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  • Geren lauds total AF Katrina effort

    As Hurricane Katrina passed through the Gulf Coast region, the Air Force responded even before the full gravity of the effects were known, taking care of its own people, and assisting in rescue and recovery missions afterwards."The total force of the Air Force -- the active duty, Guard and Reserve

  • AFMC provides assistance in Katrina's aftermath

    When disaster struck the Gulf Coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida in the form of Hurricane Katrina, Air Force Materiel Command stood up its crisis action team to assist with relief efforts to the region.Since then, support has come from each of the command's bases -- from

  • PJs airlift those devastated by Hurricane Katrina

    Nearly 3,000 people have been airlifted out of the New Orleans area and taken to local care centers in the arms of 374th Expeditionary Rescue Group pararescuemen.Pararescuemen from three rescue squadrons nationwide are deployed here participating in what has been described as the largest

  • Airmen repair helo in New Orleans, spend two days without food

    After a complete electrical failure rendered an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter useless during search-and-rescue efforts near New Orleans on Sept. 1, Air Force officials were quick to deploy two staff sergeants to the scene.When the call came in at 2 a.m., Staff Sgts. Brandon LaFountain and Kevin

  • Air War College revises nonresident program

    The Air War College here announced the revision of its nonresident studies course to ensure currency and relevancy.The college will launch the new curriculum in January.The accelerated content meets joint professional military education Phase II requirements and reflects recent changes in the Air

  • Combat communications squadron hooks up tent city

    One combat communications squadron convoyed more than 600 miles to provide support to an Air Force tent city here. More than 100 Airmen with the 33rd Combat Communications Squadron from Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., arrived here Sept. 5 with more than 30 military vehicles after having spent more

  • Little Rock AFB hub for international Katrina aid

    The first international aid for Hurricane Katrina victims touched down in Arkansas on Sept. 5, and more international flights are on the way.The base was tapped as the hub and clearinghouse for all international aid air shipments for Hurricane Katrina victims."Little Rock Air Force Base is proud to

  • Reservists mobilize for Katrina relief efforts

    Some Airmen with the 908th Airlift Wing here returned to their home base Sept. 6 after participating in an overseas deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Before they even returned, however, their commander said they were ready to serve again, only this time for disaster-relief

  • Animals in the aftermath

    When David Cook’s resolve crumbled after a week of surviving in his third-floor apartment amid Hurricane Katrina floodwaters, he searched for help that arrived too quickly.After Mr. Cook endured Katrina’s wrath Aug. 29, he said his two “hardheaded” roommates talked him into staying put another seven

  • AMC aircraft, people continue hurricane relief efforts

    In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Air Mobility Command has moved thousands of military support people, civilian emergency responders and evacuees, and has delivered tons of emergency equipment and supplies supporting relief operations.To handle the increased air mobility operations into and out

  • Keesler recovery efforts already showing results

    People here are well into recovery operations just a week after the base and much of the Gulf Coast sustained massive damage from Hurricane Katrina."We're in the recovery and reconstitution stages where we're assessing the damage and repairing the facilities we're going to need in order to be able

  • Academy sports recap: Women, men Falcons score first soccer wins

    Women and men’s academy soccer secured their first victories of the season over Providence University and Army, respectively.Brittney Perkowski’s goal in the 55th minute propelled Air Force to down Providence, 1-0, on Sept. 2. The win brings the academy to 1-2-0 on the season and drops the Friars to

  • Vandenberg tests Minuteman III ICBM

    An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile successfully launched from here Sept. 7 and landed in the Marshall Islands about 30 minutes later.The mission, conducted by people with the 30th Space Wing and the 576th Flight Test Squadron here and the 91st SW from Minot AFB, N.D, tested

  • Air Force BEAR Base deploys supporting JTF-Katrina

    Airmen with the 49th Materiel Maintenance Group here began deploying in support of Joint Task Force-Katrina, the massive relief effort directed at providing humanitarian aid to Gulf Coast victims of Hurricane Katrina.The 49th MMG, the only Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources Base group in the Air

