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  • Keeping mail flowing while deployed

    On a daily basis, the morale of people deployed to the 320th Air Expeditionary Wing weighs on the minds of the base postal flight, and they want nothing more than to deliver."We're big-time morale boosters," said Airman 1st Class Jonathan Morgan, an information manager by trade. "That's our main

  • Team erects B-2 shelters at deployed location

    Twenty members of the 49th Materiel Maintenance Squadron here spent more than 70 days at a deployed location working 12-hour shifts to erect portable shelters for B-2 Spirit bombers.The Air Force now has two transportable hangar systems that will allow the B-2 to deploy overseas. Moving the B-2s to

  • The paint is flying

    A member of the Turkish air force security forces squadron here surrenders after being hit with a paintball. U.S. and Turkish security forces team up once a quarter for paintball training to practice combat tactics, fire-control measures and cover and concealment procedures. (Photo by Staff Sgt.

  • Wings of Blue strike gold

    The U.S. Air Force Academy Wings of Blue parachute competition team won gold medals in each skydiving event and received 31 out of 44 total medals at the National Collegiate Parachute Championship in Eloy, Ariz., recently.The team competed in three events: style, accuracy and four-way. The style

  • Air Force begins smallpox vaccines

    The Air Force chief of staff has directed the immediate implementation of the smallpox vaccination program.In a Jan. 6 policy memorandum to major command commanders, Gen. John P. Jumper outlined details of the commanders' force protection program against the deadly biological warfare agent.The first

  • Air Force transforms, merges property operations

    The Air Force recently created a new agency to handle all of its real estate transactions.The Air Force Real Property Agency resulted from the merging of two agencies: the Air Force Base Conversion Agency and the Air Force Real Estate division. The move, said the director of the AFRPA, is expected

  • Officer assignments move beyond 'seven-day option'

    Following secretary of the Air Force guidance, Air Force Personnel Center officials reviewed and improved what was called the "seven-day option" policy for officer assignments.Those officers who would be eligible to separate or retire instead of taking an assignment will now get more than seven days

  • Congress funds more than $2 billion in construction projects

    Congress approved more than $2 billion to fund Air Force construction projects over the next year.The fiscal 2003 National Defense Authorization Act includes $1.3 billion in funding for Air Force military construction, including dormitories, fitness centers, force protection projects and operational

  • Air Force prepares for major deployment

    Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld directed the deployment of additional forces to support operations Enduring Freedom, Desert Spring and possible future contingencies Dec. 24.The additional active-duty forces in Air and Space Expeditionary Forces 7 and 8 as well as selected forces from AEFs 9

  • Total Force Band stars in parade

    The Air Force showed its true colors Jan. 1 here when members of the Total Force Band performed in the 114th Tournament of Roses Parade.The band, comprised of men and women from active-duty, Reserve and Guard components, marched for the second year in a row."Now more than ever, it's important to

  • Prototype saves fuel, money, environment

    It is economical, environmentally friendly, and definitely fuel-efficient. And so far, only the 149th Fighter Wing of the Texas Air National Guard is using it.It is the PH1000EL Self-Contained Fuel Transfer Unit, better known as the "fuel buggy." Members of the 149th Maintenance Squadron are using

  • Leaders stress winter safety

    With the winter season firmly in place and bitter weather gripping the nation, the service's senior leaders urge Air Force members to be safety-conscious."The mission, travel, weather and distractions caused by family separations all factor into increased risk," said Secretary of the Air Force Dr.

