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  • April 17 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 17, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportQarah BaghAir Force F-15E Strike

  • Air Force officials unveil new rescue aircraft model

    A new model of an aircraft used in Air Force rescue efforts since 1956 was formally presented to the Air Force in a ceremony April 19 here. The HC-130J Super Hercules combat rescue tanker is configured to provide support to special operations missions and will become a backbone of Moody Air Force

  • April 18 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 18, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportMorghab Air Force F-15E Strike

  • Inaugural warrior and survivor care conference held

    "Care beyond duty" was the theme for the Warrior and Survivor Care Conference hosted by Air Force Personnel Center officials here April 6 through 9."The goal for this conference was to bring three major groups together: the recovery care coordinators, base level community readiness consultants and

  • Official details results of missile review

    Ballistic missiles are an increasing threat to the United States and the Defense Department must keep up with them, the deputy undersecretary of defense for policy said.James N. Miller, speaking about the department's Nuclear Posture Review April 20 before the Senate Armed Services Committee, said

  • Doolittle Raiders reunite at Air Force Museum

    Four of the remaining eight Doolittle Raiders, known for their nearly impossible bombing raid on Japan during World War II, reunited for the 68th year at the National Museum of the United States Air Force April 16 through 18.Retired Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole, 94, of Comfort, Texas; Maj. Thomas C.

  • Department hailed as leader in 'green' movement

    In a prelude to this week's Earth Day events, a major independent research group April 21 called the Defense Department a leader in energy conservation."The department is doing more than sounding an alarm; it has enacted energy goals and is inventing, testing and deploying new technologies and

  • Volcanic ash reroutes transport of Afghan war wounded

     U.S. military officials have rerouted some American troops wounded in Afghanistan through Iraq instead of Germany due to ash from an Icelandic volcano limiting European air traffic. A plume of ash continues to block European and transatlantic flight paths, including those of military aircraft.

  • Airman gets NASCAR 'Royal' treatment

    It's not every day the morning starts with a phone call from a NASCAR driver, but that's exactly how a 56th Maintenance Group Quality Assurance inspector began work April 8 here.Staff Sgt. Damon Thurman's supervisor handed him the phone and Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Crown Royal Black car,

  • AETC commander selected for Order of the Sword

    Air Education and Training Command enlisted members recently selected the AETC commander for induction into the Order of the Sword. Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz is set to accept the honor in a formal ceremony July 16, at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The Order of the Sword is the highest honor and

  • Earth Day: Taking action for a greener tomorrow

    Members of the Air Force family, in uniform and out, will join millions of people across the nation and around the world in observing the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, said the service's assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics."We are dedicated to the

  • Northern Lights entertains native Alaskans during Operation Arctic Care

    The Pacific Air Forces five-piece mixed wind ensemble from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, arrived April 20 to begin a three-day tour performing here and in several nearby villages during Operation Arctic Care.Northern Lights kicked off their tour with a live performance at Kotzebue's main radio

  • DFAS begins recouping separation pay soon

    Recouping military retirees' voluntary separation incentive special separation benefit and other separation payments by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service will resume in August. Separation payments and others, such as severance pay, were offered to active-duty servicemembers to reduce

  • Additional resources online to support NSPS conversion

    Online training courses are now available to help smooth the upcoming transition of more than 40,000 current Air Force National Security Personnel System employees into non-NSPS personnel systems. To facilitate the conversion, multiple resources have been added to the NSPS's official Web site,

  • Troops take advantage of GI Bill transferability

    More than 100,000 requests from troops desiring to transfer their unused education benefits to family members have been approved under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, a defense official said April 22 here. Signed into law in June 2008, the new GI Bill is a Department of Veteran Affairs-sponsored program that

  • Air Force family celebrates 'Facility Energy' initiatives this Earth Day

    Air Force men and women join millions of people across the country and around the globe this year in celebrating 40 years of Earth Day. Celebrated annually on April 22, Earth Day promotes awareness and appreciation for the environment. The slogan, "make every day Earth Day" is exemplified in the Air

