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  • B-1 debuts at South Dakota museum

    Ellsworth has been home to the B-1B Lancer for more than 18 years, and for the first time, visitors to the South Dakota Air and Space Museum can view the aircraft up close.The B-1 static display is the newest exhibit at the museum and was placed into its permanent position in front of the museum

  • Reserve Airmen test C-130J in Southwest Asia

    Faster, farther, higher, safer. Aircrews and maintainers from the Air Force Reserve Command’s 403rd Wing here are changing attitudes and proving the effectiveness of their bird the J-model C-130 Hercules.As the first unit to take delivery of the aircraft in 1999, Airmen in the wing’s 815th Airlift

  • Desert Hawk UAV patrols Tallil

    Not every unmanned aerial vehicle in the sky is a Predator.Airmen of the 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron here are using a miniature UAV called a “Desert Hawk” that provides an extra set of eyes in the sky, gathering information and identifying threats. The small, 7-pound remote

  • Air Logistics Centers add wings, squadrons

    As part of its ongoing goal to better support operational commands and warfighters in the field, Air Force Materiel Command officials will reorganize the command’s three air logistics centers over the coming weeks. The reorganization, which will incorporate a specialized mission wing structure

  • Special ops symposium looks at future of coalition warfare

    Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and CIA director Porter J. Goss are working to make sure President Bush has a full range of options for dealing with terror threats, a top DOD official said Feb. 4.This includes covert and clandestine operations, said Thomas W. O'Connell, assistant secretary of

  • Super Bowl commercial spotlights Airman

    A month ago, 1st Lt. Jeff McGowan would have laughed at the very idea that his face would be used to market thanks and gratitude on national television in front of 100 million viewers. But it is amazing what a few weeks and an opportunity of a lifetime can make.The engineer at the Space and Missile

  • Battlelabs help identify problems facing warfighters

    Airmen from seven Air Force battlelabs visited Air Force Special Operations Command headquarters here recently in an effort to identify the top 10 issues on the minds of warfighters.The battlelabs’ Warrior Outreach program provides an opportunity for battlelab staffs to meet face-to-face with the

  • Drone returns to Holloman

    Airmen from the 49th Logistics Readiness Squadron's air transportation flight returned a 1,000-pound piece of Air Force history to the base here Jan. 28.The piece of history, a Q-2 Firebee drone, had been loaned to the New Mexico Museum of Space History from the Air Force museum at Wright-Patterson

  • Stuck in the mud

    Airmen from the 506th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron here worked with their counterparts from the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing to remove a mail cargo plane that taxied off the Kirkuk taxiway and sank almost three feet into the mud. The plane was stuck between two taxiways for almost four

  • Contracting officer experiences frontline action in Iraq

    First Lt. Ed Ruckwardt was in his office, wrapping up some contracts he had worked on the previous few days.It was typical of the lieutenant's duties. There was nothing extravagant or special about the contracts. He was doing his job.The quietness of the day was interrupted by a loud explosion

  • Re-enlistment marks milestone for accident victim

    It was a red-letter day for Tech. Sgt. Hector Barrios when he re-enlisted in the Air Force recently.While a re-enlistment itself is not an unusual event, getting there was for the 96th Security Forces Squadron dog handler.On July 15, 2003, Sergeant Barrios was deployed supporting Operation Iraqi

  • Tops in Blue seeks musicians

    There are lots of words that spring to mind when you think of Tops in Blue, the Air Force’s premier entertainment group, said Jeri White, Tops in Blue production coordinator at Air Force Services Agency here.“You think of ‘high energy,’ ‘world renown,’ even ‘expeditionary,’” she said. “You think of

  • History project looking for basic-training photos

    It is not often when someone has a chance to peer into the past, present and future at the same time. Fortunately, the vision of an Air Force historian has done just that with the creation of an online repository of Air Force basic training flight graduation photos.Tech. Sgt. Tracy English, a 37th

  • Cope Tiger roars over Thailand

    The sky here has been alive with the sounds of military aircraft from Thailand, Singapore and the United States supporting exercise Cope Tiger 05.“Every year there are challenges that you deal with,” said Col. George Daniels, exercise director from Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. “The exercise players