  • Now showing: Dec. 23 edition of Air Force Television News

    The Dec. 23 edition of Air Force Television News is the first of four special productions of the program to be seen in December, January and February. This first of the four is the annual "Year in Review" edition, and is dedicated to the men and women of the Air Force and the job they do both on

  • Board releases HH-60 incident report

    A less-than-optimum takeoff technique combined with an attempt to out climb a dust cloud with insufficient power caused the Aug. 12 crash of an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter, according to Air Force officials who investigated the incident.At the time of the crash, the helicopter was returning to its

  • Officials release F-16 accident report

    Air Force investigators determined there was not sufficient evidence to form an opinion as to the cause of the F-16C Fighting Falcon crash Sept. 9 during a night-training mission near Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.The aircraft was destroyed upon impact in a remote section of a cattle ranch about 60

  • Forces delivering wheelchairs to Afghanistan

    The first 50 of 1,000 donated wheelchairs bound for disabled people in Afghanistan were delivered to Ganci Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, as part of an ongoing humanitarian project.Baisal Limited, a wheelchair manufacturer in nearby Bishkek, assembled the wheelchairs and then delivered them to coalition

  • Air Force leaders send holiday message

    The following is a holiday message from Gen. John P. Jumper, Air Force chief of staff, and Dr. James. G. Roche, secretary of the Air Force:"In this season of thanksgiving and reverent celebration, we send our warmest wishes to our entire Air Force team of active, Guard, Reserve, civilian and retired

  • NORAD prepares for Santa tracking

    The North Pole and North American Aerospace Defense Command are once again teaming up to track Santa Claus's journey around the world Christmas Eve.Aaron Carter is serving as the official "Santa Tracker" for this year's event. He visited NORAD's headquarters at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station,

  • AF realigns 13k military, civilian positions

    The Air Force will realign more than 13,000 active-duty and civilian manpower authorizations now through the end of the decade to better support the service's highest-priority mission requirements, personnel officials said Dec. 19."This restructuring of manpower positions isn't an attempt to reduce

  • T-37s collide in midair

    Two T-37 Tweet trainer aircraft assigned to the 89th Flying Training Squadron here collided in midair about 9:20 a.m. Dec. 20.The incident took place during a training mission near Lake Waurika, located about 40 miles northeast of Wichita Falls, Texas.Each aircraft had an instructor pilot and a

  • Elmendorf, Yokota teams secure pummeled base

    Despite the devastation of Typhoon Pongsona, which pummeled the island of Guam Dec. 8, force protection remained a priority here as base officials called for help.Answering that call were teams of security forces members from Yokota Air Base, Japan, and Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska."We heard

  • Enlisted members hit the books at AFIT

    The secretary of the Air Force's initiative to mold a technically educated force is paying off for the eight senior noncommissioned officers selected to pursue master's degrees at the Air Force's premier graduate school.The enrollment of enlisted members into the Air Force Institute of Technology,

  • Officials release F-15 mishap report

    According to an accident investigation board report released by Air Combat Command Dec. 19, there were two main factors that caused an F-15 Eagle mishap at Eglin AFB, Fla., Sept. 3. The pilot incorrectly executed his landing sequence, and he landed 60 feet short of the runway striking a trench

  • Watch for signs of holiday blues

    Television portrays the holidays as a time filled with love and sharing. But the holidays aren't picture-perfect for everyone.People all over the world seem to go through holiday depression, now known as the holiday blues, said Capt. Pamela Novy, commander of the 5th Medical Group's behavioral

  • Special forces join combined planning operation

    Members of the 353rd Special Operations Group, Kadena Air Base, Japan, joined with members of South Korea's Special Warfare Command here recently to plan the critical first few days of a potential conflict on the Korean Peninsula.For two weeks, planners, flight crews and intelligence experts

  • Firefighters to do battle on ESPN 2

    Firefighting may not be a sport, but it certainly requires athleticism. Add the element of competition and it becomes "the fastest two minutes in sports," also known as the Firefighter Combat Challenge World Championships.Nine Air Force teams participated in the challenge, which was taped by ESPN

  • Centennial of Flight kicks off year of festivities

    A yearlong recognition of aviation began here Dec. 17 with the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission's national kickoff.Among those in attendance were a retired member of the Tuskegee Airmen and a former Air Force pilot who flew with the Flying Tigers during World War II.Wilbur and Orville Wright

  • Deployed airmen get connected

    To help deployed Air Force people stay in touch with their families, family support center workers here recently mailed off more than 40,000 AT&T Corp. phone calling cards as part of an annual Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation program.The 60-minute calling cards have also been sent to military

