NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Bombers rotations continue on Guam

    Demonstrating once again that bomber forces can be sustained in the Pacific, about 250 Airmen deployed Sept. 10 to 12 from Louisiana to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, as part of a 120-day air and space expeditionary force rotation.The 20th Expeditionary Bomber Squadron is the third of four existing

  • Hurricanes, home, mission focus of Gwangju Airmen

    Airmen deployed with the 3rd Air Expeditionary Group here focus daily on the task of ensuring the F-15E Strike Eagles can perform the mission and return safely. But for more than 100 of them, that focus is split between accomplishing the mission here and keeping their minds on the weather causing

  • Latest AFIT graduates earn degrees

    More than 70 scientists and engineers are the recipients of graduate and doctoral degrees from the Air Force Institute of Technology.AFIT’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management held its graduation ceremony Sept. 14. The graduating class earned 67 master’s degrees and four doctorates.Air

  • Italians, Americans work together in mass-casualty exercise

    Senior Airman Shaun Hasha expected to spend his morning Sept. 13 strolling the aisles of a local store. Instead, he spent the time running from authorities and choking on toxic fumes.The 31st Medical Operations Squadron Airman was not overcome by criminal mischief; he was a volunteer during a large

  • ‘Hurricane Hunters’ track storm threatening their home

    Hurricane Ivan threatened their home, but that did not stop Air Force Reserve Command's "Hurricane Hunters." They kept tracking the Category 4 storm as it churned toward the Gulf Coast and Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.The reservists from Keesler's 403rd Wing and their WC-130 aircraft stayed on the

  • Last active-duty C-141B Starlifter makes final flight

    The last two active-duty C-141B Starlifters in the U.S. Air Force inventory flew their final journey Sept. 16 after a special departure ceremony here.This final flight marked the end of nearly 40 years of service to the nation by C-141s and their crews.“If you look at the sum total of its history,

  • Thirteen years later, Air Force dedicates its memorial

    Soaring 270 feet into the sky over America’s capital, three stainless-steel spires forming an equilateral triangle will memorialize the U.S. Air Force.The groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication for the Air Force Memorial was Sept. 15, in Arlington, Va. The ceremony included speeches by Chief

  • Not-so-common POW: Grandmother tells of imprisonment

    The many stories about American prisoners of war usually detail the experiences of servicemembers captured during combat overseas.The little-known tale of a teenage girl, now a grandmother in San Antonio, is also among the accounts deserving acknowledgement.Liz Lautzenhiser Irvine has scrapbooks

  • Officers enhance professional development through Project Connect

    Expertise, knowledge and mentorship is just a click or phone call away for officers here through one U.S. Air Forces in Europe program.Project Connect is designed to provide a forum for field-grade and general officers to counsel and enhance the individual professional development of junior officers

  • CSI: On the battlefield

    Some of today's most popular television shows feature crime scene investigations, but those pale in comparison to the real-life battlefield investigations an Air Force Research Laboratory scientist here carries out.In his role in the Air Force Reserve, Maj. Greg Moster, whose civilian job is with

  • EOD team enjoys ‘a booming business’

    Most boys dream of growing up to be just like their fathers. They imitate the way they walk, the way they talk and even the way they dress. Tech. Sgt. John Bell went a step further. He imitates the way his father made things explode.“I guess you can say blowing up things runs in the family,” said

  • Sailors, Airmen can 'go green'

    "Go Green" is not just the slogan of environmentalists anymore.The Army is increasing its end strength, and Operation Blue to Green is one method being used to assist in reaching the desired end strength, said Lt. Col. Roy Steed, recruiting policy branch chief at the Army's personnel

  • Airmen make an F-16 ‘Thunder-ready’

    It takes less than 72 hours to convert a red, white and blue Thunderbird F-16 back to combat status. But what about taking a combat-ready Fighting Falcon and making it "Thunder-ready?"That is exactly what the people of the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, demonstrated

  • Special ops Airmen up to task of war on terror

    The war on terrorism has changed the way leaders think about managing conflict, but the commander of Air Force Special Operations Command said he is sure of one thing: His Airmen are right for the job.“(Sept. 11) redefined some key concepts,” said Lt. Gen. Michael W. Wooley, AFSOC commander. “It

