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  • International affairs cadre to build global relations

    Air Force officials will begin training more than 100 officers this spring to become international affairs specialists in a managed secondary career path.Ultimately, as many as 3,000 officers will form a pool of experts in regional, political and military affairs who will advise combatant commanders

  • Joint Red Flag concludes

    The first U.S. forces and coalition Joint Red Flag exercise concluded April 2. The two week joint exercise is considered one of the largest distributive exercise in the history of the U.S. military with more than 10,000 participants in 44 different sites nationwide.Participants were stationed

  • Academy sports recap: three boxers take gold

    Three members of the Air Force Academy boxing team were crowned national champions during the final round of the National Collegiate Boxing Association championships April 2 at the academy. Willie Lloyd, Darren Smith and Blake Baldi all earned gold medals in their respective weight classes.As a

  • Dental lab techs keep Pacific forces smiling

    Dental laboratory Airmen assigned to the 374th Dental Squadron here are providing a special service to Department of Defense people by designing, preparing and fabricating dental prostheses and oral appliances, said a dentist specialist here.“Our mission is to improve our patient’s oral health and

  • Avoid false alarms by knowing notification procedures

    A recent phone message had a family convinced they received the news that all loved ones of a deployed servicemember dread -- their loved one was either hurt or killed in action. Fortunately, the phone call was a scam.Unfortunately, the wife experienced several hours of unnecessary stress and worry

  • Living wills: a matter of life or death

    The Terry Schiavo saga has both captured and divided the nation as moral and legal questions have been raised over the right to live or die. While many people remain at odds over the underlying issues, most agree on one topic -- the importance of living wills. “We’ve had a huge increase over the

  • Airman receives national engineer award

    An Airman here was selected by Society of American Military Engineers officials to receive the society's president's medal.Col. Josuelito Worrell, director of the engineering support directorate for the Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency, will receive the award for outstanding leadership and

  • Report: flight control deficiency causes Raptor damage

    An accident investigation board determined that a flight control system deficiency caused an F/A-22 Raptor aircraft mishap Sept. 28 near Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The flight control system allowed the aircraft to exceed set angles of attack and G-force limits. The resulting aircraft damage is

  • Nine Airmen killed in crash

    Nine Airmen were killed in an MC-130H Combat Talon II aircraft crash in Albania on March 31, Special Operations Command Europe officials announced April 4. The Airmen were supporting a joint training mission with the Albanian military. They are:-- Capt. Todd Bracy, 34, of Murphysboro, Ill.-- Capt.

  • U.S., Albanian recovery teams continue to work at crash site

    U.S. and Albanian rescue and recovery teams are working continuously at the site of the U.S. MC-130H Combat Talon II crash, located about 35 miles southeast of Tirana, Albania. The aircraft went down the evening of March 31 while on a night training mission. Officials said the U.S. military will

  • Hurlburt Airmen bring space power to Joint Red Flag

    U.S. space forces are using their knowledge of joint and interagency operations to adapt to an ever-changing battlefield during Joint Red Flag 2005, an exercise aimed at improving joint training and experimentation capabilities among U.S. and coalition forces.Air Force space capabilities have long

  • Say ‘hello’ to the bad guy

    Seeing the MiG-21 Fishbed static display in the parking lot, a Soviet flag hanging from a doorway and a picture of a smiling Joseph Stalin on a nearby counter top, might make it difficult for some to believe they are actually on a U.S. Air Force base.Things definitely look and work differently here

  • Balad medics perform critical mission

    Evacuation team members brace themselves against the rotor wash of a Blackhawk helicopter as it lands, stirring up swirling clouds of dust. They immediately make their way to the chopper and hurriedly bring patients into the trauma center. Within seconds, the emergency room is buzzing with activity

  • Fighters flying new missions, Airmen serving jointly

    In the war on terrorism, both aircraft and Airmen are performing missions nobody ever thought they would, a U.S. Central Command official said. Air Force fighter aircraft are performing intelligence missions today that they have not in the past, said Lt. Gen. Lance L. Smith, CENTCOM’s deputy

