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  • Predator is headache for enemy

    One of the most formidable aircraft in the Operation Iraqi Freedom arsenal does not even carry a pilot. Appearing almost toy-like at a mere 27 feet long, the RQ-1/MQ-1 Predator is an unmanned aerial vehicle that remains a huge headache for enemy forces.Operated remotely by a pilot and sensor

  • Nighthawks return home

    Five F-117 Nighthawks touched down here April 16 after supporting operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.The tremendous support of the base and Alamogordo community provided the returning airmen with an outstanding homecoming, said Lt. Col. J.L. Briggs, an F-117 pilot returning from his

  • Lynch asks public to redirect gifts

    Pfc. Jessica Lynch, the former Iraqi prisoner of war now receiving treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here, has asked the public to send cards and letters in lieu of gifts and flowers.In a statement released by the medical center, Lynch said the outpouring of gifts from well-wishers around

  • Aerial-refueling team awarded Distinguished Flying Crosses

    While conducting air-refueling operations above Iraq on April 7, a four-person crew took their KC-135 further into harm's way to help airmen in trouble.They were recognized for their actions by Lt. Gen. T. Michael Moseley, Combined Forces Air Component commander, who flew in to Camp Oasis on April

  • Situation in Iraq brightening; troops still in danger

    The situation on the ground "continues to brighten in Iraq," the Pentagon's chief spokeswoman said in the Pentagon today. "But our troops are still putting their lives on the line, and the work is still dangerous."American and other coalition forces are working with local Iraqi leaders, clerics and

  • Spouses make flags to honor ultimate sacrifice

    Two Air Force spouses are helping revive an old tradition to honor the families of servicemembers killed in battle.Julie Gindhart and Claudia Schmucker, both wives of Air Force majors, have joined with other members of the Military and Civilian Spouses Club here to make "gold star service flags."

  • Officials announce 2002 operations awards

    Air Force officials announced the winners of the 2002 Air Force Airfield Operations Awards on April 14.The unit award winners are:-- Airfield Operations Flight Complex of the Year -- 51st Operations Support Squadron, Osan Air Base, South Korea.-- D. Ray Hardin Air Traffic Control Facility of the

  • U-2 reconnaissance plane helps bring POWs home

    The Seven U.S. Army soldiers who were formerly prisoners of war in Iraq are safe at a U.S. medical facility in Germany and are preparing to reunite with families. The reunion was possible not only because of the rescue operation by Marines but also because of assistance from an Air Force

  • Schriever navigator makes movie magic

    He has been a Confederate infantryman, a Union surgeon and a prisoner of war killed at the Battle of the Bulge, but his best role is a navigator with the Air Force Space Command Battle Lab here.As a Hollywood extra, Maj. Allen Vickrey enjoys working in historic epics that bring the past to

  • B-1 crew members receive Distinguished Flying Crosses

    Four Ellsworth B-1 Lancer crew members, who on April 7 struck a "target of opportunity" believed to be the site of a high-level Iraqi leadership meeting, have received Distinguished Flying Crosses.Capt. Chris Wachter, aircraft commander; Capt. Sloan Hollis, pilot; and weapon systems officers 1st Lt.

  • DOD getting $62.9 billion to help pay for war

    The Defense Department is receiving $62.6 billion as a result of the emergency supplemental bill President Bush signed today.With the war in Iraq costing $20 billion to date, DOD officials said they are grateful that Congress acted so quickly, said Dov Zakheim, DOD comptroller.Of immediate interest

  • Operation Iraqi Freedom marks new way of war fighting

    The successful application of teamwork and technology in Operation Iraqi Freedom marks a turning point in American war fighting, the U.S. military's senior officer said here April 16."What we've done in Iraq has been dramatically different" than how the American military has fought wars since the

  • Team reduces civilian casualties with exact targeting

    So "all's fair in love and war?" Not to the Time Sensitive Targeting Team -- at least the "war" part.Team members do everything they can to minimize civilian casualties in the Operation Iraqi Freedom air campaign. They work in Iraqi Freedom's Combined Air Operations Center at a desert air base in

