NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Northern Edge 2015 fills the skies

    Approximately 200 military aircraft filled the skies above Alaska June 15, signifying the start of the joint training exercise, Northern Edge 2015.

  • Malmstrom chaplain named Air Force's CGO Chaplain of Year

    Chaplain (Capt.) Keith Manry, a 341st Missile Wing chaplain, was recently recognized as the Air Force Chaplain Corps Company Grade Officer Chaplain of the Year for 2014. He was recognized for his work at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, and while deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

  • Airman improves intelligence career field through innovations

    Tech. Sgt. Kevin from Creech Air Force Base, Neveda, has been an innovator for the intelligence career field with for the past decade. One of his creations, called the Squadron Intelligence Reconnaissance Interface, codenamed SIRI, is an application used by remotely piloted aircraft crew members to

  • Service star authorized on GWOT Expeditionary Medal

    Active-duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen who earned the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal for more than one of the five Defense Department approved Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal operations may now wear a service star device on the medal and service ribbon for the second and

  • New acquisition process awards contracts in weeks

    A new government open architecture acquisition process that can award contracts in weeks instead of years was tested at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, June 8-11. The process, called PlugFest, is an interactive industry event where companies get to “plug-in” to a given open system architecture

  • Elmendorf fuels flight named best in AF

    The Air Force recently recognized the 673rd Logistics Readiness Squadron's Fuels Management Flight as the best in the Air Force after being named the winner of the 2014 American Petroleum Institute Award.

  • Weapons safety ensures ICBM effectiveness

    The 90th Missile Wing's mission is to defend America with the world's premier combat ready intercontinental ballistic missile force, and ensuring the safe execution of the mission is the prime focus of the 90th MW Safety Office.

  • SBIRS awards technical refresh modification

    The Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) recently completed negotiations on the Lockheed Martin Space Systems’ Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Technical Refresh proposal and awarded the contract modification June 9.

  • 15 nations assemble to improve force development

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa hosted 14 allied and partner nations June 2-4, for the inaugural International Professional Military Development (PMD) Symposium in Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

  • Pawlikowski assumes leadership of AF Materiel Command

    Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski assumed the top position of the major command responsible for installation support and the technology, acquisition, test and sustainment of the Air Force's current and future weapon systems during ceremonies at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, June 8.

  • Continuing the legacy: Tibbets takes command of 509th Bomb Wing

    During a historic ceremony, Brig. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets IV took command of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, June 5. Tibbets' grandfather, Brig. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets Jr., was the pilot of the "Enola Gay," the B-29 Superfortress known for dropping the "Little Boy" atomic bomb

  • June issue of Airman magazine now available

    The June issue of Airman magazine is now available to download on your tablet or can be viewed through a web browser. The front cover story focuses on a special unit of security forces Airmen and their partners -- quarter horses. Together, the Airmen and their horses patrol the beaches along

  • Surviving 'face-breaking' speed

    For some it's about competition, for others it's an adrenaline rush, but for Derek Hamby, bicycling is about passion. Hamby, an avid bicyclist and manpower and organization chief at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, has been riding for close to 20 years. He takes trips with friends each year, just

  • New program prepares Airmen, families to bounce back after deployments

    Air Force services recently added a new tool to encourage service members and their families who are affected by deployments to participate in morale, welfare, and recreation programs and activities. The “Recharge for Resiliency” (R4R) initiative was designed to help Airmen readjust to life at home

  • Special Operations Forces commemorate liberation of France

    In the first events commemorating the 71st anniversary of the liberation of France, Special Operations Command Europe operators performed military free falls into U.N. designated world heritage site in Mont Saint-Michel, and participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the World War II Pontorson

  • Kunsan hosts Buddy Wing 15-4

    The 8th Fighter Wing is hosting members from the South Korean air force's 123rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Wing at Seosan Air Base, South Korea, to participate in exercise Buddy Wing 15-4 here June 1-5.

  • Maintaining the vehicles that move the mission

    Imagine unloading 60,000 pounds of cargo by hand. Aircraft missions, personnel movements and supply distributions would come to a screeching halt. The time and resources necessary to accomplish such a task would be detrimental to the mission.