  • Combat Talon crashes in Albania

    An MC-130H Combat Talon II aircraft that crashed while on a joint training mission with the Albanian military, U.S. European Command officials announced April 1. There were nine people on board. A EUCOM news release said the crash occurred in a remote, mountainous area southeast of the Albanian

  • Air Force announces media contest winners

    A panel of civilian journalists, teachers and public relations professionals selected the best in Air Force print and broadcast journalism for the 48th annual Air Force Media Contest. The winners were announced March 31. Geoff Janes, from the 78th Air Base Wing at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is the

  • Academy sports wrap: Falcon javelin thrower honored by conference officials

    Backed by a record-setting performance at the Arizona State University Invitational in Tempe, Ariz., javelin thrower Dana Pounds was named the Mountain West Conference Women’s Track and Field Co-Athlete of the Week, league officials announced March 29.With a toss of 182 feet 1 inch at the meet,

  • Bagram Airmen recover hundreds of pallets

    The numbers 88- by -108 by -2.25 inches and 290 pounds represent lifeblood for the Air Force’s logistics readiness officers and air transporters.They are the measurements of a pallet type used to carry combat supplies in and out of war zones … and they are “wanted.”A critical shortage of these

  • Final Joint STARS aircraft delivered

    Officials from the Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., delivered the 17th and final E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System aircraft to the 116th Air Control Wing at Robins AFB, Ga., on March 23.The wing is the only unit to fly the aircraft. The Joint STARS

  • Pilots give feedback on F-16 upgrade

    F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., were here recently to give feedback to members of the F-16 Systems Group on upgrades made to the aircraft.Lt. Col. John Montgomery, 55th Fighter Squadron commander, and Capt. Jim Govin, a 55th FS pilot, flew two of the newly modified F-16s

  • Officials announce Air Force comptroller awards

    Air Force financial management officials announced the winners of the 2004 financial management and comptroller awards.They are:Financial Management and Comptroller: -- Organization, 347th Comptroller Squadron at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. -- Individual, Lt. Col. Trent Edwards of the 92nd Air

  • Academy honors distinguished graduates

    Contributions to the Air Force and nation have earned two Air Force Academy graduates the academy’s distinguished graduate awards.Retired Col. Frederick Gregory and retired Gen. Ronald W. Yates have earned the 2004 Distinguished Graduate Award. The awards will be presented on behalf of the academy

  • OSI keeps Baghdad Airmen, Soldiers safe

    Force Protection. To many Airmen, it means fishing for identification, showing it to the gate guard, and then going to work for a 12-hour shift. To the special agents of Air Force Office of Special Investigations Detachment 2408, force protection encompasses a range of discreet, 24-hour operations

  • Myers speaks to ROTC cadets of integrity, commitment

    The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff left the Arnold Air Society/Silver Wings National Convention here March 28 more confident than ever about the future of America’s military.About 1,500 ROTC cadets and civilians from around the country listened as Gen. Richard B. Myers spoke of the challenges

  • Officials announce contracting awards

    Air Force officials announced the winners of the 2004 contracting awards.They are:Secretary of the Air Force Professionalism in Contracting: -- Supervisory, Christine Clark of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center at Robins Air Force Base, Ga.-- Nonsupervisory, Suzanne White of the 50th

  • Unit deployment managers ensure readiness

    Described by officials as the squadron lifeline to deployment processes anywhere, unit deployment managers are tasked with ensuring their unit’s troops and cargo are ready for deployment.“Ask any commander who has a deployment mission, and they will tell you their UDM is invaluable,” said Lt. Col.

  • New course prepares NCOs for joint ops in Southwest Asia

    A new training course for senior enlisted leaders is giving them skills that are proving invaluable for those deployed here, officials said.The Command Senior Enlisted Leader Capstone Joint Operations Module course is giving warfighters the tools they need to operate in an environment in which they

  • Iraqi Freedom deployments help Airmen understand war

    For Tech. Sgt. Aaron Otte and Staff Sgt. Ron Beard, both security forces Airmen assigned to the 416th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron security forces flight and deployed here from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on past deployments is something they said they

  • Maintainers keep Stratotankers airborne

    A KC-135 Stratotanker is considered a support aircraft in the war on terrorism, but for many members of the 340th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, that is an understatement.Tasked with the responsibility of keeping Air Force, sister service and coalition aircraft refueled and flying, these Grand Forks Air