  • Officials release F-15E mishap report

    Engine valve failure and the use of an incorrect instrument during a maintenance inspection were the primary causes of an F-15E Strike Eagle mishap at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., July 3, according to a report released by Air Combat Command Dec. 17.The F-15E was on a weapons test mission carrying two

  • Air Force supports relief mission in Guam

    Air Force C-5 Galaxy aircrews have flown more than 58 missions to deliver 1,200 tons of Federal Emergency Management Agency equipment and supplies to Guam after Typhoon Pongsona hit the island on Dec. 8.The aircraft also ferried more than 45 people, mostly family members, from Andersen Air Force

  • New TRICARE mail order pharmacy to open March 1

    More than 400,000 military pharmacy mail order customers will be switched March 1 to a new TRICARE mail order pharmacy program, according to Army Col. William D. Davies of the TRICARE Management Activity.Services will continue under the National Mail Order Pharmacy contract until Feb. 28, he said.

  • A rad reading

    Senior Airman Pamela Wiggins from the 810th Medical Operations Squadron here tests a 21st Security Forces Squadron member for radiation contamination during a weapons-of-mass-destruction exercise Dec. 11. The 21st Space Wing inspector general and a team of experts from Texas A&M University put the

  • Kadena F-15 accident information released

    Air Force investigators have determined a pilot's loss of situational awareness, spatial disorientation and faulty flight control inputs led to the Aug. 21 crash of an F-15C Eagle into the ocean south of Kadena Air Base, Japan.The pilot, 1st Lt. Chris Northam, ejected safely from the aircraft with

  • Forces rotate for Operation Northern Watch

    More than 1,000 airmen are replacing Operation Northern Watch veterans as the Air and Space Expeditionary Force system performs its regular three-month rotation from late November through the first part of December.Based at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, the new airmen join Turkish and British coalition

  • Combat weather teams key in mission planning

    When reporters describe the successes of the air war on terrorism, they frequently speak of special operations forces using global positioning system receivers and radios to direct laser-guided bombs to their targets.These stories are accurate and make for good video, but they only touch the surface

  • Maintainers brave elements to keep tankers flying

    Teeth chatter, hands shake, even bones ache through cold-weather gloves.While almost all North Dakota wildlife is in hiding, and most people here are sheltered indoors from the sub-zero temperatures and brutal 40 mph winds, 319th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron workers are fighting the elements while

  • Air Force, FAA share data network

    A new $4.5 million data acquisition and transmission network implemented by the Air Force Flight Test Center here and the Federal Aviation Administration is up and running. The new network will improve test efficiency and accelerate the ability to get information to the warfighter.The East Data

  • Keeping C-130 Hercules strong, mission ready

    The 320th Air Expeditionary Wing's motto is "Combat Airlift After Dark." Pilots and crews complete this mission with a fleet of aging C-130 Hercules, night out and night in.But, just like a winning driver in auto racing, pilots cannot get to the finish line without the maintainers providing the

  • Guard, Reserve play vital roles in desert mission

    Guard and Reserve troops at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, are a vital part of the total force supporting the Operation Southern Watch mission of enforcing U.N. sanctions on Iraq and monitoring the southern no-fly zone.Not only are Air Reserve Component forces providing essential experience,

  • F-16s restored after years in storage

    Pilots here will be flying training, photo-chase and test-support missions, and instructing pilots using brand new old F-16s Fighting Falcons -- four of them resurrected and regenerated from more than a decade of storage.The aircraft were originally part of a deal U.S. officials brokered with the

  • Airmen apprehended for drug use

    Nine airmen here were apprehended early Dec. 8 for illegal drug use as part of the Air Force's on-going zero-tolerance drug program.The airmen, from the 354th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the 354th Maintenance Squadron, were identified as possible drug users through investigations conducted by

  • Sergeant survives heart attack

    Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Dotson can tell you good timing counts to a person suffering a heart attack; he knows because he had one.In early November, Dotson, 39, recalls joining his unit for early morning physical training at the base fitness center here."I just finished warming up and had completed about

