxwell serves as staging facility for hurricane operations

    As evacuees continue to surge here fleeing the devastating affects of Hurricane Katrina, officials are bracing for the 1,300 Keesler Air Force Base training students expected here Sept. 3. So far, 750 hurricane refugees from flooded coastal regions have made their way here to escape what President

  • EMS team deploys to New Orleans

    Airmen with the 375th Medical Group here deployed to hurricane-ravaged New Orleans on Sept. 1 to provide additional medical support to relief agencies already present in the area.The Expeditionary Medical Support Team, comprising about 80 doctors, nurses, medical technicians and support personnel,

  • Airmen spruce up living space for retirees displaced by Katrina

    Fifty Airmen applied several hours’ worth of old-fashioned elbow grease Aug. 31 to prepare building nearly 400 military retirees displaced from Gulfport, Miss., by Hurricane Katrina.“(I want to) make it look nice and clean, so when the folks from Gulfport arrive … they can say, ‘Hey, somebody here

  • Air Force takes care of Keesler’s expectant mothers

    Kimberly Harris knew things were bad when the water started creeping up her legs in the Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., hospital basement Aug. 29, but the nine-months-pregnant senior airman knew it was getting a lot worse when another expectant mom had an emergency cesarean section -- by

  • AFPC announces corrected CJTF credit guidelines

    Officials at the Air Force Personnel Center here announced updated guidance to state cumulative credit awarded for combined joint task force deployments cannot be combined with present or future joint duty assignments.Also, full joint credit for JTF deployments can only be awarded if the total

  • AF helicopter crews rescue 221 hurricane victims

    Air Force special operations helicopter crews from the 347th Rescue Wing rescued more than 200 people stranded in areas hard hit by Hurricane Katrina through Aug. 31.Flying from Jackson-Evers International Airport, Miss., these and other Air Force Special Operations Command aircrews are continuing

  • Hurricane Katrina relief effort total force response

    Airmen from across the Air Force are continuing to search for, rescue, evacuate, treat, feed and comfort Hurricane Katrina’s millions of victims.Most of the Airmen helping with relief operations in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are deploying with units as part of a total force response. And

  • Jumper reflects on challenges facing Air Force

    During his final media availability session here Aug. 29, the departing chief of staff of the Air Force discussed his vision of the future force, Base Realignment and Closure and the challenges he faced as the service's senior military leader.Gen. John P. Jumper said he believes the F/A-22 Raptor is

  • Airmen help on 'front lines' in New Orleans

    In a cramped conference room, Airmen from the 122nd Air Support Operations Squadron here operate and monitor a satellite radio linked to tactical air control party Airman in New Orleans to help coordinate disaster relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Controllers from the squadron, who

  • Airman receives medal for water rescue

    Rescuing an elderly woman from a Florida canal earned an Air Force sergeant an Airman’s Medal, presented by the Air Force chief of staff in a ceremony here Aug. 31.Tech. Sgt. Michael Downey II, assigned to the office of the Air Force chief of staff, received the highest award for heroism in

  • Hurlburt combat engineers rush to aid of Keesler Airmen

    Combat engineers capable of rapid deployment into war zones are proving to be effective first responders in bringing aid to areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Airmen with the 823rd Red Horse Squadron here left early Aug. 30 bound for Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., one of the worst-hit areas in

  • Foglesong honored with Order of the Sword

    The U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander was bestowed the enlisted corps highest honor Aug. 26.Gen. Robert H. “Doc” Foglesong, who has led USAFE since August 2003, was inducted into the Order of the Sword before nearly 600 enlisted Airmen and guests representing every base within the command.General

  • Rescue squad brings experience to Cooperative Key

    More than 50 Airmen, along with two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters from the 56th Rescue Squadron at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, made the trip here to bring their special rescue skills to exercise Cooperative Key 05.The exercise, which began Aug. 24 and ends Sept. 5, is a multinational

  • Families say goodbye as Alaskan units deploy

    About 100 servicemembers from the Air Force and the Alaska Army National Guard deployed from here Aug. 30 to the Middle East.The servicemembers did not express much apprehension about the mission ahead of them, but their family members showed signs of uneasiness.Erin Ellingwood, wife of Staff Sgt.