  • Creech Airman resurrects AGE equipment, saves AF thousands

    With the phrase "do more with less" in the forefront of the minds of today's Airmen, the obligation to save money is still a top priority.For Tech. Sgt. Kasey Hollinger, a 432nd Maintenance Squadron aerospace ground equipment craftsman, it was this priority that inspired him to try and complete the

  • Running on High Octane: POL fuels support, combat operations

    It’s 9 a.m. and even though it’s already 100 degrees outside, the temperature continues to climb.Chatter comes across the radio for a fuel request and Airman 1st Class Arnaldo, a fuels distribution operator, wipes the sweat off his face, hops into his R-12 Refueler and heads to the flightline. To

  • Kazakhstan native selected for officer training

    Senior Airman Aigerim Akhmetova, a C-17 Globemaster III supply clerk from the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron at Al Udied Air Base, Qatar, said she remembers waking up early to stand in line with her mother for loaves of bread while growing up in Kazakhstan when it was a Soviet republic.

  • Aviano F-16s take on Arctic Challenge 2015

    At the invitation of the government of Sweden, More than 150 Airmen and 12 F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy, arrived at Norbotten Wing here in support of Arctic Challenge Exercise 2015.

  • AF recognizes a lifetime of service

    Air Force Assistant Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Stephen L. Hoog presented the Air Force Exceptional Service Award to retired Col. Arnald D. Gabriel during an Air Force Symphony performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, May 24.

  • Deli-bakery contract awarded for 44 commissaries

    A new contractor will start taking over deli-bakery operations next month at 44 Midwest commissaries that were impacted when a contractor-provided service ceased at the end of February, due to performance issues.

  • Luke's 56th Fighter Wing has new mission

    Luke Air Force Base's 56th Fighter Wing conducted a change of mission ceremony May 21, formally including the F-35 Lightning II as part of the wing's new mission statement.

  • Misawa cyber security best in DOD

    The cyber readiness team at Misawa Air Base, Japan, was rated the best in the Defense Department, following a Command Cyber Readiness Inspection (CCRI) May 11-15.

  • Joint Task Force 505 begins drawdown in Nepal

    Joint Task Force 505 is drawing down its earthquake relief operations as the Nepalese government and international aid agencies have postured for long-term recovery and reconstruction efforts.

  • Maintainers extend the battle against ISIL

    Fly, fight and win: words that are etched throughout Air Force history from the countless sorties flown in combat operations around the globe. Today, that legacy continues in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.

  • Increased mission requirements open doors for continued service

    The Air Force is introducing several personnel and manpower initiatives to meet increased mission requirements outlined in the fiscal year 2016 President’s Budget. The Air Force is undergoing a concerted effort to stabilize and grow the force by fiscal 2017, to include addressing key gaps in the

  • Initiatives to improve Air Force acquisition

    Addressing an audience of industry and government employees in Lexington, Massachusetts, May 13, the Air Force’s Service Acquisition Executive spoke about acquisition priorities, challenges and initiatives.

  • The business of people: Life as a first sergeant

    Dedication is defined as a feeling of very strong support for or loyalty to someone or something, or the quality or state of being dedicated to a person, group or cause.It is this definition which embodies the attitude of a first sergeant. Colloquially called a shirt or first shirt, unwavering

  • Exercise tests command's deterrent capabilities

    Air Force Global Strike Command’s bomb wings participated in exercise Constant Vigilance May 4-13, demonstrating the command's flexibility and global reach while testing its tactics, techniques and procedures.

  • Behind the scenes: Yokota supports Nepal

    Members of Yokota Air Base, serving at the primary airlift hub in the Pacific region, often deploy to provide humanitarian aid to countries stricken by natural disasters. In recent years alone, the 374 Airlift Wing has deployed to support regional countries such as Japan after the Tohoku earthquake

  • Air Force puts spotlight on fall protection

    Air Force Ground Safety sponsored Fall Protection Focus weeks from May 4-15 to raise awareness of fall hazards as well as how to mitigate fall-related accidents.Safety officials in Southwest Asia organized a fall protection demonstration to educate base personnel on proper preclimb procedures.

  • Staying safe on two wheels

    With the worst of winter behind us, many folks are beginning to break out the hiking boots and sunscreen for some outdoor fun. Additionally, many motorcyclists who have been bound by snow and ice for the last several months are making their way onto the roads again. Lt. Col. Mark Guerber, the 16th

  • Airman returns home to Nepal after earthquake

    When Senior Airman Manoj Khatiwada was asked to join a team of Pacific Air Forces Airmen traveling to Nepal to assist the government with relief operations following a magnitude 7.8 earthquake, he was filled with mixed emotions. Khatiwada was born and raised in Nepal and came to the U.S. in 2009

  • ANG European theater security package arrives in Bulgaria

    The U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa commander spoke to U.S. and Bulgarian Airmen and local community leaders about the Air Force's first European theater security package (TSP) of F-15C Eagles deployed to Graf Ignatievo Air Base, near Plovdiv, Bulgaria, May 11.

