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U.S. Air Force News

  • Recovered debris thought to be wreckage of missing aircraft

    Italian search teams have recovered debris in the Adriatic Sea believed to belong to an F-16 Fighting Falcon that went missing during a nighttime training mission Jan. 28.The fighter jet, assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing, was performing a training mission when the base lost contact with the pilot

  • Recovered household goods want to come home

    The security forces investigation office here and local German police have been conducting a joint investigation of a moving company in the Kaiserslautern, Germany, area.A substantial amount of suspected stolen household goods has been recovered in this operation. Air Force and local officials are

  • Recovery agency teams complete 100th Laos mission

    Four recovery teams from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command recently completed JPAC's 100th recovery mission in Laos."The JPAC mission is as important in our effort to account for each missing American here as it is in Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Korea and everywhere else where we have unresolved

  • Recovery care program assists wounded, ill or injured Airmen

    When an Airman becomes seriously wounded, ill or injured, the little things have a tendency to fall through the cracks as they focus on recovery and rehabilitation. These little things, like paying the bills for instance, have the potential to turn into major problems for Airmen and their families

  • Recruit earns coveted scarlet beret

    Staff Sgt. Rene Ochoa is one happy recruiter, thanks to the achievements of Airman 1st Class Michael Guzman.Guzman earned the coveted scarlet beret of a combat controller Sept.12 at Fort Bragg, N.C., after 16 months of intense military training.

  • Recruit loses 120 pounds to join Air Force

    Growing up in Columbus, a young man admired Airmen from nearby Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and he thought joining the Air Force was a logical conclusion since his father and other family members served in the military.But the problem for Daniel Kuertz was that he weighed 320 pounds. The

  • Recruit sheds weight to join Air Force

    A Charleston-area resident weighing 253 pounds lost more than 80 pounds in eight months to meet weight requirements to join the Air Force in time to go to Basic Military Training July 1. "I wasn't surprised that I weighed too much (then), but I really didn't know the weight limit would be that low,"

  • Recruiter assistance program offers ranks more than non-chargeable leave

    While preparing to move to his first duty base at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Airman Todd West wanted to spend time with his family in Missouri, but he didn't know how to do it without using up his personal leave. Then he learned about the Recruiter Assistance Program. RAP is an active-duty

  • Recruiter guilty in murder-for-hire plot

    After a two-week general court-martial, Tech. Sgt. Rodney Wells was found guilty here Oct. 1 of conspiracy to commit murder and attempted conspiracy to commit murder. Sergeant Wells was also found not guilty of a third charge, which included three specifications of solicitation to commit murder and

  • Recruiter magazine bids farewell, goes online

    The January 2007 issue of Recruiter, Air Force Recruiting Service's magazine, marks the last edition slated for print after nearly 52 years as the official periodical for all Air Force recruiters. In keeping with the times, the Recuiter will morph into a Web-based news service beginning in February

  • Recruiter plays hero, stops robbery in progress

    An Air Force recruiter stopped a robbery in progress while attending his unit's annual training conference Oct. 29 here.Staff Sgt. Cesar Munoz, a recruiter with the 344th Recruiting Squadron stationed in Killeen, Texas, subdued two assailants attempting to mug an elderly man at the Sam's Town Hotel

  • Recruiter receives 2007 Pitsenbarger Award for heroic, selfless act

    The Air Force Sergeants Association named Staff Sgt. Robert Payne, an Air Force recruiter at Bala Cynwyd, Pa., as its 2007 Pitsenbarger Award recipient recently. The AFSA's Pitsenbarger Award annually recognizes Air Force enlisted members who perform heroic acts, on or off duty, that result in

  • Recruiter’s post-tornado effort has lasting impact

    As the massive 1.3-mile-wide tornado approached Moore, Okla., May 20, Staff Sgt. Tim Smith took shelter along with his family, neighbors and dogs."I arrived home 10 minutes before the tornado hit my neighborhood," said Smith, an Enlisted Accessions recruiter in Norman, Okla. "My wife, my son and I

  • Recruiters discuss challenges with Senate subcommittee

    Two Air Force recruiting representatives answered questions for members of the Senate Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Personnel Jan. 31. Senators questioned Air Force Recruiting Service commander Brig. Gen. Suzanne Vautrinot and Master Sgt. Dave White, flight chief for the 341st Recruiting

  • Recruiters meet, exceed goals for ninth year in a row

    Air Force recruiters met their active-duty enlisted recruiting goal for the ninth year in a row and met their chaplain and Officer Training School accession goals for fiscal year 2008. "I'm proud of our highly professional recruiting force, who continues to exemplify the Air Force core values of

