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U.S. Air Force News

  • Know your POV shipping entitlements

    Many service members may not know of their entitlements when shipping personal vehicles as they move overseas or return stateside, according to U.S. Transportation Command officials.

  • Pistol champion shoots to the top

    When at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Jackson is an aircraft metals technology craftsman with the 23d Equipment Maintenance Squadron, but during his off time, he's an avid pistol shooter and member of the Air Force National Pistol Team.

  • 'Total Force' Airmen keep ammo rolling for vital OEF missions

    Airmen assigned to the 455th Maintenance Squadron aren't just practicing total force integration during an exercise or at home, they are performing it for real in a combat zone and they are doing it as the U.S. Air Force gets smaller. They're proof that TFI works in the real world doing the real

  • Nuclear deterrence: The silent sentinel

    Global conflict and instability have always been a part of human history, and America’s nuclear forces serve as the nation’s ultimate form of deterrence in a world where global engagements are becoming increasingly complex.

  • Airmen running for a cause

    Every Airman must run one-and-a-half miles on at least an annual basis, but some dare to follow in the footsteps of the ancient Greeks and run a full marathon.Two Altus Airmen have set their aim on achieving this goal, but also want to raise $4,000 for the Air Force Enlisted Village, a non-profit

  • F-15C crashes over Shenandoah Valley

    At approximately 9:05 a.m. today the 104th Fighter Wing lost radio contact with an F-15C aircraft during a cross country mission over the Shenandoah Valley Virginia.

  • President pledges support to veterans

    The administration is moving ahead with changes to the VA. Obama signed the Veterans Access Choice and Accountability Act, which provides money to hire staff and allows veterans who live more than 40 miles from VA care to see doctors outside the VA.

  • Airman takes positive spin after selected for separation

    At 27 years old and after nearly five years of being in uniform, Senior Airman Lee Owens is rejoining the civilian workforce in September. Like more than 3,500 Airmen Air Force-wide, the 42nd Air Base Wing-assigned broadcast engineer was selected for separation after being identified by the Air

  • ANG B-2 pilot surpasses 1,000 hours

    The landing gear touched down and the aircraft skimmed down the runway just as it had many times before. This time, though, a routine flying mission became a major achievement for the 131st Bomb Wing as well as a career milestone for Lt. Col. Ryan "Poacher" Bailey, a Missouri Air National Guardsman

  • Hurricane Hunters fly into 'Cristobal'

    Aircrews with the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron have been flying data-gathering missions into Tropical Storm Cristobal out of the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, since Aug. 21.

  • C-130 celebrates 60 years, still going strong

    In 1954, the song "Rock Around the Clock" was playing on the radio, Oprah Winfrey was born and the first issue of Sports Illustrated appeared on newsstands. The same year, on August 23, the YC-130 Hercules made its maiden flight...

  • SecAF makes first visit to Robins AFB

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James visited Robins Air Force Base, Ga. Aug. 21-22 to get an up close look at the installation's diverse and dynamic missions.

  • Former CMSAF discuss hot topics of today

    With more than 250 years of combined Air Force experience, eight former chief master sergeants of the Air Force answered questions facing Airmen today during the 2014 Air Force Sergeants Association Professional Airmen’s conference here Aug. 20.

  • Equipment accountability vital to partnership

    The F-16 Fighting Falcon maintainers evaluate, test, check, sustain and replace the different parts to enable fighter pilots to do their job safely and securely. And at a bilateral training exercise between the Hellenic and U.S. air forces at Souda Bay, Greece, Aug. 11-23, there is a centralized hub

  • ACC loans Global Hawk to Global Vigilance Combined Test Force

    The 412th Test Wing's Global Vigilance Combined Test Force received a Global Hawk Block 40 Aug. 6, on loan from Air Combat Command. The aircraft, from Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, is joining the Block 20 and 40 aircraft at Edwards AFB to offer an additional platform for

  • Improvement program keeps officer engaged in missile mission

    Capt. Billy Terry, a 341st Operational Support Squadron intercontinental ballistic missile senior combat crew instructor, was given the opportunity to chase a dream he had for most of his life - to change career fields and work as a space systems operator.

