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U.S. Air Force News

  • Thrift savings plan contribution limits increase in 2012

    The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board has announced the 2012 elective deferral limit for regular Thrift Savings Plan contributions has increased from $16,500 to $17,000 for 2012, Air Force Personnel Center officials said. The TSP catch-up plan contribution limit will remain at $5,500. TSP

  • Air Force safety magazine gets new website

    Wingman, the Air Force's official quarterly safety magazine, has a new digital home. Readers can find the current and all future issues of Wingman at www.wingmanmagazine.af.mil. Due to a Department of Defense initiative for organizations to find greater efficiencies, Air Force Safety Center

  • AF instant messengers shutting down

    The Air Force will shut down the Air Force Instant Messenger and Friends and Family Instant Messenger services by Dec. 31. AFIM and FFIM are collaborative tools available on the Air Force Portal. AFIM is used by Air Force Portal users to chat with each other. FFIM is a subset of AFIM that allowed AF

  • NASA seeking astronaut candidates

    NASA is accepting applications for astronaut candidates via the USAJobs website, through Jan. 12, 2012, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced."Applicants who submit an application through the USAJobs site, must also do a separate application for the Air Force nomination board," said Howard

  • Hickam honors legacy, pays tribute to storied past

    At 7:55 a.m., some 70 years ago, lives on the sleepy island of Oahu were forever changed by an attacking force. JB Hickam took a living glimpse into this storied past filled with heroism, honor and valor on historic ground Dec. 7.On the very site Old Glory never left her post, where men like Joseph

  • Air Force to remain in Mountain West Conference

    The Air Force Academy will stay in the Mountain West Conference, declining an offer to join the expanding Big East Conference, Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Mike Gould announced Dec. 7.The Academy was one of several schools courted by the Big East, which extended feelers and formal invitations to

  • U.S., Honduran partners help more than 1,100 flood victims

    More than 20 medical personnel from Joint Task Force-Bravo provided general medical care to more than 1,100 flood victims Nov. 29 and 30 here. The JTF-Bravo team, from Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, collaborated with their Honduran medical partners, including the Honduran Ministry of Health, to

  • Three Air Force members honored at annual disability awards ceremony

    Three Airmen were recognized Dec. 6 during the 31st Annual Department of Defense Disability Awards Ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Bethesda, Md.This annual event provides an overview of DOD disability policy and initiatives, recognizes DOD organizations for their efforts in the employment of

  • Premier air demonstration team seeks team members

    America's premier air demonstration team, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, is accepting applications for several positions, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced today.The 138-member unit exhibits Air Force professionalism and skill in support of recruiting and retention programs to

  • Airmen's names used in online scams

    "Hi,Thanks for replying to my ad. I'm in a hurry to find a buyer because I have a family emergency and I need to sell it before 22 November. My name is Larry. I'm an Air Force Staff Sergeant stationed at an AF Base in Anchorage, Alaska. The truck is here with me.This 2000 Toyota Tundra SR5 4 Wheel

  • Nellis Airmen clean-up F-15 crash site

    Nellis Air Force Base Airmen worked alongside the Army National Guardsmen Aviation unit stationed in Stockton, Calif., to conduct recovery and clean-up efforts for the F-15C Eagle aircraft crash site in the Nevada Test and Training Range recently.The operation was the 820th RED HORSE Squadron

  • Air Force civilian deployment opportunities expected to increase

    More than 800 Air Force civilians deployed to various overseas locations in 2010. Projections show that more than 900 will deploy in 2011 and by this time next year, Air Force Personnel Center officials anticipate as many as 1,000 Air Force civilians will be working side-by-side with uniformed

  • Air Force Negotiation Center of Excellence conducts EU, NATO training

    "You don't get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate," reads the sign on the door of the Air Force Negotiation Center of Excellence, part of Air University's Spaatz Center for Officer Education, here. As the NCE director, Dr. Stef Eisen is the Air Force's authority on negotiation. He recently

  • Air Force launches cutting-edge culture & language website

    The Air Force Culture and Language Center, part of Air University's Spaatz Center here, recently launched a new public website to provide information on the Air Force's efforts to increase cross-cultural competence -- a critical warfighting skill cited by Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta in an

  • Pararescuemen train in Djiboutian desert

    Pararescuemen with the 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron conducted a training rescue mission here recently. The training involved parachuting into a simulated crash site, locating and treating casualties, and coordinating evacuation while maintaining security. For the slideshow, click here.

