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  • AF and Israeli Defense Force surgeons general sign agreement

    The surgeon general of the Air Force and his counterpart in the Israeli Defense Force signed an agreement Feb. 5 in Israel to reaffirm their mutual commitment to collaboration between the Air Force Medical Service and the IDF Medical Corps.

  • AF officer honored with space operations award

    Lt. Col. Samuel A. Little, director of operations, 45th Launch Support Squadron was recently named by the National Space Club as recipient of the prestigious General Bernard Schriever Award, honoring excellence in military space operations and acquisition.

  • SecAF outlines plan to address 'systemic problems'

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James shared her observations from her visit with airmen across the ICBM community following revelations of a proficiency-test cheating scandal at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., last month. Speaking to an audience at the Center for Strategic and International

  • Mother of a hero

    Ask yourself these questions. What would you do if you were a single parent who lost your only child? How would you cope? How would you feel? Would you be able to handle that?

  • Training at Tuskegee: Turning dreams into reality

    Training young men to be the first African American pilots in the military was a history-making event for the handful of trainers and leaders at the Tuskegee Institute. Creating an airfield from the ground up, the "Tuskegee experiment" led the way for desegregation of the military less than a decade

  • Knowledge is power: Cadet, Academy works to end human trafficking

    In 2005, the Defense Department implemented a national initiative against human trafficking, requiring annual Combating Trafficking in Persons awareness training for all military members on how to combat labor trafficking, sex trafficking and child soldiering.

  • CSAF thanks Edwards AFB Airmen, talks keys to AF success

    Almost a thousand Airmen, government civilians and contractors filled the base theater to hear Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III talk to Edwards Air Force Bases Airmen about current issues and future challenges involving the service.

  • Welsh thanks Eglin AFB Airmen, families

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III visited Team Eglin Jan. 26-28 to thank Airmen and their families here for their service and sacrifice, and to discuss current challenges and opportunities facing the service.

  • AF convenes officer RIF board, offers voluntary separation pay

    The Air Force will convene an officer reduction in force board June 16 to evaluate eligible officers for retention, Air Force Personnel Center officials said Jan. 27. Officers who meet the RIF board and are not selected for retention must separate by Jan. 31, 2015.RIF is among several fiscal 2014

  • Force shaping board to convene in July

    The Air Force will convene a fiscal 2014 Force Shaping Board here July 14 to consider eligible officers within competitive categories for continued retention, Air Force Personnel Center officials said Jan. 27.

  • 187 selected for captain

    The 2013D Chaplains, Line of the Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps, Nurse Corps, Medical Service Corps and Biomedical Sciences Corps quarterly captain selection process, conducted in September, resulted in selection of 187 out of 188 eligible first lieutenants for promotion to captain.

  • Airman sworn to serve nation, community

    Master Sgt. Phil Ryan received the call early in his shift. It concerned a young man who was sleeping in a car in a grocery store parking lot. The man's mother and girlfriend were concerned for his safety. They feared due to his prior drug abuse and his state of mind, the young man was in danger of

  • CHIEFchat: CMSAF talks about force management, EPRs

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody addressed upcoming changes to enlisted performance reports and effects of force management during his 2nd worldwide CHIEFchat at Defense Media Activity here Jan. 9. CHIEFchat is a recurring initiative, designed to give Airmen around the world a

  • 34 ICBM launch officers implicated in cheating probe

    Thirty-four intercontinental ballistic missile launch officers at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., have been implicated in cheating on the ICBM launch officer proficiency test, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said Jan. 15. The revelations emerged during an investigation into alleged illegal

  • DOD raises awareness of human trafficking

    Defense Department officials have a zero-tolerance level for human trafficking and have stepped up awareness and education efforts to curb the crime overseas.

