HomeNews

NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Cadet faces drug charges

    An academy cadet was charged Oct. 24 with illegal use and distribution of drugs.Cadet 1st Class Jacob Billeter was charged with allegedly using Ecstasy, an Ecstasy derivative, cocaine and ketamine. Billeter was also charged with allegedly distributing the drugs and mushrooms containing psilocybin

  • Now showing: Oct. 27 edition of AFTV News

    The work of airmen preparing Tallil Air Base, Iraq, to become a major supply link with the United States highlights the latest edition of Air Force Television News. Staff Sgt. John Somheil reports on major construction at the base by the new Air Force landlord.President George W. Bush uses a trip

  • Military works on all-digital targeting system

    The U.S. military is developing an advanced communications capability for tactical fighters that will tightly connect the sensors and cockpits of many aircraft.The 2-year-old Tactical Targeting Network Technologies program links tactical jet fighters' sophisticated sensors and avionics with

  • Tinker couple fosters future service dogs

    McIntosh came from the streets; Greer from a local breeder. Then there was Atoka. Love came from Purina. And Dottie is a temporary placement from another foster home that did not work out.For all their differences, the five Labrador retrievers have one thing in common -- they spent their

  • Desert Hawk helps protect Tallil

    Not every unmanned aerial vehicle in the sky here is a Predator.The 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron is using its “Desert Hawk” UAV here, providing an extra set of eyes in the sky for looking for potential terrorists and criminals.“Desert Hawk allows us to interdict our adversaries

  • EOD eliminates ‘explosive’ problems

    Some might call a bomb squad living in a bunker ironic; the 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron’s explosive ordnance disposal flight airmen here call it practical.The EOD airmen are on alert 24-hours a day, seven days a week, and respond to an average of 25 to 30 calls each week.“By living

  • Airmen complete Bagram runway

    With help from the Army and coalition nations, airmen poured the final load of concrete for the new $2.3 million runway here Oct. 24 after nearly six months of construction. During this period, civil engineer airmen and soldiers worked on one 90-foot-wide strip, while aircraft landed and took off on

  • Titan II blasts its way into history

    As the final Titan II rocket streaked skyward from here Oct. 18, it left in its wake a 40-year history that included a transformation from intercontinental ballistic missile to space booster.The two-stage, liquid-propelled, silo-based Titan II was developed for the United States' budding ICBM

  • Airmen keep things moving in Manas

    A few hundred kilometers north of Afghanistan, in the small country of Kyrgyzstan, is Manas Air Base. Here, airmen are doing their part to ensure coalition servicemembers can maintain the fight on the frontlines of the war on terrorism.Airmen of the 376th Expeditionary Air Wing work 24-hour

  • Wargame offers insight into future

    An Air Force-sponsored wargame promises to be not only leaner than similar events in the past, but more dynamic and efficient as well.The 2004 Future Capabilities Game is scheduled for Jan. 11 to 16 at the Air Force Wargaming Institute at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. It will test four future Air

  • Airman sentenced for drugs

    An airman assigned to the 552nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron here will spend the next 16 months in a military prison, receive a bad conduct discharge, and forfeit all pay and allowances for illegal drug use and distribution.Airman Basic Raymond Reibel told a military judge Oct. 21 he smoked

  • Aero clubs announce ‘Start Flying’ campaign

    Air Force Services Agency aero club officials are inviting people to take advantage of the ‘Start Flying’ campaign beginning Nov. 1 and ending April 30.The campaign is offered to active-duty and retired military, Department of Defense civilians and their family members who are interested in earning

  • Weather officials forecast solar flares

    Large groups of sunspots are being tracked by Air Force Weather Agency space weather technicians here who are forecasting moderate to extreme solar flares for a few days beginning Oct. 24. Technicians believe the solar flares could cause geomagnetic storms and have warned Department of Defense

  • Flu shot shields servicemembers

    At this time of year, clinics and hospitals can be swamped with people "bitten" by a nasty bug known as the influenza virus.Getting the flu not only is an unpleasant experience, said Dr. David Tornberg, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for health affairs' clinical and program policy. It is

