Marathon runners conquer Boston, Heartbreak Hill

Runners from around the world hit the streets of Boston and its suburbs April 17 on a winding, 26.2-mile course that is the Boston Marathon -- a Patriot's Day tradition here in "The Hub." Mixed in with the world's elite sneakers pounding the pavement, were runners from the Air Force and the military

Rough conditions take their toll on vehicles

Vehicles -- everybody needs one, everybody wants one. But without proper upkeep, they break. That is where the mechanics with the 407th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron’s vehicle maintenance flight come in. The flight’s 27 technicians and two supply Airmen maintain about 400 vehicles here.

9th Air Force commander visits Moody

The 9th Air Force commander visited here April 18 and 19 to welcome the 347th Rescue Wing back to Air Combat Command, and visit other units. During his visit, Lt. Gen. Gary L. North toured the Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham Airman Leadership School, various wing squadrons and the 820th Security

CENTCOM’s command chief postures Airmen for long haul

The command chief master sergeant of U.S. Central Command expressed the importance of deployed Airmen postured for a long war. Chief Master Sgt. Curt Brownhill said becoming a joint force, understanding the uniqueness of the enemy we’re fighting and working toward stability in CENTCOM’s area of

Source of mumps outbreak unknown

Between January and April, there were more than 600 possible mumps cases reported in the Midwestern United States.The source of the outbreak and why it has spread in such large numbers is unknown. “The Air Force has not seen an increase in cases of mumps within our active duty or beneficiary

Airmen missing in action from WWII identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office has announced that the remains of 11 U.S. Airmen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors. They are Capt. Thomas Paschal, El Monte, Calif.; 1st Lt.

Weather squadrons complete merger

Moving with the Air Force’s Smart Ops 21 initiative, the 20th Operational Weather Squadron from Yokota Air Base, Japan, merged into the 17th Operational Weather Squadron at Hickam. To cover its vast, new 95-million square mile area of responsibility, the 17th OWS assembled into one center, improved

Air Force wrestlers compete in Las Vegas tournament

The Air Force wrestling team competed April 12 through 15 in the USA National Senior Men’s and Women’s Wrestling Championships at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Of the approximately 30 Air Force members who competed, one was able to advance to the USA Wrestling World Team Trials. Capt. Anthony

Main experiment under way for JEFX ’06

After three spirals spanning five months, the main experiment for the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2006 is finally under way here. JEFX combines live-fly, live-play ground and naval forces, simulation and technology insertions into a warfighting environment. This year, JEFX is assessing

Red Flag-Alaska readies Airmen for deployment

Red Flag-Alaska 06-2 participants have arrived and set up shop at this interior Alaska base to prepare for the annual exercise previously called Cope Thunder. More than 1,500 active duty, Reserve and Air National Guard Airmen, 84 aircraft and an Army and Navy unit will train for two weeks in the Air

Reserve engineers build station for Saint Lucia police force

This tiny, 238-square-mile Caribbean island getaway has lush rain forests, sandy beaches bordering crystal clear water and pleasant weather. For six months this year, teams of Air Force Reserve civil engineers are spending their two-week tours on the isle in the Lesser Antilles Archipelago. They're

Close-air support just a phone call away

Imagine being pinned down by enemy forces, with no relief in sight. Now, imagine picking up a phone and calling your friendly local fighter pilot, flying overhead only miles away, for help. With the new Fighter Aircraft Communication Enhancement, or FACE, pod, ground units in combat are now able to

AFSOC initiative featured at JEFX '06

Eight initiatives will be tested for possible use by U.S. forces during Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment, or JEFX, '06.For the special operations community, one initiative is of particular interest. It will provide a greater ability to collaborate with other warfighters and manage their missions

All together now: Civil engineers team up for project

Almost nothing changed on the outside of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing headquarters here until the final week of the renovation. There was always something indicating work -- trenches, heavy machinery, dusty workers taking a quick break at the gazebo. But the metal exterior itself didn’t give any