  • AAFES serving troops in Iraq

    The Army and Air Force Exchange Service's "Team Iraq" was on hand during the first days of Operation Iraqi Freedom in that country at logistic support areas in Adder and Tallil.In less than a day after arriving in Tallil Air Base on April 6, the AAFES team was able to begin serving the troops.Craig

  • The last goodbye

    Betty Lenzi, the mother of Maj. Gregory L. Stone, touches her son's casket before his burial at Arlington National Cemetery on April 17. Stone was the first Air Force casualty of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to the Idaho Air National Guard's 124th Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo by

  • Airman sent home to donate bone marrow

    While the war is waged and aircraft launch in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, another kind of mission is taking place ... a potentially life saving mission.Col. Erik Hearon, the regional air movement and control center director, jumped aboard an Air Mobility Command aircraft recently in hopes of

  • Joint effort stands up Iraqi air base

    The Army said it was "austere." The Air Force called it "downright primitive."Regardless of the description, commanders on both sides agree the effort to turn an Iraqi air base into a coalition operations hub has been one of the finest examples of teamwork seem so far during Operation Iraqi

  • 2002 contracting award winners announced

    Air Force officials will honor recipients of 2002 contracting awards in an April 22 ceremony at the Pentagon.The recipients of this year's awards are:-- Supervisory category: Lt. Col. Vincent J. Feck, 31st Contracting Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy.-- Non-supervisory category: Master Sgt.

  • JSTARS team always training for battle

    As military action continues in Iraq, coalition ground troops are in many ways counting on their guardian angels to guide the way.Those guardians, crewmembers from the 116th Air Control Wing here, are always ready. They are armed with the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System.Tech Sgt.

  • President OKs independent panel to review academy

    President George W. Bush signed into law April 16 legislation establishing a panel to review allegations of sexual misconduct at the Air Force Academy.The independent panel's creation was part of the fiscal 2003 Supplemental Appropriations Act to Support Department of Defense Operations in Iraq,

  • Bound for glory

    A Malmstrom missile maintenance team removes the upper section of an ICBM at a Montana missile site. The missile section was picked at random for a "glory trip," a test launch at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., in August. The launch allows Malmstrom and Vandenberg officials to gather data on

  • C-130 crews keep the supplies coming

    When coalition air forces erupted in battle full force, it was business as usual for Master Sgt. John Spillane and fellow aircrew members of the 320th Air Expeditionary Squadron.As a C-130 Hercules loadmaster for the 320th AES, he and fellow cargo aircrews were busy setting the stage before the

  • C-130 delivers medical team to Iraq

    Some aircraft credited with delivering overwhelming military capability to coalition forces in Operation Iraqi Freedom are now distributing food, supplies and medical care to the people of Iraq, officials said April 16.One of the latest examples was the transport of a specialized medical team to an

  • Bands orchestrate aviation's first 100 years

    Celebrating the 100th anniversary of powered flight, Air Force Band of Flight musicians here are working with five professional composers to set history to music.This year marks the 100th anniversary of powered flight and celebrations are scheduled across the nation to honor the Wright brothers'

  • Theater frequency management organizes airwaves

    Along with the thousands of planes filling the sky over Iraq are more than 5,000 different electronic frequencies used for critical communications between the systems and people who make those flights possible.With numbers like these, there are plenty of chances for something to become a problem.

  • Coalition forces still conducting operations

    While major combat action is certainly winding down in Iraq, coalition forces are still conducting operations in the country, said U.S. Central Command officials in Qatar today.In Al Ramadi April 15, a commander with the 3rd Infantry Division accepted the capitulation of the Iraqi regular army 12th

  • Kirtland Guard, active duty work together in Bulgaria

    Supporting air-refueling operations for aircraft striking targets in Iraq has found Kirtland active-duty and Air National Guard airmen working together at Camp Sarafovo, Bulgaria.Security forces airmen from the New Mexico Air National Guard's 150th Fighter Wing and support people from the 377th

  • U.S., U.K. medical forces work together

    Wounded British forces may speak the same language as some of their new medics, but they definitely have a different accent.Air Force medical teams have joined British forces to receive and care for British soldiers evacuated to a deployed Operation Iraqi Freedom location. While United Kingdom