  • Airmen saving lives in New Orleans, Mississippi

    Air Force bases nationwide are deploying hundreds of Airmen to Louisiana and Mississippi to save lives in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.Search and rescue missions are under way around the clock to evacuate hurricane victims stranded along the Gulf Coast.Two 50th Airlift Squadron C-130 Hercules

  • Lackland supports Hurricane Katrina evacuation

    Airmen here played a critical role in San Antonio’s hurricane evacuation operation.Over a 55-hour period, Lackland received 9,788 evacuees aboard 89 aircraft. Working in partnership with San Antonio first responders, Airmen helped unload passengers, provide medical assistance and prepare evacuees

  • Airmen evacuate hurricane victims

    Three Airmen flew their first humanitarian mission together here as part of the effort to evacuate Hurricane Katrina victims. After the storm hit New Orleans on Aug. 29, tens of thousands of residents there were left behind, trapped by the floodwater. They had little food and drinking water and no

  • Defense leaders praise Keesler resolve, spirit

    The military’s highest-ranking officials leading post-Hurricane Katrina relief efforts toured here Sept. 4 and personally delivered reassuring words to the storm-battered base’s troops and family members.The visiting delegation, led by Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, included Gen. Richard

  • Special unit provides airfield operations in New Orleans

    Without the quick deployment of an Air Mobility Command special unit, the air evacuation plan here would not have happened.The 818th Contingency Response Group from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., arrived Aug. 31, a day after Hurricane Katrina demolished the area. They instantly provided relief to

  • Katrina floodwaters a biohazard-laden ‘soup’

    Airmen who continue to fly search and rescue missions must protect themselves from a host of biohazards in the floodwaters from where they pluck survivors.Contact with the polluted water, now called “the soup,” can cause rashes, illness and disease, said Col. (Dr.) Lewis Neace, a reserve flight

  • AFSPC Airmen support recovery efforts

    The magnitude of devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina may take months to realize. But help is needed fast, and Air Force Space Command is responding quickly.Examples of this expeditious effort lie with some of the command’s deployed officers.Col. Jay Santee, 21st Space Wing vice

  • 1st AF provides command, control for Katrina relief efforts

    When the Federal Emergency Management Agency requested Department of Defense resources to help with Hurricane Katrina relief operations, 1st Air Force here established the 1st Aerospace Expeditionary Task Force-Katrina Operation.The 1st AETF is the Air Force organization designated to perform

  • NRO director supports hurricane relief, warfighter

    As a newly minted physicist, one of the first sets of experiments Dr. Donald M. Kerr worked on involved the use of small rockets. Today, many years later, Dr. Kerr is no longer simply experimenting with rocket science; instead, he is leading it as the new director of the National Reconnaissance

  • Civil engineers use 'Dominator' for rescue

    Noah's Ark came here disguised as a big blue vacuum truck during Hurricane Katrina.While preparing for the Aug. 29 storm, the 81st Civil Engineer Squadron here loaded the tank of the "Dominator" with water to ballast the vehicle so it would not be swept away by the anticipated flood waters. The

  • Keesler Airmen, Sailors, Marines rally to aid local community

    Military and civilian volunteers here are reaching out to help the local community after surviving and beginning recovery operations after Hurricane Katrina struck Aug. 29. More than 12 Airmen from the 81st Training Wing here provided medical aid, food, water and ice Sept. 3 to about 450 Biloxi

  • Guard chief describes Katrina response operations

    The chief of the National Guard Bureau declared the National Guard's role in Hurricane Katrina response operations "a great success story," after a recent trip to the Gulf Coast where he saw guardsmen providing almost three-quarters of the military's uniformed response.General Blum said he was

  • RC-26 assists Hurricane Katrina recovery operations

    The RC-26 is normally tasked to assist law enforcement in a counterdrug role, but now has now been tasked to assist state and federal officials in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.In the immediate aftermath of the devastating hurricane, the 147th Fighter Wing here dispatched its RC-26 to fly photo

  • Offutt services crew provides comfort to hurricane victims

    Some Airmen may wear the uniform for quite a while before they truly learn what it means to be in the Air Force.But for Airman 1st Class Keith Torgersen, it only took 10 months.Airman Torgersen is a services specialist with the 55th Services Squadron. He, and about 20 of his peers from Offutt Air

