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U.S. Air Force News

  • Veterans more likely to avoid foreclosure with VA-backed loan

    Despite problems in the nation's housing market, mortgage loans backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs had a lower foreclosure rate than any other type of home loan in the industry, as of the end of the last fiscal year."The dedication of VA's loan professionals, the support of our partners in

  • Veterans reflect on Veterans Day meaning

    As Airmen around the world honor the service, dedication and sacrifices of veterans today, America's veterans are thankful. "We are all very grateful for our troops our seas," said retired-Maj. John Yingling. "I wish I had something more uplifting to say, but it's just that simple." Mr. Yingling is

  • Veterans reflect upon D-Day, turning tide of war

    They are known as “the greatest generation.” On D-Day, they proved it. Before dawn June 6, 1944, Airmen of the 398th Bombardment Group awoke to a day that would turn the tide of the war in Europe and end with 3,000 Americans dead. Like most in the Army Air Forces, 1st Lt. Ike Alhadeff trained for

  • Veterans remember canines with care packages

    Staff Sgt. Erick Trusty is tired and dirty. Another day has come and gone that he survived. At least on this day an improvised explosive device -- one of the enemy's deadliest weapons of choice in Iraq -- didn't hit his team. And the raid he and others carried out on a house full of weapons and

  • Veterans return home 5 years after Katrina

    Armed Forces Retirement Home residents expected to be displaced for only a few weeks after Hurricane Katrina damaged their facility in 2005. The first 126 veterans returned home five years later to a larger and more lavish facility.The residents lived at the Armed Forces Retirement Home's Washington

  • Veterans send gifts to deployed Airmen

    Servicemembers and DOD civilians serving here began receiving military assistance communication kit packages Nov. 4.The MACK Packs were donated through a Veterans of Foreign Wars and Ladies Auxiliary VFW program called Operation Uplink. The packs contained a writing tablet, holiday cards with

  • Veterans show true colors

    In a jam-packed room, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Dennis Linn stood explaining his artwork to curious viewers, and how his acrylic painting and raised sand/plaster sculpture earned him two gold medals and a spot in the 2009 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival in the San Antonio Municipal

  • Veterans thank those who led them to freedom

    A Belgian woman risks her safety to help more than 130 airmen avoid capture by Germans. A bombardier survives a crash landing with his crew behind enemy lines and escapes with help from members of the French Underground. A tail gunner bails out of his badly damaged B-17 Flying Fortress and

  • Veterans urged to wear military medals on Veterans Day

    With National Veterans Awareness Week under way and the national Veterans Day observance on Nov. 11, the Veterans Affairs secretary is urging all veterans to show their pride by wearing their military medals.R. James Nicholson's "Veterans Pride" initiative calls on veterans to wear the medals they

  • Veterans use NASA anti-gravity treadmill in treatment

    Veterans undergoing physical therapy at the Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Medical Center in California can now walk or jog on an "anti-gravity" treadmill that uses a unique differential air pressure technology allowing the veterans to feel as if they are "walking on the moon" by reducing the pressure

  • Veterans wheelchair games kick off in Spokane

    More than 500 disabled veterans rolled into the convention center here to take part in the 2009 National Veterans Wheelchair Games July 13 through 19. The event, which is sponsored by the Paralyzed Veterans of America and Department of Veterans Affairs, began July 13 with a wheelchair basketball

  • Veterans with disabilities in Pittsburgh for wheelchair games

    More than 600 disabled veteran athletes will compete in a variety of sport competitions at the 31st National Veterans Wheelchair Games in Pittsburgh, Aug. 1st through the 6th. The event is presented each year by officials with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Paralyzed Veterans of

  • Veterans, first timers benefit from Red Flag exercises

    During the Red Flag 09-5 exercise here, young and veteran pilots train in realistic combat scenarios through Sept. 4. The large-force employment includes various airframes from sister services and allied nations. The pilots train in a combined an joint atmosphere in a training area spanning more

  • Veterans: Be aware of VA services during the holiday season

    The holidays are a traditional time of joy, laughter and sharing with family and friends. They are also a time of remembrance of past celebrations and anticipation of family gatherings. While the holiday season is often experienced as a season for celebration and giving thanks, for many, the

