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  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 15

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for Aug. 15.In Afghanistan Aug. 14, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with anti-coalition forces near Asmar. The A-10s expended cannon rounds and general-purpose 500-pound

  • Two Alamo City Airmen vie for 'American Idol' spot

    A former "Tops in Blue" performer and an Air Force chaplain's assistant turned Batman are a step closer to stardom. Staff Sgts. Keith Loudermill and James Warren, both from Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, each earned a "golden ticket" Aug. 11 at the Alamodome here for a shot at becoming the next

  • Air Force sweeps armed forces golf tournament

    The Air Force capitalized on its home-course advantage to capture the 2006 Armed Forces Golf Championship on Aug. 11 at the Marshallia Ranch Golf Course here. Air Force golfers took top honors at the conclusion of the four-round tournament, winning the men's and women's team competitions, as well as

  • Marathon looks for relay teams

    The 10th Annual U.S. Air Force Marathon on Sept. 16 offers the option of running on relay teams.The four-member teams have each person running a specific leg of the marathon. The team's total elapsed time will determine the winner. If a relay team has less than four members on race day, one or more

  • Cyber Security Boot Camp graduates Class of 2006

    Thirty-five college students from across the nation were recognized Aug. 10 as graduates of the 2006 Advanced Course in Engineering, or ACE, Cyber Security Boot Camp, a 10-week program at the Air Force Research Laboratory information directorate. This year's class included 19 Air Force cadets, three

  • Air Force Week concludes in St. Louis

    In a testament to the U.S. Air Force vision of "Lasting Heritage ... Limitless Horizons," the inaugural Air Force Week brought together Airmen of the past, present and future to celebrate the service's history and future.With the St. Louis Gateway Arch as a backdrop, Air Force Week 2006 events

  • Physiological training crucial for aircrews

    Approximately 35,000 students take physiological training each year to gain a better understanding of survival in the flight environment. It covers problems in both high and low altitudes and recommends procedures to prevent or minimize human factor errors that occur in flight.Airmen at the 21st

  • CENTAF releases airpower summaries for Aug. 13 and 14

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summaries for Aug. 13 and 14.Aug. 13In Afghanistan Aug. 12, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with Taliban extremists near Oruzgan. The B-1 expended Guided

  • Air Force Theater Hospital doubles surgeries treating Iraqis

    Air Force Theater Hospital records here indicate that in the past year the number of combat-wounded Iraqis is increasing while U.S. casualties seen at the hospital are beginning to decrease. In a strange twist, this means more work for the U.S. Air Force and Army surgeons who performed more than

  • AFSO 21 breathes new life into old system

    The 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron here has streamlined the way its receiving shop conducts business using the Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century concept.The material maintenance flight began by assembling a team from the traffic management, vehicle operations and supply offices

  • 'Herc' at work

    Master Sgt. Jeff Springsteen directs a four-wheel drive vehicle off the ramp of a C-130 Hercules on Aug. 10 at a dirt airstrip in the Farah Province of Afghanistan. C-130s, based at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, provide the majority of airlift and airdrop to re-supply U.S. and coalition forces in

  • Bagram security forces fly away to support airlift mission

    Security forces protect Air Force people and resources worldwide, even when those resources are on the move at more than 300 mph. The C-130 Hercules cargo plane is the primary means of moving supplies and troops around Afghanistan. Aircrews frequently land at remote, dirt landing strips to support

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 12

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 12. In Afghanistan Aug. 11, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1B Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with Taliban extremists in the vicinity of Oruzgan. The B-1B expended guided

  • Mirror system successfully demonstrated

    A dual-mirror system, designed to extend the range of high-energy lasers by receiving and redirecting laser energy, is being tested here. The system, a prototype called the Aerospace Relay Mirror System, or ARMS, is being developed at the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate.

