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  • C-17s airlift Qatari mobile hospital to Pakistan

    An Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transported a Qatari mobile hospital to Pakistan in support of earthquake relief operations Oct. 15. Airmen loaded seven Qatari soldiers and 90,000 pounds of cargo on the aircraft, and flew to Islamabad, Pakistan. The group included two medics, two drivers and three

  • Airmen help with Guatemala relief

    Nine Airmen from Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, deployed here as part of a Joint Task Force-Bravo team supporting Hurricane Stan relief operations in this Central American country. The hurricane, which hit the country Oct. 4, caused massive flooding and land slides and displaced thousands of people.

  • Memphis Belle at Air Force museum

    The "Memphis Belle," is one of the Eighth Air Force's first B-17F heavy bombers to complete 25 successful bombing missions over Europe during World War II, is now at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force here. The move came under the terms of an agreement between the Air Force and the Memphis

  • Antarctica Deep Freeze mission resumes

    One of the most difficult Air Force missions -- Operation Deep Freeze -- is about to resume. Deep Freeze is the Air Force’s resupply mission for the National Science Foundation and U.S. Antarctica operations. Aircrews from the 109th Airlift Wing, New York Air National Guard stopped at here on their

  • Air Force announces team-excellence awards

    Air Force officials announced the five teams chosen for the 2005 Chief of Staff Team Excellence Awards. The Air Force nominated 15 teams for the awards, which recognize outstanding team performance and promote systematic process improvement. The awards also serve as a means to share best practices

  • First F/A-22 deployment is for training

    The Raptors are leaving the nest for their first deployment. Nearly 170 Airmen left here Oct. 15 on a two-week deployment to Hill Air Force Base, Utah. This may sound like a run-of-the-mill temporary duty assignment. But for the Langley Airmen, it is far from a typical out-of-town operation. It is

  • Space Command presented first-ever missile badge

    A unique ceremony took place here in which the family of a space pioneer presented Air Force Space Command a unique object -- the Air Force’s first missile badge. The family of the late Col. William Erlenbusch presented the first missile badge -- known as the U.S. Air Force guided missile insignia

  • Airmen act quickly at accident scene

     When thrust into a surreal situation, three Airmen here stepped up and showed that people can do extraordinary things. It was around 1 a.m. Oct. 16 when Senior Airmen Brooke and Marc Llafet and Matt Ritchie were driving home from Fort Walton Beach, Fla. In the car with them were Airman Marc

  • Air Force continues Pakistan aid

    The Air Force continues to provide humanitarian aid to Pakistan after it suffered a 7.6 magnitude earthquake Oct. 8. Air Force C-17 Globemaster IIIs, KC-10 Extenders and C-130 Hercules aircraft have transported more than 630,000 pounds of humanitarian relief, including food, tents, cots, medical

  • General McNabb takes command of AMC

    Gen. Duncan J. McNabb took command of Air Mobility Command during a ceremony here Oct. 14. During the ceremony, the general discussed the importance of the command now and in the future. "It has been six years since I left here as commander of the (Tanker Airlift Control Center)," said General

  • Air Force testing new transparent armor

    Engineers here are testing a new kind of transparent armor -- stronger and lighter than traditional materials -- that could stop armor-piercing weapons from penetrating vehicle windows. The Air Force Research Laboratory's materials and manufacturing directorate is testing aluminum oxynitride --

  • SECDEF visits MacDill, addresses military concerns

    Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld thanked Airmen here Oct. 11 for their involvement in the global war on terrorism and humanitarian efforts at home and abroad. "We fight today so that our children and their children might not have to experience the heartbreak of something like Sept. 11,” he said.

  • Electric cars cut fuel costs

    As gas prices soared this summer, the 37th Mission Support Group here searched for something new to help the it lower the cost of official transportation. “With gas prices approaching $3 per gallon, we were looking for something that would be beneficial over the long haul,” said group commander Col.

