HomeNews

NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Edwards AFB members win top DoD maintenance award

    Members of the 412th Test Wing’s Emerging Technologies Combined Test Force and the 412th Maintenance Group won the Department of Defense 2017 Maintenance Innovation Challenge People's Choice Award for using small unmanned aircraft systems to conduct exterior maintenance inspections on large

  • Around the Air Force: Dec. 13

    On this look around the Air Force, Airmen will soon have the option to use the new Blended Retirement System and Reserve Airmen at Little Rock Air Force Base, receive a new C-130J Hercules. Hosted by Airman Marqus Williams.

  • Cyber operations Airmen 'Hack the Air Force'

    Within 30 seconds of receiving the order to “start hacking,” researchers at the Hack the Air Force 2.0 event discovered two vulnerabilities—exactly the result the organizers were hoping for.The researchers were cyber security specialists invited to the Dec. 9, 2017 event in New York to identify

  • JTACs, aircrews participate in joint exercise over PRTC

    Aircrews from Ellsworth Air Force Base worked side-by-side with members of the 582nd Helicopter Group out of F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming and joint terminal attack controllers from the England’s Royal Air Force during a joint-training exercise over the Powder River Training Complex in western South

  • Airmen encouraged to update their vRED, SOES information

    Airmen should review and update their virtual Record of Emergency Data and their Servicemembers’ Online Election System information annually, before deploying and each time they experience a major life change, such as marriage or divorce, permanent change of station or birth of a child.

  • 386th AEW MOC gatekeeper of a broader scope

    The Airmen of the maintenance operations center are responsible for recording the mission capabilities of all aircraft under the 386th AEW purview. The information gathered helps analysts determine trends in aircraft maintenance needs, creating opportunities to preclude long-term problems. The

  • Four MAJCOMs join forces, upgrade C2 systems

    Four Air Force major commands joined forces to overhaul command and control systems at Naval Station Rota, Spain, Dec. 4, 2017.Airmen assigned to U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, Air Mobility Command, Air Force Space Command, and Air Force Materiel command conducted major upgrades to

  • Innovative PT program increases readiness downrange

    With the help of a colleague, Capt. Eric Walter, 386th Expeditionary Medical Group physical therapy element chief, has developed a proactive approach to physical therapy at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.

  • Upgrades to missile detection radar earns civilian recognition

    Dr. Donald Hoying, the radar’s program manager at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, leads a team of 50 military and government civilians and contractors who are working to upgrade these SSMs while improving the radar’s satellite, space-borne object and missile detection capabilities. In November,

  • Airman lunges for knockout debut

    A Florida native, Tech. Sgt. Andre Penn, 20th Civil Engineer Squadron unaccompanied housing manager at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, has been preparing for more than a decade to achieve his dream of becoming a professional boxer.

  • Evolution of the Airman Safety App

    The evolution of the Air Force Safety Center’s Airman Safety App reached an important milestone with recent software updates Dec. 1, 2017.This simple, web-based tool provides a streamlined process for all Airmen, their families and anyone accessing the base to report safety issues as they encounter

  • Chief Wright to Airmen: Know your retirement options

    If I had to pick just one thing I’m most passionate about as the Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force, without a doubt it would be taking care of our Airmen and their families professionally, physically, spiritually and financially. I’m a firm believer that these four things go hand in hand. In order

  • AF Installation Cyberattack Plans tested during national grid exercise

    Recently, 32 Air Force installations and representatives from Headquarters Air Force took part in the two-day national Grid Security Exercise IV, or GridEx IV, to simulate a coordinated response to cyber and physical security threats to North America's electricity grid and other critical

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • Around the Air Force: Dec. 1

    On this look around the Air Force the preferred location for a new MQ-9 Reaper wing is selected, continuation pay rates are announced for the Blended Retirement System (BRS), and Exercise Lightning Focus is taking place in Australia. Hosted by Staff Sgt. Anastasia Tompkins.