Air Force photographer receives exceptional civilian award

A civilian Air Force photographer was presented an Exceptional Civilian Service award by the Secretary of the Air Force here April 17. For 50 years, Ron Hall has documented Air Force history using still photography.“He’s made more than 18 secretaries of the Air Force and 16 chiefs of staff look a

Pods help warfighters improve air combat maneuvers

Knowledge is power and power is influence. In the case of fighter pilots, this knowledge enables them to control adversaries in the air and on the ground. At the Ogden Air Logistics Center, the collection of information leading to air superiority begins with maintaining Air Combat Training System

OPSEC expands focus, remains critical

"Do you think you'll deploy this year? How long will you be gone? What do you think you'll be doing? Where? Will you be going with a lot of people?"At this point in the conversation you should be wondering who is asking, why are they asking and who else might get their hands on the answers. Although

Exercise prepares academy students for cyber warfare

In an obscure office park midway between Baltimore and Washington, about 50 men and women use laptop computers to break into networks at the nation's military service academies. When one of them is successful at penetrating a networked computer, they get up and ring a bell."We hit a remote desktop

Doolittle Raiders celebrate 64th reunion

The Doolittle Raiders started the celebration of their 64th reunion this year with a solemn goblet ceremony April 18 in Dayton, Ohio. The ceremony, normally held in private, was opened to the media to honor the significance of the historical Tokyo Raid on April 18, 1942. With eight of the 16

Virtual villains ruin accounts, credit ratings

Crooks made off with an estimated $5 billion from individuals whose identities were stolen last year. In what is becoming America's fastest growing type of robbery, identity theft involves a shrewd charade instead of a hold-up at gun point, and military members increasingly are becoming the targets

Americans in Horn of Africa using new weapon in terror war

American forces are using an unconventional approach to fight terrorism in the Horn of Africa, said the senior enlisted adviser at U.S. Central Command. "The weapon systems down there are well-drilling equipment and shovels, and building schools and hospitals, and training border patrols and

CBS news anchor proud of Air Force past

If it wasn’t for a wild baseball pitch, he might have had a successful career as an Air Force pilot. Instead, Bob Schieffer had to settle for a distinguished career in television journalism. Mr. Schieffer, the familiar face of the Sunday TV show, "Face the Nation," and the current anchor of the "CBS

Web saves civil engineer directorate time, money

Members of the 88th Air Base Wing civil engineer directorate have developed a way to save money and time by creating a system to submit project designs for technical and functional review through their Web site. This electronic process allows review agencies to make comments and post them on the Web

Reserve aircrew airlifts CE teams supporting war on drugs

A C-17 Globemaster III aircrew flew civil engineers to this tropical isle as part of ongoing support for the war on drugs. The mission also provided an opportunity for the aircrew to maintain their proficiency.The transport started its circuitous mission April 7 at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.,

Team tests pod at 'LITENING' speed

Three Air Force units have started accelerated testing of a LITENING-AT targeting pod. The 416th Flight Test Squadron here is working with the 85th Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and the 422nd OTES at Nellis AFB, Nev., to update the existing LITENING pod with

Hill begins modifications on F-22A Raptor

A new era is under way for members of the 309th Maintenance Group here as they modify their first F-22A Raptor. This was the first of 12 to 14 aircraft scheduled to visit Hill this year for minor modifications. A total of 18 are contracted to undergo work here. "We're excited," said Guy Phillips,

Air Force honors cadet of the year

The Air Force honored its 2005 Cadet of the Year at a ceremony in the Pentagon April 17. The honoree, 2nd Lt. Janelle Jenniges, is a graduate of the University of Nebraska - Lincoln’s Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 465. “She’s the top graduate out of all our commissioning

Cheney thanks Fairchild Airmen for support

Vice President Richard B. Cheney told servicemembers gathered at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., they are playing a key role in the war on terrorism and that their countrymen believe in them and their mission. The vice president visited the home of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing April 17 and told a