  • Lifesaving trauma team provides care within one hour of injuries

    Should deployed troops need on the spot surgery, there is a five-person mobile forward surgical team on standby, ready to deploy at a moment’s notice to help them. The team -- an MFST -- can deploy in 24 to 48 hours. It is the smallest forward-deployable surgical team that can do field surgery. The

  • Airman sentenced to death

    The Airman here who was recently found guilty of two specifications of premeditated murder and one specification of attempted premeditated murder, has been sentenced to death by a military panel. Senior Airman Andrew Paul Witt, 23, is now the only Airman to sit on death row. Airman Witt's death

  • Blood donations still in high demand

    The U.S. military always needs blood in war zones and now, more than ever, it is depending on troops at stateside bases to donate. That is because troops that deploy “down range” cannot donate blood for one year after they return home, said Maj. Julie Zwies, officer in charge of the Expeditionary

  • Air Force continues aid to Pakistan

    Oct. 12 marked the fourth straight day the Air Force airlifted aid into the devastated region of Pakistan. Four U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III and two C-130 Hercules aircraft transported more than 408,000 pounds, including more than 60 pallets loaded with supplies like tents, cots and

  • Helicopter pilot is Cheney Award recipient

    An Air Force MH-53 Pave Low helicopter pilot from Fort Bragg, N.C., received the Cheney Award in a ceremony at the Pentagon Oct. 13. Maj. John Groves earned the award for his actions while delivering supplies to Iraq as part of two-ship formation. The major’s wingman was shot down en route. Major

  • Moseley: We are moving towards interdependence with sister services

    The Air Force’s future path requires more jointness and interdependence between the total force, sister services and coalition partners. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley spoke Oct. 11 about this vision for the future of the Air Force, but began with a vision of its recent past. The

  • Maintainers keep Cope Thunder going

    Tucked away in an office on the far corner of the Thunder Dome, two men ensure Airmen and Sailors get Cope Thunder 06-1 missions off the ground -- on time and on target. Without the oversight of Col. Mark Fluke and Chief Master Sgt. Darrin Dwyer, exercise Cope Thunder would, theoretically, only be a

  • Service demographics offer snapshot of force

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here recently published the quarterly demographics report offering a snapshot of the service's active-duty and civilian force, as of Sept. 30. More information can be found online at http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/demographics/>. All statistics are rounded to

  • Eglin Airmen train Iraqi police

    The introduction of democracy and the reconstruction of Iraq hinges on its police force’s ability to handle those fighting against the transition. So two Airmen from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and one from Offutt AFB, Neb., are in the country to make sure the Iraqi police force gets the training it

  • Globemasters deliver more relief aid

    A huge C-17 Globemaster III delivered more relief supplies here Oct. 11 that will go help victims in this country’s earthquake-devastated region. The C-17 and its crew of five, from the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia, flew in approximately 50 tons of food and shelter equipment.

  • AMC assists initial earthquake response

    The Air Force deployed more than 45 members from the 621st Contingency Response Wing here to Islamabad, Pakistan Oct. 10 in the wake of a 7.6-magnitude earthquake that struck the country Oct. 8. Members of 621st Contingency Response Group Element deployed to support humanitarian airlift operations

  • Keesler Airmen back in school at Sheppard

    Sheppard has a new electronic principles course to train Airmen from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., displaced by Hurricane Katrina. It took Sheppard two weeks to have the course ready for instruction, said Master Sgt. Rosa Marlin, 365th Training Squadron avionics test equipment flight chief. It

  • Uniform board meets this month

    The Air Force Uniform Board meets here Oct. 20 to 21 to consider Air Force uniform improvements and standardization. The board will address various uniform requirements, including the Airman's new battle dress uniform, and Air Force Instruction 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force

  • AFMC air logistics centers garner Shingo Prize

    Industry leaders recognized Air Force Materiel Command's three air logistics centers for their practical implementation of Lean Transformation practices, ensuring America's warfighters success on the job. Lean is a methodology designed to create value, eliminate waste and allow an organization to

  • 'Gateway to Europe' ends 60-year airlift legacy

    Although 60 years of airlift legacy came to a close, the “spirit” of this base will endure. The long-time airlift hub closed during an Oct. 10 ceremony attended by U.S. and German dignitaries. A C-17 Globemaster III bearing the name “Spirit of Rhein-Main” was unveiled by Lt. Gen. Christopher Kelly,

  • Eddy current inspection shop saves lives, money

    Saving lives and money: That is what employees in the eddy current inspection shop at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center are all about. And it is their life management approach to reliability-centered maintenance that allows them to extend the life of rotating jet engine components by