  • C-130s hit Jackpot over Baghdad

    A C-130 unit assigned here is carrying a fairly conventional piece of equipment throughout the skies over the Central Command area of responsibility in an unconventional way. Instead of hauling people and cargo, the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron is carrying an airborne command and control

  • B-2 Spirit flies over St. Louis

    There was a unique sight to behold over St. Louis Aug. 10 as an Air Force B-2 Spirit aircraft flew above the city as part of the celebration of the inaugural Air Force Week. The aircraft, which is based at the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., was trailed by a C-130J Hercules from the

  • Comm team keeps Viper Lance participants connected

    One mile of cable, six pallets of equipment and three days to set up fully functioning communications for a forward base is standard work for members of the 1st Combat Communications Squadron. Thirteen members of the 1st CBCS, headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, are here to support Exercise

  • Air Force combat surgeons see, treat it all

    During a 24-hour shift that began at 7 a.m. on Aug. 7, an Air Force surgeon treated 18 patients with injuries that varied from a crushed foot and multiple improvised explosive device penetrations to gunshot wounds through the thigh and head. For Air Force Maj. (Dr.) Steve Barnes, the surgeon of the

  • Fueling the fight

    The punch behind the wing's airpower footprint is fed by fuel -- nearly 12 million gallons every four months. The 332d Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron's petroleum, oil and lubricants flight provides that fuel to aircraft at the second busiest single-runway in the world. Aircraft siphon

  • Dental corps aims to stem shortage

    It may be a tooth and nail struggle for the Air Force to keep its dentists, but its dental service is dedicated to providing expert care to Airmen worldwide, said the director of the Air Force Dental Corps here recently. "I think Airmen need to know that we are committed to providing them the dental

  • Air Force Week events continue in St. Louis

    Air Force Week activities continued here Aug. 10 with a B-2 Spirit bomber, KC-135 Stratotanker and C-130 Hercules gracing the downtown skies.Local media and civic leaders were invited to fly aboard the C-130 or KC-135 for a front row seat to watch the B-2 maneuver over the city and see St. Louis

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 11

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 11.In Afghanistan Aug. 10, an Air Force B-1 Lancer and Royal Air Force GR-7s provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small arms fire from Taliban extremists near Oruzgan. The B-1B expended guided

  • Awaiting orders

    An MQ-1 Predator sits in a hardened aircraft shelter Aug. 7 at Balad Air Base, Iraq. The 332d Air Expeditionary Wing there is home to the largest operational Predator squadron in the world, operating about 20 of the aircraft. The shelter still bears the pock marks from U.S. attacks at the opening of

  • Randolph officer found guilty in court-martial

    An Air Force officer was tried and found guilty in a general court-martial at the Randolph Air Force Base federal courtroom at 8:30 a.m. Aug. 9. Lt. Col. Christopher T. Kugel was charged with dereliction of duty and conduct unbecoming an officer after he admitted to having affairs with several

  • Wings combine strengths to solve Raptor issue

    Four wings are combining efforts to analyze, develop and test a new advanced medium-range air-to-air missile data collection system for the first F-22A Raptor at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. The 53rd Wing, 46th Test Wing, 1st Fighter Wing and 325th Fighter Wing worked side by side to solve the

  • Air Force still hiring

    Despite rumors to the contrary, the Air Force is still hiring. People interested in joining are always encouraged to apply, even in light of the Air Force's recently released force-shaping initiatives. To match the Air Force's new strength numbers, next year's recruiting goals have reduced by nine

  • New airline security measures apply to AMC travelers

    Airline travelers are facing new security measures at the nation's airports today that promise to disrupt flights and cause a domino affect around the world. The Department of Homeland Security increased airport and air travel security measures in response to a foiled plot by extremist to blow up

  • Sather medics treat detainees

    Airmen here supported an Army forward surgical team in providing medical treatment to detainees as they transitioned from the Abu Ghraib Theater Internment Facility to a new facility on Camp Cropper near Baghdad.Multi-National Force-Iraq officials established the new facility July 30 to replace Abu

  • New Web portal to help enlisted career development

    Enlisted Airmen will soon have a new development Web site portal designed to meet all of their career development needs, allowing them to navigate different aspects of their time in service from their desktop computers, Air Force officials here said. My Enlisted Development Plan, or MyEDP, is

  • AMC Airmen take part in Tuskegee Airmen convention

    Nearly 90 Air Mobility Command Airmen participated in the 35th Annual Tuskegee Airmen National Convention here July 31 to Aug. 4, celebrating the history of the nation's first black combat pilots. The event was particularly memorable for one participant attending his first convention."I found out

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 10

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 10.In Afghanistan Aug. 9, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops taking sniper fire from Taliban extremists' near Musah Qal'eh. The A-10s conducted passes on

