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  • Top ANG enlisted chief embraces 'one Air Force' concept

    Emphasizing the importance of embracing a “one Air Force” concept, Chief Master Sgt. James Hotaling, command chief master sergeant of the Air National Guard, addressed newly minted Air Force chief master sergeants attending the Air Force District of Washington Chief’s Orientation and Recognition

  • Unmanned QF-4 crashes near Holloman

    An unmanned QF-4 Aerial Target assigned to the 82nd Aerial Target Squadron here, crashed Feb. 7. The crash site is located inside the White Sands National Monument, which was closed in advance of the test mission.

  • POW receives medal seven decades later

    For a former U.S. Army Air Force veteran, a seven-decade long wait ended when Col. James C. Hodges, the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and 87th Air Base Wing commander here, presented the former prisoner of war the POW Medal for services during World War II, Jan. 27, 2014, in the presence of

  • Air Force introduces Volume 8 of Portraits in Courage

    The Air Force released its eighth volume of Portraits in Courage, highlighting three teams and thirteen Airmen for their honor, valor, devotion and selfless sacrifice in the face of extreme danger to themselves and others.

  • Maintainers ready gunships for retirement

    After more than 40 years of providing close air support, air interdiction and force protection for special operations forces, the preparation for the eventual retirement and phase out of the AC-130H Spectre, recognized as "world's deadliest conventional weapon" by the Military Channel and Fox News,

  • Real Thaw 14 kicks off in Portugal

    Approximately 260 Airmen from the 31st Fighter Wing arrived in Monte Real Air Base, Portugal, in support of Real Thaw 14 -- a two-week close air support exercise hosted by the Portuguese air force.

  • Nigerian, U.S. air forces partner for disaster relief seminar

    "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."This African proverb was referenced several times during a disaster relief seminar hosted by the Nigerian air force at the National Defense College here, Jan. 27-30. More than 40 senior service members from various career fields

  • Offutt AFB Airman heading to Hollywood

    A vocalist in the Air Force Heartland of America Band received three yeses from the judges when she tried out for American Idol Oct. 14 at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, earning her a ticket to Hollywood Week.

  • Welsh thanks Eglin AFB Airmen, families

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III visited Team Eglin Jan. 26-28 to thank Airmen and their families here for their service and sacrifice, and to discuss current challenges and opportunities facing the service.

  • Senior airman doubles as U.S. National Netball player

    A senior airman assigned to the 81st Medical Support Squadron logistics flight here recently returned from an international netball tournament in Singapore. Alisi Taka, a medical material technician, is a member of the U.S. National Netball Team. Taka joined seven other women in the six-country

  • Reserve offers opportunities to continue AF career

    Airmen who don't want to hang up their uniforms for good during the current period of force management, may find rewarding career opportunities in the Air Force Reserve, recruiting officials said recently.

  • Space squadron optimizes wideband communication constellations

    Late in 2013, the 3rd Space Operations Squadron’s mission -- "Warfighters ensuring reliable wideband communications to national authorities and U.S. and Allied forces" -- was proudly displayed as the unit repositioned its eighth satellite during a nine-month effort to optimize the military wideband

  • AF awards $15.5 million in scientific research grants

    The Air Force Office of Scientific Research announced Jan. 24 that it will award approximately $15.5 million in grants to 42 scientists and engineers from 32 research institutions who submitted winning research proposals through the Air Force's Young Investigator Research Program, or YIP.

  • POW's legacy helps nephew in leadership roles

    Military tradition runs deep in some families, with generation after generation raising their right hand and swearing to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. One family however, has continued to put its mark on military service even after inconceivable anguish struck during the

  • EOD Airman saves life while deployed to Papua New Guinea

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.) Imagine sitting in a hotel lobby of a foreign country, when suddenly, a scream for help echoes from a dark parking lot outside. Without hesitation, you

  • Cadets sweep national soaring competition

    Academy cadets left their competition in the dust by winning their ninth consecutive National Sailplane Racing Championship for 2013 and earning the Collegiate Soaring Association's Robert B. Evans Trophy for the 15th time in 19 years.