  • Recruiters save a life at Motley Crue concert

    "All recruiters change lives, but some save lives too," said Col Jay Fitzgerald, the 360th Air Force Recruiting Group commander after hearing of the heroic acts by members of the 313th Recruiting Squadron working at a Motley Crue concert. The recruiters had volunteered for a fundraiser Sept. 5 at

  • Recruiters test new hometown shipping program

    Air Force Recruiting Service officials here recently began a test program to ship recruits to basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base from their hometowns. The program, called hometown shipping, aims to eliminate the need for applicants to visit a military entrance processing station a

  • Recruiters, enlistees highlighted at A/TA Convention

    Pledging one’s devotion to their country and reciting the Oath of Enlistment can be inspirational to most. This first step to becoming a member of the nation’s military is special in itself, but 10 enlistees from the 330th Recruiting Squadron had this moment made even more memorable during this

  • Recruiting command chief retires after 30 years

    When Chief Master Sgt. Vance Clarke wakes each morning, he turns toward his wife and gently reaches over and touches her, a reminder as to why he continues to get out of bed each and every day at 4:30 a.m., dresses and heads to work.For the Air Force Recruiting Service command chief, his wife, Pam,

  • Recruiting commander expands community relations at bowl game

    The Air Force Recruiting Service commander visited Columbus, Ga., Dec. 3 and 4 to show support to the community and share knowledge about the Air Force's career opportunities.During his stay, Brig. Gen. Balan R. Ayyar attended the 2010 Pioneer Bowl at the A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium where the Fort

  • Recruiting focuses on select career fields

    The Air Force continues to recruit high quality people while using force-shaping efforts to keep people in critical career fields, the Air Force Recruiting Service commander said during a recent visit here. Brig. Gen. Robertus C.N. Remkes said the Air Force is striving to “balance the books” by

  • Recruiting group closes its doors

    Air Force Recruiting Service officials are deactivating the 367th Recruiting Group here Oct. 1 as recruiting units are realigned from four groups into three and reducing recruiting squadrons from 27 to 24. AFRS officials are reorganizing health professions recruiting into 24 regional hubs throughout

  • Recruiting numbers decrease with force shaping

    Air Force recruiters will be searching for about 11,000 fewer people in fiscal 2005 as a result of the service’s force-shaping efforts, officials here announced May 28. Phase II of the Air Force’s force-shaping program calls for enlisted accessions to drop by about 11,000 to reach authorized end

  • Recruiting on track, but officials worry about future

    Military recruiting is going well today, but economic and demographic changes will make the environment more difficult in the future, said Vee Penrod, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for military personnel policy.

  • Recruiting quality Airmen remains top priority

    Despite an increasingly challenging recruiting environment, the Air Force reached its 2007 enlisted recruiting goals by 100 percent, bringing in 27,801 new Airmen during the past fiscal year. "The Air Force maintains high standards for recruits in (regard to) aptitude, medical (condition) and

  • Recruiting reorganization creates three new squadrons

    A reorganization within Air Force Recruiting Service is resulting in three new squadrons solely dedicated to health professions recruiting and as a result, a more appropriate focus on the HP mission.The newly activated squadrons are:360th Recruiting Group: The 318th Recruiting Squadron, based in

  • Recruiting school marks 50 years at Lackland

    More than 4.3 million people have joined the Air Force in the past 50 years through the efforts of enthusiastic recruiters trained at the Air Force Recruiting School here.“Every recruiter has to come through this school first,” said Tech. Sgt. Lynn Bryan, one of 14 active-duty recruiting instructors

  • Recruiting service films Lackland training

    Building on the recent success of its website's basic military training video, Air Force Recruiting Service officials returned to Lackland Air Force Base June 21 through 25 to film several technical school career fields for a new AirForce.com technical training video.The new video is part of the

  • Recruiting service names Blue Suit winners

    The Air Force Recruiting Service recently recognized the fiscal 2003 winners of Operation Blue Suite XXV. The program recognizes the Air Force's top recruiters worldwide."This is the first time I've received a Blue Suit award," said Tech. Sgt. Scott J. Wealton, from the 368th Recruiting Squadron in

  • Recruiting service seeking hurricane-affected future Airmen

    Air Force Recruiting Service officials here are seeking contact from members of the delayed entry program who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina.Those affected may contact the recruiting service at (210) 671-2951 Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. CDT. After normal business hours,

  • Recruiting Service team covers humanitarian mission

    An Air Force Recruiting Service team returned to Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, in May following a week in the Dominican Republic where they photographed and videotaped Air Force medics providing healthcare during a medical humanitarian mission. The video and images will be used in a new, five-CD

