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U.S. Air Force News

  • Joint initiative transforms air defense in Asia

    Air Force and the Japanese Self Defense Force leaders paved the road to increased interoperability with the stroke of a pen at a ceremony here May 15. Brig. Gen. Joseph Reheiser, 5th Air Force vice commander and 13th Air Force deputy commander, and JASDF Maj. Gen. Haruhiko Kataoka, director of the

  • McGuire NCO Academy closes its doors

    After three decades of operation, officials at the McGuire NCO Academy closed its doors, furled and encased its flag, and held its inactivation ceremony here May 3."I'd like to put this NCO academy into perspective," said retired Col. Leland Martin, the academy's first commandant, a former base

  • Major League Baseball team honors military service

    The Washington Nationals baseball team saluted the military during an evening pre-game program May 11 that featured fireworks, a group enlistment and servicemembers tossing ceremonial pitches. Military Appreciation Night activities held at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium here also included Deputy Defense

  • Airmen mentor Afghan depot personnel

    Airmen stationed here supporting Operation Enduring Freedom are taking the time to mentor Afghan national army soldiers at the Central Maintenance Depot in Kabul. Serving a one-year deployment, the Air Force mentors are embedded training team members supporting the Central Maintenance Depot's

  • Air Intelligence Agency to become Air Force ISR Agency

    Air Force officials here announced May 14 a force structure change designating the Air Intelligence Agency at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, as the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency.AIA reported to Air Combat Command, but the new agency will be aligned under the Air

  • Air traffic controllers manage safe, efficient operation

    A team of Airmen observe the diversity of air power used in the war on terrorism from the highest vantage point on base: the air traffic control tower. Forward-deployed U.S. armed forces and coalition partners depend on every flight that takes off from and lands at the air base run by the Airmen of

  • Government, local agencies test emergency coordination

    In a training exercise May 8, local, state and federal government agencies proved they could work together, not only to the public, but also to each other as well. This incident was part of Alaska Shield/Northern Edge, the state's portion of an annual national training exercise designed for multiple

  • May 13 airpower: B-1B targets insurgents

    Coalition airpower supported coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan in the following operations May 13, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials. In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer dropped multiple guided bomb

  • Flight information management initiative saves time, money

    Air Mobility Battlelab members successfully completed an initiative named the Comprehensive Combat Flight Information Management System at the Rockwell Collins International, Inc.'s aviation laboratory in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The CCFIMS initiative combines commercial and government systems to prove

  • DOD blocks 12 popular Internet sites to protect grid

    Defense Department officials are blocking access to many popular Internet sites from department-owned computers due to bandwidth issues, U.S. Strategic Command officials said May 14.Joint Task Force Global Network Operations members, who direct the operation and defense of DOD's global information

  • Army aids in aerial evac during North Pole exercise

    Two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crews teamed with Airmen and civilian emergency responders May 10 to evacuate simulated victims of a terrorist attack as part of Alaska Shield/ Northern Edge 2007. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation regiment's "Flying Dragons" based at Fort Wainwright,

  • Joint team helps save 2-year-old boy in Pacific

    When Airmen from the 13th Air Force's Theater Patient Movement Requirements Center here received a request in early May from a Saipan pediatrician requesting critical assistance for a 2-year-old suffering from pneumonia with subsequent organ system failure, unit members understood time was critical

  • Chief McKinley offers service dress perspective

    In his latest "Enlisted Perspective," Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley discusses the new heritage service dress uniform and how the uniform will better represent the Air Force to the American public."I look forward to the day when I stand tall in a new service dress uniform with

  • NORAD celebrates 49th birthday

    North American Aerospace Defense Command officials celebrated its 49th anniversary May 12 with cake and reflected on the importance of its mission."Today we celebrate 49 years of tradition and of history of defending both the nations of the United States and Canada," said Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr.,

  • 'Brave' baseballs make way around deployed bases

    The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing received a special package from Georgia last week that aims to spotlight Air Force later this year. A briefcase containing Atlanta Braves baseballs is making its way around the CENTCOM area of responsibility as part of Air Force 60th Anniversary "Heritage to