  • Airmen host Kyrgyz soldiers for professional development event

     Airmen from here and soldiers from the Koi Tash NCO Academy met for a professional military education exchange Nov. 10 here.The event centered on the Airman Leadership School methods of course delivery and the four primary curriculum topics of expeditionary Airmen, supervisor of Airmen, military

  • Air Force mobile app takes off

    The Air Force Recruiting Service's first smartphone app, Make-it-Fly, hit the Apple app store recently. This free app challenges users by allowing them to build and fly their own aircraft. To complete the series of nine mission objectives, users must choose from different fuselages, wings, engines

  • Mildenhall combat controller earns Grateful Nation Award

    'First There,' a motto combat controllers bellow during their two-year training pipeline, and later affirm in blood, sweat and sacrifice on the most forward-deployed and dangerous battlefields as they pave the way for other forces to follow.As a member of the most highly trained special operations

  • Obama announces jobs initiatives for veterans

    President Barack Obama announced executive orders Nov. 7 to give tax credits to employers who hire post-9/11 veterans and wounded warriors, as well as enhanced career counseling and related services for veterans.The president, flanked by veterans association representatives in the White House Rose

  • Sesame launches new resources for military families

    With hundreds of military families gathered here, Sesame Workshop unveiled a new collection of resources Nov. 7 designed to help children stay connected with military loved ones.The "Military Families Near and Far" products, which include a bilingual website and mobile application, encourage

  • Fallen pilot laid to rest after 43 years

    Since 1977 a marker in memory of Air Force Col. Gilbert S. Palmer Jr. sat upon a hill for the pilot who went missing in action Feb. 27, 1968. Now, more than 43 years later, Palmer's remains have been returned to his family for proper burial in Arlington with full military honors. More than 30

  • AFPC podcasts help Airmen understand workforce shaping

    From hiring controls to voluntary separation initiatives, the civilian workforce footprint is changing, and Air Force Personnel Center officials are working to provide easy-to-digest information to the workforce.To help Airmen understand how they are or may be affected by workforce shaping

  • NCO retraining program a success in fiscal 2012

    The 2012 Noncommissioned Officer Retraining Program concluded Oct. 26 with 870 Air Force NCOs identified to transition to new career fields. The NCORP consists of two-phases -- voluntary and involuntary -- designed to sustain the enlisted force by retraining second-term and career Airmen from

  • Air Force employment focuses on individuals with disabilities

    Air Force hiring officials have placed increased emphasis on employing individuals with disabilities within its civilian workforce.October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and Air Force officials here are reaching out to Air Force leaders to educate them on the Air Force's

  • Officials stress keeping faith on military retirement

    The Defense Department has no proposals or recommendations on revamping military retirement at this time, but any future proposal must not break faith with those in the military today, senior Pentagon officials told Congress Oct. 25.Jo Ann Rooney, the principal deputy undersecretary of defense for

  • Military post offices in Iraq to close Nov. 17

    Because U.S. forces are coming home from Iraq by the end of the year, the U.S. Postal Service will stop accepting mail addressed to military post offices in Iraq starting Nov. 17, Defense Department officials said Oct. 26.Military post offices in Iraq also will stop processing mail Nov. 17, and

  • Executive action creates jobs for veterans

    President Barack Obama is using executive action to create new jobs for veterans in support of the American Jobs Act, a senior White House official said Oct. 25 during a conference call."I think all Americans can agree that veterans shouldn't have to fight for a job once they've come home from the

