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  • Hercules crew, passengers survive enemy fire

    It was a bright, clear day when an Air Force C-130 Hercules with 57 Soldiers aboard took off from an airfield in northern Iraq bound for a forward-deployed location. The flight seemed to be routine until the pilot thought he heard a “thud.” Then, according to the aircrew, the flight became

  • Air Force leaders premiere new uniform

    When Air Force leaders arrived at this forward-deployed location Nov. 4, they wore the latest proposed replacement for the battle dress uniform.“I was surprised to see them wearing the newer version of the uniform,” said Master Sgt. Sharon Kegler, a first sergeant deployed from McGuire Air Force

  • Camp Zama Airmen provide vital communications link

    A small group of Airmen at this Army installation provides vital worldwide communications links for the Department of Defense and its allies in the Pacific region. The technicians assigned to Operating Location C of the 374th Communications Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan, handle area, regional,

  • Air Force selects 32 captains for intern program

    The Air Force Intern Program Central Selection Board selected 32 captains from among 487 candidates nominated by senior raters from across the Air Force. The board was held Sept. 20 to 24 at the Air Force Personnel Center here.The 18- to 24-month program combines hands-on experience as an intern in

  • Military family support professionals gather

    Directors of family support centers from across the Air Force gathered nearby in Landsdowne, Va., to discuss how to better serve Airmen and their loved ones. The weeklong conference, Strengthening the Home Front, focused on two areas: integrating the Air Force One Source program into base

  • Airmen return from Darfur mission

    Two C-130 Hercules and about 100 Airmen returned here Nov. 5 after completing a two-week airlift mission moving African Union troops into the Darfur region of Sudan.During the mission, the Airmen moved 47 Nigerian and 238 Rwandan soldiers, and more than 118,000 pounds of cargo. The last mission was

  • Air Force aircraft join Fallujah offensive

    U.S. Air Force aircraft launched precision munitions to destroy preplanned targets here Nov. 4.As part of Multinational Force-Iraq, the Airmen joined coalition partners and U.S. Marines in the offensive.Shortly after midnight, an Air Force aircraft supported a Marine element and struck a preplanned

  • Officials investigate training incident

    Air Force officials are investigating a weapons incident that took place during a nighttime training mission in the Warren Grove Range airspace in New Jersey on Nov. 3.An Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon expended an undetermined number of 20 mm ammunition rounds, officials said.The aircraft is

  • Deployed Airmen getting new physical training uniform first

    When the Air Force chief of staff announced a new fitness standard in July 2003, he promised Airmen a new physical training uniform in which to prepare. That new uniform is now ready, and Airmen serving in Southwest Asia will be the first to get them, said Senior Master Sgt. Jacqueline Dean, the Air

  • Third DOS rollback takes effect

    As a part of force shaping, Air Force personnel officials have implemented a third enlisted date of separation rollback.The program “rolls back” the date of separation of enlisted Airmen with specific re-enlistment eligibility codes, or assignment availability codes. These Airmen will have less

  • San Diego State soaks Air Force swimmers, 177-122

    The Air Force Academy women’s swimming team opened a Mountain West Conference dual-meet with a 177-122 loss at San Diego State University here Nov. 3. The Falcons fall to 11-4 on the season and 0-1 in conference meets.San Diego State took first in 11 of the 16 events, led by Emily Schmied, who won

  • Panel discusses people, command and control, IT

    A panel of senior officers discussed the importance of people, strong command and control, and information technology innovations during the Airlift/Tanker Association convention here Oct. 30.The panel consisted of Gen. John W. Handy, commander of U.S. Transportation Command and Air Mobility

  • New York Airmen provide medical equipment for refugees

    Thousands of Nicaraguans needing treatment received help from New York guardsmen when the Airmen gathered to sort through a hospital full of dusty medical equipment.Sister Deb, or Debbie Blow, executive director of the North Country Mission of Hope in Plattsburgh, N.Y., has an ongoing mission to

  • Airmen visit Rwanda genocide memorial

    On Oct. 30 a C-130 Hercules sat unceremoniously on the tarmac of Kigali International Airport here, waiting for the arrival of Rwandan troops.For the American Airmen here, the mission was clear: deliver Rwandan troops and equipment to Al-Fashir, Sudan, where they would join other African Union