  • AF lays to rest an ‘American hero’

    Friends, family members, political leaders, former prisoners of war and service members paid their respects as an Air Force Ace was interred at Arlington National Cemetery Jan. 23.

  • 45th Space Wing supports successful NASA launch

    The U.S. Air Force's 45th Space Wing provided flawless Eastern Range support for NASA's successful launch of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-L mission aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Launch Complex 41 here at 9:33 p.m. Jan. 23.

  • Nominees sought for 2014 LULAC award

    The Air Force is seeking nominations for the 2014 League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Excellence Award, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced today.

  • CJCS' top enlisted advisor speaks to DOD initiatives

    On the cusp of one of Minot Air Force Base's most demanding inspections this year, Airmen here welcomed the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan Battaglia.

  • DOD releases new religious accommodation instruction

    The Defense Department released a new instruction Jan. 22 that details its updated policy on making religious accommodations requested by service members, Pentagon spokesman Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nathan J. Christensen said.

  • Nominees sought for 2014 SAIGE Award

    The Air Force is seeking nominations for 2014 Society of American Indian Government Employees Meritorious Service Award, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced today.

  • Official urges support for Afghan counternarcotics efforts

    A senior Defense Department official has warned about the growing threat of narcotics originating in Afghanistan and has urged continued support for efforts to eradicate production. Erin Logan, the Defense Department’s principal director for counternarcotics and global threats told the Senate Caucus

  • Aerospace medicine: More than just doctors

    Aerospace medicine does more than keep aircrews fit to accomplish their day-to-day operations. The 99th Aerospace Medicine Squadron performs a number of operations ranging from medically certifying aircrews, to responding to medical emergencies on the flightline. They are also responsible for

  • AF family heads to national fitness finals

    McConnell's first family to compete in the national Triple Play Fit Family Challenge has progressed to the third and final tier of the national competition. The Blairs are among the top five out of two hundred families who will travel to Los Angeles, Calif., to compete for the title.

  • Hagel visits Airmen, stresses importance of mission, gratitude

    Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel visited Airmen from the 90th Missile Wing here Jan. 9 to learn about the ICBM mission and the people who operate, maintain, secure and support the Minuteman III weapon system. Hagel also took time to speak to Airmen who were selected as top performers by their

  • Force protection team helps keep trainees safe

    A program office here is using its expertise to help ensure the safety of Air Force trainees. Following occurrences of sexual misconduct during basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, a commander's directed-investigation looked at various programs and procedures to see how

  • Hagel visits troops, defense nuclear facilities in New Mexico

    Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said he was impressed with what he saw here Jan. 8 at an Air Force base on the northern edge of the Chihuahuan Desert, where two facilities represent a large and historic part of the nation’s nuclear weapons expertise.

  • Grand Forks squadron named best small comm unit in AF

    The members of the 319th Communications Squadron have an extra reason to walk a little taller after recently being named the best small communications unit in the Air Force.The cyber warriors of the 319th CS won the 2013 Air Force Information Dominance Small Unit Award at the Air Force level.

  • B-52 upgrade to increase smart-weapons capacity

    Tinker AFB Airmen will update ground maintenance and mission planning software in support of a new Air Force contract that will increase the B-52 Stratofortress's "smart-weapons" capacity by 50 percent.

  • First combat deployable F-22s arrive at Tyndall

    Tyndall Air Force Base received the first five-of-24 F-22 Raptors scheduled to transfer from Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., Jan. 6 as part of the new combat mission. The aircraft are now a part of the 95th Fighter Squadron, which reactivated in October 2013.

  • TAP curriculum available online for separating service members

    Separating service members can participate in the transition assistance program, or TAP, online, Department of Defense officials announced. TAP, now called Transition GPS-Goals, Plans and Success, is designed to help prepare separating and retiring members for life outside of the military. It

  • AFNet PII breaches still a concern

    More than one month after Air Force Space Command's implementation of lock-out procedures for individuals found to have inappropriately transmitted Personally Identifiable Information, PII breaches still remain a significant issue.

  • AF announces 2013 Design Award winners

    The winners of the 2013 Air Force Design Awards were announced recently by Maj. Gen. Theresa Carter, the Air Force Civil Engineer chief of staff for logistics, installations and mission support.