  • Officials warn of flea, tick collar dangers

    Pentagon officials are, once again, advising servicemembers that flea and tick collars work great on pets, but not on humans.And officials at the Armed Forces Pest Management Board said good-intentioned citizens and family members should not include the collars in care packages to troops.Responding

  • Plotting the course

    Senior Airman Michael D. Vuyancih plots traffic-control points on a base map during a security forces exercise here. Vuyancih is with the 39th Security Forces Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Joseph Thompson)

  • Aid on the way

    Airmen deployed to Camp Sarafovo, Bulgaria, load humanitarian cargo onto pallets April 15. The cargo will be loaded onto a C-17 Globemaster III and delivered to the people of Iraq. The airmen are assigned to the 409th Air Expeditionary Group. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Dave Ahlschwede)

  • Rock merchants lighten up tense times

    When aircraft fly into Bashur Airfield in northern Iraq, some aircrews jump out of their plane to pick up a quick souvenir -- a rock or two.A trio of airmen who work on the flightline saw one too many of the flightsuit-wearing warriors taking little chunks of what they consider their hard-earned

  • CFACC provides guidance for coalition air campaign

    Before one of the most intense and precise air campaigns in the history of modern warfare began March 19, a video teleconference was held that included President Bush, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfield, U.S. Central Command commander Gen. Tommy Franks and Combined Forces Air Component Commander

  • Bush: Coalition victory in Iraq certain but not complete

    "These are good days for the history of freedom," President Bush said during a Rose Garden ceremony this morning.In one month Iraq has transformed from being "a prison to its own people, a haven for terrorists (and) an arsenal of weapons that endanger the world," Bush said during remarks on his

  • Air Force announces productivity excellence awards

    Five Air Force teams and three people recently received top honors for their money-saving improvements to the Air Force.The Air Force Productivity Excellence Award recognizes Air Force airmen, civilians and small groups who have made substantial improvements in productivity. The winners' efforts

  • U.S. troops to be in Iraq 'not one day longer' than necessary, Myers says

    American troops will be in Iraq "as long as required and not one day longer," the U.S. military's senior officer said here today.Saddam Hussein's regime is history and "the process of returning Iraq to the Iraqi people has begun," Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of

  • In coordination

    Staff Sgt. Marissa Richard and Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Morris coordinate an aircraft's arrival at Bashur Airfield in northern Iraq. Richard is a tanker airlift control element manager and Morris works command and control. Both are assigned to the 86th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron. The squadron

  • Airlift takes toll on Bashur Airfield

    The landing of many heavy cargo aircraft at Bashur Airfield in northern Iraq, has forced the closure of 2,000 feet of runway that cracked under the constant strain.That still leaves a 5,000-foot runway, more than enough for C-17 Globemaster III and C-130 Hercules aircraft to continue the airlift

  • Heading home

    An F-117 Nighthawk and F-15E Strike Eagles prepare to launch April 14 from a forward-deployed location supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 8th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and its F-117s are returning home to Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., after supporting the war in Iraq. The F-15Es are

  • 12 AF civilians receive presidential rank awards

    Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche honored 12 Air Force recipients of the 2002 Presidential Rank Awards in a ceremony here April 7."It's my great privilege to recognize the tremendous contributions these people have made to our Air Force and to congratulate them on their achievement,"

  • Trip changes airman's view of Iraq

    For a combat cameraman from upstate New York, a six-hour ride from Kirkuk to Bashur Airfield in northern Iraq, was an eye-opening experience he will not forget.Trained to look for and document with his camera those moments that tell a story, Tech. Sgt. Steve Faulisi said he put away his camera and

  • Airmen stay busy despite end of major hostilities in Iraq

    Even though hostilities in Iraq appear to be winding down, airmen who fly combat missions over that war-torn nation say their job is not finished yet."We still have pockets of resistance in various areas, and until we have complete control we need to have air power up there supporting the ground

  • Rumsfeld says U.S. will find Iraqi WMD materials

    Saddam Hussein's scientific adviser surrendered to U.S. forces Saturday, proclaiming that Iraq has no weapons of mass destruction."Do you believe it?" NBC's "Meet the Press" host Tim Russert asked Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on today's edition."No, goodness no," the secretary