  • Veterinary care helps build relations with nomadic tribe

    Airmen and Soldiers from the Zabul Provincial Reconstruction Team vaccinated hundreds of animals in preparation for the long, hard Afghan winter in October here. In a region where the average income is less than a dollar a day, the PRT's veterinary civil assistance patrol not only strengthened the

  • Veterinary mission morphs into lifesaving trek

    With only seconds to react, U.S. military members made a daring rescue pulling a young African man out of a raging torrent April 14 in Dikhil, Djibouti. After a day of heavy rain, the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa team was assessing a river crossing site they planned to use the

  • VFW officials give troops free talk time on Veterans Day

    Deployed and hospitalized servicemembers are expected to make about 120,000 calls home this Veterans Day, and it won't cost them one thin dime. Officials from the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization are once again offering "Free Call Day" through its Operation Uplink program. USAA, which offers

  • Vice chairman 'cautiously optimistic' about new Iraq approach

    The nation's second-highest-ranking military officer said he is cautiously optimistic about the new approach to Iraq after a three-day visit there that ended Feb 2."It is clear that most of the senior officials (from the) coalition, Iraq and United States I talked with during my time in Baghdad are

  • Vice chairman expresses comfort with nuke production freeze

    The nation's second-ranking military officer said April 6 he's comfortable with a new U.S. policy that halts future production of nuclear weapons. The freeze on developing new nuclear platforms, save for extraordinary cases requiring presidential approval, is an element of the Nuclear Posture

  • Vice chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff views Tinker capabilities

    The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, April 1 to learn more about the missions of the Air Force Sustainment Center and the contributions of associate units toward the nation's strategic nuclear deterrence.

  • Vice chairman: Deterrence plays into overseas basing decisions

    The overseas basing choices the United States makes for its military forces are a factor in deterring potential enemies, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said June 4 here. Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright told a gathering at the Center for International and Strategic Studies here

  • Vice chief airs readiness concerns to Congress

    Today's high operational tempo is affecting the Air Force's ability to conduct necessary training, which may affect readiness, the service's vice chief of staff told lawmakers March 18.Gen. Robert H. Foglesong also told members of the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on readiness he was

  • Vice chief describes airpower's key role in Pacific at Tinian symposium

    Sixty-five years after a single bomber launched from a U.S. air base here changed the course of history, airpower continues to play a key role in regional security, the Air Force vice chief of staff said during a speech here Aug. 5.Gen. Carrol H. "Howie" Chandler spoke at an educational symposium

  • Vice chief honors World War II Airmen, heroes

    The Air Force vice chief of staff paid tribute to members of the Air Forces Escape and Evasion Society April 26 during the society's 44th annual reunion near Savannah, Ga. The AFEES primarily comprises Air Force World War II veterans who were forced down behind enemy lines and avoided or escaped

  • Vice chief of staff extends AEF office charter

    The vice chief of staff of the Air Force extended the charter of the office of the special assistant for air and space expeditionary forces through March 2004.In a Nov. 12 memo to commanders of all major commands, Gen. Robert H. Foglesong said the arrangements made in the secretary of the Air

  • Vice chief of staff talks STEM to local educators

    Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Larry O. Spencer spoke to local educators about the particular importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics to the Air Force during an ASM Materials Teachers Camp July 18, at Shaw-Howard University, Washington, D.C.

  • Vice chief visits wounded warriors in Iraq

    The Air Force vice chief of staff traveled to the Air Force Theater Hospital at Balad Air Base May 29 to visit wounded warriors and accompany them on a flight back to Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Representing Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. T.

  • Vice Chief, CMSAF visit 386th AEW

    The Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Stephen W. Wilson and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright visited the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia, April 9, 2017.

  • Vice chief, legendary pilot commemorate 60th anniversary of Berlin Airlift

    Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Duncan J. McNabb and legendary airlift pilot retired Col. Gail Halvorsen participated in a commemorative panel discussion of the Berlin Airlift May 27 in Berlin. The Air Force Association sponsored the panel to highlight the historic importance of the mission and

  • Vice CSAF emphasizes modeling, simulation integration during AFAMS visit

    Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Philip Breedlove emphasized the need to standardize live, virtual and constructive modeling and simulation across the Air Force and the joint team during a recent visit to the Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation here."We must build to a modeling and

  • Vice CSAF visits Goodfellow AFB

    During his visit, Gen. Stephen W. Wilson, vice chief of staff of the Air Force, saw how the base is fighting and adapting through COVID-19 to carry out the mission of training and inspiring the future force.