  • Military dogs dig into security

    Not all Air Force equipment has engines, wings or even operating instructions. One unit here is responsible for equipment that has a mouth packed with sharp teeth and a hide of fur.“Osan has the largest operational dog kennel in the Air Force,” said Tech. Sgt. Jerry Woodard, 51st Security Forces

  • Official: Airmen less blue-, more fight-oriented

    Airmen are contributing to the success of coalition operations in Iraq and Afghanistan by being less blue- and more fight-oriented, said U.S. Central Command’s deputy director of operations.During a recent visit to the Pentagon, Brig. Gen. Douglas L. Raaberg described Air Force contributions to the

  • Deployed Airmen take on a different enemy

    The hum of C-130 Hercules resonated throughout a base at a forward-deployed location as the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing’s mission of putting boots on the ground in Iraq continued.However, more than 300 Airmen took time from their duties to battle another enemy when they participated in a Relay for

  • Aircrew training, diversion saves Soldier

    Aircrews must display skill and ingenuity in handling difficult or unusual situations. While flying a combat mission supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom recently, a C-130 Hercules crew’s skillful actions prevented a potential loss of life.After picking up more than 50 Soldiers in Iraq, the aircraft

  • Teets: Air Force's biggest challenge is recapitalizing the fleet

    During a roundtable discussion at the Pentagon March 22, the acting secretary of the Air Force discussed space, the F/A-22 Raptor and business ethics.Peter B. Teets retired from public service March 25. He held additional titles, including Department of Defense executive agent for space and

  • Transient alert Airmen catch, park, launch aircraft

    How many folks do you know that can get a 550,000-pound steel aircraft to follow them down the street? The Airmen at transient alert here can.KC-10 Extenders, C-5 Galaxies, C-130 Hercules, C-17 Globemaster III’s, 747s and 757s -- if it flies into Manas, the Airmen at transient alert can catch it,

  • Combat communicators provide more than ‘terabyte’ of support

    If you ask Staff Sgt. Brandon Miranda what a “terabyte” is, the communications-computer systems operations journeyman with the 416th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron communications flight here will tell you it is a computer server that can store more than 1,000 gigabytes.For the nearly 1,000

  • Exercises prepare Airmen for deployment

    The Air and Space Expeditionary Force Center here nominates sourcing for about 38 exercises each year so Airmen can exercise their deployment capabilities before actually deploying, officials said.Exercises provide a realistic contingency environment to familiarize combat operation forces and

  • Life-support team puts pressure on high-flying pilots

    People feeling too much pressure may say something like, “You make my blood boil.” If high-flying U-2 reconnaissance aircraft pilots lose cabin pressure, their blood literally could boil.U-2 pilots fly in the rarified atmosphere more than 60,000 feet above the earth, and a loss of cabin pressure

  • Officials recognize company for contributions to war on terror

    Air Force officials recognized FedEx for the company's support to the military during the war on terror with a brief surprise ceremony at the Pentagon on March 22.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper presented Frederick W. Smith, FedEx chief executive officer, with a certificate of

  • ACC officials release Predator crash report

    Crew error was the primary cause of an MQ-1L Predator remotely piloted aircraft crash during a training mission Sept. 22 at Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field, Nev., according to an Air Force report released by Air Combat Command officials March 23.Officials said the pilot failed to correct a

  • Raptor important tool in maintaining air dominance

    Critics of the F/A-22 Raptor claim the aircraft is a "Cold War weapons system," but the Air Force chief of staff said it is a critical tool in maintaining air dominance."The Cold War ended, but the airplanes that were built to fight in the Cold War are still in production and have been delivered

  • CSAF: Raptor, Eurofighter complementary

    The Air Force chief of staff added to his 5,000-plus flying hours with familiarization flights in both the F/A-22 Raptor and the Eurofighter aircraft.Gen. John P. Jumper said the Eurofighter is both agile and sophisticated, but is still difficult to compare to the F/A-22 Raptor. He is the only

