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  • Air Force officials test ability to recall retirees

    Todd Worley and Robert Shelly hadn't seen each other in about ten years. Both are retired Air Force master sergeants. They recently met up again at the 2009 Air Force Push-Pull exercise here. The Air Force used the exercise to test their ability to recall retirees to active duty should they ever

  • SECAF, CSAF announce 2008 safety award recipients

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz have announced the recipients of the 2008 Air Force safety awards. "We're grateful for the hard work of these award-winning individuals and organizations, and all Air Force safety professionals throughout the service,"

  • Iraqi surgeons attend annual conference in Germany

    Iraqi air force flight surgeons attended the annual U.S. Air Forces in Europe Flight Surgeon Conference held March 11 through 21 at Ramstein Air Base. Major (Dr.) Abdulrazzaq and Lt. (Dr.) Hazem Prior participated in seven sessions of partnering as part of a Multinational Security Transition Command

  • 'Voices of Men' gives unique insight on sexual assault

    Nobody would expect a guy dressed like Austin Powers to educate people about sexual assault awareness. But as part of the nationwide observance this month to raise awareness about one of the country's most under-reported crimes, Defense Department officials here developed fresh initiatives and

  • Reading program reaches out to military families

    Through the program's military initiative, doctors and nurses at 20 military hospitals, including one in Germany, soon will receive training on how to promote early literacy for children. They also will be provided with free books to present to parents with children ages 6 months to 5 years when

  • Ceremony to recognize vets not eligible for Vietnam Wall inclusion

    One-hundred twenty-three American heroes from the Vietnam War era will be honored posthumously this month during the annual In Memory Day ceremony, according to Jan C. Scruggs, founder and president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. In Memory Day was created to pay tribute to the men and women

  • Airman's Roll Call: Sexual Assault Awareness Month

    This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on Web sites, campaigns and other events, observing Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Defense Department officials launched a new Web site and campaign April 3 that gives servicemembers fresh initiatives and new teaching methods to prevent sexual

  • Family care forum kick starts Year of the Air Force Family

    Senior Air Force officials and family care professionals set the direction for the Year of the Air Force Family April 2 here. More than 200 Air Force behavioral specialists, chaplains, family advocacy personnel and other family support members separated April 1 into five groups and focused on

  • Service demographics offer snapshot of force

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here have released the current demographics report which offers a snapshot of the service's active-duty and civilian force. This data is current as of March 31 and also can be found at the Air Force Demographics Web site.  Statistics are rounded to the nearest

  • AF Research Lab personnel begin VPP journey

    Building on an already strong culture of safety, Air Force Research Laboratory personnel began the process recently to incorporate the Voluntary Protection Program into all levels of the organization. Since its inception by Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials in the early 1980s,

  • Iraqis provide new line of security for Joint Base Balad

    Another layer of outer perimeter security was added here April 1 to help protect the men and women of JBB, and the new initiative is staffed by more than 100 local Iraqis from the surrounding area. "This contract is a first of its kind," said Lt. Col. Raymond Reyes, JBB Regional Contracting Center

  • SECAF visits Expeditionary Center, McGuire

    Citing the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center as a "critical component of the Air Force's ability to train Airmen," Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley pronounced his first familiarization visit to the center here on March 31 a success. "The Air Force mission to fly, fight and win ... in air,

  • VA secretary expects big impact from post-9/11 GI Bill

    All systems are on track for this summer's rollout of the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, which Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said he expects to have as monumental an impact as the original World War II-era GI Bill of Rights. Secretary Shinseki, who served as Army chief of staff from 1999 to

  • Maxwell legal services wins government-wide award

    The director of the Air Force Legal Operations Agency's Directorate of Legal Information Services, or AFLOA/JAS here, said he was notified March 27 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Graduate School that his organization had won the government-wide 2009 W. Edwards Deming Award. Col. Peter