  • Vice CSAF: Air Force must prepare for more complex, varied ops

    The Air Force is working to balance today's needs and tomorrow's challenges while operating under intense fiscal pressures, the service's vice chief of staff said here Feb. 17.During remarks at the Air Force Association's 2011 Air Warfare Symposium and Technology Exposition, Gen. Philip M. Breedlove

  • Vice president addresses academy Class of 2005

    Vice President Richard B. Cheney told 922 graduating cadets here that they are taking their places as commissioned officers of the most powerful air and space force in the history of mankind.“Responsibility comes to you in a period of unprecedented challenge for your country and extraordinary change

  • Vice President Harris congratulates USAFA Class of ‘24

    Harris highlighted ever-present conflict around the world, the U.S. military’s role in the global domain since first earning air superiority ahead of D-Day and the importance of the graduating cadets, their new role as leaders and in continuing this legacy of air and space supremacy.

  • Vice President Mike Pence visits Nellis AFB

    Vice President Mike Pence made his way to Las Vegas Jan. 11, 2018, to attend the grand opening of the first AFWERX facility and visit the men and women of Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

  • Vice President Pence visits Vandenberg AFB

    Vice President Michael R. Pence made his way to the Combined Space Operations Center where he was greeted by Maj. Gen. Stephen N. Whiting, 14th Air Force commander, and received briefings on the evolution of launch operations at the Western Range and CSpOC operations, which concluded with an

  • Vice president praises troops during Guam stopover

    Vice President Richard Cheney rallied servicemembers during a Feb. 22 stopover at Guam while en route from Japan to Australia. The vice president spoke to more than 2,000 Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers, Coast Guardsmen and Guam dignitaries, emphasizing the critical role Guam's position in the Pacific

  • Vice president thanks Airmen and service members in Iraq

    A crowd of more than 200 service members, many of them Airmen, and civilians deployed in support of Operation New Dawn listened to Vice President Joe Biden during his recent stop at Al Faw Palace here."It makes me feel like we have the support of the people back home," said Staff Sgt. Pearl Alomar,

  • Vice president thanks servicemembers for vigilance

    Vice President Dick Cheney delivered a message of thanks and support to the 7,000 Airmen, Sailor, Marines and Soldiers here during a visit Aug. 29. "I'm here today because the president and I want you to know how much we appreciate everything you do on behalf of the United States," the vice

  • Vice president thanks servicemembers in Alaska

    Amid a sea of nearly 3,000 flag-waving Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, Vice President Dick Cheney thanked servicemembers stationed in Alaska for their efforts in the war on terrorism.“I stand here today to say ‘thank you’ from a grateful nation -- and not just to the military

  • Vice president visits base in Ohio

    Vice President Dick Cheney expressed his appreciation for the Airmen and community here during a visit March 26. A throng of enthusiastic people from the base community waved flags and cheered loudly for the vice president during a ceremony. Gen. Greg Martin, commander of Air Force Materiel

  • Vice president visits RAF Mildenhall, meets Airmen

    Vice President Joe Biden met and talked to several Royal Air Force Mildenhall Airmen during a stop at the base en route to an undisclosed location. The vice president thanked Airmen for their service and encouraged them to continue doing a great job for the nation.Airman 1st Class Victoria Smith of

  • Vice president visits troops at Balad

    Vice President Dick Cheney met and spoke to servicemembers fighting the war on terrorism from Balad Air Base and Logistics Support Area Anaconda March 18. Before addressing the base populace during a rally, the vice president sat down to breakfast with a select group of military members. "It was an

  • Vice president visits Whiteman

    "We owe you and your families, and we are putting our money where our mouth is," said Vice President Joe Biden. That was the overall message he shared with more than a thousand Whiteman members during a troop rally April 16. "We are tremendously proud of our global mission and our ability to execute

  • Vice President, Second Lady visit Grand Forks AFB

    Vice President of the United States Michael Pence spoke with Airmen at Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., July 25, 2018, while Karen Pence, the Second Lady of the United States, hosted a seminar for military spouses.

