June 26, 2014 Moody selected as preferred alternative for potential stateside Afghan training location Air Force officials announced June 25, Moody Air Force Base, Ga, was selected as the preferred alternative for the A-29 potential stateside Afghan training location, with Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, and Shaw Air Force Base, SC, being reasonable alternatives
June 24, 2014 Air Force Art Program highlights Reserve Airmen Lt. Gen. James Jackson, the chief of Air Force Reserve, and Maj. Warren Neary, the Air Force Space Command historian, presented two pieces of art depicting Reserve Airmen in operational roles to Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, June 20.
June 24, 2014 NCO uses humor during life-threatening battle with cancer Master Sgt. Sean Arnold takes most things in stride, even being diagnosed with testicular cancer. The 60th Operations Group resource manager said he's "not even remotely shy about this," cracking jokes and making puns about the life-threatening battle he's faced during the past 19 months in the most
June 23, 2014 AF builds partnership with Baltic states Airmen from the 435th Contingency Response Group arrived at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia June 16, to participate in the Air Force-specific portion of Saber Strike 2014.
June 22, 2014 U.S. conducts successful missile intercept test in Pacific The U.S. military today successfully intercepted an intermediate-range ballistic missile test target launched from the U.S. Army’s Reagan Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, according to a Defense Department news release issued today.
June 20, 2014 Airmen repair runway in Afghanistan Airmen from the 455th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron and the 577th Expeditionary Prime Base Engineer Squadron completed flightline repairs to the main runway here June 9.
June 20, 2014 Revamped weapon school program takes flight The U.S. Air Force Weapons School recently unleashed the next stage of its newly revamped graduate program.
June 19, 2014 'Workhorse' becomes first F-35 to achieve 1,000 flight hours AF-2, the second production F-35 Lightning II for the Air Force, became the first F-35 to reach 1,000 flight hours June 11.
June 19, 2014 Global Strike, local university team to develop new bomber defensive systems Air Force Global Strike Command and Louisiana Tech University recently signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement which will allow the two to work together to develop new defensive systems for the bomber fleet based on nanoengineered graphene.
June 19, 2014 EOD Airmen educate Congress on mission Military explosive ordnance disposal technicians and their civilian counterparts gathered on Capitol Hill June 11, to educate members of Congress about their mission and capabilities during EOD Day on the Hill.
June 19, 2014 ANG, Army test earthquake response More than 100 members of the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group and the U.S. Army’s 688th Rapid Port Opening Element deployed here June 16-19 for an exercise that will test their ability to respond to a major earthquake along the New Madrid Seismic Zone.The exercise,
June 18, 2014 Air Force ready if called upon for Iraq The Air Force is fully engaged in planning efforts to provide options for the situation in Iraq and is ready to provide its capabilities if necessary, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said here June 17.
June 18, 2014 SecAF: Total force readiness has atrophied While elements of the Air Force are always prepared to meet the country's readiness needs, total force readiness has deteriorated, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James told the Defense Writers Group here June 18.
June 18, 2014 Afghan air force learns self-sustaining casualty evacuation care The flightline is filled with aircrew and C-130 Hercules engines are starting up for another Afghan air force casualty evacuation mission.Within two years, the Afghan air force has made significant improvements to their casualty evacuation capabilities...
June 17, 2014 Westover airlifts 26 tons of aid to Nicaragua A training mission doubled as a humanitarian relief effort for Reserve Airmen from the 439th Airlift Wing, Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts, as 13 Airmen delivered 26 tons of cargo to Augusto Cesar Sandino International Airport, Nicaragua, June 10.
June 17, 2014 Air Force C-130s land at Lielvarde AB for the first time Three U.S. Air Force C-130J Hercules from the 37th Airlift Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, landed on Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia, June 17, making them the first U.S. Air Force aircraft to land at the newly renovated installation.
June 16, 2014 Airmen rescue injured mountain climber Two Airmen from the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord risked their lives to rescue an injured climber from Mount Rainier May 28.