Service demographics offer snapshot of force

The Air Force Personnel Center here recently published its quarterly demographics report offering a snapshot of the service's active-duty and civilian force, as of March 31. More information can be found at the center's analysis branch website: www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/demographics/. Statistics

Joint chiefs chairman recognizes military children's contributions

The following is a letter to military children from Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff:"I want to take this opportunity to recognize the extraordinary contributions of our Nation's military families, who have faced many challenges -- from family separations to frequent

Program slashes maintenance time for the B-2 fleet

A critical material scale-up problem that directly affected the operational maintainability of the Air Force’s B-2 Spirit fleet has been solved, thanks to engineers from the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, working with the B-2 Systems Group and material processing experts.Through this

Base defense mission goes beyond perimeter

Most security forces Airmen patrol the base looking for anything out of the ordinary and pull 12-hour shifts in towers along the fenceline.But, for Airmen assigned to the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, their mission is different. They take the base defense mission beyond the wire and

Chaplain goes south of the Equator for Easter

Deployed members of the 552nd Air Control Wing could not attend Easter services in Oklahoma this year, so the base took Easter Sunday to them.Chaplain (Capt.) Mike Curtis of the 72nd Air Base Wing here deployed to South America to provide Easter services for troops who do not have a chaplain

New radio technology keeps troops in touch

Riding as part of a convoy escort team outside the wire, the Airman feels alone. Feeling nervous, he keys his radio mic to check in with his base -- and hears nothing but dead air. To ensure scenarios like this don’t occur, the Air Force is leading a joint implementation of a new “Radio over

25th Air Support Operations Squadron prepares to deploy

Tactical air controllers from the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron are practicing basic close-combat skills to prepare themselves for an upcoming deployment in support of the war on terrorism. “Not only is the training fun and keeps you physically active, but it is very practical for (Tactical

Eielson units initiate total force integration

Eielson units are combining efforts in the spirit of the total force vision by streamlining cooperative continuity and training. The total force concept eliminates redundancy and simplifies resources, allowing active-duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen to meet challenges with smaller and more

C-130s keep convoys out of Sunni Triangle

It’s not as fast as the latest-model cargo jets. It can’t carry as much cargo as its sister transports and its ride can be a bit bumpy. But the C-130 Hercules -- a 50-year-old transport -- is dependable. It can carry anything from Airmen to office supplies. “We’re like the (pickup truck) of the Air

Dover Airmen stabilize C-5 crash site

When the 436th Civil Engineer Squadron fire chief responded to an emergency notification here April 3, he wasn’t sure what to expect. “Anytime you see an aircraft not sitting on its wheels, it is worse than you expected,” said Senior Master Sgt. Dwight Davis.More than 20 firefighters arrived to find

USAFE quintet helps educate children

Airmen from U.S. Air Forces in Europe recently visited the RAF Lakenheath Middle School to help further the students' education. The Airmen, members of “Headwinds,” USAFE's wind quintet ensemble, are visiting the school as part of Music in our Schools Month program, which affects schools all over

Services functions realign with manpower and personnel

Two Air Force functions are coming back together, an Air Force official here said recently, but initially the effects won’t be felt outside the Pentagon. When the services and manpower and personnel functional organizations combine, the change will be invisible to those in the field at base-level,

'Foam test' e-mail overflows with perception problems

A B-1 hangar is filled with more bubbles than a dinosaur-sized hot tub. There are people standing around with suds up to their eyeballs. People are standing on top of the rafters in the building as foam and bubbles continue to rise. Did a glacier melt? Did some kind of ultra-secret government

Officer educational records unmasked

Air Force leaders announced April 13 that promotion boards will once again consider officers’ educational progress as they advance in rank. In a joint letter released from Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Air Force Chief of Staff T. Michael Moseley, they state, “Our expeditionary Air

Desert duty: crew chiefs keep C-130s flying

No one wishes for an aircraft to break -- especially flying crew chiefs. But, that’s when the mobile C-130 Hercules maintainers receive the most attention -- when something is wrong with the plane and they are far away from home. “Fortunately, C-130s are extremely reliable,” said Senior Master Sgt.