  • Military blood program director urges generosity

    The director of the Armed Services Blood Program wants all service members to be part of a new arms race. Col. Richard H. McBride wants service members to roll up their sleeves and donate blood to help fellow service members and their families.

  • AF officer, former Academy athlete killed in Afghanistan

    Former Air Force thrower Capt David (Lissy) Lyon was killed on Dec. 27, while conducting combat operations near Kabul, Afghanistan. Lyon, a 2008 Academy graduate, was a three-year letter winner for the Falcons' track and field team and a Mountain West champion in the shot put.

  • Academy officer looks back on challenges, rewards of deployment

    When Lt. Col. Howard Gentry deployed to Afghanistan in May 2012, he knew he'd be stepping out of his comfort zone -- living and working in a different country, absorbing its culture, learning a new language and, for the next 12 months, watching his one-year-old daughter grow up and say her first

  • Thousands of U.S. personnel serve overseas during the holidays

    For many American service members, the holidays are just another work day.In a news conference last week, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey reminded Americans that their military is deployed worldwide, performing missions that keep their fellow citizens safe.In his

  • Alaska Airmen keep Santa in sight

    NORAD conducts a special mission on Dec. 24 - tracking Santa across the globe to ensure Santa experiences safe travels during his yuletide journey and Alaskan NORAD Region plays a vital part in that mission.

  • C-17 crew members reflect on Philippine relief efforts

    Days after Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippine's eastern seaboard Nov. 8, C-17 Globemaster III crews from the 535th Airlift Squadron here, began flying sorties in and out of the hardest hit areas as part of Operation Damayan. Tacloban, the capital city of the Philippine Province Leyte, served

  • Deployed wing to deactivate

    The 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, is scheduled to deactivate in January 2014 as part of the bigger Afghanistan retrograde efforts.The 451st AEW is currently comprised of four groups, but will reorganize as one air expeditionary group, remaining at KAF, and reporting

  • Mission complete: Reapers finish base security role in Afghanistan

    After a five-hour vehicle and foot patrol outside of Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Tech. Sgt. Gary Rand sets his gear down and talks to his fellow Airmen about the mission.The Reapers have just pulled into their compound after the final “outside the wire” mission patrolling an area around the

  • Close-air support key to strategic success

    Known as CAS, close air support uses military aircraft in an attack against enemy ground forces that are in close proximity to friendly forces. This requires detailed coordination with ground troops and is typically conducted by joint terminal attack controllers. The use of CAS during wartime can be

  • NATO advisers provide clean water to Afghan village

    Members of the 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group Commander's Emergency Response Program conducted a site visit to a project at the Old Russian Village, a village near Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan on Dec. 2.

  • Twin brothers, separated during childhood, serve together

    By any measure, brothers Staff Sgt. Billy and Senior Airman Barrington Medeiros of the 143rd Airlift Wing had a tough childhood. Originally born in California, the identical twins -- separated by only a minute -- moved to Rhode Island at a very young age. For the brothers, life there wasn't easy.

  • 'Hurricane Hunters' end one of calmest seasons on record

    Nov. 30 marked the end of hurricane season, and the 403rd Wing's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron closed up shop at their forward operating location at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport in St. Croix, part of the U.S. Virgin Islands.Known as the "Roll Up," 403rd Wing reservists spent Dec. 9 through

  • Climate survey enhancements to improve awareness for commanders

    More than 3.2 million Defense Department and Coast Guard military and civilian personnel have the opportunity to affect their organization's readiness using the newest release of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute's Organizational Climate Survey, DEOCS 4.0, DEOMI officials said.

  • Air Force major named top tactician

    For the first time in 23 years, an Air Force officer has won the General S. Patton Jr. Distinguished Master Tactician Award as a student in the Command and General Staff Officer Course, or CGSOC, Dec. 12.

  • AFDW host developmental seminar with key Air Force leaders

    Airmen representing the National Capital Region enlisted, officer and civilian force attended the annual Air Force District of Washington Capital Airmen Development Seminar to enhance their leadership skills Dec. 2 through 5.