  • Extreme cold hitting deployed airmen

    The weather is extreme at Ganci Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, just 120 miles east of the Chinese border. It is early December and snow and ice consume the landscape, and people face four-degree temperatures outside. For those airmen without the gear to keep warm, it is time to head to supply."We're trying

  • Team heats things up while deployed

    They work around the clock, seven days a week, in subzero temperatures, with hundreds of people's lives in their hands. Members of the 376th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron heating, ventilation and air conditioning team at Ganci Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, will call this life for at least the next

  • Team delivers initial report on F/A-22 cost increases

    The team of technical and financial experts sent by the Air Force to investigate a potential cost overrun in the engineering, manufacturing and development phase of the F/A-22 Raptor program recently completed its initial report. The team estimated that the cost increase would be between $700

  • Group rescues man at sea

    A medical emergency at sea turned into a dramatic humanitarian mission for the 920th Rescue Group here Dec. 8. The emergency also provided the unit its first chance to use a new satellite-based tracking and communications system during a rescue.Crews from Air Force Reserve Command's 920th RQG was

  • Science 'SEEPs' into schools

    Scientists and engineers here are on a mission to ensure there are enough scientists and engineers in the pipeline to fill hundreds of anticipated vacancies at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center in the next seven to 10 years.To accomplish this, employees got together to form the Science and

  • Officials release Global Hawk accident report

    Air Force investigators have determined mechanical failure caused an Air Force RQ-4A Global Hawk aircraft to crash July 10 during a surveillance mission supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.The Global Hawk, an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, was destroyed upon impact in an unpopulated area in the

  • Thrift Savings Plan open season ends Dec. 31

    Civilian and military employees still have time to sign up for or change Thrift Savings Plan accounts during the current open season."With the holiday season rapidly approaching, we want to remind everyone that open season dates have changed, and this year ends earlier than in past years." said

  • Officials issue terrorist threat warning

    The U.S. State Department Dec. 5 warned Americans of a possible terrorist threat in Turkey."The U.S. government has received unconfirmed and fragmentary information that suggests unknown terrorists may be planning to conduct a terrorist incident in southeast Turkey against official U.S. government

  • Students take giant steps using new technology

    Airman David Golas is a lot more confident working with the KC-10 Extender aircraft because he has observed, close up, the systems that make the aircraft work.With the education he received here at the 373rd Training Squadron's Detachment 1, he can trace electronic circuits, track fuel flow and

  • ACC conducts flight leadership focus day

    To focus on the importance of flight leadership, Air Combat Command aircraft will not be flying Dec. 6.With increases in operations tempo and aircraft mishaps, Gen. Hal M. Hornburg, ACC commander, directed a flight leadership focus day.Commanders across ACC will conduct mandatory training focusing

  • Doctrine outreach improves airmen performance

    In an ongoing effort to increase awareness and understanding of doctrine, the Air Force Doctrine Center here has taken on a more missionary type of role. If feedback and firsthand reports from the field are an indication, it appears AFDC's efforts to share the doctrine "gospel" have had an

  • Airman shares Afghanistan experience

    Staff Sgt. Matt never expected to live in a mud hut in the middle of Afghanistan, but that is exactly what he did for nearly 140 daysMatt is a terminal attack controller with the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron at Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii. When he deployed to Afghanistan in support of

  • Air Force accepts invitation to San Francisco Bowl

    The Air Force Academy accepted on Dec. 2 a bid to play in the inaugural Diamond Walnut San Francisco Bowl."I'm thrilled to announce that the first team to ever be selected to play in a bowl game in San Francisco is the Air Force Academy," said Gary Cavalli, San Francisco Bowl executive director.