  • Officials announce new chief of AF Scientific Advisory Board

    Acting secretary of the Air Force Peter B. Teets selected Heidi Shyu as chair of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board on March 22. The board is an independent group that provides technical advice to Air Force leaders. Ms. Shyu, an electrical engineer with Raytheon Company, will start her duties

  • Joint Red Flag bringing big picture together

    One of the nation’s largest integrated exercise involving live and virtual simulations is well under way at locations throughout the United States.Joint Red Flag is a training exercise for U.S. military and coalition forces to enhance operational effectiveness, exercise officials said. More than

  • College tests offered for Airmen manning internment camp

    Armored Humvees roll in and out of here several times a day escorting supply convoys. But they brought a unique passenger and cargo to this remote outpost March 17.The passenger was Staff Sgt. Alan Smith, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing test control officer. His cargo was a box full of College Level

  • Services work together, keep convoys off streets

    As Operation Iraqi Freedom continues, American servicemembers are put in harm’s way daily. The Department of Defense’s various services are working together to make Iraq a safer place for the servicemembers. This is the primary thinking behind the Tanker Air Lift Control Element, a mostly Air

  • Officials announce Air Force safety awards

    Air Force safety officials announced the winners of the 2004 safety awards.They are:-- Secretary of the Air Force Safety Award: Category I, U.S. Air Forces in Europe at Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Category II, Air Force Academy, Colo. -- Maj. Gen. Benjamin D. Foulois Memorial Award: Air Combat

  • Special ops request funding to modernize, transform

    A continued need for modernization and transformation of special operations forces brought that community’s leaders to Capitol Hill on March 17 to testify on their portion of the president’s military spending request.The fiscal 2006 defense budget request that President Bush submitted to Congress

  • Creek Defender convoy prepares security forces Airmen

    Airmen of the 786th Security Forces Squadron here proved their grit alongside more than 80 U.S. Air Forces in Europe security forces Airmen at a convoy and static position live-fire event March 14 at a training range in nearby Baumholder.The Creek Defender exercise primed the participants for

  • Elmendorf Airman finishes Iditarod

    The only active-duty servicemember to compete in the 1,161-mile Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race this year crossed the finish line in Nome, Alaska at 12:13 p.m. local time March 20.Maj. (Dr.) Thomas Knolmayer, Elmendorf’s chief of surgery, finished the race in 58th place out of 63 finishers. He was on

  • Academy sports wrap: Boxers take title

    Backed by five gold medalists, the Air Force Academy boxing team claimed its 26th consecutive regional title March 19 at the National Collegiate Boxing Association's West Regional Championships in Reno, Nev. With 64 team points, the Falcons easily won the team title to continue their winning

  • Changing DOD's global posture an 'enormous undertaking'

    Pentagon officials’ move to change their global footprint will be an “enormous undertaking” that will be “unprecedented,” the Defense Department’s director of strategy on global posture said here March 17.Barry Pavel said this could well be the first time that any country has purposely designed a

  • Officials release QF-4 drone accident report

    Failure of an unmanned QF-4E drone to react properly to controller inputs led to its intentional destruction during a mission Sept. 8 over White Sands Missile Range near Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., according to an Air Force report released March 18.The remotely-piloted jet was assigned to the

  • Predator fleet to expand

    Air Force officials plan to expand the current Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle fleet to as many as 15 squadrons.This increase, announced March 18, is in response to the escalating demand for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability in the war on terrorism. The plans are intended to

  • Teets submits resignation

    Peter B. Teets, acting secretary of the Air Force, announced his resignation March 18, to take effect March 25. “I'm honored to have served the president, the secretary of defense and with the dedicated Airmen of America’s Air Force and the men and women of the National Reconnaissance Office over

  • Airmen ready to rapidly repair runways

    Whether from a natural disaster or an enemy attack, when a runway is damaged, a dedicated team of civil engineers rapidly spring into action to make that landing strip usable.Known as a rapid runway repair team, the group comprises a crater team, a mat team, an airfield lighting team and a mobile

  • OIF experience benefits Airmen deployed elsewhere

    For two years now, Airmen have deployed to support Operation Iraqi Freedom, serving either in Iraq or locations elsewhere in Southwest Asia.Many Airmen deployed here said previous experience supporting OIF has paid dividends in understanding even more their current deployment supporting Operation