  • Malmstrom remembers Cuban missile crisis

    Forty-one years ago, people here played a role in one of the most dangerous events of the Cold War. For 14 days during October 1962, the world held its breath as President John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev tried to reach a compromise and avoid nuclear war. In May 1962, Khrushchev,

  • AF skeet team earns world championship

    For the fourth time in five years, the Air Force’s skeet team proved they are the best in the military during the 2003 World Skeet Championship held here Oct. 10 to 18.The Air Force has not enjoyed this much success since the late 1980s, according to Tom Clayton, from Charleston Air Force Base,

  • Air Force announces fiscal 2004 ACP program

    The Air Force is retaining the most popular Aviator Continuation Pay options under a fiscal 2004 program, with bonus options offered to eligible pilots, navigators and air battle managers.For eligible pilots, a five-year and a “to 20” years of aviation service option will be offered at $25,000 a

  • Sergeant wins voting-slogan contest

    Staff Sgt. Stephanie Csornok is the first-place winner for the Federal Voting Assistance Program's 2003 voting slogan contest.Her slogan, “It's Your Future. VOTE For It!” beat out more than 2,000 entries for top honors. It will appear in the 2004-2005 Voting Assistance Guide, on motivational

  • Langley names first Raptor squadron

    The 27th Fighter Squadron will be the first of three squadrons here to transition to the F/A-22 Raptor. The Air Force’s newest fighter begins arriving in late 2004, said Col. Frank Gorenc, 1st Fighter Wing commander.“A major factor in this decision is heritage,” Gorenc said. “The (27th FS) is the

  • Airmen donate school to Afghans

    In a valley, children sat in groups of 20 outdoors to learn. They are minuscule compared to the majestic mountains that surround them. One teacher, wearing a mix of traditional Afghani clothes and a Salvation Army dress coat, used his bicycle to prop up a chalkboard to teach writing. Another

  • Robins C-141 maintenance era ends

    Thirty years of C-141 Starlifter programmed depot maintenance ended here Oct. 16 as the final aircraft left the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center. Starlifters are headed for retirement in 2006.Ending Starlifter depot-maintenance comes now because the work is scheduled on a five-year rotation,

  • Air Force increases school slots for officers

    New ideas about force development are already fixing a longtime frustration of many officers who carried the official “school candidate” label -- that they could not get a slot for in-residence professional military education even with a three-year window to attend.This year the Air Force has told

  • Inaugural Eagle Flag concludes

    In 10 days, Air Force expeditionary combat-support people opened and established a new air base here during the Air Force's newest flag-level exercise, Eagle Flag. The inaugural exercise ended Oct. 22. Eagle Flag challenged airmen to open and establish a bare base for any mission or aircraft type,

  • Airmen give supplies to Iraqi school

    The children laughed and smiled as Master Sgt. Robert Frank distributed educational supplies at Al Ilaf school here.Frank smiled, too. But his trip to Iraq had a very serious intent -- help give the Iraqis a solid foundation on which to build their free and independent future.“One of these kids,

  • Moseley discusses reconstitution

    Department of Defense leaders met with the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on readiness Oct. 21 to discuss force reconstitution. Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley told committee members that reconstitution is one of the Air Force's top concerns."Our No. 1 task is to

  • Airmen move from tents to huts

    Airmen here are now in the process of transitioning from living in temper tents to wooden structures called B-huts.“These semi-permanent timber structures are replacing our tents which have exceeded their life expectancy in this harsh environment,” said Capt. Trey Sledge, 455th Expeditionary Support

  • Cadre makes Eagle Flag come alive

    Eagle Flag brings together expeditionary combat-support people, role players, observers and exercise controllers to create one of the most dynamic exercises in the Air Force, officials said. Eagle Flag, which ran for the first time Oct. 13 to 22, is the Air Force’s newest flag-level exercise. It is

  • Air Force announces captain selections

    More than 2,500 Air Force first lieutenants have been selected for promotion by the calendar 03B captain-selection process.Board officials considered 2,519 lieutenants for promotion in the line, judge advocate general, chaplain, medical service corps, biomedical sciences corps and nurse corps