  • Air Force medical leaders gather to discuss future healthcare improvements

    The Air Force Medical Service gathered more than 300 senior healthcare leaders at The National Conference Center Oct. 19 here to kick off its annual week-long workshop to discuss the continued transformation of military healthcare and find ways to improve the overall patient experience.Senior

  • Air Force arts, crafts program kicks off

    Artists, craftsmen and photographers from across the Air Force have greater options to display their work through the 2012 U.S. Air Force Arts and Crafts Gallery program, which kicked off Oct 1.The cultural art program, which recognizes and showcases works in an online gallery, encompasses a new

  • SVS officials launch redesigned AF sponsorship website

    The Air Force community has a combined purchasing power of $30 billion, and Air Force commercial sponsorship officials are revamping their efforts to spread the word to potential sponsors.Through the Air Force Commercial Sponsorship program, sponsoring businesses receive market exposure to total

  • U.S. forces in Iraq prepare for transition

    The military is using an old camping adage as U.S. Forces Iraq continues to move service members out of Iraq and transfer control to the Iraqi government: "Leave the site in better shape than you found it.""Eight years of continuous conflict has resulted in a substantial amount of equipment,

  • 15 acres of land made ecologically safer at Little Rock AFB

    Nearly 15 acres here that was previously used as a skeet range in the 1960s, is an ecologically safer place today because of a restoration project that called for excavating 36 million pounds of contaminated soil and replacing it with more than 3,000 trees and recycled soil and mulch.There was cause

  • Captain wins national Women in Aerospace Achievement Award

    A program manager here has been named a co-winner of the national-level Women in Aerospace Achievement Award.Capt. Amanda Zuber, a Space-Based Infrared System field program manager assigned to the 45th Launch Support Squadron here, will receive her award in Nov. 1 in Washington D.C."This is a big

  • Tradition meets technology in AF libraries

    Air Force libraries continue to adapt to emerging technologies and changes in the way Airmen and families want information. Whether a customer wants to check out a printed publication, download the latest bestseller novel for their e-reader or find a quiet place to study, Air Force libraries

  • ESC provides modern air traffic control system for Iraq

    Members of the Electronic Systems Center completed work in September that improves and upgrades Iraq's air traffic control system.The completion of this foreign military sales effort involved the delivery of two new air traffic control tower systems along with state-of-the-art radar and ATC-tower

  • Defense office protects privacy, liberties of troops, civilians

    A small and little-known Defense Department office has the big task of protecting service members' and civilian employees' personal information in the digital world, while also getting accustomed to its new charge of protecting their civil liberties.The Defense Privacy and Civil Liberties Office is

  • ROTC programs return to Ivy League schools

    With the fall semester busily under way at colleges and universities across the United States, some of the most prestigious among them are charting a new course with the return of ROTC programs to their campuses.ROTCs are making a comeback at Ivy League schools after being banned from many of them

  • AFCEE contractor goes green with grease

    Rising fuel costs led one Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment contractor here to go from the fuel tank to the fryer. Leonard Hardy, an AFCEE contractor who supports the information technology branch, has been using a used vegetable oil blend to run his diesel truck for more than six

  • Free AFCLC 'Intro to Culture' course offers CCAF credit

    Officials at the Air Force Culture and Language Center are now accepting applications for the fall session of the "Introduction to Culture" course. Enrollment began Oct. 6 and is limited to 750 students. Class begins Oct. 20 and continues through Jan. 24, 2012. ITC is an online, self-paced course

  • Cape Canaveral continues cleanup efforts

    Air Force officials have recently implemented changes to the force's environmental cleanup program to focus on cleaning up more sites more quickly.The environmental management team here is using cutting-edge technologies and accelerated cleanup procedures to implement some of those changes and

