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  • Air Force leaders lay out budget priorities, concerns

    Air Force leaders testified April 2, before the Senate Appropriations Committee on their service’s top priorities now and for the future.Joined by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and National Guard leaders and Air Force Reserve leadership, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James

  • Disability claims backlog reduced by 44 percent

    One year after the backlog of pending disability compensation claims peaked at over 611,000 in March 2013, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has reduced that number by approximately 44 percent to 344,000 claims -- a reduction of more than 267,000. At the same time officials have improved the

  • TACP run in remembrance

    More than 670 service members and coalition partners completed a total of 2,599 miles during a 24-hour Tactical Air Control Party remembrance run at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, March 27 and 28, to ensure those warriors who have made the ultimate sacrifice are never forgotten.

  • CSAF: Budget cuts affect combatant commands

    Painful budget reductions will reduce the future capabilities of combatant commanders, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III told Congress here March 26. Testifying alongside Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James at a hearing of the House Appropriations Committee's defense

  • Airmen destroy BLAC ICE

    The 435th Contingency Response Group recently joined security forces from Turkey, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany for a training course on tactical leadership.

  • New tool provides Offutt AFB maintainers with just the right blend

    A new tool, no bigger than a yard stick, is making work a lot easier for maintenance professionals of the 55th Wing who are responsible for keeping Offutt Air Force Base aircraft flying. The tool stands to save the Air Force hundreds of thousands of dollars.

  • Lieutenant continues legacy started by great uncle, Medal of Honor recipient

    Facing a wave of enemy Communist forces, and knowing that staying behind would likely lead to his capture, Army Chaplain (Capt.) Emil J. Kapaun disregarded the evacuation order and willingly risked his life to tend to the wounded.Kapaun, according to numerous battlefield accounts from the Korean

  • CSAF showcases Air Force, Airmen to Georgia civic leaders

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III spoke to approximately 180 members of Leadership Georgia, a group of influential state citizens and leaders, about the Air Force's contributions to national security and the innovative spirit of its Airmen at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., March 21.

  • AF recruiter helps build Afghan forces

    Deployed as an adviser with the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing/NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan Senior Master Sgt. Carmelo Vega Martinez, a Ponce, Puerto Rico native is the only Air Force recruiter deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

  • 12 Aviano F16s, support personnel arrive in Poland

    At the invitation of the government of Poland, twelve 555th Fighter Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcons and approximately 200 personnel assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy, arrived at the U.S. Air Force Aviation Detachment at Lask Air Base, Poland, March 14-15.

  • CSAF: Every budget decision hurts

    The Air Force’s fiscal 2015 budget request was built to ensure its combat power remains unequaled, Welsh told members of the House Armed Services Committee.

  • SecAF addresses budget challenges in Congress

    Newly-appointed Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James wanted to see the Air Force in action, so she spent her first 11 weeks on the job visiting 18 bases in 13 states, she told members of the House Armed Services Committee March

  • First female assumes command of ANG fighter wing

    Col. Sherrie McCandless , the first woman selected to command the 124th Fighter Wing and first female wing commander in Idaho Air National Guard history assumed command in a ceremony on March 2, at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho.

  • Cyber supports Red Flag for first time

    For the first time in Red Flag's nearly 40-year history, the 24th Air Force played a significant role in the Cyber Mission Force, or CMF, at the Air Combat Command-sponsored exercise held at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Jan. 27 through Feb. 14.

  • Changes coming to deployed Airman pay

    Starting June 1, Airmen deployed to several locations will see significant changes to pay programs. The biggest change includes the discontinuation of imminent danger pay, or IDP, in multiple countries.

  • Investigation board determines cause of KC-135 crash in May

    Air Mobility Command has released the results of an accident investigation that examined what caused the May 3, 2013, crash of a KC-135 Stratotanker in the Kyrgyz Republic. The crew of three, en route from the Transit Center at Manas to Afghanistan on a combat aerial refueling mission, perished in

  • DOD's top enlisted leader honors ACC Airmen, families

    Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia, senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke during Air Combat Command’s annual awards dinner, where he lauded troops for their service and their families for their unwavering commitment.

