NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Air Force officials go green, renew vehicle fleet at wing in Southwest Asia

    Air Force officials from the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing here became the first wing under U.S. Air Force Central to move to a greener vehicle fleet Oct. 26. When Maj. Michael Horsey, the 380th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, handed the keys of a new staff vehicle to Brig. Gen. Bryan J.

  • Chief of staff honors fallen Airmen in moving ceremony

    It was May 17, 1962, and NASA Astronaut Scott Carpenter was preparing for the Mercury program's second-ever orbital mission. Half way around the world, 13 Airmen were also preparing, getting situated to provide an emergency recovery site in Africa, only one of several such units positioned around

  • Battlefield Airmen considered a weapon system

    The capabilities of battlefield Airmen are considered just as lethal as any advanced weapons system. For that reason, tactical air control party personnel, pararescuemen, security forces personnel and special operations weathermen have been included in the annual Weapons and Tactics Conference

  • Reconstruction team opens new girls' school in Afghanistan

    A crowd of Afghans and U.S. servicemembers celebrated the building of the new Bibi Khala Girls' School Oct. 19 in Qalat city, located in Afghanistan's Zabul province. Bibi Khala is the largest girls' school in Qalat, with approximately 1,500 students. The new building consists of eight classrooms

  • International Officer School honors distinguished alumni

    Air Force officials here honored eight former international Air University students as they were added to the Air University Honor Roll Oct. 8 here. Each honoree is designated by a bronze plate engraved with the inductee's name, rank, country, position and AU schools attended, and the plates line

  • Air Force officials launch ADVENT technology demonstrator phase

    Air Force Research Laboratory officials here completed its assessment of the two adaptive versatile engine technology Phase I efforts and found both companies worthy of proceeding to Phase II. ADVENT is a flagship effort under the Versatile, Affordable Advanced Turbine Engines Program, or

  • General Bowlds discusses innovative comm ideas, calls for more

    Rapid technology evolution, asymmetric threats, constrained defense budgets and a host of other dynamics pose vexing communication challenges, Lt. Gen. Ted Bowlds told more than 1,200 conference attendees at a luncheon here Oct. 19. But "ideas for meeting those challenges abound," the Air Force

  • Academy Assembly guests discuss bridging war, peace

    The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told Class of 2010 cadets here Oct. 8 that their education will not end at graduation during his keynote address for the 2009 U.S. Air Force Academy Assembly. "The world demands more education today," said Marine Gen. James Cartwright. "This is the

  • Airmen wrap up relief efforts in Pacific

    Airmen providing humanitarian assistance following the recent natural disasters in the Pacific have wrapped up their efforts and are returning home, Pacific Air Forces officials here said Oct. 19. The missions began Sept. 30 when Hawaii Air National Guard crews flew two C-17 Globemaster IIIs loaded

  • Iraqi agency assumes full air traffic control at Baghdad airport

    The Iraq Civil Aviation Authority assumed full control of daily air traffic operations at the Baghdad International Airport air traffic control tower Oct. 1.Before the transition to full Iraqi control, air traffic operations at BIAP were conducted by Iraqis and U.S. Airmen assigned to the 447th

  • Gen. Wyatt: Maintainers must look beyond future

    The future will provide some "great opportunities" for the Air National Guard, but it will also take a completely different way of thinking, the ANG director said Oct. 15 at the ANG Maintenance Group Mega-Conference in Boise, Idaho. "For those in this room, we're going to rely on your skills as

  • Heavy Airlift Wing receives third, final C-17

    The third and final C-17 Globemaster III to complete the Heavy Airlift Wing aircraft inventory arrived here Oct. 12 and was welcomed by the Hungarian Chief of Defense General Laszlo Tombol and other civic leaders from the surrounding communities. The delivery of the third aircraft marks the