  • Starlifters retire from active-duty service

    The last two active-duty C-141B Starlifter transport aircraft will retire Sept. 16 at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.During the past 40 years, the C-141 has proven versatile for troop and cargo transport, humanitarian- and disaster-relief operations and aeromedical evacuation. As such, the Starlifter

  • Americans, Czechs honor those lost in World War II battle

    While people worldwide paused to remember the events of Sept. 11, 2001, a few hundred residents and visitors here gathered to remember a different air disaster -- one that occurred the early afternoon of Sept. 11, 1944. That was when a particularly fierce and bloody World War II air battle took

  • Squadron ‘cleans house’ to build new home

    Stepping out of the sweltering heat into the cool shadows of hardened aircraft shelter No. 21, many visitors might notice the new paint on the walls or the freshly swept floors and the spacious room.The former Soviet-era shelter was not always so fresh, clean and inviting. Formerly used as a

  • NYC art society continues 52-year partnership with Air Force

    Civilian artists unveiled a bit of recent military history at an Upper East Side event Sept. 10, carrying on an American tradition that dates back to the Revolution.The artists, members of the New York City-based Society of Illustrators, have been embedded in Air Force operations to create original

  • Chief of staff outlines plans for fewer combat aircraft

    The Air Force will have fewer fighters and strike aircraft, but the lethality of those that remain will increase, the service’s top general said Sept. 13 at the 2004 Air Force Association’s Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition here.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper said the

  • Air Force Association’s 2004 conference opens

    Touting America’s superior air and space force, the Air Force Association’s 2004 Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition opened here Sept. 13.Under the theme “Professional Development for the Total Force,” the conference features three days of workshops focused on furthering the potential

  • Air Force beats Army, wins softball championship

    The 2004 Armed Forces Men’s Softball Championship ended here Sept. 11 with the Air Force defeating the Army, 16-3, to win the gold.On Day 3 of the tournament, the Army had its second loss of the tournament to the Navy, but still could have taken it all since the championship game is a head-to-head

  • Record-breaking numbers ensure ‘boots on the ground’

    Airmen assigned to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing had a record-breaking month supporting operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.Active-duty, Guard and Reserve C-130 Hercules aircraft at the wing’s forward-deployed location had more flying hours and carried more pallets and passengers during

  • Air Force women’s soccer stormed 3-0 by Central Florida

    The Air Force Academy women’s soccer team ran into a furious tropical storm that was the University of Central Florida. Falling to the Golden Knights, 3-0, the game featured heavy rainfall. The Falcons fall to 3-3-0 on the season.Central Florida improves to 5-1-1 on the season and came into the

  • Survey will measure personnel services delivery

    Airmen can help make their personnel services delivery system better through survey feedback beginning Sept. 20.Air Force officials said they are transforming the way personnel services are delivered to make them more effective, efficient and timely. This PSD transformation uses technology to place

  • Air Force finishes in 8th place at Falcon invitational

    The Air Force Academy golf team saved its best round for last, shooting a 289 on the final day of the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational held at the par-71 Eisenhower Blue Golf Course here Sept. 11.The Falcons finished in a tie for eighth-place with Weber State University at 887. Southern Utah State

  • Twins stick together, even on deployment

    For the past month, people here have been seeing double but family and friends of Staff Sgts. Sharon and Lerinda Carle have been seeing double for 22 years.Ever since these identical twins joined the Air Force two weeks after graduating from high school in Silverton, Idaho, their careers have

  • Airmen ensure medical lifeline in Pacific

    A ready, reliable and efficient war reserve materiel operation is the “heart and soul of medical readiness,” said Senior Master Sgt. Joe Alfaro, superintendent of the 374th Medical Group’s logistics flight here.WRM is pre-positioned equipment and consumable items needed to support Air Force

  • Civil engineers build ‘Airmen-Soldiers’ legacy

    Throughout Iraq, Airmen are working side-by-side with Soldiers performing what have been traditionally considered Army jobs. Among those blazing a trail for this new culture of “Airmen-Soldiers” are the 732nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Airmen.The more than 240 combat-trained engineers in

  • Employee celebrates half century of service

    You might say the Air Force and Steve Espinosa grew up together.For a fact, the two have shared more than five decades together. In uniform and as a civilian, Mr. Espinosa has served the Air Force for 54 years, nearly as long as the service has existed.A small-parts sheet-metal worker at the