  • Air Force officials announce FY15 force structure changes

    Air Force officials released force structure changes today resulting from the Fiscal Year 2015 President’s Budget announced March 4.To ensure the service successfully transitions to a leaner force that remains ready, the Air Force plans to remove almost 500 aircraft across the inventories of all

  • Department of Energy seeks award nominations

    Each year the U.S. Department of Energy sponsors the Federal Energy and Water Management Awards. These awards honor individuals and organizations making significant contributions to the efficient use of energy and water in the federal government. The Air Force looks to stay on top, having won 21

  • DOD's top doc outlines medical advances

    The Defense Department's top doctor says the innovations and technology in military medicine derived from more than a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan have led to advances in caring for the sick and injured.

  • Through his brothers’ eyes: A Paralympic journey

    In one moment Senior Airman Sean Halsted felt the rough texture of the rope in his hands, and in the next, it was gone. That millisecond was all it took to leave the young Airman with a debilitating injury that would cause him to reassess his entire future.

  • SecAF discusses current, future challenges with ACC Airmen

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James visited here Feb. 27 to learn about the base mission and discuss the challenges facing the Air Force."This is my introduction to Air Combat Command," she said. "I have seen nothing but enormous energy from the Airmen here as they describe how excited they

  • Drug misuse, abuse: No excuse

    While picking up an over-the-counter medication at the local drug store or being prescribed medication by a healthcare provider are common practices for Airmen looking to get or remain healthy, misuse or abuse of any drug can be a serious problem with serious consequences.

  • SecAF discusses Air Force future, budget during defense summit

    Defense industry leaders and analysts received an insight into the proposed Air Force transformation and a preview of the Fiscal Year 2015 Air Force budget during the Bloomberg Government Defense Transformation Spending and Strategy Summit Feb. 26.

  • Communications Airmen enable Greek, US flight training

    The success of a flying-training deployment involving U.S. and Hellenic air forces here hinges on an array of variables, and one quick-response communications force is ensuring tactical messages are delivered.

  • Academy officer takes the LEAD

    More than six years ago, Airman Lelia Abdulrazaq realized during a combat dining-in that she wanted to become an officer.

  • Hagel outlines budget reducing troop strength, force structure

    Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has proposed cuts in military spending that include further reductions in troop strength and force structure in every military service as part of an effort to prioritize U.S. strategic interests after more than a decade of war.

  • U.S. joint capabilities support Thai partners

    The 3rd Wing validated its joint and combined capabilities this week when five C-17 Globemaster III left Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson for Thailand to airdrop paratroopers from the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, to the joint and combined exercise Cobra Gold

  • Future bomber has legacy to uphold

    With a proven history of success, today’s bomber fleet has a reputation for excellence. It is, however, an aging fleet in need of a new addition, the deputy chief of staff operations, plans and requirements said during the 30th Annual Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium and Technology

  • MAFs become ‘home away from home’ for Airmen in missile fields

    The North Dakota plains are covered with patches of slushy snow and ice along stretches of long, winding gravel roads leading to local farms and other agricultural communities. Some of these rocky paths make their way to large buildings surrounded by tall steel fences topped with razor-sharp barbed

  • Next-generation mobility solutions beginning

    The initial rollout of modernized commercial mobile technologies, or CMT, has begun across the Air Force.The rollout will focus on BlackBerry replacement and executive users while the distribution process will be focused on enabling approximately 5,000 iOS devices.

  • Security forces members receive nuclear-focused breacher training

    About 100 miles northeast of the base here, the Nuclear Security Combat Training Center at Camp Guernsey, Wyo., provides advanced tactics and marksmanship training for security forces members who guard and secure the Air Force’s Intercontinental Ballistic Missile force.

  • US pilots share skies with former Portuguese classmates

    Two Air Force captains sat in the 301st Fighter Squadron, one of two Portuguese F-16 Fighting Falcon squadrons at Monte Real Air Base, Portugal, while reminiscing about their days at Undergraduate Pilot Training in Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas.