  • Bomb technicians lead fight against IEDs

    Improvised explosive devices have forced a change in modern combat, and deadly weapons can come in the form of a five-gallon bucket, a package in the mail or a filled-in pothole in the middle of the road. Staff Sgt. Armondo Robles and Airman 1st Class Rileigh Woodward, members of a military "bomb

  • PACAF officials address H1N1 as cold, flu season begins

    The cold and flu season has begun including the risk of the H1N1 influenza virus, and officials from military treatment facilities at Pacific Air Forces installations are currently working to ensure that information and vaccinations are available to both military members and their dependents. "We

  • Air Force officials release results of T-38 accident investigation

    An Air Force accident investigation board has determined that a failure in the rudder operating mechanism caused the crash of a T-38 aircraft on a training mission 12 miles north of Edwards AFB, Calif., on May 21, 2009. The report states the failure was most likely due to maintenance issues. Maj.

  • General impressed with Airman, Soldier synergy at Fort Hood

    The commander of Air Combat Command visited Fort Hood in early October to visit the Airmen of the 3rd Air Support Operations Group here who provide tactical air support for Fort Hood's ground troops, including the 1st Cavalry Division, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 4th Infantry Division, now

  • Ramstein pilot receives Cheney Award

    A C-130E Hercules instructor pilot was presented the Cheney Award by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz Oct. 8 for his leadership in planning humanitarian aid missions to the country of Georgia.The Cheney Award is presented each year to a service member who demonstrates an act of valor,

  • Photographer's pictures of Airmen now in Library of Congress

    A desire to show the non-flying side of the Air Force motivated a British photographer, and now his 60-photo "Cleared Hot!" exhibition is part of the Library of Congress. "I met a lot of Air Force people and the first question they're asked is, 'What type of plane do you fly?'" Nicholas Price said.

  • Afghanistan National Army Air Corps stands up new wing at Kandahar

    Afghan government officials and religious leaders, along with senior officers from both Afghan and coalition forces stood up the Afghanistan National Army Air Corps second wing here in a dedication ceremony Oct. 5. The wing, based at Kandahar, hosts rotary wing aircraft and supports multiple

  • Thunderbirds perform for Malaysian audience

    Royalty, foreign diplomats, senior military members and civilians alike welcomed the members of the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron with open arms as the Thunderbirds arrived at Subang Air Base Sept. 30 for the third stop on their Far East Tour. Lt. Col. Derek Routt, the Thunderbirds'

  • AMC, AFRC establish associate flying squadrons

    Air Force Reserve Command and Air Mobility Command are working to establish three active associate flying squadrons in 2010. About 500 active Airmen will associate with Air Force Reserve units at Keesler AFB, Miss.; March Air Reserve Base, Calif.; and Peterson AFB, Colo., by 2012. Lt. Col. Carlos

  • Air Force secretary takes action on DOD IG report

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley took administrative action against retired Gen. T. Michael Moseley, the former Air Force chief of staff, for his role in the Thunderbird Airshow Production Services contract. The decision follows completion of a Department of Defense Inspector General

  • Gen. Wyatt: Associate missions must continue

    The Air National Guard's associate missions with the active duty and Air Force Reserve need to continue beyond the new missions formed after Base Realignment and Closure in 2005, the director of the Air Guard said here Oct. 6. Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III told members of the Minuteman Institute for

  • Korean War veterans pay tribute at memorial

    Veterans of the Korean War, both American and Korean, gathered here Oct. 5 with current Army and South Korean leaders to pay tribute at the National Korean War Memorial. Members of the Korean War Veterans Association chapters from Frederick, Md., and Winchester, Va., took the role of color guard as

  • Mobility commander addresses Incirlik Airmen

    The Air Mobility Command commander talked with Incirlik Air Base Airmen Oct. 5 in the middle of a trip through the Operation Enduring Freedom area of responsibility. Gen. Arthur J. Lichte conducted two town hall meetings with Airmen from the 385th Air Expeditionary Group and the 728th Air Mobility