  • Task forces enhance global mobility support

    Air Mobility Command’s expeditionary mobility task forces, now a year old, were highlighted during the 2004 Airlift/Tanker Association Convention here Oct. 29.Brig. Gen. Bobby J. Wilkes, commander of the 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., described the units as

  • Scientists identify remains of six Air Force MIAs

    The remains of six Airmen missing in action from the Vietnam War have been identified and are being buried at Arlington National Cemetery on Nov. 5 with full military honors.They are: Cols. Theodore Kryszak of Buffalo, N.Y., and Harding Smith of Los Gatos, Calif.; Lt. Col. Russell Martin of

  • Officials select officers for developmental education

    Boards here selected more than 300 company-grade officers from 14 career fields to attend developmental education programs beginning in the summer, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced Nov. 1.The development team special program selection and Air Force Institute of Technology boards

  • Air Force seeks scholarship program applicants

    Air Force officials are offering qualified officers the opportunity to participate in the Information Assurance Scholarship Program, established to increase the number of qualified people entering the information assurance career field. A board will convene at the Air Force Personnel Center here

  • For Armed Services YMCA, November all about family

    Military Family Week began about two decades ago as part of The Great American Family project.Then in 1996, the Armed Services YMCA expanded the week, which occurred around Thanksgiving, into Military Family Month, which began Nov. 1.Just as the week grew into a month-long celebration, military

  • CMSAF addresses top issues

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray addressed hundreds of troops attending the 2004 Airlift/Tanker Association Symposium on Oct. 29, an event he has been unable to attend in years past.Chief Murray gave his insight on three main topics he said he feels are the backbone of the

  • Air Force goes winless on Day 2 of Aggie shootout

    The 17th-ranked Air Force Academy water polo team was again unable to pick up a victory against a conference opponent, dropping both games Oct. 31 at the University of California-Davis’ Aggie Shootout here. The Falcons lost a close game, 4-3, to UC-Santa Cruz, before falling to 14th-ranked

  • Holy Cross beats Air Force hockey team, 5-2

    College of the Holy Cross scored two power-play goals in the first period and cruised to a 5-2 win over the Air Force Academy in a nonconference college hockey game here Oct. 30.Holy Cross improved to 2-1-1 overall this season, while Air Force fell to 2-2-2.A pair of power-play goals in the first

  • Guardsmen making K-2 connections

    The C-130 Hercules aircrew from Saint Joseph, Mo., was told the night before that its mission tasking, called a frag (fragmentary order), was to fly supplies from Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, known as K-2, to Fire Base Salerno, Afghanistan.It was going to be a quick offload for the Missouri

  • Picture-perfect painting

    Aircraft leaving the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center here make one final stop to complete the cycle of programmed depot maintenance.That stop is the paint hangar. What comes in are aircraft fresh from their test flights. What rolls out are planes freshly primed, painted and stenciled.The

  • Civilian health-care ‘open season’ offers 18 new plans

    Office of Personnel Management officials announced new health-care options that may provide better financial opportunities for employees.Eighteen new high-deductible health plans will be offered by the federal employees’ health benefits program for 2005. The new health plans, when used with a health

  • British team shoots to top at Defender Challenge 2004

    An eight-person British team took home the top award at the worldwide security forces competition Defender Challenge 2004 held here Oct. 22 to 28.The Royal Air Force Regiment took first in the grueling fitness challenge event and third in the Sadler Cup tactical exercise. These wins earned them the

  • Airmen roll past 1 million convoy miles

    The convoy escorts of the 732nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron rolled over an impressive milestone recently when its Airmen passed 1 million miles driven for missions throughout Iraq.“From my standpoint, it’s a tremendous milestone,” said Col. Eric Pohland, 732nd Expeditionary Mission

  • 2004 Airlift/Tanker Association convention convenes

    Signifying the tremendous role that reserve forces play in the air mobility mission, the leaders of the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve kicked off the 2004 Airlift/Tanker Association Convention here Oct. 29. Lt. Gen. Daniel James III, ANG director, and his reserve component colleague,

  • Treadmill half-marathon raises cash for charity

    It was a beautiful, sunny day in Afghanistan. With just a little nip in the air, the morning was perfect for a half-marathon. But the weather did not matter; this 13-mile race was inside, on treadmills.Runners here claim only the devout run outside, where they must brave dust storms that leave a