Hickam C-17 crews learn Lean concepts

Airmen from the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 154th Maintenance Squadron here are learning how to streamline the processes they’ll use to maintain Hickam’s new fleet of C-17 Globemaster IIIs. Officials from the Boeing Company, which manufactures the C-17, headed the week-long Lean Concepts Workshop.

Airmen can reduce combat stress when deployed

Many things can cause stress when deployed. The experience can be as serious as coming under attack during convoy operations, or as simple as having to deal with a new boss. Missing family and friends back home can also strike a nerve. Even if servicemembers realize they might need help, the thought

How harmful is binge drinking?

If two friends drink six beers every night for six months, do both have the same risk of becoming alcoholics or substance abusers? “Anyone is at risk for alcoholism, but studies have shown that individuals who have a family history of alcoholism are more prone to it,” said Tech. Sgt. Michelle Wilson

DOD to set up worldwide joint intelligence operations

The Department of Defense is moving to establish a worldwide group of joint intelligence organizations designed to rapidly gather, interpret and act on information to better meet 21st century military needs, senior military officials said April 11. On April 3, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld

Manhattan club offers cheap lodging for 'Those Who Serve'

A vacation to New York City is just plain expensive. After taking a three-hour no-frills flight, then shelling out $45 for a taxi ride from the airport into the city, the last thing you want to do is to pay $200 to $300 each night for a room. For servicemembers and their families, there is a way

It's official: Andersen host unit now 36th Wing

Formations and a ceremony April 12 marked the public designation of Andersen’s host unit as the 36th Wing. The re-designation was officiated by Maj. Gen. Edward Rice, 13th Air Force commander. “Andersen is increasing in importance,” General Rice said. “This location gives us great flexibility to

Letters to Airmen focus on education

In the two most recent "Letters to Airmen," the Air Force's top leaders focused on the importance of education for both enlisted Airmen and officers. “We must take the Air Force’s basic educational foundation to the next level and be relentless in our continued pursuit to become knowledge-enabled

Air Force implements BRAC decisions

This Base Realignment and Closure Commission affects the Air Force like no other, given the war on terrorism, the Quadrennial Defense Review, Air Force transformation and force structure changes, said William C. Anderson.The assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and

Missile defense site named after President Reagan

The missile defense site here took on a new name April 10. The Ronald W. Reagan Missile Defense Site honors the 40th president of the United States who was a champion of the need for missile defense.Attendees at the ceremony included former First Lady Nancy Reagan; Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon

DOD attacks rising pharmacy costs

In the first year since the Department of Defense began using the uniform formulary process to review and classify prescription drugs, $500 million has been saved.In addition, the Pharmacy Data Transaction Service, or PDTS, has avoided more than 171,000 potentially life-threatening drug interactions

'Virtual Commissary' expands product selection

The future is now at the Defense Commissary Agency. It’s not the “final frontier” by a long shot, but DeCA’s Virtual Commissary has been expanded to include 37 new item selections, including snack packs and special occasion baskets. This brings the total number of gift baskets on Virtual Commissary

Boston cardinal selects Air Force chaplain for No. 2 post

The early 20th century American author Thomas Wolfe wrote a book titled “You Can’t Go Home Again.” That saying doesn't hold true for a priest in the Air Force chief of chaplains office.Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Richard Erikson will be coming home again, courtesy of Cardinal Seán O’Malley of the Boston

Air Force extends Pennsylvania Guard flight ops

The Air Force and the National Guard Bureau have directed the 111th Fighter Wing to extend their mission until 2010 at Naval Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, Pa. The 111th Fighter Wing is an Air National Guard unit that operates the A/OA-10 Thunderbolt II. In 2005, the Base Realignment and