June 16, 2014 African Partnership Flight takes off in Senegal More than 40 U.S. Air Force Airmen arrived June 16 to participate in African Partnership Flight, co-hosted by Senegal and the U.S.
June 16, 2014 Enlisted pilots honored during ceremony The military's sergeant pilots, enlisted aviators who served from 1912-1957, were honored during a monument unveiling and dedication at Maxwell-Gunter's Enlisted Heritage Hall June 9.Nearly 14 years in the making, the monument depicts Corporal Vernon L. Burge, the Army Signal Corps' first enlisted
June 14, 2014 DOD, AF leaders look to F-35 maintainers for help The Pentagon will continue to seek aircraft maintainer suggestions and industry partner investments to reduce operating and sustainment costs by 10 to 20 percent as F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter improvements develop, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics
June 12, 2014 Whiteman B-2s train in UK Two B-2 Spirits flew to the U.S. European Command area of operations June 8 to train and integrate with U.S. and allied military forces in the region.
June 11, 2014 Airmen, Sailors build Navy mines for B-1 deployment Ellsworth Airmen partnered with several U.S. Navy minesmen June 2 through 7 during a joint training mission to exercise the B-1B Lancer's capabilities in deploying Navy mines.The 28th Munitions Squadron members teamed up with midshipmen from the Naval Munitions Command Seal Beach for the first time
June 10, 2014 Airman recognized as DOD Language Professional of the Year Tech. Sgt. Brandi Fast of the 25th Intelligence Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla., is the Defense Department's 2013 Language Professional of the Year.
June 10, 2014 1st Space Ops assumes space surveillance mission The 1st Space Operations Squadron at Schriever AFB, Colorado, will assume command and control of the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) this summer. The satellites are a space-based capability that will operate in the near-geosynchronous orbit regime supporting U.S. Strategic
June 9, 2014 RPA community launches 65th combat air patrol The Remotely Piloted Aircraft enterprise reached new heights as the community pulled together to launch the 65th combat air patrol, or CAP, on May 28.
June 5, 2014 Aviano F-16 crews train with international JTACs F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 31st Fighter Wing are conducting close air support training missions this week during Exercise ADRIATIC STRIKE in Postojna, Slovenia.
June 5, 2014 WWII vet gives final salute to friend, lifesaver June 6, 1944, was a day forever marked in history books as D-Day, the invasion of Normandy, France. There are many tales of heroism from that particular day, but one account has surfaced regarding the day after the initial invasion, about a Soldier's search for the man who saved his life.
June 5, 2014 Space fence contract awarded The Air Force awarded a $914,699,474 contract to Lockheed Martin on June 2, 2014 to develop a system that will track objects in Earth's orbit with far greater confidence and fidelity.
June 4, 2014 The End of an Era: 376th Air Expeditionary Wing inactivation ceremony Airmen gathered in front of the headquarters building for an inactivation ceremony June 3, for the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing as part of the overall Transit Center at Manas closure.
June 4, 2014 AF Museum breaks ground on $35.4M expansion The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force broke ground today on a new $35.4 million building that will house aircraft from the museum's Presidential, Research and Development (R&D) and Global Reach collection, as well as a new and expanded Space Gallery.
June 2, 2014 Ramstein Airmen rekindle piece of D-Day history Seventy years ago, young men from the 37th Troop Carrier Squadron at RAF Cottesmore, England, prepared their aircraft and themselves for what would soon be known as one of the most significant and meaningful days in the history of the world...D-Day.
June 2, 2014 Eglin welcomes final F-35A The 58th Fighter Squadron became the Air Force's first complete F-35A Lightning II squadron after they welcomed their 26th and final F-35A May 28 at the 33rd Fighter Wing, here.