  • Baked Alaska

    Karen Hanaway prepares to bake holiday cookies for dormitory residents here. Dozens of volunteers from several base organizations and school-age children are baking the goods as part of the annual Elmendorf Holiday Cookie Caper. About 900 dozen cookies are expected to be delivered to dorm dwellers

  • Buddy system, the Falcon way

    Two F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft take off here Dec. 3 for a training mission. Many base airmen and aircraft recently returned from a 90-day deployment supporting Operation Southern Watch and a two-month deployment to Decimomannu Air Base, Sardinia, while Aviano's runway was renovated. (Photo by

  • A clean delivery

    Senior Airman Nathan Setser, a fuels operator at a forward-deployed location, checks the purity and odor of a liquid oxygen sample to ensure it is operational. Setser is assigned to the 321st Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron's fuels management flight. The flight's mission is to provide

  • Afghanistan base holds 'Minefield Marathon'

    In a land accustomed to war, it was only fitting that a mine detonating sounded the start of a marathon at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, on Nov. 29.Servicemembers from Poland, Germany, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Slovakia and the United States competed in the race.With Humvees on either side of

  • Jumper emphasizes total force development during visit

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper met recently with airmen here who support operations Northern Watch and Enduring Freedom.The stop was one of many Jumper and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald Murray are making to observe overseas operations and visit troops during the holiday

  • Civil engineers keep Bagram's airfield in shape

    Before the runway gets potholes large enough to swallow an airplane, the members of the 455th Expeditionary Civil Engineering Element ensure the pilots have a smooth ride when they land.The CE element, a Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force made up of nearly 20 people from four different CE units

  • Guarding the skies

    A coalition forces E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft flies a mission over Afghanistan recently in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Jerry Morrison)

  • Troops celebrate Thanksgiving in Afghanistan

    While millions of Americans gathered around tables Thanksgiving day for a traditional holiday feast, so too did the thousands of servicemembers supporting Operation Enduring Freedom at military bases across Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.But instead of finding family and friends seated at the table, the

  • WW II veteran receives Distinguished Flying Cross

    On Jan. 11, 1944, a young first lieutenant helped land a battle-damaged B-17 Flying Fortress on a small rural airfield near Cambridge, England.Almost 60 years later, Francis Hoad, 80, was recognized for his heroic efforts during a ceremony here Nov. 22 when U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe and U.S.

  • U.K. pet quarantine no longer required

    Starting Dec. 11, military members bringing dogs and cats to the United Kingdom will no longer have to place their animals in a six-month quarantine period upon entering the country if they meet certain criteria.The Pet Travel Scheme, or PETS, is a new system created to help those who are moving to

  • Vandenberg launches Scuds on data-seeking mission

    The Missile Defense Agency launched two Scud missiles from here to learn more about the infamous Persian Gulf killer.The agency is collecting data as part of a three-year research program to aid in the development of missile defense technologies designed to intercept and destroy Scuds and Scud-type

  • Crews prove mettle as mother gives birth at home

    As the Anaheim Angels and San Francisco Giants battled during the third game of the World Series recently, an Eglin couple brought their own little angel into the world -- in the hallway of their on-base home.While Staff Sgt. Jim and Crystal Taylor were watching the game, Riley Dale, 8 pounds, 6

  • Falcons fall 38-34 in final seconds

    The Air Force Academy Falcons came three yards and two kicks short of winning their final regular season game Nov. 23 against San Diego State University.Wind gusts of 11 to 18 mph played havoc with the kicking game, sending punts astray and contributing to a missed extra point and field goal. The

  • Rescue coordination center answers calls for help

    A private aircraft crashes and the pilot is injured. Unable to call for help, the pilot is still found and rescued. The rescue may be largely credited to members of the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center here.The AFRCC belongs to Air Combat Command's Air Operations Squadron."(The mission) is to

  • Typical day for 517th anything but ordinary

    It was another typical day for aircrew members of the 517th Airlift Squadron. But a typical day for a 517th "Firebird" is anything but ordinary.The day started in darkness as the aircrew entered their double doors. Patches of light on the flightline ramp surrounded the shadowy figures of parked

  • Keeping the 'Hercs' humming

    Airman 1st Class Lyle Sentman from the 374th Maintenance Squadron engine regional repair center, runs up a pair of C-130 Hercules engines during an operational check here. Sentman is looking for air, fuel and oil leaks during the inspection. The repair center handles all C-130 cargo aircraft

