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  • C-17 Airmen expand global reach

    Forging combat mobility forces is something that the aircrew instructors of the C-17 Globemaster III take extremely serious, but that mission is not just limited to skies over the U.S. A team of Airmen from Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, recently spent two

  • Price of perfection: AF Honor Guard Drill Team

    A standard U.S. Air Force Drill Team performance features a professionally choreographed sequence of show-stopping weapon maneuvers, precise tosses, complex weapon exchanges, and a walk through the gauntlet of spinning weapons. Airman 1st Class Larry Brown has trained for more than a year for the

  • State of AF: Modernizing for next offset strategy

    Budget plans are poised to keep the Air Force atop of its game, with a new bomber and advanced technology to help Airmen execute a future offset strategy, the head of the service announced at the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium Feb. 26.

  • AF discusses game-changing technologies during defense innovation hearing

    The Air Force’s pursuit of game-changing technologies and the need to attract and retain talented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics professionals were at the center of discussions during a hearing on defense innovation before the House Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on

  • Welsh presents AF update at AFA

    Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Mark A. Welsh III outlined Air Force operations from 2015, the service’s plan for 2016, and what is to come in the future at the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium Feb. 25.

  • Cody gives enlisted perspective at AFA

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody spoke to a room of Airmen and civilians about today’s generation of Airmen and their families during the Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium Feb. 25.

  • Precision strikes keeping enemy on target

    Lessons learned in past conflicts have now made it possible to bomb enemy targets within just a few feet to reduce collateral damage, a top Air Force commander said Feb. 25 at the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida.

  • 'Eddie the Eagle' star soars

    Hugh Jackman, star of the upcoming movie "Eddie the Eagle," received a civic leader flight in an F-16 Fighting Falcon at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth from the 301st Fighter Wing Feb. 19 in a display of Air Force Reserve combat capability and air superiority.

  • Pacific partners practice humanitarian assistance during Cope North

    Military members from six nations joined together for a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief deployment throughout the region of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Feb. 14-18. The deployment is part of Cope North 16, a multilateral exercise, including the U.S. Air Force and air

  • Dudette passes 1,000 combat flight hours

    Maj. Jennifer received a hero’s welcome from members of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing as she surpassed the 1,000 combat-hour milestone in the F-15E Strike Eagle at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, Feb. 13. Achieving this milestone is a career defining moment for any F-15E aircrew

  • Minot tests Minuteman III with launch from Vandenberg AFB

    A team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen from the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, and the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, aboard the Airborne Launch Control System, launched an unarmed LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic

  • Air Force senior leaders share lessons learned from Desert Storm

    During recent visits to Howard University and the University of Maryland, two Air Force senior leaders shared memories and lessons learned from Operation Desert Storm with more than 160 Washington, D.C., area Air Force ROTC cadets as part of the Air Force’s focus on the 25th anniversary of the

  • CSAF celebrates Whiteman total force excellence

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III visited Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, Feb. 16-18 to engage with civic leaders and meet Airmen of the world's only B-2 Spirit stealth bomber base.

  • Tuskegee Airmen share life lessons

    Three members of the famed Tuskegee Airmen visited with Airmen at the Pentagon during a meet and greet hosted by Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James Feb. 16. Retired Col. Charles McGee and former Cadets William Fauntroy Jr. and Walter Robinson Sr. shared stories and insights about their lives as

  • New co-chairman joins Air Force’s retiree council

    A new co-chairman will share the head of the table at this year's Air Force Retiree Council meeting in May. Retired Lt. Gen. Stephen Hoog, who left active duty in October, succeeds retired Lt. Gen. Steven Polk as council co-chair with retired Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney McKinley.

  • GAO denies protest, Air Force proceeds with LRS-B

    The Government Accountability Office denied The Boeing Company’s protest of the Long Range Strike Bomber contract award following a comprehensive review of the source selection process. The Air Force was confident that the source selection team followed a deliberate, disciplined and impartial

  • Air Force continues to improve care in the air

    The Air Mobility Command Surgeon General’s office and researchers across the Air Force, to include the 711th Human Resource Wing at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, have been working together to improve how the Air Force provides care in the air. The AMC/SG is responsible for clinical

  • 33rd FW hosts first F-35A load competition

    The 33rd Fighter Wing held its first weapons load competition with the F-35A Lightning II at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, Feb. 5 to find the best weapons load crew in the 33rd Maintenance Group.

  • Avionics flight ensures aircraft equipment mission ready

    Avionics specialists with the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, manage an $83 million electronic warfare pod fleet and provide critical support to ensure aircraft stay mission ready.