  • Teen becomes 'Pilot for a Day' at Fairchild

    It isn't every day a 13-year-old boy gets to pilot a KC-135 Stratotanker destined from Washington for Hawaii, but one teen flew the mission May 3 as Fairchild Air Force Airmen helped one local youth become a Pilot for a Day. Dylan Nickerson experienced a day in the life of a pilot with the

  • Cash flow easier for Airmen deployed forward

    Deployed servicemembers here can now access their funds 24-hours a day, seven days a week with a new, automated money management program called Eagle Cash. Co-sponsored by the Army and the Department of the Treasury, Eagle Cash is a financial management tool to support military members deployed in

  • May 11-12 airpower: F-15Es hit insurgent compound

    Coalition airpower supported coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations May 11 and 12, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, a U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer executed shows of

  • Raptors return from historical deployment

    The first overseas deployment of America's newest fighter aircraft ended when the stealthy planes arrived here May 11.The first wave of F-22 Raptors from the 27th Fighter Squadron returned from Kadena Air Base, Japan, as part of a three-month air and space expeditionary force deployment where the

  • 'Week in Photos' features Airmen around the globe

    The "Week In Photos" Web feature provides visitors with photos highlighting Air Force missions around the world. Among this week's photos are: At Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Senior Airman Andrew Caro and Staff Sgt. Dustin Maglinti take aim at a target during a training exercise. They are

  • Military, civilians partner for vital disaster training

    In a unified effort to save lives and protect vital infrastructure facilities, Airmen, Soldiers and civilian first responders trained together May 9 as they responded to a mass casualty exercise scenario. The training event was part of Alaska Shield/Northern Edge, Alaska's portion of an annual

  • Airmen mIssing In action from WWII identified

    The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced May 11 that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors. First Lt. Archibald Kelly, U.S. Army Air Forces, of

  • Predators ready to aid Missouri flood victims

    MQ-1 Predators are on standby to launch and help with search, rescue and recovery efforts over the areas of Missouri devastated by floods. Four of the unmanned aerial vehicles and the Airmen who launch and recover them await U.S. Northern Command orders to deploy to a location near the affected

  • Air support is crucial vein in ground force's lifeline

    Joint terminal attack controllers direct the action of combat aircraft to provide close-air support missions for U.S. ground forces in Iraq. Close-air support missions require highly-detailed communication channels and a well-coordinated process. Those communication channels and coordination

  • Moms honored as Hometown News tests new greeting method

    As part of a test, Airmen around the world had a rare opportunity to send a greeting to their moms on Mother's Day. Army and Air Force Hometown News officials used the occasion to test a new program as they seek to find a quicker and more cost-effective way to film, process and distribute annual

  • USAFE commander visits Spanish base

    The U. S. Air Forces in Europe commander met with Spanish airmen and commanders of the 712th Air Base Group and observed firsthand how the Spanish and U.S. work together May 11 at Moron Air Base.Gen. William T. Hobbins toured Europe's en-route base for Air Force fighters and tankers while Spanish

  • Personnel Center reps demonstrate 'Excellence in Government'

    An individual and a team from the Air Force Personnel Center here received Alamo Federal Executive Board "Excellence in Government" awards during a luncheon May 4 honoring the nearly 90,000 federal employees in the San Antonio area. AFEB officials presented Emily Covarrubia, from the Civilian Force

  • National Guard cleaning up devastated Kansas town

    It's hard to describe the immensity of the destruction in Greensburg, Kan. State and FEMA officials say 95 percent of the town is destroyed; gone as well are 961 homes, and 136 businesses have major damage. Standing in the center of town and looking in all directions is an endless scene of disaster:

  • Multinational communicators network at seminars

    Phoenix Endeavor, a part of Combined Endeavor 2007, offered three weeks of spectrum-management seminars to military communication specialists from 12 nations. The seminars, April 27 through May 10, introduced the finer points of managing and requesting frequencies from host nations. Combined