  • Wright-Patterson celebrates an essential step in aviation

    One-hundred years of practical flight were celebrated Oct. 5 on the grounds Orville and Wilbur Wright used to test their legendary Wright Flyer -- launching an aviation era. Mark Dusenberry, pilot and creator of the world's only exact replica of the 1905 Wright Flyer, re-visited the historic moment,

  • Midshipmen cage Falcons, 27-24

    For 59 minutes and 59 seconds Air Force was back. Its three-game losing streak appeared over. Its quest to regain the coveted Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy, symbolic of interservice football supremacy, was on track and its bowl chances were rekindled. But, before the final tick expired, those

  • ETDC supplies gear downrange so deployed troops don’t have to

    The 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron’s expeditionary theater distribution center here is leading the way in expeditionary mobility gear processing to make life easier for thousands of deploying Airmen. The center is part of an Air Force test where Airmen can deploy from their home

  • Domestic Violence Awareness Month aims to reduce violence in homes

    Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the United States -- more than car accidents, muggings and rapes combined. It is also estimated that a woman is battered every 15 seconds in the United States, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

  • Officials update Keesler assignment information

    Airmen in non-critical career fields are still not authorized to proceed to Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., until further assignment guidance is released, said Air Force Personnel Center officials here. People still affected by the stop movement order must not depart their current base. Those

  • Robins Airman found guilty on all charges

    A military jury here unanimously found Senior Airman Andrew Paul Witt guilty of two specifications of premeditated murder in the July 5, 2004, stabbing deaths of Senior Airman Andrew Schliepsiek and his wife, Jamie. Airman Witt was also found guilty Oct. 5 of one specification of attempted

  • Secretary of State visits Manas, inspires Airmen

    Perfect weather and more than 500 Airmen with the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing here greeted the 66th secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, when she arrived Oct. 11. The relatively small, but strategically important Kyrgyzstan was the secretary’s first stop in her four-day, four-country tour of

  • Airmen deliver first relief supplies to Pakistan

    The first relief supplies from the United States arrived here on a C-17 Globemaster III less that 48 hours after the devastating earthquake that left thousands dead and injured. The C-17 and its crew, from the 7th Airlift Squadron, McChord Air Force Base, Wash., delivered 12 pallets -- almost 90,000

  • Edwards, DARPA explore new C-17 capability

    Soaring 6,000 feet above the sun-baked California desert, a pair of Edwards aircraft -- a C-17 Globemaster III shadowed by a C-12 Huron observer aircraft -- carried out an unusual mission with an even more unusual cargo recently. The rear of the aircraft yawned open, and at the prompt of "five,

  • Moseley: C-17 'worth weight in gold' in Pacific

    Basing C-17 Globemaster IIIs in Hawaii will boost Pacific Air Force’s airlift capabilities in the region, the Air Force chief of staff said Oct. 6. Gen. T. Michael Moseley said with the huge transports flying out of Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, U.S. Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command

  • Fairchild Airmen test for Ranger School

    Airmen assigned to the 22nd Training Squadron and select Airmen with the 66th Training Squadron here have taken on a rare challenge to push themselves beyond normal endurance for the chance to attend the Army’s elite training program -- Ranger School. And they only had a day to do it. The 12-hour

  • Cope Thunder exercise begins

    Cope Thunder 06-1 participants are using the 62,000 square miles of airspace at this remote base to “fly, fight and win” during Pacific Air Force’s premier combat airpower exercise. The two-week exercise, which will run through Oct. 21, is the command’s largest air combat training exercise,

  • Officials name new assistant to secretary of the Air Force

    Department of Defense officials announced Oct. 6 the appointment of Donald M. Kerr as the assistant to the secretary of the Air Force for intelligence space technology effective Oct. 3. Mr. Kerr, also the National Reconnaissance Office director, will support the secretary of the Air Force in

  • Fall 2005 quarterly issue of Airman available online

    Read about the Air Force’s explosive ordnance disposal team in Baghdad disarming the enemy, get inside the Air Force’s response to Hurricane Katrina, follow a little boy named Eddy as he undergoes surgery in Ecuador, and discover the ins and outs of the F/A-22 Raptor. These features and more

