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  • Evolution of adaptive sports

    With the event coming to a close, thousands around the world turned their attention toward the 2017 Invictus Games, witnessing feats of incredible talent and hearing truly inspiring stories from world-class athletes.

  • A chip that scrambles

    The Air Force’s new Mini Crypto chip will secure communications and data between systems like unmanned aerial vehicles and explosive ordnance disposal robots, while being “losable.”

  • Retired AF pilots welcomed back on active duty

    Retired Air Force pilots holding Air Force Specialty Code 11X are encouraged to apply for the Voluntary Retired Return to Active Duty Program in order to fill rated staff positions to help alleviate the existing manning shortages within the Air Force rated pilot community.

  • Air Force releases CY17C central selection board results

    The Air Force has selected 298 active-duty officers for promotion to colonel, lieutenant colonel and major during the calendar year 17C Colonel Line of the Air Force Judge Advocate, Lieutenant Colonel Nurse Corps and Major Chaplain, LAF-J and Nurse Corps central selection boards.

  • Competition fuels hearts, ignites relationship

    In 2015, when a Naperville, Illinois girl met a small-town boy from Eagle River, Alaska, neither knew immediately how their relationship would evolve beyond teammates; however, the now engaged pair of retired Air Force athletes would still say “teammates” will always be a word that first comes to

  • I AM: Unconquered, undefeated

    The air here is electric on the competition grounds of the 2017 Invictus Games, where 17 nations and more than 550 wounded, ill or injured athletes have come together to showcase their grit; and where one second-time athlete from the U.S. team has set her sights on dominating in the arena.

  • AF expands Career Intermission Program opportunities

    The Air Force has changed the Career Intermission Program to expand participation opportunities for Airmen from one application window each year to three. In addition, Airmen with humanitarian circumstances may submit out-of-cycle CIP applications, as can dual-military married Airmen when a join

  • ANG Airmen provide contingency response in USVI

    Air National Guard units from three U.S. states combined assets, manpower and expertise to provide critical control of military airlift to the heavily battered island of St. Thomas in the wake of Hurricane Irma.Airmen from the 133rd Airlift Wing in Minneapolis, Minnesota; 146th AW in Camarillo,

  • Air Force leaders address aircrew crisis

    More than 60 Air Force senior leaders discussed the Air Force’s aircrew crisis which has left the service more than 1,500 pilots short of its requirements Sept. 22, 2017, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.

  • On the Road: Chaplain's journey to higher calling

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)In Abak, Nigeria, Dec. 8, 1974, a mother, nine-months pregnant, feels that her baby is ready to arrive. The duration of the journey to the hospital is

  • Spark Tank competition announced

    Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson kicked off the Air Force’s Spark Tank competition during the Air Force Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference Sept. 18, 2017.

  • Humanitarian assignments considered for Airmen in time of need

    The Humanitarian Reassignment and Deferment Program, run by the Air Force Personnel Center, assists active-duty Airmen in resolving severe, short-term problems involving a family member while Airmen continue to meet the needs of the Air Force.

  • Gold Star survivors are part of Air Force family tree

    Gold Star families are survivors of military service members who lost their lives during armed hostilities, including deployments in support of military operations against an enemy and/or during an international terrorist attack.

  • Nuclear deterrence critical to national defense

    The Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence, Lt. Gen. Jack Weinstein, spoke on a panel about the importance of U.S. nuclear deterrence, and its foundational importance to national defense, at the Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference, Sept. 19, 2017.

  • Civil engineers make critical runway repairs, keep missions moving

    Maintaining an airfield is never an easy task, especially when it’s one of the busiest in the U.S. Air Forces Central Command area of responsibility. Responsible for making critical runway repairs, the 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron’s heavy equipment operator team ensures that the 386th

  • 2017 Invictus Games slated to commence Sept. 23

    Athletes from around the world will come together in Toronto, to compete in the 2017 Invictus Games, uniting more than 550 wounded, ill or injured military service members from 17 nations to compete in 12 unique sporting events.

  • AETC Airmen honored at AFA

    Five Air Education and Training Command Airmen, and one AETC unit, were honored for their outstanding achievement at the opening ceremonies of the 2017 Air Force Association Air Space and Cyber Conference Sept. 18, 2017. Lt. Gen. Steven Kwast, Maj. Matthew Brock, 1st Lt. Owen Caron, Cadet Alexander

  • Invisible wounds: Finding a voice

    Air Force leadership and wounded warriors came together to speak out on invisible wounds during a panel discussion at this year’s Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference, Sept. 18, 2017.