  • May 10 airpower: Airlifting ammo to Soldiers

    Coalition airpower supported coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan in the following operations May 10, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped 500-pound bombs on

  • Air Force's WC-130 crews hunt Atlantic coast hurricanes

    Although the 2007 Atlantic Ocean hurricane season officially starts June 1, Keesler Air Force Base's Hurricane Hunters got off to an early start. Flying a specially equipped WC-130 Hercules, Airmen from the Air Force Reserve Command's 403rd Wing tracked their first tropical disturbance May 9 off the

  • Track and field: Falcons' Brian Walsh wins MWC decathlon

    U.S. Air Force Academy Senior Brian Walsh claimed his second conference multi-event championship, in as many years, as he won the decathlon at the Mountain West Conference Track and Field Championships May 10 in San Diego. With 7,321 points, Walsh became the Falcons' first decathlon champion of the

  • Charleston maintainers foster AFSO 21 process improvement

    The idea that small changes in processes can make big impacts in productivity is one of the concepts behind Air Force Smart Operations 21, or AFSO 21. Leaders of the 437th Maintenance Group met recently for an intensive four-day process improvement study and found smarter ways of getting aerospace

  • May 9 airpower: F-16s provide support to convoys

    Coalition airpower supported coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan in the following operations May 9, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer conducted a show of force,

  • Fitness month focuses on health, social benefits

    May is National Sports and Fitness month, and there are positive health and social benefits to getting off the couch and over to the fitness center, a track, running trail, pool, court, park or other venue of your choice.In other words, just choose it!Jill Goff, fitness program manager at Yokota's

  • Deployed F-22s leave Pacific, return to Langley

    After almost three months in the Pacific, 12 F-22A Raptors departed here May 10 having completed the first overseas deployment for the Air Force's newest air supremacy aircraft. The Raptors and more than 250 Airmen assigned to the 27th Fighter Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Va., arrived in

  • Charleston C-17 transports NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander

    The Phoenix Mars Lander began its journey to the red planet in May by first flying on board a C-17 Globemaster III from Charleston Air Force Base.An Aircrew from the 16th Airlift Squadron transported the Phoenix Mars Lander, built by Lockheed Martin in association with NASA, from Buckley AFB, Colo.,

  • Airborne staff connects ground forces

    Convoys going on patrols in Iraq can run into problems when they lose communication. Communication is an integral factor in ensuring servicemembers' safety while on the roads. It can be the difference between mission success and failure. Unknown to many road-faring warriors, a lifeline is already in

  • NATO Response Force works to improve communications

    Representatives from 26 NATO nations met during the first week of May for NATO Response Force Exercise Allied Reach '07 at Allied Air Component Command Headquarters in Ramstein Air Base, Germany. NATO commanders and other senior leaders attended the exercise that examined the command and control,

  • Air Force opens newest air ops center

    Twelfth Air Force and Air Forces Southern will open the Air Force's newest Falconer, the 612th Combined Air Operations Center, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 9. The 612th Combined Air Operations Center, serves as the operations hub for all air and space activities during combat and

  • DOD helps prepare U.S. for pandemic flu outbreak

    The Defense Department is teaming with other federal agencies to prepare the nation to deal with a potential pandemic outbreak of influenza, a senior official said May 8 here. "Right now, we're as ready as we can be at this point," said Richard Chavez, director of chemical, biological, radiological

  • World War II pilot receives Distinguished Flying Cross

    A former Army Air Corps first lieutenant received the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions he took almost 63 years ago, during a ceremony May 7 at the Travis Air Museum. Art Cader earned the medal for his heroism during a World War II bombing mission he was part of Sept. 30, 1944. The medal is

  • Air Force Honor Guard demonstrate team esprit

    The Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team is typically very critical of their drill performance, analyzing and reviewing every move checking for the tiniest flaws. During a national drill championship here, all eyes were on the team, seeking to learn and expecting only the best from the team. The drill