  • Global Strike Command leader updates progress

    Air Force Global Strike Command's top officer provided an update on the command's progress toward full operational capability during a speech at the Capitol Hill Club here Oct. 2. Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz, the AFGSC commander, outlined the progress in bringing online the first new major command in

  • Edwards detachment stands up to test joint strike fighter

    Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center officials here stood up Det. 1 at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Oct. 2 to lead the operational test and evaluation of the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter. Det. 1 will bring an additional 581 personnel to Edwards AFB for joint strike fighter

  • Academy officials begin year-long self study of athletics

    Air Force Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Mike Gould announced Oct. 6 that Academy officials will begin a year-long, campus-wide effort to study the athletics program as part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletics certification program. Specific areas the study will

  • Airmen deploy to Indonesia to help quake victims

    Airmen assigned to Pacific Air Forces left here and Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Oct. 5 on two C-17 Globemaster IIIs for Padang, Indonesia, to provide medical care to those affected by the recent 7.6-magnitude earthquake. The humanitarian assistance rapid response team combines medical and

  • Eglin wing transitions to become first F-35 training unit

    Members of the 33rd Fighter Wing here transitioned from an operational F-15 Eagle unit to the first F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter training unit during a ceremony Oct. 1 at Eglin Air Force Base. Col. David Hlatky assumed command of Air Education and Training Command's newest wing whose

  • Fuel efficiency among top priorities in AMC's energy conservation

    Imagine your frustration when the price of gas goes up 50 cents and it adds $12.50 to the cost of filling up your 25-gallon tank. Now imagine adding $25,575 to the cost of filling the tank of a C-5 Galaxy that holds 51,150 gallons. The Air Force is the Department of Defense's largest consumer of

  • As KC-135Es retire, Air Force officials' focus shifts to KC-X

    One of the last of the KC-135E Stratotankers to retire made its final flight Sept. 28 to Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, and after more than 50 years of service, tail number 56-1503 will be relegated to a life as one of several planes used for aircraft maintenance training on the base. This KC-135E

  • Committee discusses status, plans for joint jet pilot training

    Members of the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program Steering Committee finished their week-long meeting Sept. 25 where they discussed the current status and future plans for the program. They also reflected on the flow of student pilots, instructor pilot training, leadership and command

  • AMC officials blend Guard, Reserve, active-duty units

    Air Mobility Command officials here continued their total force integration efforts Oct. 1 with the stand up of three active associate units that now combine active-duty units and Airmen who accomplish the KC-135 Stratotanker air refueling mission with their Reserve and Guard counterparts. The three

  • Task force takes up effort to prevent suicides

    Bonnie Carroll, co-chair of the congressionally mandated Suicide Prevention Task Force, aims to remove the stigma within the military of seeking mental health care. Ms. Carroll is the founder and executive director of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. The group represents all military

  • Hawaii Air Guard doctor details American Samoa recovery effort

    Capt. Nathaniel Duff is a physician's assistant with the 154th Wing of the Hawaii Air National Guard based at Hickam Air Force Base. He is a member of the medical team embedded with the chemical, biological, radiological/nuclear and explosives enhanced response force package that was on the first

  • U.S. Air Forces in Europe officials plan for H1N1 vaccine distribution

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe officials here continue to plan and prepare to guard the health of Airmen, civilians and family members against numerous health issues, including the H1N1 virus. The USAFE Command Surgeon General's Office staff is coordinating with U.S. European Command's medical depot,

  • UAS career field decisions, ISR organization discussed at summit

    Air Force leaders met at an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance summit here Sept. 29 to discuss ISR organizational plans and further refine a blueprint for unmanned aircraft systems career fields. Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and

  • Chief of staff calls for harmony between technology, doctrine

    The Air Force chief of staff discussed the complementary roles of technology and doctrine during a major conference here Sept. 30."Our success today relies on both the technology that enables advanced systems and, believe it or not, the doctrine that articulates our institutionally held beliefs on