  • AF rolls out FY 2017 space budget

    Air Force leaders met with the media to discuss specifics of the service’s fiscal year 2017 space budget at the Pentagon Feb. 11.

  • AF remembers pioneer of DOD transportation

    Retired Gen. Duane F. Cassidy, the first "dual-hatted" commander of both U.S. Transportation Command and Military Airlift Command, passed away Feb. 8 at the age of 82.

  • SecAF, CSAF testify on FY 2017 AF posture

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee on the fiscal year 2017 Air Force posture on Capitol Hill Feb. 10.

  • MacDill Airmen watch over DOD aircraft in foreign nations

    A single error on an airport approach procedure can put the lives of pilots, crew members and their passengers in danger. To protect Defense Department aircraft, specialized teams of air traffic controllers personally ensure they land safely when flying abroad.

  • AF announces stand up of Integrated Wing

    The Air Force will stand up an Integrated Wing pilot program at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, according to Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James.

  • New runway opens, enhances readiness

    The Army Corps of Engineers, 51st Civil Engineer and 51st Operations Support Squadron completed a five-year project of constructing a new runway for Osan Air Base, South Korea, and began flying operations in January.

  • Hurlburt combats Zika with knowledge

    Following the World Health Organization declaring an international emergency and Florida Gov. Rick Scott calling a state health emergency, Hurlburt Field, Florida, is taking action to protect Airmen and their families from the Zika virus.

  • Attachés use C-12 to support humanitarian efforts in Maldives

    Members of the Bangkok Defense Attaché Office recently completed a humanitarian mission to the Maldives. Working with DAO Colombo, the Colombo U.S. Embassy political office and the Special Operations Command-Pacific, the Bangkok DAO delivered medical supplies and books to some of the more remote

  • AF implements new DOD-wide changes to maternity leave

    Beginning Feb. 2, active-duty female Airmen will receive up to 12 continuous, non-transferable weeks of fully paid maternity leave in accordance with Defense Department-wide changes to the policy outlined in Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s Force of the Future announcement Jan. 28.

  • CCAF breaks record for 6th consecutive year

    The Community College of the Air Force awarded 23,206 associate of applied science degrees in 2015, breaking the record for number of graduates for the sixth consecutive year.

  • From World War II to Afghanistan: USO marks 75th anniversary

    The USO marked its 75th anniversary Feb. 4 at a gala in Washington, D.C. Medal of Honor recipients, USO volunteers, active-duty personnel, veterans, members of Congress, and stars of stage, screen and music gathered to mark a milestone for an organization founded as the United States geared up for

  • Comptroller Airmen manage millions, serve thousands

    The 379th Expeditionary Comptroller Squadron manages more than $160 million and serves about 60,000 customers annually. More than a dozen Airmen make up the 379th ECPTS team. Those Airmen provide a range of financial services at Al Udeid Air Base, including financial analysis, military pay, travel

  • Super Bowl air coverage provided by Air Force

    The skies above Levi's Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, in Santa Clara, California, will be a well-protected fortress, defended by one of the most feared weapon systems in the Defense Department's inventory. F-15 Eagles, from the California Air National Guard, have been training in the

  • Planning to quit, fighting to succeed: Airman earns Ranger tab

    Staff Sgt. Robert Keefe, the 736th Security Forces Squadron NCO in charge of training, was the 266th Airmen to graduate U.S. Army Ranger School. It was his chance to prove his mettle as a combat-ready Airman among some of the military’s toughest warriors.

  • Officer developmental education application window opens Feb. 8

    Eligible active-duty officers can apply for intermediate and senior developmental education opportunities beginning in February. Officer nominations, with senior rater endorsements, will be accepted beginning Feb. 8 and are due to the Air Force Personnel Center no later than March 14.

  • Success through total force integration at Red Flag 16-1

    It’s a given that no aircraft leaves the ground unless it is working properly. But that maintenance challenge has been multiplied here during the three-week Red Flag 16-1 exercise. With almost 80 aircraft taking off twice daily during Red Flag, hundreds of aircraft maintainers assigned to flying

  • 3-time Super Bowl champ, AF pilot reflects on America’s game

    Super Bowl 50 is just days away and it’s hard not to wonder how one of the U.S. Air Force Academy’s best all-time players fits into that history. Chad Hennings won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys during the 1990s, and his first appearance was within a year’s time of flying his A-10

  • Predator crashes in southern Turkey

    An Air Force MQ-1B Predator remotely piloted aircraft crashed in an unpopulated area in southern Turkey at approximately 1:40 a.m. local time, Feb. 3.