Space superiority a priority for Air Force authority

They almost scrapped the mission. An Air Force weather officer and the satellites at his disposal talked them out of it. It was a cold night in March 2003. With rain and low visibility, more than 1,000 Soldiers aboard 16 C-17 Globemaster IIIs waited to either go on their parachute mission into

Small business integral part of Air Force operations

When President George W. Bush declared April 9 to 15 National Small Business Week, he noted that “small businesses create most new jobs in our country, and small businesses have been a driving force behind America’s tremendous economic growth and job creation.” Translated into impact on the U.S. Air

Dental specialists train to deploy

Dental specialists here trained in expeditionary field dentistry April 3 to 7. The training demonstrated how dentistry fits into the concept of deployable medical and dental assets and the expeditionary medical support, or EMEDS, facility. “This training supports the heart of the Air Force medical

U.S., Australian forces team up in realistic training

Three Air Force B-1 Lancers recently flew more than 7,000 miles and 16 hours to participate in the Royal Australian Air Force’s Aces South exercise, providing realistic training for the coalition partners. “It was a tremendous success for all parties,” said Lt. Col. Thomas Curran, commander of the

Stop, check the tires

"Foreign objects and debris" checkpoints are important to helping win the war against foreign object damage.FOD is anything that does not belong on the flightline. It could be as small as a pebble or as large as a steel pipe. Several "weapons" are used to help in the battle against FOD. One of the

Palmdale detachment takes testing to new heights

Edwards Air Force Base has a history of testing cutting-edge weapons systems for the Air Force. A little-known detachment at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif., also has a testing history, but the aircraft tested there are not as well-known as the newest Air Force assets. Warner Robins Air

Phoenix Stripe brings together total force

Forty-six junior noncommissioned officers and civilians from around the Air Force participated in Air Mobility Command's Phoenix Stripe program here April 4 to 7. Phoenix Stripe is a professional development program geared toward providing up and coming staff and technical sergeants with an overview

Network passwords will soon be a thing of the past

Airmen have been carrying around some pretty high-tech identification cards in their wallets for quite a while now. That technology will soon be put to good use. For many, the Common Access Card, or "CAC," is just a replacement for the green military ID card used for so many years. But the card can

Lee Greenwood entertains troops on Patriotic World Tour

On his 18th military world tour, country music performer Lee Greenwood is once again proudly standing up for the men and women in uniform deployed overseas. Mr. Greenwood left the United States April 5 for Germany, Turkey and three forward-operating bases in Southwest Asia. The final stop of the

DOD plans to boost access to military childcare

The availability of child-care services for military families will receive a boost from a multi-faceted approach by the Defense Department, a senior official said recently. "We project the (child-care) needs as greater than what we're offering at this point," said Jan Witte, director of DOD's office

Advocates provide helping hand in times of need

“No questions. No doubts. We’re here for you.” The job of a victim advocate is not to ask questions or doubt the victim. Their job is to help the individual through the process, said Staff Sgt. Holly Lucas, a Minot Air Force Base sexual assault victim advocate.Victim advocates are active-duty

'My Stuff' lets Airmen track requests

Airmen can now track the status of requests and correspondence sent to the Air Force Contact Center via the "My Stuff" tab on the Air Force Personnel Center public Web site.Airmen need a separate user identification and password to access My Stuff because the new software cannot be accessed at this

Air Force announces new call center locations

The proposed sites for the Air Force Financial Services Center and the Air Force Claims Service Center were announced by Air Force officials April 10.The preferred location for the AFFSC is Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., while the preferred location for the AFCSC will be in the Dayton, Ohio, area.

