HomeNews

NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Sheppard sergeant becomes 250,000th CCAF grad

    An aircraft maintenance instructor from the 362nd Training Squadron here will leave a footnote in the history books of the world's largest community college when he graduates April 23.When Staff Sgt. Kalaeone Needham gets his associate degree, he will be the Community College of the Air Force's

  • Know limitations, stay alert for safe motorcycle ride

    Bennie Brashear hopped on the motorcycle he had just finished repairing and took it for a spin to make sure everything was working right.The training manager for the 382nd Training Squadron here has been riding since he was 15 years old and drove a 30-mile paper route. As he was test-driving the

  • CES plays role in Honduras exercise, Airmen recount experiences

    It was a trip that two sergeants said they will not soon forget. They were among 48 Airmen from the 934th Civil Engineer Squadron who deployed here recently to participate in New Horizons 2004 as part of Joint Command Task Force Orengo.The main focus of the exercise was to build local schools,

  • Special investigators named Team of the Year

    The Air Force's Office of Special Investigations special agents have been named the Air Force Association's 2004 Team of the Year. The association selects a specific enlisted career field annually for recognition. Nominated individuals need only be assigned to the same career field to be eligible,

  • Immigrant brings music to military service

    From the capital of Peru to Wichita, Kan., the only zampoña player here is sharing his gift of music with the Air Force.Airman Fredy Pasco works on the commander’s support staff of the 22nd Maintenance Operations Squadron, but spends his off-duty time filling the air with the sound of an Inca

  • Nurses keep up heartbeat of 379th AEW

    In stark contrast to the white sheets of the hospital bed and a patient in a light blue paper gown, a nurse in a brown and tan desert camouflage uniform checks the patient’s vital signs on the nurse’s ward.In lieu of the clinically white uniform, the seven-person nursing team wears combat boots and

  • CMSAF becomes honorary master chief

    At the U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Academy graduation here April 14, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray became an honorary master chief petty officer.Chief Murray spoke at the ceremony to salute four Airmen who were graduates.“What a great honor to be recognized by this

  • Edwards test team fires F-16's first AIM-9X Sidewinder

    A test team from the Global Power Fighters Combined Test Force fired the newest variant of the AIM-9 Sidewinder, the X variant, for the first time from an F-16 Fighting Falcon here April 9.The Sidewinder is a supersonic, heat-seeking, air-to-air missile carried by fighter aircraft. Before this, the

  • National Volunteer Week honors 'hidden heroes'

    For many people, the term “Girl Scouts” either conjures up memories of Brownie uniforms and summertime campouts or the desperate hunt for cookie stands when Thin Mint cravings strike. For people like Tech. Sgt. Donna Pena, the Girl Scouts carries a deeper meaning -- the chance to make a difference.

  • Airmen respond to motorcycle accident

    A busload of Airmen from here were on their way to an observance honoring prisoners of war and servicemembers missing in action. They had no idea they would be the first people on the scene at a motorcycle crash April 9.The bus was en route to nearby North Little Rock but stopped along the highway

  • Officials: Radium poses no risk at Air Force facilities

    Official test results from six Air Force facilities indicate building occupants and visitors are not at risk from radioactive material left over from luminous paints used at the bases 60 years ago.Air Force Institute for Operational Health experts from Brooks City-Base, Texas, examined facilities at

  • Pope families welcome loved ones home

    Balloons, hand-painted "welcome home" signs, ear-to-ear smiles and a few tears greeted Airmen and a small group of Soldiers who returned here April 14 following deployments in Southwest Asia."It's great to have them back," said Lt. Gen. William Welser III, commander of 18th Air Force at Scott Air

  • Colonel reflects on 40 years of service

    When Dave Thurston joined the Air Force as an airman basic in 1964, there had been no moon landing, the SR-71 Blackbird was about to fly for the first time, the Vietnam War was just beginning, and postage stamps cost a nickel. Now a colonel, he is deployed as the director of public affairs for

  • Enlisted aviators put 'chevrons' in the sky

    Between 1912 and 1942, nearly 3,000 enlisted men of the Signal Corps, Air Service and the Army Air Forces became enlisted pilots. In fact, enlisted men piloted many of the aircraft flown in the Allied invasion of North Africa in 1942.Although the Flight Officer Act in 1942 ended the enlisted pilot

