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U.S. Air Force News

  • Air Force officials test Voluntary Protection Program

    Air Force officials conducted the first Voluntary Protection Program mock audit to evaluate the overall safety of the base as a work site March 24 through 28 at Hanscom Air Force Base. VPP originates from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and focuses on incorporating the Air Force's

  • AFPC officials offer 24-hour customer service

    As Air Force people learn how to do more with less, multitasking and proper usage of their time is vital. Unfortunately, an Airmen's dedication to completing the mission may cause them not to take proper care of their personnel records and other vital career actions. They may just not have the time

  • Air Force Web site can prevent air mishaps for civilian pilots

    Air Combat Command officials here currently are reaching out to private civilian pilots by publicizing a Web site designed to prevent mid-air collisions with military aircraft. The Web site, called www.seeandavoid.org, allows users to locate their flight path and determine how they can avoid flying

  • Vandenberg lieutenant has special tie to Endeavour mission

    The crew of the recent Space Shuttle Endeavour traveled with a unique payload designed in part by a lieutenant assigned to Vandenberg Air Force Base. 1st Lt. Anna Gunn-Golkin, a 1st Air and Space Test Squadron launch mission manager, was part of a nine-person team that designed, built and tested the

  • Airmen destroy UXOs risen from the desert depths

    Plums of smoke rose in the sky as Airman from the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron used C4 to detonate 13 piles of ordnance here March 26.The ordnance was discovered over a 159 acres area of the base by a six-Airman explosive ordnance disposal team and six augmentees.The team looks for

  • 2007 Visual Information Award winners announced

    Contest officials for the Defense Department 2007 Visual Information Awards here recently recognized numerous Air Force photographers, videographers, journalists and graphic artists for excellence in their fields. Airmen earned 13 first place awards, nine second place awards and 11 third place

  • New warfighter education courseware released

    The commander of Air University has launched a major initiative aimed at enhancing the professional development of the Air Force warfighter. Lt. Gen. Stephen Lorenz recently released the first two courses of the Warfighter Developmental Education program. WDE is a Web-based educational program

  • Officials remain proactive in tackling trainee illnesses

    Lackland Air Force Base officials remain proactive in its efforts to control the occurrence of upper respiratory illness amongst its Basic Military Training population. For the past two years, Lackland AFB has had one of the lowest respiratory illness rates of all Department of Defense military

  • Chief master sergeant of the Air Force visits Kunsan Airmen

    The chief master sergeant of the Air Force spoke with Kunsan Air Base Airmen about recapitalization, modernization and quality of life for Airmen and their families March 24 here. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley also discussed force shaping challenges and emphasized why it's

  • Program takes safety, occupational health to next level

    Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials continue to focus on developing and caring for the safety of Airmen, civilians and their families to build a culture of safety with the Voluntary Protection Program, senior Air Force leaders said here recently. "The Air Force implemented VPP (a

  • Cadets give up spring break to build homes

    Pick-axes, sawdust and hammers were the dominant spring break memories for 20 Air Force Academy cadets last week in Santa Fe, N.M. The 20 are part of a group of cadets who've given up their spring breaks to build homes for needy families in Santa Fe, N.M.; Cody, Wyoming; Beaumont, Texas; and El

  • DOD officials identify error in shipment to Taiwan

    The Department of Defense announced today that four non-nuclear ballistic missile nose-cone assembly components were mistakenly shipped to Taiwan in August 2006. Taiwanese authorities notified the U.S. they had received four nose-cones instead of the four helicopter batteries they initially ordered

  • Airmen train Iraqis to save lives

    Nine Iraqi firefighters graduated the Basic Firefighter Skills Course here as Airmen of the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Fire Department trained the newest graduates March 24 at Ali Base. The six-week course teaches students "the basics of fighting fires, search and rescue and lifesaving

  • Hanscom unit preps new CAOC facility

    Members of the 652nd Electronic Systems Squadron here are preparing for the future home of the U.S. Air Force Central's Combined Air and Space Operations Center facility as construction continues in Southwest Asia. The Air and Space Operations Center Weapons System, officially referred to as the

