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  • Sparks fly in metal technology shop

    Sparks fly as Airmen help pieces of metal take form. These Airmen sometimes create something from nothing or improve necessary equipment for squadrons to continue their daily tasks.

  • 'Spartan' aircrew helps bring power to New York

    A C-27J Spartan aircraft crew from the 175th Wing, Maryland Air National Guard, flew power generators and other equipment to New York in support of Hurricane Sandy relief efforts Saturday, Nov. 3. ANG crews from Ohio, Mississippi and Maryland flew the first-ever C-27J domestic operations missions

  • Speakers discuss aging aircraft at summit

    Air Force and civilian industry leaders spoke about convergence between industry and aerospace at the seventh annual Aerospace Summit and Expo June 23 in Oklahoma City. Maj. Gen. Loren M. Reno, the commander of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center here, did not mince words when talking about the

  • Speakers talk integration, cyberspace at conference

    Nearly 5,000 government and industry officials gathered here at the Auburn University-Montgomery campus Aug. 13 to 15 for the 2007 Air Force Information Technology Conference. Hosted by the 754th Electronic Systems Group in conjunction with the city of Montgomery, the Air Force Information

  • Spear phishers target military members at home, work

    Information warfare was around long before the computer. Even in the days of homing pigeons, adversaries would attempt to intercept each other's messages to gain an advantage. Today, the enemy is still trying to steal our secrets, but they have devised new methods in this age of ones and zeros. One

  • Special agent proves Airmen are 'in the fight'

    A special agent assigned to the Office of Special Investigations detachment here recently received the Bronze Star with Valor for his heroism in Iraq. Special Agent Greg Carmack saved the lives of several individuals near Kirkuk, Iraq, June 14, 2006, when he went one-on-one with a suicide bomber,

  • Special agents protect and serve Airmen

    There are bad guys in this world who live their lives trying to destroy, harm and terrorize innocent people. In response to those who prey on the weak, the Air Force relies on special agents to help counter threats and malicious behavior of bad people.

  • Special agents support the International Contract Corruption Task Force

    Air Force Office of Special Investigations agents are involved in many joint-military and law enforcement endeavors, a practice that is becoming more necessary as operational tempos increase around the world.One such joint endeavor is the International Contract Corruption Task Force, a group

  • Special assignments considered for Airmen in time of need

    Being the parent of a teenager with a bipolar disorder is often a difficult and emotional journey, said an Airman from Randolph Air Force Base recently. "Like any parent of a child with special needs, there's always a concern that the next location will not have the medical or psychiatric facilities

  • Special athletes compete at Yokota

    Pouring rain did not stop about 3,000 volunteers, athletes and spectators from participating in the 25th annual Kanto Plains Special Olympics here May 8 and 9.“It was a little soggy and cold, but seeing the smile and joy on the kids faces makes you feel warm inside,” said Master Sgt. Shari Wicks,

  • Special concert given for some special children

    The U.S. Air Forces Central Band Falcon gave a special performance to some special children at the Belvodosky Orphanage June 14 in Kyrgyzstan. The band members, who are deployed from the Heartland of America Band at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., sang about a dozen songs for about 80 children. The

  • Special delivery delays test mission

    While officials here were preparing to initiate a weapon test mission recently, Jennifer Cheshire and her father, Larry Owens, were on a mission of their own.Mrs. Cheshire, 24, who lives nearby, was in labor and bound for a local medical center. “I told my dad to drive as fast as he could," said

  • Special developmental education opportunities available

    Air Force officers interested in 2009 special developmental education programs must apply for the Olmsted Scholarship, White House Fellowship, Mansfield Fellowship or Information Assurance Scholarship programs by Sept. 15. A completed Air Force Form 3849 and senior rater nomination must be received

  • Special developmental education programs open for application

    Officers with demonstrated leadership and scholarship abilities interested in applying for special developmental education programs for the 2010-2011 academic year, have until Aug. 31 to submit their applications to the Air Force Personnel Center. The four special developmental education programs

  • Special duties require commander nomination

    The selection process for 10 special duty positions now requires unit commander nomination and hiring authority certification, Air Force Personnel Center officials said. The process change implemented this month affects staff sergeant, technical sergeant and master sergeant positions in special

