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  • Chaplains deal with deployment issues

    Whether conducting service or casually chatting with Airmen seeking spiritual guidance, military chaplains here stand ready to help. The 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing’s five chaplains and three assistants offer the same services found at stateside bases. That is in addition to dealing with the unique

  • Pakistan quake relief funds nearly double

    The Defense Department is nearly doubling its funding for earthquake relief operations in Pakistan -- to $110 million -- State Department officials said Nov. 19. The devastating Oct. 8 earthquake killed an estimated 73,000 people. U.S. Agency for International Development administrator Andrew

  • Revamped portal better information gateway

    Users who sign on to the Air Force Portal will find an improved system that not only looks better, but is more user-friendly and effective. The redesign is the first in two years. The portal is meant to be the one place Airmen go to accomplish anything they do online. That is whether it’s part of

  • Global health records system goes electronic

    The Department of Defense achieved a major milestone today, when it launched AHLTA, its global electronic health record system. Dr. William Winkenwerder, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, launched the system at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Michael O. Leavitt,

  • Women Falcons down Northern Colorado, 67-60

    The Air Force women’s basketball team -- fighting off a second-half rally -- made six free throws in the final 40 seconds of their season opener to beat Northern Colorado, 67-60. The Falcons' Nov. 18 win was their first opening-day win in three years. The Falcons won the game on the foul line,

  • Falcons upset Lobos, 42-24

    Air Force played its most complete game of the year, crushing the University of New Mexico Lobos, 42-24, in the Mountain West Conference regular season finale for both teams. Air Force traded in training camp wristbands with the motto “Every Play, Every Day,” for ones that sported its playbook for

  • Uncle, niece serving together in Iraq

    When serving half a world away from home, many servicemembers treasure the little tokens they brought with them to remind them of home. Reserve Senior Master Sgt. Michael Brimmer, the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron first sergeant, has more than that -- his niece, Army Spc. Angela

  • AMC environmental program takes cleanup lead

    Air Mobility Command's environmental restoration program is leading the Air Force’s performance-based management policy. It is doing that with contracts for the operation and long-term management of 41 cleanup sites at seven bases. The command considered only sites that have reached the

  • Story time from thousands of miles away

    After years of deployments, some of the ideas Airmen come up with evolve. As the holidays approach, one of those simple ideas is making an impact on family members back home. The Story Time Video Program gives deployed troops here the opportunity to be a part of their children’s lives though they

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today’s airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 39 close-air support and armed reconnaissance sorties Nov. 20 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They supported coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to

  • Air Force sets physical training uniform wear date

    The Air Force Uniform Board established an Oct. 1, 2006, mandatory wear date of the physical training uniform, or PTU, for unit fitness activities. The board also released additional guidance for Airmen wearing the uniform for personal workouts. Airmen may wear the PTU during personal workouts given

  • NSPS implementation date moves to Feb. 1

    The Department of Defense will delay implementing the new National Security Personnel System until Feb. 1, acting Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England said. Mr. England, and other defense and Office of Personnel Management officials, provided an update on the system matters to members of the

  • Building Iraqi air force is tough job

    Building a nation's air force from the runway up is never going to be easy, a fact one can see at first glance. Dig a layer deeper, and the issues increase dramatically. For the Coalition Air Force Transition Team -- a U.S. Central Command Air Forces think tank of 28 specialists assisting with the

  • Leaders say Cope India 'great success'

    Exercise Cope India ‘06 ends Nov. 20, but U.S. and Indian air force leaders have already said the training has been a resounding success. The exercise, which began Nov. 7, involves Indian Airmen and about 250 U.S. Airmen from Pacific Air Forces bases. “Such exercises not only help in promoting

  • Deployed? Find something to sweat about

    Categorizing events on the weekly base activities calendar reveals a simple truth about the Airmen deployed here: They love to stay active, even after a 12-hour shift. “It’s the whole ‘Fit to Fight’ mindset along with the chance for people to enjoy themselves,” said Tech. Sgt. L.J. Kincade, the