  • General earns Dutch gold medal of merit

    An Air Force general was decorated Sept. 9 with the Dutch Medal of Merit in Gold at the Netherlands Embassy here.Maj. Gen. John L. "Jack" Hudson, assistant deputy undersecretary of the Air Force for international affairs, received the prestigious award for his role in bringing the F-35 Joint Strike

  • Airman tells of medical response to Pentagon attack

    When terrorists attacked the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, the ops tempo at nearby Andrews Air Force Base, Md., hit a feverish pitch, said an Airman who was there.At that time, Senior Airman Andrea Taylor, a 319th Aeromedical-Dental Squadron bioenvironmental engineering journeyman, was working with a

  • Pilot recalls Sept. 11 medical flight mission

    Three years after terrorist attacks killed more than 3,000 people, Capt. Kenneth Langert is deployed fighting the war on terrorism.The terror war is a direct result of those attacks -- taking the fight to the enemy in an effort to prevent any future “9-11s.” For Captain Langert, this effort has

  • Radar techs keep combat zone airspace safe

    The sky over here is filled with aircraft around the clock -- A-10 Thunderbolt IIs share airspace with cargo aircraft and helicopters.Keeping those aircraft safe is an important and daunting task; but a team of Airmen recently installed new equipment to make that task a little easier.“We installed

  • Lajes baby born on way to hospital

    When Morgon Damron asks his parents about his birth, Kimberly and Todd Damron can tell him he was born a Portuguese citizen. Then they can tell him he must have been very anxious to be born, because he could not wait until they got to the hospital.“I was sitting in the front seat of the car, and I

  • Air Force team helps with Genesis return mission

    NASA scientists onboard a specially modified aircraft from here collected data as the world watched the unmanned Genesis spacecraft return to Earth Sept. 8. During the reentry, however, its parachute failed to deploy and Genesis crashed into a Utah desert.Although damage to the spacecraft and the

  • More aid heads to Russia

    A U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules loaded with more than 10 tons of medical supplies arrived in Vladikavkaz, Russia, on Sept. 8 as part of the humanitarian response to the recent terrorist acts at a school in Beslan.The delivery of surgical supplies and burn-dressing kits from U.N. humanitarian

  • Airman dies supporting OIF

    Department of Defense officials announced Sept. 8 the death of an Airman who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Capt. John J. Boria, 29, of Broken Arrow, Okla., died Sept. 6 from injuries he received in an all-terrain vehicle accident in Doha, Qatar. The 1998 Air Force Academy graduate was a

  • American Eagle flies in Swiss sky

    The F-15 Eagle West Coast Demonstration Team from the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., thrilled nearly 400,000 people at the Air 04 air show here Sept. 4 and 5.This is the first time in more than 12 years there has been an air show in Switzerland, and air show officials said this is

  • Frances causes ‘little damage’ at MacDill

    Charley struck out while Frances was a base hit, but disaster readiness officials here said they are hoping Ivan is an opponent they will not have to face at all.Following the second hurricane scare within one month, and Hurricane Ivan drawing a bead on Florida, emergency preparedness experts here

  • Military personnel data system managed like a weapons system

    Three years ago, Air Force Personnel Center officials here replaced the 30-year-old computer mainframes running on obsolete software with the military personnel data system.It was not just an upgrade, but an entirely new system designed to use Web technology for instant access and feedback, a system

  • New training program for navigators, EWOs begins soon

    A new combat systems officer training program for Air Force navigators and electronic warfare officers begins here Sept. 30 with the 562nd and 563rd Flying Training Squadrons.The new program responds to Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper’s request to redesign the current training to

  • Aircrew training ensures air superiority

    Superb people and state-of-the-art technology help make the U.S. Air Force the most formidable air power in the world. But the general who oversees flying training for more than 19,000 Airmen a year said the biggest single factor that makes America's military stand out from other countries is its

  • Officials complete F-15 accident investigation

    Air Force officials completed their investigation of the F-15 Eagle crash that happened May 21 on the shoreline of St. George Island, Fla.The accident investigation board determined the accident was caused by a chain of events that led to the pilot’s unintentional ejection, which ultimately led to