  • Hurricane Hunters close intense 2017 season

    As massive spirals of lightning, wind and rain, hurricanes are some of the most dangerous and destructive forces in nature. And the Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters fly directly into the center of them.

  • Schoolhouse unites father, son for C-130 mission

    Mentors come in many forms, whether they’re coworkers, supervisors or even friends, they provide personal and professional advice that can impact someone for the rest of their lives. Airman Trevor Armentrout, 700th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, often receives guidance through one of his mentors, his

  • Interfaith Thanksgiving: Chief of Chaplains provides words of grace

    On Nov. 28, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln ordered the government closed in a proclamation stating: “It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow

  • Around the Air Force: Nov. 24

    FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) – On this look around the Air Force, Chief Master Sgt. Amy Giaquinto becomes the first woman to serve as the top enlisted advisor to the adjutant general of New York, Air Force F-35As are in Japan for the first time and the Air Force’s Personnel Center is accepting

  • Guardsmen deploy at home and abroad

    The Wyoming Air National Guard stands faithfully in support of both domestic and federal missions assisting victims in need throughout the world by providing aid when called upon.

  • A commander’s story of survival

    The sound of tire treads rolling over a smooth driveway was the only sound that could be heard on the street Col. John Boudreaux lived when he and his wife, Susi, pulled up to it. Susi shoved the gear shift to “Park.” She couldn’t do it fast enough, and sat back in the seat for a moment. She

  • Air Guard dual mission: helping at home and abroad

    Not long ago, Airmen from the 158th Airlift Squadron, Savannah, Georgia, were delivering supplies with their fleet of C-130H Hercules to hurricane victims in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. But just a few weeks later, they find themselves on the other side of the world in Southwest Asia

  • AFRL-Carroll High School iGEM team earns Gold in Boston

    A Carroll High School academic team, mentored by CHS teachers and Air Force Research Laboratory scientists, earned a gold medal at the 2017 International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition in Boston, Nov. 9-13, 2017.

  • AFPAAS teams poised to help Air Force families in need

    When a natural disaster or real-world event impacts the Total Force, two branches at the Air Force’s Personnel Center come together to provide comprehensive support: the Airman and Family Support Branch and the Personnel Readiness Branch.

  • Around the Air Force: Nov 16

    FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) – On this look around the Air Force, AFRICOM hosted senior enlisted leaders from 20 African partner nations for the first-ever Africa Senior Enlisted Leader Conference, and repairs at Muniz ANG Base, Puerto Rico are underway following hurricane damage. Hosted by

  • Defying odds: An Airman’s focused journey

    It is 5 a.m. and the sun has yet to rise on a chilly morning where all that can be heard are the crickets chirping at the Main Fitness Center at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. Inside, however, the clacking and grunts of those pushing their bodies to their limits fills the room as Staff Sgt.

  • AFGSC wraps up innovation and technology symposium

    The 2017 Air Force Global Strike Command Innovation and Technology Symposium concluded today at the Shreveport Convention Center with a focus on leadership and the Airmen who make the mission happen. Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Patrick Alston, former U.S. Strategic Command command senior enlisted

  • AFPC offers follow-on option to Airmen taking short tours

    Airmen selected for a dependent-restricted short tour for their second or later assignments can voluntarily apply to participate in the Follow-On assignment program, providing them greater flexibility in the assignment process and greater stability for their families.

  • AU-ABC program expands enlisted education opportunities

    Airmen join the Air Force for a variety of reasons, but perhaps the most common is for the service’s vast educational opportunities. The Air University-Associate-to-Baccalaureate Cooperative program, or AU-ABC, is perhaps a little-known opportunity that can reap big rewards.The AU-ABC was created to

  • Mental health expands services, reaches more Airmen

    The 386th Expeditionary Medical Group, with support from the 386th Expeditionary Operation Group, expanded mental health services recently to Airmen at an undisclosed location supporting ongoing operations in Syria.

  • Air Force recognizes veterans in blue

    Veterans in Blue 2017 is now available online. First launched in 2010, Veterans in Blue is a portrait collection showcasing men and women who have contributed to the security of our nation and the legacy of the Air Force.