  • AF officials cite quicker process for filling acquisition jobs

    In an effort to speed up hiring in the critically manned acquisition career fields, Air Force Personnel Center officials here announced a streamlined process to fill key civilian jobs in half the time. The growing shortage in acquisition positions resulted in Department of Defense officials

  • AF officials look at bigger role for small business

    The Air Force is looking to support small businesses in a big way, two top service officials said during a visit here April 2. David Van Buren, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, and Ronald Poussard, director of Air Force small business programs, said during a

  • Combat rescue, special tactics retention bonuses available

    Qualified special operations officers are now eligible for a maximum of $100,000 in critical skills retention bonus money if they voluntarily extend their active-duty service commitment for up to four years. The bonuses are due in part to a $2.5 million deposit from Department of Defense

  • Force support officers represent flexibility

    Responding to evolving needs from the field has prompted several transformations in the manpower, personnel and services community over the past few years, including the recent stand up of an initial skills training course for force support officers. "Our Air Force officers are showing great

  • Air Force officials hold Caring for People Forum

    More than 200 Air Force behavioral specialists, chaplains, family advocacy personnel and other family support members gathered to discuss how to care for the Air Force family April 1 in Arlington, Va. The Year of the Air Force Family: Caring for People Forum started in a hotel in the shadow of the

  • Language emerges as element of national security

    Language and culture are "almost inextricably intertwined," and military personnel must be knowledgeable in both to be fully effective when operating overseas, the director of a military language school said. Army Col. Sue Ann Sandusky, commandant of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language

  • Reserve commander briefs Congress

    Two units received a "positive plug" in the congressional record when the commander of Air Force Reserve Command testified March 25 before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner Jr. touted the strong Yellow Ribbon Program partnership initiatives between Airmen

  • PBS special airs to help military families cope with change

    Sesame Workshop will air a PBS special at 8 p.m. EST April 1 aimed at helping military families cope with changes. The half-hour special, which will air at the beginning of the "Month of the Military Child," is a part of Sesame Workshop's "Talk, Listen, Connect" initiative, which began two years

  • Top Air Force leaders discuss top Air Force issues

    Air Force senior leaders discussed key issues facing the service during Corona South March 27-28 at Bolling Air Force Base here. Corona meetings, hosted by the secretary of the Air Force and Air Force chief of staff, are held several times a year to bring together major command commanders, Air Staff

  • AMC goes green with aircraft engine washes

    Air Mobility Command bases are using a new aircraft engine wash system that's not only better for the plane, but also it is better for the environment. The EcoPower Engine Wash System is a system that uses atomized water, collects the effluent water and purifies it for recycled use. EcoPower

  • AFPC automates notifications for probationary periods

    In AFPC's ongoing effort to improve consistency and efficiency across the Air Force, supervisors will now receive an e-mail notification when one of their civilian employees is within 90 days of completing a probationary period. New employees and new supervisors serve an established probationary

  • Airmen dedicate time, energy to flood preparations

    Emergency preparations began when Govs. John Hoeven, North Dakota, and Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota, declared a state of emergency in the Red River Valley recently after waters began rising at a record rate. Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds began working around the clock to mitigate flood damage

  • Push-Pull to test real-world Air Force capabilities

    Push-Pull 2009 may sound like a new type of fitness regimen to some, but to about 150 regular Air Force retirees it will be a mobilization exercise of a different kind April 6 through 10 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The Push-Pull 2009 exercise is designed to exercise and evaluate mobilization

  • Pay incentives help military avoid nursing shortage

    Army, Navy and Air Force nurse corps members are highly trained, capable and critical to the wartime mission of each service, the corps' leaders told a congressional committee this week here. The Senate Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee heard testimony March 18 from the services'

  • Thrift Savings Plan provides retirement nest eggs

    About 614,000 servicemembers are saving for retirement in the federal Thrift Savings Program, which was opened to military members in 2002, a senior Pentagon official here said March 19. The TSP, explained Chuck Witschonke, assistant director of military compensation for economic analysis, is a U.S.

