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  • Officials seek input to modernize DOD schools

    Officials in charge of the Defense Department's school system for military children are seeking input from parents, students and teachers in creating a 21st century learning environment by 2016.Department of Defense Education Activity officials want people who use the schools to provide their ideas

  • DOD makes progress in civilian hiring reform

    Until recently, applying for a civilian job at the Defense Department was an exercise in navigating through a byzantine federal hiring process and amassing thick application packets, with applicants sometimes waiting up to a year for any word on their applications.Pasquale M. Tamburrino Jr., the

  • Air Force officials announce civilian hiring controls

    Air Force leaders announced that hiring controls were instituted May 12 to reduce projected growth of the civilian workforce.The Air Force-wide efforts to stem the civilian personnel growth are a result of Secretary of Defense Robert Gate's efficiency initiatives to maintain civilian manning at

  • First lady aims to improve military families' lives

    First lady Michelle Obama stood behind a podium in the White House's East Room, her husband close at hand, as she addressed an audience of high-ranking military and government officials.Although it was a high-powered crowd, the first lady wasn't there for the officials or for the star-studded brass.

  • AFPC officials to stand up operating location at Robins

    As part of a continuing Air Force initiative to provide on-site civilian personnel recruitment support, Air Force Personnel Center officials will stand up an operating location at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., May 1. This is the fourth of five AFPC OLs to support commanders and missions at Air Force

  • Wounded warrior returns to serve Air Force

    Gunar Moschner knows the pain and anxiety that follows a work-related injury, but he also knows help is available through the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program.Thanks to the program, and his own perseverance, Mr. Moschner is once again serving with the Air Force.His life today is a long way from

  • Carter outlines military acquisition improvements

    The Defense Department has made much progress toward buying and fielding equipment smarter and faster, the Pentagon's undersecretary for acquisitions, technology and logistics told a congressional panel April 13.At a time when President Barack Obama and Congress look for ways to fix the nation's

  • First lady, Dr. Biden urge support of military families

    First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, launched an "unprecedented" national initiative April 12 that calls on all sectors of society to join forces to support and honor service members and their families. Flanked by their husbands, the first and second

  • VA budget request signals commitment to vets

    President Barack Obama's $132 billion 2012 budget request for the Veterans Affairs Department demonstrates that despite a tight fiscal environment, the U.S. officials stand by their commitment to men and women who have served in uniform, Deputy VA Secretary W. Scott Gould told American Forces Press

  • Air Force summer job opportunities now available

    Now is the time for those interested in temporary summer employment to apply for an Air Force job. Many Air Force summer vacancies are already being posted for such positions as office automation and computer clerk, laborer, lifeguard, recreation aide, and food service worker.To be considered for a

  • Top enlisted leaders share views with Congress

    Improving housing and child care, giving better access to health care and education, and intervening earlier in high-risk behavior are areas the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps are focused on to maintain a high quality of life for service members and their families, the services' most-senior

  • Budget slows defense growth, comptroller says

    Cost savings reflected in the fiscal 2012 Defense Department budget do not represent a cut from current funding levels, but rather a slower rate of growth than has been seen in recent years, the Pentagon's comptroller and chief financial officer told a Senate committee here March 29.Defense

  • VA officials work to break disability claims backlog

    Former Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Tyrone Allen is part of a growing legion within the Veterans Affairs Department striving to make good on VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki's pledge to "break the back of the claims backlog."Allen understands firsthand the frustrations many veterans feel as they wait

  • Jobs website continues to ease application process for employees

    Since its implementation in May 2010, more than 180,000 applications have been posted through www.NAFjobs.org.The Air Force-wide online job board makes it easier for job seekers to find and apply for nonappropriated fund, or NAF, federal job vacancies at Air Force clubs, golf courses, child

  • Secretary Gates sees progress in Afghanistan

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said March 8 that he finds conditions here "very encouraging," as he ended his second full day of high-level meetings, troop visits and commander briefings in Afghanistan.Secretary Gates spoke to reporters at this outpost in the Arghandab district of southern

  • Civilian employees should start education applications early

    Hundreds of professional development opportunities are available annually for civilian employees. Many of those slots go unfilled, in part because eligible candidates wait until the last minute to prepare and staff their application packages.For example, annually, 280 Civilian Acculturation and

  • Federal pay freeze also impacts NAF employees

    The recently implemented two-year pay freeze for federal employees applies to Department of Defense nonappropriated fund, or NAF, employees in crafts and trades and pay-banded pay schedules. Under legislation signed in December 2010, the pay freeze impacts basic pay, special pay rates and