  • Airman recognized for work with Iraqi army

    "This is a big deal ... this is a big deal ... a Bronze Star!" said Col. Michael Boera, 36th Wing commander. He was presiding over a ceremony in which Tech. Sgt. Ruben Vazquez of the 36th Medical Operations Squadron was awarded a Bronze Star for his service as an independent duty medical technician

  • 33rd Fighter Wing gains F-35 training mission

    Air Force officials announced plans to assign the mission of training new Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and allied F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter pilots and maintainers to the 33rd Fighter Wing here. Final planning for the move is dependent on the results of the ongoing environmental impact

  • Officials announce clarification of EPR criteria, policy

    The Air Force has released a policy to clarify senior rater endorsement and stratification procedures for enlisted performance reports. While many supervisors and senior NCOs looked to completion of the Senior NCO Academy and a Community College of the Air Force degree as criteria for consideration

  • Air Force Week continues in St. Louis

    Activities celebrating the first Air Force Week continue today with the opening of the Air Force interactive exhibit "Cross Into the Blue" and special guest appearances at the St. Louis Science Center."Cross Into the Blue," a high-tech, interactive exhibit featuring an F-16 Fighting Falcon, an

  • History comes full circle for black aviators

    The past and present came together Aug. 4 as black aviators from different generations took part in a historic flight aboard a C-17 Globemaster III. An all-volunteer, black aircrew from the 315th and 437th Airlift Wings at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., and the 446th AW at McChord AFB, Wash., flew

  • Reserve unit participates in 'Safe Seas 2006'

    Aerial spray operations and maintenance people from the 910th Airlift Wing at Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio, continue to hone their aerial spray application skills. Most of the time aerial spray crews work to control biting insects such as mosquitoes and flies. During the second week of

  • KC-135s take on aeromedical evacuation role

    While the KC-135 Stratotanker was originally designed to extend the length of other aircrafts' flight times, aircrews at Fairchild are also using the airplane for a completely different mission: to extend medical care to critically injured patients. Tanker aircraft began augmenting the Air Force's

  • Gateway Grizzlies honor Airmen

    Hundreds of servicemembers from all branches of the U.S. military and their families packed the GCS Stadium in Sauget, Ill., Tuesday evening for a special Gateway Grizzlies baseball game that paid tribute to Airmen as a part of the inaugural Air Force Week. Lasting from Aug. 6 to Aug. 13, Air Force

  • Thrift Savings Plan augments retirement

    The Thrift Savings Plan's automatic and matching contributions form a key part of the Federal Employees' Retirement System, or FERS, offering federal civilian employees opportunities to increase their retirement income. FERS civilian Thrift Savings Plan account holders automatically receive a

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 9

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for Aug. 9.In Afghanistan Aug. 8, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and B-1 Lancers provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists near Asadabad. The B-1

  • 'Spirit of Solano' arrives at Travis

    The much anticipated C-17 Globemaster III, the "Spirit of Solano," arrived home at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., on Aug. 8. Festivities began with a flyover of all three major airframes now based at Travis: the C-5 Galaxy, KC-10 Extender and C-17. The crowd of approximately 2,000 applauded as Maj.

  • Top chief elaborates on Airman pride

    The top enlisted Airman shared his thoughts on Airman pride during his visit here. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley was in San Antonio to check out basic training at Lackland Air Force Base and security forces expeditionary training at nearby Camp Bullis.The chief was impressed

  • C-17 Globemaster III crew doing its part

    A long day of loading and unloading cargo off of the C-17 Globemaster III is nothing new to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron aircrew. On this day the crew was able to fly in more than 80 aircraft pallets full of supplies to Balad, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. "The deployed

  • Royal Air Force pilot makes history in B-2 Spirit

    At first glance, he looks like any other Air Force pilot: olive-green flight suit, polished boots and a bluish-gray flight cap with rank insignia prominently displayed. On closer inspection, you realize the little differences.His shoulder boards don't feature bars or leaves, but instead a

  • Air Guard pilots train in escape, evasion

    A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots from the Idaho Air National Guard's 190th Fighter Squadron ascended the mountains here Aug. 6 for a refresher on escaping the enemy and evading capture should they ever be shot down. The training they hope they never have to use is important because, while the United