  • Cope North commences on Guam

    More than 1,800 service members and approximately 50 aircraft from the Air Force, Navy, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Royal Australian air force and South Korea air forces came together to kick off the 85th iteration of Pacific Air Forces' Cope North exercise Feb. 14 on Andersen Air Force Base,

  • Airmen, Soldiers sharpen search and rescue skills together

    Joint-service combat search and rescue training missions were held for the first-time Jan. 28 to Feb. 11 at Cellina Meduna training grounds near Maniago, Italy. The 31st Fighter Wing teamed up with the U.S. Army 12th Combat Aviation Brigade for joint training. There were several aspects to the

  • SecAF outlines plan to address 'systemic problems'

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James shared her observations from her visit with airmen across the ICBM community following revelations of a proficiency-test cheating scandal at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., last month. Speaking to an audience at the Center for Strategic and International

  • Training key to missileer readiness

    Pulling 24-hour alerts across the 341st Missile Wing's 13,800-square mile missile complex is an around-the-clock responsibility. Missileers here support the Air Force's nuclear deterrence and assurance mission at the wing's 15 launch control centers and missile alert facilities.

  • New AC-130J completes first test flight

    After more than a year of modification maintenance, the newly created AC-130J Ghostrider took to the sky for the first time as a gunship here Jan. 31.

  • Knowledge is power: Cadet, Academy works to end human trafficking

    In 2005, the Defense Department implemented a national initiative against human trafficking, requiring annual Combating Trafficking in Persons awareness training for all military members on how to combat labor trafficking, sex trafficking and child soldiering.

  • POW receives medal seven decades later

    For a former U.S. Army Air Force veteran, a seven-decade long wait ended when Col. James C. Hodges, the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and 87th Air Base Wing commander here, presented the former prisoner of war the POW Medal for services during World War II, Jan. 27, 2014, in the presence of

  • Senior civilians selected for strategic leadership program

    A dozen senior civilian leaders have been selected for the Air Force Civilian Strategic Leader Program following intense screening and assessment by a nine-member Air Force CSLP selection board, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced.

  • Air Force introduces Volume 8 of Portraits in Courage

    The Air Force released its eighth volume of Portraits in Courage, highlighting three teams and thirteen Airmen for their honor, valor, devotion and selfless sacrifice in the face of extreme danger to themselves and others.

  • AF to replace aviator locator beacons

    The Air Force will replace thousands of unreliable aircraft personnel locator beacons across the fleet, a service official said Jan. 16, here.

  • Real Thaw 14 kicks off in Portugal

    Approximately 260 Airmen from the 31st Fighter Wing arrived in Monte Real Air Base, Portugal, in support of Real Thaw 14 -- a two-week close air support exercise hosted by the Portuguese air force.

  • How AF locates, recovers downed aviators

    An isolated military member may be equipped with many survival tools, but perhaps the most important is confidence in the people tasked to conduct his or her rescue. The Air Force’s ability to rapidly deploy and attack the enemy at a moment's notice comes with risk for pilots and other service

  • SecDef makes surprise calls to Malmstrom AFB officers

    Flying back to Washington D.C., from the Munich Security Conference aboard an E-4B aircraft, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel made a series of surprise phone calls to six officers currently pulling alert in three of the 341st Missile Wing's launch control centers

  • AF news team preps for ‘28-days in AFGSC’

    Two photojournalists and a broadcaster from the Air Force Public Affairs Agency here are gearing up for a 28-day trek to provide and inside and in depth look at the Air Force Global Strike mission and the Airmen who make it happen.

  • Weapons Airmen bring bombs to fight

    The chill in the morning air and the dark before dawn didn’t deter the Airmen from the 366th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron as they prepared training munitions for aircraft participating in combat exercise Red Flag 14-1 here. By providing realistic combat training in a contested, degraded and

  • Space squadron optimizes wideband communication constellations

    Late in 2013, the 3rd Space Operations Squadron’s mission -- "Warfighters ensuring reliable wideband communications to national authorities and U.S. and Allied forces" -- was proudly displayed as the unit repositioned its eighth satellite during a nine-month effort to optimize the military wideband

  • 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.

  • POW's legacy helps nephew in leadership roles

    Military tradition runs deep in some families, with generation after generation raising their right hand and swearing to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. One family however, has continued to put its mark on military service even after inconceivable anguish struck during the

  • EOD Airman saves life while deployed to Papua New Guinea

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.) Imagine sitting in a hotel lobby of a foreign country, when suddenly, a scream for help echoes from a dark parking lot outside. Without hesitation, you

  • Music leads to 'adventure' for former 'Tops in Blue' Airman

    It began with a flourishing and bellowing call to arms. Almost immediately, the brass symphony was accentuated by the deep resonance of a bass drum before being replaced by a playful, orchestral melody.The music flowed together, hinting toward a great conclusion to this "Prelude to Adventure."