  • Joint Red Flag 2005 kicks off at Nellis

    More than 10,000 servicemembers from all four military branches, along with troops of some coalition forces kicked off Joint Red Flag 2005 March 14. The goal of the training exercise, which is scheduled to end April 2, is to develop improved joint training and experimentation

  • DOD programs ease force stress without hiking end strength

    Ongoing Defense Department transformation initiatives are designed to relieve force stress without increasing the number of military forces, a senior defense official told House Armed Services Committee members March 16.“By focusing attention on efforts to reduce stress on our forces, we believe we

  • Kadena children get deployment experience

    With a mobility bag slung heavily over one shoulder, the petite “Tech. Sgt.” Natasha Dumpert stands in a deployment line waiting for her immunizations before setting off for a deployment to Iraq.Oh, by the way, Natasha is 8-years-old and her immunizations are jellybeans.Natasha, along with more than

  • Airman gets 35 years for forcible sodomy conviction

    An Airman here was found guilty of forcible sodomy in a court-martial and sentenced to 35 years confinement. After three days of testimony and deliberation, a panel of officers found Staff Sgt. Michael Rangel, of the 97th Communications Squadron, guilty of forcible sodomy on diverse occasions and

  • SAR teams pay close attention to detail

    The military teaches all Airmen to pay close attention to every detail, but for search and recovery teams, attention to detail is not just important, it is a way of life.If an accident were to happen involving Airmen, the team would be called into action. The team, consisting of at least 26 Airmen,

  • TMO Airmen keep people, cargo flowing

    The 2,000-pound, $100,000 aircraft part sitting in the maintenance hangar did not get here by a commercial carrier; it was packaged, shipped, tracked and delivered by Airmen of the Traffic Management Office.The Airmen in the 376th Logistics Readiness Squadron’s TMO section have seen an influx of

  • Air terminal operators keep OEF freight, passengers moving

    It could be a C-130 Hercules loaded with Airmen and Soldiers heading down range, a civilian cargo plane loaded to the hilt with mail for deployed troops or a C-17 Globemaster III carrying humanitarian supplies for some remote village in Afghanistan.Any time an aircraft lands with material for

  • Airmen keep Iraqi airways clear

    As 1st Lt. Damian Wanliss enters his cold, dark office, dimly lit by the green glare of the screen ahead, he takes a deep breath and anticipates another day of directing traffic in the chaotic Iraqi sky.The lieutenant, a 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron weapons control officer, is just one

  • Deployed Airmen, Soldiers reach out to Bedouin children

    A convoy of Army and Air Force vehicles assembled recently at the 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron’s armory here, but this was not a standard convoy. These trucks were not carrying materials for troops; they were loaded with toys, shoes, clothes and other items donated to an outreach

  • BRAC turned out to be good news for Texas capital

    Though the fear of losing jobs and revenue grips nearby cities and towns when the Defense Department decides to close a military installation, the bad news can be made good.Such was the case when Bergstrom Air Force Base here closed in 1993, its fate sealed by the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure

  • Air Force Portal provides reduced sign-on to myPay

    Airmen have one less password to remember thanks to a new link between the Air Force Portal and the Defense Finance and Accounting Service myPay Web site. With much of the Air Force transitioning from face-to-face customer service to online self-help Web sites, many Airmen are left with several

  • Eglin Airmen go to war with stumps, trees

    When Hurricane Ivan hit the coastal area here Sept. 16, destructive winds as high as 130 mph knocked down power lines and countless trees. It left a devastating mark on the landscape of Northwest Florida, including nearby Bob Hope Village, one of two Air Force Enlisted Village locations.Six months

  • Civil engineers prepare to ‘close the gaps’ at Bagram

    Bagram’s 9,800-foot runway will undergo major repairs beginning at the end of March to maintain operations in and out of the busiest airfield in Afghanistan. Airmen of the 455th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron said they plan to spend 16 weeks replacing 28 shattered slabs of concrete using a

  • Officials announce interim acquisition executive

    Peter B. Teets, acting secretary of the Air Force, has named a new interim member to the Air Force acquisition and management community's leadership team.Timothy A. Beyland has been assigned, on an interim basis, as the principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition and