  • Fire rescue team supports combat operations

    The role of Air Force firefighters is changing here, with tents replacing fire station, dirt airfields and, at times, rocket attacks. In the last six months, a six-man Air Force fire and crash rescue unit has gone on five missions into some of Afghanistan’s most remote areas. There was enough

  • Twin brothers in arms

    Some brothers live near each other. Some take vacations together. And some share grand adventures. But seldom do two deploy to a war zone to see more of one another. Travis and Terence Mimms did. Identical twins born eight minutes apart, they found themselves deployed to the same location. Strange

  • Airmen, Sailors supporting Dubai air show

    Airmen and Sailors are here to support the Dubai Air Show -- the third largest in the world -- over the next week. About 300 Airmen and Sailors, and more than 20 different Air Force and Navy aircraft from bases in the Persian Gulf region, Europe and the United States, will support the air show from

  • Operation Care helps spread Thanksgiving cheer

    First sergeants here distributed frozen turkeys and other Thanksgiving essentials as this year’s Operation Care program got underway. Funded through Combined Federal Campaign donations, the program provides the makings of a Thanksgiving meal to Eglin people going through hardships. The first of

  • 'America Supports You' marks first anniversary

    One year ago this week, the Defense Department launched "America Supports You." This program showcases the nation's support for its men and women in uniform and the many ways citizens are expressing that support. Today, what began as a six-month campaign, has snowballed into a full-fledged effort

  • Elmendorf duo help nab truck thief

    Anchorage police are calling two Airmen heroic for their actions in helping catch a truck thief. Staff Sgts. Joseph Harder and William Young, of the 3rd Equipment Maintenance Squadron’s aerospace ground equipment section, pulled off the feat. The two were on their way to a restaurant for a

  • Commando Sling wraps up

    The first Commando Sling exercise of the fiscal year ended here today, wrapping up a month of air-to-air combat training. Nearly 80 members and their F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 14th Fighter Squadron at Misawa Air Base, Japan, deployed to this island city state to square off against Singapore air

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released today’s the airpower summary report. Coalition aircraft flew 60 close-air support and armed reconnaissance sorties Nov. 17 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction

  • Air Force continues Pakistan aid support

    The Air Force continues to support Pakistani-led earthquake recovery operations by airlifting much-needed supplies into the devastated region Nov. 11 to 18. Five C-130 Hercules, four C-17 Globemaster IIIs, two contracted B-747s, one contracted B-757 and one contracted AN-124 Condor flew in more than

  • Test helping put the LIDS on decontamination

    Airmen from four major commands were here this week to test the effectiveness of a new decontamination system during an exercise that ends Nov. 18. The team is testing the lightweight inflatable decontamination system to see if it can effectively accomplish aircrew and ground crew contamination

  • Colonel’s bone marrow helps save baby girl’s life

    More than a decade ago, then-Capt. Marilyn Kott spent a few extra minutes at the end of a mobility processing line to learn about a program that matches Air Force volunteers with persons who need bone marrow transplants. Three assignments went by and her life went on as usual. Then one day this

  • ‘Cop-pilots’ fly their own kind of plane

    The glamour of their “piloting” job may not match that of F-15 Eagle or F-16 Fighting Falcon “fighter jocks.” But a group of enlisted Airmen here are using their wings to do a job both kinds of pilots do -- provide base security through air superiority. The half-dozen Airmen -- 407th Expeditionary

  • Minot completes Minuteman emergency communications upgrade

    The 91st Space Wing completed the last modifications to its Minuteman minimum essential emergency communication network at the Oscar-01 missile alert facility in the Minuteman missile complex. The completion of Oscar-01, Nov. 11, marked the final modification to the last of 50 launch control centers

  • New lieutenant colonels to attend senior developmental education

    The P0505A Lieutenant Colonel Central Selection Board selected officers for promotion and identified senior developmental education "selects." The board met at the Air Force Personnel Center here. Selects join a resource pool of officers who will be considered for future attendance at in-residence