  • Bearing assembly failure caused F-16 crash in Utah

    A bearing assembly failure caused an F-16 Fighting Falcon to crash in an unpopulated dry area close to Carrington Island in the Great Salt Lake, Utah, during a training mission March 30, according to an Air Force report released Aug. 7. The pilot ejected safely from the aircraft, sustaining minor

  • Medic discovers more about himself during PRT mission

    When a suicide bomber slammed and ignited his missile-laden vehicle into the Humvee in front of Staff Sgt. Eric Mathiasen, the Air Force medic exploded into action. He did not think about his wife or two children, or that there was unexploded ordnance lying about. He just grabbed his medical bag and

  • Program assists heroes in reaching next level

    They gave something that they can never get back, and a group here does its best to ensure these heroes smoothly move on to the next phase of their lives. Palace HART -- Helping Airmen Recover Together -- is a program that assists Airmen injured in operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Many

  • Rescue wing saves 122 people since June 1

    The Airmen of the 347th Rescue Wing saved 66 people from potentially fatal injuries and another 56 from critical injuries in Afghanistan since June 1.These numbers not only show deployed Moody Airmen are accomplishing the mission, but that lives are being saved, said Col. Eric Kivi, 347th Operations

  • NASA, Air Force agree to aeronautics cooperation

    NASA and the Air Force have formed an aeronautics research partnership that builds upon and expands on the longstanding relationship between the two organizations.NASA Administrator Michael Griffin and Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne signed a memorandum of understanding Aug. 7 during a

  • Power pros critical to mission

    Eighteen Airmen ensure there is no peace here, because silence at Balad Air Base would mean chaos.The power production team's work is audible and emitted by the drone of 200 Air Force generators fueled by 7,000 gallons of fuel a day and immeasurable amounts of sweat and work hours. "I'm not going to

  • More programs added to virtual MPF

    The Air Force will add the Selective Re-enlistment and Career Job Reservation programs to the Virtual Military Personnel Flight, furthering Personnel Services Delivery Transformation. Beginning Sept. 1, the automated SRP process will e-mail commanders a monthly roster notifying them of their Airmen

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 8

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 8.In Afghanistan Aug. 7, an Air Force B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists near Oruzgan. The B-1 expended Guided

  • Air Force Week kicks off in St. Louis

    The first Air Force Week kicked off here Aug. 6 during the St. Louis Cardinals-Milwaukee Brewers game at Busch Stadium with Airmen participating in the toss of the first pitch and a flyover by Missouri National Guard F-15 Eagles. Air Force Gen. Norton Schwartz, commander of U.S. Transportation

  • KC-10 maintainers keep mission flowing

    KC-10 Extender maintainers work long days on the flightline with temperatures reaching nearly 135 degrees on the scorching concrete, and it is even hotter in the KC-10s parked on the ramp. These are the conditions facing the Airmen of the 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. The

  • Avenger Mobile Reserve on the ready at Kunsan

    Armored personnel carriers, up-armored Humvees, 50 mm machine guns and Mark-19s are a few of the heavy weapons used by a security forces flight to bolster defense at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea.Avenger Flight is only called out when the commander needs it. Most of the sectors on base have their own

  • Weather agency employs new forecast model

    The Air Force Weather Agency headquartered here took the first steps to use the new Weather Research and Forecasting model, known as WRF, for operational forecasts. The WRF model, the first worldwide fine-scale computer forecasting program in nearly a decade, was created through a collaborative

  • B-2s provide bomber presence in Guam

    A contingent of four bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., is providing both an increase in forces and a security presence to the 36th Air Expeditionary Wing at Anderson Air Force Base, Guam -- making one of the U.S. military's most unique aircraft ready at a moment's notice. "In simpler terms,

  • Vandenberg golfers exploit home course advantage

    In a battle of hometown heroes, one Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Airman beats out another in the playoff round of the 2006 Air Force Golf Championship Aug. 4 at the Marshallia Ranch Golf Course here. In the end it was Air Force golf veteran Geoffrey Mann, who won the same tournament in 2003,

  • Airpark dedication honors Tuskegee Airmen

    More than 50 Tuskegee Airmen attended an airpark dedication ceremony in their honor Aug. 2 in front of the 944th Fighter Wing headquarters here. The airpark features an F-16 Fighting Falcon static aircraft painted in World War II Tuskegee colors in recognition of the "Red Tail" warriors of the