  • Air Force launches fellowship program

    The Air Force is teaming up with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as part of the Air Force National Laboratory Technical Fellowship Program.Brig. Gen. Robert L. Smolen will sign a memorandum of understanding between the two agencies Oct. 30 in Livermore, Calif. He is the director of nuclear

  • Global Hawk completes test flight

    The U.S. Air Force’s Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle completed the first of five planned technical flight tests here Oct. 21. The three weeks of tests are scheduled to demonstrate interoperability between U.S. Air Force and German Ministry of Defense unmanned aerial vehicle systems. The Global

  • Officials halt certain blood donations

    A parasitic disease being spread by sand flies in Iraq has prompted officials who oversee the military's blood supply to implement a one-year donor deferral for military people serving in that country.The reason for the deferral is a form of the disease Leishmaniasis which causes sores or lesions on

  • Ergo engineering reduces injuries

    Intervention, funding and innovative technology means workers on the F-15 Eagle fuel tank buildup crew no longer have to use their heads, according to Mary Ann Gahhos. No, they do not have to stop thinking, but they can stop using their heads and other body parts to stuff F-15 fuel tanks with foam

  • Final Titan II launches

    The Air Force's 13th and final Titan II rocket launched a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program payload from here Oct. 18 at 9:17 a.m. The launch took place following two recent delays. The mission was delayed Oct. 15 when an air-conditioning duct became detached from the booster's payload

  • Two airmen extend their desert duty

    Two airmen at an undisclosed location did not mind raising their hands when asked to pull an additional 30 days for Air and Space Expeditionary Force Blue. They said they knew they were going to be working in 120-degree heat, scurrying into tents during dust storms that turn the noon-day sun into

  • AFNS introduces new news product

    The electronic news branch of Air Force News Service introduced a new product Oct. 20 aimed at expanding its news and information to the Air Force community.Called “AFNS Report,” the one-minute, daily television report will air regularly on The Pentagon Channel and will be furnished the Defense

  • Cleanup process gets DOD support

    The Air Force gained Department of Defense support in October for an environmental-cleanup approach that may accelerate progress at as many as 24 Air Force sites.The new method involves merging land-use control actions into records of decision, said Maureen Koetz, deputy assistant secretary of the

  • Airmen deploy for fuel-spill-response exercise

    Airmen from the 611th Civil Engineer Squadron deployed recently to a remote radar site 250 miles northwest of here for an annual three-day fuel-spill-response exercise.The airmen tested their skills at the Tatalina Long Range Radar Site, one of the 18 remote radar sites that make up the Alaska Radar

  • AF plans to fill first sergeant slots

    Before the end of the year, Air Force officials will have taken the first step toward eliminating a 10-percent manning shortfall in first sergeant billets. In November, as part of the new First Sergeant Selection Process, Air Force officials expect to release a list of master sergeants selected as

  • Red Tail Express makes final delivery

    Trucks. Lots of trucks. Trucks with aircraft parts, refrigerators, wall lockers, office desks, computer equipment, construction vehicles -- some even hauling other trucks, along with hundreds of other odds and ends. All these items are loaded and strapped onto 18-wheelers and flatbed trailers,

  • Medics enter long-term partnership

    Helping get a medical clinic off the ground in this war-torn country is one thing, but three medics from the 447th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron are taking their relationship with this village to an unexpected level.Capt. (Dr.) Jeff Skinner, Senior Master Sgt. Tommie Tracey and Senior Airman Matt

  • Airmen ‘connect’ with Iraqi villagers

    Most airmen deployed to nearby Baghdad International Airport live and work there, but a few have managed to mingle among the local residents.Besides doing their jobs, they said they feel they are building a bridge in American-Iraqi relations.“The Iraqis I’ve met are great,” said Senior Airman Matt

  • AF releases fitness standards

    Air Force leaders released the fitness-scoring charts that will be used beginning Jan. 1.“The amount of energy we devote to our fitness programs is not consistent with the growing demands of our warrior culture. It's time to change that,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper in a Sight

  • Air Force medics treat Iraqis

    A three-member medical team from the 101st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron here recently helped treat more than 60 Iraqi citizens during a medical and humanitarian assistance mission.Capt. Jeff Skinner, Senior Master Sgt. Tommie Tracey and Senior Airman Matthew Read provided their assistance when

