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U.S. Air Force News

  • Warming things up around Manas

    Everyone know that the song says, “Oh, the weather outside is frightful and the fire is so delightful,” but fires are not allowed in tents here; thankfully heaters are. The 10 Airmen assigned to the 376th Civil Engineer Squadron’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning shop work to keep that

  • Warner Robins C-130 team earns DoD top maintenance honor

    When the Department of Defense announced its top maintenance awards for depot and field-level units, recognizing outstanding achievement in weapon system and military equipment maintenance, it was a Robins Air Force Base, Ga., unit earning top honors.The 2012 Robert T. Mason Depot Maintenance

  • Warren airman earns $10K for idea

    A little bit of epoxy sealed Tech. Sgt. Toby Taylor's chances for $10,000.Taylor, training noncommissioned officer in charge of the 90th Maintenance Operations Squadron electrical-mechanical technician team, was recently presented with a $10,000 check from the Air Force Innovative Development

  • Warren missileer crowned as DOD 'Kingpin'

    To win a local sporting event is an achievement, to compete and win at Air Force level is a heralded milestone, and to take home the gold at a Department of Defense event is worthy of gladiator recognition.Second Lt. Rickie Banister, a 319th Missile Squadron missileer, bowled over the competition

  • Warren team, Colorado road crew join forces in rescue

    A missile facility manager and security forces team from Warren, along with a Colorado state roads and grounds crew came to the aid of a man Dec. 21 whose vehicle was engulfed by four-foot drifts of snow for 13 hours. The Logan County Sherriff's Department requested ground search and rescue

  • Warrior athletes gear up during cycling competition

    Athletes with bikes of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the standard upright bike to the handcycle, took their turn at the starting line April 9, 2014, during the Air Force Trials at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.

  • Warrior Care Month highlights high-quality treatment

    In a campaign to highlight the medical and personal care available to wounded servicemembers, Department of Defense officials have designated November as Warrior Care Month. "This is a great opportunity for the Air Force family to understand that our care for our wounded warriors and their families

  • Warrior Care: Air Force doctors return patient's sight

    Air Force doctors at San Antonio Military Medical Center-South, or Wilford Hall Medical Center, returned a patient's eyesight with an artificial corneal transplant Oct. 20. Lt. Col. (Dr.) Charles Reilly and Maj. (Dr.) Vasudha Panday, ophthalmologists in the 59th Surgical Specialties

  • Warrior Care: Giving wounded what they need, deserve

    Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen didn't like the way wounded Vietnam veterans were treated when he first entered the service in 1968, and he is working to ensure that America's wounded from Iraq and Afghanistan get the care and help they need and deserve. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said

  • Warrior Care: Injured servicemembers go fishing

    Anglers from all over the state of Texas converged on Choke Canyon Reservoir Oct. 25 to participate in Fishing for Freedom V. Fishing for Freedom gives injured servicemembers the opportunity to team up with professional and semi-professional bass fisherman and enjoy a day on the water. Thirty-three

  • Warrior Care: Program ensures support for Reserve members

    Pentagon officials developed the Military Personnel Appropriation Medical Continuation to ensure Reserve and Guard members supporting the war on terrorism are taken care of. Military Personnel Appropriation Medical Continuation ensures Air Reserve Component members injured or become ill receive the

  • 'Warrior Challenge' tests pillars comprehensive Airman fitness

    The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing held an event here Jan. 11 to highlight the importance of Comprehensive Airman Fitness in the Air Force. Ten teams competed in the event, called the "Warrior Challenge," which consisted of games, riddles, and obstacles that reflected the four components of

  • Warrior chefs display cooking chops

    Apricots and dates were secret ingredients that vexed ten teams competing for bragging rights at the installation's first Warrior Chef Competition April 1 at Memorial Plaza. During the closing stages of their cooking time, the secret ingredients were introduced as a mandatory item to be incorporated

  • Warrior exercise integrates Air Force, Marine search and rescue mission

    Exercise Coronet Warrior 17-01 was a two-day event that tested the abilities of the 4th Fighter Wing members to complete contingency operations at an overseas location in our current area of responsibility. Members of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina and Marine Corps Air Station New