  • Public Health keeps airmen out of 'Danger Zone'

    Each week, Tech. Sgt. Marlon Muthuveeran puts the food service operation at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing dining facility through a rigorous series of tests. He evaluates down to the minutest detail, everything from food storage temperatures to the concentration of the cleaning solution used to

  • Delta IV roars to successful first launch

    America's newest space launch vehicle got off to a rip-roaring start Nov. 20 with a lift-off that lit up the skies over Central Florida and beyond.The Delta IV blasted off at the top of the launch window at 5:39 p.m. EST. Approximately 37 minutes later, the satellite separated from the rocket and

  • Americans participate in Keen Sword 03 exercise

    U.S. Air Force, Japanese air self-defense force and maritime defense force helicopters rescued several downed airmen Nov. 14 as part of joint exercise Keen Sword 03. The 33rd Rescue Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan, deployed two HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters along with 39 airmen to participate in

  • One man's ordeal brings focus to mission

    An Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker crew evacuated a merchant mariner to a forward-deployed location for surgery after his leg was amputated in an accident while his ship was leaving port in the Arabian Gulf.George Benson, 2nd mate on the USN Watson, was transported to the port city's hospital after a

  • Fairchild team supporting Southern Watch

    Senior Airman Brian Long signals Staff Sgt. Brian Porzuchowski in the tug as he prepares to connect the tow bar for the KC-135 Stratotanker to the hitch. Both airmen are deployed from Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., and currently assigned to the 363rd Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron. The

  • Air Force program provides care for mildly ill children

    The Air Force has begun a six-month test of a new program to provide child care for mildly ill children who are unable to remain in regular, on-base facilities.The Mildly Ill Childcare Program is designed to reduce parents' overall costs for child care and the time they must be away from their jobs

  • Falcons' winning ways are back

    The Air Force is back to its winning ways.After losing three straight games following a 6-0 start to the season, the Air Force Academy Falcons convincingly pushed their current win streak to two games with a 49-32 win over the Rebels of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas on Nov. 16. "I'm proud of

  • Reserve commander praises troops, mission

    Awareness of, and appreciation for, the sacrifices of airmen and their civilian employers are the keys to success for the Air Force Reserve, its senior leader said."The point is to understand what they're doing for their country and the sacrifices they have to make in their personal lives and with

  • 17 receive high honors for heroism

    Seventeen members of the 66th and 58th Rescue Squadrons here were honored recently for their heroic actions and bravery in aerial flight while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.The Distinguished Flying Cross, one of the military's highest combat decorations, was awarded to: Maj. John Galik;

  • Air Force captures soccer gold medal

    The Air Force soccer team won close games over the Army team and the Marines to secure first place in the recent Armed Forces Services Soccer Championship."It (was) a long tournament," said Air Force head coach Orville Reid. "We had to play tough all six games to win."The Nov. 8 match-up against

  • Air Force's top chief discusses issues

    The most important thing any airman can do is "recognize that what you do is valuable to our nation's very existence and what we stand for," said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald Murray during his visit here Nov. 8."When I speak to young airmen, I let them know that their service is

  • Lessons of war drive Air Force doctrine

    The Air Force uses the lessons "learned from the blood, sweat, tears, and sometimes death of Americans in the skies" to prepare its doctrine, said Maj. Gen. Dave MacGhee, commander of the Air Force Doctrine Center at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.MacGhee visited here recently to discuss what Air Force

  • Incident underscores need for space access

    The Air Force's senior space official said a rocket test failure has sounded a warning and underscores the need to apply the resources necessary for assure access to space.Peter B. Teets, undersecretary of the Air Force and director of the National Reconnaissance Office, told members of the National

  • Contracting specialists keep mission going

    Does money make the world go around? Maybe the people who spend the money make the world go around. Some of those spenders buy everything the 320th Air Expeditionary Wing uses to carry out its mission."We provide purchasing support for the base, other locations in country and six locations further