  • Airman's Roll Call focuses on new UAV wing

    Global intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance are the missions of the new unmanned aerial vehicle wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. The 432nd Wing at the base, located near Las Vegas, was reactivated to be the first MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper wing in the Air Force. With an increase in

  • May 8 airpower: F-15Es provide overwatch power

    Coalition airpower supported coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan in the following operations May 8, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer dropped guided bomb

  • Pilots, attack controllers sharpen war skills in Nevada

    Pilots and joint terminal attack controllers, or JTACs, here practiced skills needed in both Iraq and Afghanistan during training over two southern Nevada towns April 23 and 24. The two towns were Caliente and Panaca, with a combined population of about 1,500 residents, and the training was urban

  • Air Force to test consolidated personnel services

    The Air Force Personnel Center and the Air Force Material Command are embarking on a test that will allow the Air Force to closely study and review consolidated civilian personnel support services to a large civilian employee population. For a one-year period, AFPC will provide staffing referral

  • JTACs call in 'guardian angels'

    A joint terminal attack controller is completely immersed downrange on the battlefield. His heart is pounding and his forehead drips with sweat as he directs a combat aircraft to provide close-air support for U.S. ground forces there. The JTAC's eyes light up as he sees the aircraft deliver a

  • RED HORSE helps build combat brigade base in 45 days

    Two months ago, Forward Operating Base Shawshook, near Besmaya Range, was nothing more than dirt and tumbleweeds. Now, at the newly developed Forward Operating Base Hammer there's a full-up U.S. Army combat brigade, the 3rd of the 3rd Infantry Division, housed and fed -- ready to conduct missions in

  • 2006 Public Affairs Achievement Awards announced

    On behalf of Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley, Brig. Gen. Michelle Johnson, director of Public Affairs, announced the 2006 Public Affairs Achievement Awards."My heartiest congratulations to all of this year's nominees and recipients,"

  • May 7 airpower: Tankers key to show-of-force operations

    Coalition airpower supported coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan in the following operations May 7, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer provided overwatch for a

  • Interagency exercise kicks off

    The annual exercise Alaska Shield/Northern Edge 2007 got under way May 7 and runs through May 18. It is part of the U.S. Northern Command-sponsored, national-level Ardent Sentry/Northern Edge 2007 exercise. Ardent Sentry is designed to hone coordination between the Department of Defense as well as

  • Air Force officials evaluating KC-X proposals

    The Air Force source selection evaluation team is poring over industry proposals for the KC-X program, the replacement for the Air Force's aging KC-135 Stratotanker strategic refueling aircraft.The evaluation team, made up of a broad spectrum of acquisition and operational professionals, is

  • Airmen's weather watch data enhances military missions

    Sandstorms, which often appear as solid walls of dust as much as 15,000 feet high, can obscure the sun and reduce visibility to zero. A group of weather watching Airmen monitor Southwest Asia's approximately 55-million square-mile area of responsibility, forecasting these storms before they hit;

  • British fusiliers get 'royal treatment'

    A group of redeploying British infantrymen passed through here May 1 and introduced themselves to Airmen of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing who helped them out during some tough days of contact with Taliban forces near Sangin, Afghanistan. Soldiers from C Company Group, 2nd Battalion, Royal

  • Letter to Airmen highlights cyberspace operations

    In the latest Letter to Airmen, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne discusses cyberspace operations and how the Air Force is extending its global vigilance, reach and power into cyberspace. Secretary Wynne said that our adversaries are attempting to access American servers that contain

  • Latest 'Today's Air Force' now available

    This week's edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights how Combat Skills Training prepares Airmen to operate on the streets of Afghanistan and Iraq, and how the Air Force's highly trained Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape, or SERE, instructors provide Airmen the skills to survive alone in a

  • May 6 airpower: B-1B Lancers keep insurgents at bay

    Coalition airpower supported coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan in the following operations May 6, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles dropped guided bomb