  • True Warrior: An Airman's fight

    The distant roar of hundreds of people hungry for action pulses through the compound, rumbling the stone walls of a dimly lit waiting room.Shoulders hunched, Tech. Sgt. Clinton Williams, a 52nd Component Maintenance Squadron engine manager and mixed martial artist, walks down a hallway, wearing a

  • AF recognizes top wing command team

    Col. Mark August and his wife, Cristen, received the General and Mrs. Jerome F. O’Malley Award during a ceremony at the Pentagon, May 8.

  • Mildenhall CDC best in Air Force

    The Royal Air Force Mildenhall Child Development Center was awarded the Air Force's best Child Development Program of the Year for 2014. Competing against 84 other CDCs across the Air Force was no small challenge, and it took an above-and-beyond effort of the whole team.

  • Vandenberg receives conservation award

    Vandenberg Air Force Base recently received the 2015 Military Conservation Partner Award for excellence and exceptional leadership in natural resource conservation, May 4.

  • Manassas airport hears ‘true sound of freedom’

    There’s no mistaking the sound of four Wright Cyclone 1,200-horsepower engines pulling a B-17 Flying Fortress into the air. The press and local dignitaries watched as two B-17s, a B-24 Liberator and the only remaining airworthy B-29 Superfortress taxied down the ramp at Manassas Regional Airport,

  • AFSAS home page redesign helps to streamline layout and navigation

    The Air Force Safety Automated System (AFSAS) home page was recently updated, providing more capabilities to safety professionals and leadership and giving them the ability to identify trends and to produce analyses that lead to recommendations and mishap prevention.

  • Airman turns career around after confinement

    Boxed in by cold white bricks and murky blue floors with nothing but a rickety desk separating his twin-size bed from a closet full of rank-less uniforms, in October 2007, Airman Basic Council Jones hit the lowest point of his life.

  • 48-hour battle results in AF Cross, Silver Star medals

    Three special tactics combat controllers were awarded the Air Force Cross and two Silver Star medals here May 6, for extraordinary heroism and gallantry in the face of danger while on a deployment to Afghanistan in September 2014.

  • AFIMSC activates AETC detachment

    The third of 10 Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center (AFIMSC) detachments was activated in a ceremony here May 6.

  • Ramstein awarded $250,000 for innovation

    Gen. Frank Gorenc, the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa commander, presented the 86th Airlift Wing here a $250,000 check and the Lt. Gen. William H. Tunner Trophy May 1, for winning the USAFE-AFAFRICA Innovation Madness tournament.

  • Taking care of people for mission’s sake

    Military members are often told the mission comes first, but for Jane-Marie Kopycinski, military members and their families are the mission -- and some might argue the most critical component of the force.

  • Health specialists keep forces active

    It’s an everyday routine for Airmen and other base personnel to pour into the dining facility for their daily intake of breakfast, lunch and dinner.

  • AF celebrates Public Service Recognition Week

    PSRW is a nation-wide campaign to recognize people who serve the nation as federal, state, county and local government employees. It's to highlight their contributions and to say “thank you for your service.”

  • Global Strike maintainers win 2014 AF-level maintenance award

    The men and women of Air Force Global Strike Command's Logistics, Installation and Mission Support Directorate recently earned the 2015 Gen. Wilbur L. Creech Maintenance Excellence Award. The award is given to the major command demonstrating the most improved performance in the category of aircraft

  • AMC to relocate KC-135 simulator to Pittsburgh

    As Air Mobility Command fields the KC-46A Pegasus, displaced KC-135 Stratotanker simulators are being designated for relocation to improve efficiency and effectiveness across the total force mobility enterprise by maximizing flying hour cost avoidance through improved simulator access.

  • Elmendorf force support squadron earns LeMay award

    The 673rd Force Support Squadron earned the Air Force Curtis E. LeMay award for best large installation-level FSS of the year in the Air Force for 2014. The award recognizes the 673rd FSS leadership, customer service, support and quality-of-life programs provided to joint military members and their

  • Air Force focuses on assured access to space

    Ending America’s reliance on the Russian-built RD-180 rocket engine was the primary topic of conversation during a hearing with the Senate Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, April 29.