  • Air Force investigates potential F/A-22 cost overrun

    Air Force officials announced Nov. 7 a potential cost overrun of up to $690 million in the engineering, manufacturing and development phase of the F/A-22 program.The potential overrun appears to be related to achieving cost and schedule in the developmental phase of the program, officials said. It

  • Total force, total commitment, total special operators

    A small group of Air Force special operators huddle together in a makeshift tent, miles away from anywhere on a map, planning the intense details of a mission.All the "usual" mission planners are there -- aircrew, intel, weather, special tactics and communications. The team works through the

  • Keeping a Thunderbolt thundering

    A crew chief inspects one of the two engines on an A-10 Thunderbolt II that has just returned from a close air support mission over Afghanistan. The A-10 is part of the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Jerry Morrison)

  • Keen eye leads to safety of 1,200 F-16s

    An astute observation by a noncommissioned officer here has resulted in widespread changes to maintenance requirements affecting more than 1,200 F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft.While performing inspections on an F-16, Tech. Sgt. Jason Anderson, a 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron nondestructive

  • NASA develops new tool to improve accident investigations

    Scientists and engineers investigating accidents are working much more effectively and efficiently, thanks to a new software tool developed by NASA called the InvestigationOrganizer.Developed at NASA Ames Research Center here, InvestigationOrganizer is a Web-based tool that provides information

  • Alaskan civil engineers build super structure

    A team from the 611th Civil Engineer Squadron here deployed recently to the Indian Mountain Long Range Radar Station to construct a 2,500 square foot Super K-Span storage facility.Indian Mountain is one of 18 remote Alaskan radar sites and is located several hundred miles west and slightly north of

  • Civilian health benefits program open season starting soon

    Air Force civilian employees will have the opportunity to review and update their health care plan during the Federal Employees Health Benefits program open season Nov. 11 to Dec. 9.Program changes could affect more than 7,000 employees since 11 health plan carriers are dropping out of the FEHB and

  • Catching a ride

    A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter is loaded onto a C-17 Globemaster III here Oct. 31 by U.S. Army 236th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) soldiers from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany. The soldiers are deploying to Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, in support of Operation Joint Guardian, a NATO

  • November issue of Airman available online

    Airmen fighting terrorism, a family of 11 living in base housing, and airmen supporting space shuttle launches highlight the November issue of Airman magazine, now available in print and online.In this month's issue:A strong Japan means a stable Pacific region for the United States, and the Air

  • Falcons fall to CSU, 31-12

    Two drive-killing fumbles and a stingy Colorado State University defense handed the Air Force Academy its third loss of the football season Oct. 31.This is the third consecutive loss for the Falcons, who started the season with six consecutive and decisive wins before losing to Notre Dame, Wyoming

  • Training to live

    Chief Master Sgt. Danny Corprew, wearing a chemical warfare ensemble, prepares a bed for simulated casualties during an exercise here. The training ensures hospital workers can sustain, survive and perform their mission in a conventional, nuclear, biological and chemical combat environment.

  • Air Force teams competing in firefighting championship

    About 56 Air Force firefighters from nine bases are here Oct. 29 to Nov. 2 for anything but a vacation. The firefighters are participating in the 11th annual Firefighter Combat Challenge world championship, billed as "the toughest two minutes in sports.""By the time they get to the finish line most

  • Beauty and the buff

    Senior Master Sgt. Mark Bernard polishes the C-135E Speckled Trout aircraft before it departs from here Oct. 25 on an executive airlift mission to the Pacific. The white-and-silver Speckled Trout is used primarily for avionics flight testing, but its secondary mission is transporting Air Force

  • Weather flight keeps 'em flying

    There may be rain today and heat tomorrow, or snow today and dusty winds tomorrow. These are some of the conditions the nine-member Air Force weather flight must contend with at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.Everyone needs to know what the weather is going to do, from the A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots

  • Montana wing heading home

    Capt. Jason Green, an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot from the Montana Air National Guard's 120th Fighter Wing in Great Falls, puts on his helmet before flying a mission supporting Operation Southern Watch. The wing leaves Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, this week after being deployed as part of