  • Weapons loading competition hones Airmen's skills

    Munitions loaders around the Air Force test their warfighting capabilities and promote camaraderie through load crew competitions.Recently, two teams from the 555th and 510th Fighter Squadrons here used teamwork and the communication skills involved with a weapons load to prove their

  • Airman's Creed, military health care on CSAF's Scope

    The CSAF's Scope focuses on current topics the Air Force chief of staff feels are of special importance to today's Airmen. Among Gen. T. Michael Moseley's top issues are the new Airman's Creed and military health care. General Moseley introduced the new creed to replace all the various specialized

  • Air Force medics provide medical relief in Guatemala

    Thirteen Airmen from various Air Force Space Command bases returned April 30 from 10 days in Guatemala where they provided much needed medical care to the people there -- services that would have been otherwise nonexistent. From their home base in Salama, the team of Airmen, which included

  • Dover stands up new C-17 maintenance squadron

    The 736th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron was stood up in an assumption-of-command ceremony here April 30. The 736th AMXS will be responsible for maintaining the C-17 Globemaster IIIs, scheduled to start arriving this summer. "This is all very, very exciting, yet humbling," said Lt. Col. Raymond

  • Romanian pilot returns favor, bridges gap in joint exercise

    All his life he dreamed of being a pilot. Growing up near an air base, he always hoped he too would be able to take to the sky like so many pilots he saw day after day. That dream became a reality in 2001 when 1st Lt. Mihaita Marin began to fly. He started his journey toward flight in 1999 when he

  • AF Recruiting Service announces American Spirit Award winners

    Air Force Recruiting Service announced the National Football League's Indianapolis Colts and the Manchester (N.H.) Wolves of the Arena 2 Football League as winner's of the command's prestigious American Spirit Award May 1. The American Spirit Award is Air Force Recruiting Service's highest form of

  • May 5 airpower summary: A-10s provide support for ground forces

    Coalition airpower supported coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations May 5, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles provided overwatch

  • Kansas Air National Guardsman completes first online retirement

    A Kansas Air National Guardsman was the first Guard Airman to complete the new online Air Force retirement process, which became mandatory April 15. Tech. Sgt. Kenneth L. Ellis, of the 190th Civil Engineer Squadron, applied for retirement using the system March 15, the day the process went live, and

  • 5th SFS load up for comrade injured in Iraq

    Airmen from the 5th Security Forces Squadron took part in a "ruck-march" May 3 to show support for a fellow squadron member injured in Iraq. Staff Sgt. Scott Lilley, 5th SFS, was injured April 15 when he and his team was attacked by insurgents, and his vehicle hit by an improvised explosive device.

  • May 4 airpower summary: C-17s bring support to ground forces

    Coalition airpower supported coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations May 4, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials. In Afghanistan, a U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer provided a show of force,

  • Track and Field: Falcons conclude regular season with twilight meet

    Three incursions into the Academy's all-time record book highlighted the afternoon, as the Air Force track and field team hosted the annual Ris Westen-Air Force Twilight Meet May 4 at the Academy. The Falcons claimed 15 event titles in their final competition of the regular season.The 4x100-meter

  • Inventory management gears up for process improvements

    Maximizing weapons system availability and performance means smart management of safety levels and inventories. To do this, Air Force officials strive to optimize inventory levels and cost without sacrificing support to the warfighting commanders. "Based upon the fact that we are maintaining systems

  • Special Operations Command celebrates 20 years

    Air Force Special Operations Command Airmen joined personnel from U.S. Special Operations Command to celebrate USSOCOM's 20th anniversary held April 23-27 at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. USSOCOM, made up of about 48,000 Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps special operators, specializes in

  • Mountain Home awarded $1 million for Air Force excellence

    Air Force leaders honored Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, with the Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence at a ceremony May 3 in the Pentagon. The annual award recognizes the Air Force base that stands out among all others in a variety of categories. Mountain Home AFB,

  • May 3 airpower summary: F-16s support ground forces

    Coalition airpower supported coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan in the following operations May 3, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer dropped a guided bomb