June 2, 2014 Battlefield Airborne Communications Node ensures warfighter connectivity Three recent achievements demonstrate how a critical communications capability managed here is continuing to keep warfighters connected. The Battlefield Airborne Communications Node, or BACN, translates and distributes imagery, video, voice and data, often from disparate elements, improving
May 30, 2014 AETC office supports AF medical training mission Medical education in the Air Force experienced a transformation six years ago with the establishment of Air Force Medical Modeling and Simulation Training, or AFMMAST.
May 30, 2014 Allied air forces paved way for D-Day The mention of "D-Day" conjures iconic images of men storming a beach riddled with barbed wire, smoke and craters created by German mortar batteries; of men advancing toward machine gun nests and acts of heroism as they made their way inland to secure a foothold in mainland Europe.
May 29, 2014 Israelis, U.S. complete Juniper Cobra 14 medical evacuation exercise During a simulated life-or-death scenario, U.S. and Israeli medical teams completed a medical evacuation exercise May 20 throughout Israel.
May 29, 2014 U.S., Romania conduct joint training, build partnership Airmen and Soldiers participated in Carpathian Spring 2014, May 9-23, in Bucharest, Romania.
May 28, 2014 Biden to Class of 2014: 'You carry America on your back' The Air Force Academy's Class of 2014 will face new missions as the United States draws down in Afghanistan, but the challenges they encounter will be no less formidable and complex, Vice President Joseph R. Biden said during the Academy's commencement May 28.
May 28, 2014 Wrenches to wings: munitions maintainer becomes F-15C pilot Second Lt. Kyle Wheeler once prepared weapons for the F-15C Eagle as an munitions maintenance operator. After earning his commission, Wheeler is in the initial stages to climb into the cockpit and drop the weapons he once delivered.
May 27, 2014 Combat Hammer 2014: Boosting RPA strike proficiency Airmen from the 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing and the air-to-ground weapons system evaluation program, or WSEP, team participated in the 2014 Combat Hammer exercise May 12-15, to operationally assess and evaluate the reliability, maintainability, suitability, and accuracy of remotely
May 23, 2014 Brothers jump together for first time In southwest Germany, half way across the world from where they grew up, two brothers had the opportunity of a lifetime.
May 23, 2014 Global Strike validates conventional, nuclear missions Air Force Global Strike Command validated the command's ability to support its conventional and nuclear missions while simultaneously participating in two exercises May 12-20.
May 22, 2014 DOD sends UAV, 80 Airmen to help Nigerian search The Defense Department's addition of an unmanned aerial vehicle and 80 Air Force troops to U.S. efforts supporting Nigeria's search for over 200 missing schoolgirls has turned the mission into an air operation. The UAV system and Air Force personnel were deployed not to Nigeria but to neighboring
May 22, 2014 USecAF touts Air Force capabilities at 30th Space Symposium At an annual gathering of civil, military and industry professionals from across the globe, Under Secretary of the Air Force Eric Fanning emphasized Air Force contributions through space and cyberspace. Fanning was the featured keynote speaker during the 30th Space Symposium dinner May 20 in
May 22, 2014 Airmen showcase air drop skills over Baltics Over a four-day span, May 17 through 21, a five-man team from Ramstein assisted in air drops of more than 350 personnel into Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia
May 22, 2014 B-1B crews validate Ellsworth's long-range strike capability Two B-1B Lancer aircrews flew a 30-hour, non-stop, long-range precision strike training mission from Ellsworth to strike targets on a range near Guam before landing back on base as part of a Global Power training mission, May 13 and 14.
May 21, 2014 Technology offers more ‘face time’ with commanders New advances in digital technology now allow commanders to speak directly to Airmen, despite geographical separation. The Global Content Delivery Service, or GCDS, is a real-time video moderated forum, which enables Airmen to ask questions, receive information and engage in face-to-face
May 20, 2014 Cancer survivor becomes pilot for a day John Austin survived infant leukemia, seven surgeries, chemotherapy, respiratory failure and dozens of blood transfusions. Thanks to the 58th Airlift Squadron, he can now add Air Force pilot to that list.