  • F/A-22 provides technological leap forward

    One cannot view the F/A-22 Raptor as only a replacement for current Air Force fighters, the service's top acquisition official told lawmakers April 11."(The F/A-22) is basically a technological leap forward to counter the threats we perceive (we will face) in the future," said Dr. Marvin R. Sambur,

  • AGE keeps maintainers in business

    They are the veins and arteries that carry the lifeblood to hundreds of workers keeping the coalition bombing effort pumping on time.The maintainers and bomb loaders depend on the airmen of the aerospace ground equipment shop to keep the flightline moving. Because of them, the heart of the mission

  • Bashur Airfield on roll; future still not set

    After two weeks of living on the edge of the noisy flightline, the airmen at Bashur Airfield in northern Iraq, moved their camp to higher ground.But the move -- 100 yards farther away from the airstrip - does not mean the 86th Expeditionary Contingency Response Group is planting roots at this

  • Support network available for families of deployed airmen

    For many years, families of active and reserve component airmen, along with Air Force civilian employees, have had to deal with the stresses associated with deployments and remote tours.However, families no longer have to endure these separations alone, according to Tech. Sgt. Rebecca Tester,

  • Reservists provide medical care on POW's return flight

    Seven Air Force reservists provided medical care aboard the C-17 Globemaster III flight that brought Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch and 45 other patients to the United States on April 12.The crew consisted of five airmen from Wright-Patterson's 445th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, one from McChord AFB,

  • My Hero

    Staff Sgt. Chad Reemtsma, a military working dog handler, and Hero spend quality time together while waiting for more vehicles to search during a mobile security patrol April 8. Both are deployed to the 363rd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron from the 18th Security Forces Squadron at Kadena

  • Extreme sports

    Senior Airman Ian Garcia takes a break at Bashur Airfield in northern Iraq. Garcia is part of a six-man explosive ordnance disposal team at the base. He said he put up the sign next to a mud hole because he was tired of seeing people walk by frowning, and he wanted them to smile. Garcia is

  • Shape of coalition forces will change as war winds down

    As the war in Iraq winds down, the shape and number of coalition forces in the area will change, DoD officials said during a briefing in the Pentagon.Two carrier battle groups centered around the USS Constellation and Kitty Hawk will leave the area, Navy officials said today. This still leaves three

  • Moody AFB attorneys support 'Operation I Do'

    Dressed to the nines in his best desert camouflage uniform and surrounded by his security forces family, a nervous but calm deployed senior airman took part in "Operation I Do."Even though they were separated physically, Senior Airman James Evans and his fiance, Andrea, were reunited via fax and

  • Now showing: April 14 edition of Air Force Television News

    The Air Force's role in Operation Iraqi Freedom and an update by two Air Force senior leaders on what is being done to address the rape and sexual assault issue at the Air Force Academy highlight the latest edition of Air Force Television News.Most of the program's focus is on Operation Iraqi

  • War sharpens air traffic control mission's focus

    Operation Iraqi Freedom is providing students attending the Air Force's only air traffic control school real-world examples of how their training will be used after graduation.The air traffic control school here trains about 1,000 airmen and international students each year, including new airmen,

  • B-52 still a force to be reckoned with

    More than 50 years after the first B-52 bomber rolled off a Boeing assembly line, the Stratofortress is still making believers out of those who would oppose the United States.The latest convert? Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.The B-52H has topped 100 missions flown in support of Operation Iraqi

  • Air Force begins re-deploying some forces

    The Air Force has started re-deploying some its assets supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to defense officials.The return of B-2 Spirit, F-117 Nighthawk and some F-15 Eagle aircraft has already begun, the officials said. It is all part of a process to re-deploy forces no longer required

  • Motorcycle safety leaves no margin for error

    In December, a young airman was visiting his family for the holidays. After dinner and a movie with his mother, he told her he was going for a ride on his motorcycle. That was the last time she saw her son alive.He was 10 minutes from home when he lost control of his bike and was killed instantly.