  • Air Force provides support to hurricane relief effort

    The Air Force is part of the national support network that is providing aid to victims of Hurricane Katrina in disaster stricken regions of Mississippi and Louisiana.The 1st Air Force at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., is the lead for planning, orchestrating and overseeing Air Force support to Joint

  • Contact information available concerning Hurricane Katrina

    For information relating to Hurricane Katrina, to include Stop Movement and entitlements, the following phone numbers and Web sites are available:The Air Force Personnel Center Personnel Readiness Center can be contacted toll free at (800) 435-9941. The PRC can provide information about bases

  • Flyover to honor chief of staff change

    Old and new fighter aircraft will perform a farewell flyover for the outgoing Air Force chief and welcome the new chief during a ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., on Sept. 2.Gen. John P. Jumper, the current Air Force chief of staff, will retire and pass the flag to the current vice chief of

  • Columbus cleanup now under way

    People at this flight training base in northern Mississippi are breathing a collective sigh of relief as damage assessments and cleanup efforts continue.The base did not sustain any storm-related fatalities or injuries, base officials said.While Hurricane Katrina did not pass directly over the base,

  • Air Force Reserve flies missions to storm-ravaged areas

    Within hours after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, Air Force Reserve Command people and aircraft were headed toward disaster areas to help survivors.Three HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters from the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., flew to Jackson, Miss., late Aug. 30 to

  • CCAF unlocks doors of opportunity

    Many Airmen could be closer than they think to a degree from the Community College of the Air Force.Among work, family, temporary duty and deployments, many Airmen may feel they do not have enough time to finish their degree.“One of the biggest obstacles is discouragement,” said Tiffany Dalmida, the

  • SGLI coverage takes effect Sept. 1

    The Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance maximum coverage will increase to $400,000 on Sept. 1, Department of Defense officials said.Servicemembers eligible for SGLI will automatically be insured for the maximum coverage of $400,000. The monthly premium remains $3.25 per $50,000 of coverage, so the

  • Military providing full-scale response to hurricane relief effort

    Joint Task Force Katrina is setting up Aug. 31 at Camp Shelby, Miss., as the Defense Department's focal point to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency's relief efforts along the Gulf Coast, said Maj. Eric Butterbaugh, a U.S. Northern Command spokesman.Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, 1st U.S.

  • Commission wraps up BRAC decisions

    The Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission wrapped up four days of deliberations in final actions Aug. 26 and 27 by voting to turn Pope Air Force Base, N.C., into an Army airfield and recommending sweeping recommendations to revamp the Air National Guard and consolidate its operations.The

  • Guard, NORTHCOM respond to hurricane aftermath

    Twenty-four hours after Hurricane Katrina battered the Gulf Coast, about 7,500 National Guardsmen from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi were on duty supporting civil authorities, distributing generators, providing medical care, and setting up shelters for displaced residents.In addition,

  • Stop Movement lifted for Tyndall; Keesler remains in effect

    Base officials have reinstated all permanent change of station and temporary duty travel to Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. Stop Movement is still in effect for the following areas: Keesler AFB, Miss.; 361st Training Squadron, Detachment 2, Pensacola, Fla.; and 366th Det. 6, Gulfport Naval Air

  • Buckley’s AADD volunteers save lives, careers

    In just more than 18 months, the Airmen Against Drunk Driving program here has helped save lives and careers by giving free rides to about 300 Airmen and Department of Defense civilians who may have had too much to drink.The program started in February 2004, and dozens of volunteers have helped

  • K-9 teams keep Kirkuk safe

    Being on the frontlines in a combat zone is never an easy task, which is why the military relies heavily on teamwork. The Airmen of the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron military working dog flight work long days, face continual training and execute a crucial mission that never ends.

  • Silent protectors support Operation Enduring Freedom

    A silent protector continues to support the war on terrorism, often accomplishing its mission without the beneficiaries of the protection it offers even knowing a sortie is being flown.The EC-130H Compass Call is an airborne tactical system that disrupts enemy command and control communications, as

  • Base chaplain epitomizes Air Force diversity

    Sept. 11, 2001, inspired her to join the military, and her father was the reason she joined the Air Force. Now, the Air Force’s first female rabbi, Chaplain (Capt.) Sarah Schechter, is here serving Airmen of all religious faiths.“Clearly, supporting our troops was the best way to help our country,”