  • AF recruit drops 128 pounds to enlist

    Will Sims will enter basic training March 24 as one of the Air Force's newest recruits. It is a significant milestone in a wild journey that began more than a year ago, when this young man set forth to overcome an obstacle that might keep others with less determination and resolve out of the

  • DOD anti-tobacco campaign invades military markets

    The Department of Defense isn't just blowing smoke about its tobacco cessation campaign. "Quit Tobacco. Make Everyone Proud" is making its presence felt with enthusiastic marketing initiatives in 13 U.S. metropolitan markets containing 28 major military installations.The campaign positions military

  • Airmen minimize DOD weather-related losses

    The 26th Operational Weather Squadron here helped minimize Department of Defense losses during severe regional weather recently that resulted in more than 20 civilian deaths and power outages affecting millions. The 26th OWS, which provides Air Force and Army installations weather watches, warnings

  • NORAD to celebrate 50th Anniversary

    North American Aerospace Defense Command is celebrating a milestone this year, 50 years of a rich and colorful history between two countries that formally acknowledged a mutual commitment to defend their citizens from air attacks. Although NORAD originally stood up at Ent Air Force Base, Colo., on

  • Air Force to lead National Image Conference

    The Department of Defense named the Air Force as the lead service for this year's National Image Conference to be held April 14 to 18 at the South Point Hotel in Las Vegas. The conference theme, "From Heritage to New Horizons," will provide guidance and leadership to take Hispanic youth and

  • Air Force officials work to resolve child-care issues

    The shortage of qualified child-care providers is a major concern for Air Force families, and the Air Force is working to resolve it, the chief of Airman and Family Services at the Pentagon said. While the Air Force offers Airmen quality, affordable child care at on-base facilities throughout the

  • USNORTHCOM hosts hurricane preparation conference

    Heavy snow may have been falling outside, but the men and women gathered inside a conference room here in mid-March had another kind of severe weather on their minds. "Hurricanes are predictable; we know they're going to come," said Army Maj. Gen. William Ingram, the adjutant general of North

  • AF officials implement AFMC's civilian orientation course

    When Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley recently sought a way to provide initial training to new Air Force civilians, Gen. Bruce Carlson, the commander of Air Force Materiel Command, offered AFMC's existing, extensive training course created for that reason. As a result, the Air Force

  • Hockey: Falcons advance to NCAA tourney with AHA crown

    Josh Frider's goal 56 seconds into the second overtime lifted the U.S. Air Force Academy to a 5-4 win over Mercyhurst College in the championship game of the Atlantic Hockey Association Tournament March 16 at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester. With the win, the Air Force (21-11-6) won its second

  • Joint basing plan takes shape

    Joint basing is a reality, it's happening in San Antonio, and it will effectively support the city's military communities here. That is the message from local military leaders as they move toward consolidating support operations at three San Antonio installations as mandated by the 2005 Base Closure

  • New Web app makes assignment system easier to use

    Active duty Air Force members -- officers and enlisted -- who log on to the Air Force Personnel Center's Assignment Management System will find a new Web application that makes navigation faster and easier. "It's all part of AFPC's on-going effort to increase service to our customers," said Master

  • Team effort keeps Balad water supply safe

    For Airmen stationed at Balad Air Base and Soldiers at the co-located Logistics Support Area Anaconda, staying hydrated is crucial in the desert heat of Iraq.In order to keep hydrated, servicemembers here need to have the confidence the water available to them is safe, so the water undergoes

  • Fighters respond to Temporary Flight Restriction violation

    Two F-16 Fighting Falcons and a Coast Guard helicopter under the direction of North American Aerospace Defense Command intercepted a small Cessna aircraft flying through the Temporary Flight Restriction zone March 12 over the National Capitol Region. The civilian aircraft entered the TFR from the