May 19, 2014 Airmen view ‘real toxins’ during Homeland Security training Airmen from the 182nd Airlift Wing’s CBRNE Enhanced Response Force Packages, CERFP unit, a team of Illinois National Guard Airmen and Soldiers, ocate and rescue victims in contaminated locations.
May 19, 2014 AF senior leader: more Air Force needed The one thing everyone wants, and needs, is more Air Force, Undersecretary of the Air Force Eric Fanning told Airmen during a town-hall meeting and members of the Fifth Annual National Summit on Strategic Communications at the Washington Plaza Hotel recently.
May 19, 2014 GPS IIF-6 successfully launched from Cape Canaveral The Air Force successfully launched the sixth Global Positioning System IIF satellite from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., May 16.
May 19, 2014 Premium DOD exercise hones special operations skills More than 1,500 Special Operations Forces from around the services participated in Emerald Warrior, a two-week joint service, inter-agency and partner nation exercise that concluded May 9 at Hurlburt Field, Florida.
May 19, 2014 Up in Smoak: Cannon static takes veteran down memory lane Air Force veteran Cameron Smoak was reunited with an F-111A Aardvark airframe he crewed during his service, after his son was sent to Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, and discovered the aircraft on display.
May 16, 2014 Colorado ANG, Jordan: 10 years of brotherhood When Airmen from the Colorado Air National Guard's 140th Wing arrived May 11 as judges for exercise Eager Tiger, it marked the reunion of a partnership 10 years in the making.
May 16, 2014 Israeli, American armed forces prepare for bilateral exercise More than 200 service members from both nations’ militaries conducted an opening ceremony May 15 at Hatzor Air Base, Israel, in advance of an exercise aimed at improving the combined defense capabilities and the overall interoperability of U.S. European Command and the Israel Defense Forces.
May 15, 2014 DOD shows science, technology success despite hard year for workforce Despite a year of workforce furloughs and dwindling budgets, the Defense Department’s science and technology enterprise reports advances ranging from a full hypersonic weapon system and high-energy lasers to light-based brain treatments and new core capabilities in cyber warfare, senior DOD
May 15, 2014 Polish military decorates AF special ops civilian The Polish Armed Forces awarded one of its highest military decorations May 6 to an Air Force Special Operations Command civilian. Roy Vaughn, an AFSOC exercise planner, received the Polish Armed Forces Medal during a ceremony in Warsaw, Poland. Vaughn played a major role in training PAF to operate
May 14, 2014 Forward, Ready, Now: US Airmen train with Nordic nations The U.S. called upon the 48th Fighter Wing to participate in a quick-response, cross-border, training exercise out of Bodo Main Air Station, Norway, May 6-8.
May 14, 2014 Air Force egress “godfather” visits Seymour Johnson egress technicians The 4th Component Maintenance Squadron egress shop recently welcomed a historical visitor to their workplace.
May 13, 2014 Exercise Eager Tiger 2014 off to a roaring start Exercise Eager Tiger 2014 officially kicked off May 11 at an air base in northern Jordan, bringing together U.S. and Jordanian military forces and giving them the chance to participate in friendly competitions while expressing their commitment to regional security and stability.
May 13, 2014 Civil engineer Reservists train while building homes Reservists from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. assisted in constructing homes for the Navaho Nation, during Operation Homefront, operated by the Southwest Indian Foundation.
May 12, 2014 Mental health: Essential to comprehensive fitness As Airmen begin to return from more than a decade of combat in the Middle East, and cope with the perils of war, distinguishing mental health clinics as valuable resources rather than detrimental career-enders is paramount.
May 12, 2014 Airmen part of international jump week From May 4-9 a total of 97 foreign and allied partners tested, built and strengthened partnerships during International Jump Week alongside American Airmen and Soldiers in the skies over Ramstein.