  • DOD officials release sexual assault statistics

    Defense Department officials here released March 17 a congressional report that examines sexual assault allegations in the military services and sets policies for reducing incidents. Key components of the annual analysis include a finding that indicates a rise in the number of incidents reported in

  • Science, engineering jobs available to transitioning Airmen

    Air Force science and technology civil service career fields are in need of trained and educated applicants, which is ideal for veterans interested in post-military careers.Science, technology, engineering and math, called STEM, initiatives are availabe to train and educate transitioning Airmen, or

  • AFPC officials establish diversity council

    Air Force Personnel Center officials drafted a charter and established working groups for its diversity council, the center's most recent endeavor to advance diversity initiatives Feb. 26. One of the first of its kind in the Air Force and comprised of military and civilians, the council will serve

  • Center uses innovative methods to improve patient safety

    Health care providers at the largest Air Force medical center on the West Coast are using state-of-the-art, interactive human patient simulators as just one of many safety initiatives to improve medical care, the medical center's commander said March 11. The use of human patient simulators is just

  • No margin for error at Tinker bomber egress shop

    Members of the 565th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron's bomber egress shop here have just one chance to maintain B-52 Stratofortress and B-1B Lancer egress systems because there are no second chances when it comes to their line of work.Unit members maintain, replace and repair egress systems for the

  • AF mourns the loss of first chief master sergeant of the Air Force

    Former Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Paul Wesley Airey died March 11 in Panama City, Fla. "Chief Airey was an Airman's Airman and one of the true pioneers for our service," said Gen. Norton Schwartz, Air Force Chief of Staff. "He was a warrior, an innovator, and a leader with vision well

  • Engineers save nearly $300 million in engine repairs

    Engineers at the Air Force Research Laboratory Materials and Manufacturing Directorate here saved nearly $300 million by reducing the costs associated with aircraft jet engine maintenance.The Engine Rotor Life Extension program, called ERLE, demonstrated a life-cycle cost avoidance for engine rotor

  • AFMC focuses on nuclear sustainment, command priorities

    The commander of Air Force Materiel Command called for maximum focus on the command priorities during AFMC's semi-annual senior leaders conference March 5 and 6 at Robins Air Force Base.From a top priority of robust nuclear sustainment to increased warfighter support and resource conservation, Gen.

  • Bystanders key to preventing sexual assault

    When it comes to preventing sexual assault, Airmen have a responsibility to look out for their own, the Secretary of the Air Force's policy expert on preventing sexual assault told members of Congress here March 6. Charlene Bradley and other sister service representatives testified before the House

  • LeMay Center realigns doctrine development

    The commander of the Curtis E. LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education said Feb. 19 that the center is taking a vision "first imagined in 1997," when the Air Force Doctrine Center moved from Langley Air Force Base, Va., to Maxwell, and is moving forward to ensure a direct relationship

  • Process for validating reserve early-retired pay explained

    Air Reserve Personnel Center officials here are finalizing procedures for validating the receipt of retired pay before Citizen Airmen, both guardsmen and reservists, turn 60 years old.Since Jan. 28, 2008, Guard and Reserve Airmen can reduce the age they receive retirement pay by three months for

  • Prescription crosscheck program helps Tricare beneficiaries

    The Tricare military health plan is ensuring patient safety for its 9.2 million beneficiaries through a revolutionary drug utilization program, a senior Tricare official said last week. "We cover about 2.2 million prescription medication claims per week -- that's about 120 million prescriptions per

  • Retirees can give to Air Force Assistance Fund

    Even if retired, Airmen still can give to the Air Force Assistance Fund. This year's annual campaign, the 36th, began Feb. 9 and runs through May 1; however, installation commanders will decide on a specific six-week period for their base's campaign. Retirees can contribute through a one-time gift

  • Leaders address issues at AFA symposium

    The top Air Force leaders outlined today and tomorrow's challenges for the service Feb. 26 at the 25th Annual Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium and Technology Exposition in Orlando, Fla. Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley and Gen. Norton Schwartz, chief of staff of the Air Force,