  • Policy change may affect promotion board release dates

    A recent policy change may result in officers waiting an additional two to six months for promotion board results.The policy will not, however, affect actual promotion pin-on dates.The Senate Armed Services Committee previously confirmed promotion lists within three months of the board, regardless

  • DOD seeks people with language skills, regional expertise

    If you speak a foreign language or have the desire and aptitude to learn one, Uncle Sam wants you.Defense Department officials are looking for people with language skills to support not only current operations, but future ones as well, said Gail McGinn, deputy undersecretary of defense for plans.And

  • Flu shots mandatory where available

    Flu shots are mandatory for all active-duty, Reserve and Guard Airmen, where the supply is available, Air Force medical officials said.Because of low supplies, flu shots were previously limited to deployed Airmen, those preparing for deployment and others identified as "at risk." As supplies have

  • Teets to build on core competencies

    Peter B. Teets will focus on core competencies to take the Air Force through a transitional period that includes the fiscal 2006 budget process and the quadrennial defense review.Mr. Teets has served as undersecretary of the Air Force since 2001 and became the acting secretary of the Air Force

  • AAFES has been in every major conflict since World War I

    With the birthday cake in place and candles lit, Regina Koenig and a few other Army and Air Force Exchange Service employees sang “Happy Birthday” to a 21-year-old colleague at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.Halfway through the song, a 127 mm rocket exploded on the other side of the main store. As the

  • F/A-22 on track to go operational

    The F/A-22 Raptor, the Air Force’s next-generation air superiority fighter, performed well in recently completed operational testing and is on track to go operational in December, the director of the program’s combined test force said.Speaking prior to a lecture he delivered at the National Museum

  • General Moseley testifies for raising death benefit

    The Senate Armed Services Committee heard testimony Feb. 1 from senior service leaders about a proposed boost in payments to survivors of military people killed in combat.Vice Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley testified on behalf of the Air Force.Under the Pentagon's plan released Jan. 31, a

  • Super Bowl goes super blue

    An Air Force F/A-22 Raptor will be a highlight during pre-game festivities at Super Bowl XXXIX where the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles face each other Feb. 6.The other military services will also take part, but Airmen will play a leading role in one of the nation's premier sport

  • F/A-22 passes initial operational test, evaluation

    The results of a recently released Air Force study bode well for the future of the F/A-22 Raptor, officials said.The Raptor demonstrated “overwhelmingly effective” warfighting capability according to the initial operational test and evaluation report released by Air Force Operational Test and

  • Airmen train firefighters to saw through aircraft parts

    A call for assistance rang out from the fire department here recently, but it was not to battle a raging fire.Firefighters asked 653rd Combat Logistics Support Squadron Airmen for some hands-on training on a K-12 cut-saw, a piece of equipment both agencies use in their lines of work.The training

  • Joint STARS duo reaches troops on the ground

    One is active duty straight out of technical training; the other served on active duty and is now in the Air National Guard. One is male, the other is female.Yet despite their differences on the surface, Tech. Sgt. Thomas Bloomberg and Airman 1st Class Emily Leece, could not be any closer.“We

  • Murray launches inaugural edition of Airman handbook

    If Airman Basic Rachel Redel ever forgets who presented her with one of the first two copies of Airman, Air Force Handbook 1, she can find the answer under “Chief Master Sergeants of the Air Force," on Page 15, "Gerald R. Murray.”If the 23-year-old basic trainee is curious about what her

  • Jumper presents Purple Hearts to Baghdad bombing victims

    Two Air Force Office of Special Investigations agents were presented Purple Hearts on Jan. 31 in a ceremony at the Brooke Army Medical Center at nearby Fort Sam Houston.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper presented the medals to Special Agents Therese Frentz and Todd King, who are still

  • Operation Deep Freeze sees end of C-141 Starlifter era

    The gateway to the highest, driest and coldest continent on earth remains wide open and actively engaged by Airmen deployed supporting Operation Deep Freeze.Since late August, Air Force LC-130 Hercules equipped with skis have flown more than 330 sorties supporting the U.S. Antarctic Program which