  • Special Duty Assignment Pay increase approved for MTIs

    Pentagon officials recently revised Special Duty Assignment Pay for Military Training Instructors. The revision, effective June 1, increases SDAP levels for MTIs. According to officials, Air Force Basic Military Training has faced a shortage of MTIs since 2007. As an incentive for MTI recruitment

  • Special duty assignment pay now available for EOD Airmen

    Air Force officials recently approved special duty assignment pay for most Airmen in the explosive ordnance disposal career field. Since 2002, the overall retention rates for EOD Airmen has declined by 30 percent because of high operations tempo and the inherent dangers involved in this demanding

  • Special Edition: DOD Warrior Games Week in Photos

    This week's photos features Air Force wounded warrior athletes preparing for and participating in various events at the 2015 Department of Defense Warrior Games, held at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.

  • Special forces join combined planning operation

    Members of the 353rd Special Operations Group, Kadena Air Base, Japan, joined with members of South Korea's Special Warfare Command here recently to plan the critical first few days of a potential conflict on the Korean Peninsula.For two weeks, planners, flight crews and intelligence experts

  • Special hiring program helps AF wounded warriors

    The Air Force's Wounded Warrior Civil Service Employment Program assists combat-related ill and injured Airmen secure Air Force civil service jobs, and since the program's inception in 2006 nearly 120 wounded warriors have joined the Air Force's civilian work force. This employment program assists

  • Special Instruments Training teaches deterrent techniques

    Following Air Education and Training Command priorities, SPINSTRA constructs a ready, resilient and rapidly innovative Air Force, just like their students assemble a hovercraft from spare parts tucked away in the Nova Lab at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas.

  • Special investigators named Team of the Year

    The Air Force's Office of Special Investigations special agents have been named the Air Force Association's 2004 Team of the Year. The association selects a specific enlisted career field annually for recognition. Nominated individuals need only be assigned to the same career field to be eligible,

  • Special leave accrual for service members

    Today, Matthew Donovan, under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness, signed a department-wide authorization for service members to accrue and retain an additional leave balance of up to 120 days. The department's actions to stem the spread of COVID-19 has significantly limited the ability

  • Special needs families receive added support

    Thirty-five installations worldwide now have additional staff members to support active-duty Airmen who have family members with special needs.Air Force officials established Exceptional Family Member Program family support coordinator positions at installations with the highest number of

  • Special office aids BRAC-affected communities

    When a Defense Department installation closes, department officials do not just pull chocks and fly off.Officials in DOD's office of economic adjustment work with communities to help them through the base closing process and help them transform.The motto of the office is, "Helping Communities Help

  • Special Olympics brings joy to Yokota volunteers

    More than 700 American and Japanese volunteers helped make the 26th Annual Kanto Plain Special Olympics a rousing success, officials said.But for some of the volunteers, seeing the May 7 and 8 event succeed is not the only reason they came.“I’m so happy to see the joy on the athlete’s faces,” said

  • Special operations ‘uniquely suited’ to fight terrorists

    Special operations forces are deployed worldwide “in the right place at the right time” in the fight against global terrorism, the Defense Department’s top special operations officer told a Senate panel March 1.And whether they are performing civil affairs, reconnaissance, unconventional warfare or

  • Special operations Airmen continue relief efforts at Sendai

    Members of the 353rd Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan, are continuing to provide support to further relief efforts here. After helping re-open the runway March 16, Airmen from the group also assisted Japanese emergency management and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force officials in

  • Special operations Airmen deploy to Haiti to provide humanitarian relief

    Two MC-130H Combat Talon IIs from the 15th Special Operations Squadron here and multiple teams from the 720th Special Tactics Group deployed to Haiti Jan. 13 in support of humanitarian operations. These teams bring an array of capabilities with them to the country devastated by a 7.0 magnitude

  • Special operations Airmen maneuver through TRADEWINDS25

    The 137th Special Operations Wing, Oklahoma Air National Guard, strengthened critical self-sustaining skills and assessed their ability to operate in multiple expeditionary environments across the Caribbean during TRADEWINDS25.