  • Balad Airmen rescue U.S. teachers in Iraq

    Airmen from the 64th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron here were called out to rescue two American citizens lost on a hiking trip March 2. "We initially started hearing information about a possibility of American citizens getting lost during a hiking trip at around 4 a.m.," said Navy Lt. Evan Scaggs, a

  • Air Force Uniform Board goes virtual

    Airmen now will be able to submit ideas for improving Air Force uniforms with a few simple clicks of a mouse. By logging into the Air Force's IDEA Program Web site, Airmen can select a link that allows them to submit an idea for a uniform change or update. Once submitted, ideas are routed through

  • Aircrew brings WW II comrades back from watery grave

    A Kansas Air National Guard KC-135 Stratotanker crew from the 190th Air Refueling Wing returned the human remains March 3 to American soil after a recovery team recovered from a downed B-24 Liberator shot down near the Pacific island nation of Palau Sept. 1, 1944. According to military reports, the

  • Air Force Enlisted Village earns second consecutive four star-rating

    The Air Force Enlisted Village, one of the four official charities of the Air Force, recently received its second consecutive four-star rating from Charity Navigator, the nation's largest charity evaluator. The AFEV's rating places it among the top charities of the more than 5,000 evaluated by

  • Aerial porters receive advanced training

    Airmen in the Air Force air transportation career field, also known as "aerial porters," can advance their training and capabilities here through the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Aerial Port Operations Course. Held approximately 12 times a year at either Fort Dix or an away location such as

  • Women prove they have the 'right stuff' to fly

    Throughout history, women have made a lasting impression on the fabric of the United States. In colonial times, women helped their husbands defend their farms from Indian attacks. During the American Revolution, women such as Mary Hays McCauly (better known as Molly Pitcher) took care of their

  • Air Force officials announce E-8 selections

    Air Force officials here announced March 7 that 1,284 master sergeants have been selected for promotion to senior master sergeant. The promotion list will be released publicly at 8 a.m. Central Standard Time March 12 on the Air Force Personnel Center's homepage and on AFPC's "Ask" Web site. The

  • AETC commanders meet, discuss way ahead

    More than 100 Air Education and Training Command senior leaders gathered at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., to participate in the AETC commanders' and command chiefs' conference Feb. 25-29. The conference, held twice annually, provided an opportunity for Gen. William R. Looney III, AETC commander, and

  • Tuition assistance allows Airmen to reach educational goals

    The Air Force Military Tuition Assistance program, which allows Airmen to reach educational goals, recently identified an opportunity to link force development initiatives with the program after receiving feedback from the 2007 Air Force Audit Agency. "Historically, MilTA has been used as a

  • Council conducts operational review of AFSO 21

    Several top Air Force leaders convened the Air Force Process Council here March 3 for their quarterly operational review of the service's Smart Operations for the 21st century initiatives. Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. T. Michael Moseley

  • Air Force officials announce officer promotions

    Air Force officials here March 5 announced the 2007B line of the Air Force, line of the Air Force-judge advocate, medical service corps and chaplain central selection boards selected 24 lieutenant colonels, 1,094 majors and 94 captains for promotion. The entire list can be found on the Air Force

  • New York City bomb targets military recruiting station

    A bomb went off outside the U.S. military recruiting station in Times Square March 6, injuring nobody but causing minor structural damage, said Air Force Recruiting Service officials. The bomb went off at approximately 3:45 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, cracking the glass door, bending the door frame,

  • Selections to begin for new support squadron commanders

    Development Team members will meet at the Air Force Personnel Center here during various dates from May through August to select new support squadron commanders, officials said today. Support squadron commanders will be selected in various career fields, including materiel, civil engineering,

  • Cyber warfare a major challenge, DOD official says

    Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England is the latest government official to express concern about the United States' cyberspace vulnerabilities. "Cyber warfare is already here," said Mr. England. "It's one of our major challenges." Describing the new battlefront, the deputy secretary said, "I think

  • Peacekeeping mission continues for Airmen in Kosovo

    More than a dozen Airmen currently deployed here are helping 1,400 American Soldiers maintain stability here despite the riots and assault on the U.S. embassy in protest to Kosovo's declaration of independence Feb. 17 in Belgrade, Serbia. Tech. Sgt. Scott Williams is one of four combat weathermen