  • Recruiting service unveils ‘shrink-wrapped’ buses

    Air Force Recruiting Service officials rolled out their latest advertising campaign to senior leaders Feb. 19: two very colorful buses.The vehicles are standard in every way, except they are covered with a shrink-wrap design rather than a traditional paint scheme. Each vehicle features the F/A-22

  • Recruiting, retention numbers strong for active, Reserve

    All 10 active-duty and Reserve military components met or exceeded their recruiting goals in April, Defense Department officials here announced May 11. For the second consecutive month, the Marine Corps added the highest percentage of active-duty members. The Corps' goal was to add 1,018 new

  • Recruiting, retention outlook good

    Despite predictions to the contrary, Americans are continuing to volunteer for the military, and those already in are re-enlisting at a vigorous rate.Early in the war on terrorism, many critics predicted the United States would have to return to the draft to man the forces. But in this 30th year of

  • Recruiting, retention remain solid

    Five years after military recruiting hit the ceiling after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, recruiting remains solid, with every service meeting its active-duty recruiting goal for the 15th consecutive month. Recruiting and retention statistics for August, just released by the Defense Department,

  • Recruiting, retention stay high throughout services

    Recruitment and retention remained high throughout the services for the first two months of the fiscal year, with only the Air National Guard missing its accessions goal, according to numbers released by Pentagon officials Dec. 15.All four active-duty services met or exceeded their numerical

  • Recruiting, training key to future of Iraqi Air Force

    Recruiting new airmen for the Iraqi Air Force presents several challenges. With the constant fear of being targeted by insurgents, those who want to serve fear what might happen to them or their families. However, the Iraqi Air Force is making headway, and Iraqi citizens are stepping up to serve

  • Recruits enlist in the Rose Bowl

    Nineteen new Air Force recruits were sworn in prior to the UCLA/Oregon State football game Nov. 8 at the Rose Bowl Stadium here. Col. Jeffery Robertson, director of staff for 4th Air Force from March Air Reserve Base, Calif., administered the official oath. "It's what these kids are doing (serving

  • Recycling contract turns trash into treasure

    War is messy -- literally -- but U.S. forces, contractors and Iraqis found a way to turn the military's trash into Iraq's economic treasure. Albu-Hussan-based Almandhour United Company oversees waste-management operations here following a ribbon-cutting ceremony July 10 that commemorated the opening

  • Recycling saves Keesler hospital $62,000

    The Keesler Hospital's operating room is once again "going green."In 2004, Capt. Wendy Wilkins, an 81st Surgical Operations Squadron operating room nurse, began reprocessing the Flowtron compression hoses used in the operating rooms. Unfortunately, the reprocessing program wasn't re-established

  • Recycling turns trash into cash

    The base’s recycling program is now in full swing, following nine months of implemention and acclimation to the program. There are about 200 blue and yellow recycle containers at various sites around the installation. The yellow containers are for aluminum cans and the blue bins are for plastic

  • Red Cross eases access to emergency communication services

    As part of an ongoing effort to better serve the military community, the American Red Cross will move to a single telephone number for its emergency communication services in June.Beginning June 13, service members and their families can use one toll-free number, 877-272-7337, to send an urgent

  • Red Cross helps service members defy gravity

    American Red Cross volunteers and members of the 374th Medical Group gathered at the physical therapy clinic here May 11 for the dedication of an AlterG zero-gravity treadmill.The treadmill is designed to help patients recover in rehabilitation following injury or surgery of the hip, knee, ankle or

  • Red Cross manager asks donors to hold off

    In August, the American Red Cross asked the public for donations of phone cards, clothing, small suitcases and comfort items for servicemembers recuperating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here.Now Barbara Green, the ARC station manager, said she has more phone cards, sweat pants and luggage than

  • Red Cross offers food, friendship to returning Soldiers

    As they enter Incirlik’s temporary terminal, hundreds of U.S. Soldiers coming from Iraq stop by the shoppette and souvenir booths, but ultimately end up at a makeshift American Red Cross stand.Red Cross volunteers are helping out at the terminal by providing hot beverages and baked goods to

  • Red Cross swimming in money thanks to retiree

    His name is Rich Rasmussen, but most call him “the fish.” That is because the retired Air Force lieutenant colonel swam in a Red Cross event for the last 13 years, raising more than $19,500 for the organization.Swimmers collect pledges to raise funds for the American Red Cross.Notorious for his