  • Air Force works to meet QDR challenges

    Air Force strategic capabilities are already working to meet the challenges outlined in the Quadrennial Defense Review, officials said.Every four years Department of Defense officials conduct a thorough review, as requested by Congress, to ensure that each service has the right mix of people,

  • Fighting Falcons tackle 'DEAD' mission

    The CJ model of the F-16 Fighting Falcon offers cutting-edge war-time fighting capabilities. Three new upgrades have helped the aircraft here transform from suppressing enemy air defenses to destroying enemy air defenses.“With the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System, the targeting pod and the Link

  • Airman returns home to Thailand

    Military exercises like Cope Tiger 2005 -- involving the United States, Thailand and Singapore -- serve to highlight close relationships between countries, but for some servicemembers involved, the link hits even closer to home.Tech. Sgt. Siamrad Maher, a public health technician and translator is

  • Airman’s love of competition fuels rehabilitation

    Competition more often than not brings out the best in people. Simply put, all parties involved must raise their effort levels to a point where they outperform the opposition; otherwise, they will fail.The only difference for Senior Airman Brian Fenton, a 28th Operations Support Squadron air

  • C-model A-10 takes first flight

    The newly designated C-model A-10 Thunderbolt II, modified with precision engagement technology, was flown for the first time here recently by a 40th Flight Test Squadron pilot. Precision-engagement technology allows the Air Force’s premier close-air support aircraft to also use smart weapons such

  • Officials launch 'Healthy Choices for Life' program

    Defense Department officials are launching a new preventive health-care program called "Healthy Choices for Life," the department's senior medical adviser said here Jan. 26.The purpose of the Tricare-managed program is "to put information in the hands of individual servicemembers and family members

  • Practice makes perfect for flamenco-dancing Airman

    When an Airman here leaves work, she does not go home and sit in front of the television. She gets her second wind and dashes off to flamenco dance classes.After a full day as an administrative Airman for the 66th Mission Support Squadron, Airman 1st Class Jackqueline Raastad heads to a dance

  • Staying in the Reserve after separation can pay off

    Should I stay or should I go? For those in uniform, it is a question they face each time they come to the end of their enlistment. To many, deciding to stay on active duty or switch to the civilian sector seems to be their only options. Air Force Reserve officials beg to differ.Tech. Sgt. Michael

  • Officials redesign recruiting Web site

    Finding information on the Air Force’s official recruiting Web site is easier since Air Force Recruiting Service officials recently redesigned the site.The site also features a new “See What It’s Like” section in which visitors can see what active-duty Airmen do on and off duty.The Web site,

  • Airmen help bring donations to Uzbek orphanages

    Airmen, Soldiers and civilians supporting Operation Enduring Freedom from here brought donated toys, clothing, shoes, food and a variety of other products to local Uzbek orphanages Jan 17 and 22. The Jan. 17 visit went to a baby orphanage in Qitab, and the Jan. 22 visit was to an orphanage in

  • Officials reschedule OTS boards

    Because of fiscal 2005 Air Force force-shaping efforts, the nonrated (both non-technical and technical) portions of the March 28 and May 10 Officer Training School selection boards will now meet in August, Air Force Recruiting Service officials announced Jan. 27.The rated panels for these boards

  • EOD Airmen destroy explosives

    Heat, shock and friction were key ingredients in the controlled detonation of more than 1,000 pounds of explosives Jan. 23.The 455th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron’s explosive ordnance disposal Airmen spent close to six hours, three miles off base, preparing for a less-than-one-second blast,

  • Wolfowitz salutes military health-care providers

    Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz praised the worldwide efforts of military doctors, nurses, medics and other care providers Jan. 26, saying they are "maintaining the health and the effectiveness of America's defenders."President Bush, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and the entire

  • Air Force gets new lab for testing airborne networking

    The Air Force Communications Agency here has received its first aircraft since its flying mission ended in 1987-- at least most of an aircraft. A DC-9 fuselage, minus wings and tail, arrived on a truck Jan. 25 to be permanently parked behind the agency’s technology and interoperability facility.