  • CLEP testing saves money, time, headaches

    There is a way for Airmen to earn their degrees using knowledge gained from work and personal study, while at the same time saving money and shortening time spent in classes.The College Level Examination Program and the Excelsior examination program are available to servicemembers in pursuit of a

  • Edwards tests production Global Hawk for possible deployment

    Global Hawk flight test efforts were completed Aug. 28, bringing the latest version of the aircraft one step closer to warfighter employment.The tests on the unmanned aerial vehicle, conducted here by the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center's Detachment 5, the 31st Test and Evaluation

  • Airmen build tent city for relief workers

    While helicopters continue to airlift victims of Hurricane Katrina to the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, a group of Airmen are constructing a massive tent city for relief workers.More than 70 Airmen of different backgrounds and units have come together to form the beginnings of

  • Pararescuemen hoist survivors to safety

    Though it is a city without electricity, rescue crews see plenty of lights as they fly over New Orleans each night searching for survivors in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.Sporadic fires burn wildly, but through their night-vision devices, combat search and rescue crews from the Air Force

  • Falcons rally late to win opener

    For more than three quarters Air Force was, arguably, "sleepless in Seattle." The Falcons trailed the University of Washington Huskies, 17-6, nearly five minutes into the fourth quarter and needed a wake-up call in their 50th season opener.They got it from backup quarterback Adam Fitch.Less than

  • A city underwater gets help from above

    With their homes and city underwater, many citizens of New Orleans have been looking to the skies for help from helicopter rescue crews of the Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard and active duty.Hoisted aloft from rooftops and carried aboard from broken bridge spans and other locations isolated by

  • Deployed Airmen prepare for life at Keesler after Katrina

    In most cases, when a loved one deploys it is the families back home who are worried, but for some the tables have turned here after the destruction Hurricane Katrina caused.A group of Airmen here who are deployed from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., experienced the frustration of being away from

  • More active, Guard troops join Katrina response

    President Bush announced Sept. 4 the deployment of 7,000 more active-duty forces to support hurricane relief operations along the hurricane-devastated Gulf Coast.There, they will join 5,000 other active forces and almost 22,000 National Guardsmen already on the ground evacuating stranded people,

  • Air Force MASF last stop for some hurricane victims

    Usually, this airport is pretty sterile. With waxed floors and fresh air, everybody moves through quickly and nobody plans staying long. That was before Hurricane Katrina. Now, instead of businessmen and vacationers, a different kind of traveler packs the airport -- evacuees trying to catch a plane

  • Volunteers help keep Airmen safe by searching vehicles

    Several Airmen here recently received a small taste of what it is like to part of security forces for a day when they volunteered to help at the visitor control center search pit here.“Providing security for the base is our first duty as Airmen,” said Senior Airman Ben Abbott, a 407th Expeditionary

  • Holiday greetings teams begin worldwide tour

    Four teams of broadcasters from the Army and Air Force Hometown News Service here will begin their annual worldwide holiday greetings tour Sept. 10, giving thousands of servicemembers and Department of Defense civilians stationed overseas a chance to send a message to their families back home.The

  • After recovery, Keesler’s future uncertain

    Hurricane Katrina tried to give Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., a knockout blow. But though it left a huge path of destruction in its wake -- it did not succeed. The massive storm devastated the base. No doubt about that, base officials said. And it claimed the base’s once vibrant training mission.

  • Hurricane-affected Airmen to redeploy

    More than 300 active-duty and Reserve Airmen deployed from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., will return early from their deployments to attend to their families’ needs and aid in base recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.Nearly 100 Airmen who were scheduled to deploy from Keesler will remain

  • Airmen provide communications capabilities

    Several Airman from the 5th Combat Communications Group left their families here Sept. 1 to provide communications capabilities for servicemembers in the devastated Gulf Coast region. Airmen from all four squadrons of the 5th CCG loaded about 25 pallets of communications equipment and headed to

  • Air Combat Command Airmen provide hurricane relief

    More than 500 combat engineers, communication specialists, medics and helicopter crews from Air Combat Command are providing relief in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.The 823rd Red Horse Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., deployed to Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., along with an 88-person ACC team