  • Multinational exercise to test interoperability in Caribbean

    An initiative aimed at boosting capacity among Central and South American security forces will get put to the test in early March when 18 countries come together for a national security exercise in the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic. The United States and England will join 16 Caribbean countries

  • Charleston leads AMC in conserving energy

    According to recent reports from Air Mobility Command officials, Charleston AFB is currently leading the way for reduction in energy consumption in AMC. Mandated by federal Executive Order 13423, the Air Force and all federal agencies are required to reduce energy consumption annually by 3 percent

  • General lists Air Force safety priorities

    Although Maj. Gen. Frederick Roggero, Air Force Safety Center commander, has several priorities concerning safety in the Air Force, it is no surprise that ground safety has now quickly made it to the forefront of his priority list. During the last 10 years, on average, the Air Force has lost about

  • Air Force's top enlisted Airman to retire

    The Air Force chief of staff announced the pending retirement of the 15th chief master sergeant of the Air Force Feb. 26 here. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley will retire this summer after serving for 30 years. Chief McKinley has served as the chief master sergeant of the Air

  • Survey: Servicemembers more realistic about retirement

    Servicemembers are more practical about their retirement needs than their civilian counterparts, according to a survey conducted by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, Investor Education Foundation, in cooperation with the Employee Benefit Research Institute. The findings bode

  • More troops, families to qualify for New GI Bill benefits

    Troops nearing retirement eligibility may be able to tap into the transferability benefits provided in the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, even if they're unable to serve four more years of duty due to service policies, a senior defense official said. The Post-9/11 Veterans Education Bill that takes effect

  • U.S. Air Forces in Europe blog now open to Airmen

    Airmen now have their own dedicated Web-space to talk about their service in the U.S. Air Forces in Europe. "USAFE Live" is a new blog Airmen are encouraged to use for posting accounts of their experiences using words and photos. The site is located at http://usafelive.dodlive.mil and is accessible

  • FOBs tap into Iraqi power with help of Airmen

    An initiative that will save the U.S. government thousands of dollars took place Feb. 20 in the International Zone here, as Airmen with the Joint Expeditionary Team helped to convert power from generators to commercial sources. By tapping into the Iraqi power grid, many areas within Forward

  • Civilian job announcements changed to help managers, applicants

    Air Force Personnel Center officials recently changed how civilian job announcements are listed to improve the civilian hiring process. "AFPC is improving our civilian hiring process and reducing the time it takes to fill civilian position vacancies. Changing the way we list our civilian job

  • Army, Air Force overhaul joint ISR training

    A key group of Army and Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance professionals met at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., recently for a working group to discuss what is needed to ensure America has the best ISR forces on the ground and in the air. The two-day conference was one of two

  • Medical Group focuses on efficiency and reorganization

    It seems common for an employee to utter the phrase, "Things would run so much more efficiently if ..." at least once in his or her career, yet it seems rare for a business to dedicate time and money into making such improvements. Officials in the 75th Medical Group here have broken that trend and

  • Coming Feb. 22: single 800 number for all Airmen

     Members of the total force -- regular Air Force, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, civilian and retired Airmen -- are on line to have one central phone number for help with their personnel questions starting at 5 p.m. Central Standard Time Feb. 22. Members of the Air Force community should

  • Suicide prevention hotline saves veterans' lives

    Help is only a phone call away for military veterans considering suicide. Nearly 100,000 veterans, family members or friends of veterans have reached out for help by calling the Department of Veterans Affairs suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK. The hotline was launched July 2007. The VA

  • Airmen help Iraqi aircrew perform night-vision missions

    An initiative that has been in the works since August 2008 is now a realization as members of the Iraqi air force continued their quest toward night-vision operations with the help of U.S. Air Force aircrews. Airmen from the 721st Air Expeditionary Advisor Squadron, who train Iraqi aircrew members,

  • Air Force Space Command puts AFSO 21 to work

    Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century is an Air Force initiative that challenges Airmen to look at all ways to accomplish the Air Force mission more effectively and efficiently without sacrificing quality.In order to alleviate challenges from new and evolving mission requirements,

  • Air Force officials offer recall program for rated officers

    The rapid expansion of unmanned aircraft systems and other emerging missions as well as rated officer requirements has created an Air Force demand for experienced rated officers. To meet these critical shortages, the secretary of the Air Force has initiated a Voluntary Retired Rated Recall Program.