  • Keesler, Columbus survive Hurricane Katrina

    Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., survived a direct hit by Hurricane Katrina, but initial estimates show it suffered extensive damage to industrial and housing areas.At Columbus AFB, Miss., about 290 miles north of Keesler, base officials said the pilot training base suffered only moderate damage to

  • Bases hunker down to ride out Katrina

    As Hurricane Katrina devastates the Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coast, Air Force units in the area have hunkered down to ride out the storm.The powerful hurricane made landfall near Buras, La. -- close to the border between the two states -- at about 10 a.m. Aug. 29. Top winds reached about 145

  • Air Force civilian donates bone marrow to save life

    When an Air Force civilian employee lost a cousin to leukemia in 1990 because he could not find a bone marrow donor in time, she made it her mission to do all she could to prevent that from happening to anyone else.Nancy Lenz, a 1st Fighter Wing Safety Office administrator, underwent a two-hour

  • Airmen support close-air support missions

    This time, things went down differently than planned. As arranged, the men prepped and fired a mortar at coalition forces. They shuttled into their vehicle, certain of a smooth exit. What the terrorists did not count on was what happened afterward: An American fighter aircraft zoomed overhead,

  • Airmen train for convoy duty in Southwest Asia

    Twelve 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle operators here are preparing to leave in early September to support convoy operations in Southwest Asia.These predominantly first-term Airmen will undergo rigorous training at Camp Bullis, Texas, before immediately deploying for six to eight months

  • Vandenberg launches Minuteman III

    An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launched from here Aug. 26 as part of a developmental test demonstrating the ability to integrate a safety enhanced re-entry vehicle into the existing Minuteman III weapons system.The missile launched under the guidance of the 576th Flight

  • Logistics Airmen supply customers with team effort

    From the outside, it looks like nothing more than a giant storage unit, but inside, it is a one-stop shop.“If you don’t see what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place,” said Tech. Sgt. Tonya Hamilton, noncommissioned officer in charge of the base service supply store here. “I can get

  • Kirkuk firefighters train Iraqis

    In order to stabilize Iraq, coalition forces must teach Iraqis the skills they need to stand on their own. The firefighters of the 506th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron here are doing their part in this important mission by teaching Iraqis first aid and basic firefighting skills.“Seeing them

  • Air Force issues stop movement to Keesler, Tyndall

    The Air Force has issued a "Stop Movement" order for people permanently moving to or transiting on temporary duty to Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., based on the probability that Hurricane Katrina will affect the area.Officials also ordered a Stop Movement for people permanently moving to or

  • Officials release Predator accident report

    An engine fire on an MQ-l Predator remotely piloted aircraft resulted in a March 27 crash at a forward-deployed location in Southwest Asia, according to an Accident Investigation Board report released by Air Combat Command on Aug. 26. The $3.7-million Predator, assigned to the 15th Reconnaissance

  • Commander sees AEF working from deployed perspective

    The Air and Space Expeditionary Force Center commander recently visited his largest customer in theater -- U.S. Central Command Air Forces.Brig. Gen. Stephen L. Hoog said there was no better place to see that the AEF is working as advertised than in the Southwest Asia and Central Asia.“I appreciate

  • Cooperative Key 05 kicks off

    More than 140 Airmen have joined servicemembers from 14 NATO and seven partner nations to participate in Cooperative Key 05, a NATO Air Force exercise.The exercise began Aug. 24 and runs through Sept. 5, with live flying taking place Aug. 27 through Sept. 4.The multinational exercise is designed to

  • Guardsmen make combat airdrop in Afghanistan

    Six Airmen from the North Carolina Air National Guard’s 156th Airlift Squadron traveled more than 7,000 miles recently to perform an airdrop mission over Afghanistan.The guardsmen, who are currently assigned to the 738th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron at a forward-deployed location, airdropped more

  • Convoy escorts continue proud heritage of Tuskegee Airmen

    The 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing is steeped in the rich history of its predecessors, the Tuskegee Airmen of the 332nd Fighter Group. While today’s Airmen do not share the hardships of breaking racial barriers, Airmen with Detachment 2 here and Det. 1 at Camp Speicher, Iraq, face their own

  • Airmen control sky over Iraq

    With more than 270,000 square miles of playing field, Airmen with the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron have their game faces on, providing command and control of joint air operations supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Providing surveillance, identification, weapons control, theater missile