  • Medical walk-ins welcome at Pacific Angel

    Com Primary School is one of two locations that hosted Operation Pacific Angel, a health service outreach operation providing free medical care to the people of Timor Leste Sept. 19-23.Operation Pacific Angel is a joint and combined humanitarian assistance operation led by 13th Air Force at Joint

  • Fairchild units conduct first KC-135 OSC exercise

    Earlier in 2011, a military aircraft went down in Afghanistan and the aircrew evaded through enemy terrain. A Fairchild KC-135 Stratotanker was nearby conducting operations and was the first to receive communications from the downed survivors. Once they positively authenticated the survivors, the

  • Emergency management campaign helps Airmen 'Be Ready'

    The Air Force Emergency Management's Be Ready Awareness Campaign features a new website and products designed to raise awareness and promote readiness on military installations and within local communities.Emergency Management planners said they hope the messages will educate both military members

  • Civilian career development webcasts slated Sept. 27, 29 and 30

    Webcasts developed to help GS-7 through GS-11 civilian Airmen plan and manage their careers continue through the next five weeks, beginning with a Sept. 27 webcast at 8 a.m. Sessions have been earmarked for eligible civilians based on command. "This is our largest civilian Airman population," said

  • Officials reduce officers eligible for upcoming lieutenant colonel SERB

    Voluntary retirements have resulted in the removal of two competitive categories from the upcoming October 2011 selective early-retirement board, Air Force officials announced Sept. 12. Lieutenant colonels in the Chaplain and Medical Services Corps competitive categories are eliminated from meeting

  • Air Force recommits to green initiatives during pollution prevention week

    One of the best ways to protect the Earth is to not pollute in the first place, a realization that became official American policy in 1990 with the passing of the Federal Pollution Prevention Act. This week, the Air Force joins the rest of the nation in acknowledging a concerted effort to reduce

  • AFA recognizes 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year

    The 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2011 were recognized during a formal banquet hosted by the Air Force Association during its 2011 Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition, Sept. 19, at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy emceed the

  • Airmen missing in action from WWII identified

    The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced Sept. 20 that the remains of nine servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.Army Air Forces 1st Lt. William J. Sarsfield of

  • USAJOBS October upgrade to affect job seekers

    Air Force job seekers will notice changes to the USAJOBS website in mid-October, including stronger security procedures, elimination of unnecessary applicant profile questions, and improved search filters, Air Force Personnel Center officials said. The improved federal employment search portal is

  • AF officials announce civilian early retirement, separation incentive options

    The Air Force is implementing civilian Voluntary Early Retirement Authority and Voluntary Separation Incentive Pay programs, Air Force officials announced today."Our goal with these programs is to mitigate the impact of reduced fiscal year 2012 funding on our permanent civilian workforce," said Maj.

  • AF libraries offer online learning resources

    School is back in session, and Air Force libraries worldwide offer online learning resources for students of all ages.The Transparent Language Online program contains pronunciation, speech, grammar, writing and vocabulary building lessons for more than 80 languages. The program is available to total

  • Security forces Airmen complete 9/11 ruck march

    After more than two months and 2,100 miles of marching, a flight of security forces Airmen completed the Security Forces 9/11 Ruck March to Remember here Sept. 11. The last leg of their march began at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum and ended at Battery Park, where 2,796 flags covered the

  • Civil engineers start construction project on Wake Island

    Three 611th Civil Engineering Squadron members arrived here recently from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson to begin building the second of three Sprung Instant Structure buildings. After their arrival on the atoll in the Pacific Ocean about 3,000 miles southwest of Anchorage known as Wake Island,

  • Air Force pilot missing from Vietnam War identified

    Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office officials announced Sept. 6 that the remains of an Airman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.Maj. Thomas E. Reitmann, of Red Wing, Minn., will be buried Sept.