  • Sergeant sentenced in cocaine case

    A military judge on Nov. 16 sentenced a staff sergeant for possession and intent to distribute cocaine. Staff Sgt. Vincent U. Kerley received a bad conduct discharge, three years confinement, reduction in rank to airman basic and forfeiture of all future pay and allowances. The sergeant plead guilty

  • A-staff helps sustain joint humanitarian effort

    The 818th Contingency Response Group and 24th Air Expeditionary Group continue handling hundreds of thousands of pounds of cargo each day as part of the continuing Pakistani earthquake recovery effort. Col. Richard Walberg, who commands both groups, said while much of the "visible work" goes on in

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary report

    U.S. Central Air Forces officials released today’s airpower summary report. Coalition aircraft flew 60 close-air support and armed reconnaissance sorties Nov. 16 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and

  • American peacekeepers helping families in Kosovo

    Their eyes have lost their luster. And their vacant and distant stares are enough to melt even the coldest heart. The people in Kosovo yearn for life’s most basic needs, silently crying for help from anyone who will hear them. But their silent cry has not gone unnoticed. The Airmen, Soldiers, Marine

  • Pararescuemen continue Pakistan humanitarian relief

    Above the mountainous countryside of northern Pakistan, two Air Force pararescuemen aboard a Russian-made MI-8 helicopter survey areas where people may need relief supplies. These Airmen, known as PJs, are part of a unit that traveled halfway around the world to participate in the ongoing

  • Online process simplifies tuition assistance

    Airmen are only a few mouse clicks away from financial support for their college education, thanks to the tuition assistance feature on the Air Force’s virtual education center. Online since early 2003, the center helps active-duty, Guard and reserve Airmen pursue their off-duty education from a

  • B-52 simulator plays big role in exercise

    A B-52 Stratofortress simulator is allowing 11th Bomb Squadron students to train with Soldiers and Airmen near Fort Polk, La., taking part in the live fire portion of exercise Air Warrior II. The simulator provides Airmen here a unique training opportunity -- and an alternative to participating in

  • Los Angeles center partners with AFIT, Loyola

    The Space and Missile Systems Center and Air Force Institute of Technology entered a new partnership with Loyola Marymount University to meet the center’s educational goals. Lt. Gen. Michael Hamel, SMC commander, Brig. Gen. Mark Matthews, AFIT commandant and Dr. Richard G. Plumb, Dean of the Seaver

  • Air Force fighters strike insurgents

    Air Force F-15 Eagles, F-16 Fighting Falcons and MQ-1 Predators flew air strikes against anti-Iraqi forces near the Iraq-Syria border in support of Operation Steel Curtain. After Marines swept into Ubaydi, a town near Karabilah, Nov. 14, they came in contact with anti-Iraqi forces. The F-15s flew in

  • Airmen give Iraqi children cheer, supplies

    Coalition forces brought some much needed cheer to school children in Umm Qasr, when they conducted a humanitarian relief mission to the Iraqi town. Airman from the 586th and 886th Expeditionary Security Forces squadrons here joined forces with their Army and British counterparts to delivered more

  • Sergeant provides Cope India 06's contract for success

    Food, bottled water, rooms, cars and cell phones -– it takes all of these things and more to make a deployed unit function smoothly in a foreign country. Getting all of this for the 250 U.S. Airmen supporting exercise Cope India 06 is just one person -– Master Sgt. Elizabeth Wills, from the 374th

  • Communicators lay foundation for Afghanistan’s future

    Before U.S. forces return the airport terminal and tower here to Afghan control, combat communicators first installed more than a mile of copper and fiber cable. Airmen from the 451st Air Expeditionary Group communications flight here stepped up to install the critical communications cables when an

  • Big bangs destroy 2,000 munitions

    Airmen from the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal flight detonated 2,000 munitions, keeping them the out of the hands of insurgents. It took four detonations to destroy the weapons, which members of the Iraqi national guard had captured. After each big bang,

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary report

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today’s airpower summary report. Coalition aircraft flew 72 close-air support and armed reconnaissance sorties Nov. 15 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and

  • Tuskegee Airmen get Air Force update

    Members of the famed Tuskegee Airmen visited the Pentagon to learn about today's Air Force and visit with the secretary of defense. The Airmen visited Nov. 10. One pioneering Airman, retired Lt. Col. Howard Baugh, took time to reflect on the changes in the military since the day he joined in 1942.