  • Air Force demilitarizes big backlog of nuclear weapons-related components

    Air Force officials here have undertaken a massive effort to demilitarize more than 100,000 nuclear weapons-related legacy assets from its intercontinental ballistic missile, aircraft and space test programs. Under a $35 million, five-year plan funded by the Air Force chief of staff, Air Force

  • Iraqi air force assumes control of their C-130 operations

    Iraqi air force officials officially began fully independent C-130 air operations Sept. 29, marking the end of the U.S. C-130 air advisory mission here. A ceremony deactivating the U.S. Air Force's 321st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron and marking assumption of C-130 operations, maintenance and

  • Critical Care Air Transport Team mission to save lives

    A critical care air transport team, or CCATT, with the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, received an urgent call the morning of June 24. A Marine had been severely injured by an improvised explosive device while on patrol in Afghanistan and needed immediate evacuation

  • Strategic Airlift Capability conducts first flight in support of ISAF

    Members of the Strategic Airlift Capability conducted its first mission in support of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan Sept. 29. The first ISAF-related flight by SAC's operational component, the Heavy Airlift Wing based in Papa Air Base in Hungary, delivered materiel to

  • AFOTEC leaders employ AFSO21 principles to improve test process

    The commander of the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center recently instituted the use of Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century process improvement tools across AFOTEC to improve the operational test and evaluation planning processes here."The primary goal of our reengineering

  • Civilian employees to receive equal base salary increases

    Defense Department employees paid under the National Security Personnel System will receive the same base salary increases this year as their General Schedule counterparts, a Defense Department official said Sept. 29. The move comes as senior Defense Department, Office of Personnel Management and

  • AMC office seeks to solve problems in 8 steps

    In life, it can take as many as eight steps to solve a problem. However, according to the Air Force's Smart Operations for the 21st Century program, eight steps to solve any problem is all it should take. "The eight-step process is a more disciplined approach to problem solving," said Col. Mark

  • Space Command boss talks of space, cyber connection

    Addressing the Air Force Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Symposium here Sept. 29, the leader of the Air Force Space community said space and cyberspace are integrally connected. "Think of space and cyber as circles on a Venn diagram," said Gen. C. Robert Kehler,

  • Airman sketches his way into Air Force history with UAS wings design

    A toddler's first artistic expressions often surface in the form of well-intended wall defacement or notepad squiggles -- but every now and then, a doodle becomes a hobby, and that hobby becomes a part of history. Staff Sgt. Austin May, a public affairs craftsman from the 100th Air Refueling Wing,

  • Domestic Operations conference a 'historic collaboration' for Air Guard

    The recent arrest of several individuals involved in an alleged terrorist plot is a pressing reason to fulfill domestic mission requirements, which address manmade emergencies and natural disasters, the National Guard's senior officer said Sept. 28 here. "We need to get on with this," said Gen.

  • C2ISR Symposium kicks off

    The Air Force Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Symposium kicked off here Sept. 28 with a presentation by former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper. He told the mixed industry and government gathering that, in an era of flat or declining defense budgets,

  • Thousands helped as Pacific Angel concludes

    Air Force officials concluded the final iteration of Operation Pacific Angel 2009 during a ceremony here Sept. 22, culminating a two-part operation that provided humanitarian aid to thousands of people in communities in the Asia-Pacific region. Operation Pacific Angel is a joint and combined

  • Wise advisers help Air Force leaders navigate science

    Continuing a program started in 1944 by Gen. Henry "Hap" Arnold, Air Force leaders leverage the best minds in the nation to lasso innovation ahead of the curve. "It takes all of us to conceive, comprehend and take action on the ways and means of today and of tomorrow," said Air Force Chief of Staff

  • Reserve, retired rated officers given active-duty opportunity

    ­The secretary of the Air Force has initiated two voluntary recall to active duty programs and expanded the number of eligible Air Force specialties for an existing one to help minimize the service's critical shortage of rated officers. "The rapid expansion of unmanned aircraft systems as well as

