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  • Carter: Nuclear triad needs investment for future

    All three legs of the nuclear triad operate with a high degree of readiness, reliability and excellence, but the aging systems need more investment for the future, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Sept. 27 at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico.

  • Competitive career opportunities exist via officer crossflow program

    One of today’s opportunities for officers to broaden career options comes from the nonrated line officer crossflow program, which currently has openings for officers on active duty in certain career fields to volunteer for retraining into undermanned career fields.

  • Performance wing team researches human-machine trust

    A research team in the 711th Human Performance Wing’s Airman Systems Directorate at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, focuses on how humans make reliance decisions with technology or, in other words, how humans develop, maintain and lose trust.

  • 4-star returns to 1st assignment for WiSE keynote address

    The Air Force’s third-ever female four-star general returned to her first assignment to deliver keynote remarks at the Air Force Technical Applications Center’s (AFTAC) Women in Science and Engineering Symposium (WiSE) Sept. 7.Gen. Ellen M. Pawlikowski, commander of Air Force Materiel Command,

  • Carlisle: F-35A is fusion warfare key component

    During a panel session at the Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, Sept. 20, F-35A Lightning II senior leadership discussed the future of the multi-role aircraft.

  • Reserve commander discusses shaping the force for the future

    Lt. Gen. Maryanne Miller, the Air Force Reserve Command commander and chief of the Air Force Reserve, said the legacy of citizen Airmen of the past helped strengthen and shape the dynamic force that serves and defends the nation today during a session at the Air Force Association Air, Space and

  • B-21: Modernizing the bomber fleet

    Following the Air Force secretary’s announcement that the new long-range strike bomber would be called the B-21 Raider, Gen. Robin Rand, the Air Force Global Strike Command commander, said during a session at the Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference Sept. 19 the name brought the

  • Meston 2, Cancer 0

    In the summer of 2014 Staff Sgt. Ryan Meston, space system operator with the 4th Space Control Squadron at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, went through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation for testicular cancer. He was in remission and things were looking good.During a follow up visit in early

  • Civil Air Patrol honored for 75 years of service

    The Civil Air Patrol received the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award during the Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, Sept. 20 in honor of their 75th anniversary.

  • Getting to know the 12 OAY

    In August, Air Force officials selected the service's top enlisted members, naming the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2016.

  • 20th Air Force Marathon a huge success

    After a 30-minute weather delay, over 15,000 runners, walkers and spectators from all 50 states and many foreign countries gathered Sept. 17 to take part in the 20th annual U.S. Air Force Marathon at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohioj.

  • New faces of the Air Force

    As the Air Force turns a year older Sept. 18, some of the newest members of the service were asked earlier this month on their basic training graduation day why they decided to be part of the world’s greatest airpower team. Here’s what they had to say.

  • PACAF civil engineers improve airfield repair skills

    Civil engineer squadrons from Kadena, Yokota and Misawa Air Bases teamed up here with the Air Force Civil Engineer Center to conduct training for the new Rapid Airfield Damage Repair technique Sept. 12-15.

  • DOD makes prescription drug disposal easy for beneficiaries

    Defense Department health care beneficiaries can now safely and easily dispose of expired and unused medications by bringing them to a military treatment facility or, in some cases, picking up a mailing envelope from the installation to send for destruction of the medications free of charge, Dr.

  • Standing vigilant from the top of the world

    Stretching from the confines of Thule Air Base, Greenland, the northernmost U.S. military installation hundreds of miles above the Arctic Circle, a dirt road trails steadily upward and to the northwest. Following the road for about a dozen miles across sparse, barren tundra resembling a moonscape

  • AFCENT briefs OIR effort in fight against ISIL

    With significant progress and momentum in the U.S.-led coalition’s fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the enemy will try to challenge the coalition in Mosul, Iraq, and Raqqa, Syria, the commander of Operation Inherent Resolve’s combined force air component told reporters today.

  • Around the Air Force: Sept. 13

    On this look around the Air Force combined U.S. and South Korean forces conducted a display of airpower and Airmen in Bulgaria participated in a new joint NATO air policing operation.