  • Medics relieve pain at home, in war

    As servicemembers continue to fight the war on terrorism, a small group of Airmen at Balad Air Base, Iraq, is ensuring that each warfighter is fit to fight. At the same time they are gaining valuable experience to bring home.The physical and occupational therapy clinic at the Air Force Theater

  • Beale’s Global Hawk mission extends worldwide

    Airman with the 12th Reconnaissance Squadron here are part of the Air Force’s only operational Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle unit.The $35-million Global Hawk is used to provide Air Force and joint battlefield commanders near real-time, high-resolution intelligence, surveillance and

  • Airmen drop much-needed supplies to Soldiers, Marines

    Airmen from the 745th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron traveled to the eastern region of Afghanistan on Aug. 23 to resupply Soldiers and Marines who are helping Afghanistan prepare for elections Sept. 18.The mission, which included the delivery of more than 39,000 pounds of cargo, is just one of

  • Total force team saves lives

    A total force unit here supports joint missions to help save the lives of the coalition forces on the frontlines. The Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and active-duty nurses, medical technicians and others who make up the 455th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron are on a mission:

  • Exchange program connects U.S., Dutch Airmen

    Training young pilots to push the F-16 Fighting Falcon to its operational limits is a job Lt. Col. David Stine loves as much as flying.Even better is doing both those things with the Royal Netherlands Air Force, he said. That is just what he has done for three years as an exchange pilot at this

  • Environmental branch improves air quality

    The potential harmful effects of breathing diesel fumes came into focus when the Clean Air Task Force released a report estimating that diesel fumes kill about 21,000 Americans each year. According to the report, diesel exhaust exceeds the national ambient air quality standards for carbon monoxide,

  • Television star visits troops in Southwest Asia

    It is a common refrain in the cut-throat world of stand-up comedy that the hungriest and most fearless performers will go anywhere and work any room to get their levity-rich message to the masses.Drew Carey, among the most recognizable comedians in the world, stretched the “have laughs, will travel”

  • AGE Airmen pick up skills useful in civilian sector

    When Staff Sgt. Michele Calton spotted a stranded elderly woman whose car had broken down with smoke streaming from under the hood, her first instinct was not to call someone else for help. She calmly got out of her car in her 4-inch heels and skirt she wore for a girls’ night out, lifted up the

  • F-16 accident report released

    A catastrophic engine failure caused an F-16D Fighting Falcon to crash in a marsh adjacent to the Ashley River near Charleston, S.C., on April 18, according to an Air Force report released Aug. 23.The pilot and the passenger ejected from the aircraft and sustained minor injuries. The $23-million

  • Willow Grove operates joint hazmat pharmacy

    More joint operations seem to be the way of the future for America's military, with the four branches of service sharing land, runways, missions and services. At Willow Grove, they are sharing chemicals, too.Located on the southeast side of the base, the hazmat pharmacy here provides the chemical

  • Airmen get in shape with boot camp aerobics

    Boot camp aerobics can be a pain when participants are doing it, but it could one day save their life.The boot camp aerobics class, which has been offered here for about five years, adds a new emphasis to workouts, incorporating scenarios Airmen could face while deployed.While the main idea is still

  • Kadena medics provide lifeline in air

    Capt. Donna Hornberger held a satellite phone as her aircraft headed for an unknown airport in the middle of the night during a medical evacuation mission from Saipan. Their mission, she said, was to help a severely injured young child who was run over by a truck. The child was in critical

  • Airmen keep base supplied

    Laptops to lumber and even bicycles to B-52 Stratofortresses all have something in common at this forward-deployed location -- none of it gets here without the 15 Airmen with the 40th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Flight.These supply Airmen deployed from Minot Air Force Base, N.D. maintain a

  • Security forces Airmen get frozen treat from Midwest

    Donations of freezer pops from family and friends throughout the Midwest recently helped a noncommissioned officers’ organization here give security forces Airmen a refreshing break during their duty day.The organization, comprising E-5s and E-6s, wanted to do something special for security forces

  • Kirtland Airman hits jackpot

    A master sergeant here got a whole lot more than milk during a recent trip to the supermarket.In fact, Master Sgt. John San Cartier, a special operations loadmaster instructor with the 58th Training Squadron, “got” a lottery ticket that ended up winning the $93.4 million jackpot.The 15-year Air