  • Iraqi, U.S. Air Force work hand in hand to support drawdown of forces

    The Iraqi air force commander and the director of the Iraqi Training and Advisory Mission-Air Force visited the 407th Air Expeditionary Group Sept. 24 at Ali Base to conduct a site survey of the airfield and facilities, and to speak with members of the media from the local city of An Nasiriyah about

  • Air Force leaders emphasize AFSO21

    In a joint June 2009 memorandum, the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force pointed out the importance of Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, or AFSO21. "AFSO21 represents a fundamental transformation in how Airmen work," Michael Donley and Gen. Norton Schwartz said in their

  • UAS mission enters new chapter with graduation

    Ten pilots and nine sensor operators graduated Sept. 25 from initial qualification training at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., where they learned to operate the MQ-1 Predator. Among the graduates were eight pilot candidates from nonpilot career fields. The group was part of a Beta-test class to train

  • 'Year of the Air Force Family' Web site launched

    Air Force officials have launched a new Web site to showcase the Year of the Air Force Family effort. Airmen and their families can log on to http://www.af.mil/yoaff/index.asp to learn about AF-wide initiatives, monthly themes and programs, as well as contact local installation Airman Family and

  • AMC commander welcomes news of KC-X tanker request for proposal

    The announcement of the KC-X tanker request for proposal Sept. 24 in a Pentagon briefing is welcome news for Air Mobility Command. "This is a great day not only for Air Mobility Command, which operates our nation's fleet of aerial refueling aircraft, but also for our country as this is a capability

  • Air Force officials begin search for new aerial tanker

    Senior Department of Defense and Air Force officials announced the rollout of the KC-X Acquisition Program at a Pentagon briefing Sept. 24. Air Force leaders are seeking a replacement for the KC-135 Stratotanker that has been a stalwart of the tanker fleet for more than 53 years. Today, the

  • Guard offers resiliency training to servicemembers, families

    Officials with the National Guard Resiliency Center showcased their training program Sep. 24 here at the Army National Guard Readiness Center in an effort to give military leaders, both enlisted and officers, the tools they need to deal with stress. The training program, titled "Flash Forward -

  • Gen. Petraeus cites need for critical warfighting specialties

    The U.S. military needs more people trained in specialties critical to the fight against global extremism, the chief of U.S. Central Command said here Sept. 23. "The fact is, there are a number of, still, very-high-demand, low density skill areas" that need to be addressed by military personnel

  • General says U.S.-Iraqi partnership growing

    Iraqi security forces continue to make progress in providing security for their own country, the deputy commander of Multinational Corps Iraq said Sept. 22. Iraqi security forces are quickly improving as they train with American forces, said Maj. Gen. James P. Hunt said during a videoconference from

  • Defense Department to announce balanced social media policy

    Defense Department officials here plan to forward a social media policy to the department leadership within the next two weeks that will balance the pros and cons of social networking sites, the department's top public affairs official said on National Public Radio's "Talk of the Nation" Sept. 23.

  • Leaders call for balance between network use and protection

    Finding the right balance between user needs and network protection is essential, senior officials from the Air Force, the joint community and other organizations said during a conference here Sept. 21. Addressing the 7th annual Net-centric Operations Conference, Air Force Electronic Systems Center

  • Pacific Angel optometry team provides vision in Vietnam

    Air Force optometrists are making vision a bit clearer for Vietnamese residents during Operation Pacific Angel 2009 Sept. 15 through 24 here. The operation is a joint and combined humanitarian and civic assistance program aimed at improving military civic cooperation between the United States and

  • Defense Department officials to announce balanced social media policy

    Defense Department officials plan to forward a social media policy to the department leadership within the next two weeks that will balance the pros and cons of social networking sites, the department's top public affairs official said on National Public Radio's "Talk of the Nation" Sept. 22. "I

  • Aviano Airmen open doors to new NATO terminal

    Airmen of the 724th Air Mobility Squadron here processed their first passengers following the opening of the new passenger and air freight terminal Sept. 10 at Aviano Air Base. The new predominantly NATO-funded terminal cost more than $10 million and is a 34,000-plus square-foot facility that