  • Patrick, Cape Canaveral get ‘all clear’

    The 45th Space Wing commander has given the "all clear" order for here and nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. This allows members of the work force, families living in military family housing and Airmen living in base dormitories to return. Base people evacuated Sept. 2 to escape the path of

  • Airmen deliver aid to Russia

    Two C-130 Hercules crews from the 38th Airlift Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, flew medical and humanitarian supplies here Sept. 6.The crews dropped off about 36,000 pounds of medical and humanitarian supplies for relief agencies treating hundreds of victims of a terrorist attack on a school

  • Reservists fly into heart of Hurricane Frances

    As Hurricane Frances bears down on Florida and the coastal residents evacuate, Air Force reservists are flying directly into the storm that everyone else wants to avoid.Called "Hurricane Hunters," members of Air Force Reserve Command's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron at Keesler Air Force Base,

  • Report focuses on Air Force Academy instructors

    Service and Department of Defense officials have agreed with most of the findings in a congressionally mandated study of faculty at the Air Force Academy.The Study and Report Related to Permanent Professors at the United States Military Academy was directed by the 2004 National Defense Authorization

  • Florida bases prepare for Hurricane Frances

    As forecasters predict Hurricane Frances will reach land near Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., on Sept. 4, bases have begun preparing for the storm Sept. 1.At Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., the 482nd Fighter Wing commander ordered 16 F-16 Fighting Falcons to Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort

  • For two Airmen, being good Soldiers kept them alive

    More and more Airmen are finding themselves training for convoy duty, deploying to Iraq and making mad dashes from Point A to Point B while under the watchful eye of the enemy. It is dangerous duty. During a convoy, Staff Sgt. Amelia Grahn, a transportation dispatcher from Royal Air Force

  • Medical warriors deploy to Iraq

    About 100 Airmen from the 59th Medical Wing at Wilford Hall Medical Center here left Aug. 30 to staff a field hospital in Iraq.They are the largest contingent of about 160 people from the medical center deploying to Iraq."We’re proud to be sending highly trained and qualified (medics)," said Maj.

  • Mechanic pulls in cash with IDEA

    A pneudraulics systems mechanic here earned $6,200 from the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program for developing a tool that keeps parts from being damaged during maintenance.Brett Harris earned his award for developing a tool to help with taking F-15 Eagle pitch trim controllers

  • Airman on convoy killed in Iraq

    An Airman was killed while on a supply convoy near Mosul, Iraq, on Aug. 29, defense officials announced Aug. 31.Airman 1st Class Carl Anderson Jr., 21, of Georgetown, S.C., was deployed with the 732nd Expeditionary Mission Support Group and died after his convoy hit a roadside bomb. He was a

  • Japanese World War II fighter joins museum collection

    The embodiment of Japanese air power and kamikaze suicide attacks during World War II, a restored Japanese Zero returned to the U.S. Air Force Museum here.Commercial workers recently completed a one-year restoration of the aircraft for the museum. They disassembled the aircraft to move it to the

  • Officials release F-16 accident report

    A pilot's loss of situational awareness caused two F-16 Fighting Falcons to collide May 17, according to a report Air Force officials released Aug. 30.The lead pilot, of the Indiana Air National Guard’s 113th Fighter Squadron in Terre Haute, was killed in the crash. The pilot of the second

  • Teamwork provides best security while deployed

    The Airmen who came together in March to form the 380th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron at a forward-deployed location have learned to work hand-in-hand with the host-nation security.“We share a common goal with our hosts in the protection of (people) and resources on the base,” said Maj.

  • Reservists visit Nigerien school

    A group of eager children gathered inside a local school, just outside the gates of the base, to hear their American visitors talk about health care.Maj. (Dr.) Joe Alvarez and Capt. Andrew Gibson paid a visit to the school while taking a short break from working at the clinic. The two were part of

  • Airmen reach out to locals

    Many of their homes are made of fabric held up by sticks. They have no running water, no septic system and no electricity. For more than 15 years, they have lived on the barren land that surrounds Tallil Air Base. They are local Bedouin families, they are survivors and they play an important role