  • McChord Airmen survive New Zealand earthquake unscathed

    About 35 McChord Airmen, 15 of them from the Air Force Reserve Command's 446th Airlift Wing, are in Christchurch, New Zealand, where a 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit Feb. 22. The remaining McChord Airmen in Christchurch belong to the active-duty 62nd Airlift Wing here.Based in Christchurch with their

  • New York Air Guardsmen all safe after New Zealand earthquake

    All 26 members of the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing, currently deployed to Christchurch, New Zealand, in support of Operation Deep Freeze, are safe and unharmed after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck the New Zealand city Feb. 22.The Air Guard wing will remain in

  • DOD leaders outline health care, family services improvements

    The Defense Department has taken a number of recent steps to improve health care and family support services for military members and their families, the department's two top leaders told a Senate panel Feb. 17.Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs

  • Programs will suffer without adequate funding, Mullen says

    Military programs will suffer if the Defense Department's budget for fiscal 2011 isn't passed immediately, the nation's top military officer told the House Armed Services Committee here Feb. 16.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, echoed the warning issued by Defense

  • Leaders explain Air Force manning impacts on Academy

    Air Force officials are implementing a strategy for force management, and the Air Force Academy is included in those efforts.Under the plan, the size of the cadet wing will be reduced from roughly 4,500 to 4,000 cadets by Oct. 1, 2012. Enrollment for each incoming freshman class will be shrunk

  • Rubber removal begins at Bagram Airfield

    Since Jan. 30, Airmen who work on the flightline here have seen a new vehicle crossing the runway. The vehicle, a TrackJet TJ-24, is a surface-treatment system with high-capacity vacuum suction capability. It looks like a water tanker with a vacuum attached to the front. Since its arrival, the

  • 'Today's Air Force' features Operation Deep Freeze

    In this edition of Today's Air Force, you'll be taking a trip down South. Way down South, to the South Pole, where you will get an inside look at how Airmen are supporting scientific research in Antarctica. See how pilots take off and land in the snow and ice, and find out what it takes to survive

  • Lynn: Defense budget plans strike 'right balance'

    The Defense Department's plans to cut $78 billion from its budget over five years, and find more than $100 billion in savings for reinvestment, was a collaborative effort and a reasonable balance between military needs and budget constraints, said Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III Jan.

  • White House unveils new approach to military family support

    White House officials have released a report that unveils a new, governmentwide approach to military family support and details a sweeping, interagency effort under way to strengthen families and enhance their well-being and quality of life.President Barack Obama announced the results of a nearly

  • Director calls personnel system transition 'rewarding'

    The Defense Department's transfer of more than 170,000 civilian employees out of the National Security Personnel System since 2009 has been smooth, the transition's director said Jan 13.John H. James Jr. said much of the credit for the transition goes to the services."The components have done a very

  • Defense official outlines pay freeze details

    Defense Department civilian employees affected by the federal pay freeze for 2011 and 2012 will still have the opportunity to receive performance awards, promotions and normal longevity increases, a senior defense official said.Pasquale M. Tamburrino Jr., the deputy under secretary of defense for

  • Antarctica blog connects students with science

    Connecting scientists to elementary and high school students worldwide was one of many accomplishments during last year's Operation Deep Freeze, the military's support of National Science Foundation research in Antarctica.In 2010, Lt. Col. Ed Vaughan spent 50 days as commander of McMurdo Det. 1 and

  • Defense Department officials to prune senior ranks, freeze staffing

    Defense Department officials will reduce senior ranks and freeze civilian staffing levels, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Jan. 6."The monetary savings from ... reductions in senior personnel will be relatively modest, and mostly consist of the extra staff and amenities that, by tradition,

  • Language training detachment stands up in Europe

    With defense leaders emphasizing the importance of language and cultural training to support military operations worldwide, Defense Language Institute officials have established a new detachment in Germany to provide follow-on sustainment training for military linguists based in Europe.Staff members

  • Virtual inprocessing simplifies civilian PCS

    Revisions in the civilian permanent-change-of-station orders process at the Air Force Personnel Center are intended to save time and money, and reduce errors for hiring officials, relocating employees and personnelists, officials said.The new civilian PCS process is conducted virtually through the

  • C-17 serves as a bridge, navigates unpredictable weather in Antarctica

    An Air Force Reserve C-17 Globemaster III from the 728th Airlift Squadron out of McChord Air Force Base, Wash., is supporting Operation Deep Freeze by serving as a bridge for cargo and personnel moving between Christchurch, New Zealand, and McMurdo Air Station, Antarctica. The C-17 and its aircrew

