NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Ulchi Focus Lens kicks off in Korea

    Exercise Ulchi Focus Lens '06 kicked off Aug. 21 across the Korean peninsula. UFL, as the exercise is commonly known, takes place each year in the late summer. The command post exercise is designed to provide simulated combined training for U.S. and Korean forces and to strengthen the alliance

  • Uncertainty about military suicides frustrates services

    The most frustrating part about suicide prevention is the uncertainty about what causes troops to take their lives, top military leaders said here July 29. This near-unanimous chorus was sounded on Capitol Hill when the second-ranking military officers of each service testified about military mental

  • Uncle, niece serving together in Iraq

    When serving half a world away from home, many servicemembers treasure the little tokens they brought with them to remind them of home. Reserve Senior Master Sgt. Michael Brimmer, the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron first sergeant, has more than that -- his niece, Army Spc. Angela

  • Uncommon gallantry: Remembering Bernard Fisher

    Retired Col. Bernard Fisher, who risked his life landing his A-1E Skyraider to rescue a fellow pilot while North Vietnamese troops unleashed a storm of bullets toward him, died Aug. 16, at age 87.

  • Unconditional surrender demanded of Iraqi regime

    The only thing the coalition is willing to discuss with the leaders of the Iraqi regime is their unconditional surrender, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said today.To get an idea of the progress the coalition is making in Iraq, people must try to view the world as Saddam Hussein - if he's

  • Under pressure: Crew chiefs take mission in stride

    Tools clang and the clock ticks as time narrows, several pairs of grease-stained boots can be seen darting back and forth beneath a lifeless fighter jet as Airmen work relentlessly to repair their bird for flight.

  • Under Secretary checks in on progress of KC-46

    Under Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Donovan visited the Boeing KC-46A Pegasus production and modification facility in Everett, Washington, March 14, 2018, after the latest announcement of a further delay in the first aircraft delivery to the Air Force.

  • Under Secretary of the Air Force visits Tinker AFB

    During the visit, Jones traveled to the Oklahoma City Air Logistic Complex, which is the largest maintenance depot within the Air Force Materiel Command and supports various aircraft and engine workloads.

  • Under the Wings JROTC cadet mentorship program launches

    The Jeanne M. Holm Center for Officer Accessions and Citizen Development has formally launched a new mentorship program that will link Airmen, Guardians, Guardsmen and Reservists with Air Force/Space Force Junior ROTC cadets in high schools at their units across the nation and some places abroad May

  • Undergrad flying training applications due in December

    The 2015 undergraduate flying training selection board originally scheduled for Jan. 20-23 will now convene Feb. 17-20 and associated application suspenses have shifted by approximately one month, Air Force Personnel Center officials said Oct. 10.

  • Undergrad flying training applications due in November

    Eligible active duty officers interested in undergraduate flying training must apply by Nov. 29 to be considered by the UFT selection board, which convenes here Jan. 14, Air Force Personnel Center officials said.

  • Undergrad flying training applications due in November

    The 2016 Air Force Undergraduate Flying Training selection board will convene Jan. 25-28 to select applicants for 2016-2017 pilot, remotely piloted aircraft, combat systems officer and air battle manager training opportunities.

  • Undersecretary addresses fiscal challenges

    Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin Conaton spoke at the Air Force Association's Air Force Breakfast Program here May 11.Ms. Conaton discussed the state of the Air Force and how the service is approaching the challenging budgetary environment it faces today."We're currently balancing a range of

  • Undersecretary delivers energy forum keynote

    The Air Force's senior energy official delivered the keynote address May 27 to the USAF Energy Forum III in Washington,  D.C.Undersecretary Erin C. Conaton spoke to attendees about energy as an operations enabler. Read the speech.