  • AEF Center commander explains longer cycle

    The effect of the expanded air and space expeditionary force tour lengths on troop morale was addressed here by the general in charge of the deployment schedule.Brig. Gen. Steven Hoog, AEF Center commander, explained how the recent extension to four-month deployments is working out.“Airmen have

  • Airmen begin airlift mission to Sudan

    An Air Force C-130 Hercules left Abuja, Nigeria, on Oct. 28 with about 40 Nigerian troops and 3,000 pounds of equipment bound for El-Fashir airstrip in Sudan’s Darfur region.This marked the beginning of the airlift mission of African Union protection forces to the troubled area, they said.More than

  • Airmen offer stand down for homeless veterans

    Few people can forget there are thousands of Americans fighting in war zones to preserve America’s freedom; but are those who fought for this country decades ago and are now homeless still remembered?McConnell Airmen joined with people from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the nearby Wichita

  • Airmen prepare for humanitarian relief efforts

    More than 120 active-duty and Reserve Airmen from the 322nd Air Expeditionary Group arrived here Oct. 23 and 24 to set up airlift operations for the African Union. Within 48 hours, the Airmen established lodging, food service, communications, transportation, maintenance and public affairs. They

  • New civilian personnel system brings sweeping changes

    The new human resource system known as the National Security Personnel System is scheduled to start for an initial 100,000 Department of Defense employees in the summer of 2005, Roger M. Blanchard said here Oct 25. He is the Air Force assistant deputy chief of staff for personnel Air Force

  • AF rugby team wins armed forces championship

    The Air Force rugby team swept the competition during the 2004 Armed Forces Rugby Championships held Oct. 18 to 22 at Camp Lejeune, N.C.The teams played each other in a single round-robin competition with the top two teams competing against each other for the championship.During the first day, Air

  • New office focusing on improving joint operations

    While U.S. military forces deployed to the Middle East continue operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, leaders at home are applying lessons learned from the campaigns to improve joint operations between the Air Force and Army.The first of nearly 20 Air Force and Army initiatives toward improving joint

  • Sibling reunion ‘sweet’ for Air Force reservist

    Family reunions may seem sappy to some, but for maple syrup farming siblings deployed to Afghanistan, such meetings are truly sweet.Tech. Sgt. Rebecca Jo Allen, a reservist deployed to nearby Bagram Air Base from Pope Air Force Base, N.C., and U.S. Army Reserve Chief Warrant Officer Tim Gaby,

  • Guard chaplains minister to wounded troops

    There was no doubt in anyone's mind, including his wife's and his father's, that Arkansas Army National Guard Spc. Ronald Baker was going to die. All that kept the man from Cabot, Ark., alive at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany was a life support system and his wife's concern for his

  • Airmen run in Army ‘10-miler’

    More than 100 Airmen took part in the second annual Logistics Support Area Anaconda 10-Miler road race held here Oct. 24.Overall the group was just a small part of the more than 1,300 Soldiers, Marines, Sailors and Department of Defense civilians who competed in the event. Participants entered as

  • UNLV downs Falcons in women’s soccer, 3-0

    The Air Force Academy’s women’s soccer team lost to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, 3-0, in Mountain West Conference competition Oct. 24. The Falcons conclude the 2004 regular season with a 3-12-2 overall record and 0-5-1 in the conference.Air Force struggled to get its offense going as the

  • Air Force golfers finish eighth at Shangri La Shootout

    The Air Force Academy golf team fired a team-best round of 300 on Oct. 24 to finish eighth at the Shangri La Shootout, held by Oral Roberts University at the 7,102-yard, par-72 Shangri La Blue Course.Oklahoma City University took home the team title with a three-round total of 882. Fifteen teams

  • Officials: BRAC 2005 to support defense transformation

    The 2005 base realignment and closure initiative will be different from previous rounds in that it will directly contribute to the Department of Defense's transformation efforts, a top official said here Oct. 25.BRACs conducted between 1988 and 1995 closed 97 military bases and realigned 57, said

  • Physical medicine team keeps ‘sprains and strains’ down

    Things do not ever seem to slow down for the physical medicine team here. The staff of six -- an occupational therapist, a physical therapist and four physical medicine technicians -- has seen more than 1,000 patients since Sept. 20. “There’s just a continual flow of patients here,” said Maj. Brian