  • Red Cross to deliver holiday cards to wounded

    This holiday season, American Red Cross volunteers will make sure holiday greetings generically addressed to wounded servicemembers at military medical facilities around the country will find a home. With help from Pitney Bowes Government Solutions, and the support of Defense Department and Walter

  • Red Cross website links Japan-based troops to home

    In the wake of Japan's massive earthquake and tsunami, Red Cross officials are encouraging U.S. service members and families stationed there to register with an online resource intended to keep family and friends back home informed of their welfare.Military members and their families can relay their

  • Red Flag 09-3 exercise begins

    Southern Nevada residents may have notice increased military aircraft activity as the latest Red Flag exercise began Feb. 23. Red Flag is a realistic combat training exercise involving the air forces of the United States and its allies. The exercise is conducted on the 15,000-square-mile Nevada Test

  • Red Flag 11-2 provides combat experience

    The first pilots flew into a simulated combat environment designed to give them the skills needed to survive in war during Red Flag 11-2 here Jan. 24. "The mission of every Red Flag is to expose our combat aircrew to realistic training," said Col. S. Clinton Hinote, the Red Flag 11-2 Air

  • Red Flag 17-1 pushes domain, fifth-gen integration

    As coalition pilots, intelligence analysts, and cyber and space operators convene at the Nevada Test and Training Range north of Las Vegas, for Red Flag 17-1, they have one goal in mind: work together to defeat the adversary, which at times is 20 living adversaries simultaneously working to attack

  • Red Flag 21-1 kicks off at Nellis AFB

    Southern Nevada residents may notice an increase in military aircraft activity from Jan. 25 through Feb. 12 as Nellis Air Force Base begins exercise Red Flag 21-1, one of the U.S. Air Force’s largest combat training exercises.

  • Red Flag 21-2 creates agile, multi-domain problem-solvers

    Understanding how another allied fighting force maintains and conducts its missions is vital to asymmetric strategic advantage. During Red Flag Nellis 21-2, around 2,500 U.S. and international participants integrated to capitalize on becoming the best they can be before any future deployments to the

  • Red Flag 23-3: Uniting US armed forces

    Red Flag 23-3 has come to a close for more than 2,000 U.S. Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps, Navy and Air National Guard that ran from July 17 to August 4.

  • Red Flag cancelled again

    For the second time this year, Air Combat Command officials here cancelled a Red Flag exercise because of emerging Air Force deployment requirements.The exercise was originally scheduled to be held later this month at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.Red Flag, a realistic combat-training exercise

  • Red Flag cyber operations: Isn't Red Flag a flyer's exercise?

    As Airmen from Air Force Space Command participate Red Flag from Feb. 21 through March 11 at the Nevada Test and Training Range complex, Nev.Red Flag is a realistic, combat-training exercise involving the air forces of the U.S. and its allies in simulated air combat."Red Flag continues to adapt and

  • Red Flag evolves as ISR, cyber presence increases

    The silent warfighters of the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and cyber communities are honing their operational skills and testing new capabilities during Red Flag 17-1 at the Nevada Test and Training Range north of Las Vegas, Jan. 23 through Feb. 10.Red Flag is a realistic combat

  • Red Flag joins American, allied airpower

    Units from across the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Australia and the United Kingdom gathered here for the second part of the Red Flag 06-1 exercise, which started Feb. 6. More than 130 aircraft and 2,500 personnel will fight and support in a simulated air war over the Nellis Test and Training

  • Red Flag kicks off at Nellis

    Nearly 60 aircraft and nine units, supported by 1,000 Airmen from across the United States and Belgium are taking part in the first Red Flag exercise of fiscal 2007, which began Oct. 10 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. The exercise that runs until Oct. 20 tests aircrews' warfighting skills in

  • Red Flag ramps up, F-22 to make debut

    The first Red Flag exercise this year, dubbed "Colonial Flag," is scheduled to begin Jan. 16 at Nellis AFB, marking the 32nd year for Red Flag operations. This is the first of three Red Flags this year, and the F-22 Raptor is participating for the first time.More than 200 aircraft and about 5,200

  • Red Flag returns to Nevada

    The latest iteration of the Air Force's premier air-to-air combat training exercise kicked off Jan. 27 as allied and U.S aircraft launched to simulate battle in the sky over the Nevada Test and Training Range.

  • Red Flag 'rocks on'

    Airmen and aircraft from around the world as well as their coalition counterparts descended on Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada for Exercise Red Flag 13-2 Jan. 21 through Feb. 1.Red Flag exercises are designed to help U.S. and international airmen prepare for real-world combat scenarios.Click the

  • Red Flag strengthens F-35A maintainers

    After more than two weeks launching F-35A Lightning II sorties at Red Flag 19-1, maintainers with the 388th Fighter Wing are impressed with the jet and the young airmen who help maintain it.