  • CMSAF discusses ‘way ahead’ for Airmen

    The Air Force’s top enlisted leader focused on the future force, the new enlisted evaluation system and professional development during the Air Force Sergeants Association Professional Airmen’s Conference here Aug. 19.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody addressed an audience of Airmen,

  • Changes to academic degree and developmental education expectations

    Air Force officials announced actions designed to set clear expectations, restore Airmen's time and refocus officer promotions on job performance.The Air Force has addressed long-standing perceptions that to be promoted, officers must complete an advanced academic degree, and those officers selected

  • DOD continues aid to combat western wildfires

    Two Department of Defense C-130Hercules equipped with U.S. Forest Service Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems and under the command and control of U.S. Northern Command are assisting with wildfire suppression efforts in the Northwest, Great Basin, and elsewhere in the West at the request of the

  • Medical experts train counterparts in Mongolia

    The sounds of agony filled the air near the wooded back lot of the Central Armed Forces Hospital, or CAFH, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, as an interpreter encouraged accident victims to ‘ham up’ their performances during mass casualty response training, as part of Operation Pacific Angel 14-4 Mongolia.

  • Goodwill through the language of civil engineering

    U.S. Air Force civil engineers communicated with Mongolian contractors and worked with MAF engineers to help improve the quality of life in local schools and clinics, said Senior Master Sgt. Sandon Miller, lead civil engineer for PACANGEL 14-4 assigned to the 354th Civil Engineer Squadron.

  • Aug. 15 – Pulse on AF force management

    Featured in this force management update are details regarding changes to the reduction in force board eligibility, enlisted retention and force shaping board results and the ongoing civilian force management programs.



  • First pipeline F-35 crew chiefs graduate

    Nine Airmen became the first Air Force recruits to graduate initial skills technical training as F-35 Lightning II crew chiefs after completing Mission-Ready Airmen training here Aug. 7."The opportunity to be the first of something so important means a lot. I know many people are looking at us to be

  • AWACS upgrade achieves initial operational capability

    The commander of Air Combat Command, Gen. Mike Hostage, declared initial operational capability for the 552nd Air Control Wing's E-3G Sentry, an Airborne Warning and Control System Block 40/45 aircraft, July 28, here.

  • CSAF Call to Airmen: 2015 Reading List

    The Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Mark A. Welsh III has issued a call to all Airmen, to help create the 2015 CSAF Professional Reading Program, asking for submissions that center on the profession of arms and more specifically the Air Force core values: Integrity first, service before self

  • CHIEFchat: ACAs and the future Enlisted Performance Reports

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody addressed the Airman Comprehensive Assessment, or ACA, how it influences enlisted performance reports, and how those reports will affect future promotions during his latest CHIEFchat at Defense Media Activity, here.

  • Greece, US plan for successful air training

    They had been in the room for nearly six hours. The planners scoured the map of Greece, searching for just the right area to place an enemy missile defense system, or an enemy airfield, or one of hundreds of other highly defended military targets

  • New inspection system taking form at Nellis

    The publication of Air Force Instruction 90-201, Air Force Inspection System, brought fundamental changes to the way the base conducts inspections. Under the new system, units will no longer be spending weeks and months preparing for a one-week inspection from the Air Combat Command Inspector

  • U.S. provides aid to Yezidis, strikes ISIL mortar position

    The U.S. military conducted a sixth airdrop last night of food and water for thousands of Iraqi citizens threatened by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant on Mount Sinjar, Iraq, U.S. Central Command officials said. This airdrop was conducted from multiple air bases in the CENTCOM area of

  • Defense Health Agency makes progress

    As the Defense Health Agency approaches its one-year anniversary Oct. 1, it has already saved money and standardized health care in the Defense Department, said Dr. Jonathan Woodson, the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs.

  • DOD continues aid to combat wildfires in Northwest

    Two Defense Department C-130 Hercules equipped with U.S. Forest Service Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems, or MAFFS, and under the command and control of U.S. Northern Command are assisting with wildfire suppression efforts in the Northwest, Great Basin, and elsewhere in the West at the request

  • Tobacco use harms military readiness, official says

    Because tobacco use is harmful to military readiness, the Defense Department has an added responsibility to curb its use, the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs said today, noting that service members are more likely to use tobacco products than civilians.