  • Preventive medicine keeps airmen on the job

    Expeditionary medicine is more than just medics treating trauma and illness at Camp Sather here.It is all about prevention for Staff Sgt. Nigesa Scales, a medical technician with the 447th Expeditionary Medical Squadron.“There is always the possibility of a disease being introduced to the area of

  • Honor Guard recruits airmen

    Air Force Honor Guard officials are always looking for motivated and dedicated airmen and noncommissioned officers for what they call the world's best job.Located here, the 250-person unit seeks airmen E-4 through E-7 for their experience, said Chief Master Sgt. Michael Buckley, the Air Force Honor

  • Airmen keep Baghdad online

    Their jobs may not be highly visible, such as flying or launching aircraft, or get them media attention by standing guard under the blazing Iraqi sun.They do, however, have an important job within the 447th Air Expeditionary Group.“They” are members of the 447th Expeditionary Communication

  • AFIT honors 2003 distinguished alumni

    The Air Force Institute of Technology honored two 2003 distinguished alumni here Oct. 16. Retired Gen. Lawrence A. Skantze and Retired Lt. Gen. Richard K. Saxer were selected for their pioneering roles in science, engineering and education.“The title of ‘distinguished alumnus’ is the highest honor

  • DOE dominates Defender Challenger

    Air Force and British security forces teams already have their targets picked out for next year’s Defender Challenge competition: The men in black from the Department of Energy. The DOE federal agents may be a tough target to hit, based on the dominance of their 10-man team at Defender Challenge

  • CSU grounds Falcons, 30-20

    The pros and the nation were watching as the Colorado State University Rams grounded the Air Force Academy Falcons on Oct. 16, 30-20.The nationally-televised game featured 994 yards of offense. Air Force pounded out 276 of its 430 total yards on the ground, but Falcons quarterback Chance Harridge

  • Ellsworth K-9 team finishes fourth in nation

    The top military working dog team in the nation has been marking its territory atop the national rankings since the Ellsworth team formed more than two years ago. The team finished in fourth place at the U.S. Police Canine National Field Trials in Atlantic City, N.J., on Oct. 5 to10 For the second

  • Eagle Flag's importance stressed

    The Air Force’s top two leaders got a first-hand look Oct. 15 at the service’s newest flag-level exercise, Eagle Flag. They also talked about what they want every airman to know about the exercise.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper

  • Workshops help parents with school transfers

    "If you'd been here two weeks earlier, we could have gotten this taken care of, and your child would be graduating with the rest of the class."That is one of the last things military parents want to hear a counselor say when their children transfer from one school to another around the globe,

  • Airman honors Army friend

    Tech. Sgt. Robert Moore wanted to do something for the friend he had made and lost while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. So he got permission to name an airport fuel storage facility after Army Sgt. Roger Rowe, an Army transportation specialist killed by a sniper July 9.Moore, a fuels

  • Critical-care teams quick to respond

    Critical care air transport teams, charged with moving the seriously wounded or ill, have a job similar to firefighters.“Our gear is packed, ready and positioned near aircraft loading points. We can be airborne in minutes and fly anywhere in the area needed,” said Maj. William H. Cody. He is a

  • AF bands appear on ‘Warehouse Warriors’

    Bandsmen from Air Mobility Command bases will take center stage Oct. 21, when their “Battle of the Bands” episode of “Warehouse Warriors” airs on the DIY Network.The U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America here, and the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West, from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., each sent

  • Falconer will control Red Flag sky

    America’s ability to dominate air and space during war is being tested Oct. 19 to 31. About 90 airmen from U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s 32nd Air Operations Group will descend on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., to participate in Red Flag 2003.The airmen comprise what is called a Falconer Air Operations

  • Airman boosts host-nation relations

    During the pre-dawn hours of Oct. 11, Jackal Two, a 380th Air Expeditionary Wing security forces patrol, noticed a vibratory roller -- better known as a steamroller -- with its headlights on, parked outside the perimeter of the base fence. The night-shift patrol feared the worst at this undisclosed