May 9, 2014 Tacoma Airman killed in Laos 44 years ago finally home After having been missing for more than 44 years, the remains of Air Force Capt. Douglas D. Ferguson, who was killed when his F-4D Phantom aircraft was shot down over Laos in 1969, returned home May 1 in Lakewood, Washington.
May 9, 2014 Oklahoma air support unit trains on advanced combat simulator Members of the Oklahoma Air National Guard's 146th Air Support Operations Squadron at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, recently started training on the first simulator designed specifically for their mission.
May 8, 2014 President lands at Little Rock AFB to view Arkansas tornado damage President Barack Obama landed at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, May 6, to tour the local communities damaged by the April 27 tornado.
May 8, 2014 Airman sings with country star during salute to troops Staff Sgt. Baily Zimmerman sang with recording artist Kellie Pickler April 7 during the taping of Academy of Country Music Presents: An All-Star Salute to the Troops.
May 8, 2014 DDR design poised to serve as open systems architecture pathfinder The Air Force's Dismount Detection Radar, or DDR, pod underwent its first test flight above the Mojave Airport Civilian Flight Test Center in California, April 22.
May 8, 2014 DOD values civilian employees’ contributions The Defense Department greatly appreciates the contributions of its civilian employees as it works toward achieving more efficiency across the workforce, a senior personnel official told a Senate homeland security and governmental affairs panel May 6.
May 7, 2014 Coalition forces aid in humanitarian efforts A team of coalition forces assisted the Afghan government with humanitarian efforts in the Badakhshan province this week.
May 6, 2014 CSAF describes Air Force’s ‘precarious’ position After 23 years of high-tempo operations, the Air Force is in a precarious position, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III told the Senate Armed Services Committee May 6.
May 6, 2014 Eyes in the sky Security Forces Airmen at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, aim to enhance comprehensive base safety and security through its Small Unmanned Aircraft System, or SUAS, program.
May 6, 2014 Tablet technology to aid maintenance Airmen A 10-member pilot test team assigned to Air Combat Command’s directorate of logistics set up shop at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., April 28, to work with 20th Maintenance Group Airmen testing the use of iPads to view maintenance technical orders.
May 5, 2014 SecAF visits Airmen at Pease Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James visited here to meet with Airmen and senior leaders of the New Hampshire Air National Guard, the 64th Air Refueling Squadron, as well as New Hampshire state representatives May 2.
May 5, 2014 Academy beats Army, Navy as most innovative An Air Force Academy team bested the two other service academies in the first competition to design the most innovative project to address warfighter challenges. Sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the research-driven competition featured three teams from USAFA, the U.S.
May 5, 2014 SecAF, AFRC commander visit Westover ARB The 439th Airlift Wing hosted Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Lt. Gen. James Jackson, the chief of Air Force Reserve, May 2.
May 5, 2014 Guardian angels conduct rescue mission off coast of Mexico Airmen from the 563rd Rescue Group responded to a rescue mission May 2, after being notified of a Venezuelan fishing boat 1,100 nautical miles off the Pacific coast of Mexico with two critically injured Chinese sailors.
May 5, 2014 Knowledge Management Centers roll out Air Force-wide The Air Force revamped the Knowledge Management career-field, aiming to make its Airmen into some of the service’s top innovators working in newly established KM centers Air-Force-wide.
April 30, 2014 Air Force secretary reports on total force balance Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James yesterday outlined the service’s progress in leveraging the talent and capabilities of the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve within the total force concept.
April 30, 2014 CSAF promotes balance of stewardship, capability The Air Force chief of staff explored the proper force ratio between the service’s active duty and reserve components in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, April 29.
April 29, 2014 Legacy airframe and modern technology CONECT Air Force Global Strike Command took delivery of a significantly enhanced Boeing B-52H Stratofortress in a ceremony here, April 25.
April 28, 2014 Air Force tests new surveillance capability The Air Force successfully completed the first Maritime Modes program risk reduction flight April 14, 2014, as the service moves toward providing a new air-sea battle surveillance capability.