  • Maintainers rescue 'Herc' stranded in Mosul

    Two maintainers went to Mosul, Iraq, to rescue a stranded C-130 Hercules cargo plane. Hydraulics specialist Staff Sgt. David Harrelson and crew chief Senior Airman Brian Kundick, of the 386th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, went to Mosul Nov. 12. The Airmen boarded a C-130 and flew into

  • Fundamentals course gives space students head start

    A training squadron here is offering students the first-ever spacelift course. Taught by instructors of the 392nd Training Squadron, the two-week class provides students training in spacelift concepts, capabilities and operations. There was a need for the course. In January 2004, Air Force Space

  • Teamwork keeps Balad power on

    A group of Airmen has the tough and fast-paced job of maintaining all the generators that power this desert base. The Airmen are with the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron’s aerospace ground equipment and heating ventilation and air conditioning shop. They stay busy. "Power generation is the

  • Tricare: Weigh facts before getting Medicare part D

    Medicare's new prescription drug plan opens today, but Tricare Management Activity officials encourage beneficiaries to weigh the facts before deciding whether to sign on to the plan. Coverage under the new prescription drug plan, called Medicare Part D, begins Jan. 1 and is open to anyone already

  • Controllers keep Balad traffic flowing

    A director producing a blockbuster film must know where each actor and camera is at all times to ensure the right shot. Air traffic controllers from the 332nd Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron must be just as diligent to ensure aircraft take off and land safely at this busy base. The

  • Airmen compete for spot with Tops In Blue

    Airmen from around the Air Force got the chance to showcase their talents during the Air Force Worldwide Talent Contest at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. This year, Tops In Blue officials went through 117 video applications looking for talent, selecting 61 applicants to compete in the talent show,

  • Airmen reach out to help Kyrgyz children

    Some Kyrgyz children stricken with cancer now have a new, safer place to play -- thanks to a group of concerned Airmen deployed to this base. The Airmen, volunteer members of the Manas Air Base Outreach Society, find ways to help the people of this country. Most recently, the group donated clothing,

  • U.S., India combining forces

    KALAIKUNDA AIR STATION, India (AFPN) -- Indian air force Air Commodore B.C. Nanjapa gets a bird's eye view sitting in the cockpit of an F-16 Fighting Falcon, as he and Col. Rusty Cabot discuss the fighter's capabilities. A dozen F-16s from Misawa Air Base, Japan, are here with about 250 U.S. Airmen

  • Soldiers win first Camp Bucca Raft Race

    Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors traded their military vehicles and weapons for homemade boats and paddles to take part in the first-ever Camp Bucca Raft Race. The Air Force-sponsored race, held Nov. 13 on a small pond here, matched the talents and ingenuity of 17 teams vying for the top prize and camp

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today’s airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 58 close air support and armed reconnaissance sorties Nov. 14 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and

  • President Bush thanks troops at Elmendorf

    President George Bush stopped here on the first leg of his week-long Asia tour and thanked servicemembers and civilians for volunteering to serve and continuing the fight the global war on terrorism. It was the president’s second visit here. He spoke for nearly 45 minutes with more than 4,500

  • Airmen should verify deployment credit

    Airmen not issued contingency, exercise or deployment orders should verify their personnel records include credit for those deployments. A deployment is any temporary duty away from home station filling a validated combatant or component commander or supported major command requirement for forces in

  • 100 medical officers chosen for developmental education

    Officials at the Air Force Personnel Center here have chosen more than 100 medical service officers to attend developmental education beginning in summer 2006. The fiscal 2006 developmental team developmental education boards were held during the summer and fall of 2005 to competitively select