  • Commander recounts historic Iraq C-17 airdrop

    It was by any measure a landmark moment for airlift operations and the C-17 Globemaster III. The nighttime airdrop last month of 1,000 "Sky Soldiers" from the 173rd Airborne Brigade behind enemy lines into northern Iraq was the largest combat airdrop since the invasion of Panama in December 1989

  • Dust, noise, heat not beating down Bashur airmen

    As airmen continue to unload cargo around the clock in the blazing sun, dust and noise at Bashur Airfield in northern Iraq, others ensure they stay healthy.A team of bioenvironmental engineers and public health troops look out for their welfare, preventing the things that could make them sick or

  • Care packages raise morale at deployed location

    When you're deployed in the middle of nowhere, there are few things that can brighten your day like receiving a care package. After being deployed for more than two weeks, members of the 86th Expeditionary Contingency Response Group received a bundle of care packages from home April 12."Getting a

  • Air Force band members become 'warehouse warriors'

    Six Air Force band members traded their musical instruments for power tools recently as they competed in an episode of "Warehouse Warriors."Warehouse Warriors is a DIY (Do It Yourself) network television show that pits two teams against one another in a race against the clock to see who can complete

  • Spitting incident reminds airmen to stay safe

    The wife of a military member here received an unexpected message recently from an anti-war protester.Jessica Resendez, who was wearing a sweatsuit printed with an Air Force emblem, was walking through a shopping center parking lot when a woman grabbed her sleeve and asked her if she was in the

  • Coalition command post: coordination keeps aircraft, info flowing

    Flexibility is the key to airpower, but a lot of coordination and some planning are the keys to a successful integration of coalition partners in wartime. Such is the case for the 401st Air Expeditionary Wing command post, temporarily located at a Royal Air Force base in the eastern

  • Seven Americans recovered alive near Samarra

    Seven U.S. service members listed as missing or prisoners have been returned to American control, U.S. Central Command chief Army Gen. Tommy Franks said today.Franks, speaking on CNN and Fox news networks, said Marines found the seven Americans walking along a road near the city of Samarra.Defense

  • Tough, brave troops fight for freedom

    America's men and women in uniform are brave, tough and courageous, President Bush said today after visiting more than 70 wounded service members and their families at two military hospitals."It's an amazing thing when you see a person wounded, sitting there in a wheelchair or bound up in bandages

  • 1st humanitarian flight arrives at Baghdad airport

    Although combat continues in a number of areas in Iraq, coalition efforts to increase humanitarian assistance are becoming more important, according to U.S. Central Command officials."Last night, the first humanitarian-focused flight went into Baghdad International Airport," said Army Brig. Gen.

  • Bashur airmen toughing it out

    If they did not know before, the more than 200 airmen who run Bashur Airfield in northern Iraq now know what it is like living in austere conditions.Because if it was not for the cargo that transport aircraft drop off day and night, there would not be much here to write home about.The only claim to

  • Deck of cards helps troops identify regime's most wanted

    Coalition forces in Iraq are using a specially created deck of 55 playing cards to identify the "most wanted" members of Saddam Hussein's regime.News reports today indicated that Amir Hamudi Hasan Al- Sadi, Saddam's presidential scientific adviser, shown on "7" of diamonds card No. 55, has turned

  • Standing guard

    Tech. Sgt. Ken Joy stands guard as firefighters pump water from a stream near Bashur Airfield in northern Iraq. Joy and fellow security forces troops assigned to the 86th Expeditionary Contingency Response Group patrol the base perimeter, provide airfield protection and escort all airmen who leave

  • Pilot brings battle-damaged A-10 home safely

    An A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot deployed with the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing safely landed her "Warthog" at her forward operating base after it sustained significant damage from enemy fire during a close air support mission over Baghdad on April 7.Capt. Kim, deployed from the 75th Fighter Squadron at

  • A-10 fixers log deployed phase maintenance

    Maintainers at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, are performing groundbreaking maintenance checks on their aircraft under a unique program they say is an Air Force first.Maintainers deployed with the 104th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron are completing the first-ever "contingency phase maintenance" on