  • Raptor releases JDAM during first 'follow-on' evaluation mission

    Members of the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron here flew the first F/A-22 Raptor Follow-on Operational Test and Evaluation mission Aug. 29, releasing Joint Direct Attack Munitions on the Utah Test and Training Range.In one of the largest Raptor test phases to date, Air Force organizations are

  • Aeromedical evacuation hub established at Lackland

    Patients from the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport are now being flown to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, where a hub has been established to support Hurricane Katrina aeromedical evacuation operations.Base officials said the location was chosen as a hub because of its ramp

  • Lackland Airmen turn office areas into living spaces

    Airmen from nearby Lackland Air Force Base turned a building of office cubicles into living spaces Sept. 2 for as many as 2,500 people displaced from Hurricane Katrina.About 200 Airmen were part of a citywide effort to prepare a 350,000 square foot office building, located at Kelly USA here, for

  • Little Rock, Tyndall, Guard Bureau helping evacuees

    As recovery efforts continue in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Air Force bases are opening their doors to help evacuees."We will do everything we can to get (families) situated here and to be comfortable," said Brig. Gen. Joseph M. Reheiser, 314th Airlift Wing commander at Little Rock Air Force

  • Civil engineers provide hurricane relief at Keesler

    The Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency here is assisting in hurricane recovery efforts at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.The agency’s civil engineer maintenance, inspection and repair team sent three trailer-sized generators to help provide emergency power to the base. Each generator is capable

  • AF support missions intensify after wake of Hurricane Katrina

    As thousands flee in a mass exodus from Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, hundreds of Airmen nationwide are flocking to the region to help recover from Hurricane Katrina's devastation.Dozens of Air Force aircraft have flown missions supporting Federal Emergency Management Agency humanitarian

  • AMC response groups establish airfield operations for hurricane relief

    In support of massive relief operations to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, several elements of the Air Mobility Command Contingency Response Group deployed to Louisiana and Mississippi Aug. 30 and 31 to establish air mobility operations.On Aug. 30, a four-person assessment team from the 615th

  • Hurricane Hunters rebound, gear up for next storm

    For a week and a half, Air Force Reserve Command's Hurricane Hunters from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flew in and out of Hurricane Katrina around the clock gathering data.The Airmen provided the National Hurricane Center in Miami with critical information on the monster storm as it

  • Maxwell serves as staging facility for hurricane operations

    As evacuees continue to surge here fleeing the devastating affects of Hurricane Katrina, officials are bracing for the 1,300 Keesler Air Force Base training students expected here Sept. 3. So far, 750 hurricane refugees from flooded coastal regions have made their way here to escape what President

  • EMS team deploys to New Orleans

    Airmen with the 375th Medical Group here deployed to hurricane-ravaged New Orleans on Sept. 1 to provide additional medical support to relief agencies already present in the area.The Expeditionary Medical Support Team, comprising about 80 doctors, nurses, medical technicians and support personnel,

  • Airmen spruce up living space for retirees displaced by Katrina

    Fifty Airmen applied several hours’ worth of old-fashioned elbow grease Aug. 31 to prepare building nearly 400 military retirees displaced from Gulfport, Miss., by Hurricane Katrina.“(I want to) make it look nice and clean, so when the folks from Gulfport arrive … they can say, ‘Hey, somebody here

  • Minot helicopter flight supports hurricane relief efforts

    Four 54th Helicopter Flight Airmen and one UH-1N Huey helicopter departed here early Sept. 2 en route to Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., to assist in the Hurricane Katrina disaster response.The crew, comprising two pilots, a flight engineer and a civilian maintenance crew chief, along with two

  • Air Force takes care of Keesler’s expectant mothers

    Kimberly Harris knew things were bad when the water started creeping up her legs in the Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., hospital basement Aug. 29, but the nine-months-pregnant senior airman knew it was getting a lot worse when another expectant mom had an emergency cesarean section -- by

  • Hotline links deployed troops, hurricane-struck families

    With thousands of troops from the hurricane-stricken Gulf Coast deployed thousands of miles from home and worried about their families, a program operated by the National Guard Bureau is providing a vital communication link and assurance that families are being taken care of.Army Col. Anthony Baker