  • Legendary pilot visits Kadena

    A surviving pilot of a legendary aviator group of determined black men at the forefront of historic social change during World War II spoke Feb. 25 at the Rocker NCO Club here. Retired Lt. Col. Charles Dryden was one of 992 Tuskegee Airmen who answered the call to serve his country when blacks were

  • Providing safer blood products faster to wounded warriors

    A new whole-blood donation process here will now be forwarded on to the Armed Services Blood Program as a suggested technique to be implemented throughout the Department of Defense. The process, implemented by Capt. Ronni Leslie, the 332nd Expeditionary Aeromedical Squadron laboratory officer in

  • Mother, daughter race together, 8,000 miles apart

    Most people would never want to run a full marathon, but even fewer would think of running one in the desert with a dust storm looming. "Looks like I might have to run the whole 26 miles on a treadmill," 1st Lt. Jessica Lopez joked, two days before the Los Angeles Marathon. "Last time I ran in a

  • Air Force personnel chief addresses lawmakers

    The Air Force deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services answered questions from members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committee subcommittees on personnel Feb. 27 and 28. Lt. Gen. Richard Y. Newton III joined sister service representatives, as well as Dr. David Chu, the

  • Air Force leaders announce incoming AETC commander

    Air Force leaders named the commander of Air University as the future leader of Air Education and Training Command Feb. 28. President George W. Bush has nominated Lt. Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz for appointment to the grade of general and assignment as commander of AETC, which is responsible for the free

  • New online master's program for AF civilians now available

    Eligible Air Force civilians have until March 14 to apply for a new online master's degree program offered this June by Air University's Air Command and Staff College. The two-year program, for civilians GS-11 and above and pay band-02 and above who don't already have their master's degree, consists

  • Feb. 26 airpower summary: B-1Bs destroy Taliban check point

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Feb. 26, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped guided bomb unit-12s

  • Airman's Roll Call highlights new slogan

    This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on the Air Force's newest advertising campaign to recruit Airmen and inform the public about the Air Force mission. The campaign was launched in late February and will be featured on television, in print and online. In addition to being shown at several

  • Air Force officials honor top recruiters for 2007

    Fourteen Air Force recruiters have been named tops in their field for fiscal 2007 by Air Force Recruiting Service. The Air Force Blue Suit recruiters for 2007 are: -- Master Sgt. Russell Benigno of the 337th Recruiting Squadron at Fayetteville, N.C., -- Master Sgt. Brian Clark of the 362nd RCS at

  • Air Force drill team kicks off 2008 season in D.C.

    Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team members from here revealed their newly choreographed routine in front of a large crowd Feb. 21 at bustling Union Station in downtown Washington. The crowd came to a standstill and watched as the drill team's public event opened the 2008 performance season. The new

  • CAPSTONE officers study Djiboutians, task force relationship

    Senior U.S. military officers and civilian equivalents traveled to Djibouti to learn about the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa mission as part of the Department of Defense CAPSTONE curriculum designed for newly appointed generals and flag officers Feb. 24. Fourteen CAPSTONE fellows visited

  • AF leaders discuss future challenges

    Air Force major command commanders spoke to Airmen, Air Force Association members and other attendees about the challenges facing their organizations during the AFA's 24th annual Air Warfare Symposium and Technology Exposition held here Feb. 21and 22. Driving home the urgent need to recapitalize the

  • Chief discusses strategy white paper at AFA symposium

    The chief of staff of the Air Force helped kick off the Air Force Association's 24th annual Air Warfare Symposium and Technology Exposition Feb. 21 in Orlando, Fla. Before hundreds of Airmen and civilians, Gen. T. Michael Moseley spoke about the future of the Air Force and also took the opportunity