  • 'Ready Elmendorf' will prepare PACAF's F-22s

    Pacific Air Forces officials are excited about bringing the F-22 Raptor to the command. Aircraft crews will start their training in Virginia before actually landing on the Alaskan tarmac."Through a concept known as 'Ready Elmendorf,' Alaska's aircraft and pilots will initially operate at Langley Air

  • Space brings invisible power to the fight

    When space professionals deploy, they learn how to better provide combat effects, and warfighters learn more about the invisible power space brings to the fight. "It's not good enough to fly satellites from afar," said Lt. Col. John Shaw, the 4th Space Operations Squadron commander. "We need to

  • Air Force defeats Simon Fraser 72-70

    The Air Force Academy women's basketball team wrapped up its four-game Canadian tour with a 72-70 win over Simon Fraser Sunday afternoon at SFU's West Gym. With just 2.1 seconds remaining in regulation, junior Pamela Findlay of Glenview, Ill., drained a pair of free throws to give the Falcons the

  • Awareness crucial in motorcycle safety

    The thrill of motorcycle riding is one that many Americans will experience during these 101 critical days of summer. With gas prices and temperatures rising, many people feel that now is the perfect time to get on their bikes. But before doing so, motorcyclists should consider a few things before

  • Letter to Airman asks Airmen to become communicators

    In the latest Letter to Airmen, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne recognizes the importance of every Airman communicating the Air Force story, especially the contribution the Air Force makes to the nation's security.  The secretary said that success of an enhanced strategic communication

  • New Air Force lieutenant colonels selected for SDE

    The lieutenant colonel central selection board held at the Air Force Personnel Center here has identified senior developmental education "selects." Officers identified as selects join a resource pool of officers who will be considered for future attendance at in-residence SDE. SDE enhances the

  • Reserve personnel center expands news service

    Air Reserve Personnel Center news can now be delivered directly to desktops via ARPC's new Really Simple Syndication, or RSS, feeds or to e-mail addresses via the new ARPC news service. "These two new services will serve to enhance our ability to communicate with Air Reserve Component members about

  • CENTAF releases airpower summaries for Aug. 6-7

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summaries for Aug. 6 and 7.Aug. 7In Afghanistan Aug. 6, an Air Force B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with Taliban extremists near Musah Qal'eh. The B-1B expended a Guided Bomb Unit-38 on the

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 5

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 5.In Afghanistan on Aug. 4, an Air Force B-1B Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small arms fire from Taliban extremists in the vicinity of Orgun-E.  The B-1B expended Guided Bomb

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 4

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 4. In Afghanistan Aug. 3, a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle conducted a precision strike against Taliban extremists in the vicinity of Kandahar, expending Hellfire missiles on the extremists' location. Also in the

  • Transformation redefines multi-national exercise

    As the Air Force transforms the way it does things, Pacific Air Forces is changing the way it conducts combat training exercises.At the forefront of this effort is PACAF's largest multi-national exercise, Cooperative Cope Thunder, soon to be renamed Red Flag Alaska. The exercise incorporates the

  • New AFSPC commander touts 'invisible force'

    The new commander of Air Force Space Command visited the 90th Space Wing and 20th Air Force July 28 to Aug. 1, touting what he called the "invisible force" with the big hammer. Gen. Kevin P. Chilton said he is excited to leverage the creative talent of the Airmen at all levels of the command and is

  • PACAF leaders see flash of future in Georgia

    Senior leaders from Pacific Air Forces toured the F-22 Raptor production facility here Aug. 3 and got a look at the command's first 5th-generation fighter aircraft. Raptor 4087, bearing "AK" on its tail, is bound for Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. It will be the first of 36 Raptors, in two

  • Airmen train in ground combat at Camp Shelby

    About 170 Airmen have graduated from Camp Shelby, Miss., after four weeks of ground combat skills training in preparation for deployment to Afghanistan to support Army embedded training teams. "Very few of us knew each other when we first got here," said Maj. Brenda Frye, support team commander.

  • Services unite to patrol Guam's shoreline

    The first joint operation involving the Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard security forces set out to patrol the shores of Guam July 26. "This is a joint operation with Coast Guard, Air Force and naval assets all working together as a coordinated team to enhance force protection and overall protection