  • Airmen give 'Warthogs' bite

    In a war zone, two elements make the A-10 Thunderbolt II, also known as the Warthog, unsurpassed in its close-air support mission.The first is speed. Its slow speed allows it to loiter in an area for long periods of time. The second is weaponry -- A-10s pack a wide variety of munitions giving them

  • Airmen save aircraft crash victim

    For Alaska Air National Guard’s pararescuemen, it was a “pretty vanilla” rescue, but to one man, it was his life.The 49-year-old pilot of a Kolb Fire Star II Ultra Light aircraft apparently hit a large boulder when attempting to take off from his refueling point in Lake Clark Pass on Aug. 26,

  • Now showing: Aug. 30 edition of AFTV News

    The far-flung supply train for troops in Iraq headlines the latest edition of Air Force Television News.Tech. Sgt. Angie Pianga goes to Moron, Spain, to show how active-duty, Air National Guard and Reserve Airmen are performing a vital role in getting people and equipment to and from Iraq. Tech.

  • Corny display honors C-130 Guard unit

    Pilots flying over the rural farmland near Lewistown, Ill., may be shocked to see the likeness of a C-130 Hercules etched into the landscape hundreds of feet below.This C-130, modeled after the neighboring Illinois Air National Guard’s 182nd Airlift Wing aircraft, is not some mysterious crop circle.

  • Airmen provide FAST security

    As the two security forces Airmen receive their weapons from the armory, they go over the day’s plan. Today, they will cover more than 1,800 miles, stop in two different countries and then return home within 10 hours. Armed and geared up, they proceed to their transportation for the day, a C-130

  • Reserve medics rely on Nigerien help with translation

    A medical humanitarian mission can have all the doctors and medicines in the world, but the mission may not be successful without good translators.This was true for a group of Air Force Reserve medics who treated more than 6,000 patients in the African nation of Niger. The team deployed here with

  • Grueling adventure race challenges all participants

    Tears of sweat, pain and joy ran down the faces of 45 hard-chargers who participated in the Special Operations Enduro Challenge VI on Aug. 21. Two-person teams were faced with a five-mile run, seven-mile canoe course, 300 push-ups and sit-ups, a canoe portage, a one-mile swim, a 12-mile off-road

  • One dies, one injured in work-related accident

    One senior airman was killed and another seriously injured in a work-related accident here Aug. 23.Senior Airman Jesse Williamson Jr. died, and Senior Airman Ryan Robinson was injured while using a hydraulic lift to replace light fixtures inside an aircraft hangar, said Col. Greg Patterson, 78th Air

  • Bad checks, AWOL net Airman confinement

    Writing $18,000 in bad checks and being absent without leave for six days netted a 377th Security Forces Squadron Airman here a bad-conduct discharge, six months confinement and demotion to airman basic.Airman 1st Class Jessica Morris was convicted by a general court-martial. Military judge, Lt.

  • Air Force firefighter receive honors

    Air Force firefighters recognized their top performers Aug. 16 to 20 at the annual Department of Defense and Federal Fire and Emergency Services Training Conference in New Orleans. A California man who displayed an extraordinary feat of heroism and an Air Combat Command fire department received top

  • Airmen deserve recognition for national security operations

    Air Force leaders want to ensure Airmen get the recognition they deserve for fighting the war on terrorism at home and abroad, and for many more operations critical to national security.That is why Air Force personnel officials are looking at better ways to apply modern air and space mission

  • Guard squadron makes mark in Operation Iraqi Freedom

    The most recent deployment for the 107th Fighter Squadron was one of firsts, the unit's commander said here Aug. 24.Lt. Col. Glenn Schmidt said the Air National Guard unit became the first F-16 Fighting Falcon squadron to be based in Iraq when it established its base in Kirkuk in February. It also

  • Officials announce Innkeeper Award winners

    Air Force Services Agency officials recently announced the winners of its annual Innkeeper Award. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., won in the large-base category, and Laughlin AFB, Texas, received the small-base category award.Created in 1981, The Air Force Innkeeper Award program is managed by

  • Avionics techs protect fighters

    Maintainers operate 24 hours daily to ensure that F-16 Fighting Falcons here can defeat sophisticated anti-aircraft defense systems during combat. These advanced systems are posing a threat against unstealthy Air Force aircraft, said 8th Maintenance Squadron’s electronic countermeasures section