  • Four of a kind makes ‘six-pack’ for Edwards family

    As parents prepare to pick costumes for their children this Halloween, the Kearl family here will pick out six -- two for 3-year-olds Tanner and Hunter and four for 1-year-old quadruplets Cassie, Nathan, Jayson and Bryan.The Kearl family was stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., when

  • AWACS tests new identification system

    Years of preparation paid off for the Airborne Warning and Control Systems Program Office during the test of a capability which will reduce the possibility of friendly-fire accidents.The test, held recently at the Navy test range at Patuxent River, Md., examined a new AWACS Identification Friend or

  • ‘Quiet Professionals’ praised by AFSOC commander

    The leader of the “Quiet Professionals” had plenty to say about the contributions Air Force Special Operations Command’s nearly 20,000 Airmen have made to the war on terrorism.“The men and women we have in our command are awesome, and it shows,” said Lt. Gen. Michael W. Wooley, AFSOC

  • Deployed Airmen build a better life in Kyrgyzstan

    Airmen deployed from the 78th Civil Engineer Group and 778th Civil Engineer Squadron here have their hands full.Nearly 100 Airmen from the two units have been working up to 16 hours a day, maintaining facilities and providing engineering design and construction for more than $35 million in new

  • Officials announce 2004 awards for air mobility excellence

    Airlift/Tanker Association officials recently announced the 2004 award winners for excellence within the air mobility community.The association recognized 27 people in five categories. These Airmen will be honored at its annual convention in Dallas on Oct. 29.The Young Leadership Award is presented

  • DOD officials issue 'green' procurement policy

    Department of Defense officials issued a new procurement policy this week urging employees and the military to "buy green."The policy requires the department's civilian and military people to purchase products and services that benefit the environment, said Alex Beehler, DOD's chief of environmental

  • Air Force surgeons train Hondurans

    In a Third World country like Honduras, trauma-care surgeons are in short supply, forcing first-line doctors to perform life-saving operations on demand.A seven-person team from Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, joined with support people from the medical element at

  • Lending a helping hand in Uzbekistan

    After cruising through the gates of a Karshi City orphanage, Airmen and Soldiers from here stepped out of their convoy vehicles. They were deployed on a special mission: to bring smiles and a bit of joy into the lives of the children who live there.The “house of mercy” is a home for orphans and

  • Crash victim identified

    Department of Defense officials identified an Airman who died in Afghanistan on Oct. 21.Airman 1st Class Jesse M. Samek, 21, of Rogers, Ark., died Oct. 21 from injuries he received when an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter crashed during a medical-evacuation mission. He was a flight engineer assigned to

  • Airmen recall Swiss internment

    Confinement did not stop some servicemembers from doing their duty during World War II, and now a little distance did not keep them from rekindling old memories.Thirty one former Army Air Force servicemembers, here for the Swiss Internees Association reunion Oct. 14, all have a different story. But

  • Where there is a will to vote, there is a way

    Floating around the Earth 230 miles up, NASA Astronaut Leroy Chiao is not too far from the polls to stand up and be counted on Election Day.From the International Space Station, Mr. Chiao will cast his vote in the Nov. 2 national election. Mr Chiao said he is passionate about his civic duty and

  • Air Force team deploys to prepare for Sudan airlift mission

    About 30 Airmen from U.S. European Command arrived in Kigali, Rwanda, on Oct. 21 to begin preparations to support a two-week airlift mission of Rwandan peacekeepers. The mission is part of an African Union expanded mission in the Darfur region of Sudan.Two C-130 Hercules aircraft and about 120

  • Air Force receiving OIF artwork

    About 150 artists from around the country will donate more than 200 paintings to the Air Force during a ceremony Oct. 29 at Andrews Air Force Base, Md.The artwork features works by artists who traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan to cover the Air Force mission during operations Enduring Freedom and

  • Two deployed Airmen celebrate Ramadan

    For most Airmen, deploying on the current air and space expeditionary force rotation means spending the holidays far from family and home. But for two Airmen with the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing here, it means getting closer to their religious roots.Though a general order prohibits Airmen from