  • Air Guard planners host first domestic ops conference

    Air National Guard planners kicked off Sept. 22 with what they hope will become an annual conference for drafting a domestic operations strategy. "We're leading the way to help build a formal document for the Air Force," said Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III, the director of the Air National Guard. The

  • U.S.-Iraqi partnership growing, general says

    Iraqi security forces continue to make progress in providing security for their own country, the deputy commander of Multinational Corps Iraq said today. Iraqi security forces are quickly improving as they train with American forces, Maj. Gen. James P. Hunt said during a videoconference from Baghdad

  • Changes ahead for Air Force acquisition

    More than 275 Air Force and defense industry leaders met here Sept. 3 to discuss military technology acquisition challenges and opportunities facing the nation. The Air Force Association Technology Symposium was timed to immediately follow the semi-annual Air Force Materiel Command Senior Leaders

  • Air Force dentists saving smiles in Vietnam

    If anyone knows the importance of a smile, it's a dentist. And dentists like Maj. (Dr.) Diep Le, who is taking part in the humanitarian assistance mission Operation Pacific Angel 2009 here, are doing every thing possible to save the smiles of local Vietnamese people during their 10-day mission.

  • Record crowd turns out for Air Force Marathon

    Nearly 10,000 runners lined up at the starting line for the 2009 Air Force Marathon Sept. 19 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The events of today included participants running in the full marathon as well as a wheeled division, a half-marathon and a 10K run. The 13th annual running event with an

  • Former Kadena commander and spouse receive 2009 O'Malley Award

    The former Kadena Air Base, Japan, wing commander and his wife received the 2009 General Jerome F. O'Malley and Diane O'Malley Award Sept. 11 at a ceremony in the Pentagon. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz presented the award and Sharon O'Malley Burg made two special presentations of

  • Airmen begin humanitarian mission in Vietnam

    U.S. civil engineer and medical Airmen are here providing humanitarian and civic assistance to local communities Sept. 15 to 24 as part of Operation Pacific Angel 2009.   Operation Pacific Angel is a joint and combined humanitarian assistance operation conducted in the Pacific area of responsibility

  • Pentagon ceremony salutes former POWs, missing in action

    A group of senior U.S. officials paid homage to servicemembers who have been prisoners of war or are listed as missing in action during an observance ceremony Sept. 18 on the Pentagon's River Terrace parade field. Proclaiming Sept. 18 as National POW/MIA Recognition Day, President Barack Obama

  • Original cadre of C-130 Weapons Instructor Course discuss growth of training

    Five of the original cadre members of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School's initial C-130 Hercules Weapons Instructor Course came together Sept. 11 to attend the retirement of a fellow 29th Weapons Squadron comrade here. During their visit, Cols. Glen Downing, Kevin Jackson, Kirk Lear, Greg Otey and

  • Commander of newest MAJCOM defines success, introduces command at AFA

    The commander of Air Force Global Strike Command stressed the importance of skilled and dedicated Airmen to the nuclear enterprise during a question-and-answer session following his address at the Air Force Association's Air & Space Conference and Technology Exhibition Sept. 16. Praising Airmen who

  • Pacific Air Forces commander focuses on future

    The commander of Pacific Air Forces spoke with national media members to outline his responsibilities during the 2009 Air Force Association Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition Sept. 16 at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. Gen. Gary North discussed his role as the Pacific Air Forces

  • McKinley: Guard's 'smart power' building partnership capacity worldwide

    The National Guard is focused on helping the nation build partnership capacity worldwide, the chief of the National Guard Bureau told State Department officials Sept. 14. Examples include the National Guard's Agribusiness Development Teams serving in Afghanistan and its State Partnership Program

  • Charleston Airmen gets 'Lean' with AFSO21

    An Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century rapid improvement event took place at the 437th Aerial Port Squadron here Sept. 8 through 11. The main objectives of the 437th APS rapid improvement event included improving cargo flow inside the aerial port and surge operations for humanitarian