  • Combat arms team supports all operations

    Airmen at the 451st Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Combat Arms Training and Maintenance team here are directly responsible for ensuring each Air Force member is issued ammunition upon arrival here. In addition, the two-person team of Staff Sgt. Chanson Johnson, and Senior Airman Jacob

  • Operation Arctic Care members helping people in remote areas

    A member of the Tennessee Air National Guard traveled to Kotzebue for Operation Arctic Care April 16, to provide medical care for individuals located in the remote area. Col. Cory Strobel, the chief of aero medical services for the 134th Medical Group, at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tenn.,

  • VA officials mark 85 years of 'discovery, innovation and advancement'

    Eighty-five years of enriching the lives of veterans and all Americans through top-notch medical research will be spotlighted April 26 through 30 when members of the Department of Veterans Affairs celebrate National VA Research Week.On April 22, Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs W. Scott Gould

  • Airmen deliver humanitarian supplies to families in Indonesia

    Airmen from Yokota Air Base, Japan, delivered more than 1,200 pounds of clothes, toys and sports equipment to a local elementary school as part of Exercise Cope West 10, April 21, here.Cope West, scheduled through April 23, is a Pacific Air Forces-sponsored bilateral tactical airlift exercise

  • Air Force officials announce AFAF competition winners

    Air Force officials have announced their Group 1 winners of the annual Air Force Assistance Fund "Commitment to Caring" campaign, which provides Airmen the opportunity to contribute to four official Air Force charitable organizations.The campaign, which started Feb. 8 and runs until May 7, features

  • Joint training mission enables reservists to train as they fight

    Reservists from the 815th Airlift Squadron here completed a joint airborne and air transportability training mission with Army special forces Soldiers April 16 in Key West, Fla. The JA/ATT program provides the 815th AS members with unique training opportunities, said Lt. Col. Mark Carter, the 403rd

  • Band rocks Bagram servicemembers

    The sound of music filled the air as members of the U.S. Air Forces Central Command Band Reserve Generation performed here as part of a two-month tour of the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility April 15 through 20. Bagram Airfield was one of the last stops for the band, deployed from Robins

  • Air Force F-35 completes first test flight

    The Air Force version of the F-35A flew for an hour April 20 from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas, becoming the seventh F-35 Lightning II to fly. AF-2, the conventional takeoff and landing aircraft, is the Air Force's version of the Joint Strike Fighter. This fifth-generation

  • Mobility officials adapt to volcanic ash plume

    Air Mobility Command members continue to provide airlift capabilities despite the cloud of ash from an Icelandic volcano that has troubled air travel, a senior officer responsible for moving military personnel and equipment around the world said April 21 here."As soon as we saw the potential impact

  • Better prosthetics coming for wounded warriors

    From developing a new microprocessor-controlled prosthetic leg to a non-chafing socket device, the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center here is making big strides in advancing prosthetic science to improve wounded warriors' quality of life.The center reaches out to a broad spectrum

  • Contract award to enhance in-flight operations for top U.S. officials

    Air Force officials here issued a contract award in mid-April that will provide highly reliable, secure and integrated voice, data and video equipment for airborne U.S. senior leaders. The nearly $209 million award to Rockwell Collins will allow Air Force officials to retrofit a fleet of 20 special

  • Air Force officials launch Combat Airman initiative

    Properly outfitted and equipped Airmen are essential to mission success, according to Air Force logistics officials who recently unveiled a new program focused on what Airmen wear and carry during training, at home station or deployed.Air Force officials hosted an initial planning conference in

  • Four Airmen receive Sijan award

    The Air Force's 2009 Capt. Lance P. Sijan Award recipients were honored in a ceremony April 21 in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes.The Sijan Award annually recognizes four Airmen who demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities. Officer and enlisted honorees are chosen in senior and junior