  • Airman dies, two injured in helicopter crash

    An Airman died Oct. 21 from injuries sustained in an Oct. 20 HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter crash about 105 miles east of Shindand, Afghanistan. Two other Airmen were injured in the crash and were taken to a medical facility at Kandahar Air Field, along with an Afghan who works for the Joint Electoral

  • Air Force launches user-friendly news product

    Air Force officials announced a new e-mail service Oct. 20 that gives subscribers a user-friendly news summary with links to extensive news and information, as well as audio and video news reports.Those wishing to receive the free e-mail news summary, called "AF Today," can subscribe by going to Air

  • AMC exercise kicks off in Michigan

    Nearly 500 people from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., Grand Forks AFB, N.D., and Travis AFB, Calif., traveled to an Air National Guard base here for exercise Crisis Outlook 2004, a weeklong exercise designed to practice “ability to survive and operate” scenarios.Col. Chris Coley, 62nd Operations

  • Falcons tied for 12th at Wolf Pack Golf Classic

    Paced by Tyler Goulding, the Air Force Academy’s golf team completed the first day of competition at the Wolf Pack Classic at the par-72, 7,100-yard Wolf Run Golf Club here. With a two-round total of 590 on Oct. 18, the Falcons are tied with fellow Mountain West Conference competitor University of

  • Lajes more than speck in television history

    Fifty years ago, the tiny island of Terceira -- more specifically Lajes Field -- made television history. It was an event that brought the people of Portugal and the United States closer, helped define an Air Force specialty and would become one of the first quality-of-life necessities for Airmen

  • Air Force holds off Cal Baptist, 10-9, in water polo

    Despite a late rally by No. 18 California Baptist University, the 17th-ranked Air Force Academy water polo team was able to hang on for a 10-9 victory as Eric Swenson scored the winning goal in the final game of the Rocky Mountain Showdown here Oct. 17.Early on, it looked as if the Falcons (4-14)

  • Officials activate National Security Space Institute

    Air Force Space Command officials stood up a space education and training organization here recently that they said will provide the foundation to creating a new generation of space professionals. The National Security Space Institute will be the Department of Defense's single focal point for space

  • Lady Falcons tie BYU in soccer

    Goalkeeper Jennifer Drew recorded 15 saves as Air Force Academy women’s soccer tied Brigham Young University, 1-1, in a thrilling double-overtime Mountain West Conference match here Oct. 16.In an emotional match, the Falcons willed their way to the tie, despite being out-shot 22-5. BYU’s Jaime

  • Active-duty, reservists combine forces in Afghan sky

    In the Afghanistan sky, the 81st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron has a “rainbow” effect. Air Force Reserve and active-duty pilots have teamed together for an air and space expeditionary force deployment here to protect U.S. and coalition people from attackers whose aim is to disrupt the national

  • POL Airmen help turn C-130 into flying gas station

    For Staff Sgt. Chris Cooper and Senior Airman Pete Kaplan, being fuels specialists is what they joined the Air Force to do. But the two petroleum, oil and lubricant experts had no idea they would be donning body armor and flying a 3,000-gallon fuel bladder around the desert, refueling much-needed

  • Deployed postal workers help build morale

    In a deployed environment, morale is very important and comes in many forms, shapes and sizes, but often by mail.Three Airmen here are responsible for delivering mail to more than 2,500 people.“We can’t put a number on how many pieces of mail we get, but it’s around 2,600 pounds a day,” said Tech.

  • Family support centers target programs

    Family support centers around the Air Force are changing the way they do business to better serve the needs of communities.“Traditionally, we served customers who came into the center,” said Linda Olivia Smith, chief of Air Force family matters. “Now we’re doing more outreach -- going to the

  • Reserve unit begins deactivating

    Already hard-pressed aircrews at this active airlift hub will be even busier starting in December when two Reserve squadrons begin deactivating after two years on active duty.The 97th and 728th Airlift Squadrons, of the Air Force Reserve’s 446th Airlift Wing here, mobilized in February 2003. Both

  • Holiday greetings team visits Gwangju

    A lot of “I love you” and well wishes were spoken here Oct. 12 when 126 Airmen and Soldiers sent their holiday greetings home.An Army and Air Force Hometown News Service holiday greetings team stopped here as part of a worldwide tour to film messages from servicemembers to air on their hometown