  • Vice president thanks servicemembers in Alaska

    Amid a sea of nearly 3,000 flag-waving Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, Vice President Dick Cheney thanked servicemembers stationed in Alaska for their efforts in the war on terrorism.“I stand here today to say ‘thank you’ from a grateful nation -- and not just to the military

  • Reservist earns Pitsenbarger award

    A reservist from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., has been named the 2004 Pitsenbarger award winner.Senior Master Sgt. Dale Berryhill, an airborne communications systems operator, was selected for his heroism while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Sergeant Berryhill was a crewmember aboard an MC-130E

  • Rescue team integral to contingency operations

    Imagine riding along outside the safety of a base and suddenly a rocket-propelled grenade blows a hole in the ground next to a Humvee in your convoy. The blast causes the vehicle to crash and flip upside down. One of your drivers is stuck under the wreckage; you have no equipment to help get him

  • Reserve rescue crews win Jolly Green mission award

    A daring, nighttime combat rescue last year in Iraq earned three aircrews from the 920th Rescue Wing here an award for heroism.The Jolly Green Association will present its 2003 Rescue Mission of the Year Award to HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter crews Jolly 23 and Jolly 24, and HC-130 tanker crew King 50

  • Effort in Iraq ‘going to take time’

    People worldwide have to realize the coalition effort in Iraq is a long-term project, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here April 13.Gen. Richard B. Myers is here for meetings with Bahraini leaders. During the flight over, he said the problems in Iraq can be solved, but it will take

  • Readiness system saves time, money

    Robins is the test site for a new Web-based readiness system estimated to save the Air Force $79 million over the next five years. The system, called the deployment readiness service, will improve tracking and reduce the time and effort to keep people ready for deployments. It gives people access to

  • Sergeant's nightly movies benefit deployed Airmen

    When the sun sets on Camp Cunningham, the outdoor break area and meeting place known as the “Pradotorium” begins to buzz with a little more activity than it does during the day.This wooden deck area, similar to one that might be built in someone’s backyard, sits adjacent to the 455th Expeditionary

  • Enlisted Heritage Hall honors fallen Airman

    A fallen hero was honored recently when the Enlisted Heritage Hall on Gunter Annex dedicated the Tech. Sgt. John Chapman exhibit.Members of Sergeant Chapman's family and colleagues from the 24th Special Tactics Squadron were among more than 200 people attending the dedication ceremony. A combat

  • Officials announce 2004 Hennessy Trophy winners

    Air Force Services Agency officials announced the winners of the 2004 Hennessy Trophy Awards.Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is the winner in the single-facility category, and Keesler AFB, Miss., is the winner in the multiple-facility category.The Air Force Reserve Command award winner is the 911th

  • Airman dies in mortar attack

    Department of Defense officials have announced the name of an Airman who died following a mortar attack here April 10.Airman 1st Class Antoine J. Holt, 20, of Kennesaw, Ga., died as a result of injuries sustained when his tent was hit by a mortar round. He was assigned to the 603rd Air Control

  • Now showing: April 12 edition of AFTV News

    This edition of Air Force Television News focuses on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. Tech. Sgt. Rusty Barfield went to the Pacific island to report on Andersen’s growing importance for the Air Force mission.Sergeant Barfield examines the role of Andersen since the Korean War, the deployment of B-52

  • Two new medals recognize units

    Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche approved two new medals recognizing units for outstanding heroism in combat and for achievement or service in direct support of combat operations.The Gallant Unit Citation and the Meritorious Unit Award can be awarded to Air Force active-duty, Reserve

  • Deployed servicemembers step up anti-malarial protections

    It is peak mosquito season in Iraq, and U.S. servicemembers deployed supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom are taking steps to protect themselves against malaria.The high-risk season for malaria runs April to November, said Army Col. Fredric Plotkin, preventive medicine and force health protection

  • Software helps Airmen track fitness progress

    The Air Force recently released a tool to help Airmen keep track of their fitness efforts. The Air Force Fitness Management System is available to all Airmen through the Air Force Portal. The system provides a history of their fitness scores and allows unit fitness managers to enter new scores.