  • Panetta to visit 9/11 attack sites

    Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta will spend Sept. 6 honoring those killed during the Sept. 11, terrorist attacks on the United States, as he travels to New York and Pennsylvania.The secretary will visit ground zero in lower Manhattan, where hijackers crashed American Airlines Flight 11 and United

  • Local becomes interpreter during medical training exercise

    A 12-year-old girl from a small Nicaraguan community acted as an interpreter for the English-speaking medical team here during their medical readiness training exercise.Antonella Espinoza visited the Sébaco MEDRETE site with her mother to find relief from her allergies Aug. 8. During her treatment,

  • Airman magazine moves to digital home

    Airman magazine entered a new era Sept. 1 with the release of its final hardcopy edition and the unveiling of its new digital home.Airman is being re-launched as a new website and, while the Web address remains www.airmanonline.af.mil, the site has a fresh format and improved functions, officials

  • 'Nothing of significance' found at Scott AFB mail center

    Scott Air Force Base bioenvironmental specialists and explosive ordnance disposal technicians have found nothing of significance at the official mail center here, base officials said.At approximately 9:30 a.m. Aug. 31, two U.S. postal workers and a military mail specialist were sent to a local

  • Los Angeles AFB to go electric

    Air Force officials unveiled a plan Aug. 31 to establish Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., as the first federal facility to replace 100 percent of its general purpose fleet with plug-in electric vehicles. "With gas prices rising and the cost of batteries falling, now is the time to move toward

  • Mid-grade civilian career development webcasts begin

    Webcasts developed to help GS-7 through GS-11 civilian Airmen plan and manage their careers will be held at various dates and times through Oct. 6.  Originally slated for June, the GS-7 through GS-11 webcasts were rescheduled to help prevent login problems "This is our largest civilian Airmen

  • Photo Essay: Basic Military Training -- where it all begins

    Military training instructors at Lackland Air Force Base, known as "The Gateway to the Air Force", conduct the Air Force's only enlisted recruit training program, ensuring orderly transition from civilian to military life. Recruits are trained and educated in the fundamental skills necessary to be

  • Panetta urges troops, families to prepare for 'Irene'

    Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta today encouraged service members, Defense Department civilians and families who may be affected by Hurricane Irene to take all necessary precautions against the storm that's currently moving northward along the eastern U.S. seaboard.In a message issued today to

  • 16th SPCS breaks ground for new global capability

    In a combined effort, the 16th Space Control Squadron and its Reserve associate unit, the 380th Space Control Squadron, broke ground July 28 for a Rapid Attack, Identification, Detection and Reporting System site in Hawaii.Lt. Col. Roger Sherman, the 16th SPCS commander, Lt. Col. Bob Claude, the

  • Air Force awarded for energy savings

    The Air Force was announced as the recipient of almost half of the U.S. Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program's 2011 Federal Energy and Water Management Awards earned by Department of Defense entities, and a quarter of awards overall. The awards are scheduled to be presented during

  • VA paralympic program officials launch website for disabled veterans

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials have launched a Paralympic Program website as part of the VA's ongoing commitment to support the rehabilitation and recovery of disabled veterans through participation in adaptive sports. "Adaptive sports participation among disabled veterans has many proven

  • Motorcycle ride kicks off 9/11 memorial observances

    One of the first of many tenth-anniversary commemorations of the 9/11 terror attacks will begin Aug. 18 as almost 2,500 motorcyclists launch the 11th America's 9/11 Ride that begins in Shanksville, Pa., and continues over the next three days to the Pentagon and World Trade Center crash sites.The

  • VA opens small business conference in New Orleans

    The National Veterans Small Business Conference and Expo in New Orleans is underway. Hosted by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the first time, it is the largest nationwide conference of its kind focused on helping veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses succeed in winning

  • Spouses can honor employers with award

    Civilian spouses of Reserve and National Guard members often must rely on the flexibility and support of their employers, particularly during deployments. While most employers will grant a time-off request and, in some cases, a shift change for their spouse employees, others go above and beyond in

  • No changes to military retirement anytime soon, officials say

    The military retirement system isn't going to change any time soon, a Defense Department official said recently.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said any changes to military retirement should be studied carefully and should be "grandfathered" so the military doesn't