  • Final GPS IIF satellite moves to next processing phase toward launch

    All of the intricate processing steps from delivery of the satellite to launching into orbit are part of their standard operations at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. But, it’s a bitter sweet moment when the team reflects on the extensive years of history they have processing GPS systems

  • Sesame Street supports military families in transition

    Elmo, Big Bird and Abby Cadabby are teaming up with the Defense Department to support thousands of military families as they transition to civilian life, according to Transition to Veterans Program Office officials.

  • AF Selective Re-enlistment Bonus program list triples

    Air Force officials released details on the fiscal year 2016 Selective Re-enlistment Bonus program Feb. 1. This year’s program, consisting of 117 Air Force specialties eligible to receive bonuses, is a substantial increase from the previous year’s program where 40 Air Force specialty codes were

  • Yokota Airmen help prepare Sailors for refuels

    Airmen fuelers from the 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron provided essential training on the R-11 refueling trucks to Sailors from Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan, at Yokota Air Base Jan. 25-29. The training allowed members to prepare to support Navy aircraft at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam,

  • Racking up miles: Incirlik Airman cycles for AF

    The air is crisp like the frost on the ground; winter is approaching as Senior Master Sgt. Jason Chiasson hops onto his sleek road bike. Today he will only ride 25 miles, a short day compared to the 100-mile days in his strict training schedule as an Air Force Cycling Team cyclist.

  • US, Japan participate in Keen Edge 16

    Members from the Japan Self-Defense Forces and United States Forces Japan came together to conduct a joint-bilateral command post exercise Keen Edge 16 at Yokota Air Base, Japan, from Jan. 23-29; this was the 14th command post exercise since 1986.

  • James applauds DOD Force of the Future initiatives

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James declared her support of department-wide reforms focused on improving quality of life for military parents, following Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s Jan. 28 announcement on the next round of Force of the Future initiatives.

  • Please try to write back

    Bringing a little holiday cheer to an unknown service member was all an 8-year-old boy was trying to do 25 years ago. A single letter united a pair of Air Force veterans, and the handwritten greeting made its way back to its author -- now an Air Force major -- at Hurlburt Field Jan. 25.

  • Have you tried MyVector yet?

    National Mentoring Month is coming to a close, but there are still opportunities for Airmen at all levels to invest in their development and the advancement of others through MyVector. In 2015, the Air Force launched MyVector to provide members seeking mentoring an opportunity for personal and

  • SecAF testifies on military space launch

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee along with Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Frank Kendall on military space launch and the use of Russian-made rocket engines Jan. 27.

  • National Guard forces continue post-storm assistance

    Virginia National Guard Soldiers on state active duty have been using Humvees and medium tactical trucks to provide mobility support to help Virginia State Police and local first responders reach residents requiring assistance after a historic snowfall blanketed the state.

  • Offutt gives students a chance at mechanics

    Students studying airframe and power plant disciplines at Iowa Western Community College have a unique opportunity to intern with the 55th Maintenance Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, after the squadron cut roughly 300 military slots and replaced them with approximately 150 civilian

  • Airman helps search for Vietnam War remains

    When Tech. Sgt. Robin Bailon enlisted in Air Force in 2000, she didn't expect her career to place her in Vietnam, serving as a life science investigator. But Bailon, an aircrew flight equipment specialist by trade, had the opportunity to venture far outside the scope of her traditional duties,

  • STRATCOM chief talks nuclear deterrence, modernization

    The global security environment calls for a continued strong nuclear deterrent along with modernization for elements of the nuclear triad and advanced training for U.S. Strategic Command’s workforce, the STRATCOM commander said Jan. 22 during a Washington, D.C., event.

  • Official urges families to learn about veteran burial honors

    Planning funerals for military veterans and retirees can be overwhelming for their families, and the Defense Department’s director of casualty and mortuary affairs wants family members to familiarize themselves in advance, when possible, to know what to expect with military funeral honors.

  • MET provides secure comms to warfighter

    The first fully funded Air Force modernization enterprise terminal (MET) outside the U.S. is now operational at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. The terminal, which cost $15 million, provides secure communication capabilities including voice, video and data services, linking service members in the U.S.

  • Blood donor month: Be a silent hero with gift of life

    The Air Force has a long history when it comes to the national blood donation system. The system dates all the way back to World War II when the Army Air Corps created the capabilities to transport much needed blood products from the United States into campaign theaters.