  • Sheppard aircraft crashes, crew safe

    A T-38A Talon aircraft assigned to the 80th Flying Training Wing, crashed here on takeoff Oct. 14. Both crewmembers successfully ejected from the aircraft. They were sent to the base hospital for observation but were later released.Emergency workers from the base responded to the incident. An

  • Airman gets hard labor, discharge

    An academy airman was sentenced to a bad-conduct discharge in a special court-martial Oct. 15.Airman Brent Mann of the 10th Communications Squadron pleaded guilty to providing alcohol to a minor and failing to obey a lawful order to register his vehicle or remove it from the base. Mann also pleaded

  • Tops in Blue entertains Bagram troops

    The Air Force’s Tops in Blue team contributed to the war on terrorism when they performed for more than 800 soldiers, airmen and coalition partners here Oct. 11. This year’s tour celebrates 50 years of performances around the world.Known as the Air Force’s “expeditionary entertainers,” Tops in Blue

  • Global Hawk arrives in Germany

    The Air Force’s Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle landed in Germany for the first time Oct. 15 from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. It touched down at 4:05 a.m. at the German navy’s Nordholz Air Base near Cuxhaven.Its arrival marked the beginning of a three-week system deployment running through

  • TSP open season begins

    Civilian and military employees can sign up for, or change, their Thrift Savings Plan contribution amounts during the "open season" Oct. 15 to Dec. 31."TSP is an easy, long-term retirement savings plan, that everyone should consider," said Senior Master Sgt. Felipe Ortiz, superintendent of the Air

  • Dyess B-1s surge to 114 flights in 68 hours

    During a "surge" in flying here that ended Oct. 9, 7th Bomb Wing crews pushed their B-1 Lancers to a record-breaking 114 flights in 68 hours resulting in 321 simulated bombing runs on targets. The crews began Operation Iron Thunder on Oct. 7, flying sorties around the clock until late in the night

  • Aircraft pull raises CFC nearly $5,000

    Twenty-four teams pulled their way to nearly $5,000 in Combined Federal Campaign donations here recently during the U.S. Air Force Museum's fifth annual aircraft pull.People joined 15- to 20-member teams, each contributing $200 team entry fees to CFC, to see who could drag a 60,000-pound F-111F

  • NORAD monitors U.S. sky to protect homeland

    On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, the staff at the North American Aerospace Defense Command was poised to identify a missile test or space launch anywhere in the world, or to tell exactly how many items of "space junk" were circling the globe.What they did not know was that four commercial

  • IDEA will save Air Force $5.7 million

    A Tinker man’s idea to have depot-level maintenance on air traffic control radars performed on-site will save the Air Force more than $5 million and earned him $10,000 through the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program.Instead of having the vital airport surveillance radar systems

  • HVAC/R -- Al Udeid’s thermostat

    How fast can your day go from good to bad, from comfortable to hot?Give up? Fifty-nine minutes. That is how long it would take.Without air conditioning inside a tent, the temperature can increase by more than 35 degrees in less than an hour. Without the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and

  • The birdmen of Baghdad

    Some airmen who routinely go into harm’s way to assist others, have taken another injured creature of the air under their wings.The New York Air National Guard’s 101st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron has adopted a pigeon that was injured during the Operation Iraqi Freedom conflict.According to Staff

  • First Eagle Flag exercise begins

    More than 150 expeditionary combat-support leaders from around the Air Force arrived here Oct. 13 for the inaugural Eagle Flag, the Air Force’s newest flag-level exercise. The goal of the exercise is to test the ability of the participants to open and establish an air base to an initial operating

  • Airmen keep warfighters connected

    In a country that seems to be stuck in the first century, the world’s most powerful and advanced air force operates every day among the blowing dust and dried mud huts of Afghanistan. The average family here lacks a computer, phone, electricity and even running water. But inside the wire here, a

  • Airman reacts to vehicle accident

    While some Air Force reservists were just hitting the snooze alarm at 5:30 a.m., Senior Airman Stacey Miller was hopping fences and wading through mud to get to an accident victim recently.Miller, an aerial porter with Air Force Reserve Command's 49th Aerial Port Flight here, left her Indianapolis