  • Special operations Airmen reach out to Bangladesh school

    Adults and children alike were all smiles during a special delivery of school supplies at Eglal's ABC School April 27 here. Members of the 353rd Special Operations Group handed out school supplies to all 60 students as part of their community outreach program during Exercise Teak Buffalo, a

  • Special operations Airmen train from the air to the water

    It's 3 a.m. in Panama City Beach, Fla. The bay looks like black liquid glass as the motor boat filled with combat controllers-in-training cuts through the water.The boat comes to the insertion point. The controllers sit on the edge of the boat and when the order is given, they fall backward over the

  • Special operations C-130s, Airmen provide disaster relief in Haiti

    Airmen and C-130 Hercules aircraft from the Air Force Special Operations Command here landed in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the evening of Jan. 13 and are continuing to provide disaster relief to area ravaged by a 7.0 earthquake.MC-130H Combat Talon IIs and a C-130 from the 1st Special Operations Wing

  • Special Operations Command aircrew recognized for meritorious flight

    Every year, an aircrew is selected for the Clarence Mackay Trophy for accomplishing the most meritorious flight of the year. This year, an AC-130U aircrew from Air Force Special Operations Command, which included one of 25th Air Force’s outstanding Airmen, was recognized with the honor.

  • Special Operations Command Airman dies in Afghanistan

    An Air Force Special Operations Command combat control journeyman died Feb. 20 while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Timothy P. Davis, 28, of Aberdeen, Wash., died near Bagram, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive

  • Special Operations Command celebrates 20 years

    Air Force Special Operations Command Airmen joined personnel from U.S. Special Operations Command to celebrate USSOCOM's 20th anniversary held April 23-27 at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. USSOCOM, made up of about 48,000 Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps special operators, specializes in

  • Special Operations Command earns multiple AFA awards

    Air Force Special Operations Command officials here took home four awards during the Air Force Association's annual Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition held from Sept. 15 to 17 in Washington, D.C. Each year, AFA officials honor the outstanding achievements of men and women throughout

  • Special operations command opportunities available

    Rated and nonrated officers interested in special operations command opportunities must update their Airman Development Plan with a command statement of intent and submit the ADP to the Air Force Personnel Center by September, AFPC officials said here.The Commando Eagle selection board will meet in

  • Special operations focus of senior leader discussion

    Senior leaders from the U.S. Special Operations Command and the Air Force Air Staff met recently to discuss the role of airpower in special operations. The talks involved 16 senior leaders, including Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley and Army Gen. Bryan Brown, commander of SOCOM. The

  • 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

  • Special Operations honors latest heroes

    One of the most combat-decorated Air Force units since the end of the Vietnam War named more heroes Jan. 23-24 during medal presentation ceremonies here and at Portland Air National Guard Base, Portland, Ore.The 24th Special Operations Wing gained one Silver Star and six Bronze Star medals with

  • Special operations members garner awards

    Twelve members of the Air Force special operations community recently received annual awards presented by Lt. Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, the deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements. The awards ceremony recognized the 2009 United States Air Force Combat Rescue Officer of the Year,

  • Special operations mission grows on several fronts

    The commander of Air Force Special Operations Command spoke at the 2006 Air Force Association Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition here Sept. 26 about the importance and growth of special operation forces. "We're growing on a lot of different fronts," said Lt. Gen. Michael W.

  • Special operations officials seek best, brightest pilots

    Wanted: Individuals able to think on their feet, adapt quickly when needed, have a love for flying, and want to get in the fight now. That was the message to members of the 80th Flying Training Wing's Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program March 6 here from Maj. Gen. Kurt A. Cichowski, the Air

  • Special operations: getting technical

    As the Air Force Association Air and Space Conference Technology Exposition continued Sept. 15, senior leaders from around the Air Force discussed the topics that mean the most to them.