  • Vice president-elect meets Airmen in Southwest Asia

    Vice President-elect Joe Biden met Airmen from the 387th Air Expeditionary Group here as part of his tour of American bases in the Southwest Asia region.  Vice President-elect Biden is scheduled to visit Iraq after meeting with officials in Pakistan and Afghanistan. He takes office Jan. 20 along

  • Vice president's wife urges support for military families

    The wife of Vice President Joe Biden met with New York National Guard personnel and their families in mid-September in Latham, N.Y. Dr. Jill Biden visited with the family members of deployed servicemembers and the professionals who support them, and pledged her support for military families and

  • Vice president's wife visits military families at Nellis

    Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, visited Nellis Air Force Base Nov. 15 to learn about the family support programs available at the base.To gain a greater understanding of those support programs, Doctor Biden, who received her doctorate in education from the University of

  • Victim advocate lends a helping hand

    Staff Sgt. Joshua Greene, a 673rd Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, has been a victim advocate for the past seven years, and although he hadn't put much thought into it when he signed up, the impact he has made on others has caused him to never look back.

  • Victim advocates support, assist survivors

    A group of Airman from the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing at an air base in Southwest Asia stood up and volunteered to be victim advocates as their part to prevent sexual assaults in the Air Force. Last year, Airmen throughout the Air Force reported more than 620 cases of sexual assault. There are two

  • 'Victim' gets a shower

    Airman 1st Class Jamie Kershaw, a firefighter here, sprays simulated victim Airman 1st Class Edgar Moso to decontaminate him during an accident-response exercise here Oct. 2. The exercise tested the 49th Fighter Wing's capability to respond to a major accident involving a hazardous-material spill.

  • Video clarifies officer promotion board procedures

    Personnel officials here will release an online video in early October offering Air Force officers a comprehensive look at the complete promotion selection board process. The officer promotion selection board video provides a look into how a selection board is conducted, from the date the board

  • Video competition at MyAirForceLife.com

    What does MyAirForceLife.com have in common with YouTube, the world's most popular online video community?  Like YouTube, MyAirForceLife.com accepts video clips, allowing the global community to watch, share and vote on videos online.What's different is visitors to MyAirForceLife.com have an

  • Video game prepares Airmen, families for emergencies

    True or False? Tornados always have a visible funnel extending to the ground. The answer to that question and more appear in the Air Force's newest training tool designed to prepare civilians, Airmen and their families for emergencies. The difference is this teaching instrument isn't a slideshow

  • Video raises suicide awareness

    Creators of a video filmed here are hoping it will educate, prevent and lower the risk of suicides across Air Combat Command as well as the rest of the Air Force.“Air Combat Command Off-Duty Survivor Stories: Suicide Choices; Terminal Consequences,” is the second in a series of videos by the 436th

  • Video teleconferencing connects military families

    Days away from home, eons away from loved ones ... at least that is how it feels to some when a military member is deployed. But new capabilities here can make the world a lot smaller for military families. Earlier this month, 10 Airmen from the 354th Civil Engineer Squadron who are deployed to Iraq

  • Video: SecAF message to Airmen

    In this video, the 23rd Secretary of the Air Force, Deborah Lee James, gives her first remarks as secretary of the Air Force about what Airmen and their families can expect from her in the future.

  • VIDOC: Worth a thousand words

    Pushy paparazzi, nosy TV reporters and supermodel photographers have nothing on a team of Airmen here. They take your picture, and they videotape you at work. They announce what you are doing to the masses, and they plaster you onto posters -- and most people do not even know they are there.They

  • Vietnam combat lessons apply today, Mullen says

    The military's top officer called on Vietnam veterans to stay connected with today's servicemembers, saying their lessons learned, especially with post-traumatic stress disorder, can help veterans of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made

  • Vietnam Fighter Pilot Finally Comes Home

    Maj. James Blair White went missing in Southeast Asia on Nov. 24, 1969. He was finally laid to rest at West Point alongside of his mother, father and brother, June 19, 2018.