  • Leaders approve combat device for expeditionary ribbon

    Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper have approved the addition of a gold border to the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon to signify satisfactory participation in combat operations. "This gold border, signifying participation in combat

  • Simulator prepares Airmen for combat

    Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to infiltrate enemy territory in the cover of darkness. Sentries will be posted at various checkpoints throughout your path to offer additional assistance. Armed with night-vision goggles, weapons and wits, your mission will be trying and perilous.

  • Air Force recognized for ethics program

    The Air Force was recognized April 7 at the Pentagon for outstanding achievement in developing and managing its ethics program.Marilyn L. Glynn, acting director and general council of the Office of Government Ethics, presented the 2004 Outstanding Ethics Program Award to Secretary of the Air Force

  • Airmen train in Italy

    Twenty-six Airmen from the 37th Airlift Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, participated in Exercise Leaning Tower here from March 29 to April 3. They trained on formation low-level flights, evasive maneuvers and airdrops using night-vision goggles. “This whole exercise was made possible

  • Jumper urges Airmen to 'stay encouraged'

    The war on terrorism, force shaping and the new fitness program are all major priorities in today's Air Force, said the service's senior leader during a visit here April 5. With the recent gruesome murders of four U.S. contractors and the almost daily loss of American servicemembers’ lives, the Air

  • Top chief discusses Air Force issues

    Force shaping, housing plans, the proposed uniform and fitness proved hot topics for the Air Force's top enlisted leader as he talked with Airmen during a visit here.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray said the retention rate for first-term Airmen is the highest the Air Force has

  • Survival equipment: Taking fear out of flying

    Almost everyone has seen movie heroes parachuting out of planes and helicopters into dangers unknown. However, not many people think about how they are able to do that, or who ensures their parachutes are packed safely and carefully. Ten Airmen, assigned to the 100th Maintenance Squadron’s survival

  • Airman burned as child, volunteers at burn camp

    More than 15 years ago he spent 10 weeks in the hospital, as burns that covered more than one-third of his body healed. Today, the Airman volunteers as a burn camp counselor and shares stories about his ordeal with children who are recovering as he did.Airman 1st Class Brandon Lee, an aircraft

  • Airman receives 48 months confinement

    A 33rd Maintenance Squadron Airman here pleaded guilty and was convicted recently of illegal drug use and distribution involving Ecstasy, cocaine and marijuana. Airman Basic Brian M. Baird also pleaded guilty to four additional charges: disobeying his commander’s orders, using Ecstasy and

  • ‘The Simpsons’ deploy to Southwest Asia

    At first glance, these two Airmen share only a name: Simpson. One is a senior officer, the other is junior enlisted; one is a reservist, the other active duty; one works in an office, the other on a flightline.But a closer look reveals Col. Bill Simpson and Airman 1st Class Doug Simpson share more

  • Air Force wins sixth boxing championship

    The Air Force boxing team clinched its sixth consecutive National Collegiate Boxing Association title here April 3. Senior Clell Knight earned his second national title and was named the outstanding boxer of the tournament.Air Force won the national team title with 40 points, edging out Navy who

  • F/A-22 important to all Airmen

    To Air Force people who do not fly or maintain aircraft, the oft-repeated characteristics of the F/A-22 Raptor, “stealth, supercruise, agility, integrated avionics, and supportability” probably mean about as much as “independent front suspension” and “aluminum alloy heads” mean to someone who is not

  • Communications Airmen help Iraqis connect

    Airmen worked for two days rebuilding and improving the communications infrastructure at Baghdad International Airport.A team of 447th Air Expeditionary Group cable maintenance shop and telephone systems Airmen started a job April 3. “Basically we were asked to come out here and establish high-speed

  • JTAC Airman vital in war on terrorism

    “Dad, you’re still at work?” are the words of Staff Sgt. Jason Cry’s 5-year-old son. When Sergeant Cry talks with his son on the phone, he helps the boy understand why Dad was not there for Christmas, or why he cannot be there at night to read him a bedtime story, kiss him on the head and tuck him

  • USAFE members hone search, rescue skills

    A CH-47 Chinook helicopter is shot down and four survivors are stranded in a hostile location awaiting rescue. The scenario was part of a joint combat search and rescue exercise held here March 20 to April 2.Led by the 56th Rescue Squadron at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, the exercise

  • Flightline upgrades boost mission

    New upgrades to the flightline are boosting operational capabilities, helping Airmen accomplish the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing’s expanding role to provide intra-theatre airlift for deployed forces.The latest upgrades completed March 31 include a new 320,000-square-foot C-130 Hercules parking ramp.