  • A shared love, goal, mission

    Since beginning their careers in 2005, Majs. Regina Wall and Jared Wall have shared almost every duty station and multiple deployments together.

  • A look back at Desert Storm, 25 years later

    Twenty-five years ago, the Air Force participated in Operation Desert Storm, the largest air campaign since the conflict in Southeast Asia. The campaign’s purpose was to drive the Iraqi military out of Kuwait, release the country from Saddam Hussein’s invasion and reestablish its sovereignty.

  • SecAF speaks at CSIS for Smart Women, Smart Power series

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James spoke at the Center for Strategic and International Studies as part of its Smart Women, Smart Power series Jan. 14. SWSP launched in December 2014 and convenes top-level women leaders to discuss critical and timely issues in their respective fields, reflect on

  • Desert Storm: 2nd Bomb Wing leads the air war

    In the early morning of Jan. 16, 1991, the 2nd Bomb Wing deployed seven B-52G Stratofortresses and crews to Iraq in a single, secret mission that would mark the beginning of Operation Desert Storm.

  • Grand Forks NCO named top AF defender

    A member of the 319th Security Forces Squadron from Grand Forks Air Force Base was selected as the Air Force Outstanding Security Forces Flight Level NCO for 2015 Jan. 8.

  • B-1B Lancer sets rotational records before leaving downrange

    A B-1B Lancer that achieved rotational milestones is scheduled to leave Al Udeid Air Base soon for a six-month hiatus for aircraft modifications stateside. The B-1 has been under the operational support of the 379th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron,and has set records during the

  • Army, Air Force collaborate on education, innovation

    Gen. David G. Perkins, the commanding general of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), visited officials from Air Education and Training Command Jan. 7-8 to collaborate with Air Force leaders on advancing education and innovation within the respective military services.

  • AF Safety Center marks 20th anniversary

    This year the Air Force Safety Center commemorates the organization's 20th anniversary. Since its designation, the basic mission has remained the same: preserving lives and combat capability through mishap prevention.

  • US conducts B-52 bomber overflight in South Korea after nuke test

    A U.S. B-52 Stratofortress from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, conducted a low-level flight in the vicinity of Osan Air Base, South Korea, in response to a recent nuclear test by North Korea, according to a U.S. Pacific Command news release issued Jan. 9.

  • USAFE switchboard operators connect, assist globally

    "USAFE switchboard operator, how may I help you?" is a short phrase that many U.S. Air Forces in Europe consolidated switchboard users may be familiar with. The 40 members of the Telephone Operations Facility, located on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, work 24/7, 365 days a year to service not only

  • More sexual assault reports show growing trust in system

    More military service academy cadets and midshipmen in the 2014-15 school year reported instances of sexual assault and harassment, indicating growing trust in the reporting system, a Defense Department official said Jan. 7.

  • OSI eulogizes fallen heroes from its 'darkest day'

    More than 650 people overflowed the U.S. Marine Memorial Chapel here Jan. 7 to mourn the loss and remember the lives of the six Airmen killed by a suicide bomber near Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Dec. 21.

  • Airman balances cycling with Air Guard mission

    With endurance cycling, nearly every part of the sport is tough; from the demands of distance and the quality of the competitors, to the changing natural elements on any given day. For Tech. Sgt. Dwayne Farr, those difficulties pale in comparison with splitting his time between the grind of bicycle

  • Deployed loadmasters fix problems ‘on the fly’

    A weasel is characterized by its tenacity, persistence and keen senses. It is an animal also known for its ability to react quickly in any given situation. An airlift squadron at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, shares these characteristics. Airmen of the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron encompass

  • Tech Report: Orbital launch systems

    The Atlas V, Delta IV and Falcon 9 are three rockets used by the Air Force to launch national security payloads into space. For many years, the United Launch Alliance has been the exclusive manufacturer of rockets used by the Air Force for national security; however, in 2015 the Air Force certified

  • TRICARE pharmacy copays change Feb. 1

    Military pharmacies and TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery will remain the lowest cost pharmacy option for TRICARE beneficiaries when some TRICARE pharmacy copays change Feb. 1. Most copays for prescription drugs in the home delivery program and retail network pharmacies will increase slightly.

  • Former Academy QB under center as deployed orthopedic doc

    It’s 1999 and he steps onto the gridiron as a leader. It’s his team now. With big shoes to fill left by a record-setting signal caller, senior Cale Bonds is about to begin the final season of his college career as the starting quarterback of the U.S. Air Force Academy Falcons football team.