  • Organ donation bolsters bond between classmates

    Col. Dave Ashley’s schedule since May 2017 included climbing a mountain, completing a 40-mile trail run, competing in a multiday athletic event that included bicycling and kayaking and achieving a perfect score on his military physical fitness test, his seventh in a row. Ashley accomplished all of

  • 3-D printing takes wounded warriors to a new dimension

    One wounded warrior wanted to amble around the hotel pool during his honeymoon without strapping on prosthetic legs. Another wanted ice skates to fit snugly onto his prosthetic feet so he’d receive the sensory feedback he’d come to expect when engaging in his favorite pastime. And yet another wanted

  • USAFE WPC introduces new domed simulator

    The U.S. Air Forces in Europe Warrior Preparation Center held a ribbon cutting ceremony highlighting the delivery and operational status of the new Joint Terminal Attack Controller domed simulator Nov. 2, 2017.

  • F-35 mission data programmers recognized by AF

    The 53rd Wing’s 513th Electronic Warfare Squadron was awarded the Outstanding Scientist/Engineer Team of 2017 for their work on the F-35A Lightning II Initial Operational Capability delivery at Eglin Air Force Base, Oct. 25, 2017.

  • AF announces 2016 Larry O. Spencer Innovation Award recipients

    Air Force officials have announced the recipients of the 2016 Gen. Larry O. Spencer Innovation Awards.This Air Force-level award recognizes an individual or team whose actions demonstrate innovation in cost and manpower savings to improve efficiency, operational readiness and replication of the

  • Around the Air Force: Nov. 1

    On this look around the Air Force, Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Goldfein visits Joint National Guard Base McEntire, South Carolina, the 100th Air Refueling Wing participates in a joint training exercise over the Meditteranean Sea, and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Kaleth O.

  • Airman ropes off stress, uses music

    Sitting on the edge of her stool, staring out at a sea of faces staring back, she tunes her guitar. Once the guitar is just right she takes a sip of her drink, grabs her pick, takes a deep breath and begins playing.Senior Airman Hannah Walker, 633rd Force Support Squadron food service journeyman, is

  • POW recalls mission that led to capture 50 years ago

    On Oct. 25, 1967, now retired Lt. Col. Richard Smith and his wingmen had orders to bomb the Paul Doumer Bridge in North Vietnam; the bridge was a mile long and one of the most heavily defended positions in Southeast Asia.

  • Airfield systems Airmen prepare for AFSC merge

    Airmen assigned to the 20th Operations Support Squadron at Shaw Air Force Base are getting ahead of the curve by preparing for an Air Force specialty code merger scheduled for November 2017.

  • Airman battles tumor, exemplifies resilience

    Staff Sgt. Jennifer Gordon, 20th Security Forces Squadron plans, programs and policy technician, passed all her physical training tests but one.That one test failure while stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, led to the discovery of a tumor in 2014.

  • DPAA Accounts for 183 Missing Service Members in Fiscal Year 2017

    In fiscal year 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency accounted for 183 formerly missing persons from past conflicts. Also, the agency individually identified the remains of 18 additional personnel, who were previously accounted for as part of group burials, reaching another milestone of 201

  • Reserve Citizen Airman key in Florida veterans court

    Air Force Reserve Citizen Airman Senior Master Sgt. James Salgado plays a key role in the Tampa-area Veterans Treatment Court, volunteering as lead mentor and operations director for the court which has a bi-weekly docket of nearly 100 veterans.

  • CSAF, CMSAF visit Offutt AFB

    Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright visited Offutt Air Force Base, Oct. 18, 2017.Goldfein and Wright received a tour of the base, and learned more about the mission accomplished by the 55th Wing, U.S. Strategic Command and

  • 386th AEW completes first flight of Block 5 MQ-9

    The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing successfully completed its first combat mission with the latest version of the MQ-9 Reaper in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.The wing’s remotely piloted aircraft unit, the 46th Expeditionary Attack Squadron, transitioned its attack and reconnaissance airframes

  • SECAF talks space during POC conference

    Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson addressed the importance of the Air Force’s space mission during the 2017 Potomac Officers Club Space Innovations, Programs and Policies Summit in Washington, D.C., Oct. 18, 2017.