  • Special operators honored at Pentagon ceremony

    Five special operations Airmen were honored at a ceremony in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes Feb. 24. The award winners are: Fighter Duty Officer Award - Capt. Brett E. Plummer Captain Plummer is a fighter duty officer assigned to the 4th Air Support Operations Squadron at Sullivan Barracks in

  • Special operators recount Iraq missions

    Multiservice special operations troops have led the way to victory in overseas campaigns during the war against terrorism, a senior U.S. military officer said.Special operators' expertise was a factor in driving the Taliban out of Afghanistan as well as in the ouster of former Iraqi dictator Saddam

  • Special ops Airmen deploy additional humanitarian support

    An additional 15 Airmen from the 353rd Special Operations Group departed here March 14 with support equipment and relief supplies on a MC-130H Combat Talon II to support humanitarian relief operations being staged out of Yokota Air Base, Japan. The Airmen are highly-trained medical, communication

  • Special ops Airmen support exercise in Baltic region

    Members from the Air Force Special Operations Command and the U.S. Army Special Operations Command joined with Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian special operations forces in Powidz, Poland, and Grafenwoehr, Germany, to participate in Trojan Footprint 16, a large-scale readiness exercise held May

  • Special ops Airmen up to task of war on terror

    The war on terrorism has changed the way leaders think about managing conflict, but the commander of Air Force Special Operations Command said he is sure of one thing: His Airmen are right for the job.“(Sept. 11) redefined some key concepts,” said Lt. Gen. Michael W. Wooley, AFSOC commander. “It

  • Special Ops Command opens new headquarters

    Special Operations Command Central officials opened a new home with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for their new building July 29 here. The headquarters will allow SOCCENT members to better accomplish its mission of exercising operational control of more than 7,000 special operations servicemembers in

  • Special ops commanders seek intel, data-sharing assets

    Senior commanders recently called on the defense industry to provide technologies that give special operations forces more situational awareness, better networking and communications and more precise location and targeting capabilities.Officials from across U.S. Special Operations Command, including

  • Special ops defenders on the road for 9/11 memorial march

    Ten years after the tragic events of 9/11, four 1st Special Operations Security Forces Squadron Airmen picked up their packs July 28 to participate in the Ruck March to Remember.Tech. Sgt. Daniel Dance, the NCO in charge of supply; Tech. Sgt. Chad Reemtsma, the NCO in charge of physical security;

  • Special ops 'fight' persistent conflicts around the world

    A panel of experts provided insights on persistent conflicts throughout the world to more than 300 participants in the 20th Annual Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict symposium here Feb. 10. Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Lawrence P. Farrell Jr., president and chief executive officer of the

  • Special ops group helps out in Lebanon operations

    The 352nd Special Operations Group, from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, is taking part in joint operations to transport American citizens, who are voluntarily departing Lebanon to Cyprus. The group plays an important role in the U.S. State Department operation.Our mission is to assist the

  • Special ops maintainers team up on Kadena's tiny troubles

    Ehren Wahl and Wesley Brown are both staff sergeants, they are assigned to the 353rd Maintenance Squadron, and they each have spent most of their careers here on Okinawa, a tiny island in southern Japan. That is where the similarities end.Sergeant Wahl is an outspoken, 24-year-old from New York who

  • Special ops pilot chosen for academy airmanship award

    A special operations instructor pilot and a 1993 U.S. Air Force Academy graduate was named the recipient for the 2007 Col. James Jabara Award for Airmanship May 11.Maj. Mark Visconi received the award after he flew 106 combat sorties and logged 136 combat hours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom

  • Special ops request funding to modernize, transform

    A continued need for modernization and transformation of special operations forces brought that community’s leaders to Capitol Hill on March 17 to testify on their portion of the president’s military spending request.The fiscal 2006 defense budget request that President Bush submitted to Congress

  • Special ops reservist helping rebuild Iraqi air force

    During a deployment to Iraq, Brig. Gen. Frank Padilla led a team of Air Force and coalition partner experts to plan for and help to rebuild a more robust and effective Iraqi air force. The group’s mission is to help the Iraqis establish the very best air force possible with the resources they have

  • Special ops surgical team saves hundreds during deployment

    If they stood on the roof of the abandoned one-story home they were working out of, at night they could see bombs dropping on the city three kilometers north. Limited resources, limited manpower, limited backup, and limited time didn’t stop this Air Force Special Operations Surgical Team from