  • Relationship, money issues face some returning combatants

    Money, intimacy and re-establishing their relationship as a couple and with their children are some of the challenging issues facing families when servicemembers return after months away in Iraq or Afghanistan. A team of mental-health professionals from the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress,

  • LOEs now mandatory for some deployed commanders

    With the continuing emergence of increased expeditionary mission requirements, Air Force officials are implementing a policy that will complement officer evaluations by ensuring performance in key leadership positions at deployed locations is documented.Beginning with the current air and space

  • Airfield team stays busy at deployed location

    Airfield management at one forward-deployed air base in Southwest Asia involves doing more than just filing flight plans and telling pilots where to park.Master Sgt. Carlos Marrero, the chief of airfield management, and his staff also ensure the smooth and efficient movement of aircraft in the area

  • AEF Battlelab becomes Air Warfare Battlelab

    The Air Expeditionary Force Battlelab, which stood up here in July 1997, recently became the Air Warfare Battlelab. The change reflects the 2003 realignment under the Air Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and better matches operational and testing functions. The battlelab focuses on

  • New Mexico shuts out Air Force, 2-0, in men’s soccer

    Two early second-half goals by Jeff Rowland led the third-ranked University of New Mexico men’s soccer team to a 2-0 victory over the Air Force Academy here Oct. 14. With the victory, New Mexico remains the only unbeaten and untied team in the country at 10-0 overall and 4-0 in Mountain Pacific

  • Air Force names public service award nominee

    Tech. Sgt. Joseph Kazimer III is the Air Force’s nominee for the 2005 National Public Service Award.Sergeant Kazimer is the assistant noncommissioned officer in charge of communications maintenance for the 702nd Munitions Support Squadron at Buechel Air Base, Germany.The sergeant is credited with

  • Name change heralds new era at AF museum

    A dramatic era of change and growth continues to unfold at the Air Force's national museum with the institution launching a formal name change.Officials announced the name change from the U.S. Air Force Museum to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force during a ceremony Oct. 14. "The Air Force

  • Student Civil Air Patrol program takes flight

    While some middle-school students spend their free time playing video games or watching television, a recently chartered organization here is giving future Airmen the opportunity to experience crossing into the blue as Civil Air Patrol cadets.Unlike ROTC, the cadets’ involvement is not graded as a

  • Rescue flight makes second save in nine days

    The 36th Rescue Flight made its second save in nine days with the rescue of an injured survival student Oct. 11.The student, a lieutenant, was doing night navigation training in the Colville National Forest when he tripped, fell and lost consciousness. The instructors immediately called the Tacoma

  • Berlin Airlift vets return to Rhein-Main

    Forty-nine Berlin Airlift veterans visited here Oct. 13 to recognize the 55th anniversary of one of the end of the largest humanitarian airlift missions in the history of the U.S. Air Force.The visit culminated in a dinner where Lt. Gen. Arthur Lichte, U.S. Air Forces in Europe vice commander,

  • Helmet upgrades enhance air power

    F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots here can now look, lock and launch on an enemy target in the blink of an eye. Because split seconds can mean the difference between life or death for a pilot in combat, the 52nd Fighter Wing here adopted an advanced approach to high-tech man-machine interaction with the

  • Roche, Jumper ‘wear test’ Osprey

    The Air Force's top two leaders got up close and personal Oct. 8 with what may become the service's latest special operations asset. Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper flew in a Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey. General Jumper served as pilot of

  • Tankers fuel war on terror

    The 380th Air Expeditionary Wing’s tanker squadron plays an essential role in the war on terror. KC-10 Extenders are a key part of the wings’ mission to provide coalition aircraft greater range and endurance for missions over Iraq and Afghanistan.Pilots of the 908th Expeditionary Aerial Refueling

  • Air Force volleyball team falls in three to New Mexico

    The Air Force Academy women’s volleyball team dropped a 3-0 match to visiting University of New Mexico on Oct. 8. With both teams looking for their first conference win of the season, it was the Lobos who pulled out the 30-25, 31-29 and 30-23 victory. With the loss, Air Force moves to 4-11 on the

  • Blowing stuff up for safety’s sake

    Most people use tools to fix things, but the 455th Civil Engineer Flight’s explosive ordnance disposal team here uses its tools to blow up stuff. To these Airmen, blowing something up is the best way to eliminate hazards and with an average of three suspected unexploded ordnance calls here daily,