  • Air Force box-offs showcase lean, mean card

    The 2005 U.S. Air Force Boxing Championship, known as the box-offs, was on the ropes before the first punch was thrown here Jan. 22.Global operations reduced this year’s boxing trial camp to just 10 available fighters, down two-thirds from 2004. Seven bouts were on the card, which was unofficially

  • Airmen passing relief operation to UN-led team

    The more than 850 deployed Airmen from bases around Pacific Air Forces are preparing to head home. PACAF aircrews, maintainers and mission support Airmen have been here supporting Operation Unified Assistance, the humanitarian effort delivering relief supplies to several countries in Southeast Asia

  • Reservists switch to paperless LES

    Jan. 1 was the deadline for Air Force reservists to start using myPay, the Web-based method for managing pay.Airmen who did not sign up may find it difficult to know how much they are getting paid. The Feb. 1 leave and earning statement is the last paper copy they will receive through the mail.

  • Chu urges renewed focus to reduce preventable accidents

    The Defense Department wants servicemembers and civilians to concentrate on safety whether they are on or off duty, the department's top personnel official said Jan. 24.Each year scores of Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and Coast Guardsmen, as well as DOD civilians, are killed or injured by

  • Professional wrestlers thank Dyess Airmen for service

    When Airman 1st Class Fred Stewart was deployed to Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, the services troop improved the morale at the base by asking World Wrestling Entertainment for anything they might like to send to support the troops.“I’ve always been a die-hard wrestling fan,” Airman Stewart said. “A

  • Airmen provide Rhein-Main blanket of security

    For the last decade, the end has always seemed near for this historic air base. Now, the scheduled handover to Germany is officially within 12 months. As the closure nears, officials said the base is probably more important than it has ever been. Airmen and aircraft here are sustaining a heavy

  • Cadets to sing at Super Bowl XXXIX

    Air Force Academy cadets will join fellow service academy cadets to sing the national anthem to kick off Super Bowl XXXIX.The 25-voice Cadet Chorale will join with cadets from the U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club, West Point Choir and U.S. Coast Guard Academy Choir to perform in Jacksonville, Fla., on

  • Hawaii Air Guard participates in Cope Tiger

    Eight F-15 Eagles and 70 Airmen from the Hawaii Air National Guard's 199th Fighter Squadron deployed here Jan. 24 for Cope Tiger 2005. They were here to practice their flying-training skills with Thai and Singaporean airmen, and U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force air and ground support crews.This is the

  • Officials announce selections to major

    Air Force officials selected 117 judge advocate general and medical service corps captains for promotion to major.Officials said 139 officers were considered.Because of different competitive categories, officials' project promotion results are to be released for line officers in about May and for

  • Falcon men place second, women fourth, at invitational

    Olivia Korte crushed her week-old academy weight throw record as the Air Force Academy track and field team finished up competition at the annual Air Force Invitational here Jan. 22. The men claimed second in the 10-team matchup with 94.50 points, while the women placed fourth of 12 teams with a

  • Officials release updated transformation flight plan

    Air Staff officials recently updated the U.S. Air Force Transformation Flight Plan, which spells out the transformation strategy of the Air Force. According to the secretary of defense's transformation planning guidance, officials in the office of force transformation use the flight plan and the

  • Air Force Assistance Fund campaign kicks off Feb. 14

    The Air Force Assistance Fund "Commitment to Caring" campaign runs Feb. 14 to May 6. Program officials invite Airmen to contribute to any of the Air Force’s four official charitable organizations.The charities benefit active-duty, Reserve, Guard, retired servicemembers, surviving spouses and

  • Airmen keep cargo, people moving

    Since Jan. 1, tanker airlift control element Airmen here have been making sure that what comes into the Royal Thai navy airfield gets out.The element in Utapao is composed of Airmen from the 615th Air Mobility Squadron out of Travis Air Force Base, Calif. In one of two buildings they use here, the

  • Deployed fuels technicians keep OEF airlift rolling

    On a busy morning here, fuels technicians in the 416th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron fuels management flight could have between three and five fuel trucks on the airfield topping off a C-130 Hercules or a C-17 Globemaster III.It does not really matter where the planes are going; all that

  • National Nurse Anesthetist Week kicks off Jan. 23

    Whether administering epidurals for women in labor, giving patients minor sedation in the emergency room, or watching over their patients in the operating room, certified registered nurse anesthetists have been working with surgeons, dentists and podiatrists for nearly 150 years to deliver safe