  • Reserve wing welcomes change to flying mission

    The 445th Airlift Wing received its first of 11 C-5 Galaxy aircraft Oct. 3. Air Force Reserve Command wings do not change aircraft very often, and the 445th AW is no exception, having flown C-141 Starlifters since the wing’s activation Oct. 1, 1994. All that will soon be history. The C-141s are

  • A-10 phase dock keeps OEF frequent flyers flying

    A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft here flew 500 sorties in September over Afghanistan supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Direct close-air support missions accounted for 380 of those sorties. Whether supporting ground troops in the war or conducting a training mission at their home station, A-10

  • Barksdale joins Bright Star 2005

    Airmen here recently engaged in a unique international exercise -- Bright Star 2005. The Bright Star exercise takes place every two years in Egypt and includes coalition forces from the United States, Egypt and 12 other countries. Airmen faced several challenges during the exercise which ran Sept.

  • Web-based system changes how orders are processed

    Individual mobilization augmentees have a new way to get military orders through a Web-based system. Air Reserve Order Writing System-Reserve, which began Oct. 1, allows IMAs to initiate the orders process from any computer worldwide. Units can start using the system as early as Nov. 1, said Air

  • Air Warfare Center changes names to USAF Warfare Center

    The Air Warfare Center here officially changed its name Oct. 1 to the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center. The new name more accurately reflects the center's expanding responsibility to integrate space and information operations with traditional air warfare, officials said. The expansion was previously

  • Servicemembers pay respect to fallen Airman

    More than 225 Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and multinational partners crowded the new base chapel Oct. 6 to pay their final respects to their comrade in arms, Airman 1st Class Elizabeth Jacobson. Airman Jacobson was killed on a convoy near Camp Bucca, Iraq, on Sept. 28 when her vehicle was hit by an

  • Airmen push to limit with turn of a card

    “Right now, I’m at 15,541.” And counting. As he counts down the days before returning home, increasing his push-up total has become a goal for Lt. Col. Jeff Sheppard, the 28th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron commander at a forward-deployed location. What began as a challenge among several

  • Intel officer assumes command of Air Intelligence Agency

    A career intelligence officer assumed command Oct. 6 of the Air Force organization charged with providing information warfare capabilities to air component and joint force commanders around the world. Maj. Gen. John C. Koziol became the 28th commander of the Air Intelligence Agency and Joint

  • Dawgs put PERSCO back online

    It was 5 p.m. on Oct. 2 and the 407th Personnel Support for Contingency Operations section here was winding down the day shift. The cable dawgs of the 407th Expeditionary Communications Squadron were doing the same. But things changed rapidly 10 minutes later when 1st Lt. Adam Pudenz walked into the

  • General Yeager speaks at Smithsonian

    One of the most famous test pilots of all time, retired Brig. Gen. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager, spoke to 500 aviation enthusiasts at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum on Oct. 4. It was the 25th time in the past 26 years General Yeager has held the lecture. Those in attendance watched a

  • Sobering facts about DUI

    Breaking the law does not often require an invitation for formal attire, but Airmen here charged with driving under the influence can expect just that. When charged with a DUI, Airmen here are requested to show up in their service dress uniform at the office of Col. Edmond Keith, 96th Air Base Wing

  • Total force proves beneficial to hurricane recovery

    More than 6,900 active-duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen supported Hurricanes Katrina and Rita relief operations, proving that the total-force concept works, said the Air Force chief of staff here recently. “America’s Air Force answered the call for emergency assistance in this crisis,” said Gen. T.

  • Eglin firemen keep NASCAR teams safe

    When a multicar crash happens at Talladega Superspeedway or when crewmembers get hurt along pit road, there is a group of professionals always ready to put their lives on the line to save another -- firemen. Four firefighters from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., John Piccuito, J.R. Suddarth, Jimmy Reed

  • Servicemembers who bought gear can claim reimbursement

    Some servicemembers who bought their own protective gear will get reimbursed for the purchase under a new policy approved Oct. 4. David S.C. Chu, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, approved the directive that allows servicemembers to be reimbursed "for privately purchased

  • USAFE, Rwandan security forces protect airlift mission

    A joint U.S. and Rwandan security forces team is keeping the people and aircraft supporting humanitarian operations here safe. Sixteen Airmen with the 786th Security Forces Squadron from Sembach Air Base, Germany, and six Airmen with the 435th SFS at Ramstein AB, Germany, are working with Rwandan