  • AFRL discovering what’s “bugging” military aircraft

    As any aircraft maintainer can attest, corrosion is a major factor affecting the overall health of military aircraft. Anything from changing temperatures to environmental factors can precipitate corrosion. One major contributor, however, is often overlooked -- microbes.

  • New course allows pararescuemen to develop as leaders, obtain certification

    It takes countless years of education, multiple deployments and temporary duty assignments to become a pararescue team leader. The 68th Rescue Flight recently implemented the Combat Leaders Course, a 65-day course for 10 pararescuemen in which they develop their leadership abilities while obtaining

  • Career Intermission Program provides hiatus from active-duty AF

    A year ago, Capt. Katie Evans, a personnel officer, had two choices: leave active duty to pursue full-time parenthood and hope to return some day, or apply for the new Career Intermission Program which would allow her to leave the service for a few years with a guaranteed return to active duty. CIP

  • Around the Air Force: Sept. 2

    On this look around the Air Force, the KC-135 Stratotanker celebrates 60 years of service, a new KC-46A Pegasus training center opens its doors, and a preview of this month's Airman magazine is available.

  • General gives KC-46A progress report at symposium

    Brig. Gen. Duke Richardson, the Air Force program executive officer for tankers, delivered a comprehensive progress report on the KC-46A Pegasus Aug. 23 at the 11th annual Tinker and the Primes Requirements Symposium in Midwest City, Oklahoma.

  • Misawa Airmen medically assist Sri Lankans during Pacific Angel

    Patient care is crucial in a country with minimal accessibility to hospitals due to lengthy commutes and no means to travel to these locations. Operation Pacific Angel 16-3 had two health services operation sites in Sri Lanka to better enable local nationals in remote areas the opportunity to

  • Every Airman plays a role in suicide prevention

    The Air Force is determined to prevent suicide, but an Airman doesn’t need to be a specialist or doctor to do that. Sometimes all it takes is starting a conversation. Everyone has a role to play. That’s a key part of the Defense Department’s #BeThere campaign, which encourages making a difference

  • Colorado stands in for Afghanistan during pilot training

    The 81st Fighter Squadron from Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, spent two weeks at Peterson AFB training six Afghan Air Force pilots to fly A-29 Super Tucano. The pilots are participating in a program that began in 2015 and will ultimately train 30 pilots and 90 maintainers through 2018. Most training

  • Air Force celebrates 60 years of the KC-135

    The Air Force celebrated the 60th birthday of the KC-135 Stratotanker Aug. 31. The first Stratotanker flew in August of 1956 and was later delivered to the Air Force in June 1957.

  • Around the Air Force: Aug. 30

    On this look around the Air Force, the enlisted remotely piloted aircraft program opens to all career fields, the Air Force is making the upgrade to Windows 10, and the Air Force officially welcomes its new vice chief of staff.

  • Worth the weight: Airman finds solace in gym sessions

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series. These stories focus on individual Airmen, highlighting their Air Force story.) With her brow furrowed and teeth clenched as muscles in her body tense up, the dissonant sounds of metallic ringing, determined grunting and echoed overhead

  • First AF reservist assumes role as AF assistant vice chief

    Lt. Gen. Stayce D. Harris received her new rank during a promotion ceremony Aug. 26 at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Former Women Airforce Service Pilot Pauline Cutler-White and retired Col. Charles McGee, one of the original Tuskegee Airmen, helped pin on the new rank. Harris is the Air Force's

  • Fueling the future: AF works to ‘home-grow’ biofuels for DOD, industry

    A need to address increases in petroleum costs with an environmentally friendly fuel source has led to a new way of looking at production—and the Defense Production Act Title III Program Office, part of the Air Force Research Laboratory, is playing a critical role in commercializing this technology.

  • F-35 surges forward with record-breaking weapons tests

    The F-35 Integrated Test Force at Edwards Air Force Base, California, recently completed 25 missions comprised of 12 weapons delivery accuracy and 13 weapon separation tests as part of a monthlong weapons firing test surge.

  • J-model shows why it’s king in recent rescue

    When the phone rings and lives are on the line, rescue Airmen understand that at a moment’s notice they need to be in the air and prepared to do the mission. On Aug. 19 that call came.