  • Boots on the ground: Moody Airmen march to ground zero

    Most people can recall exactly where they were when they heard the tragic news of the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. From the service members who acted as first responders to the middle and high school students who are now defenders of freedom, that day symbolizes a painful time in history.Now 10 years

  • Upcoming show to display military land, sea, ground robots

    More than 6,000 experts from 30 countries will be gathering here Aug. 16-19 for this year's largest robot and unmanned systems show.Hosted by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, called AUVSI, Unmanned Systems North America 2011 will feature workshops, panels and

  • U.S. Air Forces Central Command Band goes viral

    Without microphones or sound equipment, Sidewinder performed a half-hour acoustic set for 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron Airmen working the night shift at the passenger terminal pallet yard Aug. 8 at an air base in Southwest Asia.The fan uploaded a video of vocalist Staff Sgt. Angie Johnson

  • Reservist reenlists after 19-year break, sworn in by son

    Nineteen years after separating from the active duty Air Force, Scott Long enlisted into the Reserves. Now he's Staff Sgt. Long, with the 476th Maintenance Squadron as a fuel systems craftsman.Sergeant Long's son, U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Brandon Long, 1-169 Aviation Support Battalion liaison officer,

  • Air Force Medical Service's first 'Sergeant Major' to be honored

    The late Chief Master Sgt. Raymond T. Smith once told a reporter: "The Vietnam conflict has brought the services closer together. We've got to keep it that way."When he made that remark in 1970, he was serving as the first enlisted senior NCO for the entire Air Force Medical Service. So new was his

  • Malicious websites pose threat to Air Force network

    The discovery of spoofed Air Force websites means Air Force network users must maintain vigilant awareness before entering passwords into Air Force sites.The 624th Operations Center, located here, is alerting Airmen across the service about malicious websites posing as official Department of Defense

  • McKinley: America must preserve Tuskegee Airmen's legacy

    As the accomplishments of the World War II-era Tuskegee Airmen fade into U.S. history, a grateful nation must work to keep their legacy alive, the chief of the National Guard Bureau said at the 40th annual Tuskegee Airmen convention."The reality of human behavior is that the further in time we get

  • Academy to host Native American consultation

    The 10th Air Base Wing commander will host representatives from up to 14 Native American tribes Aug. 9-11 as part of a consultation to develop memoranda of understanding among the Academy and the tribes.Col. Thomas Gibson, in his role as host for the nation-to-nation talks, will formally welcome

  • Missing World War II Army Air Forces soldiers identified

    The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced Aug. 1 that remains of 12 U.S. servicemen, missing in action from World War II, had been identified and would be returned to their families for burial with full military honors. They are Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Jack E. Volz, 21,

  • VA quality data released to public on CMS Hospital Compare website

    Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers are now included in the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services Hospital Compare website, which measures hospital quality based on what matters most to patients, the outcomes of care. "VA is committed to providing veterans and their family members

  • Hurlburt Field preferred for MQ-1 remote split-operation unit

    Air Force officials announced Aug. 4 that Hurlburt Field, Fla., is the preferred alternative for the Air Force Reserve Command MQ-1 remote split-operations squadron. Hurlburt Field will receive a single MQ-1 RSO squadron consisting of 140 personnel and associated equipment. This action does not

  • 58th SOW pararescuemen save lost hiker

    A helicopter crew and pararescuemen assigned to Kirtland Air Force Base recovered a hiker Aug. 1 who had been lost in Colorado since July 30. The HH-60 Pave Hawk crew of four Airmen from Air Education and Training Command's 58th Special Operations Wing, and two pararescuemen from Detachment 1, 342nd

  • Senior leaders talk big picture with SMART scholars

    Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation program scholars have unique opportunities to leave a lasting legacy in the U.S. defense community, Air Force senior leaders said during the SMART scholar summer orientation, which took place July 11-14 in Washington, D.C.Nearly 300 SMART program