  • Red Flag-Alaska 19-2: Indo-Pacific ‘one team’ mentality

    Pilots, maintainers, joint terminal attack controllers and support personnel from the South Korea Air Force, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Thai Air Force train alongside their U.S. and British counterparts during Red Flag-Alaska 19-2 at Eielson Air Force Base and Joint Base

  • Red Flag-Alaska 22-2 draws to a close

    Red Flag exercises are designed to simulate a deployment to a contested environment, where the battlefield strategy demands a high operations tempo and necessitates innovation, determination, and teamwork to stay ahead of ever-changing mission needs.

  • Red Flag-Alaska begins 2007 season

    More than 1,300 military members from the United States, France and Australia are gathering in the Last Frontier to participate in Red Flag-Alaska 07-1 scheduled from April 5 to 21. Red Flag-Alaska, a series of Pacific Air Forces commander-directed field training exercises for U.S. forces, provides

  • Red Flag-Alaska begins 2009 season

    Approximately 1,400 U.S. and foreign participants will be arriving at Eielson and Elmendorf Air Force bases beginning April 13 to participate in Red Flag-Alaska 09-2, scheduled for April 16 to May 1. Red Flag-Alaska, a series of Pacific Air Forces commander-directed field training exercises for U.S.

  • Red Flag-Alaska ends on positive note

    The year's first Red Flag-Alaska ended April 20 after two weeks of intense, air-combat training over Alaska's mountain ranges. Training in a multi-service, multi-platform, combat operations exercise involving coalition forces was an opportunity that cannot be underemphasized, said Lt. Col. Eddie

  • Red Flag-Alaska pilots engage in realistic combat scenarios

    Aerial dog-fights between 10 or more jets and dodging simulated missiles may sound like a boss-level of a video game, but it's really the daunting experience of a combat pilot during the Exercise Red Flag-Alaska 08-2 that runs April 3 through 18 at Eielson Air Force Base. Red Flag-Alaska is a

  • Red Flag-Alaska pilots train to fly, fight, win

    The flight plans have been filed; the mission briefs have been completed. Now it's time for the key players in a multinational force to come together to fly, fight and win. During Red Flag-Alaska, United States military pilots and coalition forces are provided the opportunity to train jointly more

  • Red Flag-Alaska readies Airmen for deployment

    Red Flag-Alaska 06-2 participants have arrived and set up shop at this interior Alaska base to prepare for the annual exercise previously called Cope Thunder. More than 1,500 active duty, Reserve and Air National Guard Airmen, 84 aircraft and an Army and Navy unit will train for two weeks in the Air

  • Red Flag-Alaska strengthens coalition forces

    Red Flag-Alaska, a multi-service, multi-platform coordinated, combat operations exercise, kicked off April 5 with the ultimate goal of improving the operational capability of participating units and fostering stronger relations between U.S. and coalition forces. Red Flag-Alaska allows these units,

  • Red Flag-Alaska wraps up

    More than 84 aircraft and 1,500 Air Force active duty, Reserve, and National Guard Airmen here and at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, wrapped up the first Red Flag-Alaska, held April 24 through May 5. Until this year, the exercise had been known as Cope Thunder.Pilots, maintainers, weapons

  • Red Flag-Alaska wraps up

    The second Red Flag-Alaska exercise of the year ended June 15 after two weeks of intense, air-combat training over Alaska's mountain ranges. "I think this was a great exercise," said Col. William Wignall, the Air Expeditionary Wing commander for the exercise. "The tactical problems presented by the

  • Red Flag-Nellis 24-2 shapes the future of air combat

    Red Flag 24-2 presented a prime opportunity to forge pathways for collaboration with joint services and NATO countries. It showcased the cutting-edge capabilities of fifth-generation F-35 Lightning IIs and sophisticated threat replication techniques.

  • Red Flag's heartbeat: Core unit arrives at Nellis AFB

    The 1st Fighter Wing’s aircrews and support personnel out of Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, arrived at Nellis Air Force Base Jan.17 and 18, to participate in Red Flag 17-1, as the exercise’s core unit.

  • RED HORSE Airmen battle heat, darkness to shape future

    On a construction site at the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, all five senses are constantly bombarded. The sun scorches every inch of uncovered skin. Gusting winds kick up sand and dirt, making it difficult to see. Deafening machines saturate the air with the smell and taste of fumes.