  • ANG Outstanding Airmen honored

    The six Air National Guard 2014 Outstanding Airmen of the Year shared their inspiring field experiences and enthusiasm with senior leadership at the Air National Guard Readiness Center here during the "Focus on the Force Week," held Aug. 4-7.

  • Code change: Securing critical assets

    Once a year, the codes used to launch Minot Air Force Base's intercontinental ballistic missiles need to be updated.The manual process requires hundreds of Airmen work around the clock for three weeks straight to ensure all launch facilities are accessed and the missile code change is a success.

  • AF implements static EPR closeout dates, eliminates change of reporting

    The first in a series of changes to the enlisted evaluation and promotion systems announced July 31 will include implementation of The SCOD also drives adjusted active-duty promotion eligibility cutoff dates for promotion to technical and master sergeants; all other grades are unchanged.

  • Deployed Airmen drop supplies into Iraq

    A C-17 Globemaster III and two C-130s from undisclosed locations throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility dropped 72 bundles of supplies, including food and water, to thousands of Iraqis threatened by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant near Sinjar, Iraq, Aug. 7.

  • Air Force's new maritime radar becomes operational

    The Air Force Technical Applications Center has a welcome addition to its treaty monitoring capabilities - the Cobra King radar system aboard the USNS Howard O. Lorenzen. Cobra King is a new, state-of-the-art mobile radar system consisting of S- and X-band phased radars that AFTAC employs to provide

  • Environmental teams answer ‘Call to Future’

    As the Air Force takes a 30-year look ahead in the recently released strategy document, “America’s Air Force: A Call to the Future,” environmental teams are already helping ensure installations are prepared for operations in 2045 and beyond using the Environmental Management System.

  • Altus breaks ground for KC-46A construction

    Officials broke ground on a new construction project on Altus Air Force Base, Okla., Aug. 7. The ceremony marked the beginning of a months-long effort to prepare for the arrival of the newest refueling aircraft in the Air Force fleet, the KC-46A Pegasus.

  • Luke civilian earns coveted Marquez award

    An aircraft armament systems technician at Luke Air Force Base, in Arizona, distinguished himself by earning the 2013 Air Force Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Award for Outstanding Munitions/Missile Maintenance Person of the Year, civilian technician category. It was announced July 22.

  • Air Force launches strategic approach to asset management

    The Air Force Civil Engineer Center recently rolled out the first comprehensive two-year Integrated Priorities List to strategically order funding of sustainment, restoration, modernization, environmental and demolition projects across the Air Force portfolio.

  • Wounded warriors wrap up Warrior Games training

    Over 60 wounded veterans from across the country participated in the final Warrior and Invictus Games training camp here Aug. 3-7 to prepare for the fall games, motivate others and take a healthy step toward recovery.

  • Air Force tests new chief master sergeant EPR form

    Air Force leaders will test the newly developed AF Form 912, Enlisted Performance Report (CMSgt), during the calendar year 2014 Regular Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant Screening Board, which convenes at the Pentagon in September, Air Force Personnel Center officials said.

  • Deployed loadmasters use new airdrop system

    A C-130J Super Hercules aircraft from the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron completed an airdrop for the Afghan National Army using the new Wireless Gate Release System Aug. 1, at Bagram Airfield Afghanistan.

  • An Airman for now, a Marine forever

    Marine Corps Maj. Eric Hugg, the 55th Fighter Squadron chief of training, is a part of an exchange program that gives Marine Corps pilots the opportunity to fly with the 55th Fighter Squadron at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.

  • Airmen continue support to wildfire battle

    Two Defense Department C-130 Hercules equipped with U.S. Forest Service’s Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems and under the command and control of U.S. Northern Command are assisting with wildfire suppression efforts in the Northwest, the Great Basin, and elsewhere in the West at the request of

  • ANG C-130s help battle Western wildfires

    Two Defense Department C-130 aircraft equipped with U.S. Forest Service's Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems and under the command and control of U.S. Northern Command are assisting with wildfire suppression efforts in the Northwest, the Great Basin, and elsewhere in the West at the request of

  • Mission-ready Airman course graduates 11,000 strong

    The 372nd Training Squadron’s Detachment 12 graduated its 11,000th mission-ready Airman, or MRA, here recently. With their training complete at Luke Air Force Base, the newly-graduated crew chiefs will be able to use their specialized skills at their first permanent assignment.