  • Short tour credit for Naples, Latina ending

    The Air Force will discontinue the temporary exception to award short tour credit to Airmen serving long tour assignments at Naples and Latina, Italy, effective Jan. 1. Airmen assigned to either location between March 1, 1996 and Dec. 31, 2005 will continue to receive the short tour credit. The Air

  • Logistics center keeps Stratotanker 'booming'

    The aerial refueling capability of the KC-135 Stratotanker is an essential component of the Air Force’s worldwide mission. And the experts in two Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center shops ensure every refueling the tankers make is safe and successful. Specifically, the two shops work on the KC-135’s

  • Airmen defend against rabies menace

    Against the backdrop of a rising sun, a small group of Airmen make their way stealthily around the in search of the enemy. Their mission is safeguarding the Airmen, Soldiers and Department of Defense contractors assigned here from some dangerous intruders: stray animals. Team of pest management

  • Communications network impacts intelligence

    The blue forces are pinned down. Mortars are exploding all around them. A blue force attack controller requests help from a nearby MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle armed with Hellfire missiles. The Air Force responds to the request. The attack controller on the ground is able to locate and

  • Airman says manual, training saved his life

    When he went to sleep one night, Staff Sgt. Stephen Jones felt tingling in his fingers and toes and had a high fever and chills. Sergeant Jones remembered from reading his Airman’s Manual -- and from his pre-deployment self-aid and buddy care training -- that those signs were serious. He realized he

  • Wargames are serious business

    To the untrained eye it seems to be a room full of computers. However, to Airmen of the 608th Combat Operations Squadron the combined air and space operations center here is a lethal weapon system. “It’s the total package, we find the target, fix the position, track it, engage the target and assess

  • Airman, volunteers working to renovate hospital

    Airmen from the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing here are revamping the Air Force theater hospital, creating a brighter and safer environment for patients and providers. The 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, 332nd Expeditionary Communications Squadron and 332nd Expeditionary Medical Support

  • U.S., Indian controllers on scope

    Looking at the radar, the four F-16 Fighting Falcons were clearly outnumbered as 12 opposition aircraft closed in to fire their weapons. An E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control systems aircrew started relaying coordinates, preparing the pilots for their impending battle.However, this time

  • Labor Department launches veterans employment program

    Military personnel and veterans will receive 300,000 wallet-sized cards and key charms with critical employment and job-training information in the next six months, the U.S. Department of Labor said. The department also unveiled the recovery and employment assistance lifelines -- REALifelines --

  • Innovative program helps troubled veterans turn lives around

    A unique center is helping troubled veterans turn their lives around by providing a military style program designed to help them beat addictions, develop career skills, land jobs, find homes and become productive citizens. The Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training, MCVET for short,

  • General Smith takes helm of joint forces, NATO transformation commands

    Gen. Lance L. Smith took command of NATO's Allied Command Transformation and U.S. Joint Forces Command during an assumption ceremony aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower at the Norfolk Naval Station here. General Smith assumed his duties Nov. 10. He thanked the personnel of both commands for their

  • DOD seeks more civilians for flexible spending accounts

    It may be the most underused good deal in the government. But less than 5 percent of eligible Department of Defense civilians have enrolled to use flexible-spending accounts. The benefit, also known as FSAFEDS, allows federal employees to set aside pre-tax money for a wide rage of medical and

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary report. Coalition aircraft flew 57 close air support and armed reconnaissance sorties Nov. 13 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and

  • Accident report out on Iraqi Comp Air 7SL

    Air Force Special Operations Command ended its investigation into the May 30 crash of an Iraqi air force Comp Air 7SL aircraft in Iraq that killed five Airmen. The primary purpose of the investigation was to set forth factual information concerning the accident. But because the investigation lacked