  • Escorts serve as base’s second line of defense

    They come from different career fields, but while deployed, they come together to serve as a critical line of defense for the base.Deployed Airmen throughout U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility serve as escorts to foreign workers daily. The program falls under each base’s expeditionary

  • Two deployed KC-135s get rare engine swaps

    If a consumer rating service reviewed Air Force aircraft, the KC-135 Stratotanker would most certainly earn a “Best Buy” rating. After all, it is one of the most dependable aircraft in the Air Force inventory and would definitely get high marks for reliability.But, even the best can have the

  • C-130 crew delivers cargo, morale to remote locations

    When Soldiers, Sailors or Marines need something moved, C-130 Hercules crews here answer the call, and recently, that request took one 746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron crew to Africa and beyond.Their cargo ranged from helicopter rotors to medical supplies to personal mail. Their mission was to

  • Myers: Work toward jointness, but take pride in services

    Jointness is the way ahead, but that does not mean Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines are going to merge into some national joint force, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here March 13.Gen. Richard B. Myers spoke to U.S. servicemembers at the embassy here and complimented them on

  • Afghan generals praise contributions of Robins Airman

    Several Afghan officers visited here March 10 to recognize an Airman for helping establish a computer network system for the Afghan military.Senior Airman Jason Lindgren, a 78th Communications Squadron computer networking specialist, forged a close-working relationship with Afghan Brig. Gens. Mehrab

  • Sports recap: Falcon pole vaulter named All-American

    Air Force Academy pole vaulter Paul Gensic earned All-American honors following a third-place performance at the 2005 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 11 in Fayetteville, Ark.Gensic cleared a height of 18 feet 1/2 inch and tied with the University of Nebraska’s Ray Scotten and the

  • Academy 2005 football schedule announced

    The Falcon football team will play five home games, including one against the Army Black Knights on Nov. 5, to highlight the 2005 football schedule. The schedule was released March 8 by Mountain West Conference officials.The Falcons open the 2005 season Sept. 3 against the University of Washington

  • Science, technology help Airmen fight the war on terror

    Science and technology are helping Airmen win the war on terror, a senior Air Force official told lawmakers March 10."The United States Air Force is committed to defending America by unleashing the power of science and technology," said James B. Engle, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for

  • Task force aims to prevent sexual assault

    Everyone has a role in preventing and responding to sexual assault, said the commander of the Joint Task Force on Sexual Assault Prevention and Response during her remarks at a women’s history luncheon here.Brig. Gen. K.C. McClain assumed command in October 2004. The task force is establishing

  • Teets tells Congress lasers-based communications coming

    The military's senior adviser on space testified before Congress on March 8.Peter B. Teets, who serves as both the acting secretary of the Air Force and the Department of Defense's executive agent for space, spoke to the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on strategic forces about the

  • Virtual reality prepares students for parachuting

    When you are plunging toward earth at speeds as fast as 20 feet per second there is not a lot of time to think about your next course of action. Dave Dawson makes sure his students don’t have to.As the 19th Air Refueling Group’s aircrew continuation training specialist, he uses a device called the

  • Technicians use aircraft wreckage for testing

    After 11 years of service as a flight trainer, a T-1A Jayhawk aircraft is joining the Aeronautical Systems Center here.The aircraft, although damaged past the point of repair, still has its avionics and other subsystems intact, along with most of its fuselage. Technicians in the center’s training

  • Airman performs CPR, saves toddler

    Most people don’t remember what they were doing Jan. 23, but for the Clemsic family the date is one they said they will never forget. It was on this day that 23-month old Jason Clemsic nearly drowned in an icy pond behind the family’s off-base home.The boy’s mother, Tech. Sgt. Carmen Clemsic of the

  • Airmen help local school rebuild greenhouse

    Hurricane Ivan destroyed a nearby elementary school’s greenhouse in September, and the school has been without one ever since. So, the school’s principal Dr. Van Crigger, asked Airmen here for help. About 15 Airmen from here and nearby Duke Field volunteered to help. The school’s “Mustang

  • Pilots make long commute to Global Hawk University

    For Global Hawk pilots, training is a little like going to a university with a large main campus and an extension campus a few miles away -- make that half a world away.While that is one heck of a commute, it is necessary because the Global Hawk, an unmanned aerial vehicle used to provide real-time