  • B-52 Litening II pod used in combat

    For the first time in combat history, a B-52 Stratofortress used a Litening II targeting pod to strike targets at an airfield in northern Iraq on April 11, according to officials at the U.S. Central Command's combined air operations center.Using the Litening II system,a crew of reservists from the

  • Bush relays stories of oppression, compassion and respect

    Two worlds collided in Baghdad this week. Coalition forces and Western journalists were shocked by emerging evidence of Saddam Hussein's tyranny and inhumanity, and the long-oppressed Iraqi people experienced the compassion and respect of coalition troops.President Bush addressed this week's

  • Combat Ops continue in Iraq, humanitarian aid pours in

    U.S. and coalition troops are searching out and eliminating pockets of Saddam-regime diehards, while providing much needed humanitarian relief to the Iraqi people.That's the message Army Brig. Gen. Vince Brooks, U.S. Central Command spokesperson delivered today at a press conference in Qatar.For

  • Coalition dealing with Iraqi civil disturbances

    The most important mission for U.S. service members in Iraq is to win the war, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said during a Pentagon press conference.They will also deal with civil disturbances and create conditions for peace and stability, but it isn't going to happen immediately, he

  • Air Force combat controller killed in action

    A staff sergeant assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., was killed in action April 8 in Iraq.Staff Sgt. Scott D. Sather, an Air Force combat controller, was 29 years old."I offer my condolences to Sergeant Sather's family, friends and teammates," said Lt. Gen.

  • 484th AEW brings airpower to battlefield

    It is the largest and most diverse Air Force unit supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, yet few people know it exists, according to 484th Air Expeditionary Wing officials.Behind the scenes, the 484 AEW works quietly, providing combat enabling, contingency response, terminal attack and combat weather

  • Female fighter pilots take on challenges full throttle

    Female fighter pilots are a special breed. They are willing to crack into a male-dominated field, take a $30 million aircraft, fly at mind-numbing speeds and head straight into the face of danger, all the while knowing they may not be coming back.But most will say they are happy to do just that,

  • Airborne Red Horse teams joins the mix

    The Air Force has a new capability thanks to the members of three new Airborne Red Horse teams. Red Horse teams provide the Air Force with a mobile, rapid-response civil engineer force to support contingency and special operations in remote, high-threat environments worldwide. In wartime, the

  • New Milstar launches from Cape

    "Milstar," a military communications satellite, launched from here on a Titan IV-B rocket April 8.The satellite was placed into its proper orbit and should be fully operational in May.Milstar is a joint service communications satellite system that provides secure, jam-resistant, worldwide

  • Former CMSAFs continue serving airmen

    Eight former chief master sergeants of the Air Force met with the man who currently holds the position and other senior leaders during a conference at the Pentagon on April 8 and 9.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray said the two days provided many opportunities for the group to

  • Improved 'Dragon Lady' still seeks, finds today's prey

    The 48-year-old U-2 "Dragon Lady" still reigns supreme as the leader among manned intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems.Even with newer, unmanned aerial vehicles like Global Hawk and Predator -- welcomed by increasing numbers of warfighters, and now joining the U-2 in ISR missions

  • Air attacks lead to cease fire in northern Iraq

    Iraq's regular army may have never measured up to the prestigious Republican Guard in terms of battlefield effectiveness, but it seems they have a leg up when it comes to common sense, according to U.S. Central Command officials.Following a brief period of bombing and close-air-support missions near

  • Airlift into Iraq shows no sign of slowing

    The airlift armada flying into Bashur Airfield in northern Iraq for the past two weeks has dropped off more than 10 million pounds of cargo bound for coalition forces.More than 170 C-17 Globemaster III and C-130 Hercules flights have brought in the cargo. The planes land day and night and the

  • Reservists rescue troops during combat operations

    By the time U.S. forces rolled into downtown Baghdad, Iraq, deployed Air Force reservists from the 920th Rescue Wing had saved the lives of at least 10 American troops.According to Col. Tim Tarchick, 920th RQW commander, members of the wing were involved in at least four combat search and rescue

  • Iraqi regime disintegration continues

    Signs of the disintegration of Saddam Hussein's regime abound in Iraq, U.S. Central Command officials said in a briefing in Qatar today.Pockets of regime resistance remain, but CENTCOM intelligence reports regime leadership and control systems have been broken, said Army Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks.