  • Moody pilots killed in crash

    Two pilots died when an Air Force T-6 Texan II crashed April 3 at the airport in Savannah, Ga. The aircraft was assigned to the 479th Flying Training Group here.The reservists were identified as Capt. Judson Brinson of Thomasville, Ga., and Capt. Lee Moore of Valdosta, Ga. At the time of the

  • Airmen save life using defibrillator

    Four Airmen saved an Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center employee’s life after he recently suffered a heart attack at the Tinker Annex gym.Mario Martinez, a quality-assurance specialist at the center, went into cardiac arrest while playing racquetball with Tech. Sgt. Douglas Keller, a radar

  • Academy aircraft operations suspended

    Following a review by an Air Force air logistics center team, Brig. Gen. John Weida, academy commandant, ordered flying operations of 45 aircraft assigned here be suspended because of safety concerns.Affected aircraft include: TG-10B\C\D unpowered gliders and TG-14 motorgliders of the 94th Flying

  • Airman dies during training

    An Airman collapsed while participating in aerospace physiology training at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and was pronounced dead by Bay Medical Center officials near the base April 1.Tech. Sgt. David Gressett is an AC-130H Spectre gunner assigned to the 16th Special Operations Squadron here. He

  • Air Force Reserve begins fitness testing

    Air Force reservists across the country are under the new Air Force fitness-testing standards as of April 1.Previously, fitness was measured by height-based weight restrictions, and reservists were tested on aerobic health through a 3-mile walk. The new standards include a waist measurement,

  • Iraqi children benefit from donations

    American forces at Balad Air Base, Iraq, are separated from the Iraqi people by a shallow ocean of sand and concertina wire. The edges of the razor wire mirror the sharp lifestyle contrasts between the poverty-stricken locals and the Americans.Airmen at Balad are joining hands with people here to

  • Idaho Guard helps train B-52 crews

    There’s a “war” going on. Every day deployed Airmen from the 266th Range Squadron at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, are shooting, eluding and attempting to destroy B-52 Stratofortresses flying here.However, no one gets hurt and no aircraft actually go down because the battle is done using

  • Compass Call crew details mission, OIF success stories

    At the onset of Operation Iraqi Freedom, dozens of Iraqi soldiers waited patiently near the al Faw Peninsula for instructions being transmitted from higher headquarters to blow up key oil fields there.The message never came.In its place, courtesy of the U.S. Air Force’s EC-130H “Compass Call”

  • Airmen reach out to help Iraqis

    The bright yellow ball bounced boldly out of the box as Iraqi children eagerly clamored to snatch the sphere from an Air Force chaplain’s hands.One young Iraqi boy emerged victorious, waving the soccer ball wildly over his head before tossing it back and forth to a friend in the crowd gathered

  • Air Force conducts network-defense exercise

    Air Force officials finished a two-week computer network-defense exercise March 26, which validated and strengthened the Air Force’s ability to defend its network against a wide range of attacks.About 200 people at network operations security centers and associated network control centers Air

  • Official urges balanced treatment for reserve components

    With Reserve and National Guard forces now critical elements in the war on terrorism, the Defense Department's senior reserve affairs adviser told a Senate subcommittee here March 31 that the country must do more to care for them and their families. Thomas F. Hall, assistant secretary of defense for

  • Troop rotation to Iraq continues

    The largest rotation of U.S. forces since World War II continues in Iraq, Defense Department officials said March 31.In all, more than 250,000 U.S. servicemembers are affected.Planning for the rotation began months ago. New units worked with units already in Iraq to learn their mission and plan the