  • AF helicopter crews rescue 221 hurricane victims

    Air Force special operations helicopter crews from the 347th Rescue Wing rescued more than 200 people stranded in areas hard hit by Hurricane Katrina through Aug. 31.Flying from Jackson-Evers International Airport, Miss., these and other Air Force Special Operations Command aircrews are continuing

  • Hurricane Katrina relief effort total force response

    Airmen from across the Air Force are continuing to search for, rescue, evacuate, treat, feed and comfort Hurricane Katrina’s millions of victims.Most of the Airmen helping with relief operations in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are deploying with units as part of a total force response. And

  • AMC focusing on Katrina aeromedical evacuations

    The Tanker Airlift Control Center here is working to move as many aircraft as possible into the New Orleans airport to evacuate wounded.“If we can get three more planes in by nightfall (Aug. 31), we might be able to save another 100 people,” said Col. Jeff Franklin, a control center controller.There

  • Airmen help on 'front lines' in New Orleans

    In a cramped conference room, Airmen from the 122nd Air Support Operations Squadron here operate and monitor a satellite radio linked to tactical air control party Airman in New Orleans to help coordinate disaster relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Controllers from the squadron, who

  • Hurlburt combat engineers rush to aid of Keesler Airmen

    Combat engineers capable of rapid deployment into war zones are proving to be effective first responders in bringing aid to areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Airmen with the 823rd Red Horse Squadron here left early Aug. 30 bound for Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., one of the worst-hit areas in

  • Rescue squad brings experience to Cooperative Key

    More than 50 Airmen, along with two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters from the 56th Rescue Squadron at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, made the trip here to bring their special rescue skills to exercise Cooperative Key 05.The exercise, which began Aug. 24 and ends Sept. 5, is a multinational

  • Families say goodbye as Alaskan units deploy

    About 100 servicemembers from the Air Force and the Alaska Army National Guard deployed from here Aug. 30 to the Middle East.The servicemembers did not express much apprehension about the mission ahead of them, but their family members showed signs of uneasiness.Erin Ellingwood, wife of Staff Sgt.

  • Air Force provides support to hurricane relief effort

    The Air Force is part of the national support network that is providing aid to victims of Hurricane Katrina in disaster stricken regions of Mississippi and Louisiana.The 1st Air Force at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., is the lead for planning, orchestrating and overseeing Air Force support to Joint

  • Hurricane Katrina patients evacuated to Wilford Hall

    Two aircraft loaded with patients and expectant moms landed here Aug. 30 as aircrews and medics evacuated patients from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Critical Care Air Transport Teams and one obstetrics team from Wilford Hall Medical Center flew to Keesler earlier

  • Flyover to honor chief of staff change

    Old and new fighter aircraft will perform a farewell flyover for the outgoing Air Force chief and welcome the new chief during a ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., on Sept. 2.Gen. John P. Jumper, the current Air Force chief of staff, will retire and pass the flag to the current vice chief of

  • People venture outside Keesler shelters

    For the first time since Hurricane Katrina forced them into shelters, 6,000 people at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., ventured outside for a breath of fresh air.That was late in the day on Aug. 30, just after eating their first hot meal since the devastating hurricane nearly blew the base and that

  • Air Force Reserve flies missions to storm-ravaged areas

    Within hours after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, Air Force Reserve Command people and aircraft were headed toward disaster areas to help survivors.Three HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters from the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., flew to Jackson, Miss., late Aug. 30 to

  • CCAF unlocks doors of opportunity

    Many Airmen could be closer than they think to a degree from the Community College of the Air Force.Among work, family, temporary duty and deployments, many Airmen may feel they do not have enough time to finish their degree.“One of the biggest obstacles is discouragement,” said Tiffany Dalmida, the

  • FEGLI 2004 open season elections take effect

    Federal employees who elected or changed their Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance during last year’s open season will have their elections take effect the first day of the first pay period that begins on or after Sept. 1.For most Air Force-serviced civilian employees, the effective date will be

  • Gulfport Armed Forces Retirement Home residents evacuate

    Officials at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport, Miss., announced plans Aug. 30 to evacuate 416 now-homeless veterans from the hurricane-decimated home and move them to its sister facility here.Most of the veterans were preparing to leave Gulfport on Aug. 30 by charter bus for the Armed

  • Military providing full-scale response to hurricane relief effort

    Joint Task Force Katrina is setting up Aug. 31 at Camp Shelby, Miss., as the Defense Department's focal point to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency's relief efforts along the Gulf Coast, said Maj. Eric Butterbaugh, a U.S. Northern Command spokesman.Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, 1st U.S.