  • Officials advise SARS precautions

    Department of Defense officials are advising military members and civilians to take precautions against the potentially deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. The advisory is especially for those traveling in the Far East, where the flu-like virus is believed to have originated.SARS has killed

  • Coalition air forces continue busy pace

    As dramatic scenes of liberation dominate media coverage of Operation Iraqi Freedom, coalition air forces continue to contribute significant behind-the-scenes efforts in the three-week-old war.Among them is the reported delivery of the massive ordnance air-blast bomb to an undisclosed site in

  • Officials cancel 2003 sports, training camps

    In view of world events, ops tempo, and Stop-Loss measures, Air Force officials are canceling the 2003 Air Force sports and training camps program.Officials will re-evaluate this decision in 90 days, depending on world events.This difficult decision was made by the Air Force fitness and sports staff

  • Earthquake shakes Izmir military community

    An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 centered near Urla, Turkey, was felt about 35 miles away by members of the Izmir military community early April 10.Squadron officials said that there were no injuries to U.S. military people and damage to air station facilities was light.Local

  • SGLI premiums going down in July

    The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced that premiums for the Servicemembers Group Life Insurance will be reduced, handing military members a few extra dollars in their pockets each month.Beginning in July, the cost for a $250,000 policy -- the maximum coverage -- will drop from $20 to

  • Free Iraqi forces: 'Members of the team' liberating Iraq

    They're intimately familiar with Iraqi language and culture, they wear distinctive uniforms, they serve with U.S. civil affairs troops in Iraq -- and they don't like Saddam Hussein.Who are these guys?They're members of the Free Iraqi Forces working with U.S. Army and Marine Corps civil affairs units

  • Airmen help injured soldier

    Airmen recently helped a seriously injured soldier who was wounded in an ambush in southern Afghanistan.The same ambush killed two servicemembers. Army Sgt. Orlando Morales, 33, a native of Manati, Puerto Rico, and Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Jacob L. Frazier, 24, of St. Charles, Ill., were the

  • New office consolidates FM workforce development

    The Air Force financial management community recently consolidated all its various workforce-development efforts into a single centralized office.The financial workforce management directorate at the Pentagon is now the single point of contact for providing the FM community with professional

  • Airfield management providing clear runway

    An increased operations tempo means busier traffic on the runways used by the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing at a forward-deployed location. But thanks to the 380th Operations Support Squadron's airfield management team, the airfield environment remains clear and safe for base people.Only two months

  • Parts of Baghdad still dangerous for coalition troops

    Following yesterday's scenes of jubilation, there was still fighting overnight in parts of Baghdad, U.S. Central Command officials in Qatar said today."Baghdad's still an ugly place," Air Force Maj. Gen. Victor Renuart said. Many parts of the city have not been secured by U.S. forces, he said, and

  • Readiness, reconstitution concerns loom large

    Military readiness may crumble if Congress does not approve additional funding soon, the Joint Staff director of operations told senators April 9."Our previous wartime experiences have proven that readiness is a fragile commodity," Lt. Gen. Norman A. Schwartz told members of the Senate Armed

  • Coalition continues fight in Baghdad, northern Iraq

    The deaths of two American service members since Iraqis toppled a statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad yesterday emphasized that combat in Iraq is not over."The enemy is surrendering and scattering, but not everyone, and not yet," Pentagon spokeswoman Torie Clarke said during a press conference

  • Coalition addressing Iraqi humanitarian needs

    Coalition forces are addressing concerns about Iraqi humanitarian needs, Pentagon spokeswoman Torie Clarke said today.She said the Iraqi people have real needs, but that these needs pre- date the war. Clarke observed that the regime of Saddam Hussein spent billions on palaces and weapons of mass

  • Airman participates in 'Jocks-to-GIs' program

    A personnel specialist deployed to the 444th Air Expeditionary Group at a forward-deployed location is one of the nation's first servicemembers to participate in ESPN's "Jock-to-GIs Direct" e-mail pen pal program.Staff Sgt. Marty Markos, from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, was selected by