  • Deployment history to be removed from promotion briefs

    Air Force officials here recently announced that deployment history data will be deleted from duty qualification briefs for officer selection and preselection and from senior noncommissioned officer evaluation briefs. This total-force initiative will apply to all active-duty members, Reserve and

  • Air Force to save millions by prepositioning weapons

    A new U.S. Air Forces Central logistics program is set to save the Air Force about $1.2 million every four months. More than 3,000 Airmen who departed Iraq, Afghanistan and other U.S. Central Command-area nations in January or will depart in February were directed not to bring their M-16s or M-9s

  • Personnel officials to test new civilian recruitment toolkit

    Often, finding the right person for the right job isn't an easy task. With a significant increase in new Air Force civilian hiring due to contractor conversions, joint basing and end strength growth, the need to market job opportunities also increases. To help bases better market civilian job

  • Blue Coach improves security forces Airmen tactics, training

    Airmen from the 5th Security Forces Squadron are participating in a series of training classes, which began Jan. 5, in an Air Force-wide initiative to improve the tactics, awareness, vigilance and survivability of security forces here. "This training better prepares us for any situation we may come

  • Elmendorf officials prepare for possible volcano eruption

    With the threat of an eruption at Mount Redoubt located 106 miles southwest of Anchorage, people throughout Elmendorf Air Force Base are preparing for the possibility of volcanic ash fall. Preparations began after officials from the Alaska Volcano Observatory and the U.S. Geologic Survey issued a

  • Academy superintendent to retire

    Air Force officials announced Feb. 2 that Lt. Gen. John F. Regni, the Academy's 17th superintendent, will retire from active duty later this year. The general entered the Air Force in June 1969 as a cadet at the Academy. No retirement date has been announced, however, General Regni will preside over

  • Entertainers join Elmo to help military families find 'new normal'

    Sesame Workshop will air a PBS special Apr. 1 aimed at helping military families cope with changes. Actor/singer Queen Latifah and singer John Mayer will join Elmo to present, "Coming Home: Military Families Cope with Change." The special carries a message for children whose parents suffered a

  • A venerable C-130 makes its final run

    After 47 years of service without a single hit, a C-130 with the 386th Expeditionary Operations Group here has flown its last combat mission and will be retired to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. Airmen in the 386th EOG and 386th

  • American servicemembers aid Iraqi communications

    Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq directorate of communications officials in Baghdad currently are using Air Tasking Order concepts to shape the cyber battlefield for the Iraqi government. "We are trying to help people build a nation and create national self-sufficiency," said Col.

  • AFPC officials begin health records transfer mission to VA

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here will begin to transfer health treatment records of retired and separated active, Guard and Reserve Airmen to the Department of Veterans Affairs Feb. 1.AFPC will become the central transfer gateway to improve the flow of Air Force health treatment

  • USAREUR driver's license -- success in your hands

    Stress during a permanent change of station move is inevitable, but proper planning before leaving a current station is one way to mitigate some of the pressure and anxiety that can occur after arriving at a new duty location. For members and dependents PCSing to Germany, one big stressor is passing

  • Andrews officials launch tactical fitness center

    Base leaders here took a groundbreaking new stride in combat fitness training capability Jan. 15 with the ribbon-cutting of the Andrews Tactical Fitness Center. The center supports the 316th Wing's goal of "Airmen fit and ready to fight and win across the whole spectrum" with a new policy and