  • Joint trauma system vital link to saving lives

    A loud explosion hits close, shaking the dust from the walls. Sirens start going off and servicemembers run to check on everyone near the impact site. The 9-line report comes across the net. Helicopter rotors start spinning. The wounded receive their first care from a medic who also completes a

  • Aug. 1 – Pulse on AF force management

    Featured in this force management update are details regarding civilian force management program expansions, ongoing officer force shaping boards and the upcoming reduction in force board.

  • Tyndall AFB takes F-22 pilot training to next level

    The Air Force’s ability to continue developing a fifth generation fighter aircraft fleet ready to meet the challenges of future warfare, hinges in large part, on a steady influx of capable and trained F-22 Raptor pilots.

  • Airmen get inside look at military judicial system

    Students attending orientation training through the Offutt Air Force Base First Term Airmen's Center now actively participate in mock court-martials to raise awareness about sexual assault in the military.

  • AF launches successful satellite mission

    The 45th Space Wing supported a successful United Launch Alliance Delta IV vehicle carrying Air Force Space Command mission assets for the Air Force July 28.

  • AF implements career intermission pilot program

    Up to 40 active-duty, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard officers and enlisted members who meet eligibility requirements will be offered between one and three years of partially-paid time out of uniform to focus on personal and professional pursuits under the Career Intermission Pilot Program,

  • McChord pilot continues to inspire Airmen

    In 2009, a young Air Force lieutenant in pilot training thought his dreams of flying in the Air Force were crushed following a recreational boating accident that resulted in the loss of his right leg. Despite the accident, Capt. Ryan McGuire, now a 4th Airlift Squadron pilot, became the first Airman

  • New museum to inspire Airmen

    Two Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland museums, the Airman Heritage Museum and the Security Forces Museum, will consolidate into the Enlisted Heritage and Character Development Center by October 2014 and will serve as a stepping stone for a larger $50 million, privately-funded museum set to open in

  • AF Assistance Fund may not hit 2014 goal

    In spite of persistent economic difficulties, active-duty and retired Airmen have contributed more than $6 million to the Air Force Assistance Fund, or AFAF, during this year’s fund drive.

  • SECAF discusses current, future challenges with 501st CSW

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James visited Royal Air Force Alconbury and RAF Molesworth, England, to learn more about the mission of the 501st Combat Support Wing and to discuss with Airmen the current state of the Air Force.

  • Military mail changes to save $4 million annually

    Changes to military postal operations will save the Defense Department $4 million annually while providing services comparable to those of any U.S. Postal Service office, a senior Military Postal Service Agency said.

  • AF satellites to contribute to space neighborhood watch

    The Air Force plans to launch two operational satellites and one experimental satellite into near-geosynchronous Earth orbit July 23. According to Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James, "these operational and experimental systems will enhance the nation’s ability to monitor and assess events

  • Security forces marksmen hone skills at Alaska range

    Brock said his parents didn't like guns and wouldn't allow him to have one. At 16 years old, he managed to get his hands on a BB gun. At 17, his grandfather, who sympathized with the teenager, got a Remington Model 522 Viper .22-caliber rifle for the budding marksman as a Christmas gift. He was

  • Barnes Center rebuilds senior NCO education curriculum

    Developers and faculty at the Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education kicked the level of learning up a notch with version 6 of the distance learning Senior NCO Course 14. The new version replaced version 5 in late 2013.

  • Medical training in hyperreality

    The Air Force Medical Modeling and Simulation Training, or AFMMAST, is improving medical training is by adding hyperreality and high fidelity through the use of the Tactical Combat Casualty Care Cut Suit.

  • Acting VA secretary outlines problems, actions taken

    In testimony before the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs July 15, Acting VA Secretary Sloan D. Gibson outlined serious problems regarding access to health care and key actions the department has taken to get veterans off waiting lists and into clinics.

  • CMSAF tours Edwards AFB, discusses fiscal realities, changes

    Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James A. Cody, the 17th chief master sergeant appointed to the service's highest enlisted rank, and his wife, Athena, visited the high desert to meet with and thank Airmen and their families, and to get an up-close look at the local mission.