  • American Idol meets American Military at 301st FW

    The 301st Fighter Wing's main hangar was turned into something akin to a Hollywood movie set July 20 as the 11 contestants from last season's "American Idol" television show arrived here to film a public-service announcement for Air Force Reserve Command Recruiting Service.The recruiting service

  • Pentagon streamlines approval for energy projects

    A Defense Department clearinghouse for renewable energy projects has approved 229 of 249 projects proposed in 35 states and Puerto Rico, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said recently."These projects represent 10 gigawatts of renewable energy generation capacity in wind energy alone,"

  • Columbus defenders bring 9/11 march across Mississippi River

    Airmen from the 14th Security Forces Squadron here will take the Ruck March to Remember across the Mississippi River July 26 during their portion of the 2,181-mile trek.The Columbus Airmen began their 146-mile march July 24, taking part in the nationwide security forces event commemorating the 10th

  • Military recruiting, retention remain strong

    A bumper crop of new high school graduates who joined the military in June helped the Defense Department continue its strong recruiting and retention streak.All four services met or exceeded their fiscal-year-to-date goals for active-duty accessions through June 30, along with five of the six

  • Defense Department officials launch cyber strategy website

    Defense Department officials announced July 25 the launch of a new website to highlight the department's first unified strategy for cyberspace.Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III announced the department's Strategy for Operating in Cyberspace on July 14 at National Defense University at

  • French award National Defense Gold Medal to pararescue Airmen

    Three 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron Airmen were awarded the French National Defense Gold Medal with bronze star during a ceremony at Forward Operating Base Morales-Frazier July 8.French Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Maurin, the Task Force La Fayette IV commander, presented Capt. John Mosier, an HH-60G

  • Western Air Defense Sector in Eastern Europe

    The Western Air Defense Sector provides a critical component to the U.S. homeland defense mission. Located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., WADS members are responsible for coordinating all airborne alert aircraft in the western U.S. Its sister organization, EADS, is responsible for the Eastern

  • Air Force further reduces officers eligible for RIF

    Sufficient voluntary separations have resulted in the removal of several competitive categories from the September 2011 reduction-in-force board, according to Air Force officials. In April, Air Force officials announced the removal of chaplains and medical service corps officers from the board.

  • New guide helps communities aid homeless women vets

    Officials with the Women's Bureau of the Department of Labor have released an online publication that will help community service providers aid homeless women veterans, Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis said July 20.Solis addressed an audience of several hundred at the Women in Military Service for

  • New tool to help support deployed Airmen

    Air Force officials are testing a new capability to expedite the personnel assistance deployed total force Airmen receive from Personnel Support for Contingency Operations, or PERSCO, teams.PERSCO teams at deployed locations in U.S. Air Forces Central's area of responsibility will be phased in to

  • DOD space program broadens industry, foreign partnerships

    The Defense Department is expanding partnerships with space-faring companies and nations to maintain the strategic advantage it gains in space, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for space policy said July 19.Speaking with reporters from the Defense Writers Group here, Ambassador Gregory L.

  • Pentagon strategy addresses energy challenges

    Reducing demand, finding alternative energy sources and improving the energy security of military operations are among the goals of the Defense Department's operational energy strategy, a senior Pentagon official said here July 19.Sharon Burke, the assistant secretary of defense for operational

  • Air Force Key Spouses of the Year honored at forum

    Some of the Air Force's outstanding 'Key Spouses' were honored during the service's Caring for People Forum here July 19.Suzie Schwartz, wife of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, and Paula Roy, wife of Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James A. Roy, accompanied Lt. Gen. Darrell

  • New joint training enables Airmen, Soldiers to respond to emergencies

    Airmen from the fire department and Soldiers from a quick reaction force at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing conducted a joint training exercise July 15 to learn how to work together effectively during an emergency situation.This is the first time the Army's QRF and the Air Force-operated fire