Controllers handle a third of Iraqi airspace

With more than 10,000 aircraft flying through their airspace each month, the Airmen of the 407th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron stay busy. “We are responsible for one third of Iraq -- any aircraft coming in or going through,” said Senior Master Sgt. Troy Hammond, 407th EOSS chief

Vital Guardian tests Guard's critical capabilities

National Guard Counterdrug Program Airmen and Soldiers came to the nation’s capital to support Vital Guardian, the Guard’s first critical-capabilities exercise. The major training exercise, held last week, tested the Guard’s ability to respond to a devastating event, such as a terrorist attack with

Weather flight reads the clouds over Kyrgyzstan

According to local climatology, this area of Kyrgyzstan wasn’t supposed to see thunder and lightning until May. But when the satellite picture started growing big patches of red April 6, the 376th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron weather flight knew what it meant, said Staff Sgt. Robert

Spring 2006 quarterly issue of Airman available

Read about how space-based capabilities are helping fight the war on terrorism, travel with a joint convoy mission through Iraq, follow the struggles of the Air Force family’s tiniest members as they receive life-saving care at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Wilford Hall Medical Center. These

Mentors or disciplinarians, first sergeants there for Airmen

They may have no subordinates, but every enlisted Airman in the squadron is their responsibility. Some days they are disciplinarians; on others they are an Airman’s best friend. In a crisis, they help Airmen deal with grief and get them through it. The first sergeant is “a counselor, a friend or a

Awareness vital in preventing sexual assault

“They beat you; they raped you; they left you for dead,” reads one. Another simply states, “It still hurts.” Creating T-shirt designs like these is meant to be therapeutic for sexual assault victims, which is the purpose of The Clothesline Project. Displaying the shirts is meant to bring awareness

Brady: Air Force retention, recruitment remain strong

The Air Force is pleased overall with its recruitment and retention statistics, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel said during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee April 6. “We have been very successful, but we can never take the recruitment of great people

Airmen, Soldiers join forces for joint cargo aircraft

Airmen and Soldiers are teaming up to get a new cargo aircraft. The Joint Cargo Aircraft will fill a vital combat readiness need for both services. The Air Force has been looking into a new aircraft, smaller than a C-130 Hercules, to fill airlift operations, and the Army needs to replace its current

Airmen improve combat tactics

Be prepared for tornado season

Driving to work Sept. 7, 2004, Senior Airman Joshua Hjemvick saw cloud cover and well-defined rain showers south of the base. Suddenly, the forecaster from the 28th Operational Weather Squadron saw flying debris from the buildings to his right. He stopped the car and threw it into reverse, but

Air Force improves Web site

To meet the needs of an ever-changing environment, starting April 10, Airmen can expect Air Force Link to have a slightly different look. Maintained at Headquarters Air Force News Agency here, the site will give visitors more control over the content they wish to view. New category links, found on

Phoenix Raven training highlights needs of today's SF

Students in the Air Mobility Warfare Center’s Phoenix Raven program here face many challenges in their quest to attain a coveted security forces Raven patch. The course, taught by the 421st Combat Training Squadron, originated in the late 1990s after a need was seen to better protect military

Widows help college students understand aging

The two ladies share lunch almost every Friday. They talk and eat, but mostly they laugh.At first glance, they seem very different. More than 50 years separate them in age. One is in the camouflage uniform of an Airman, the other uses a cane because of hip and knee surgeries. But these two have

Airmen train for air evac

Digging defensive fighting positions, driving with night-vision goggles and during chemical warfare training and hiking in to camp sound like Army training -- right? They are actually part of the annual training required for Pope’s 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. “We are considered first

OEF, OIF veterans receive preference for federal hiring

Airmen now have increased eligibility for veterans’ preference when released or discharged from active duty, Office of Personnel Management officials here wrote in a recently released memo. More servicemembers are now eligible for veterans’ preference when applying for government civilian jobs.