  • Vietnam military health, logistics reps visit Hickam

    Six delegates from the Vietnam military's health and general logistics fields met with U.S. Air Force officials here Nov. 10 during a 13th Air Force-hosted visit. The visit was designed to familiarize the Vietnamese delegates with how the U.S. military conducts surveillance, screening and testing of

  • Vietnam POW exhibit opens at Air Force museum

    Visitors can get a rare glimpse into the lives of prisoners of war through a dramatic new exhibit at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. The exhibit, titled "Return with Honor: American Prisoners of War in Southeast Asia," located in the museum's Modern Flight Gallery, is now open to

  • Vietnam vet ensures others never forgotten

    As a young boy, Roberto Barrera remembers looking through stacks of pictures his father had taken while stationed in Italy as an Army infantry private during World War II. The images stirred his curiosity and interest in the military and, shortly after high school, he decided to enlist in the

  • Vietnam vet hears call of duty, heads to Afghanistan

    During a commander's call last year, Brig. Gen. Robert C. Nolan II, the Air Force Flight Test Center commander, asked Airmen who have been deployed to stand and be recognized for their service. He then asked those Airmen who have been deployed multiple times to raise their hands. Most of the Airmen

  • Vietnam veteran ensures every hero gets proper welcome

    It happened to Steve Cobb during his first tour in Vietnam with the 11th Light Infantry Brigade. He was wounded in combat -- four times."I got four Purple Hearts my first tour and zero my second," Mr. Cobb said. "I finally learned to duck." While learning to duck may have been an extremely

  • Vietnam veteran serves in Iraq

    Master Sgt. Terry Upchurch has a unique perspective serving in Iraq. He can compare his experiences here with those he had 35 years ago as an 18-year-old airman in Vietnam."I had been married only three months," said Upchurch, who is with the 506th Operations Support Squadron. "I was an air

  • Vietnam veteran tells today's Airmen 'stay focused'

    The knowledge and experience that Air Force retirees share with current Airmen can help develop careers. Retired Col. James Gilliland holds his audience in rapt attention while he tells stories of his progression as an RF-4C pilot and shares his experiences flying during the Vietnam War. With 30

  • Vietnam visit strengthens military ties

    The U.S. Pacific Command deputy commander met with military and civilian leaders in Vietnam recently, looking for opportunities to build upon a small yet developing relationship and to identify possible future military engagement activities. Lt. Gen. Daniel P. Leaf led a military delegation that

  • Vietnam wall speaks to both present and past

    At a time when wounds and memories of a long and bitterly protested war were still open and raw, when veterans were treated as villains instead of heroes, an Army veteran by the name of Jan Scruggs conceived the idea of building a memorial to honor those who served in Vietnam. Facing more opposition

  • Vietnam War disc jockey praises families of MIAs

    The man who became famous bellowing "Good morning, Vietnam!" to his military radio audience praised the families of servicemembers who are still listed as missing in action in Southeast Asia.In his opening remarks for the Defense Department's 2005 annual government briefing for Vietnam War-era

  • Vietnam War MIAs identified

    The remains of four servicemen missing in action from the Vietnam War have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors, defense officials announced Sept. 29.Three are airmen, and one is a Coast Guardsman. They are Staff Sgt. Elmer L. Holden from

  • Vietnam War missing in action Airman identified

    Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office officials announced Aug. 19 that the remains of a U.S. Airman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.Col. Gregg Hartness, of Dallas, will be buried in

  • Vietnam War missing in action Airman identified

    The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced May 20 that the remains of a U.S. Airman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.On Oct. 15, 1965, Maj. Robert Harry Schuler Jr., of Wellsburg, N.Y.,

  • Vietnam War pararescueman finally brought home

    Air Force pararescuemen were able to bring home one of their fallen comrades April 6 here.As the ceremonial caisson rolled to a stop in Arlington National Cemetery, Tech. Sgt. Allen Avery, an Air Force pararescueman who lost his life during combat operations in Vietnam, was escort to his final

  • Vietnam War pilot returns home

    The remains of U.S. Air Force pilot Col. Ernest Leo De Soto, who went missing during the Vietnam War, have finally come home.

  • Vietnam War rescue pilot goes on to command space shuttle

    African Americans blazed trails even beyond the stratosphere, as seen in the achievements of retired Col. Frederick D. Gregory, a former Air Force combat rescue pilot and NASA astronaut.After graduating from the Air Force Academy in 1964, Gregory entered pilot training and attended undergraduate

  • Vietnam War vet receives Bronze Star

    An Air Force retiree received a Bronze Star Medal with valor and a Purple Heart at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph's Taj Mahal Feb. 15, nearly 48 years after rescuing officers and protecting military resources during a deployment to Vietnam in 1965. Placido Salazar, who joined the Air Force in 1956,