  • Airmen keep Litening pods striking

    As A-10 Thunderbolt IIs patrol over Afghanistan, one piece of avionics equipment is extremely important to them providing unparalleled close-air support to ground forces.The Laser Infrared Targeting and Navigation pod gives A-10 pilots a number of options to search out enemy forces and protect

  • Road Warrior III reinforces continuous training

    Road Warrior III trained nearly 90 Airmen from air force bases in Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota in the strategy and tactics of defending the nation’s ICBM resources for three weeks here.The exercise involved more than 120 people from the National Nuclear Security Agency’s office of secure

  • Test cell maintainers keep aircraft engines revving

    Straddling an F-16 Fighting Falcon engine that is producing 30,000 pounds of thrust as it furiously roars full blast during testing is not for the faint hearted. The ground shakes as the engine shoots 30-foot flames out the exhaust with a deafening noise, and the strong winds can knock someone to

  • Civil engineer celebrates 63 years of service

    With admiration, he glides his hand across a huge trapezoid-shaped conference table made of solid oak. Bending down, he points out with a steady hand how he built the base precisely and securely to fit the top without nails or screws, just wooden dowels. His pride in his work and his steady hand

  • Maintainers race clock at Kyrgyzstan

    Senior Airman Derek Smith and Airman 1st Class Alex O’Donnell are perched high atop a C-130 Hercules trying to solve a mechanical problem. The No. 3 engine had a prop replaced a week before, and flight deck indicator lights now point out a malfunction. It is a mild 78 degrees at 8:50 a.m. when

  • Aircrew training squadron shapes crews for AWACS mission

    A cooperative spirit is alive at the home of the aircrew training squadron for the E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System mission here. The squadron is NATO’s only E-3 training squadron. Every alliance AWACS mission begins with training here.Squadron Airmen provide basic and upgrade

  • Good Samaritans help with PCS nightmare

    For most servicemembers, it is routine to move every three to five years, but for one newcomer it was an experience he will never forget.First Lt. Ryan Smith, of the 351st Air Refueling Squadron, had just finished the co-pilot initial qualification course at Altus Air Force Base, Okla., when he

  • Fuels Airmen pump up

    On a busy day at their home station, the Airmen from the fuels element measure their amount of pumped fuel by the thousands. When they are deployed here, they measure it by the hundreds of thousands. Busy is not the word.The 40th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Flight fuels Airmen pumped their

  • DIMO strengthening medical ties worldwide

    Defense Institute for Medical Operations officials recently sent out an eight-person team to head-up and teach an aeromedical evacuation and critical-care transport course in Ankara, Turkey.The five-day course provided the advanced training necessary to care for critically ill or injured patients in

  • Water rescue team saves two lives

    The fire department water rescue team here rescued two swimmers at a local beach Aug. 21. When the rescue team arrived on scene just after midnight, security forces were already there, said Master Sgt. Gregory Chesser, 36th Civil Engineer Squadron assistant fire chief for training. The victim had

  • RAPCON Airmen control sky over Iraq

    Since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, coalition forces have controlled the air space over Iraq. The 332nd Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron's radar approach control flight here is responsible for nearly 35,000 square miles of that air space. It makes up one of three area control

  • Airmen provide tactical support from ground up

    Coalition ground troops are engaged in a firefight with insurgents. The unit's tactical air controller calls for air support and soon an F-16 Fighting Falcon is screaming overhead providing cover.Scenarios similar to this play out nearly every day in the desert of Iraq. Getting tactical aircraft

  • Military working dog aerovaced after operation, hospitalization

    Staff Sgt. Tim Cox and military working dog, Ronny, have been partners for more than two years, so when the canine cop fell ill on the job recently, Sergeant Cox instantly recognized a problem.“He just had a complete change of attitude,” Sergeant Cox said. “He got very lethargic and wasn’t himself

  • C-130 marks 50 years of service

    There is one hero that may not be the biggest or fastest, but for 50 years, has borne the U.S. standard as a welcome projection of both American will and American compassion throughout the world. In battle, this hero can pound the enemy from on high with munitions, electronic jamming or information

  • Cope Thunder trains warfighters

    With more than 62,000 square miles of integrated training ranges, Alaska provides the perfect backdrop for Cope Thunder 04-02, a total-force exercise which runs through Aug. 27 The two-and-a-half week exercise is held here and at nearby Elmendorf Air Force Base. “My main objective for this