  • Special ops symposium looks at future of coalition warfare

    Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and CIA director Porter J. Goss are working to make sure President Bush has a full range of options for dealing with terror threats, a top DOD official said Feb. 4.This includes covert and clandestine operations, said Thomas W. O'Connell, assistant secretary of

  • Special Ops tryouts to test mettle for 'battlefield airmen' positions

    Since neutralizing Osama Bin Laden, America's special operations forces have remained in the spotlight as high-caliber leaders entrusted with operations vital to national security. As counter-terrorism operations continue throughout the globe, the Pentagon is currently busy defining irregular

  • Special Ops weathermen get new specialty code

    Air Force special operations weathermen now have a new specialty code they can call their own. Recruiters can enlist trainees directly into the 1W0X2 special operations weathermen career field since the new Air Force specialty code is now in the enlisted classification directory. Before this new

  • 'Special Program' emerges to combat cyber insider threats

    It's not often that the public gets to hear about the Air Force's inner workings when pertaining to highly classified networks; however, a special programs team from Hanscom Air Force Base’s Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence and Networks Directorate has recently emerged, making their

  • Special retreat held for fallen Airman

    A special retreat ceremony was held Dec. 6 for Capt. Kermit Evans the 27th Civil Engineer Squadron's Exposive Ordnance Disposal flight commander here. Captain Evans was killed Dec. 3 when the Marine CH-46 helicopter he was traveling in was forced to make an emergency water landing near the shore of

  • Special Tactics Airman awarded Silver Star Medal

    Master Sgt. John Grimesey, a Special Tactics combat controller with the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, 24th Special Operations Wing, was recognized for his efforts in Afghanistan in 2013.

  • Special tactics Airman involved in fatal swim training incident identified

    Airman First Class Keigan Baker, 24, an Air Force special tactics combat controller assigned to the Special Tactics Training Squadron, 24th Special Operations Wing, was found unresponsive after he went missing during a surface training swim at Naval Support Activity Panama City, Florida, March 19.

  • Special Tactics Airman leads outreach programs for COVID-19 relief

    Capt. Jack Gouge joined the special tactics career field eight years ago with a strong desire to serve his nation and potentially save lives. When COVID-19 started spreading throughout the U.S., that same desire to serve sparked a long-term effort to support locals in need during the pandemic.

  • Special Tactics Airman to be awarded Air Force Cross

    Staff Sgt. Alaxey Germanovich, a Special Tactics combat controller with the 26th Special Tactics Squadron, 24th Special Operations Wing, Air Force Special Operations Command, will be awarded the nation’s second highest medal for gallantry against an armed enemy of the U.S. in combat.

  • Special tactics Airmen complete 800-mile march

    After walking more than 800 miles through five states, 12 special tactics Airmen arrived here Oct. 16, officially completing a memorial march for their fallen comrades. The marchers, made up of several combat controllers and pararescuemen and one combat weatherman, split up into six two-man teams

  • Special tactics Airmen complete memorial march

    Fifteen Air Force Special Operations Command special tactics Airmen, along with two from Air Combat Command, embarked on a 10-day, 812-mile march to memorialize 17 fellow special tactics Airmen who died in combat.Marching from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, to Hurlburt Field, Fla., these combat

  • Special Tactics Airmen earn Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart

    When the critical moment came there was courage. There was courage from an Airman who moved into the line of fire to retrieve bodies of fallen Afghan commandos. One Airman risked sniper fire to call in air support and another Airman continued to fight despite shrapnel wounds from a hand

  • Special tactics Airmen execute amphibious training

    Airmen from the 320th Special Tactics Squadron conducted an amphibious training operation along the west coast of Okinawa Sept. 22-24 to refresh qualifications and retain proficiency in various special tactics skill sets.

  • Special tactics Airmen honor fallen teammates

    Twelve Airmen began a memorial ruck sack march Oct. 6, to honor 12 fallen special tactics teammates killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. An estimated 824 miles later, the dozen warrior Airmen will arrive Oct. 16 at Hurlburt Field, Fla. In between, six two-man teams will relay through five states, 24