  • General Stenner: Keep components in sync

    "We are not interested in a tiered readiness level," said the chief of the Air Force Reserve Sept. 15 during the Air Force Association's 2009 Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition held at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. "We are a seamless partner. We must turn challenges into

  • Air Force Association honors Doolittle Raiders, Tuskegee Airmen

    Several members of the Doolittle Raiders and original Tuskegee Airmen were honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards from Air Force Association officials Sept. 16 at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. During a special dinner at the 2009 Air Force Association Air & Space Conference and Technology

  • Camp Bucca detention center closes in Iraq

    As the last detainee boarded a plane destined for another theater detention center Sept. 17, the detainee operations mission at Camp Bucca, Iraq, officially ended. An Air Force C-17 Globemaster III carrying the last group of 180 detainees lifted off from the Basra airport headed to Camp Cropper at

  • Wyatt: Diverse, experienced Air Guard must come from below

    The Air National Guard's ability to successfully conduct missions in the future depends on the development of future leaders, its top officer said Sept. 14. "It is our responsibility as an organization to develop the content of their character," said Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III, director of the Air

  • Team Excellence Awards presented to five teams

    The Air Force chief of staff presented his Team Excellence Awards at a ceremony Sept. 15 during the Air Force Association Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition here. The awards recognize teams who used a systematic approach to enhance mission capability, improve operational performance

  • U.S. Air Force Band receives Gill Robb Wilson Award

    The United States Air Force Band was awarded the prestigious Gill Robb Wilson Award Sept. 14 at the Air Force Association Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C. The Gill Robb Wilson Award is presented annually to an Air Force unit for outstanding contributions to national defense in the field of arts

  • Generals look to future challenges, opportunities

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz joined 13 other generals during a panel discussion Sept. 16 at the 2009 Air Force Association Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition held at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. "This is the group of leaders that strives every day to be worthy

  • AFSPC commander discusses space, cyberspace future at AFA convention

    The Air Force's lead for integrating space and cyberspace capabilities spoke at the 2009 Annual Air Force Association Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition at the National Harbor, Oxon Hill, Md., Sept. 15. Gen. C. Robert Kehler, commander of the 43,000-member Air Force Space Command,

  • SecDEF announces return of KC-X program

    Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced the return of the KC-X program to the Air Force during the 2009 Air Force Association Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition at the National Harbor, Oxon Hill, Md., Sept. 16. The announcement sparked applause as KC-X, the Air Force's tanker

  • General Newton: People are priority No. 1

    "The Air Force is a great way of life and we are going to make it even better," said Lt. Gen. Richard Y. Newton III, deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel at the 2009 Air Force Association Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. General

  • Top Air Force general to attend USAF Marathon

    In another historical first, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz is scheduled to attend the U.S. Air Force Marathon on Sept. 19. General Schwartz's attendance marks the first time the service's most senior officer will attend the event, which is in its 13th year. The general, an avid

  • CSAF addresses AFA convention

    Gen. Norton Schwartz, chief of staff of the Air Force, spoke Sept. 15 on his vision for the future, jointness, the Year of the Air Force Family and honored heroic sacrifices of Airmen. The general made his comments in a keynote address at the Air Force Association's Air & Space Conference and

  • General takes to the sky in Afghanistan

    The commander of the Air Force's newest air expeditionary wing in Afghanistan is taking a hands-on approach to his duties. Brig. Gen. Guy Walsh, a Maryland Air National Guardsman from the 175th Airlift Wing in Baltimore, is flying at least two missions a week in the A-10 Thunderbolt II from Kandahar

  • Surgical residency receives full joint training platform accreditation

    The 81st Medical Group at Keesler AFB, which boasts the largest Air Force surgical training residency program, has received full Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accreditation as a joint training platform. The program was evaluated by the ACGME, the governing body for all United