  • AMC answering humanitarian call in aftermath of Katrina

    The Tanker Airlift Control Center here started generating missions Air Mobility Command aircrews will fly supporting Hurricane Katrina relief operations in Louisiana and Mississippi.The Federal Emergency Management Agency, through Northern Command and U.S. Transportation Command, asked for airlift

  • Katrina takes heavy toll at Keesler

    Hurricane Katrina smashed “a good 95 percent” of Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., turning it into a pile of debris and mud, said a base spokesperson.Lt. Col. Claudia Foss, 81st Training Wing public affairs officer, said water surges from the Gulf of Mexico and the Bay of Biloxi reached depths of five

  • Commission wraps up BRAC decisions

    The Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission wrapped up four days of deliberations in final actions Aug. 26 and 27 by voting to turn Pope Air Force Base, N.C., into an Army airfield and recommending sweeping recommendations to revamp the Air National Guard and consolidate its operations.The

  • Guard, NORTHCOM respond to hurricane aftermath

    Twenty-four hours after Hurricane Katrina battered the Gulf Coast, about 7,500 National Guardsmen from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi were on duty supporting civil authorities, distributing generators, providing medical care, and setting up shelters for displaced residents.In addition,

  • Buckley’s AADD volunteers save lives, careers

    In just more than 18 months, the Airmen Against Drunk Driving program here has helped save lives and careers by giving free rides to about 300 Airmen and Department of Defense civilians who may have had too much to drink.The program started in February 2004, and dozens of volunteers have helped

  • New center helps promote records classification review

    A governmentwide effort to declassify documents that no longer need protecting took a big step forward recently with the official opening of the Interagency Referral Center in College Park, Md.The new center, at the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, is part of an initiative launched

  • K-9 teams keep Kirkuk safe

    Being on the frontlines in a combat zone is never an easy task, which is why the military relies heavily on teamwork. The Airmen of the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron military working dog flight work long days, face continual training and execute a crucial mission that never ends.

  • AF wins armed forces softball title

    Air Force wrapped up the Armed Forces Women’s Softball Championship with a decisive 20-15 victory here Aug. 26 over Army.Air Force lost to Army in the 2004 championship following a three-year winning streak -- this year they meant to get it back.The top of the first inning led off with Army left

  • Silent protectors support Operation Enduring Freedom

    A silent protector continues to support the war on terrorism, often accomplishing its mission without the beneficiaries of the protection it offers even knowing a sortie is being flown.The EC-130H Compass Call is an airborne tactical system that disrupts enemy command and control communications, as

  • Base chaplain epitomizes Air Force diversity

    Sept. 11, 2001, inspired her to join the military, and her father was the reason she joined the Air Force. Now, the Air Force’s first female rabbi, Chaplain (Capt.) Sarah Schechter, is here serving Airmen of all religious faiths.“Clearly, supporting our troops was the best way to help our country,”

  • Falcons falls 3-1 in soccer season opener, 3-2 against Iowa

    Jessica Zimmerman’s two goals propelled the University of Northern Colorado past Air Force, 3-1, in the soccer season opener for both teams Aug. 26 here.Northern Colorado struck first at the 32-minute mark as Teresa Prais scored off a pass from Zimmerman to put her team ahead 1-0. Air Force struck

  • Keesler, Columbus survive Hurricane Katrina

    Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., survived a direct hit by Hurricane Katrina, but initial estimates show it suffered extensive damage to industrial and housing areas.At Columbus AFB, Miss., about 290 miles north of Keesler, base officials said the pilot training base suffered only moderate damage to