  • U.S. troops in Turkey will no longer receive tax exclusion

    Beginning Dec. 31, U.S. military members in Turkey will no longer be exempt from paying federal taxes. U.S. European Command requested, and the Pentagon approved, terminating Turkey's certification as an area in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, U.S. military officials in Europe said. This

  • Fund fighting financers

    When deployed, the last thing one wants to worry about is their finances. The 379th Expeditionary Comptroller Squadron is here to provide timely and accurate financial services for all personnel here and throughout the area of responsibility. The fund fighting team processes military pay

  • Wilford Hall team helps save baby girl

    Upon request from a Texas senator, the United States Air Force was tasked to transport a 2-month-old Galveston baby girl to Santa Rosa Children's Hospital in San Antonio. The baby has been hooked to an Extra-Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation machine at a local hospital there for 19 days and has a

  • AWACS crews watch over president

    Members of the 552nd Air Control Wing were in Argentina through Nov. 7th to provide airborne surveillance for the Summit of the Americas attended by President George W. Bush. Thirty-three North and South American leaders convened at the summit to discuss solutions to common political, economic and

  • Travis hosts Veteran's Powwow

    About 2,000 people, including representatives from 20 Native American nations, took part in the fourth annual Veterans Powwow here. The event, held Nov. 5 and 6, was hosted by the Travis Native American Heritage Council and was the first two-day powwow celebration. “We had folks from Oregon, Nevada

  • Kadena Airmen teach English to Japanese Airmen

    In a combat environment communication between allies is important. That’s why more than 25 Kadena Airmen practiced English communication with Japan Air Self Defense Force Airmen preparing to deploy to Southwest Asia recently. Kadena Airmen -- from senior airmen to major -- paired up with their

  • Counseling helps Airmen decide on Air Force

    Average income for a civilian eight years after high school graduation –– $42,000. Total compensation for a staff sergeant with eight years time in service and no dependants –– $52,244. Attending the right decision and career decision briefings –– priceless. Making the right decision in which way to

  • JCS chairman sends Veterans' Day message

    Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace has sent the following  Veterans' Day message:"This Veterans’ Day we honor those men and women who have defended our nation in the armed forces. Today is an opportunity for Americans to recognize the tremendous accomplishments and proud

  • USO initiative keeps troops connected

    The United Service Organizations is launching a pilot partnership program with the Family Literacy Foundation to help keep deployed military parents and their children connected. The program allows troops to send video tapes of them read aloud from children’s books. The mission of United Through

  • Schoolhouse trains tanker instructor pilots to be weapons officers

    Some Airmen here are helping produce experts in Air Force tanker operations. Members of the 509th Weapons Squadron do that by conducting the KC-135 Weapons Instructor Course and running the tanker intelligence formal training unit here. The squadron is one of three that make up the U.S. Air Mobility

  • Bringing troops home safely

    The sun had just set as the aircraft preflight checks ended. The tower reported: “cleared for take off.” The four engines of the vintage 1962 C-130E Hercules roared as the transport plane rumbled down the runway on its way to Iraq to deliver and pick up passengers and cargo. Aboard, loadmaster Tech.

  • Cadets designing, building unmanned aerial vehicles

    At the Sensor-based Intelligent Robotics Laboratory in the department of electrical and computer engineering here, cadets and faculty are designing and building more sophisticated autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles. These UAVs will able to communicate with each other and search, track and destroy

  • American, Indian Airmen ‘mix it up’

    For the first time, U.S. pilots faced the Indian Air Force’s most advanced, and newest, fighter -- the Su-30 MKI -- during an exercise Cope India 06 mission here. F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots Capt. Martin “Gabby” Mentch and 1st Lt. Robert “Pipes” Stimpson were the first to mix it up with the Su-30s

  • General Myers receives Presidential Medal of Freedom

    President George Bush presented retired Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a White House ceremony today. General Myers, who stepped down as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Sept. 30, was one of 14 Americans honored with the nation's highest civilian award.