  • Disability board accepting applications for records review

    Department of Defense officials here are now accepting applications from certain medically-separated veterans to have their records reviewed, potentially increasing their disability rating. "To be eligible for a review, veterans must have been medically separated between Sept. 11, 2001, and Dec. 31,

  • Academy officials announce second hall of fame class

    Air Force Academy officials have announced the second class for induction into the Air Force Academy Athletic Hall of Fame. The six inductees -- Jim Bowman, Callie Calhoun Molloy, Dee Dowis, Terry Isaacson, Ernie Jennings and Ben Martin -- will be inducted May 8 at the Air Force Academy Falcon

  • DOD suicide prevention conference under way

    An Army staff sergeant who had lost Soldiers in the war zone was called a coward, a wimp and a wuss from a leader when he mentioned he might need psychological help. It is this type of stigma from toxic leadership that can kill, and that is being examined by scientists, clinicians and specialists in

  • Pilot program helps streamline disability evaluation process

    Department of Defense officials here are working with the Department of Veterans Affairs staff to expand a pilot program that simplifies the current disability evaluation process for wounded, injured and ill servicemembers. The Disability Evaluation System pilot program is aimed at assisting wounded

  • VA launches partnership to benefit veterans

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials have launched a new partnership to help non-government organizations, or NGOs, plan, improve and carry out their own programs on behalf of veterans, their families and their survivors. "VA has a track record of success in working with non-profit groups and

  • Researchers study bats to enhance micro air vehicles

    Air Force-funded researchers from several universities are studying the flexible, flapping wings routinely used by bats and insects and mimicking their biological attributes to improve agility, speed and adaptability in micro air vehicle systems. Air Force Office of Scientific Research officials

  • Africa Command to airlift peacekeeper equipment to Darfur

    U.S. Africa Command officials are laying plans to airlift heavy equipment to Sudan to support African Union and U.N. peacekeepers involved in the country's Darfur region, an AFRICOM spokesman said Jan. 6. AFRICOM members will transport about 75 tons of heavy equipment -- water tankers, fuel tank

  • Voice recognition system helps manage patient records

    It's faster, more accurate and highly maneuverable. What may sound like the latest weapons system is actually a new way of doing business for doctors at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. With the introduction of Dragon Medical speech recognition software, the process of documenting patient medical

  • Air Force officials publish energy program policy

    The secretary of the Air Force recently signed the Air Force Energy Program Policy. This document will serve as the blueprint for Air Force officials as they continue their goal to keep energy initiatives in the forefront. "The Air Force energy strategy furthers an energy future that is secure,

  • CMSAF McKinley, graduating Airmen honor enlisted heroes

    Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Rodney McKinley and more than 700 Airmen preparing to graduate from basic military training honored the Air Force's enlisted heroes during today's dedication of the new Enlisted Heroes Walk here. Several dignitaries, including Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz, commander

  • Improved drilling process is safer, saves money

    In another example of a Lean initiative, an improved process for drilling a duct-liner is proving to be safer, faster and on course to save the Air Force $47,000 a year. For seven years, mechanic Jerry Heiskill dealt with the frustration and discomfort of using a hand-held drill to re-drill holes

  • Officials initiate surgical specialty training in Iraq

    Optimally managing the unique head and neck injury patterns seen in Iraq and Afghanistan has led to a successful initiative out of Wilford Hall Medical Center here: sending the first surgical fellow to a war zone for a surgical rotation. In the past, medical and surgical residents and fellows were

  • Officials streamline overseas outprocessing guidelines

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here recently introduced a new initiative that will streamline final processing for Airmen retiring or separating from overseas areas. With this change, additional travel to a separation processing base, or SPB, is no longer required. The new procedure is part of

  • Policy update to make civilian hiring quicker

     To increase the efficiency in filling civilian vacancies, effective Jan. 1, selecting officials will have 45 days instead of 90 to choose the best-qualified candidate. "We continue to refine the civilian hiring process where we can to speed up the hiring action," said Maj. Gen. K.C. McClain, Air