April 28, 2014 Joint Coalition roars through Max Thunder Airmen from the Department of Defense and Republic of Korea joined forces to showcase and exercise its air power during the 12th Max Thunder exercise at Gwangju Air Base, ROK, April 11-25, 2014.
April 28, 2014 Airmen advise Afghan air force Airmen from the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing/NATO Air Training Command - Afghanistan, are playing a vital role in Operation Enduring Freedom as advisers tasked with aiding the Afghan government in establishing an operational and sustainable Afghan air force.
April 25, 2014 95th Fighter Squadron declares initial operational capability The 95th Fighter Squadron here took another step toward an increased ability to protect global airpower, unit officials said.
April 25, 2014 SecAF visits Altus AFB, discusses priorities, future Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James visited here April 23, to get a firsthand look at the wing's mission, visit with Airmen and civic leaders, and learn the unique capabilities, key initiatives and attributes of Altus AFB.
April 25, 2014 Dyess AFB receives first C-130J simulator Dyess Air Force Base's new C-130J simulator ups annual training requirements by 88 percent tailored to maximize benefits for individual crews.
April 25, 2014 F-16s train alongside F-35s F-16s from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, flew air-to-air combat training missions with F-35As assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
April 24, 2014 AF top Airman gives insight to budget decisions “The demand for what the Air Force provides is on the rise; unfortunately, the supply is going in the other direction,” said Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, Air Force Chief of Staff.
April 24, 2014 Engine test facility upgrade improves exhaust handling efficiency There is an ongoing upgrade project for two of the intercoolers that aid in handling engine exhaust in the C-Plant Exhaust System at the Arnold Engineering Development Complex's engine test facility.
April 23, 2014 Altus, McConnell AFBs selected to receive KC-46A Pegasus aircraft Air Force officials announced April 23, that Altus Air Force Base, Okla., is the Air Force’s KC-46A Pegasus formal training unit and McConnell AFB, Kan., is the first active duty-led Pegasus main operating base.
April 22, 2014 Space Command leader calls for innovation amid budget cuts Innovation and cost-saving ideas will help ensure the Air Force keeps its warfighting readiness despite significant, ongoing budget cuts, said the commander of Air Force Space Command.
April 21, 2014 All in the family: California ANG brothers serve together "I really feel blessed to have both of them here with me during my first deployment overseas. I love the fact that we hang out, enjoy meals together, workout, and even joined the base Honor Guard together," said Senior Airman Walter Morales Talento.
April 17, 2014 Air Force researchers test Google Glass for battlefield use Researchers with the 711th Human Performance Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, are looking to make missions for Airmen a whole lot lighter and faster by testing Google Glass and its head-mounted optical see-through display technology, for potential battlefield use.
April 16, 2014 B-1B Lancer software upgrade will ensure future warfighting capabilities The Sustainment Block 16A configuration is expected to improve situational awareness to all crew members, increase the maintainability of the B-1B Lancer and provide data link capabilities to the field.
April 15, 2014 AF surgeon general aims to help cyber Airmen The Air Force surgeon general visited the 24th Air Force here, April 10, in an effort to learn about ways that the medical community can support cyber operators.
April 14, 2014 Air Force budget focuses on preserving capability, not aircraft The debate over force structure reductions outlined in the Air Force’s fiscal year 2015 budget should be about capabilities and missions, not aircraft, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III told the Senate here April 10.
April 11, 2014 AF leadership reinforces importance of nuclear mission on the Hill Air Force nuclear deterrence operations serve a central role in providing deterrence and maintaining stability in today’s increasingly complex national security environment.
April 11, 2014 DOD, AF science and technology leaders testify before Senate Kevin Gooder, the program integration division chief of the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for science, technology and engineering, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on emerging threats and capabilities April 8.
April 11, 2014 Surgeon general testifies before Senate on budget request The medical capabilities honed from 13 years of war must continue to expand for future needs, the three military surgeon generals’ told Senate Appropriations Committee’s subcommittee on defense April 9.