  • Tyndall Airmen coordinate Nevada rescue

    Military and civilian members inside the gate at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., played an integral role in the rescue of a family stranded in the snow for more than two days in sub-zero temperatures after a day of sledding at a Nevada mountain range.

  • Multinational training improves defenses

    (Editor’s note: The following scenario is from a multinational training and does not depict a real world event.) On the northern tip of Japan, foreign ground forces are slowly pushing south. The Army and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, or JGSDF, are trying their best to hold the foreign forces off.

  • More than 380 selected for squadron command

    More than 380 officers from various Air Force career fields have been selected for logistics, mission support, materiel leader, air base, and operations support squadron command Air Force Personnel Center officials announced.

  • Afghanistan air vet earns prestigious award

    A C-130 Hercules aircraft loadmaster with the 169th Airlift Squadron received the Staff Sgt. Henry E. "Red" Erwin Outstanding Enlisted Aircrew Member Airman of the Year Award during a Dec. 8 ceremony here.

  • Spirit of Hope Award nominations due in January

    Nominations for the 2014 Spirit of Hope Award are due to the Air Force Personnel Center by Jan. 24. The award, named for comedian and actor Bob Hope, recognizes a military member, former military member, civilian or organization that epitomizes duty, honor, courage, loyalty, commitment, integrity

  • Injured Airman returns to duty, celebrates promotion

    Staff Sgt. Brian Williams of the 87th Security Forces Squadron is just like any other Airman. He has been in the Air Force for 13 years, has deployed six times and served as a military working dog handler at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., since 2011.

  • Small shop spreads cool savings

    During the summer months at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing a properly working air conditioner is a priority for Airmen and for aircraft assigned here supporting decisive combat air power and 30 percent of U.S. Air Forces Central Command's daily air tasking order sorties.

  • Airmen support SES-8 Satellite launch

    The 45th Space Wing supported Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, to complete a successful launch of the SES-8 communications satellite here Dec. 3. Airmen, Air Force civilians and contractors from the 45th Space Wing provided weather forecasts, launch and range operations, security, safety,

  • Communications satellite turns 20

    The 3rd Space Operations Squadron celebrated the Defense Satellite Communications System B10 satellite's 20th anniversary on orbit Nov. 28. The anniversary held significant importance for the squadron and for the Air Force, in part because the satellite was designed to operate for only 10 years.

  • AF participates in first Israeli Blue Flag exercise

    The Air Force participated in the first Israeli Blue Flag exercise at Uvda Air Force Base, Israel, Nov. 24-28.Blue Flag is the largest multinational aerial warfare training exercise hosted by the Israeli air force. The exercise included forces from the U.S., Israel, Italy and Greece. Its objectives

  • NCO to commission as first lieutenant

    A noncommissioned officer from the 65th Force Support Squadron was recently selected to commission as a first lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps. Staff Sgt. Jacob Williams, 65th FSS career development craftsman, was so anxious he couldn't eat breakfast on the morning of Oct. 18. Some of the MSC

  • Mom: 'There go my boys to save another life'

    Staff Sgts. Cody and Jake Inman are both part of the Alaska Air National Guard’s rescue mission here. Cody is a pararescueman with the 212th Rescue Squadron while his brother is an HH-60 Pave Hawk special mission aviator in the 210th RQS, a new Air Force Specialty Code that combined the former

  • Welsh, Cody wrap-up trip to the Dakotas

    The Air Force’s top commissioned and noncommissioned military leaders met thousands of Airmen in the Dakotas this week, learning about their missions and lives and answering their questions. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody visited

  • Dover AFB Airmen deliver NASA equipment

    Even with all the advancements mankind has made, storms like Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy have proven just how vulnerable we can be to the wrath of Mother Nature. Advanced and accurate information about the path of these storms can be the difference between life and death.

  • Nominees sought for 2014 Outstanding Airmen of the Year award

    Air Force officials are seeking nominations for the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Award for 2014.There are three categories for award: Airman, noncommissioned officer and senior NCO. Nominations are due to the Air Force Personnel Center by April 2, 2014.