  • 44 selected for test pilot school

    Forty-four Air Force captains and first lieutenants have been selected as primary or alternate test pilot school program attendees, Air Force Personnel Center officials said Jan. 21.

  • DOD raises awareness of human trafficking

    Defense Department officials have a zero-tolerance level for human trafficking and have stepped up awareness and education efforts to curb the crime overseas.

  • Hurricane Hunters transition from tropical gales to arctic blasts

    Maintaining constant awareness of what storm systems are doing is a concerted effort between the National Weather Service and the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron here, also known as the Hurricane Hunters. Each year, to combat the persistent threat of winter storms, the 53rd WRS fly out over the

  • Road to marksmanship

    It's time to deploy and part of out-processing is weapons training. For younger Airmen, this might be the first time they have shot since basic military training. The thought of having to qualify could be nerve racking to some, while others have their eyes set on becoming a marksman. Regardless of

  • Religious support teams provide hope and comfort at Bagram hospital

    Medical personnel at the Craig Joint Theater Hospital see patients from all over Afghanistan with medical issues ranging from kidney stones and appendicitis to trauma battle-related issues, but other teams are also present to provide another type of healing that goes beyond medical care. Two sets of

  • It takes a village: Airman is walking example of resilience

    By the age of 3, he found himself in and out of group housing and foster homes in New York City. His father had abandoned him before birth and his mother was addicted to drugs. Staff Sgt. Lamar Valentina, a 31st Logistics Readiness Squadron equipment accountability element supervisor, didn't have

  • Famed scientist, author visits RAF Lakenheath

    On the afternoon of Dec. 29, 2013, Royal Air Force Lakenheath received a surprise and impromptu visit from a member of the local community and a famed figure in the global scientific community. Preceding the unexpected visit, RAF Squadron Leader Jerry Neild, the RAF commander, received a late-night

  • Force protection team helps keep trainees safe

    A program office here is using its expertise to help ensure the safety of Air Force trainees. Following occurrences of sexual misconduct during basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, a commander's directed-investigation looked at various programs and procedures to see how

  • Hagel visits troops, defense nuclear facilities in New Mexico

    Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said he was impressed with what he saw here Jan. 8 at an Air Force base on the northern edge of the Chihuahuan Desert, where two facilities represent a large and historic part of the nation’s nuclear weapons expertise.

  • B-52 upgrade to increase smart-weapons capacity

    Tinker AFB Airmen will update ground maintenance and mission planning software in support of a new Air Force contract that will increase the B-52 Stratofortress's "smart-weapons" capacity by 50 percent.

  • Shelton discusses importance of space defense

    Space is fundamental to the economy, the military and the way of life in the United States and officials must continue to guard against challenges in the domain from adversaries, the commander of Air Force Space Command said today. Gen. William Shelton shared with students at George Washington

  • First combat deployable F-22s arrive at Tyndall

    Tyndall Air Force Base received the first five-of-24 F-22 Raptors scheduled to transfer from Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., Jan. 6 as part of the new combat mission. The aircraft are now a part of the 95th Fighter Squadron, which reactivated in October 2013.

  • B-1B accident report released

    A displaced fold-down baffle in the left overwing fairing of a B-1B Lancer led to a fuel leak and a series of detonations that disabled the aircraft prior to it crashing Aug. 19, 2013, near Broadus, Montana, according to an Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released Dec. 30,

  • Agency works to draw down costs, maintain top medical care

    The Defense Department’s goal to save medical dollars and deliver the best health care possible has made strides in its first 100 days, the director of the new Defense Health Agency said. Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Douglas J. Robb said the agency, which stood up Oct. 1 in Fairfax, Va., has been on a “journey”

  • AF officer, former Academy athlete killed in Afghanistan

    Former Air Force thrower Capt David (Lissy) Lyon was killed on Dec. 27, while conducting combat operations near Kabul, Afghanistan. Lyon, a 2008 Academy graduate, was a three-year letter winner for the Falcons' track and field team and a Mountain West champion in the shot put.