  • AF JAG Corps gains insight at SAPR Summit

    The Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps held its first Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Summit Dec. 17-18 at the Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy here.The purpose of the summit was to bring total force legal professionals together to improve the way they handle all aspects

  • Shelton discusses importance of space defense

    Space is fundamental to the economy, the military and the way of life in the United States and officials must continue to guard against challenges in the domain from adversaries, the commander of Air Force Space Command said today. Gen. William Shelton shared with students at George Washington

  • CMSAF, wife visit air traffic control roots

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody and his wife, retired Chief Master Sgt. Athena Cody, returned here Jan. 3 and 4 to visit the men and women of the 157th Air Refueling Wing nearly 23 years after leaving as young staff sergeants.

  • Agency works to draw down costs, maintain top medical care

    The Defense Department’s goal to save medical dollars and deliver the best health care possible has made strides in its first 100 days, the director of the new Defense Health Agency said. Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Douglas J. Robb said the agency, which stood up Oct. 1 in Fairfax, Va., has been on a “journey”

  • AF to convene enhanced selective early retirement board in June

    The Air Force will convene an enhanced selective early retirement board here June 16 to consider eligible officers for early retirement, Air Force Personnel Center officials said today.ESERB, a new authority granted in the fiscal 2013 National Defense Authorization Act, applies to regular,

  • Enlisted retention board to convene in June

    An enlisted retention board will convene here in June to consider eligible senior airmen through senior master sergeants for retention, Air Force Personnel Center officials said.

  • CSAF hosts summit to address sexual assault

    Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Mark A. Welsh III hosted a Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Summit Dec.11 and 12 as part of the Air Force's ongoing effort to provide education and analysis on the issue and to discuss the complex leadership concerns sexual assault presents.

  • Academy expands Falcon Telescope Network, view into space

    Researchers at the Air Force Academy 's Department of Physics Center for Space Situational Awareness Research now have new university partners around the globe, thanks to a project combining satellite and educational outreach.

  • DOD adds synthetic marijuana to random drug testing

    The Defense Department has expanded its zero tolerance for the use of illicit drugs to include synthetic marijuana, also known as "spice," the director of DOD's drug testing and program policy said here today.In an interview with American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon Channel, Army Lt. Col.

  • Air Force major named top tactician

    For the first time in 23 years, an Air Force officer has won the General S. Patton Jr. Distinguished Master Tactician Award as a student in the Command and General Staff Officer Course, or CGSOC, Dec. 12.

  • AF officials announce FY14 civilian workforce shaping

    The Air Force will reduce the size of its civilian workforce by about 900 positions in addition to maintaining approximately 7,000 vacancies across the force to meet the demands of a constrained fiscal 2014 budget, officials announced.

  • An Air Force gatekeeper's day

    Ever wonder what a day in the life of an Air Force recruiter is like? How many people do they talk to versus how many will get to call themselves an Airman? Tech. Sgt. Michael Lundell is an Air Force recruiter here. His day-to-day routine is always busy, from going on school visits, to work outs

  • AF participates in first Israeli Blue Flag exercise

    The Air Force participated in the first Israeli Blue Flag exercise at Uvda Air Force Base, Israel, Nov. 24-28.Blue Flag is the largest multinational aerial warfare training exercise hosted by the Israeli air force. The exercise included forces from the U.S., Israel, Italy and Greece. Its objectives

  • NCO to commission as first lieutenant

    A noncommissioned officer from the 65th Force Support Squadron was recently selected to commission as a first lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps. Staff Sgt. Jacob Williams, 65th FSS career development craftsman, was so anxious he couldn't eat breakfast on the morning of Oct. 18. Some of the MSC

  • Welsh: Air Force performs vital national security missions

    The Air Force mission that calls for it to dominate the air, transport troops and materiel and provide communications and intelligence are all critical to American military success, but performing them is hard for the public to visualize because much of this goes on behind the scenes, Air Force

  • Welsh, Cody wrap-up trip to the Dakotas

    The Air Force’s top commissioned and noncommissioned military leaders met thousands of Airmen in the Dakotas this week, learning about their missions and lives and answering their questions. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody visited

  • Welsh: Airmen should use common sense in approaching missions

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody told Airmen at the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Nov. 27 that they need to use common sense as they go about their duties.