  • Public may comment on draft rules for spouse employment

    The public is invited to comment until Jan. 5, 2009, on proposed rules to speed up the hiring process for some military spouses seeking federal jobs. The Office of Personnel Management staff published the rules Dec. 5 in the Federal Register and drafted the regulations to implement an executive

  • Reservists may qualify for early retired pay

    Department of Defense officials here have issued new guidelines for early receipt of retired pay for members of the Reserve components. Instead of having to wait until age 60 to receive Reserve retired pay, eligible members may receive retired pay prior to age 60 but not before age 50. Under interim

  • Air Guard to host three KC-135 associate wings

    Three Air National Guard KC-135 Stratotanker wings will become active associate units beginning this summer, Air Force officials here announced Dec. 10. Active-duty Airmen will be assigned to the 117th Air Refueling Wing in Birmingham, Ala., the 126th Air Refueling Wing at Scott Air Force Base,

  • Procurement initiative secures DOD computers, saves money

    Department of Defense officials are among those of dozens of departments and organizations who have improved security for their laptop computers and saved taxpayers more than $92 million by using a new procurement initiative, a senior Defense Department official said here. DOD and the General

  • AMC unveils new mission statement and focus areas

    This past June, I issued a call for all AMC personnel to "return to basics," and I thank you for the renewed attention you've given to our core values and our mobility mission while restoring the Air Force's good name with your daily, outstanding mission accomplishment. Today, we build on that

  • New TSP contribution limits set for 2009

    The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board recently announced an increase in the 2009 elective deferral limit for regular Thrift Savings Plan contributions. The limit is now $16,500, up from $15,500 for 2008. In addition, contributions for the TSP catch-up plan will increase to $5,500, up from

  • Presidency council ratifies U.S.-Iraq security pact

    The new U.S.-Iraq security pact that was approved by Iraqi lawmakers Nov. 27 was ratified by Iraq's presidency council Dec. 4, senior U.S. officials said.The two-part security pact consists of a strategic framework agreement that establishes the foundation of a long-term bilateral relationship

  • Lean initiatives in the Portuguese air force

    There have been many articles touting the benefits to the Air Force of Lean initiatives and Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, or AFSO 21. It's not only the Air Force that is benefiting from Lean initiatives, however.  Other air forces have benefited from the Lean initiatives supported

  • Secretary Gates tells Airmen nuclear mission vital to U.S.

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates traveled here Dec. 1 to emphasize the importance of the Air Force's nuclear mission -- and in maintaining its long tradition of excellence -- to the men and women entrusted with carrying it out. Secretary Gates became the first defense secretary in memory to visit

  • Air Force leaders reinforce zero tolerance for sexual assault

    Leaders from wing level to senior Air Force brass recently gathered for a two-day leader summit on sexual assault prevention and response here. Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz affirmed their commitment to eliminating sexual assaults in

  • AFPC Airmen hold unit run in honor of Warrior Care Month

    Hundreds of Airmen from the Air Force Personnel Center here ran through the streets around Airmen's Heritage Park here Nov. 25 in honor of Air Force wounded warriors. AFPC officials hosted the run as part of Warrior Care Month to honor the sacrifices of Air Force wounded warriors and to increase

  • New tool assures aircraft material integrity, performance

    Air Force researchers working with industry here have developed and effectively demonstrated a portable, nondestructive evaluation technology that measures in real time the electrical properties of specialty materials underneath the exterior coating of advanced military aircraft. The new technology,

  • DOD officials navigate language roadmap

    Defense Department officials here completed more than 90 percent of the tasks they set out to accomplish in a language plan that launched four years ago. Known as the Defense Language Transformation Roadmap, this broad strategy aims to address national shortfalls in foreign language skills in the

  • Program helps Guard, Reserve members fill active-duty tours

    When his building inspection business slowed, Tech. Sgt. David Marcelli of the District of Columbia Air National Guard needed to find work. He found it by using the Personnel Force Innovation program that matches up organizations that need Guard and Reserve members looking for active duty tours.