  • Enlisted Village opens assisted living doors

    After two years, a reneged $8-million donation and several major hurricanes, the Air Force Enlisted Village finally opened the doors to Hawthorn House, the latest addition to the community that “provides a home” for widows of retired enlisted Airmen. Hawthorn House, a 64-apartment assisted living

  • Capability assessment helps AF prepare for future

    Air Force leaders use a future capabilities assessment to assist in planning for 2025 and beyond. More than 100 participants from the Air Force's planning, operations, research and development communities gathered Oct. 4 in Herndon, Va., to play out scenarios that may threaten the United States in

  • Annual Combined Federal Campaign kicks off

    Following the record-setting campaign of a year ago, the nation’s largest workplace charity campaign is under way for both overseas and U.S. military installations. The 2005-2006 Combined Federal Campaign runs for six consecutive weeks during a designated period between Sept. 1 and Dec. 15 for bases

  • Texas National Guard relief mission begins drawing down

    With power coming on throughout the area, Texas National Guardsmen with Task Force-Seguin transferred food and water distribution duties to other task forces and local authorities Oct. 4. The team returned to their home units and families Oct. 5. “There are still a few rural areas requiring

  • Officials name vice chair of Scientific Advisory Board

    Dr. Ann R. Karagozian assumed her duties Oct. 5 as vice chair of the U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, an independent group that provides technical advice to Air Force leaders. Dr. Karagozian, a professor with the University of California-Los Angeles’ aerospace and mechanical engineering

  • Enlisted quarterly assignment listing available Oct. 11

    The Enlisted Quarterly Assignment Listing for Airmen returning from overseas and continental United States mandatory movers for February to April 2006 will be available Oct. 11. Airmen need to work through their commander's support staff to update their preferences by Oct. 27. Deployed Airmen or

  • CDC, health pros offer programs, tips to help children

    “I miss my mommy,” said Emani Wilcox in a matter-of-fact tone that only children can seem to muster. For a second, there was a swelling of tears in her eyes. Then she saw the camera and was all smiles. “Cheese!” Once the camera flashed, she was back to playing and laughing with her friends. Other

  • Recent changes improve Korea assignment program

    Recent policy changes to the Korea Assignment Incentive Pay program allow Airmen to apply for the program before or after their arrival in South Korea. The program authorizes $300 monthly payments to Airmen who sign a written agreement to serve the prescribed tour length in South Korea plus an

  • Security escorts eyes, ears for base security

    They are “not your average babysitter.” In fact, the 376th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron’s security escorts are referred to as the frontline of defense and the eyes and ears of security forces here. “They provide the base with the ability to support multiple contracts without impacting the

  • Loyal partners sniff out trouble in Iraq

    After a couple of years apart, Ori and Tyreese are partners again. And the security forces duo is deployed and back on the job sniffing out trouble at an entry control point here. Staff Sgt. Tyreese McAllister was the first handler Ori was assigned to after the German shepherd graduated from the

  • Father, son reunite on deployment

    A father finding his son in a desert is tough enough, but when the two are from different services it is even tougher. But that is exactly what happened to this Airman and Soldier. Senior Master Sgt. James Sedoris of the 386th Expeditionary Medical Group, was asked to drive a couple of medics to a

  • U.S. delivering F-15s to South Korea Air Force

    The two newest F-15 Eagles off the Boeing production line in St. Louis are on their way to South Korea. South Korea Air Force officials purchased 40 fighters from Boeing for $4.2 billion, and the first two stopped here Oct. 2 on their way to Seoul. “We have been coordinating with Pacific Air Forces

  • Family support center helps inmates prepare for freedom

    Sue O’Neal believes a repentant Airman who has committed a crime and is serving time in a military confinement facility here deserves a second chance. “We all make mistakes in life,” Ms. O’Neal said. “Some people end up paying for those mistakes -- some don’t. But in my view, no one is a throwaway.”