  • Air Force surgeon general testifies on four health effects

    The Air Force surgeon general spoke before Congress on March 3 on the state of medical care for servicemembers serving in the war on terrorism. Air Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. (Dr.) George Peach Taylor Jr. told members of the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on military personnel that

  • Airman, Marine help Iraqi commandos to communicate

    Instead of being surrounded by electronic equipment in an office, an Airman and Marine found themselves setting up communications during an active combat mission as part of an operation for the Iraqi ministry of the interior.Tech. Sgt. Billie Lowell and Marine Capt. Steve Monsour are spending

  • GPS satellites help outdoor hobbyists link up

    The coordinates N 47 degrees 12.595 W 110 degrees 55.990 mean very little to most people, but to a group of hunters know as “geocachers,” it is the beginning of an adventure that starts on a nearby mountainside and ends with a hidden treasure in the belly of a state park.Geocaching is a sport where

  • Airmen connect with Uzbeks through donations, volleyball

    Six Airmen from here helped deliver needed medical supplies to a clinic in nearby Khanabad on March 3. Serving to strengthen ties between cultures, the Airmen rounded out their trip to the village with several games of volleyball at a local school with students and community members.The trip was

  • Wing warping could change shape of future aircraft

    An experimental flexible-wing jet has embarked on a final phase of flights over Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., to demonstrate wing warping performance advantages for future aircraft.During the final phase, which began in December and is expected to be completed in April, a modified Navy F/A-18A

  • Air Force reaches privatization milestone

    The Air Force recently surpassed the 10,000-home milestone in its military family housing privatization program. In February, Air Force officials closed a deal privatizing more than 1,300 homes at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. This means the Air Force now has more than 10,900 privatized homes.

  • Kandahar pararescuemen poised to save lives

    Rescue specialists in southern Afghanistan say their primary reason for living is to prevent others from dying.Based out of Kandahar Air Field, the 59th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron is ultimately tasked with rescuing downed aircrew and others in isolated areas.“Luckily, that doesn’t happen too

  • Langley Airmen test Kevlar shorts

    Airmen here are testing Kevlar shorts designed to complement their current vests and helmets.Base officials here are the first in the Air Force to purchase the Kevlar Tactical Outer Protective Shorts. The shorts minimize fragment damage from the waistline to the knees and provide vital protection

  • PERSCO Airmen count ‘boots on the ground’

    In any combat environment, having “boots on the ground” can be the deciding factor in an operation. The mission for counting those boots at deployed locations falls on the Personnel Support for Contingency Operations Airmen.The four-person PERSCO team here, composed of servicemembers from Randolph

  • General Moseley testifies on C-130 fleet, readiness

    U.S. Representatives questioned the condition of the C-130 Hercules fleet during a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on readiness March 3.It was just one of the areas Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley discussed as he testified on the readiness of the

  • Academy teams have up-down weekend

    It was a "mixed bag" for Air Force Academy sports teams over the weekend, but the men's basketball and tennis teams led the action with victories.In men's basketball, the Falcons finished the regular season with a 61-56 victory over the University of Wyoming Cowboys. They ended the season with an

  • Exercises test mobilization process

    Air Force officials will kick off a "push-pull" mobilization test March 10."Push-pull" is the process used to quickly access and return reservists, categorized as Pretrained Individual Manpower Airmen, back into the active-duty force to meet wartime and contingency needs. They are Individual Ready

  • Elmendorf doctor to lead pack in Iditarod

    Imagine working all day as chief of surgery at the base hospital, and then caring for and running 20 sled dogs before returning home at 3 a.m. to your wife and 5-month-old baby and catching whatever sleep you can.It is all in a day's work for Maj. (Dr.) Thomas Knolmayer, of the 3rd Medical Group

  • AF maintains contact with missing servicemembers’ families

    Wearing a nametag with the name of his brother, Raymond Kelly, a 74-year-old veteran, personifies the families of missing servicemembers and their continued efforts to find closure for the loss of their loved ones. In 1951, Airman 1st Class James Kelly’s aircraft crashed in North Korea during the