  • Airmen test new security forces vehicle

    Airmen with the 91st Security Forces Group here are testing a new armored personnel vehicle which may someday replace the ones Minot cops currently use in the missile field.The Lenco Bearcat vehicle has a V-8, diesel turbo engine combined with armored plating, said Tech. Sgt. Kevin McDonald, 91st

  • Bill payment arrives in deployed Airman’s package

    The Elvis Presley song goes, “Return to Sender.” The song came true for a Lott, Texas, woman who attempted to pay a bill which was accidentally delivered to a forward-deployed location here. Like millions of Americans, Mary Morris sent a bill payment via the U.S. Postal Service. Apparently, her

  • Airmen honor president during inaugural parade

    Thousands of people lined Pennsylvania Avenue on Jan. 20, waiting for the passing of the presidential motorcade during the inaugural parade.Two things were immediately apparent to people attending the event. The first was the overwhelming amount of security, and second was the large contingent of

  • Miracle baby joins McGuire family

    A family here witnessed a miracle recently when their baby was born 16 weeks early.Mayra Morales, the wife of Staff Sgt. Freddie Morales Fernandez, gave birth to Ariam Marie Morales at a hospital in nearby Camden.Sergeant Morales Fernandez, a 305th Civil Engineer Squadron electrical systems

  • Edwards Airmen save man from inferno

    Two Airmen, neighbors in a mobile home park near here, sprang out of their homes and saw a mass of wood and plaster being engulfed in flames.The Airmen had settled down from a long day of unpacking and work, respectively."That was my first night in the trailer," said Tech. Sgt. Jerry Rocovits, a

  • Some gifts cannot be wrapped

    An Air Force Space Command headquarters Airman helped save his brother-in-law’s life here.Maj. Dave Holz, a plans and programs officer, gave a Christmas present that did not need wrapping. Rich Borsuk, Major Holz’s brother-in-law, was diagnosed with type-one diabetes 25 years ago as a 6-year-old

  • Airman’s hobby goes to the dogs

    The barking is deafening, but there is no perpetrator lurking around the property or a violent storm on the way. There is only a woman approaching the dog pen with a fistful of harnesses. The dogs know one thing, they are going to run. Senior Airman Mary Lunde, with the 5th Munitions Squadron, is a

  • The human element of a humanitarian mission

    A.P. Tudor Jayasekera and his wife of 20 years, K. Rupawathi, stand in the ruins of what was once their home. All that remains are bricks, cement pieces and six pieces of wood from their roof, but they said they feel lucky.They were out of their home when a 20-foot tsunami crashed into their

  • Different views of same humanitarian effort

    Maj. Mark Ledbetter briefs his aircrew about the day’s mission and walks with them to their HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter. It is a simple mission, but the enormity of the situation still affects the entire aircrew. Their task it to help feed and supply more than a million people left homeless after

  • Lackland medics support OIF evacuation mission

    The medical mission in Iraq is complex, made up of a variety of Air Force and Army units that provide care for servicemembers and Defense Department civilians and contractors who need help with various ailments -- ranging from minor scorpion stings to serious combat injuries. But patients who need

  • Boom operators provide fuel for warfighters

    Some Airmen spend their work days in office cubicles, but a select group of enlisted fliers work in an “office” 25,000 feet in the air while traveling 500 mph.Boom operators from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, do not push papers; instead, they push fuel to combat aircraft engaged in

  • Scams target tsunami donors

    The tsunamis that hit South Asia are being hailed as the worst natural disaster in this century. With death tolls topping 200,000 and countless people injured, our brethren in Asia are in need of relief -- shelter, food, clothing and other necessities. Americans opening their purse strings to

  • CMSAF: Our airlift is what makes us a global power

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray highlighted the Air Force’s airlift mission during a three-day visit here Jan. 12.“We could not do what we do in the United States military and as a nation without our great airlifters,” Chief Murray said. “Our airlift is what makes us a global

  • Medical team crucial to avoiding an epidemic

    The tsunamis that devastated southern Asia left a breeding ground for an outbreak of diseases in their wake, which threatens both those displaced by the natural disaster and those involved in relief efforts.Combined Support Force 536, as part of Operation Unified Assistance, is here to help prevent