  • Airmen control, contain, communicate at Ali Base

    It is not easy getting on base, and that is the way it should be. Around-the-clock missions supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom are spearheaded here thanks to the multiple layers of protection provided by the 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron. Visitors to Ali Base arriving by road quickly

  • 407th ECES brings boxes together, expands clinic

    The magazine selection has not changed, but everything else about the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron medical clinic here has. Fifteen Airmen from several occupational specialties came together recently to double the clinic’s work space. Patients now have more privacy during screenings and

  • Bioenvironmental engineers keep people healthy

    Staff Sgt. Terrence Jaimungal dips a vial into the Back River and comes back up with water, dirt, grass and other visible objects. But it is the things that cannot be seen by the naked eye that Sergeant Jaimungal is concerned with -- things most Airmen will not notice but can do them harm, such as

  • USAFE returns African Union troops to Rwanda

    Two U.S. Air Forces in Europe C-130 Hercules returned about 80 African Union peacekeepers from the Darfur region of the Sudan on Oct. 2. The AU troops are the first of 200 scheduled to be redeployed by the 86th Air Expeditionary Group from Sudan to Rwanda , following about six months providing

  • Cutting-edge communications essential in emergency response

    Communication is like water, heat or air conditioning -- it is virtually invisible when the system is operating smoothly. No one notices it unless it stops. While most military communications technicians understand that attitude and generally stay out of the spotlight, the Incident Commanders,

  • Returning crews brave thunderstorms, land safely

    It is the stuff movies are made from: A thunderstorm wall as high as 45,000 feet and two aircraft -- one with limited radar coverage -- 100 miles from their intended course. After unloading 70 passengers and their cargo at El-Fashir airstrip in Darfur on Sept. 30 as part of the African Union

  • Academy family rewarded for ‘extreme’ caring

    They lined Highway 24 in rural Peyton, Colo., about 30 miles east of here, straining to get a better glimpse of this real life “Field of Dreams.” A stretched limousine carrying an eager academy family pulled carefully alongside a huge bus so they could not see the miraculous transformation their

  • Bagram upgrade taken on by Red Horse engineers

    Aircraft parking space is getting a boost from the ground up here as a team of Red Horse engineers remove and replace 60,000-square meters of ramp space. Once complete, the $4.4-million airfield construction project will provide U.S. and coalition aircraft supporting Operation Enduring Freedom a

  • Academy chemistry department leads UAV research

    Future Air Force leaders here are working to produce a stealthier unmanned aerial vehicle powered by an alternative energy source. The research project into fuel cells and hydrogen storage materials started about 10 years ago as a collaboration between the academy, Ball Aerospace Corp in Boulder,

  • Texas National Guard relief efforts move to rural areas

    As power is restored to smaller cities, Texas National Guardsmen are moving further into rural areas of Texas to assist Federal Emergency Management Agent officials with distribution of food, water and ice to Hurricane Rita victims. Task Force-Seguin, which comprises 300 Army and Air National

  • Air Force posthumously awards Bronze Star

    An Air Force chaplain’s assistant was posthumously recognized in a Brewer, Maine, ceremony Sept. 27 for his participation in a Korean War airlift that saved nearly 1,000 orphans. Staff Sgt. Merle Y. Strang played a key part in evacuating orphans from war-torn Seoul, South Korea, to the safer

  • Volunteers give comfort by sewing

    Sewing circles are not a thing of the past. On Tuesday nights, in a suburb just outside of Washington, D.C., a half-dozen women -- sometimes more -- gather to talk about their week, share a few laughs and sew. They are not sewing for themselves or their families, however. They are volunteers of the

  • Rhein-Main mission ends, but not its legacy

    Bob Keffer is looking for work again. But at age 70, he knows it won’t be easy.But he has no choice. There is no future for him at Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany -- outside Frankfurt -- where he worked for the past 31 years. The base closes this year.Still, he’s optimistic. If he can just find a

  • Air Force hospital saves lives of Iraqi terrorist attack victims

    Shortly after terrorists set off a string of car bombs in the nearby town of Balad on Sept. 29, medical professionals at the Air Force Theater Hospital here prepared for an influx of severely injured patients."When we started unloading the first Army helicopter, I realized that everyone who came in

  • Chapel 'zips' relief to Katrina workers, victims

    Four weeks after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast region, the chapel service here continues to accept donations for aid in the ongoing recovery and relief operations here.The chapel is participating in Operation Zip Lock, where they are collecting donations of basic, travel-size