  • ‘Bird balls’ preventing aircraft strikes

    The base here is the first Air Force installation to use "bird balls" as part of a new program to prevent airfield bird strikes.The new tool, part of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing bird-aircraft strike hazard program, uses small, environmentally safe, black balls to cover the surface of the water on

  • Pace: U.S. troop strength in Korea can be cut

    United States troop strength in South Korea can be reduced because of technological advances in military art and lessons learned from combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, the nation's No. 2 military officer said here Oct. 10."I personally believe that the numbers of U.S. troops in Korea can, in fact, be

  • LASIK available for airmen

    The Air Force’s “warfighter” corneal refractive surgery program expanded its services to include Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, or LASIK, for qualified people at its centers.Gen. T. Michael Moseley, Air Force vice chief of staff, approved a memorandum written by Lt. Gen. George “Peach”

  • Airmen complete 25,000-foot jump

    An icy blast fills the cabin as the C-17 Globemaster III crew opens the rear hatch in midair. The C-17 provided the platform recently for nine survival, escape, resistance and evasion specialists and one combat controller to perform a high-altitude, low-opening parachute jump training over the

  • Falcons dominate UNLV, 24-7

    Turnovers yielded 10 points as the Air Force Falcons returned to their winning ways with a 24-7 victory over University of Nevada, Las Vegas, on Oct. 11.The win improves the Falcons’ record to 6-1 and makes the team eligible for a post-season bowl game."A lot of people really doubted whether this

  • Now showing: Oct. 13 edition of AFTV News

    The Air Force program to use alternative fuels and means of transportation is examined in-depth in the latest edition of Air Force Television News. Tech. Sgt. Pachari Lutke leads off with a story at the program’s headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., by reporting about efforts to reduce the

  • Cadet’s request to resign denied

    The secretary of the Air Force has denied a cadet’s request to resign in lieu of court-martial. Cadet 3rd Class Douglas Meester submitted the request July 8 to Air Force Secretary Dr. James G. Roche, officials said. Charges were preferred against Meester on May 13, for violations of the Uniform

  • Archaeologists dig for answers at Mildenhall

    To the untrained eye, it is a dug-up piece of ground. To the trained archaeologist, it is a treasure trove of information and a small mountain of history, and it was discovered because people here want to play softball. In August, while preparing to clear a site for new softball fields, Defence

  • Karl Malone guarantees POW/MIA recognition

    It is said that passionate people wear their hearts on their sleeves. For Los Angeles Lakers’ forward Karl Malone, he chooses to wear his on his shoe.There are more than 88,000 Americans still unaccounted for in all conflicts. The Lakers could sell out every home game and be well into the sixth

  • AF unveils force development plan

    Air Force leaders are launching a spread-the-word tour in November to explain force development, a new system that transforms how the service will train, educate and assign people to meet mission challenges.Teams led by major command general officers will visit every base to explain the details of

  • Show features academy skydivers

    The U.S. Air Force Academy’s skydiving program will be featured on the History Channel’s new series, “Guts and Bolts.” The new series, which premiered Sept. 13, gives viewers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the history and inner-workings of today’s most fascinating technologies.Members of the 98th

  • Airman tells of grandfather's Flying Tiger days

    What do you do when your grandfather was played by John Wayne in a movie, a general at age 31 and a bona fide American war hero? If you are Maj. Reagan Schaupp, you write a book about him.Schaupp, of the 50th Space Support Squadron here, has spent the last five years working with his 88-year-old

  • C-17 replica becomes recruiting tool

    What started as a multipurpose vehicle will be transformed into an Air Force recruiting tool when a small-scale replica of a C-17A Globemaster III being built is completed. Volunteers from the 315th and 437th airlift wings here are working on the project.The idea for the project came from Michael

  • Fighting a different kind of enemy

    “What do you call a spider with no legs? “An octo-plegic,” joked Tech. Sgt. Charles Latshaw, a pest management technician with the 380th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron’s entomology division.But the job is not always fun and games for Latshaw and his counterpart, Tech. Sgt. Frank Flodin, also