  • Elmendorf Airmen complete first F-22 deployment

    Eight F-22 Raptors and 132 Airmen from Elmendorf Air Force Base completed the first deployment from Alaska as Reserve and active-duty Airmen combined for training Feb. 2 through 17 at Tyndall AFB, Fla.Members of the 3rd Wing and Air Force Reserve Command's 477th Fighter Group here combined for

  • 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

  • Maxwell Airmen assist city devastated by tornado

    More than 20 Maxwell Air Force Base Airmen teamed up with 66 Officer Training School trainees from here Feb. 19 to help people recover from a devastating tornado that leveled 150 homes in Prattville, Ala. The Enhanced Fujita Scale-3 tornado that swept through the city 15 miles northwest of Maxwell

  • 2 Eglin F-15 pilots rescued from Gulf of Mexico

    Two F-15 Eagle pilots from Eglin Air Force Base were rescued Feb. 20 in the Gulf of Mexico.The pilots who were involved in an accident Feb. 20 were transported to medical facilities, and their condition is unknown at this time.  They are assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB.   The 1st

  • New Web-based assignment application debuts March 3

    The power to apply for your next home-basing and follow-on assignment will soon be literally at your fingertips. Starting March 3, all active-duty enlisted members and officers, lieutenant colonel and below, who are slated to serve an unaccompanied tour of 15 months or less will have the ability to

  • Joint STARS goes beyond line of sight

    A straight line is the shortest distance between two points and the best way for communication to pass from one to the other, unless the earth's curvature prevents it. Then, what is known as beyond-line-of-sight, or BLOS, communication capability becomes necessary. BLOS uses two straight lines, one

  • The Air Guard migrates to the Air Force Public Web

    The Air National Guard has joined the Air Force in consolidating its public Web sites under one network, the Air Force Public Web. The Air Guard's public Web site has a new look and feel similar to other Air Force Web sites currently using the Air Force Public Information Management System, or

  • Airman's Roll Call highlights tax time

    This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on the assistance Airmen can receive from the Air Force to help get their taxes done. The deadline for filing your taxes is April 15 and that day will be here before you know it. All American citizens are required to file their taxes by that date. As

  • Summer jobs available at Air Force bases worldwide

    Students and certain other eligible persons can gain marketable skills and earn money while enjoying their summer vacations with the Air Force Summer Hire Program, Air Force Personnel Center officials here said Feb. 19. Job vacancies will be posted on the USAJobs Web site and may be advertised

  • DOD health officials host first medical 'Webhall'

    The Pentagon's top doctor, S. Ward Casscells, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, hosted a Web-based live "Webhall" Feb 14, a first for the military health system. Leaders from the MHS joined Doctor Casscells in answering some pointed and challenging questions live on the new MHS Web

  • Air Force snags top national advertising award

    The Air Force earned one of the nation's top advertising honors Feb. 7, taking home a Golden Award at the 2008 ADDY Awards ceremony in Dallas. The technology section of the AIRFORCE.com Web site won best in class in the micro-site category, according to Air Force Recruiting Command officials. The

  • Airmen bring romance and roses to Air Force Enlisted Village

    The champagne fountain gurgled and the dress uniform buttons gleamed in the candlelight at a very special Valentine's Day event Feb. 9.  Airmen from nearby Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field were visiting the Air Force Enlisted Village to honor and escort the residents of Hawthorn House, the

  • New matting system to improve deployment capability

    Engineers at the Air Force Research Laboratory Materials and Manufacturing Directorate here have made recent significant advancements developing a super-strong, lightweight composite airfield matting that speeds up forward aircraft deployments, expands parking space and reduces costs. Working with

  • The club that keeps on giving

    For one Kadena Air Base organization, "service" is not just a buzz word. It's a mission, and the proof is in the numbers. The Kadena Officers' Spouses' Club, a non-profit organization with nearly 170 members, donated more than $180,000 for the welfare of American and Okinawan communities last year.