  • Marines turn up the heat for Airmen on Okinawa

    Firefighters have a common enemy, regardless of the color of their uniforms. And Marines here recently assisted Airmen to maximize training against this dangerous foe.Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Marines with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron here conducted simulated aircraft fire training

  • Dividends from OEF, OIF pay off for medics in Katrina aftermath

    The Air Force Medical Service’s response to Operation Katrina drew from a process that began in Operation Enduring Freedom, broadened in volume in Operation Iraqi Freedom and paid dividends in the huge military medical response to a devastating domestic disaster, the Air Force surgeon general

  • Seymour Johnson Airman shot to death on post-deployment leave

    A security forces Airmen from here was shot to death while on post-deployment leave in Galveston, Texas.The death of Airman 1st Class Phillip Ovalle has been ruled a homicide by the Houston Police Department, and an active-duty Marine has been charged with the murder, according to a base spokesman

  • Services Airmen ensure people get ‘comforts of home’

    Airmen with the 147th Fighter Wing services flight at Ellington Field, Texas, are ensuring everyone supporting Hurricane Rita relief efforts have a hot meal to eat and a comfortable bed to sleep in.While some servicemembers deployed there from various parts of the country are sleeping and working in

  • Air Commandos build bonds with African country

    A select team of combat aviation advisors from the 6th Special Operations Squadron here recently deployed to the edge of the Sahara desert to train with the fledgling Niger Air Force.Because the 6th SOS has been to Niger numerous times, the air commandos understand how to adapt to living and working

  • Small Diameter Bomb certified for operational test, evaluation

    19! 23! 35! 37! 20!No, that's not a football audible at the line of scrimmage, but the accomplishments of the Small Diameter Bomb Program: the number of months, 19, from the system design and development contract award to the first production contract award; the number of months, 23, from

  • Airman killed in Iraq

    An improvised explosive device killed a female Airman during a convoy mission supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Airman 1st Class Elizabeth Jacobson, 21, was providing convoy security Sept. 28 near Camp Bucca, Iraq, when the vehicle she was riding in was hit by an improvised explosive device. The

  • Air Force Climate Survey helps shape future force

    Airmen will have the power to shape the Air Force of the future through the 2005 Air Force Climate Survey that begins Oct. 1. “This survey will help us ensure we are taking care of our most important asset -- our people,” said Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Gen. T. Michael Moseley. “We have used

  • Air Force engineers get regional airport up, running

    Two Airmen with the 147th Civil Engineer Flight here provided critical support to the Southeast Texas Regional Airport by restoring power to the facility after it was disabled by Hurricane Rita.Senior Master Sgt. Michelle Milliard, the engineer flight noncommissioned officer in charge, along with

  • DOD implements image-based teller system at Community Banks overseas

    A new image-based teller system being implemented by the Community Bank operated by Bank of America is reducing check-processing time at overseas air bases. The new teller system employs the latest technology and incorporates features of the recent Check 21 Act.The new system, already in place in

  • Reservists reducing hurricane-born insects

    Hurricane Katrina did more than claim lives and destroy property. The deadliest storm in U.S. history flooded acres of land with standing water, providing a prime breeding ground for mosquitoes and filth flies.To counter a mass increase in mosquitoes in the Gulf Coast region, Air Force reservists

  • Captain one of 10 outstanding young Americans

    A captain with the 116th Air Control Wing here is one of the 10 Outstanding Young Americans for 2005 chosen by the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce.Capt. Paul Maykish received the award during the Jaycees’ 67th annual black-tie awards ceremony held at the Boston World Trade Center Sept. 17.The

  • Air Force chapel programs donate thousands

    In recent weeks, Air Force chapels raised thousands of dollars to provide comfort for those affected by Hurricane Katrina.Chapel communities contributed more than $376,000 for Hurricane Katrina survivors since the storm hit three weeks ago, according to the Air Force Chief of Chaplains Office

  • C-141 approaches historical conclusion as last flight nears

    Since its first flight Dec. 17, 1963, the C-141 Starlifter has enjoyed a prestigious history.The last chapter of that history will be written in October when the Air Force's last C-141 unit, the 445th Airlift Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, starts replacing its Starlifters with the