  • AF opens enlisted RPA pilot program to all AFSCs

    Using a phased-application approach, Air Force senior leaders are casting a wider net to ensure more active-duty enlisted Airmen are eligible to apply for the service’s RQ-4 Global Hawk remotely piloted aircraft program, a Pentagon official said Aug. 29.

  • WWII aviator returns to Guam after 71 years, gets unexpected surprise

    The year was 1945 during the tail end of World War II. The sound of roaring aircraft engines and boots on the ground filled the air, raising decibel levels to resounding heights. For Rowland Ball, now 91, the sounds became familiar and today serve as a nostalgic reminder of his time as a B-29

  • Former AFMC commander talks innovation, third offset

    Innovation and the nation’s third offset strategy were topics brought forth by retired Gen. Gregory S. Martin, a former commander of Air Force Materiel Command, as he spoke with service members at Edwards Air Force Base, California, Aug. 24.

  • Open architecture bringing benefits to Air Force DCGS

    A battle management team is working to improve capabilities for warfighters who process and disseminate intelligence information. The Air Force Distributed Common Ground System is the Air Force’s key system for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information. There are dozens of DCGS sites

  • Research analysts develop F-22 efficiency tool

    Operations research analysts assigned to the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s operations research team at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, were recently recognized by the Military Operations Research Society for developing the F-22 master plan scheduling tool, which is credited with

  • AF selects 16,506 for promotion to staff sergeant

    Out of the 39,064 eligible senior airmen, 16,506 were selected for promotion to staff sergeant, Air Force officials announced Aug. 25. The overall selection rate was 42.25 percent, with an average selectee overall score of 360.88. Officials selected 2,318 Airmen with a promote now recommendation for

  • Newly activated unit guides transient aircraft on joint missions

    Any aircraft that flies into Pope Army Airfield, Col. Kelly Holbert will know about it. But Holbert’s unit, the 43rd Air Mobility Operations Group, has no aircraft of its own. As the only en route operations group in the continental U.S., the unit manages transient aircraft and the joint missions

  • Enhancing partnerships through joint education

    About 20 U.S. and international junior enlisted members participated in the first U.S.-led Pacific Rim Junior Enlisted Leadership Forum at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Aug. 8-12.

  • Airman teaches Marines combat survival skills

    It’s not every day that an Airman gets to experience firsthand what it means to “train like a Marine,” let alone teach them a few skills of his own. Senior Airman Ronnie Perez, a 460th Medical Operations Squadron medical technician, recently joined 35 Marines from Company A, Marine Cryptologic

  • Airmen assist in Arizona highway rescue

    High winds and dust whipped the uniforms of two Airmen as they attempted to rescue a woman trapped in the cab of her semitractor-trailer. One of them applied his might to the piece of metal that kept the woman confined to her vehicle while the other held the door while trying to guide her down the

  • Windows 10 to deploy across AF

    The Air Force is slated to upgrade to Windows 10 during the next couple years to improve the Air Force’s cybersecurity posture, lower the cost of information technology and streamline the IT operating environment.

  • AF to reduce additional duties

    In a memorandum to Airmen released Aug. 19, Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein announced the service has established a task force titled “Airmen’s Time,” charged with streamlining, and in some cases eliminating, additional duties.

  • Air Force aims to hasten foreign military sales process

    In remarks at the State Department’s Foreign Press Center in New York Aug. 17, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James outlined the Air Force’s multifaceted approach to expedite the service’s portion of the foreign military sales process.

  • Moody Airman's innovation 'triggers' AF-level change

    One innovative Airman at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, used attention to detail paired with problem solving skills to remove unnecessary and costly stages of maintenance that will save the Air Force money, resources and manpower.

  • Around the Air Force: Aug. 16

    In this look around the Air Force, the KC-46A Pegasus has been approved for production, the Air Force is looking to create new F-16 Fighting Falcon training squadrons, and enlisted Airmen pursue medical degrees through the Enlisted to Medical Degree Preparatory Program.

  • Goldfein talks air coalition ops during CENTCOM region visit

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein recently visited the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility to get a sense of not only how the campaign is going as a member of the joint chiefs but also to get an understanding of how he can better support Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and

  • An AF first for aircraft research, development

    For the first time the Air Force has a means to conduct airworthiness assessments on non-Defense Department military type aircraft. This process enables the Air Force to gain a much deeper understanding of the state of civil aviation, while providing industry with an expert, independent evaluation

  • AF awards replacement firefighting foam contract

    The Air Force has awarded a $6.2 million contract to replace firefighting foam used in fire vehicles with an environmentally responsible foam to reduce the risk of possible contamination of soil and groundwater.