  • Undersecretary of the Air Force heads back to school

    The undersecretary of the Air Force, Dr. Ronald M. Sega, announced Aug. 30 he was resigning his post for a faculty position at Colorado State University. Dr. Sega, a former astronaut, became the undersecretary of the Air Force in 2005. His background with NASA gave him vast credibility as the Air

  • Undersecretary praises Global Strike Command at symposium

    Detailing the significant commitment of Air Force senior leaders to the nuclear mission, Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin C. Conaton told a packed convention hall here Nov. 17 that the nuclear and global strike mission is critical to the United States. "What you do matters; it matters to the Air

  • Undersecretary talks about Air Force's energy plan at White House forum

    Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin Conaton described the service's work on energy reduction and the search for renewable sources of energy during a White House forum July 27. At the White House Office of Energy and Climate-sponsored Clean Energy Forum, Ms. Conaton talked about the strategic,

  • Undersecretary to fill three leadership roles

    The undersecretary of the Air Force will fill three roles following the departure of two senior Air Force leaders at the end of the month.Both Air Force Secretary Dr. James G. Roche and Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition Dr. Marvin R. Sambur leave their offices Jan. 20.Peter B.

  • Undersecretary visits STARBASE Louisiana

    It was an out-of-this-world experience for 25 local school children when they were visited by two former astronauts with Air Force ties. The visit was arranged by officials of STARBASE Louisiana, part of a national program designed to raise the interest and improve the knowledge and skills of youth

  • Undersecretary visits Wilford Hall Medical Center

    Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin C. Conaton visited Wilford Hall Medical Center here Sept. 3 to learn about the Air Force's premier health care, medical education, research and readiness wing.Ms. Conaton met with Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Thomas W. Travis, the 59th MDW commander, and other senior leaders

  • Undersecretary's visit underscores importance of nuclear mission

    The Air Force's newest senior leader visited the Air Force's newest major command May 20.Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin Conaton visited Air Force Global Strike Command to get a firsthand view of the command.Hosted by Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, AFGSC commander, Ms. Conaton received briefings from

  • Understanding one another crucial during war on terrorism

    During dangerous situations, people's understanding of each other is more crucial than ever, a senior Defense Department official said here May 24.Speaking to the nearly 400 attendees gathered for the four-day National Guard Bureau’s equal opportunity workshop, John Molino, acting deputy

  • Understanding Tricare benefits while traveling

    It is easy for a person to access his or her health benefits at home, but it can get complicated when they going on vacation across America or overseas.Emergencies, including injuries threatening someone’s life, limb or eyesight, are covered by Tricare Prime; but, the beneficiary still has some

  • Underwing platform aids C-17 maintainers

    A new underwing maintenance platform will help C-17 Globemaster III maintainers continue their mission safer and more effectively, said base officials here.The advent of the platform was made possible by the combined efforts of the Boeing Company and the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center. The

  • Undocumented workers at Seymour Johnson apprehended

    Forty-nine undocumented workers were apprehended here July 6 by base, local and federal officials.After being notified about undocumented workers here, Air Force Office of Special Investigations agents detained them in a successful operation. Working with OSI were the Defense Criminal Investigation

  • Unemployment benefits may help some furloughed DOD civilians

    On the 10th day of the partial government shutdown, DOD civilians excluded by law from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's Oct. 7 recall to work of thousands of fellow employees still await an end to the political standoff that sent them home and stopped their paychecks Oct. 1.

  • Unethical behavior an affront to all hardworking Airmen

    Unethical behavior by any person on the Air Force team is an affront to all Airmen and a breech of trust with the American people, said the service's senior leader. Michael L. Dominguez, acting secretary of the Air Force discussed Air Force acquisition programs and the ethics of spending taxpayers’

  • Unexpected delivery made at Ramstein's gate

    Three-week-old Jordan Christina Dixon doesn't know it, but she made Ramstein Air Base history. At 5:18 a.m. July 1, 6-pound, 15-ounce Jordan Dixon was the first baby born into the hands of the 435th Civil Engineer Squadron fire, crash and rescue team at Ramstein AB's West Gate."It was amazing to be

  • Unfounded rumors circulating about assignments

    Despite rumors floating around to the contrary, Air Force Personnel Center officials said there is no assignment freeze. The question of "Where's my next assignment?" has been common lately, said Master Sgt. Shannon Parker of the Military Personnel Flight here. "I think everyone is concerned because

  • Unified Engagement 2006 kicks off

    In a welcoming speech to more than 300 military members and civilians at the Battle Command Training Center here, Gen. Paul V. Hester, Pacific Air Forces commander, kicked off Unified Engagement 2006. Participants from the United States, Great Britain, Canada and Australia are here from Nov. 1 to 8

  • Uniform board incorporates feedback, alters design

    Based on feedback from the six-month wear test, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper decided to expand the current test program to include a pixelated tiger-striped pattern in a new color scheme on the proposed utility uniform.The expansion does not involve a full test; instead, there will

  • Uniform board meets this month

    The Air Force Uniform Board meets here Oct. 20 to 21 to consider Air Force uniform improvements and standardization. The board will address various uniform requirements, including the Airman's new battle dress uniform, and Air Force Instruction 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force

  • Uniform board releases results

    Air Force officials recently released the results of the 96th Air Force Uniform Board held June 18 and 19.The chief of staff approved a number of changes, affecting everything from cell phones to scarves. Among the changes are:-- Establish a standardized Air Force physical training uniform.--

  • Uniform board results released

    The 97th Air Force Uniform Board released their newest results for proper wear of the uniform. The board met in October and discussed everything from eliminating the Air Force Good Conduct Medal to maternity uniforms. In addition, a Headquarters Air Force badge will be available this summer. The

  • Uniform board to release updates to AFI

    An update to Air Force Instruction 36-2903, Air Force Uniform Dress and Appearance, will soon be released, said Air Force officials. A key feature of this updated instruction will be the return of heritage to the enlisted corps -- chevrons on the sleeves and circles around the U.S. insignia. "Over

  • Uniform code of military justice changes

    Effective Jan. 1, 2019, the Military Justice Act of 2016 will instate the most reform to the Uniform Code of Military Justice and Manual for Courts-Martial in decades, modernizing dated aspects of the military justice system while also providing transparency.

  • Uniform officials warn Airmen about knockoff ABUs

    Commercial manufacturers have begun to advertise sale of the new Airman Battle Uniform at various online Web sites. Air Force officials warn Airmen these uniforms are not the authorized items provided by the Air Force's official source, Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, and may not meet the

  • Uniform phaseout dates draw near

    With many phaseout and mandatory wear dates approaching, the look of Air Force uniforms will change slightly over the next year. Here are a few dates to remember for uniform and policy changes.As of the following dates, wear of the listed uniform items will be phased out:Oct. 1, 2010-- 100 percent

  • Uniform shortage to affect BMT graduates

    This proactive measure will allow Airmen and Guardians to have, at minimum, one full set of service dress while Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support works with the manufacturer to restore full production.

  • Uniforms for the fallen are always perfect

    An Airman irons the long sleeved shirt, giving it sharp military creases. A Soldier and a Marine spend hours building ribbon racks, making sure every ribbon is correct and that the devices are equally polished and bright. A Sailor looks over the jacket, pants and shirt, ensuring all excess strings

  • Unique aircraft repair saves millions

    It was a long time in coming, but the repair of an F-16 damaged in an accident here December 2000 will save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. Originally in for depot modifications to extend the life of the aircraft, the Virginia Air National Guard Fighting Falcon experienced an involuntary gear

  • Unique C-5 completes major inspection

    During the past two months, a C-5M Space Cargo Modified (SCM) Super Galaxy underwent a major isochronal inspection inside an ISO dock at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. This C-5M SCM, originally a C-5A model assigned to Travis AFB, California, was modified into a C-5C model, one of only two such

  • Unique mission: Guarding a space wing missile complex

    The rolling prairie hills here are blanketed with wind-driven swaying fields of golden grain. With an average of nine people per square mile in this state, the farm lands here seem to be a postcard setting for tranquil, peaceful living. Appearances can be deceiving. One hundred and fifty Minuteman

  • Unique rehab center gets injured Airmen back on duty

    Not long after receiving innovative care for serious combat-related injuries, 2nd Lt. Marc Esposito gave his future wife a tour of the unique rehabilitation center that helped the Air Force special operator get back to jumping out of planes. The state-of-the-art setting cast with advanced technology

  • Unique testing helps warfighter, saves lives

    When large transport or rotary-wing aircraft support a mission in a deployed location, there's always the threat of those wanting to harm to the lives and assets onboard. That includes risks from a range of shoulder-fired, vehicle-mounted and other infrared-guided missiles capable of following the

  • Unique treatment helps injured airman

    In an instant, Staff Sgt. Hector Barrios’ life came crashing down like a ton of bricks.Barrios, assigned to the 96th Security Forces working dog section here, deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. While on gate-guard duty July 15, he removed a wire

  • Unit becomes Cyberspace Technical Center of Excellence

    The Air Force Institute of Technology and the Center for Cyberspace Research here were designated as the Air Force's Cyberspace Technical Center of Excellence June 19 by the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force. The Cyberspace Technical Center of Excellence, or CyTCoE, is chartered to be

  • Unit commanders get more control of leave program

    A recent policy change returns the authority to unit commanders to approve permissive temporary duty and terminal leave of more than 90 days.The Air Force's current instruction on military leave requires members wanting a combination of permissive TDY and terminal leave of more than 90 days to seek

  • Unit deployment manager now special duty position

    Unit deployment manager is now a two-year-controlled special duty assignment (identifier 8U000); a change Air Force officials say will help professionalize the position and improve deployment program continuity. In past the UDM retained his or her Air Force specialty code, and even though UDMs were

  • Unit deployment managers ensure readiness

    Described by officials as the squadron lifeline to deployment processes anywhere, unit deployment managers are tasked with ensuring their unit’s troops and cargo are ready for deployment.“Ask any commander who has a deployment mission, and they will tell you their UDM is invaluable,” said Lt. Col.

  • Unit fires first live air-to-air missiles in South Korea

    With the call "Fox 2," pilots here employed AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles on Aug. 16 for the first time in the history of 7th Air Force in Korea, serving as the driving force behind implementing a weapon system evaluation program here.The initiative by the 80th Fighter Squadron here to shoot live,

  • Unit keeps pesty visitors at bay

    One unit here still strives to keep the sky over a portion of Iraq a no fly zone.They also eliminate rats, loose animals and vectors, insects that can transmit diseases to animals and humans. The unit, the 407th Civil Engineer Squadron’s entomology flight provides professional pest control to ensure

  • Unit marks 50 years of NASA support

    Three NASA astronauts visited Patrick Air Force Base members April 24 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of support from the Air Force to the American space program. Current Astronaut Col. Greg Johnson and former astronauts retired Navy Capt. Jon McBride and retired Marine Col. Bob Springer shared

  • Unit puts the 'deploy' in 'deployment order'

    Television images of jets launching and bombs dropping during Operation Iraqi Freedom showed airmen doing what they are trained to do. What most viewers did not see were the people responsible for getting the jets there to put bombs on targets and patrol the sky.The Air Combat Command Air

  • Unit scrambles to guide troubled aircraft to safe landing

    Airmen of the Air Force Reserve Command's 916th Air Refueling Wing here scrambled to launch an early morning mission April 17 to rendezvous with and help safely land an Air Force aircraft that lost critical instrumentation. The NCK-135 aircrew from Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., called an in-flight

  • Unit stands up at Vandenberg

    U.S. Strategic Command officials have split a single function into two in order to transform and enhance U.S. space capabilities. The Joint Functional Component Command for Space and Global Strike has been divided into JFCC for Space and JFCC for Global Strike and Integration. The split, initially

  • Unit stands up to improve communications across, for Iraq

    Multi-National Force - Iraq officials here have recently established a new team of experts to help improve coordination of communications policy, services and infrastructure initiatives throughout Iraq. The Iraq Communications Coordination Element recently began operating under the direction of

  • Unit surpasses consecutive 7,000 days with forces in Southwest Asia

    Members of the 55th Wing from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., and their RC-135V/W Joint Rivets have been deployed in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility every day for the past 7,000 days. The RC-135 is a reconnaissance aircraft supporting theater and national-level consumers with near

  • United Arab Emirates air force participates in first Red Flag

    United Arab Emirates air force pilots and maintainers are participating in the Red Flag exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., for the first time Aug. 22 through Sept. 5. The UAE airmen spent the previous two weeks at the Arizona Air National Guard's 162nd Fighter Wing at Tucson International

  • United Arab Emirates honors Moseley

    The United Arab Emirates conferred the highest military order on Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley during a ceremony at the Dubai Air Show on Dec. 8.Lt. Gen. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the deputy crown prince of Abu Dhabi and chief of staff of the United Arab Emirates

  • United in Love eases deployment separation at Lajes Field

    Lajes Field members are helping ease the stresses associated with the separation between Airmen and their spouses during times of deployment.While Airmen are deployed, their spouses can get support through a Lajes Field group called United in Love.As a member of that group, Angela Horton and other

  • United Nations lift sanctions against Iraq

    The United Nations this morning lifted sanctions against Iraq following a 14-0 vote in the Security Council.The vote on U.N. Security Council Resolution 1483 lifts sanctions imposed on Saddam Hussein's regime following the Persian Gulf War. The resolution also gives the United States and the United

  • United Nations official assists Airmen with Haiti operations

    A member of the United Nations World Food Programme arrived at Tyndall Air Force Base Jan. 24 to assist the Haiti Flight Operations Coordination Center officials with setting up humanitarian aviation response to the earthquake-ravaged nation.Overall command and control of the HFOCC falls to members

  • United States, Bangladesh to begin Pacific Angel efforts

    U.S. officials are scheduled to provide humanitarian and civic assistance in cooperation with local authorities to residents in western Bangladesh as part of Operation Pacific Angel 2010 in mid-June. Operation Pacific Angel is a joint and combined humanitarian assistance operation conducted in the

  • Units compete in NAF-wide cyber competition

    “This competition provides our cyber community the opportunity to showcase their talents in a cyber environment, as well as teach and learn from others across the 24th Air Force,” said Tech. Sgt. Andrew Gogue, 688th Cyberspace Wing weapons and tactics noncommissioned officer in charge.

  • Unit's flight clearances initiative wins DOD recognition

    The 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center here was awarded first prize for the best operational improvement initiative during the Department of Defense's Second Annual Continuous Process Improvement Symposium June 1 to 3 at the National Conference Center in Lansdowne, Va. All military branches were

  • Units focus on bringing better capabilities to warfighters

    Senior leaders from Air Mobility Command, the Electronic System Center, and the Air Force Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center gathered for the 11th Exchange Day among the three organizations Feb. 7 here.Beginning in 2001, the biannual event has brought

  • Units make history with Air Force's first homeland defense ORI

    Three units representing each component of the Air Force made history here May 16 through 23 when they successfully completed the first homeland defense operational readiness inspection.The ORI, held at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center here, was administered by the Air Mobility Command

  • Universal Class program offers personal development opportunities

    You're never too old to stop learning, and Air Force libraries offer opportunities for self-improvement and personal development through the Universal Class program. Total force Airmen, families, civilians, retirees and other eligible library users may register for more than 500 online personal

  • 'Universal' ID card part of federal security upgrades

    New identification cards to be issued to Defense Department employees beginning next month will help standardize workforce identification and security access systems across the government, a senior Defense Department official said here Sept. 15. The new common access card eventually will be issued

  • University assists Air Force programmers

    Airmen are improving their programming skills with help from experts called in from Auburn University at Montgomery by Standard Systems Group officials here.Standard Systems Group manages information technology contracts and standard information system programs commonly used at all active and

  • University course teaches principles of information operations

    In the midst of the Korean War in the 1950s an American fighter pilot came up with a revolutionary concept that changed tactical, operational and strategic war planning. Based on his tactical dogfighting experience with North Korean MiGs, Col. John Boyd coined the term - OODA (observe, orient,

  • University of Idaho students study human factors on B-52

    Seven students and a professor from the University of Idaho visited several organizations here Dec. 5 for a subsystem evaluation on the B-52 Stratofortress. The University of Idaho students are attending a graduate-level course, called advanced human factors, and were assigned to a class project

  • University Relations seeks to bolster AFRL partnerships, recruiting

    Employment recruiting efforts at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) are expanding via its University Relations program. The program is part of a multi-faceted AFRL effort to seek out and attract the best and brightest scientists and engineers (S&Es) and carry out its mission of providing

  • University students help JSTARS innovate scheduling

    Operators of the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System are teaming up with Mercer University’s computer science department in Macon, Georgia, to advance an antiquated software system.