  • Lt. Gen. Bunch gives acquisition update at AFA breakfast

    Lt. Gen. Arnie Bunch, military deputy for the office of the assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, spoke about the state of the acquisition enterprise during an Air Force Association breakfast in Washington D.C., Oct. 17, 2017.

  • Nordic Air Chiefs sign letter, develop Arctic Challenge

    Defense officials from four Nordic countries signed a letter of intent alongside Gen. Tod D. Wolters, U.S. Air Forces in Europe Air Forces Africa commander, Oct. 16, 2017, in a formal acknowledgment that opens doors to the development of a European flag-level exercise.

  • Air Force Tech Report: Thor Weather System

    FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) – The latest step in a long-running weather prediction arms race is a supercomputer created by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, and used by the 557th Weather Wing to get critical information to warfighters. The Thor Weather System provides accurate

  • Fire chief shares personal story of trauma, perseverance

    Trapped and alone in a smoke-filled room with zero visibility, flames raging outside and the temperature rapidly rising to hundreds of degrees Fahrenheit, Airman 1st Class William Taylor realized that he was alone. His only hope of staying alive was to get himself out of there – and fast.

  • Blended Retirement System Opt-In training now available to all Airmen

    The Defense Department will implement the new Blended Retirement System next year. While no one needs to make a decision until Jan. 1, 2018, all Airmen should take advantage of training and informational resources to research their options during the remainder of 2017.

  • A/TA honors air mobility pioneer

    The Airlift/Tanker Association honored Sir Alan Cobham as their 28th Hall of Fame inductee Oct. 5, 2017, as they held an unveiling ceremony of his bust now located in Scott Air Force Base’s Walk of Fame area.

  • ACS Internal Medicine keeping pilots flying, improves research

    The Aeromedical Consultation Service here at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base reviews more than 2,000 waiver recommendation requests for Air Force pilots, navigators and other air crew annually. A staff of approximately 80 Airmen at the ACS ensures aviators get back in the sky as soon as possible.

  • SecAF addresses air and space innovation

    Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson spoke about the importance of modernization and innovation in space during a Center for Strategic and International Studies forum in Washington D.C., Oct. 5, 2017.

  • AF recognizes 2016 Sijan award winners

    Four Airmen received the 2016 Lance P. Sijan U.S. Air Force Leadership Award during a ceremony at the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia, Oct. 5, 2017.

  • Milestone changes coming to TRICARE

    TRICARE beneficiaries will soon have increased access to health care through key changes that are set to take place in January 2018. With the benefit set to undergo some of the biggest improvements in more than two decades, beneficiaries will be able to take command of their health care through

  • 18th Space Control Squadron: Keeping watch up above

    The 18th Space Control Squadron located at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, is a geographically separated unit of the 21st Space Wing, Peterson AFB, Colorado. The squadron provides situational awareness on thousands of items filling the skies while life moves along for those on Earth’s

  • Small antennas could bring big benefits to the Air Force

    When it comes to military and consumer electronics, smaller is often better, and the Air Force Research Laboratory’s revolutionary new antenna design is promising to make military electronics much better.Researchers at the AFRL Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, in partnership with

  • 500th F-35 pilot takes to the sky

    The Air Force trained and graduated the 500th F-35 Lightning II pilot across the joint and international enterprise Sept. 19, 2017, at Eglin Air Force Base.

  • AF awards contracts for next-generation ICBM airborne launch control system

    The Air Force awarded two contracts Oct. 3, 2017, for upgrading the system that enables an aircraft to control an intercontinental ballistic missile’s launch from a silo in the ground.The three-year contracts of about $81 million each were awarded to Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Littleton,