  • Crime-scene investigators train at Nellis

    Two vehicles were destroyed during a staged explosion here March 29 helping crime-scene investigators hone their skills. FBI officials detonated more than 550 pounds of explosives to provide a more realistic environment for a large-vehicle bomb post-blast investigation class. The five-day class,

  • Airmen recruit Iraqi military

    Two Air Force recruiters are using their training and skills to recruit a distinct group of people into an organization far different from the U.S. Air Force.Capt. Pete Ellum and Master Sgt. Greg Elmore are in Iraq recruiting that country’s new military. They are recruiting for the armed forces,

  • Academy cadet named Truman Scholar

    A cadet is a Truman Scholar and has won a $26,000 scholarship. The Harry S. Truman Foundation officially announced its winners across the United States on March 30.Cadet 2nd Class Andrew Sellers, a computer science major, earned the merit-based scholarship to attend a graduate or professional

  • Academy honors distinguished graduates

    Contributions to the Air Force and nation have earned two Air Force Academy alumni the school’s distinguished graduate awards. Retired Lt. Gen. Bradley C. Hosmer and Richard T. Schlosberg III have earned the 2003 Distinguished Graduate Award. The award is recognized by the academy and Association

  • Reserve employment information program begins

    A new Defense Department reporting system has begun so members of all seven reserve components can register their employers. DOD decision-makers need to know the civilian employers and government agencies of the department's nearly 1.2 million National Guardsmen and reservists, officials said. The

  • Students, deployed reservists share experiences

    Students at Hopewell Memorial Junior High School in nearby Aliquippa are learning about Iraq and the Middle East, but not from a textbook or the television.They are getting an insightful perspective of the region from local Air Force reservists deployed overseas. The reservists are getting a bit of

  • Airman teaches English to Afghan pilots

    Sometimes a language barrier can be more than an inconvenience. It can be dangerous. Consider, for example, the dialogue between an Afghan aircraft pilot and a German air-traffic controller at the local airfield during an in-flight emergency.Maj. Susan Washington said she is well aware of the

  • Flying ‘bug’ bites WASP early, pilot recounts service

    It was not Charles Lindbergh, but “a fella before him” whose name escapes her now. She remembers he came through Charleston, W.Va., when she was very young, and she said he inspired her to learn to fly.“I was about 7 or 8 years old when this famous flier came to town. Everyone turned out to see

  • Vital ‘phase’ of maintenance

    “Phase maintenance” are two words that may not mean a lot to someone who does not work on the aircraft maintenance or operations side of the Air Force.But spend a few minutes talking with the supervisor of the A-10 Thunderbolt II phase maintenance team that is deployed here from Davis-Monthan Air

  • Stopping corrosion before it stops mission

    Like cancer, it grows and spreads, risking men, machines and missions.In the docks where E-3 Sentries are sidelined for programmed depot maintenance, workers are as skilled at eliminating corrosion and its risks as surgeons are at cutting out a cancer.The work consists largely of inspections, checks

  • Minot B-52 aircrews refine, polish skills in Guam

    Capt. Jeremiah Baldwin, a B-52 Stratofortress pilot, said he could not wait to get out of the cockpit. He was tired, exhausted and just wanted to lie down and sleep after flying a 20-hour mission. “It’s one of the longest flights I’ve ever flown. It was great training, but it’s not something I

  • Air Force seeks to eliminate inadequate housing

    Air Force senior leaders spoke with members of Congress on March 30 about the service’s requests for military construction funding in the fiscal 2005 budget. In testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee subcommittee on military construction, the Air Force civil engineer, Maj. Gen. L.

  • Beale receives Installation Excellence Award

    Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld has announced the winners of the 2004 Commander in Chief’s Annual Award for Installation Excellence. Beale Air Force Base, Calif., was selected as the Air Force winner.The other winners include:Fort Stewart, Ga.Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar, Calif.Naval

  • Family continues training tradition

    It is like father, like son in the Gutierrez family when it comes to conducting military training.Staff Sgt. Victor Gutierrez is serving as an instructor in the same course his father, Ernesto, taught during his military years.Now, both trainers are serving in the 81st Training Group here. Sergeant