  • AF implements new personnel policies as it prepares to get smaller

    The Air Force will implement new personnel policies to posture for future force management programs as it prepares to become smaller, officials announced today. In the absence of Congressional direction to mitigate the impact of sequestration, the Air Force must proceed with changes to personnel

  • Unmanned aircraft maintenance partnership to increase production

    The Air Force Sustainment Center or AFSC and General Atomics reached a partnership agreement Nov. 9, for the maintenance of unmanned aircraft systems or UAS, including the Predator/Reaper and the Army's version, the "Gray Eagle." The an enterprise-level, public-private agreement, signed by Lt. Gen.

  • Air Force focuses on nuclear security, operations

    The Air Force's nuclear mission continues to have the attention of leaders across the discipline, the Air Force chief of staff said here yesterday. Gen. Mark A. Welsh III categorically stated that he is not worried about the surety and security or the operational capability of the Air Force's

  • Welsh: Air Force must get handle on pay, benefits

    The Air Force must control the growth of pay and benefits or the service will be hard pressed to perform its primary mission to fight and win America's wars, the service's top officer said here yesterday.

  • AF senior leaders tour Dakota bases, meet personnel

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III arrived here today for a three-day trip through the Dakotas.Welsh, his wife Betty, and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody will visit the base and then move to Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., to meet with Airmen and their families.

  • AFMC makes progress despite impacts of sequestration, restructure

    The vice commander of Air Force Materiel Command offered insight to recent developments and answered questions regarding the command’s recent restructure efforts and fiscal challenges at the Air Force Association’s 2013 Pacific Air & Space Symposium here Nov. 22.

  • The future of air and space operations in the Pacific

    Four retired Air Force senior leaders addressed Air Force Association Pacific Air and Space Symposium attendees during a panel, using their lessons learned to discuss the future of Air and Space operations in the Pacific.

  • Retired ACC ops chief lauded by acting SecAF

    A retired Air Force officer who brought the F-22 Raptor fleet back to full operational status following an indefinite grounding, received the 2012 Eugene M. Zuckert Management Award, at the Pentagon, Nov. 18.

  • Innovative tool streamlines requirements process

    Air Mobility Command officials recently introduced an innovative tool that is transforming the command's process for gathering and prioritizing Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) requirements, and will soon be expanded to include other requirements.

  • CSAF discusses opening communications with China

    Opening up lines of communication with China is good for the United States, the region and the world, the Air Force chief of staff said here Nov. 13. Gen. Mark A. Welsh III spoke about his recent trip to China with the Defense Writers Group this morning.

  • Acting SecAF honors longest-serving AF civilian

    Acting Secretary of the Air Force Eric Fanning visited Luke Air Force Base on Nov. 5 to speak to Luke Airmen and preside over the retirement ceremony of a civil servant in the 56th Comptroller Squadron, Dorothy Rowe, who retired after serving 70 years - the longest tenure of any civilian in the Air

  • Veterans in Blue Volume IV out now

    For decades, Airmen have answered the call to serve and protect the nation’s interests, people and cherished freedoms that underpin it all, risking their lives for others, and thus, becoming heroes in the eyes of those they protected.

  • From aerodromes to Reaper, RPAs push limits of technology

    The RPA actually got its start as early as 1896, when something called aerodromes at the time, were used to test the capabilities of new flying devices and to test if it was even possible for a heavier-than-air craft to achieve sustained flight. In May 1896, Dr. Samuel Langley proved that mechanical

  • Service chiefs testify on risks of sequestration

    As they face the prospect of another year of deep cuts to their budgets, the military's service chiefs testified today before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the impact sequestration is having on the ability to organize, train and equip their service members.

  • SERB-eligible officers have until Nov. 15 to apply for retirement

    Lieutenant colonels and colonels who are eligible to meet the Selective Early Retirement Board slated for Dec. 9 still have time to volunteer for retirement before the Nov. 15 window closes, Air Force Personnel Center officials said. SERB is one of several force management programs to be implemented

  • Hagel: States refusing same-sex family benefits must comply

    Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel directed the chief of the National Guard Bureau to meet with the adjutants general of nine states to resolve the issue of those states denying ID cards to same-sex spouses at National Guard facilities.