  • Joint fighting now norm for U.S. military

    Servicemembers joining the military today are not joining just the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corps -- they are joining a truly joint force.The American military has reached unprecedented levels of joint operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom, military officials here said."When I joined the

  • Deployed C-130Js exceeding expectations

    When the C-130J -- the newest variant of the versatile C-130 Hercules -- deployed for the first time in December, Air Mobility Command officials said they were confident of the aircraft’s capabilities.During the first few weeks of the aircraft's deployment, the J model has met and in some cases

  • Super Bowl broadcast plans under way for deployed troops

    Are you ready for some football? Troops deployed in combat zones will see the Super Bowl live on the American Forces Network on Feb. 6.In fact, one of the questions Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld got during a news conference in Kuwait was whether troops would see the Super Bowl."American

  • Airmen help train Iraqi soldiers

    A professional military education instructor had to overcome a language barrier, an unfamiliar curriculum and a trust issue with his students to contribute to the development of a new nation.Master Sgt. Mark Leuquire was one of 28 Air Force instructors deployed to Iraq to train noncommissioned

  • Tikrit Airmen focused on the job at hand

    As danger mounts and the chances of coming into contact with enemy insurgents and explosive devices greatly increases with each passing mile, Airmen protecting critical resupply convoys throughout Iraq are remaining focused on the job at hand.From cold, desolate stretches of highway near the Turkish

  • Air Force continues aid in Sri Lanka

    Three weeks after the most devastating tsunamis on record slammed into this island south of India and killed an estimated 38,000 people, Airmen continue to help people here.More than a million were left homeless. Children without parents, or grandparents. Parents without children. In some cases, 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 Dec. 31.More information can be found online at www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/demographics/. Statistics rounded to the nearest tenth.

  • Airman returns nearly $5,000 to wallet owner

    Airmen here continue to be good neighbors including one who recently returned a wallet he found in the snow.Airman 1st Class Robert Humphus, of the 28th Civil Engineer Squadron’s explosive ordnance disposal flight, was on his way to his first delivery for the local Meals on Wheels program when he

  • Officials announce OTS selections

    More than 50 people from throughout the United States have earned an opportunity to become Air Force leaders following their selection for a commission, officials here announced Jan. 14.Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 387 applications as part of Officer Training School Selection

  • OSI -- putting the pieces together

    Many people know the Air Force Office of Special Investigations as the Air Force’s felony-level investigative service that uncovers crimes and fraud.However, there is a side of OSI that most people do not know about, at least until they deploy.“Our primary mission, both at home and deployed, is

  • Gala honors those who serve

    Those who fight America’s wars were entertained by their own and by celebrities at an invitation-only event in the heart of the Nation’s capital.More than 7,500 Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines gathered at a state-of-the-art sports and entertainment facility here Jan. 18 to be honored for their

  • Civilian pilot killed in midair collision with T-37

    A civilian pilot was killed after a midair collision of his crop-duster with an Air Force T-37 Tweet in southwestern Oklahoma near the town of Frederick on Jan. 18.The two military pilots ejected safely. Base officials identified them as Capt. Christopher Otis, an instructor pilot, and 2nd Lt.

  • Kadena Airmen help Sri Lanka tsunami victims

    Airman 1st Class Emily Starcher does not have to be reminded how important her mission is here in Sri Lanka -- she sees it everyday.There is nothing but wrecked homes and destroyed buildings along coastal towns here, she said. Town after town was wiped away by the Dec. 26 tsunamis.She is an HH-60

  • Secretary Roche retires

    Airmen, along with servicemembers from more than 14 nations, bid farewell to the 20th Secretary of the Air Force here Jan. 18.Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz presented Air Force Secretary Dr. James G. Roche the Department of Defense award for distinguished public service upon his

  • AFSOC unit wraps up Asian aid mission

    Airmen from the 353rd Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan, are going home. Almost a month after a monster earthquake and killer tsunamis claimed untold thousands of lives, the Airmen’s quick-reaction work here is complete as conventional Air Force units have arrived.The MC-130 Combat