  • Combat controllers call in big guns for troops in Afghanistan

    They are respectfully referred to as “the guys with the beards,” by their fellow Airmen here. It is distinction that few American servicemembers in Afghanistan can claim. Dressed in unmarked desert camouflage uniforms, these distinctive Airmen convoy across the Afghan plains, trek through mountain

  • Now showing: Oct. 11 edition of AFTV News

    The continuing Air Force role in Operation Enduring Freedom highlights the latest edition of Air Force Television News. Tech. Sgt. Joy Josephson explains the resupply mission by Air National Guard C-130 Hercules units operating from Uzbekistan. Another aspect of the service’s contribution to peace

  • K-9s receive top care in deployed environment

    In a 110-degree, sandy environment at a forward-deployed location, how does the mission go on when a military working dog is down? As with any combat zone, there are only so many things Airmen can do without the K-9s in place.Keeping the dogs in good health is a top priority, and that

  • POL Airmen fuel the wing

    “Without fuel, pilots are pedestrians.” This is a phrase uttered by many fuels specialists over the years. At a forward-deployed location, it is no different; except the phrase should be expanded to people who drive vehicles and use air conditioners, generators and anything else not

  • William Tell competition resumes after eight-year break

    The Air Force’s first William Tell air-to-air competition in eight years takes flight at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Nov. 8 to 19.William Tell 2004 will test aircrew performance in the air dominance and air sovereignty missions, while evaluating weapons use and the tactics used. The meet also

  • Air Force receives top DOD-level award

    The U.S. Air Forces in Europe communications and information directorate, which oversees the Air Force's communications and information-management effort in the European theater, was given top honors in the chief information officer awards team category Oct. 7.Defense Department officials honored

  • Escorts keep watch over foreign workers

    Help wanted: Critical job working outside in sandy, arid 110-degree heat. Must leave comforts of home, family and friends for four months. Will provide perimeter security during increased threat levels and escort third-country and local nationals to job sites. Free travel!If someone read that ad

  • Airmen come together for humanitarian service

    When given the chance for humanitarian service, Airmen of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing here go all out.More than 50 Airmen helped unload two 30-foot containers of school supplies and toys and then organized and packaged them for an Iraqi school.“What a great turnout,” said Chaplain (Capt.)

  • Life-support Airmen offer keys to survival

    Like James Bond being led through a showroom of new gadgets, a pilot is introduced to the latest and greatest gizmos that will get him out of a jam.In the back corner of the 17th Special Operations Squadron here is a hi-tech superstore that supplies special operations Airmen in the Pacific with

  • Thrift Savings Plan open season begins Oct. 15

    Civilian and military employees can sign up for, or change, their Thrift Savings Plan contribution amounts during the "open season" Oct. 15 to Dec. 31."TSP is a long-term retirement savings plan, which everyone should consider," said Senior Master Sgt. Felipe Ortiz, superintendent of the Air Force

  • 'Master problem solver' wins Air Force award

    The challenge of keeping his computer customers connected is what drives Tony Bufford, winner of the Air Force’s Outstanding Employee with a Disability Award for 2004.Mr. Bufford, system administrator for the 81st Supply and Transportation squadrons, was also Keesler’s nominee for the award in 2000

  • Junior ROTC expands, seeks retirees to teach at new units

    Airmen planning to retire within the next couple of years and Airmen who have retired within the past five years may want to look to Junior ROTC before storing their uniforms, said Jo Alice Talley. She is the Air Force Junior ROTC instructor management chief.Air Force Junior ROTC will add 201 units

  • Edwards system monitors SpaceShipOne during flights

    As SpaceShipOne rocketed over the Mojave Desert on Oct. 4 to claim the famed Ansari X Prize, a team of engineers here collected data about the spacecraft’s trajectory thanks to the spaceport arrival and departure safety system.In a partnership between the California Space Authority and the Air Force

  • Rescue flight saves fallen rock climber

    The 36th Rescue Flight here made its 596th save, after rescuing a fallen rock climber Oct. 2.The man, 26, was out with two friends when he got separated and disappeared over a cliff face near Spur Lake in Libby, Mont.The friends found the man the next morning and began to stabilize him, then climbed