  • F-117 pioneer test pilot passes away at 70

    The Air Force and the F-117A Nighthawk program lost one of its premier test pilots nearly 25 years, to the day, after his near-fatal accident while attempting to take-off on an F-117A's final acceptance test. Retired Lt. Col. Robert 'Bob' Riedenauer, 70, passed away April 23 at his home in Palmdale,

  • Air Force security forces director visits Minot

    The director of Air Force security forces visited here from April 30 to May 3 to observe firsthand the base's security mission. Brig. Gen. Mary Kay Hertog discussed deployment tempos, training and the future of the career field while here. "My number-one priority is to provide our security forces

  • Officials react to CSAR-X report

    The Government Accountability Office released its redacted report May 3 regarding the Air Force's Request for Reconsideration on the Combat Search and Rescue Replacement vehicle, the CSAR-X. The report states that GAO officials had "reviewed all of the additional arguments raised by Sikorsky and

  • 'Week in Photos' features Airmen around the globe

    The "Week In Photos" Web feature on Air Force Link provides visitors with photos that highlight Air Force missions around the world. Among this week's photos are: In Alaska, seven F-16 Fighting Falcons fly in formation over the Pacific Alaska Range Complex. The F-16s are from the 18th Fighter

  • Charleston loadmasters train Davis-Monthan Airmen

    In an effort to further develop Air Force capabilities, Charleston Air Force Base loadmasters traveled to Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., in late April to train augmentees on how to assist loadmasters when loading C-17 Globemaster IIIs. With C-17s flying around the world delivering cargo to warfighters,

  • Deployed Airmen continue filling Army's 'in-lieu-of' taskings'

    Deployments are a part of life for all people serving in the United States military. Each service deploys a certain number of troops to different parts of the world with rotations to evenly divide the workload. In the past few years Airmen have undergone changes in their wartime mission, from

  • Aviano Airman LEADs the way to bright future

    When a retired Army master sergeant challenged a young man to out do him, the Airman pushed himself to live up to the challenge. Airman 1st Class Chase's drive to do more has led him to face an upcoming 10 months of arduous work. Airman Ray was notified April 26 that he was accepted in to the Air

  • Air Force in Afghanistan aims high on low terrain

    About 240 Airmen are working throughout Afghanistan to help build vital infrastructure as members of provincial reconstruction teams. Air Force members began leading six of the 24 PRTs in April 2006 as Airmen work to improve Afghanistan's security through reconstruction and economic development. The

  • Air Force aerial firefighters train in New Mexico

    C-130 Hercules aircraft dotted the sky over central New Mexico April 30 through May 2 as 300 Airmen prepared to help fight wild land fires that may break out this year. Cibola National Forest officials and Airmen from Air Force Reserve Command's 302nd Airlift Wing based at Peterson Air Force Base,

  • Services Airmen dish up real meals ready to eat

    Some Airmen might not think a fresh, hot meal is a big deal, but for Airmen at a bare base a meal not named "MRE" can bring a few happy and hungry faces to the dinner table. When servicemembers arrive at a bare-base location, the first food eaten is usually meals ready to eat, or MREs. That's when

  • Tops in Blue boosts servicemembers' morale through song

    "Tops in Blue," known as the Air Forces' Expeditionary Entertainers, performed here May 2 to a standing-room only crowd. The show, themed "The Fly By," featured hit songs by Tom Jones, The Supremes, The Beach Boys, Chubby Checker and the Charlie Daniels Band. The show was presented as a tribute to

  • Airmen provide humanitarian aid for African Lion

    More than 3,700 Moroccans were treated by 37 American military members as part of an April 15 to 30 humanitarian assistance visit to Morocco called African Lion 2007.Airmen of the 944th Medical Squadron from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., and other active duty and Reserve members of sister services

  • May 2 airpower summary: B-1B provides close-air support

    Coalition airpower supported coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, in Afghanistan in the following operations May 2, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer dropped a GBU-31