  • Warrior Games 2013: AF cyclists win 3 medals

    Air Force cyclists took home three medals in the Warrior Games 2013 cycling competition at Falcon Stadium May 12.Maj. Scott Bullis of Peterson Air Force Base took first place in the men's recumbent cycle race to win the Air Force's first gold medal of this year's Warrior Games."This is my first

  • Warrior Games 2013: AF earns silver, bronze archery medals

    Retired Tech. Sgt. Corey Carter narrowly lost to the Army's Jessie White in the Warrior Games archery competition at Clune Arena here May 15.White scored 27 to defeat Carter, ending the bronze compound match, 107-106."I had the lead, and I should have kept it," said Carter, who also competed in the

  • Warrior Games 2013: Air Force wins 11 medals in track and field competition

    Air Force athletes took home one gold, four silver and six bronze medals in the Warrior Games 2013 Track and Field competition at the Academy's Outdoor Track Stadium May 14.Staff Sgt. Lara Ishikawa took first place in the Women's 100 Meter Open Relay, winning the Air Force's gold medal for the day.

  • Warrior Games 2013: Airman faces challenge at Games as TBI victim

    By looking at him, you would never be able to tell he is a battle-tested, combat-injured Airman. He is a testament to invisible wounds and just how their effects can become visible in everyday life. Capt. Mitchell Kieffer is a mathematician at heart and an operations research analyst at Joint Base

  • Warrior Games 2013: Airman gets second chance at life

    You only live once, the saying goes. That may be true for most, but for one former jet engine mechanic that is not the case.Former Senior Airman Darrell Fisher had been fascinated with aviation since he was a child growing up in Fayetteville, N.C.  After working in the civilian sector for a while

  • Warrior Games 2013: Airman uses Games to rise above PTSD, injury

    Behind her bright brown eyes, easy smile and contagious laugh there is pain -- both physical and mental.Retired Staff Sgt. Zuleika Cruz-Pereira joined the Army after Sept. 11, 2001, because she wanted to do something to help people."I wanted to go out there and do something big," she said. "I'm one

  • Warrior Games 2013: Cancer survivor tackles new challenge

    Staff Sgt. Lara Ishikawa found herself among a trio of female Air Force Warrior Games athletes with a special bond. Ishikawa, Tech. Sgt. Monica Figueroa and Master Sgt. Sherry Nel are all cancer survivors and relied on each other for support and conversation during the team's selection camp at the

  • Warrior Games 2013: Competing 'medicine' for AF wounded warrior

    Master Sgt. Shawn Schwantes may have been a pleasant surprise for his Air Force Warrior Games coaches during the team's training camp at the U.S. Air Force Academy. But Schwantes fully expected to flourish on the track and with his teammates because he considers sports his most effective medicine.

  • Warrior Games 2013: Life can change in a split second

    Life can be described as a series of moments, seconds even, strung together to form experiences and memories. A split-second decision can mean the difference between life and death.Senior Master Sgt. Martin Smith knows the impact just one second can make.Smith, a seasoned motorcycle rider and Active

  • Warrior Games 2013: Personal stories of adversity turned into triumph

    Warrior Games, a spirited competition that pits wounded , ill or injured service members and veterans against their representative services continues into its fourth year as teams converge on Colorado Springs, Colo., beginning May 11.This year, 50 Airmen or former Airmen will compete in individual

  • Warrior Games 2013: Retired Airman struggles with PTSD while in training

    Second-year Warrior Games athlete George Stiltner recognized the look on retired Staff Sgt. Larry Franklin's face at the Air Force team's selection camp at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Stiltner had the same demeanor during his first year training for the Games. Now, he recognized a fellow former

  • Warrior Games 2013: Track and field star has 'wings on her back'

    Midway through retired Tech. Sgt. Katie Robinson's first track and field practice at the Air Force Warrior Games training camp, she pulled out a pair of butterfly wings from her workout bag and strapped them to her back. The wings were both comedy relief and symbolized a dramatic change several

  • Warrior Games 2013: Wounded Academy grad uses Games to help recovery

    About three years after a bullet in his head in Iraq dramatically changed the course of his life, Capt. Wes Glisson can put his sentences together again as he continues his recovery from traumatic brain injury. He's able to remember just about everything about his life except for the shooting, which