  • Caring for People Forum wraps up

    The 2010 Caring for People Forum concluded here April 21 with the presentation of a list of proposed initiatives from attendees focused on a range of issues affecting Airmen and their families.Approximately 250 active-duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen and civilians gathered for this second annual

  • Air Force, community reps plant trees across America

    In recognition of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, Air Force Real Property Agency officials enlisted the participation of people in 40 communities to plant a tree at one of 40 former and active Air Force bases, from Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii to the former Loring AFB in Maine, as

  • Dyess offers specialized housing through privatization

    Housing program officials here point to the privatized housing units managed off base as a success story, as the Air Force plans for 22 more bases to go "private" by the end of next year. "We started demolishing 1950s-era homes almost 10 years ago," said Dolores Green, housing program manager with

  • Air Force Week in Photos

    This week's photo highlights feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.View slideshow.

  • Air Force officials launch Atlas V carrying X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle

    Members of the 45th Space Wing here launched a United Launch Alliance-built Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle carrying an X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle at 7:52 p.m. EDT April 22 here.The X-37B, making its first space flight, will provide a flexible space test platform to conduct various

  • Appointees get a large glimpse of Academy life

    Officially accepting a college offer can be intimidating when one is admitted to several competitive academic institutions. Upon receiving an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy, some applicants know without a doubt they will accept if given the chance. Other applicants would like some more

  • Air Force's most tenured recruiter retires

    Nearly 26 years ago Doug Sikat felt it was time for a change in his three-year Air Force career. The New York City native was a buck sergeant working as an F-15 Eagle crew chief at Kadena Air Base, Japan. While he loved his job, he knew there was something else out there for him.That "something

  • April 19 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 19 according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportKonduzAir Force F-15E Strike Eagle

  • April 20 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 20 according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportQal E NawAn Air Force B-1B Lancer

  • Airman MIA from WWII is identified, returned home

    The remains of an Airman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors, according to Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office officials.Tech. Sgt. Walter A. McClellan of the U.S. Army Air Forces will be

  • Airmen, Soldiers team up to tackle threats

    Air Force and Army members here performed a joint, force-protection patrol April 14 near one of the U.S. Air Force's Central Command's main airbases in Iraq.Members of the Air Force's 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron and the Army's 1st of the 28th Infantry Battalion  teamed up and armed

  • Airmen help Sailors get back in the air

    Airmen here assisted a Navy flight crew when they experienced in-flight complications and were forced to make an emergency landing at Yokota Air Base April 15.The crew members of an SH-60 Seahawk helicopter from nearby Atsugi Naval Base were participating in a routine exercise when they began

  • First Minotaur IV Lite launches from Vandenberg

    Members from the 30th Space Wing here launched the first Minotaur IV Lite launch vehicle at 4 p.m. April 22 here. The rocket carried the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2.The Minotaur family of launch vehicles are provided by the Orbital/Suborbital

  • Photo essay: Airmen train for cold weather survival

    Aircrew members with the 962nd Airborne Air Control Squadron participate in a refresher course April 12 for cold weather survival, evasion, resistance, and escape training  here.View the slideshow.

  • Aircrew breaks C-17 record with heaviest airdrop

    Members of the 418th Flight Test Squadron here set a record for the heaviest single payload ever extracted out of a C-17A T-1 during flight April 14 over Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz. A 77,000 pound jumbo drop test vehicle was extracted out of a C-17 at 25,000 feet. The JDTV is used to test the

  • VA officials strive to prevent veteran suicides

    With more than 6,000 veterans committing suicide every year, and 98 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan taking their own lives during fiscal 2009 alone,  Department of Veterans Affairs officials are redoubling their outreach to veterans and promoting the toll-free suicide-prevention hotline. National

  • Warrior Games approaching fast

    With fewer than three weeks to go, the Air Force team is making preparations for the Department of Defense's inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 10th through the 14th.What started as an e-mail from one athlete asking questions about the upcoming event turned into a process of