  • Reservists take medical care to Guatemalans

    Journeying as much as 10,000 feet above sea level, a group of 31 Air Force Reserve Command medics treated more than 8,000 patients as part of New Horizons 07 April 14 to 28 in the mountainous region of San Marcos, Guatemala. New Horizons is a joint chiefs of staff-approved, U.S. Southern

  • Ceremony recognizes military working dog's service

    Retirement ceremonies celebrate the careers, sacrifices and vital contributions of military members in service to their country, and on April 28 Incirlik Air Base Airmen honored one such member who has been on the frontlines of the base's force protection efforts for the past nine years. Brosky, an

  • Active, Reserve Airmen join forces to fight fires

    A total force team of firefighters from Yokota Air Base and the 440th Airlift Wing, Wisconsin's only Air Force Reserve unit, combined skills to extinguish flames during a live-fire exercise here the last week of April. The joint training offered an experience Yokota AB firefighters and the

  • Champion for U.S.-Japan relations dies at age 66

    A longtime friend and supporter of American servicemembers, their families and the Air Force mission in Northern Japan passed away May 1 from pneumonia at the age of 66. Mayor Shigeyoshi Suzuki served as mayor of Misawa City, representing a city of 40,000, for more than two decades and was in his

  • Space ops critical to air, ground, naval forces

    With the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility spanning 6.5 million square miles and 27 countries, the high ground of space continues to be critical to coalition air, ground and naval forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The Space Coordinating Authority, Combined Forces Air Component Commander

  • Air Force stands up first unmanned aircraft systems wing

    The Air Force's first unmanned aircraft systems wing stood up May 1 at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. As Col. Christopher Chambliss assumed command of the 432nd, a piece of history was revived and a course for the way ahead continued. "This is a monumental day for the Air Force," said Colonel

  • Deployed Airman helps others face the music

    Like a typical family, most Air Force members celebrate birthdays, promotions and other occasions with cake. But, when Lt. Col. Brian Reno gets involved with a celebration, he adds to the fun by belting out a fitting tune on his trumpet. "It's always fun to play, and it is very rewarding when others

  • Communications Airmen make the connection

    A small contingent of four communications Airmen traveled to Al Asad Air Base to provide communication connectivity while base facilities were being built around them. "The day we got here, there were no radios, only a couple computers and no telephones installed anywhere," said Staff Sgt. Sean

  • Airman chosen as Child Advocate of Year

    An Air Force master sergeant was honored as the Child Advocate of the Year at a reception held by the Child Advocates of San Antonio organization April 25. Master Sgt. Tabitha Hendrix, the NCO in charge of the Periodontics Flight at MacKown Dental Clinic on Lackland Air Force Base, received the

  • Vietnam veteran tells today's Airmen 'stay focused'

    The knowledge and experience that Air Force retirees share with current Airmen can help develop careers. Retired Col. James Gilliland holds his audience in rapt attention while he tells stories of his progression as an RF-4C pilot and shares his experiences flying during the Vietnam War. With 30

  • May 1 airpower summary: Airmen support air operations

    Coalition airpower supported coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan in the following operations May 1, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer dropped a guided bomb

  • Homeschoolers, Air Force legal office conduct fairytale trial

    Twelve Bolling area homeschoolers participated in a mock trial held by the 11th Wing Judge Advocate at Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals courtroom here April 27. The goal of the mock trial, State of Italia v. Gepetta, was to introduce the homeschoolers to the legal process. The children also

  • Edwards team stars in 'Iron Man' superhero movie

    Edwards Air Force Base recently became a Hollywood set, as about 150 Airmen, about a dozen Marines and some of the Air Force's new aircraft shared the spotlight with Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard and Gwyneth Paltrow in filming Hollywood's next superhero blockbuster. Director Jon Favreau and his

  • Airman's Roll Call focuses on managing stress

    This week's Airman's Roll Call deals with finding balance and managing stress. A survey taken by the Department of Defense in 2005 showed the Air Force compares very favorably to the rest of DOD in terms of experiencing stress.In order to maintain that level, Air Force officials must continue to