  • ROTC instructor duty now includes NCOs

    Air Force ROTC officials have just expanded instructor duty opportunities to include enlisted Airmen from diverse career fields.The secretary of the Air Force has approved a test program designed to incorporate enlisted perspectives into the curriculum. The addition of enlisted instructional staff,

  • Airmen make sure A-10s keep flying

    When many people were passing out candy to trick-or-treaters last October, 26 crew chiefs left their home at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., and arrived here, ready to do their part in the war on terrorism.Through the holidays, this group of Airmen has not missed a beat in keeping the A-10

  • A-10 pilot wows Smithsonian crowd

    The Iraqi republican guard may have had luck on their side that miserable Baghdad day, but they did not know who was flying the A-10 Thunderbolt II they had just hit with a rocket.It was April 7, 2003, and an elite unit of Iraqis had U.S. forces pinned down along the Tigris River, firing

  • Countries join NATO alliance

    The Allied Air Forces Northern Region commander welcomed seven new nations as full members of the NATO alliance March 29 here, raising the number of countries in the alliance from 19 to 26. The new countries joined after a process that started at the November 2002 Prague Summit when NATO’s heads of

  • Airmen assist convoy attack

    During an Iraqi insurgent attack on an American convoy north of here March 24, time seemed to stand still, said Tech. Sgt. George B. Stewart.“It seemed like forever,” said the Airman from the 447th Air Expeditionary Security Force Squadron. Squadron Airmen credit Sergeant Stewart, their

  • Now showing: March 29 edition of AFTV News

    Air Combat Command’s “Canadian connection” highlights the latest edition of Air Force Television News. In a special “Eye on the Air Force,” Tech. Sgt. Bill Scherer goes to North Bay, Ontario, to examine the close relationship between ACC and the Canadian air force. Before Sept. 11, the Canadian

  • Security forces announce 2003 unit awards

    Air Force officials recently released the winners of the 2003 Security Forces Unit Level Awards.The winners are:-- Group: 91st Security Forces Group at Minot Air Force Base, N.D.-- Large Unit: 5th Security Forces Squadron at Minot AFB.-- Medium Unit: 22nd SFS at McConnell AFB, Kan.-- Small Unit:

  • Guard, Reserve, employers named 'Citizen of the Year'

    The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation named Reserve and Guard forces and their employers as the "Citizen of the Year" March 23 during the foundation’s annual Circle of Honor dinner at the New York Stock Exchange."We are privileged to honor as our citizen of the year, America's citizen-Soldiers

  • Officials announce Air Force comptroller awards

    Air Force officials announced the 2003 financial management and comptroller awards.Award winners will be recognized at a ceremony June 2 at the American Society of Military Comptrollers Professional Development Institute in Cleveland.Michael Montelongo, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for

  • Vice president visits base in Ohio

    Vice President Dick Cheney expressed his appreciation for the Airmen and community here during a visit March 26. A throng of enthusiastic people from the base community waved flags and cheered loudly for the vice president during a ceremony. Gen. Greg Martin, commander of Air Force Materiel

  • Group reflects on OIF mission one year later

    March 27 holds special meaning for people of the 86th Contingency Response Group; it marks an accomplishment they made during Operation Iraqi Freedom.Last year on that day, 20 Airmen from the 86th CRG parachuted into northern Iraq along with more than 1,000 Soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade

  • Airmen from European bases support special ops in Africa

    Airmen from bases throughout Europe are supporting special operations forces along the fringes of the Sahara Desert in the continuing war on terrorism.Currently, Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Stuttgart, Germany, are training African soldiers in Mali

  • April issue of Citizen Airman available online

    For the past 33-plus years, Lt. Gen. James E. Sherrard III has been contributing to the Air Force mission as a reservist, with the last five-plus years as the commander of Air Force Reserve Command and chief of Air Force Reserve. During that time, he has fought for better benefits and entitlements

  • C-17 crew wins Mackay Trophy

    One year after they led the biggest combat airdrop since Operation Just Cause in Panama in December 1989, five Airmen from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., are the winners of the National Aeronautic Association's Clarence Mackay Trophy for 2003.Lt. Col. Shane Hershman, from the 7th Airlift Squadron;