  • Bases hunker down to ride out Katrina

    As Hurricane Katrina devastates the Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coast, Air Force units in the area have hunkered down to ride out the storm.The powerful hurricane made landfall near Buras, La. -- close to the border between the two states -- at about 10 a.m. Aug. 29. Top winds reached about 145

  • Air Force civilian donates bone marrow to save life

    When an Air Force civilian employee lost a cousin to leukemia in 1990 because he could not find a bone marrow donor in time, she made it her mission to do all she could to prevent that from happening to anyone else.Nancy Lenz, a 1st Fighter Wing Safety Office administrator, underwent a two-hour

  • Airmen support close-air support missions

    This time, things went down differently than planned. As arranged, the men prepped and fired a mortar at coalition forces. They shuttled into their vehicle, certain of a smooth exit. What the terrorists did not count on was what happened afterward: An American fighter aircraft zoomed overhead,

  • Kirtland Pave Hawk accident investigation complete

    The Air Force has completed its investigation of the HH-60G Pave Hawk accident May 11 near Angel Fire, N.M., which resulted in the death of an Air Force flight engineer.The accident investigation determined the primary cause of the mishap to be pilot error. Other factors included unfavorable

  • Airmen train for convoy duty in Southwest Asia

    Twelve 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle operators here are preparing to leave in early September to support convoy operations in Southwest Asia.These predominantly first-term Airmen will undergo rigorous training at Camp Bullis, Texas, before immediately deploying for six to eight months

  • Vandenberg launches Minuteman III

    An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launched from here Aug. 26 as part of a developmental test demonstrating the ability to integrate a safety enhanced re-entry vehicle into the existing Minuteman III weapons system.The missile launched under the guidance of the 576th Flight

  • Air Force leaders announce religious guidelines

    Air Force officials announced the release of interim guidance on free exercise of religion Aug. 29.Air Force Directorate of Personnel officials issued the interim guidelines after careful consideration of the U.S. Constitution, laws and military necessity. The guidelines were developed after a

  • Logistics Airmen supply customers with team effort

    From the outside, it looks like nothing more than a giant storage unit, but inside, it is a one-stop shop.“If you don’t see what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place,” said Tech. Sgt. Tonya Hamilton, noncommissioned officer in charge of the base service supply store here. “I can get

  • Kirkuk firefighters train Iraqis

    In order to stabilize Iraq, coalition forces must teach Iraqis the skills they need to stand on their own. The firefighters of the 506th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron here are doing their part in this important mission by teaching Iraqis first aid and basic firefighting skills.“Seeing them

  • Commander sees AEF working from deployed perspective

    The Air and Space Expeditionary Force Center commander recently visited his largest customer in theater -- U.S. Central Command Air Forces.Brig. Gen. Stephen L. Hoog said there was no better place to see that the AEF is working as advertised than in the Southwest Asia and Central Asia.“I appreciate

  • Guardsmen make combat airdrop in Afghanistan

    Six Airmen from the North Carolina Air National Guard’s 156th Airlift Squadron traveled more than 7,000 miles recently to perform an airdrop mission over Afghanistan.The guardsmen, who are currently assigned to the 738th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron at a forward-deployed location, airdropped more

  • 1st Air Force transitions to warfighting headquarters

    First Air Force and Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region are making structural changes to transition into one of 10 warfighting headquarters to better support geographic and functional combatant commanders worldwide.The transition is part of the Air Force’s move to

  • Convoy escorts continue proud heritage of Tuskegee Airmen

    The 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing is steeped in the rich history of its predecessors, the Tuskegee Airmen of the 332nd Fighter Group. While today’s Airmen do not share the hardships of breaking racial barriers, Airmen with Detachment 2 here and Det. 1 at Camp Speicher, Iraq, face their own

  • Airmen control sky over Iraq

    With more than 270,000 square miles of playing field, Airmen with the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron have their game faces on, providing command and control of joint air operations supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Providing surveillance, identification, weapons control, theater missile

  • Medics relieve pain at home, in war

    As servicemembers continue to fight the war on terrorism, a small group of Airmen at Balad Air Base, Iraq, is ensuring that each warfighter is fit to fight. At the same time they are gaining valuable experience to bring home.The physical and occupational therapy clinic at the Air Force Theater