  • New supercomputer doubles capacity

    A new, $15.1 million supercomputer formally began operations here Oct. 6, giving the Aeronautical Systems Center's Major Shared Resource Center here more than double the computing capability and available compute-hours.The new system is the largest such computer in the world. It has a computing

  • Final tests begin on C-130J systems

    An electronic warfare test team here began the final phase of testing Oct. 7 of an integrated defensive system installed on a C-130J Hercules. Testing should be complete by Thanksgiving, with publication of the final test report scheduled for February 2004.The C-130J, a medium-range tactical

  • Tanker units integrate for teamwork

    In a deployed location, one thing is for certain: Teamwork makes a unit. For the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron here, teamwork went beyond that of one unit, combining assets of five KC-135R Stratotanker units.For a short time the 340th EARS comprised planes and people from the 6th Air

  • Reserve working on force development

    At the 2002 Corona Top conference in Colorado Springs, Colo., the Air Force adopted a new vision for how best to develop its airmen and continue its evolution as an air and space force.The Air Force designed this new force development construct to ensure the right technical and leadership skills are

  • Thunderbirds resume schedule

    The U.S. Air Force’s air demonstration team, the Thunderbirds, will resume its schedule beginning with the Fort Smith Regional Air Show in Arkansas on Oct. 11 and 12. The Thunderbirds halted official demonstrations following an aircraft accident at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, on Sept.

  • Preparing for Titan's final flight

    The last Titan IVB rocket to be launched here arrived from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Oct. 5 while another Titan IVB was moved to Space Launch Complex 40 to launch an early warning satellite under the Defense Support Program. There are just three Titan IVB launches remaining before the

  • Airmen restore piece of history

    As civilian and military aviation enthusiasts throughout the world celebrate the “Centennial of Flight,” airmen from U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s 85th Group here completed a meticulous project to preserve and showcase a piece of Air Force history in Iceland.Recently, more than 60 airmen, sailors and

  • Airmen help fliers breathe easier

    Fuels specialists in the 78th Logistics Readiness Squadron’s liquid oxygen station here have the coolest job on base. It is so cool in fact it is boiling hot.Tasked with the job of storing liquid oxygen, which in its normal state is 297 degrees below zero, the airmen must stay on their toes, or

  • Board releases F-16 accident report

    An F-16 pilot's failure to follow emergency checklist procedures for a failed hydraulic pump caused the F-16CG Fighting Falcon he was taxiing to collide with a parked F-16 at a forward-operating location June 15.The aircraft, assigned to the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, was

  • Officials release F-16 accident report

    Air Force officials have determined a bird strike caused the crash of an F-16 Fighting Falcon on June 13 at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.The fighter jet's single engine lost thrust when it ingested a turkey vulture shortly after takeoff, according to the accident investigation report released Oct. 7 by

  • Travis firefighters dominate El Paso challenge

    Firefighter combat challenge teams take note: The Travis team is the real deal. At the regional Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge competition here Oct. 4 and 5, the firefighter team from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., dominated every aspect of the tournament, taking first place in four out of five

  • Warfighters reach back to Langley

    Each day during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Airman 1st Class Jamie O'Connell would drive home from Langley Air Force Base after fighting the war in Iraq, and with traffic, it took her about 15 minutes.She is an imagery analyst in the 30th Intelligence Squadron, working at Distributed Ground System 1

  • Airmen participate in Malaysian exhibition

    Rain did not dampen the spirits of Pacific Air Forces airmen showcasing their aircraft at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace 2003 exhibition here Sept. 30 to Oct. 5. LIMA is one of the biggest defense trade shows in the world and this year more than 800 companies from about 40 nations

  • Man, horse are dancing partners

    Sixties television star Mr. Ed may have had all the right words, but Regalo has all the right moves.Regalo, a half Spanish-Andalusian, half American quarter horse, can spin, shake hands and count by stomping his left front hoof. He can say hello by raising his front right hoof, throw kisses and

  • Software helps put bombs on target

    Since March 19, warfighters have dropped 21,300 munitions in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Tens of thousands more have been dropped or launched during Operation Enduring Freedom and that many more stand ready if and when the call comes.To account for all the munitions the Air Force owns, ammunition