  • Dynamic mission planning allows rapid response

    Technology is helping put today's warfighters at the right fight at the right time with the flexibility to change target identification or redirect aircraft in flight.Rapidly maturing satellite technology supports dynamic planning for fast-changing battlefield environments, and Electronic Systems

  • ‘Dirt Boyz’ digging in

    Airmen of the 28th Civil Engineer Squadron woke up to a South Dakota blizzard which closed sections of Interstate 90 and the Rapid City airport. Within a week, some of the same Airmen began waking up in the snow-covered foothills of the Ala Too Mountains in Kyrgyzstan as part of the 376th

  • Joint Strike Fighter under attack on Capitol Hill

    A senior Air Force official told lawmakers March 25 that the service would not be interested in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter if a technical glitch could not be overcome or if program funds were cut off.Lt. Gen. Ronald E. Keys, deputy chief of staff for air and space operations, bluntly told members

  • OSI agents help with historic drug seizure

    With less than one month on the job, a special agent with Detachment 311 of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations here answered a call from a Drug Enforcement Administration detective in Jacksonville, Fla. What he had to tell OSI agents ultimately culminated in the largest single narcotics

  • OSI's Fugitive Recovery Program is bringing 'em in

    It can be a long and laborious process. But ask any one of the special agents who have been part of a fugitive-recovery team, and they will tell you that the complexity in tracking and apprehending an Air Force fugitive is well worth the time, money and effort.OSI agents recently apprehended and

  • Air Force holds worldwide talent search

    In one room, a man held his guitar close to him, while his foot tapped nervously on the ground. Six judges watched him intently as he answered their questions about his instrumental background. Across the hall, a man was given a sombrero and a feather boa to wear, as judges asked him to do his

  • Airmen provide exercise tips to prevent pain

    Military hospitals have seen more injuries than usual since the Air Force adopted the new physical fitness test.The majority of these injuries could have been prevented with common sense and "listening to your body," said Maj. Chu Soh of the 374th Medical Operations Squadron’s physical therapy

  • AFIT graduates Class of 2004

    More than 200 scientists and engineers received graduate and doctoral degrees from the Air Force Institute of Technology.AFIT’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management held its 2004 graduation ceremony March 23 at the Air Force Museum. Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche delivered

  • Close-air support variant of Joint Strike Fighter too heavy

    Early reports show that the Air Force’s next generation close-air support aircraft has a weight problem.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche told members of the Senate Committee on Appropriations subcommittee on defense the issue was predictable.“The (F-35 Joint Strike Fighter) has only

  • Two generations, one similar mission

    One joined during the height of the Cold War. The other joined long after the Berlin Wall crumbled. One wears dress blues, the other, greens. One has more than 25 years of service, while the other -- just barely eight months.But the two are so intimately connected that all their differences are

  • ICBM security forces deploy every four days

    Security forces Airmen here and at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., and Malmstrom AFB, Mont., constantly deploy but not overseas. Their deployments are to the nation's IBM fields. These Airmen provide security for the U.S. ICBM arsenal around the clock, 365 days a year.The missiles they guard are

  • Women play important role in military

    Throughout history, women have broken barriers to serve in the military, some legitimately and some not. Many women worked as nurses on battlefields, while others disguised themselves as men so they could join. Even though the contributions women made were recognized, Americans would not allow

  • Standardization program announces awards

    Officials from the Defense Standardization Program Office recognized Air Force people and teams with awards for outstanding contributions to the Department of Defense in fiscal 2003. The awards were presented March 16 during a ceremony in Lansdowne, Va.The following received awards:Individuals--

  • AFIS announces visual-information winners

    American Forces Information Service officials recently announced the winners of the 2004 visual information awards.The awards recognize, reward and promote excellence among military photographers, videographers, journalists and graphic artists for their achievements in military photography,

  • Missile support teams deploy, but closer to home

    Those assigned to care for missile alert facilities and launch facilities containing Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles do not deploy to forward areas overseas. Instead, they deploy to areas in the central and north central United States."We don't deploy to foreign theaters of operations," said

  • A-10 pilot takes aim on terrorism

    Talk to almost anyone in the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group, and a recurring theme is the desire to provide the best support possible for friendly forces on the ground.The way to do that is by making sure A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft here are always ready to fly at a moment’s notice, so that