  • Around the Air Force: Aug. 12

    On this look around the Air Force, the secretary of the Air Force and chief of staff of the Air Force discuss the budget and operations during the State of the Air Force; the B-1B Lancer, B-2 Spirit and B-52 Straotofortress make history in Guam; and U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa

  • RPA pilots set to receive $35,000 annual bonus

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James announced an increase to the service’s remotely piloted aircraft pilot bonus Aug. 10 in a multi-pronged approach to increase RPA manning and incentivize RPA pilots within a community that has operated at surge capacity for more than 10 years.

  • Archaeologists discover proof of wetlands, ancient life on Utah range

    A team of archaeologists recently working on the Utah Test and Training Range under the direction of the Hill Air Force Base Cultural Resource Program discovered a 12,300-year-old hearth -- an archaeological "feature" -- and artifacts, which tell the story of North America's earliest inhabitants and

  • MacDill Airman competes in ultramarathons

    Inspiration for the modern marathon, a 26.2-mile race, stems from military origins. Legend tells of a Greek soldier who ran from Marathon to Athens to deliver news of the defeated Persian army. More than two millennia later, one Airman at MacDill Air Force Base is writing his own story.

  • New AF violence prevention specialists training begins

    Representatives from the major commands and more than 30 Air Force installations attended training at Dobbins Air Reserve Base July 18-29 to become violence prevention specialists. The Specialists for the Primary Prevention of Violence is being set up as a new helping agency for Airmen and their

  • Tankers enable long-range bomber capability during Polar Roar

    Mobility Airmen play a vital role in deterrence and stand ready to operate in support of global operations at a moment’s notice. Air Mobility Command Airmen, 15 KC-135 Stratotankers and 10 KC-10 Extenders enabled Air Force Global Strike Command B-52 Stratofortresses and B-2 Spirits to sustain air

  • Around the Air Force: Aug. 5

    On this look around the Air Force, B-1B Lancers deploy to Guam; a new issue of Airman magazine is out and features U-2 pilots; and in Germany, seven nations participated in International Jump Week.

  • Leader training on Blended Retirement System available via mobile app

    The online Blended Retirement System leader course, released in June, is designed to educate leaders on the new retirement system. The training provides both military and civilian leaders of Airmen with a working knowledge of the BRS and the Defense Department plan to educate the force prior to

  • Some IDs may be invalid starting Aug. 15

    Individuals will no longer be able to access Air Force installations with a state-issued identification card or driver’s license from Minnesota, Missouri, Washington or American Samoa beginning Aug. 15.

  • Flat Stanleys deploy from McConnell

    It was early in the morning when they got the call to deploy. Once aboard a KC-135 Stratotanker, they began their 8,000-mile expedition. It was 110 degrees when they landed in the hot and dusty country, and their journey had only just begun, the aircrew said. The paper dolls, also known as Flat

  • Repair Network Integration helps build a better repair network

    During periods where mission generation needs exceed local maintenance capabilities, backshops have historically relied on informal contacts and processes to increase capacity. Repair Network Integration, however, offers a single point of contact to help maintenance backshops explore all available

  • Airman trains to be better in the long run

    Staff Sgt. Benjamin Glenn is a 352nd Special Operations Maintenance Squadron CV-22 Osprey crew chief and a dedicated runner. He’s running half and full marathons in elite-level times, and the Air Force Special Operations Command chose him to represent the command in this year’s Air Force Marathon in

  • Compass Call receives navigation upgrade

    Since it became operational, the EC-130H Compass Call has demonstrated its electronic combat power in tactical air operations around the world, and this year the aircraft has achieved another first. The aircraft has received an avionic viability program upgrade to make it more effective in combat

  • AF duo key to Army medical aid in Honduras

    Medical readiness training exercises, military partnership engagements and mobile surgical team deployments have been the backbone of Joint Task Force-Bravo’s humanitarian mission in Central America for the past 23 years and have touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, built partner