  • Tsunami preparedness part of Civil Air Patrol training

    The idea of tsunami preparedness is nothing new for Civil Air Patrol members in Hawaii. In the aftermath of the recent tsunamis in South Asia, CAP's Hawaii Wing has scheduled additional exercises to supplement its usual tsunami preparedness training, officials said. "Our wing works extensively with

  • Kadena Airmen ensure link to the world

    Although they are not in the thick of things handing out food and supplies, Airmen from the 18th Communications Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan, said that the parade of huge lumbering aircraft that come and go from here, only validates how their mission affects the success of relief

  • New mobility concept tested at Whiteman

    The third passenger aircraft in two weeks departed here Jan. 13 with more than 400 Airmen traveling under a new mobility concept developed by U.S. Central Command Air Forces.Airmen from several bases met here to catch contract airlift to an intermediate point where intratheater airlift would take

  • Track, field records fall at Air Force All-Comers Meet

    The Air Force track and field team opened the 2005 season with an impressive showing at the All-Comers Meet here Jan. 15. The Falcons picked up seven first-place finishes in their season debut, including a win from Olivia Korte, who set a new academy weight throw record in the process.On the men’s

  • Air Force Band ready for inauguration

    After a 22-year Air Force music career, Col. Dennis Layendecker will march in the biggest parade of his life Jan. 20 when he leads the 99-piece Air Force Band down Pennsylvania Avenue during the president's inauguration parade.As the band rehearsed here Jan. 13 for the big event, Colonel

  • Falcon women drop conference opener to New Mexico

    Despite leading 36-33 at the half, the Air Force Academy women’s basketball team was unable to hold on for the upset over the University of New Mexico, falling 72-58, Jan 15. to open the Mountain West Conference slate.Early on, the Falcons seemed to have no memory of last year’s 79-31 defeat in

  • Dover Airman pulls mom, boy from burning car

    An Airman here saved the lives of a woman and her 9-year-old son after she lost control of her car near Millsboro recently. The car ran off the road, hit a tree, overturned in a ditch and caught fire.Senior Airman Marcus Hyatt, of the 436th Medical Support Squadron, and his friend NaKisha Collins

  • Four Airmen vie for GEICO awards

    Four Airmen have been chosen to represent the Air Force to compete for the 2004 Government Employee Insurance Company Military Service Awards.Their records will compete against other servicemembers in three categories: drug and alcohol abuse prevention, fire prevention and safety, and traffic safety

  • Contracting makes it happen

    From beans to bullets, cradle to grave, one agency at a forward-deployed location makes it all happen. Whether it is bottled water to get Airmen through the heat of summer or vital supplies to keep the aircraft flying, the 386th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron is there to make sure the mission

  • Fate reunites key players in 33-year education odyssey

    Don Jenrette was an Air Force one-striper working on the back of a mail truck here in the pre-e-mail days of 1971. He said he suspected that his life, while interesting, held more promise than running eight to 10 daily mail routes peppered with stacks of “Holey Joes.”His suspicions were confirmed

  • Guam tour lengths change

    The assistant secretary of defense has approved a tour length change to Guam.Beginning Jan. 1, 2006, accompanied tours will change from 24 to 36 months, and unaccompanied tours will go from 15 to 24 months. This makes an assignment to the island a long tour versus a short tour.Airmen who report to

  • AF nominates combined test force for Collier Trophy

    Air Force officials nominated the Global Reach Combined Test Force here for the National Aeronautic Association’s 2004 Robert J. Collier Trophy.Task force workers were cited for accomplishing test projects that increased aircraft performance, safety and efficiency, said Lt. Col. Kelly Latimer,

  • Combat weather forecasters fight ‘fog of war’

    It rolls in when it wants to, covers everything in its path and makes visibility so poor you can barely see your hand in front of your face. It is what some here call “the fog of war.”This fog, however, is the real thing. It is a fog so thick it makes missions for Operation Enduring Freedom here

  • Air Force charity ball set for March 12

    The Air Force’s official charity ball returns in 2005 after the 2004 event raised more than $240,000 for the Air Force Aid Society.The ball is set for March 12 at Bolling Air Force Base, D.C. The committee stops taking reservations Feb. 4.“We’re well on our way to doing even better than last year,”