  • Welsh focuses on pride, people, respect during Academy visit

    Air Force Academy cadets get so fired-up about their chief of staff; they show up 15 minutes early and sit in the front row of Arnold Hall -- voluntarily.When Gen. Mark Welsh III comes to talk, "people want to sit up front," said one cadet, who, with a group of friends from Cadet Squadron 22, turned

  • 3 AF medical facilities named among nation's best

    Three Air Force Medical Service military treatment facilities (MTFs) earned top accreditation honors recently by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America, for exemplary performance and were named among the nation's Top Performers on Key Quality Measures.

  • Leaders advise against merging Guard, Reserve

    Air Force Reserve leaders told members of the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force that merging the Air Force Reserve with the Air National Guard would create little value and cause numerous adverse impacts - detracting from the broader goal of improving the Air Force structure.

  • Ninth CSAF laid to rest

    A former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Air Force Chief of Staff was laid to rest Oct. 25 in Arlington National Cemetery. Retired Gen. David C. Jones served as the ninth chief of staff from 1974 to 1978 until he was appointed as the ninth chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff where he

  • A true airpower giant

    We lost another Air Force hero this week. Brig. Gen. James Robinson “Robbie” Risner was part of that legendary group who served in three wars, built an Air Force, and gave us an enduring example of courage and mission success.

  • Celebrated pilot and Vietnam POW dies at 88

    Retired Brig. Gen. Robinson “Robbie” Risner, a celebrated Korean War jet fighter ace and Vietnam prisoner of war, died Oct. 22 at Bridgewater Retirement Community, Bridgewater, Va. He was 88 years old.

  • Wilson takes command of Global Strike Command

    Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson took command of Air Force Global Strike Command during a ceremony here Oct. 23, becoming the newest leader of the organization responsible for the nation's force of ICBMs and nuclear-capable bombers.

  • Government Shutdown: Frequently Asked Questions

    Below are frequently asked questions about the current government shutdown (Updated: Oct. 17, 2013). If you don’t find the answer to a question you have about the government shutdown and its impact on the Air Force, post your question as a comment below. We will research and try to find the

  • PACAF Airmen wrap up busy year

    Throughout fiscal 2013, the key aspect of Pacific Air Forces was engagement as more than 45,000 Pacific Air Forces Airmen conducted a broad spectrum of operations, from humanitarian relief to decisive combat employment, in an area covering 13 time zones and 100 million square miles.

  • Maxwell AFB civil engineers use construction technology to cut energy costs

    During a time when "government shutdown, furlough and recapitalization" are a part of the military landscape, Airmen are constantly looking for ways to save money for the service. The 42nd Civil Engineer Squadron is doing more than just recycling and trading out incandescent light bulbs to save

  • FDA warns against dietary supplement

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers to stop using OxyElite Pro, a dietary supplement, because of suspected links to acute hepatitis.

  • 20th Air Force commander relieved of command

    Lt. Gen. James Kowalski, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, relieved Maj. Gen. Michael Carey from command of 20th Air Force today due to a loss of trust and confidence in his leadership and judgment.

  • National Guard faces the shutdown

    National Guard personnel are feeling the effects of the government shutdown and leaders are worried about the readiness of the component, Air Force Gen. Joseph Lengyel, the vice chief of the National Guard Bureau said today.

  • Unemployment benefits may help some furloughed DOD civilians

    On the 10th day of the partial government shutdown, DOD civilians excluded by law from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's Oct. 7 recall to work of thousands of fellow employees still await an end to the political standoff that sent them home and stopped their paychecks Oct. 1.

  • AF releases furlough-related pay information

    Air Force officials released Oct. 8, the following furlough-related questions and answers to aid service civilians with processing time and attendance. This information was coordinated with manpower and personnel, financial management, and general counsel office experts.