  • Warrior games about more than medals

    The 2011 Warrior Games officially came to an end here May 21 following closing ceremonies.The Air Force team, consisting of 23 wounded Airmen, earned 12 medals at the event.But for the athletes, the games were not just about medals. The Warrior Games were an opportunity for the current and former

  • Warrior Games Airman attributes survival to active lifestyle

    Before a motorcycle accident in 2008, Staff Sgt. Richard Pollock II lived in the gym. He was a competitive body builder, a lean 235 pounds with only 10 percent body fat. In August 2008, Sergeant Pollock was on his way to work on his motorcycle when he collided with a car that ran through a stop

  • Warrior Games approaching fast

    With fewer than three weeks to go, the Air Force team is making preparations for the Department of Defense's inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 10th through the 14th.What started as an e-mail from one athlete asking questions about the upcoming event turned into a process of

  • Warrior Games begin in Colorado

    The 2014 Warrior Games, bringing together more than 200 wounded, ill or injured U.S. service members and veterans opened here today, with a senior Defense Department official lauding all those competing as an inspiration to everyone who wears the uniform.

  • Warrior Games camp prepares Air Force team

    Athletes representing the Air Force during this year's Warrior Games participated in a week-long training camp here April 14-20.The Warrior Games, held May 11-16 at the U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Olympic Training Center, are a sport competition for sick and injured service members and veterans.

  • Warrior Games closing marks new beginning

    The 2010 Warrior Games may have ended May 14, but for the wounded warriors who competed here this week, their work is just beginning, officials hope."You've just completed a rigorous test of your physical and mental skills, your strength and endurance," Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint

  • Warrior Games competition plans return to Colorado Springs

    The annual Warrior Games, featuring wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans competing in several sporting events, will return here in 2012, U.S. Olympic Committee officials announced Dec. 6.The USOC-hosted games will take place April 30 to May 5. The Defense and Veterans Affairs

  • Warrior Games make triumphant return to Colorado Springs

    Community and business leaders joined representatives of the military at the Air Force Academy last night to mark the 100-day countdown until athletes arrive in Colorado for the 2018 Department of Defense Warrior Games. Now in their ninth year, the Warrior Games are returning to Colorado Springs,

  • Warrior Games Profile - Christopher D’Angelo

    More than 40 athletes will represent the Air Force during the 2014 Warrior Games from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is a profile of one of those athletes, providing a behind-the-scenes look at who they are and the sport they will participate in.

  • Warrior Games Profile - Daniel Oosterhous

    More than 40 athletes will represent the Air Force during the 2014 Warrior Games from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is a profile of one of those athletes, providing a behind-the-scenes look at who they are and the sport they will participate in.

  • Warrior Games Profile - Jason Ellis

    More than 40 athletes will represent the Air Force during the 2014 Warrior Games from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is a profile of one of those athletes, providing a behind-the-scenes look at who they are and the sport they will participate in.

  • Warrior Games Profile - Mitchell Kieffer

    More than 40 athletes will represent the Air Force during the 2014 Warrior Games from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is a profile of one of those athletes, providing a behind-the-scenes look at who they are and the sport they will participate in.

  • Warrior Games Profile - Tech. Sgt. Lara Ishikawa

    More than 40 athletes will represent the Air Force during the 2014 Warrior Games from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is a profile of one of those athletes, providing a behind-the-scenes look at who they are and the sport they will participate in.

  • Warrior Games Profile - Wesley Glisson

    More than 40 athletes will represent the Air Force during the 2014 Warrior Games from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is a profile of one of those athletes, providing a behind-the-scenes look at who they are and the sport they will participate in.

  • Warrior Games selection camp concludes for AF

    More than 25 active-duty, retired and separated Airmen competed for a spot on the Air Force team in the 2012 Warrior Games during a selection camp March 25-30 here.The Warrior Games, now in its third year, was designed to introduce disabled veterans to Paralympic sports. The Airmen selected for the

  • Warrior Games set to start

    The 3rd Annual Warrior Games begins Monday, April 30 - May 5 at the Air Force Academy and Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Wounded, ill and injured servicemen and women from the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard will participate in the Warrior Games, which is hosted by

  • Warrior Games team completes training, ready to compete

    Members of the Air Force team competing in the inaugural Warrior Games here completed their final week of training May 7. The 17 wounded, ill and injured Air Force team members will compete against Soldiers, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and Sailors May 10 through 14. The teams will compete in a variety