  • Air Force officials announce criteria and candidate list for basing of C-17

    Air Force officials released the candidate basing locations April 23 and the criteria they used to determine the candidate basing locations for additional C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.The list of candidate bases was approved by the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force: Eastern West

  • Air Force officials announce candidate list for basing of MC-12W aircraft

    Air Force officials released their candidate list of basing locations April 23 for MC-12W aircraft. The list of candidate bases was approved by the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force and include: Altus Air Force Base, Okla.; Beale AFB, Calif.; Key Field Air Guard Station, Miss.; Langley

  • Kunsan Airmen arm F-16s during Red Flag-Alaska

    Airmen with the 8th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron hone their wartime skills during the 10-day combat exercise known as Red Flag-Alaska at Eielson Air Force Base from April 19 through May 18. "Without weapons on jets, they are just plain aircraft," said Capt. Drew Garcia, officer in charge for the

  • Airman contributes to advancement of Afghan women

    Recent efforts by Airmen and their coalition partners have led to opportunities for women in Afghanistan to serve as commissioned officers in the Afghan National Army.Lt. Col. Lisa Pike, assigned to the Air Force Manpower, Services and Personnel Directorate, contributed to standing up the first

  • Airmen train Japanese customs agency members to detect threats

    Air Force Office of Special Investigations agents from Det. 623 here and Airmen from the 35th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Unit here trained Hakodate customs inspectors with the Japan Ministry of Finance April 23 on counterterrorism measures to deter potential threats that may pass

  • Cope West shows U.S. partnership with Indonesia

    Members of the U.S. and Indonesian air forces held an opening ceremony here April 20 that officially marked the beginning of a joint tactical airlift exercise called Cope West 2010. Cope West is a weeklong bilateral field training exercise sponsored by the two countries' air forces. Cope West is

  • Official urges Gulf War vets to seek VA care

    Gulf War veterans with medical symptoms should seek treatment through the Department of Veterans Affairs in light of a recent study stating Gulf War service is a cause of post-traumatic stress disorder, a senior military health system official said April 25 here.If Gulf War veterans seek care

  • Officials launch improved system for personal property moves

    After extensive testing and evaluation, transportation officials have launched an improved system to better compensate servicemembers who personally move their household goods on military orders.All services began using the new system April 15. Moves initiated prior to that date will continue to

  • April 21 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 21 according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportOruzganCoalition operators provided

  • April 22 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 22 according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportKonduzAir Force F-15E Strike Eagle

  • Deployed wing 'Walks a Mile' for Sexual Assault Awareness Month

    Airmen from the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing here participated in the "Walk A Mile In Their Shoes" in observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month April, 19. Signs with information on sexual assault were placed along the route while participants read them and walked in silence. The event was

  • Air Guard security forces at the top of their game

    Air National Guard security forces are at the top of their game, their top officer said here April 21. "We're better equipped, better trained, better (tasked) than we have ever been," said Col. John Wakefield at a conference of nearly 400 ANG security forces personnel.Thousands of them have deployed

  • U.S., Indonesian airmen jump into training

    U.S. and Indonesian airmen conducted high-altitude, low-opening jumps over the Gorda drop zone in Indonesia as part of Exercise Cope West 2010 here.Cope West is a Pacific Air Forces-sponsored bilateral tactical airlift exercise involving U.S. and Indonesian air forces designed to advance

  • F-16 drawdown begins at Spangdahlem

    Six F-16 Fighting Falcons are scheduled to depart here April 27 as the first step for the 52nd Fighter Wing staff in the Combat Air Force Restructuring plan expected to save the Air Force approximately $355 million in fiscal 2010 and $3.5 billion during the next five fiscal years.An additional six

  • Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center dedication set for May 6

    The dedication ceremony for the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center is set for May 6. The new center will provide religious training and education for Air Force, Army and Navy chaplain corps personnel.In 2005, a Base Realignment and Closure mandate directed that the Naval Chaplains School in Newport,