Top Air Force print and broadcast journalists announced

A panel of civilian journalists, teachers and public relations professionals have selected the best in Air Force print and broadcast journalism for the 50th annual Air Force Media Contest. Senior Airman Joe Lacdan, from the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., is the Air Force Print

Continuing health care priority for DOD

During testimony in front of both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees recently, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John D.W. Corley said that sustaining health care for servicemembers, their families and retirees is a priority for the Department of Defense. General Corley, along with the

Letter to Airmen focuses on Sexual Assault Awareness

In the latest Letter to Airmen, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Chief of Staff of the Air Force T. Michael Moseley discuss Sexual Assault Awareness Month and the Air Force’s strides in sexual assault prevention and response efforts over the past year. “Your Air Force leadership has

Sexual assault prevention director is a myth buster

The biggest myth about sexual abuse is that the victim lies about it, according to the director of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Outreach Office at nearby Lackland Air Force Base. Dr. Charlotte Moerbe, a psychologist who once worked in a San Antonio rape crisis center, has made it her life goal

AF launches cyberspace task force

Cyberspace. The word generally conjures up images of computers, wires, connections and hardware. But, for the Air Force, cyberspace is far more than that. “Cyberspace is a domain where the Air Force conducts operations," said Dr. Lani Kass, director of the Air Force Cyberspace Task Force. It is the

Overseas returnee, CONUS mandatory movers' assignment listing available

The Enlisted Quarterly Assignment Listing for Airmen returning from overseas and continental United States mandatory movers from August through October will be available April 11. Airmen can work through their military personnel flight or their commander's support staff to update their preferences. 

Space A allows dependent travel

U.S. European Command and U.S. Air Forces in Europe policy now allows permanent party and their family members -- regardless of command sponsorship -- to fly Space-Available travel.  For everyone stationed in Turkey, eligible family members can now come visit at a much lower cost by using

Ground combat skills prepare Airmen for base survival

As the desert sun beat down on the deployed Airmen, Staff Sgt. Stacy Miller crawled along the ground, digging her helmet and face into the sand as she pushed her body along the barren ground. At one point during the low-crawl, she actually tasted sand, grittiness and all. An information management

Defense leader thanks lawmakers for support of special ops

Ultimate victory in the "long war" requires the U.S. military to adopt more unconventional and indirect approaches in the way it fights, and the Defense Department is doing just that, the Pentagon's top special operations official told a Senate panel here April 5. In testimony prepared for delivery

GPS signal enhances navigation, timing

Warfighters now have a new way to receive Global Positioning System location and timing data -- online. The 2nd Space Operations Squadron here is delivering Zero Age of Data Navigation Message Replacements, or ZAOD NMR, on the Secure Internet Protocol Router Network. The first end user of this new

Sexual assault not just 'women's issue,' expert says

Sexual assault cannot be relegated to being regarded as a "women's issue," said Don McPherson, the keynote speaker at the Pentagon's Sexual Assault Awareness Month observance April 4. McPherson, the executive director of the Sports Leadership Institute at Adelphi University in New York, said

Lou Gehrig's disease forces Airman to retire

Tech. Sgt. Jason Whitman’s retirement ceremony March 29 was a lot like any other. He received a few gifts and mementos and shared the moments with a roomful of family and friends.But it was different. Sergeant Whitman was in a wheelchair, the atmosphere was somber and muffled crying could be heard

EOD destroys Russian bomb

Airmen destroyed a large Russian bomb here March 30. A 1,100-pound Russian penetrating bomb containing 167 pounds of explosives was recently found 200 feet from the runway by workers clearing mines around the airfield. “We blow UXOs in place when it is the safest option for the explosive ordnance

Academy cadets help Spangdahlem drill team hone sabers

Eleven U.S. Air Force Academy Saber Drill Team cadets were here this week to work with the 52nd Fighter Wing Honor Guard's Eifel Sabres drill team they helped train last year. The team is the only one in U.S. Air Forces in Europe. Since the team’s inception last April, they have performed for the

AF to release community assessment survey

Air Force leaders will launch the Community Assessment Survey in late April in an effort to better understand what issues people face at their individual installation. The survey is conducted every two to three years and this year will include both active duty and Reserve Airmen, their spouses, and

Three Air Force members receive GEICO awards

The Government Employees Insurance Company selected two Airmen and one Air Force civilian as 2005 GEICO award winners.For 18 years, GEICO has recognized servicemembers from all branches of the service, including Guard and Reserve, for work in drug- and alcohol-abuse prevention, fire safety and