  • Warrior Games to include pentathlon ultimate challenge

    The inaugural Warrior Games competition May 10 through 14 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., will feature individual and team events and an ultimate champion multi-sport challenge for a Chairman's Cup trophy. During a "DOD Live" bloggers roundtable May 6, Robert E. Moore

  • Warrior Games welcomes new faces

    For the second year, the Warrior Games has returned here, bringing competition among all branches of the military and Coast Guard, during a week-long series of sporting events. The Air Force Warrior Games team has seen many veterans return, but there are also many new faces joining them.These

  • Warrior Games: Wounded warrior overcomes adversity with archery

    Staff Sgt. Seth Pena, a highly decorated tactical air control party member, noted for calling in coordinated close support air strikes that killed up to 70 Taliban members in one fight, sat down with a crossbow draped across his lap and a target 25 meters in front of him, reminiscing about the night

  • Warrior medics deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom

    More than 80 Airmen from the 59th Medical Wing deployed Sept. 4, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.Deploying personnel bid their families farewell early in the morning in the Wilford Hall Medical Center auditorium before beginning their journey. This deployment is one of several that will occur

  • Warrior Profile: Lt. Col. Audra Lyons

    Lt. Col. Audra Lyons, Headquarters Air Force branch chief of policy integration, joined the Air Force June 26, 1997. She attended the Air Force Academy, graduated in 2001, and got married the next day.

  • Warrior spirit restores stolen Christmas

    Christmas spirit was stolen away from a deployed Airman serving in Afghanistan when his home in south Florida was burglarized and all of his kids' Christmas presents taken from beneath the tree days before Christmas.As a combat-search-and-rescue helicopter crew chief, Staff Sgt. Kristopher

  • 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."

  • Warriors for a day

    More than 200 children received their official tasking and prepared for a mock deployment at Hangar 1here Oct. 24. The day-long deployment began with the young warriors in-processing and picking up their air and space expeditionary force cards, helmets and web belts. Immediately after suiting up,

  • Warriors unite through community networks

    AFW2 community programs connect warriors to local events, activities and resources within the 46,000 veteran service organizations located nationwide. The team utilizes social media platforms to connect with veteran service organizations and obtain vital information, which they streamline and share

  • Warriors with mild to moderate injuries stay near the fight

    Warriors wounded in war with mild to moderate injuries are being sent to the 379th Expeditionary Medical Group where they can be treated, recover and returned to duty. There are seven nurses on staff, which includes three intensive care unit nurses, who deal with a lot of different injuries or

  • Wars, people, balancing risk top chairman's 2011 guidance

    The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's guidance for 2011 charts the way forward in America's wars, in improving the health of the force and in balancing global risks.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen's 2011 guidance was released Jan. 15, relaying the admiral's priorities and strategic objectives for the

  • Wartime heirloom returned to family

    Sixty years of history came full circle this week when an airman here returned a Japanese flag to the family of its original owner. The flag was carried into battle by a Japanese soldier during World War II.Col. Donald Weckhorst, commander of the 605th Air Operations Group at 5th Air Force

  • Wartime medical innovation saves lives at home

    In January, the Food and Drug Administration approved the REBOA catheter, or resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta. The REBOA is a device that’s inserted into a hemorrhaging vessel and stops or slows blood flow to that injury, while allowing blood flow to continue to other body

  • Wash day

    Staff Sgt. Michael Mariner washes down an F-15E Strike Eagle on April 5 to reduce the dust and dirt on the aircraft. Mariner is a crew chief with the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing at a forward-deployed location supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Terry L.

  • Washington Air Guard analyzes imagery after Hurricane Michael

    Airmen from the Washington Air National Guard’s 194th Intelligence Squadron are growing their skillset and learning new ways of operating as they support Georgia in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. The squadron recently took on a new capability: Unclassified Processing Assessment and

  • Washington Guard mobilized for snow removal

    The Washington National Guard officials plan to mobilize up to 200 citizen Soldiers and Airmen over the next few days in response to record snow fall in the Spokane area. Their mission starting Jan. 7 will focus on removing snow, which has accumulated on the roofs of area schools. "The unprecedented