  • Airmen's January reenlistment bonuses now retroactive

    All eligible Airmen in Air Force specialty codes with a selective reenlistment bonus or those with a critical skills retention bonus who reenlisted Jan. 1 or later are authorized retroactive payment effective immediately, Air Force officials here announced recently. The 2008 National Defense

  • Course provides pinpoint space education for leaders

    Until recently, many senior military and civilian leaders in the Department of Defense faced a dilemma regarding their understanding of space. There were no classes available to teach them the basics quickly and effectively. "We saw the need and designed the Space Operations Executive-level Course,"

  • Air Force Aid Society provides alternative to pay-day loans

    Air Force Aid Society officials are pleased to announce the new Falcon Loan program available to Air Force members beginning March 3.  A Falcon Loan is an interest-free loan of $500 or less that can be used for emergency needs such as basic living expenses -- rent, utilities and food -- car repairs,

  • Officials delay basing decision for Air Force Cyber Command

    The decision for the final location of the Air Force Cyber Command was expected to be finalized before the official Oct. 1 stand up of the command, but Air Force leaders now say it will not be made until closer to the end of the year. "This is to give us additional time to carefully review all the

  • Expeditionary rescue helps save Afghan boy

    Air Force helicopters were airborne within three minutes of receiving a call to pick up a 5-year-old local national boy who had been struck by a vehicle near Jalalabad Airfield, Afghanistan, Feb. 2. Members of the 210th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron received the request to medevac the young boy who

  • Feb. 10 airpower summary: A-10s conduct shows of force

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Feb. 10, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs conducted shows of force over

  • Air Force team aids Afghan police with UXO disposal

    Airmen from the explosive ordnance disposal, 755th Air Expeditionary Group, assisted Kohistan II district Afghanistan National Police with unexploded ordnance disposal Feb. 2. "The police chief requested our assistance with removing the UXOs during our last visit," said Tech. Sgt. Francis Warren,

  • NASA recruiting volunteers for 'out of this world' jobs

    Only 12 human beings have set foot on the moon. You could be the thirteenth, if you make the cut. NASA's current recruiting effort for a new class of astronaut candidates specifies that the International Space Station and the return to the moon are part of the agency's goals, and this class will be

  • Keep OPSEC in mind, even online

    In today's highly technological world, the fast-paced sharing of information can be considered friend or foe to those in the Air Force. There are several public Web sites which offer individuals free membership to create personalized Web pages. Two of the most popular social-networking sites are

  • CMSAF testifies on quality of life

    The chief master sergeant of the Air Force, along with the senior-ranking enlisted members from each branch of service, testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs about quality of life issues in the Air Force Feb. 7 at the Capitol. "Quality

  • Officials to hold all-star baseball tryouts

    There will be all-star tryouts for military baseball players with collegiate- or professional-level abilities March 14-16 at Turtle Park Naval Station in Norfolk, Va. This opportunity gives military members a chance to represent their command or branch of service in the fastest growing, largest and

  • Texas team teaches expeditionary medical techniques in Hawaii

    The Republic of Moku is a fictitious Pacific island chain, but during exercise Pacific Lifeline it is home to real-world training as more than 90 medical Airmen assigned to Pacific Air Forces practice how to deploy and provide critical services following a natural disaster. Assisting them is a

  • Pacific Lifeline aerial porters keep mission moving

    Logistics planners deployed to Hawaii to participate in the Pacific Lifeline exercise running now through Feb. 9 have been working nonstop to ensure every moving piece of equipment, aircraft and people move smoothly through the airflow system.The team includes members from  the 44th Aerial Port

  • Service still seeking special compensation claimants

    The approval rate of claims for Combat-Related Special Compensation is currently running 66 percent, but one-third of the eligible retirees still have not applied for the program. Air Force Personnel Center officials expected an increase in claims when the benefit was expanded to include all combat

  • Air Force races into NASCAR season at Daytona

    The Air Force enters its eighth year of sponsorship in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series when its No. 21 car begins the 2008 season Feb. 9 at the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway, Fla. The Air Force is both a primary and associate sponsor of the No. 21 car, which is owned by Wood

  • New earned income credit rules lucrative for some Airmen

    Filing his family's taxes each year online, Master Sgt. Ron Przysucha says he normally receives about $3,000 in tax returns. This year however, he was taken by surprise when the same Web site he traditionally uses calculated his return at nearly $8,000. "I immediately thought it was a mistake and I