  • Children honor sacrifice in Veterans Day walk

    Their strides might not have been as long as the adults in the crowd, but each step they took meant just as much. Decked out in patriotic red, white and blue, children from Oak Hill Elementary School beamed with pride as they marched in their annual All Veteran’s Memorial Walk here last week. The

  • Brooks lab helping detect avian flu

    An epidemiology laboratory here is working to develop more effective and timely methods for detecting the deadly avian flu virus. The Air Force Institute for Operational Health's epidemiology division is doing the research. The effort will support a worldwide Air Force surveillance program designed

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary report

    Officials at U.S. Central Command Air Forces released today's airpower summary report.Coalition aircraft flew 58 close air support and armed reconnaissance sorties Nov. 9 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction

  • Exercise tests aircrews in virtual reality by linking simulators nationwide

    The first nationwide virtual reality exercise, Virtual Flag 06, used networked simulators to create a realistic and cheap simulated battlespace to test aircrews and space and ground operators. The exercise, led by the Distributed Mission Operations Center here, ended Nov. 4. The networked simulators

  • Centers helps combat vets to cope

    Combat veterans dealing with readjustment issues as they return home have a place to turn, thanks to a Department of Veterans Affairs initiative. The Vet Center program provides returning veterans with someone to talk to who can relate to their experiences. To date, readjustment counseling service

  • Maintainers keeping F-16s soaring over India

    Cleaned, inspected and fully maintained, 12 neatly aligned F-16 Fighting Falcons stand poised for their daily battle. Beside them, their adversary -- an assortment of Indian Air Force MiGs, Mirages and Su-30s -- are also ready for the day’s dissimilar air combat training. The jets are all taking

  • Pilots, air battle managers can get cash to stay in

    The fiscal 2006 Aviator Continuation Pay program will offer about 750 pilots and air battle managers a monetary incentive to continue their service. A five-year, fixed-length agreement is available to eligible pilots and air battle managers who apply. The agreement values in annual pretax amounts

  • DOD to begin BRAC closures, realignments

    The Base Realignment and Closure Commission's recommendations for reshaping the Defense Department's infrastructure and force structure took effect at 12:01 a.m. today.Congress allowed the commission recommendations to pass into law at the mandated Nov. 8 deadline. The nine-member BRAC panel

  • Soto brothers endure Balad together

    Deployments often mean working long hours thousands of miles away from family and friends. But for two Airmen here, that is not the case. The Soto brothers are both deployed to the 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron. Tech. Sgt. Orlando Soto and Senior Airman Saul Soto deployed from the

  • McConnell testing new Air Force personnel initiative

    The Air Force is testing a new organizational structure at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., designed to improve convenience and timeliness for customers worldwide.The Personnel Services Delivery, or PSD, Transformation initiative allows Airmen to complete transactions online or through contact

  • Civilian personnel system allows employees control over advancement

    The National Security Personnel System, which will go on line soon, will provide a more performance- and market-based system of hiring, pay and evaluation. With NSPS, Department of Defense civilians can influence the amount of money they will receive by their performance, their value to the

  • Bagram Airmen spread cheer, share smiles

    Airmen fighting the global war on terrorism from nearby Bagram Air Base took time to spread cheer and share smiles with the people of a village here. As part of an adopt-a-village visit Nov. 3, Airmen distributed more than 1,200 pounds of winter clothes, blankets, school supplies and toys, said

  • Rescue squad puts training to test

    The blades of the Army UH-60 Black Hawk medevac helicopter beat the air as four firefighters rushed to it with 200 pounds of specialized extrication gear. The 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Airmen knew this time it wasn’t a drill. Two trucks were in a near head-on collision 10 minutes

  • National Veterans Awareness Week continues

    A Senate resolution designates Nov. 6 to 12 as National Veterans Awareness Week. The week focuses on programs to make students in elementary and secondary schools aware of the contributions of veterans and their importance in preserving American peace and prosperity, said Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden,

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    Officials at U.S. Central Command Air Forces released today’s airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 58 close air support and armed reconnaissance sorties Nov. 8 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities,