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  • SecAF visits Spangdahlem AB

    The Air Force's top civilian leader met 52nd Fighter Wing leaders and service members here July 13.Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley visited the base as part of a familiarization tour and to speak with Airmen about the unique capabilities Spangdahlem Air Base provides to the European theater

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Reserve officer recalls journey to freedom

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Col. Josie Fernandez credits providence as much as persistence for her journey from Cuban refugee to the duel-hatted role she has today with the Air

  • Overseas extension incentives changes ahead

    Airmen stationed at overseas long tour locations who extend their tour Aug. 1 or later may be eligible for incentives, Air Force Personnel Center officials said.Recent changes to the Overseas Tour Extension Incentive Program will affect members who make a "date eligible for return from overseas"

  • Air Force general explains force structure decisions to Congress

    The Air Force deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and programs testified on proposed force structure changes before the House Armed Services Committee here, July 12. Lt. Gen. Christopher Miller answered questions from members of the U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee's

  • Chief's Perspective: Analog leadership in digital times

    The United States Air Force is the world's most advanced air, space and cyberspace force. Most of that can be attributed to you -- our outstanding Airmen -- but technology also plays a huge role. Advanced tools help us maintain an advantage over our adversaries. Technology has enabled our continuing

  • Three of MacDill's 'finest' retire after 26 deployments

    Retirement is a time to reflect upon years of dedicated service with pride. Today, July 12, three of MacDill's finest have reached this milestone. Three military working dogs from the 6th Security Forces Squadron, Conny, Jago and Haris, hung up their leashes at Helton Hall in front of a captive

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Working with TCNs

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories and commentaries focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Late last year, I was tasked to deploy as an escort for third-country nationals. TCNs are civilian personnel who are utilized to help

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Triumph of survival

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories and commentaries focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)In 1995 in America, most six-year-old boys spent their days picking on six-year-old girls, or mimicking and idolizing the Power Rangers

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Vehicle operator recalls deployment

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories and commentaries focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)In December 2011, the U.S. withdrew its last service members from Iraq to end operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn. Senior Airman

  • Scott AFB Passenger Terminal dedicated to fallen Airman

    Members of Scott Air Force Base and the local community gathered here today to dedicate the base's newly renovated air passenger terminal in honor of Airman 1st Class Zachary "Cudde" Cuddeback.Cuddeback was a vehicle operator assigned to the 86th Airlift Wing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, when he

  • McChord Airmen help deliver history

    A group of five Airmen from the 62nd Aerial Port Squadron delivered the 29-foot long crew compartment of NASA's Full Fuselage Trainer to the Museum of Flight's new Charles Simonyi Space Gallery June 30.The historical artifact arrived at Boeing Field in Seattle, Wash., and was so large no commercial

  • Acting undersecretary of the Air Force appointed

    On July 3, President Barack Obama appointed Dr. Jamie Morin to serve as the acting undersecretary of the Air Force.He will serve in this capacity effective immediately and until such time as a new undersecretary is nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.Morin said he welcomed the new

  • AOC hosts first online virtual tour

    The 601st Air and Space Operations Center here recently benchmarked a new program as students of Collinsville Middle School in Collinsville, Okla., got a first-hand look at the center's operations floor by way of a live virtual video tour over the Internet."The live video tour with Collinsville

  • AF members gain PLAYpass use, discount opportunities

    As summer approaches, eligible Airmen and their families have the opportunity to use the PLAYpass Get Out and PLAY program to save hundreds of dollars with discounts in recreational and life skills classes.PLAYpass cards, valued at more than $500, allow single Airmen returning from deployments,

  • Officials seek nominations for aerospace awards

    Air Force officials are soliciting nominations for the 2013 Air Force Association Aerospace Awards for outstanding contributions to national defense in a variety of fields.These awards include:Theodore Von Karman Award - for contributions in the field of science and engineering relating to aerospace

  • 45th SW launches NRO satellite

    The 45th Space Wing successfully launched a United Launch Alliance-built Delta IV-Heavy rocket from Space Launch Complex 37 on June 29 carrying a classified National Reconnaissance Office satellite.The largest of the Delta IV family, the Heavy version features three common booster cores mounted

  • Airmen build ties with Colombian counterparts

    Members of the 571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron completed the first part of an Air Mobility Command Building Partner Capacity mission - working with the Colombian air force to promote regional stability by fostering key relationships and enhancing partner nation capabilities, at General

  • AF clarifies ITDY dependent travel, transportation allowances

    Air Force officials announced a clarification concerning transportation and travel allowances for Airmen tasked with 365-day extended deployments, commonly referred to as an indeterminate TDY (ITDY). In accordance with guidance provided in the Joint Federal Travel Regulation (JFTR), effective July

  • Bio-environmental Airmen monitor Colorado Front Range air quality

    Visibility continues to change dramatically along the Front Range of Colorado Springs, Colo., as wildfires burn on the western edge of the city. With the air quality affected by the fires, Air Force Space Command bio-environmental Airmen are monitoring the situation to allow commanders to better

  • Slideshow: Firefighters, aircrews continue to battle Colorado wildfire

    More than 90 firefighters from the U.S. Air Force Academy, along with assets from Air Force Space Command; F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.; Fort Carson, Colo.; and the local community continue to fight wildfires near Colorado Springs, Colo., June 29.The Waldo Canyon fire has grown to more

  • Wildfire stops moves to Air Force Academy

    Air Force officials have temporarily halted permanent change of station moves and most temporary duty assignments to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., as Air Force members join the fight to extinguish the 29-square mile Waldo Canyon wildfire burning northwest of the

  • Firefighters continue to battle Colorado Springs blaze

    Firefighters continued to battle several fires that burned into the evening hours in Waldo Canyon near here June 27.The fires, which have burned more than 15,000 acres, began spreading to the southwestern corner of the Academy in the early morning, causing base officials to evacuate residents, with

  • Vandenberg sends 'hot shots' to Colorado wildfire front lines

    Vandenberg Air Force Base officials deployed the only Defense Department wildland firefighting asset at 2 p.m. June 27 in support of the wildland firefighting efforts in Colorado Springs, Colo.The 18-member Vandenberg Air Force Base Hot Shot crew, along with two hot shots crew carrier vehicles, one

  • Dempsey details defense challenges in visit to Nebraska base

    Likening the global security environment to strong winds such as those that come with severe weather here in the central plains, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff spoke June 26 about challenges buffeting the nation.Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey and his wife, Deanie, spoke with 300 service

  • Air Force teams work to tame Colorado wildfires

    An Air Force team from the active duty, Air National Guard, the Air Reserve and the Air Force Academy have mobilized to help fight the quickly spreading Waldo Canyon fire near Colorado Springs, Colo., that has burned more than 3,500 acres.The request for assistance from the National Interagency Fire

  • AF top engineers give tips on saving energy, money

    Summer is officially under way. While it means fun in the sun for Airmen and their families, it can be an expensive, wasteful time of year for the Air Force. Utility bills on installations often rise drastically as air conditioning units and sprinkler systems work to keep up. The Air Force spends

  • 'New AFNIC' offers cyber advantage

    "Cyber Innovation. Mission Success." This is how the "New" Air Force Network Integration Center officials sum up what their organization provides to the Air Force and other mission partners.It's a phrase representing a new direction for a not-so-new organization. AFNIC, established from what was

  • Two RAF Fairford firefighters earn AF heroism award

    Two firefighters from the 420th Air Base Squadron were recently awarded the Robert A. McAllister Heroism Award.Firefighters Lynsey Pope and Robert McEvoy were recognized by the Air Force for performing an act of courage above and beyond the call of duty after encountering a car crash on an English

  • Air Force presence helps preserve progress in Iraq

    A group of Airmen assigned to the Office of Security Cooperation - Iraq help to preserve progress made in the country after almost a decade of war. The mission of OSC-I, in coordination with USCENTCOM and U.S. Mission-Iraq, is to conduct security cooperation activities to build partner capacity in

  • AF instructors learn modern Army combatives skills

    After spending five days in a joint combatives "train the trainer" course, Air Force participants gained a valuable benefit in becoming certified to teach both Modern Army Combatives and Basic Air Force Combatives:"Confidence," said Lt. Col. Tim Thurston, the 322nd Training Squadron commander --

  • Program encourages Airmen to 'Be Ready'

    Every year on June 1, when hurricane season officially begins, Airmen at bases along the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico start to pay more attention to the weather. It pays to be vigilant. Last year, on Aug. 27, 2011, Hurricane Irene landed in North Carolina and traveled up the Atlantic Coast,

  • U.S., Japanese defense officials to meet to discuss Osprey issues

    Senior Defense Department officials will brief a Japanese delegation at the Pentagon on July 22 on recent incidents involving U.S. MV-22 and CV-22 Osprey aircraft variants, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today."This is a tangible demonstration of how seriously the Department of Defense

  • Air Force Safety Automated System vital to tracking, preventing mishaps

    The Air Force Safety Center continues to develop and deploy enhancements to the Air Force Safety Automated System to provide accurate mishap information and timely risk mitigation data to all levels of command. AFSAS is a Web-enabled mishap reporting and analysis system that's accessible 24/7

  • Air Force male athlete of the year goes for gold

    The sound of thrashing epees and rubber soles squeaking against metal boards ring throughout the fencing gym at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. It is here that fencer Weston Kelsey practices twice a day, five days a week, in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

  • German air force brings Eurofighter, skills to Eielson AFB

    After a nearly 5,000-mile trip across the world, 150 members of the German air force recently arrived here with eight German Eurofighter Typhoons.It is the first time the German airframe has deployed overseas, according to German officials. In fact, it is the very first of the Eurofighter's

  • Air Force officials announce milestone Atlas V launch

    As part of the Defense Department's ongoing efforts to maintain assured, affordable access to space through 2030, the Atlas V rocket successfully lifted off from Space Launch Complex-41 at Florida's Cape Canaveral on June 20, Air Force officials said."This is an exciting time for the U.S. space

  • Engineer hits way onto All-Air Force team

    First Lt. Kristina Stewart has taken a few weeks off from her duties as the 3rd Space Operations Squadron mission planning and engineering section chief here to play a little volleyball. Actually, Stewart will play more than just a little after earning a spot on the All-Air Force Women's Volleyball

  • Carter urges Charleston service members to consider future

    Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter visited service members in the coastal low country of South Carolina on June 18, urging the Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen who serve the nation here to think about the future. Against the backdrop of a hulking C-17 Globemaster III transport jet, one of 54 on

  • Playground dedicated for children of the fallen

    Donors, wing leaders and distinguished guests were on hand for a ribbon cutting ceremony of a new playground at the Fisher House for Families of the Fallen June 18 here. The playground, dedicated to the children who travel to Dover Air Force Base, Del., to witness a dignified transfer of a loved

  • Polish AF flies in Red Flag for first time

    They boarded a C-130 Hercules and made the flight across the Atlantic Ocean to a place where the local language isn't their own native tongue. This isn't your normal U.S. Air Force deployment scenario, but the experience of a Polish air force crew participating in Red Flag-Alaska. Red Flag is a

  • Air Force Lt. finishes Bronco's mini-camp, continues to follow dream

    As another year of the National Football League season nears, military members might want to pay closer attention to their TVs as one of their own maybe lining up on the gridiron Sunday afternoons.Benjamin Garland, a Grand Junction, Colo. native, recently completed the Denver Broncos three-day

  • Smithsonian celebrates annual 'Become A Pilot Day'

    Officials at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum held the annual "Become a Pilot" family day June 16, in Chantilly, Va.More than 45 aircraft were on display as the museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, including two A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a C-17 Globemaster III, which had its cargo bay

  • Air Force space vehicle comes in for a landing

    The Air Force's unmanned, reusable space plane landed in the early morning of June 16 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., a successful conclusion to a record-setting test-flight mission that began March 5, 2011, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, one of two

  • Weapons school integrates cyber warfare

    Eight Air Force weapons officers completed the first cyber weapons instructor course at the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, 328th Weapons Squadron, June 16 here.Weapons officers are tactical experts trained in the art of battlespace dominance who instruct the Air Force's instructor corps and serve as

  • Combat controller posthumously awarded Silver Star

    Senior Airman Mark Forester had an American flag wrapped around his chest plate inside his body armor when he was fatally wounded by an enemy sniper's fire Sept. 29, 2010.This simple act is a testament to how Forester lived his life, a life respected by all who knew him.Forester, a combat controller

  • A day for Old Glory

    Today we celebrate Flag Day by showing its respect to the national emblem that was adopted 235 years ago. The American flag, sewn by Betsy Ross, has seen multiple iterations and designs throughout its history. However, the care and respect of the flag has remained constant and paramount.The handling

  • MIA bracelet connects Airmen across decades

    Twenty-two years ago, Air Force Academy cadet Amy Santmyer, now Lt. Col. Amy Young, decided she would wear an MIA bracelet honoring Lt. Col. Charles Walling, an F-4C Phantom pilot who was shot down Aug. 8, 1966, during a close air support mission in the Dong Nai province northeast of Saigon,

  • AF med group tests disaster response

    Medical professionals from the 779th Medical Group honed their disaster-response skills during a recent exercise here.Two expeditionary medical support teams, made up of more than 50 members each, constructed and took down a 25-bed field hospital. "The EMEDS team provides full scale medical support

  • 2nd Lt. earns Air Medal

    Before pilots fly in a deployed environment they have to become "mission ready." From the start of pilot training the process takes upwards of two years, but one hard-charging second lieutenant managed to obtain his commission, his wings and fly more than 20 combat sorties in the area of

  • Buckley firefighters perform water rescue during storms

    Members of the Buckley Fire Department were dispatched around midnight June 7 to a water rescue call in Aurora, Colo. A man was trapped in his van due to flooding caused by severe storms, but due to the efforts of the fire department, he escaped unharmed, officials said.The call came in from Sable

  • Air advisors prepare Colombian air force for Red Flag

    A broken aircraft and several delays at the airport didn't stop the 571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron from arriving in Colombia on June 3 to begin its building partner capacity mission here.The squadron's air advisors are currently working with the Colombian air force to promote regional

  • Air Force transfers last piece of former Lowry AFB back to community

    The final 70 acres of the former Buckley Annex was given back to the Denver community during a final transfer ceremony June 1 here.Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said the old Lowry Air Force Base was once a thriving hub for the United States Air Force and its members, and is now a vibrant and

  • Summer offers additional PLAYpass use opportunities

    As summer approaches, eligible Airmen and their families have the opportunity to use the PLAYpass Get Out and PLAY program to save hundreds of dollars with discounts in recreational and life skills classes.PLAYpass cards, valued at more than $500, allow single Airmen returning from deployments,

  • DOD announces top environmental award recipients

    At a Pentagon ceremony today, Defense and Interior Department officials presented this year's Secretary of Defense Environmental Award to 10 teams and installations for excellence in advancing environmental initiatives.Among the installations recognized, the Air Force was represented by both the

  • Initiative could help improve ISR operators' processes

    The Electronic Systems Center Command and Control Constellation program recently held an operational demonstration in here to evaluate a new prototype capability to improve command and control of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data.The prototyping initiative, called Deliberate and

  • Space realities require new way of thinking, official says

    The U.S. has fine-tuned its methods to promote responsible use of space and strengthen international partnerships, Ambassador Gregory L. Schulte, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for space policy, said during the 2012 Women in Aerospace Conference here June 1.In his keynote address at the

  • Air Force undersecretary honored for exceptional service

     For her distinguished performance as undersecretary of the Air Force, Erin C. Conaton was presented the Air Force Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service during a ceremony May 30 here.Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley presented the decoration to Conaton, who assumed the office of the

  • PACAF releases report on Alaska F-16 squadron move

    Pacific Air Forces today released a report on the Air Force's plan to move people and aircraft associated with the 18th Aggressor Squadron from Eielson AFB near Fairbanks, Alaska, to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, near Anchorage, Alaska.Pacific Air Forces led a 26-member Site Activation Task Force

  • Academy cadets work with Osan engineers

    The sounds of hammers and drills echoed through the air as Air Force Academy cadets gave Osan Air Base's civil engineers an extra hand with construction May 24. Approximately 15 cadets from the Academy worked side-by-side for two weeks with the 51st Civil Engineer Squadron's Prime Base Engineer

  • Warrior Wellness equine assistance important part of healing process

    The relationship between man and his horse is a storied one. Winston Churchill once said, "There's something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man." The 19th century novelist Robert Smith Surtees said, "There is no secret so close as that between a rider and his horse."

  • Air Force 'brat' a smooth operator

     (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories and commentaries focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)There are two things Senior Airman Joshua Chrisman loves: the KC-10 Extender and chicken nuggets.When the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing

  • U.S., Bulgarian Airmen strengthen ties during exercise

    More than 500 U.S. Airmen and two dozen F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 31st Fighter Wing here recently returned from a deployment to Graf Ignatievo Air Base, Bulgaria, where they spent a month conducting bi-lateral training with Bulgarian Airmen during Thracian Star 2012.The exercise was the largest

  • California BRAC bases now part of recycling revolution

    J.D. Wang, the CEO of a tire recycling company, believes people can recycle anything if they put their minds to it. So it seems fitting that his company is expanding into a recycled building -- once the commissary at the former Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino, Calif.In Sacramento, a former

  • Air Force, NATO fly to protect Iceland's air sovereignty

    Airmen from Nevada to Germany are currently deployed here to conduct Icelandic air policing missions until June 7.The 493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, which is made up of U.S. Air Force and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization personnel, is a specialized team prepared to ensure Iceland's

  • AF colonel encourages 'caged' drivers to watch out for bikers

    Col. Dana Morel knows the dangers of motorcycle riding as well as anyone.A biker herself, Morel was a lieutenant at Mather Air Force Base, Calif., in 1986 when a young airman she knew with the base honor guard took off speeding one night. Distraught over the end of a romance, he missed a turn and

  • SecAF visits 'Arctic Warriors'

    Airmen from around Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson gathered at Hangar 20 here May 21, where Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley addressed the assemblage."This is a great opportunity to thank you for your recent service and the service of your families," Donley said.The secretary said visiting

  • Their legacy lives on at American cemetery in UK

    Service members from across the United Kingdom will make their way to the Madingley American Cemetery Memorial Service here May 28 to remember the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines who fell during World War II in defense of the U.K. U.S. Air Force Airmen will participate in the event with

  • Today's Air Force highlights retirement prep, medical Airmen

    Air Force Television News released a new edition of Today's Air Force on May 18. In the first segment, Tech. Sgt. Trevor Pedro takes viewers to an F-22 media day hosted by the commander of Air Combat Command. Later Airman 1st Class Hillary Herrick highlights a new way Airmen can prepare for

  • Two former Airmen inducted into Astronaut Hall of Fame

    Two retired Airmen were recently inducted into the NASA's Astronaut Hall of Fame during a ceremony May 5 at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla.Retired Gen. Kevin Chilton and retired Col. Charles Precourt, along with Franklin Chang Diaz, were the 11th group of astronauts inducted, which brings the total

  • Arlington ceremony honors 150th anniversary of taps

    Intermingled with song birds and reverent silence, 200 buglers from around the country collectively sounded America's most recognizable bugle call May 19 at Arlington National Cemetery.From Section 60 to the Kennedy gravesites, the 150th anniversary of the bugle call "taps" was commemorated at a

  • CASF team key players 'on the road' to recovery

    Saving lives in Afghanistan requires many different medical teams and varying levels of care throughout the area of responsibility.Patients injured or wounded from a forward operating base, combat outpost or an even more remote location, are brought to Kandahar Airfield by helicopter or fixed-wing

  • Air Force Cross recipient soars among 'eagles'

    Next to the signatures of the "Candy Bomber," a Tuskegee Airman, the sixth chief master sergeant of the Air Force and a Vietnam prisoner of war, Air Force Cross recipient Tech. Sgt. Robert Gutierrez placed his name as the only current active-duty enlisted Airmen to be named an "Eagle."Two members of

  • Injured Airman reunites with family just four days after IED attack

    Staff Sgt. Brian Williams, who is deployed from the 87th Security Forces Squadron here, suffered serious injuries after an improvised explosive device detonated while he was on a mission April 25 outside Kandahar Airfield in southern Afghanistan.That same day, Williams, who is a military working dog

  • RAF Mildenhall hosts European Tanker Symposium

    The 100th Air Refueling Wing hosted the European Tanker Symposium here May 9-11. Attendees included the Royal Air Force 101 Squadron, French air force Bretagne Sqadron, Italian air force 14 Wing, Belgium air component, and the U.S. Air Force 603rd Air and Space Operations Center from Ramstein Air

  • AF Space Command realigns cyberspace capabilities

    The Air Force Network Integration Center will go through a restructure as it divests cyberspace lead command functions to Air Force Space Command to allow AFNIC to focus on its core mission of Air Force network integration and engineering services.The changes are a result of an AFSPC chartered study

  • AF officials announce candidate bases for TACP/ALO training

    Air Force officials announced Joint Base San Antonio -- Lackland, Texas, and Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., as candidate bases for the Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) and Air Liaison Officer (ALO) School. The candidate bases were approved by Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley and Air

  • Air Force announces criteria for basing KC-46A

    After extensive internal review, the Air Force released today its basing criteria that will be used to select candidate bases for the KC-46A formal training unit and first two main operating bases. The formal training unit (FTU) and first main operating base (MOB 1) will be led by active duty units.

  • VCSAF: Balanced force structure imperative to Air Force readiness

    Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Phil Breedlove and his counterparts from the Army, Navy and Marine Corps testified May 10 before members of the Senate Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support about U.S. military readiness in light of recent budget cuts.In his opening statement, Breedlove

  • AF husband earns Military Spouse of the Year award

    A husband who championed the progression of disability policy and the exceptional family member program received the 2012 Military Spouse of the Year Award here today.Jeremy Hilton, spouse of Air Force Lt. Col. Renae Hilton, an Air Force Office of Special Investigations agent on Joint Base Andrews,

  • Welsh nominated as next CSAF

    Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced May 10 that the president has nominated Gen. Mark A. Welsh III to be the next chief of staff of the Air Force, succeeding Gen. Norton Schwartz, who has served in the position since August 2008."I'm tremendously honored and deeply humbled by the nomination

  • Test pilot school adds cyberspace to test and evaluation training

    The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School has a long, rich history of educating the best of the best in air and space.  Apollo 13 astronaut, Fred Haise; X-15 pilot, Joe Engle; and the first man to break the sound barrier, Chuck Yeager; are just a few of the notable Test Pilot School alumnae who have

  • Air Force retiree recalls harsh life in Poland during WWII

    Master Sgt. Sam Katchmar retired in June of ʼ68, 20 years after he began his service to the country in the newly-formed Air Force. American-born, his mother sold their family saloon and moved, with her six children, to Poland after her husband died in a coal mine accident. The family survived in

  • Retired AF general named to Astronaut Hall of Fame

    Retired Gen. Kevin Chilton was inducted into NASA's Astronaut Hall of Fame during a ceremony May 5 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.Chilton is the former commander of U.S. Strategic Command, a 1976 graduate of the Air Force Academy, the husband of Academy Mobilization Assistant Brig. Gen.

  • Top enlisted AF leader visits Horn of Africa

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy visited Airmen assigned to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa and other tenant commands here May 5 and 6.The primary purpose of the visit was to speak to the Airmen deployed here and gain insight into their health and well-being, officials

  • Technology improves rescue support for rocket launches

    The 45th Space Wing successfully launched a communications satellite onboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on May 4. As the rocket lit up the sky and was hurled into space, personnel from the 920th Rescue Wing stood by and watched, knowing their part of the mission had

  • Deployed aeromedical evac team adds critical role

    There is nothing typical about an aeromedical evacuation mission. Recently one crew of aeromedical technicians was notified prior to take-off that, aside from six patients, their aircraft, a C-17, would also be needed to transport three aircraft engines and two pallets of cargo. "That for us is the

  • Re-alignment project cuts costs, improves safety

    The 820th Red Horse Squadron plans to save the Air Force more than $500,000 dollars while improving training and safety, during the Ellsworth Road re-alignment project.The re-alignment of Ellsworth Road at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., started April 30, and is projected to be finished by mid-October.

  • Air Force innovation

    Lt. Gen. Robert R. Allardice, Air Mobility Command's vice commander, was among a panel of educators and civic leaders in St. Louis on April 27 to discuss the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or better known as STEM, education to an audience of teachers, parents,

  • Vigilant Eagle command selection board convenes in June

    The Space and Missile Vigilant Eagle operations squadron commander selection board will convene in June to select command candidates for projected 2013 vacancies, Air Force Personnel Center officials said. Statements of intent are due to the AFPC by May 18.Candidates will be matched to command

  • AF nominates 111 for astronaut candidate program

    The Air Force has nominated 111 Airmen for the 2012 NASA Astronaut Candidate Program, Air Force Personnel Center officials said.The Air Force candidate selection panel met in April to review 192 applications, selecting 110 officers, ranging from captain to colonel, and one senior master sergeant.

  • Air Force launches 2nd advanced satellite

    The 45th Space Wing successfully launched the second Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite onboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V vehicle here today from launch pad 41 at 2:42 p.m., on May 4.  AEHF-1 was launched from here in August of 2010.    The rocket flew in the 531 vehicle

  • Air Force leader talks about future of ISR

    Air Force leadership reinforced the critical nature and future of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions April 26 to a group of civic and industry leaders as well as media members attending the Air Force Association's monthly breakfast in Arlington, Va.The Air Force Association's

  • AFNORTH Airmen hone hurricane response skills

    Air Forces Northern Airmen are putting their hurricane preparedness skills to practice during exercise Ardent Sentry '12 May 2 through 9.The exercise is conducted by U.S. Northern Command and is focused on defense support of civil authorities. Designed to validate existing plans, policies, and

  • Two AF bases take top DOD honors for environmental work

    Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced the Defense Department's environmental awards for fiscal 2012 May 1 and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., and Hill AFB, Utah, were among nine Department of Defense installations selected for top honors.Each year since 1962, the secretary of defense has

  • Officer development program applications due

    Officers considering 2013 advanced academic degree and experience broadening programs have a narrow application window, with some applications due within the next few weeks, Air Force Personnel Center officials said. Public affairs and chaplain corps candidates have submitted their applications,

  • Airmen honor fallen air advisors through ruck march

    Walking almost 90 miles, 36 Airmen completed the Air Advisor Memorial Ruck March from New York City to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., April 26-27.The march, which started at the One World Trade Center and ended at the Air Advisor Academy, was in remembrance of the deaths of nine U.S. air

  • Space operator, KC-135 crew team for 'science project'

    More and more people are realizing the game-changing force space capabilities provide in today's operations, as was the case more than 60 years ago when the air domain added a new dimension to land and sea operations. The power of that integration was recently seen first-hand by crews of the KC-135

  • Mobile app connects Airmen to their base

    Want to connect with friends and family? There's an app for that. Need to find the best restaurant around? There's an app for that. Want to see what movies are playing nearby? There's an app for that.Discovering what events your base is hosting on a particular day? Now there is an app for that,