  • Air Force officials release budget request for 2009

    As part of the president's fiscal 2009 budget, the Air Force officials are requesting Congress' approval for $143.9 billion, nearly more than $9 billion more than in fiscal 2008. Of the $143.9 billion request, $117 billion are funds directly controlled and managed by the Air Force. The remaining

  • Command cell provides oversight during Pacific Lifeline

    Six Reservists from the 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron here make up the Aeromedical Command Cell providing command and control for aeromedical force participating in the Pacific Lifeline exercise currently being held in Hawaii. The Reservists are providing direction, control, discipline,

  • 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

  • Air Force fiscal 2008 aviator continuation pay approved

    The fiscal 2008 Aviator Continuation Pay program was approved here recently by Craig W. Duehring, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and Reserve affairs. The 2008 National Defense Authorization Act., which was signed by President George W. Bush Jan. 28, provided authorization. The

  • AETC releases vision of future learning

    Air Education and Training Command officials here released a vision for the years between 2008 and 2030 when they unveiled "On Learning: The Future of Air Force Education and Training," a 29-page white paper Jan. 31. The Air Force must transform its training and education system of today into a

  • NASCAR driver appears in Air Force driving safety video

    The NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver of the Air Force-sponsored No. 21 Ford recently appeared in a public service announcement video on driving safety. In the 1.5 minute production, Jon Wood emphasizes the use of seat belts, observing speed limits, and not driving after drinking. Mr. Wood, the

  • First aerial bombing mission completed at Kwajalein

    On Jan. 23, the 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, deployed here with their B-2 Spirit stealth bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., completed the first aerial bombing mission at the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site . The Kwajalein Atoll is home to

  • Troops, families can access free tax-filing services

    Rather than paying a tax specialist, servicemembers and their families can obtain free assistance to prepare and file their annual tax returns through a special military program, a Defense Department tax advisor said here Jan. 30. The military's tax assistance program processes more than 200,000

  • Outreach tour educates nation's top medical civic leaders

    Some of the nation's leading health care professionals recently got a close look at one of the most vital missions in the Air Force -- health care for the wounded. The tour, sponsored by the Secretary of the Air Force's National Civic Outreach office, brought representatives from national medical

  • Troops to receive retroactive pay next month

    Active duty troops will receive retroactive earnings next month, followed weeks later by a supplemental payday for non-active personnel, a Pentagon official said today. The National Defense Authorization Act signed into law Jan. 28 by President Bush stipulates a 3.5 percent military pay raise. This

  • CMSAF focuses on Airmen development

    The Air Force's top enlisted leader emphasized the importance of each Airman's contributions, as well as their responsibilities in the development of their Airmen and their own careers during a Jan. 18 enlisted call at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. Echoing the sentiments of the three Air Force

  • Surf the Internet, discover benefits

    Military beneficiaries can find the latest information at their fingertips at the Defense Commissary Agency's new and improved Web site.DeCA has retooled its Internet site to include fresh new graphics that change with each season and a new section that promotes health and wellness. The single

  • General shares successes, challenges of Afghan air corps

    The Afghan army air corps is going through rapid growth, but it will take eight years for the force to be self-sustaining and independent, the commander of the Combined Air Power Transition Force said from his headquarters in the Afghan capital of Kabul Jan. 24. Brig. Gen. Jay H. Lindell told

  • Center's core mission remains constant during the years

    By the time the Air Force Flight Test Center was established here on June 25, 1951, Edwards AFB had already become well known as the place where "the rubber meets the ramp" and the de facto center of American flight research, development, test and evaluation. The turbojet revolution in America had

  • Military absentee voting 'primary' concern for officials

    For Federal Voting Assistance Program officials, getting deployed troops and their families engaged in the current election season is a primary goal. Ahead of the November general election, officials with the FVAP, which fosters voting participation by uniformed and U.S. citizens abroad, are