  • Luke commander brings home flagship F-35

    The 56th Fighter Wing flagship F-35 Lightning II arrived at Luke Air Force Base April 28, it was the base's 22nd F-35. Flying the aircraft from Lockheed Martin's Forth Worth, Texas, plant to Arizona was Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, the 56th FW commander.

  • Aircrew flight equipment enables others to succeed

    At any given moment across Southwest Asia, there are aircraft flying in harm’s way to deliver aid, combat air support to friendly forces and launching air strikes against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists. None of them can accomplish that without the aircrew flight equipment flight.

  • Kunsan takes flight at Max Thunder

    Kunsan Air Base Airmen joined other members of U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps and South Korean air force units at Gwangju Air Base for exercise Max Thunder 15-1, April 10-24.

  • Joint Warrior: It's what we train for

    They train for air-to-air combat missions, are rapidly deployable, execute worldwide combat search and rescue (CSAR), and sustain operations around the world during both war and peace.

  • Buckley EO earns AF-level recognition

    The 460th Space Wing Equal Opportunity Office was awarded the Colonel L. Joseph Brown Award - Equal Opportunity Program as part of the 2014 Manpower Personnel and Service Annual Awards Program.

  • Elmendorf Airman named Alaska bodybuilding champion

    Airman 1st Class James Jones, a 673rd Communications Squadron cyber systems operator, participated in the 2015 National Physique Committee Alaska State Championships on April 4. He spent more than a year preparing, chiseling at his physique slowly but surely every day. Hundreds of hours in the gym,

  • Medics participate in Ultimate Caduceus 15

    Members of the 22nd Medical Group, and units from across the U.S., participated in Ultimate Caduceus 2015, giving them the opportunity to conduct aeromedical evacuation training, April 16-18, at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, Louisiana.

  • Air Force nuclear mission embraces culture of empowerment

    The top military leaders for strategic forces from the Department of Defense, Navy and Air Force testified on the state of the nuclear enterprise to members of Congress April 22, during an Armed Services Committee hearing.

  • Students participate in AFRL design challenge at Natick

    More than 150 students from 17 colleges and universities and three service academies were on hand at the Natick Soldier Systems Center April 13-17, as they participated in the 2015 Air Force Research Laboratory University and Service Academy Design Challenge.

  • AF wins 2 DOD environmental awards

    The Defense Department announced on April 23, that the Air Force is the recipient of two 2015 secretary of Defense environmental awards.

  • AF celebrates Earth Day by focusing on mission today, tomorrow

    Air Force leaders are reminding Airmen to keep the mission in mind as the Air Force observes the 45th annual Earth Day April 22. The service has encouraged Airmen around the globe to focus on recycling efforts this year, in line with its 2015 theme, “Conserve Today – Secure Tomorrow.”

  • From Colorado to South Korea, 3 generations serving on the peninsula

    Most Airmen arrive at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, with the expectation of seeing new faces and forming new relationships at the start of their yearlong unaccompanied tour. But for a father and son of the Colorado Air National Guard, when they stepped onto the Korean Peninsula, they continued a

  • Kirtland’s FSS marketing team tops in Air Force

    Despite having just three employees on the marketing team -- Joanne Perkins, director; Amanda Chavez, graphic designer; and Meaghan Russo, social media specialist -- the 377th Force Support Squadron recently earned the 2014 Air Force Marketing Program of the Year award.

  • Doolittle Raiders share Congressional Gold Medal with the world

    On April 18, 1942, 80 men inspired a nation by flying 16 B-25 bombers off the deck of the USS Hornet and dropping ordnance on Tokyo. Now, 73 years later, Congress honored these men with the Congressional Gold Medal, presented to the Raiders in Washington D.C., April 15.

  • AF realigns B-1, LRS-B under Air Force Global Strike Command

    The Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force have directed the realignment of the Air Force’s B-1 bomber fleets and Long Range Strike-Bomber program from Air Combat Command to Air Force Global Strike Command, effective Oct. 1.

  • Take Back the Night 2015: 'Shattering the Silence'

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James, along with the first survivor to speak out nationally about date rape, spoke to cadets during the U.S. Air Force Academy's second annual Take Back the Night (TBN) event April 16 at the Academy's Clune Arena in Colorado.

  • Husband, wife tackle first deployment together, support bomber presence

    B-52H Stratofortress teams have been rotating to Andersen Air Force Base for the last 11 years to maintain the U.S. Pacific Command's continuous bomber presence (CBP). Hundreds of Airmen deploy every six months to support this mission that strengthens regional security and stability of the