  • Italian navy, air force officials visit F-35 training wing

    Representatives from the Italian air force and navy visited the 33rd Fighter Wing here April 20 in an effort to check the progress of the first F-35 Lightning II integrated training center and learn more about this new coalition venture. "Things are moving, and this program is becoming real," said

  • Gen. Odierno notes progress of Iraqi forces

    As the troop drawdown continues in Iraq, the top U.S. commander there said he's convinced the Iraqi security forces are ready to take over more responsibility, and that the sacrifices the United States has made to get to this point will prove worthwhile."I think we have an opportunity in Iraq we

  • B-1 adapts, remains effective after 25 years

    The non-nuclear B-1 Lancer has adapted from a strategic mission to a close-air support role, and will continue to play an effective part in today's fight in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to leaders here. While the remaining bombers in the Air Force inventory transferred to Air Force Global Strike

  • Air Force-wide social media access begins

    Air Force officials began a two-week phased opening April 26 of access to social media sites Air Force-wide. Pacific Air Forces bases gained access to social media sites earlier in April, serving as the test-bed prior to the Air Force-wide initiative.Air Force Space Command, Air Education and

  • Airmen build facilities for warfighters

    As 30,000 servicemembers continue to pour into the region as part of the troop surge in Afghanistan, a 15-man team of Airmen with the 1st Expeditionary RED HORSE Group here is building structures for warfighters."Our mission here is to construct the facilities that directly support the

  • 'Today's Air Force' features a look around the service

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," Airmen performing one of the most somber duties in the military speak out. Plus, Airmen and Soldiers go to the mat for a little ground and pound during joint combatives training. And, a group of high schoolers gets a taste of life in boot camp. The 30-minute,

  • Falcons' Garland signs with Denver Broncos

    Air Force senior defensive lineman Ben Garland has signed a professional contract with the Denver Broncos, according to an announcement April 26 from the National Football League team.Garland is required by Department of Defense policy to serve at least 24 months active duty before applying for an

  • Air Guard civil engineers benefit from improvements

    Frequent mobilizations are still challenging the Air National Guard's civil engineers, but the planning, training and support for them has improved dramatically, Guard officials said April 26 here.About 400 Air Guard civil engineers joined with security forces Airmen at a conference here to discuss

  • Tricare overseas beneficiaries reminded to update DEERS

    Tricare beneficiaries living overseas should keep an eye on their mailbox for critical information about how the new Tricare Overseas Program contract affects them. To make sure this information finds its way into the right mailbox, beneficiaries living abroad need to update their Defense Enrollment

  • April 23 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 23 according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportAsmarAir Force F-16C Fighting

  • April 24 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 24 according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air SupportAsadabadAir Force F-15E Strike

  • April 25 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 25 according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.Air Operations in AfghanistanClose-Air Support:ShkinAir Force F-15E Strike Eagle

  • Deployed Airmen memorialize air mobility legend through mural

    Retired Master Sgt. Roy Hooe died April 18, 1973, but in a way he came back to life some 37 years later to the day in the form of art.Airmen deployed to the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing put the finishing touches on a mural April 18 highlighting Sergeant Hooe's legacy, in Roy's Flight Kitchen,

  • Air Force recruiters debut 'augmented reality' mobile tour

    The U.S. Air Force's newest mobile marketing tour, "Command Center Alpha," was unveiled April 22 at the Suwannee River Jam in Live Oak, Fla. Command Center Alpha is a first-of-its-kind augmented reality mobile tour experience that immerses visitors in the "sci-fi" world of the U.S. Air Force. The

  • Pace of changes clouds future, Mullen says

    The pace of changes in the military and in the world has made looking ahead a difficult proposition, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said April 26.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen told members of the Colorado Air National Guard's 140th Wing during a town hall-style meeting at Buckley Air Force Base,

  • Exercise enhances training, partnerships for U.S., Bulgarian military

    Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors teamed with Bulgarian armed forces members to conduct Exercise Thracian Spring 2010 April 22 thorugh 28 here.Eighty-one Airmen from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, joined Soldiers from the 5th Quartermaster Company at Rhine Ordnance Barracks, Germany and Sailors from the