  • FLOTUS visits military children

    First Lady Melania Trump’s focus on the well-being of children led her to visit the youth center on Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, Sept. 15, 2017.

  • Operation Uggianaqtuq: An Arctic security expedition

    While the Air Force is developing strategy to align efforts in the Arctic’s blistering cold with greater Defense Department strategy in the region, it’s also working to build international Arctic partnerships.

  • DoD, academia test systems for GPS denial

    Navigating the globe was once done using the sun, moon and stars as references, but modern times bring modern methods, and the majority of the world now relies on GPS for its navigation needs.

  • Caregivers play critical role in lives of wounded warriors

    Tech. Sgt. Eric Fisher was two months into a five-month deployment in 2011 to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, when he suffered a heart attack after an intense rocket attack, and a day of moving heavy pallets on the flight line.

  • Ops Airmen, key to mission success

    Before an F-22 Raptor takes off for training or a combat mission, maintainers and weapons Airmen are seen on the flight line preparing, servicing and readying the jet to contest any airspace. However, it takes more than fifth generation machinery and flight line crews to accomplish the mission. A

  • US, Nepal team up for disaster response training

    Ten U.S. Air Force air advisors from the 36th Contingency Response Group, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, embarked on a journey over 4,000 miles away from their tropical duty station to the mountainous country of Nepal, where they participated in a subject-matter expert exchange with 20 members from

  • Around the Air Force: Sept. 8

    FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) – On this look around the Air Force, Airmen mobilize in preparation for Hurricane Irma, the Air Force looks to improve quality of life and service service to help retain experienced fighter aircrews and Airmen and dependents are invited to participate in the 2017 Air

  • Suicide prevention month: stopping suicide is everyone’s battle

    September is Suicide Prevention Month, a time for Americans to build awareness and help understand suicide in our culture. More than 40,000 Americans lose their life due to suicide each year and research shows that rates in the military and the general population are very close. The loss of anyone

  • 45th SW launches 5th OTV mission

    The 45th Space Wing successfully launched a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle Sept. 7, 2017, from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A.

  • Civil Air Patrol links 300 stranded people to needed help

    A Civil Air Patrol aircraft taking photos along the rain-swollen Colorado River near Wharton, Texas, received a radio call for help and observed a group of people gathered at Holy Families Catholic Church. Three hundred people sought shelter from the floodwaters that cut-off access to the town of

  • Supercomputing weather with ‘Thor’

    The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Hanscom Air Force Base acquired a supercomputer that is the latest step in a long-running weather prediction arms race.

  • Enlisted promotion advanced notification to squadron commanders extended

    Creating a quick win for squadron commanders, the Air Force’s Personnel Center now grants senior raters and senior rater trusted agents access to enlisted promotion selects lists via the virtual Enlisted Promotion Release system one full calendar week in advance of the public release date.

  • Revitalizing the squadron: Support Squadron enables airpower at KAF

    A successful air campaign requires more than just aviators and maintainers—it needs Airmen to support every facet of airpower.Within the 451st Air Expeditionary Group, at Kandahar Airfield, there is a squadron designed to organically provide necessary support to project airpower in the region.

  • Around the Air Force: Aug. 22

    On this look Around the Air Force the new Space Operations Directorate has achieved operating capability, the Pathfinder Initiative protects cyberspace assets, and starting Sept. 1st, 2017, the Express Scripts Tricare pharmacy home delivery program begins.

  • AFwerX Vegas opens new doors to innovation

    The men and women of the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center will once again be on the leading edge of testing, tactics, and training innovation, establishing the force’s most ambitious knowledge outreach program to date.Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson announced the launch of AFwerX during her

  • AFIT prepares nuclear enterprise to deal with any scenario

    With talk of nuclear weapons returning to Americans’ everyday conversations, it might be excusable for the average person to think that the technology somehow had left the mainstream; this couldn’t be further from the truth.

  • AFNWC expert wins AFA Welch award

    The Air Force Association recently honored an Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center colonel with the 2017 Gen. Larry D. Welch-Officer Award.