  • Academy ranks top in professor availability

    Academy professors here are the most accessible to their students in the nation, according to “The Best 361 Colleges” released Aug. 22 by The Princeton Review.The New York-based education services company features the academy in “The Best 361 Colleges,” the new 2006 edition of its annual "best

  • International academy program gives worldly perspective

    Today’s officers must be prepared to function in an international environment. While the academy’s international program provides cadets with a variety of opportunities to hone their leadership skills overseas, foreign cadets travel here to study similar skills.There are 48 four-year international

  • Space Shuttle Discovery stops at Altus, Barksdale

    Thousands of onlookers defied the summer heat to watch Space Shuttle Discovery arrive at two Air Force bases Aug 19. Altus Air Force Base, Okla., was the first of two stops for NASA's shuttle ferry, a Boeing 747 that carried the space shuttle on its back from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., to

  • Iraqi, U.S. C-130 crewmembers fly boy to receive heart surgery

    Although 8-year-old Baher looks happy and healthy, Iraqi and U.S. Air Force C-130 crewmembers knew his true condition when they gave him the ride of his life Aug. 22.Baher and his mother, Afaf, were headed to New Orleans to repair a hole in his heart via a new program called Operation Mend a Heart.

  • Agencies ease deployment pains

    With “my upcoming deployment” as the catch-phrase for most of Airmen, several organizations take extraordinary measures to ensure that not only the Airman is ready for deployment, but the families are as well.Family support centers, chapel staffs and many other agencies manage day-to-day efforts of

  • U.S. aircraft, troops popular at Moscow air show

    Staff Sgt. Christy Jeffreys is not new to traveling. In her nine year Air Force career, her job as a boom operator on the KC-10 Extender has taken her to more than 10 countries.But, this was the first time her job has also made her feel like a celebrity.Sergeant Jeffreys, a reservist assigned to

  • NATO, USAFE vie during Excalibur bombing competition

    ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England (AFPN) -- Aircraft from the U.S. Air Force and the Royal Air Force joined forces for a training exercise here Aug. 17 to 19.Excalibur, a multination bombing competition, is an opportunity for aircrew members to test their skills and pit their wits against each

  • Airmen contain fire on joint installation

    Firefighters with the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron contained a fire on the Army side of the base Aug. 15, only hours after they assumed fire protection coverage here and for Base Camp Adder. Six hours and 45 minutes after they officially took over, flames were shooting from a trailer

  • Airman donates hair to Locks of Love

    Eielson has many volunteers who give of themselves for the benefit of others. However, not many can say they committed themselves and prepared for more than a year before they could give their gift.Staff Sgt. Amanda Lamar, a unit deployment manager for the 354th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, grew

  • AFIA’s health services inspections demystified

    When a team from the Air Force Inspection Agency arrives at the front door of a medical treatment facility, they have one goal: Turning excellent health care into outstanding health care. The inspection agency is the only Air Force unit that conducts health services inspections on all Air Force

  • Minneapolis youth ‘boldly goes’ to space camp

    Going to camp this summer has proven to be a memorable experience for one youth here.Carissa Ott, 15, is the daughter of Tech. Sgt. Greg Ott of the 27th Aerial Port Squadron at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Air Reserve Station, and his wife, Becky. “It was a great opportunity,” she

  • Child development center offers parents car seat guidance

    Child development center employees who are trained and certified by the National Safe Kids Campaign are offering car seat checks here.“It’s a proven fact that child safety seats and seat belts save lives and prevent injuries,” said Bernice Padilla, of the 22nd Air Refueling Wing’s safety office.

  • Guardsmen contribute to total force

    Maintaining and flying F-16 Fighting Falcons in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom is what Air National Guard units from Minnesota, Texas and Arkansas do to provide ground support to Soldiers and Marines. Demonstrating the power of a total force, these units, along with the active-duty 510th

  • Carlson assumes command of AFMC

    Gen. Bruce Carlson assumed command of Air Force Materiel Command from Gen. Gregory S. Martin on Aug. 19 at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.General Carlson, who previously commanded the 8th Air Force at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., pinned on his fourth star in a private

  • Andersen answers call for help

    Airmen here answered the call for help from the government of Guam when a jumbo jet’s nose gear collapsed on the runway upon landing, closing Won Pat International Airport on Aug. 19.Andersen Airmen safely recovered eight aircraft with more than 830 passengers. It is a fantastic feeling when Team