  • New recruits make commitment at Sun-N-Fun Air Show

    Eighteen new recruits recited the oath of enlistment at the Sun-N-Fun Air Show at Lakeland, Fla., April 17.Lt. Col. Chase Cunningham, U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron "Thunderbirds" commander, administered the oath of enlistment in front of about 60,000 patriotic onlookers. The oath is a

  • New Air Force cyberspace badge guidelines released

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz has approved the new cyberspace badge and associated wear criteria.In his Apr. 21 memorandum, General Schwartz set forth guidelines and addressed standard eligibility requirements for officers working in the cyberspace domain. Eligibility criteria for

  • Registration open for 2010 Air Force Energy Forum III

    The Air Force Energy III Forum, focusing on the service's most pressing energy issues, is slated to take place May 27 through 28 here. Highlighting the event's theme "A New Culture: Energy as an Operations Enabler," Air Force, government and industry energy representatives will discuss the service's

  • Thunderbirds fly Super Bowl champions

    Super Bowl XLIV champions Drew Brees and Jabari Greer of the National Football League's New Orleans Saints experienced "air dominance" in a different fashion going for a ride in a Air Force Thunderbirds red, white and blue F-16 Fighting Falcon April 23, here. The Super Bowl champions took time out

  • Combat photographer to compete in Warrior Games

    Not once, but twice. Twice, in 2004 and 2007, a combat photographer who was assigned to the 1st Combat Camera Squadron, Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., was wounded in Iraq.It was her combat wounds in 2007 that caused retired Staff Sgt. Stacy Pearsall to give up her dream as a combat photographer

  • Coalition airmen observe day of remembrance

    Airmen from six partner nations gathered at the memorial plaza for a dawn service to observe Australian and New Zealand Army Corps Day April 25 here. A national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, ANZAC Day is commemorated April 25 every year by both countries to honor members of the

  • Mullen appeals to philanthropists to assist veterans

    The military's top officer turned to America's philanthropic community April 27 to help military veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan avoid the devastation of substance abuse, mental illness and homelessness.Community non-profit groups are the answer to meeting veterans' needs after they've left the

  • U.S. ambassador visits Balad's leaders and provincial reconstructive team

    The U.S. ambassador to Iraq visited Joint Base Balad April 23, to better understand the work the joint base's provincial reconstruction team is doing to prepare Iraq for its future. Ambassador Christopher Hill received an update from base leaders of the programs and missions civilians and

  • Avatar project seeks to help military amputees

    In the movie "Avatar," Jake Sully, a former Marine who lost the use of both legs in combat, climbs into a vessel that magically restores his body when he assumes a new, 10-foot-tall avatar identity.A new project being funded through the Advanced Army Medical Technology Initiative promises to bring

  • Guard kids are different, but programs still available to them

    Guard kids differ from active duty kids in only one way: access. This means access to support programs and access to peers who understand what they are going through.Everything else is the same: missing their parents terribly when they deploy, counting the days until they come home and trying to

  • Lynn details approach to changes in warfare

    Warfare has changed, and the U.S. military must shift to meet the new threats, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said to members of the World Affairs Council here April 27.Mr. Lynn said he and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates have tried to shift military strategy "to move the tectonic

  • Air Force officials activate rescue squadron at Camp Bastion

    The 79th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron was officially activated during a ceremony April 22 at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan.Lt. Col. Mike Hinsch assumed command of the unit from Col. John Cherrey, 451st Expeditionary Operations Group commander, who officiated the ceremony. The search and rescue mission

  • Fisher House groundbreaking ceremony set May 1

    The groundbreaking ceremony for the Fisher House and Meditation Pavilion for the Families of the Fallen at the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center is scheduled for May 1here.AFMAO members will direct the Fisher House as it provides free on-base lodging for families who come here to witness