  • Annual consent for automatic prescription refills begins Sept. 1

    Beginning Sept. 1, 2017, Express Scripts will need annual consent from patients who want to receive automatic refills of their maintenance medications enrolled in TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery. This means that just before one of your prescriptions runs out of refills, Express Scripts will reach out

  • New Air Force Space Operations Directorate achieves operating capability

    The Air Force selected the senior civilian and mobilization assistant for the deputy chief of staff for Space Operations directorate, or "AF/A11," Aug. 17, 2017. Mr. Shawn Barnes will serve as the assistant deputy chief of staff for Space Operations, and Maj. Gen. Pamela Lincoln has been named as

  • Air Force selects 14,181 for promotion to staff sergeant

    Air Force officials have selected 14,181 senior airmen for promotion to staff sergeant out of 32,006 eligible, a selection rate of 44.31 percent. The staff sergeant promotion list will be available on the Air Force Portal and myPers Aug. 24, at 8 a.m. CDT. Airmen will also be able to access their

  • 182nd CES finishes construction rotation at Crow Reservation

    Thirty-five Airmen with the Illinois Air National Guard's 182nd Civil Engineer Squadron completed their two-week annual training constructing homes for Crow Tribe veterans Aug. 6, 2017 in Crow Agency, Montana.The Peoria-based squadron provided services including drywall, windows, doors, siding,

  • Service members, defense contractors contribute to national security

    While some may think the gap between the civilian and military sectors in national security has grown over the years, an inside look at Airmen and defense factory collaboration demonstrates just how valuable they are to one another.A team of aircrew and maintainers had the opportunity to discuss the

  • F-35As fly in weapons evaluation

    Airmen from the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings supported and flew their F-35A Lightning II aircraft during Combat Hammer, the first operational air-to-ground weapons evaluation for the Air Force’s newest fighter jets.

  • Air Force Military Treatment Facilities pilot medical readiness

    Air Force Medicine has a non-stop global readiness mission. Medical Airmen must be prepared to deploy on short notice to provide life-saving and performance-enhancing healthcare in diverse, austere and isolated locations, and all Airmen must be medically ready to deploy. To achieve this readiness

  • Hack the Air Force results released

    The results are in for Hack the Air Force, the “white-hat hacker” bug bounty program designed to better secure Air Force online assets that ran May 30-June 23, 2017.

  • BLUE: The Cyber Shield

    Air Force TV has released the latest episode of the Air Force's flagship television program, BLUE.

  • CMSAF underscores leadership’s role in developing Airmen

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright visited Joint Base San Antonio July 31 to Aug. 4, 2017, during an immersion to view Air Education and Training Command’s role forging innovative Airmen to power the world’s greatest Air Force.

  • Stride-for-stride

    Second Lt. William Yau, 742nd Missile Squadron deputy missile combat crew commander, has been admiringly chasing his older brother James since they were young boys growing up in Troy, Michigan.

  • Portraits in Courage Airmen honored during concert

    The National Anthem, followed by an A-10 and F-16 flyover and the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team, kicked off the Air Force’s final Heritage to Horizons summer concert at the Air Force Memorial Aug. 4, 2017. The theme for the special event was “Portraits in Courage.”

  • Air Force selects 398 for captain in CY17A quarterly selection process

    The Air Force selected 398 first lieutenants for promotion to captain during the Calendar Year 2017A Captain Line of the Air Force, Chaplain, Line of the Air Force–Judge Advocate, Nurse Corps, Medical Service Corps and Biomedical Sciences Corps quarterly selection process.

  • AF National Museum building earns environmental, energy award

    The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force announced its fourth building has achieved the rare distinction of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certification as determined by the U.S. Green Building Council during a ceremony Aug. 3, 2017.

  • Enlisted Students Earn Advanced Degrees at AFIT

    In 2002, then Secretary of the Air Force, Dr. James Roche, championed an initiative to open Air Force Institute of Technology’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management to senior enlisted personnel.  Secretary Roche truly believed in the importance of the enlisted force to military achievements

  • Airmen in developmental special duties epitomize leadership, core values

    Air Force officials filled 770 positions across nine developmental special duties, or DSDs, for spring 2017. The DSD nomination process occurs twice each year and is designed to fill specific special duties the Air Force has acknowledged as developmental due to their unique requirements. Commanders

  • F.E. Warren AFB tests Minuteman III missile with launch from Vandenberg

    A team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen from the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with a single test reentry vehicle Aug. 2, 2017 at 2:10 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time from Vandenberg AFB,

  • AF opens retraining to second term, career Airmen

    The Air Force has announced the Noncommissioned Officer Retraining Program for fiscal year 2018 and will update the number of slots available on the retraining advisory on or about Aug. 2, 2017.

  • The USAFWC leads the way for new AFwerX initiative

    The Secretary of the Air Force and the United States Air Force Warfare Center Commander discuss an exciting new Air Force innovation initiative called AFWER. The program will be modeled after the successful Special Operations Command initiative known as SOFwerX, which allows anyone with a good idea