  • Civilian leaders shown U.S. space capabilities

    A trip inside the Cheyenne Mountain operations center highlighted an intensive look by civic leaders from throughout the United States into how the U.S. military is using the sky and space to protect the homeland against terrorism.The civilians, all alumni of the Defense Department's joint civilian

  • Airman named outstanding young American

    An Airman stationed at Sembach Annex, Germany, was named one of the 2004 Ten Outstanding Young Americans by U.S. Junior Chamber officials here.Maj. Eric Axelbank, 38, commands the 435th Materiel Maintenance Squadron. He will receive the award during a ceremony in New Orleans on Sept. 18.Annually

  • TMO packs it, tracks it in Afghanistan

    In a combat zone, being able to track the exact location of critical outbound equipment is extremely important.That is why Airmen at the traffic management office here are the first in the service to test the Air Force’s latest version of cargo tracking software.The Airmen are responsible for

  • Germans honor AF surgeon general

    The German Ministry of Defense has awarded the Gold Cross of Honor of the Bundeswehr to Air Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. (Dr.) George Peach Taylor Jr., for his ongoing contributions to the German aviation medicine community. Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Erich Roedig, the German air force’s surgeon general,

  • C-17 testers airdrop Army Stryker mobile gun system

    An aircrew from the C-17 Globemaster III combined test force here successfully airdropped a mobile gun system for the first time during a feasibility test Aug. 13. The system fits the Army's Stryker engineer squad vehicle.The Army is testing the 52,500-pound system to possibly equip the armored

  • Officials committed to helping servicemembers vote

    Defense officials are committed to ensuring servicemembers have the ability to vote from anywhere in the world, Department of Defense's top personnel officer said."We're making a decided effort to make sure everyone gets the chance to vote," said David S. C. Chu, undersecretary for personnel and

  • Officials: Register to vote before deploying

    Airmen deploying between now and the general election Nov. 2 should register to vote with their deployed unit address before departing, said voting officials at the Air Force Personnel Center here.Registration is accomplished by completing a Federal Post Card Application Standard Form 76. Some

  • New manual gives mobility crews ‘go-to-war’ guidance

    For years, Air Force fighter and bomber crews have been guided into combat by a manual on tactics, techniques and procedures. Now, mobility aircrews will have similar guidance on how to go to war.Because Air Mobility Command aircrews and weapons systems were pushing closer to the threat envelope,

  • OSI helps keep Bagram safe

    When responding to attacks against Bagram, one team’s philosophy is simple: The best defense is a proactive offense.That offense is supporting the base operations defense plan, said Special Agent Jeff Rutherford, Air Force Office of Special Investigations detachment commander here. The team

  • U.S. ambassador visits reservists in Niger

    The U.S. Ambassador to Niger, Gail Denise Mathieu, visited here Aug. 17 to see 12 Air Force reservists who are treating local residents at the clinic.Ambassador Mathieu toured the medical compound and visited each of the examining rooms.“We are here because we have the opportunity to visit with a

  • Kunsan provides strong foundation for F-16 pilots

    First Lt. Wyatt Morrise, an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot, jumped at the chance to come here after graduating from aviator school. Although it is a one-year unaccompanied tour, almost every veteran F-16 pilot he met recommended this place as one of the best flying assignments in the Air Force.Now,

  • Web page emphasizes importance of 'Airmen Votes'

    With less than 80 days to the presidential election, Air Force officials have added another tool to their voting effort to ensure all Airmen can participate. “Airmen Votes” is the name of a Web page designed to give Airmen, their family members and Air Force civilians all the information they need

  • Tinker Airman greets motorists with a smile

    A smile and a cheerful word are good ways to start the day, and that is how one Airman here greets his customers.His attitude at work is finding fans and the news has spread up through his chain of command.Airman 1st Class Ragan Crossland said he wonders what the fuss is all about. He is only

  • Princeton review gives academy high marks

    The Air Force Academy ranks 18th in the nation in overall academic experience, according to the Princeton Review's "The Best 357 Colleges -- 2005 edition."The annual rankings hit the streets Aug. 17 and are the result of input from more than 110,000 students at 357 colleges.Students and cadets