  • DOD officials to expand community-based child care options

    Defense Department officials plan to launch an initiative early next year aimed at expanding the quality and quantity of community-based child care options for geographically dispersed reserve and active-duty families and for families facing long waits for on-base care.Through the initiative, DOD

  • Stanley: Pentagon must do better in hiring disabled

    Defense Department officials are doing a "pretty good" job at hiring talented, disabled people for their civilian work force, but they needs to do much better, the Pentagon's top personnel official said Dec. 8 here during his keynote remarks at the 30th annual Disability Awards Ceremony and Forum."I

  • DOD seeks to better support disabled employees, official says

    The Defense Department employs about 45,000 workers with disabilities, but needs to boost awareness of a program to support, hire and retain them, the DOD's director of disability programs said Dec. 7.On the eve of the 30th Annual Department of Defense Disability Awards ceremony, "Talent Has No

  • Review aims to streamline ART hiring process

    Personnel officials from the Air Force Reserve Command and the Air Force Personnel Center met here Oct. 26 through 28 to begin steps in reducing the timeline of the hiring process for air reserve technicians, or ARTs.Leaders from AFRC and AFPC met with civilian force integration officials to

  • Chairman works to bridge military-civilian gap

    The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on the eve of Veterans Day Nov. 10, asked the civilian world to reach out to veterans returning home from the wars.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, speaking as part of the Bernard Brodie Distinguished Lecture Series at the UCLA campus here, said he is concerned that

  • Portal helps vets, reserves, guardsmen land jobs

    Just in time for Veterans Day, a new, state-of-the-art Web portal is being rolled out tomorrow to help veterans -- as well as Reserve-component members, their families and wounded warriors -- land jobs with civilian employers who value their military experience.The user-friendly tools will enhance

  • Secretary Clinton presents Antarctic airway chart to New Zealand

    During a ceremony Nov. 5 in Christchurch, New Zealand, at the International Antarctic Center, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton presented an Antarctic airway chart to the country.The airway chart was created by Col. Ronald Smith, commander of Operation Deep Freeze from 2005 to 2008, and

  • Air Force hiring more small businesses

    As Air Force officials focused on acquisition of weapon systems and related hardware, Air Force Materiel Command stands to make a noticeable contribution to a stepped-up effort by the federal government to increase awards of contracts to small businesses.In summer 2009, Department of Commerce and

  • USAJOBS to be single source for Air Force job seekers

    Current civilian employees will have a single source to apply for vacant Air Force positions beginning Nov. 15 when they join other job seekers already using USAJOBS.Air Force civilian personnel officials announced the decision in October that almost all hiring will be accomplished through USAJOBS

  • Airmen support Antarctica mission

    Active-duty and Reserve Airmen from the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., spent a few days supporting Operation Deep Freeze at McMurdo Station in Antarctica and related their experiences to the Defense Department's "Armed with Science" blog recently.Among the officers

  • Scammers prey on servicemembers

    Scams can include any trick used to gain information, money or resources. Scammers accomplish this by preying on a person until the scammer can piece together information or convince the individual to meet the scammers' needs. Even though servicemembers are a prominent part of the nation, they can

  • Military spouses are heroes, first lady says

    The needs and concerns of military spouses, whose sacrifices benefit the nation, should be of concern to all Americans, First Lady Michelle Obama said Oct. 26."These women and men -- they are heroes, and it's time that we recognize the challenges they face and the obstacles they overcome and the

  • Transition calls for employees to 'brush up' resumes

    Following the success of a seven-month pilot program using a resume-based system to fill vacant positions at 16 locations across the service, current Air Force civilian employees will now apply for vacant position using USAJOBS beginning Nov. 15.To search for Air Force vacancies, employees can visit

  • LC-130 takes off for Operation Deep Freeze

    A New York Air National Guard LC-130 Hercules, equipped with retractable ski-wheels, departed here Oct. 18 to support the U.S. Antarctic Program and the National Science Foundation's research at international sites throughout the Antarctic continent. The uniquely-equipped aircraft is necessary for

  • President Obama proclaims Cybersecurity Awareness Month

    Americans everywhere prosper because of the nation's digital infrastructure, and therefore all citizens must defend it, President Barack Obama said Oct. 4.October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and in a proclamation released, President Obama said all Americans must understand they have a

  • Officials urge protection against identity theft

    Defense Department officials are urging servicemembers to be aware of identity theft and are providing ways for them to protect themselves, the director of DOD's personal finance office said.Dave Julian said officials take the problem very seriously. "We equate it to service readiness," he

  • Filling civilian vacancies easier with advanced recruiting, online resources

    As Air Force officials work to streamline and expedite the hiring process for the civilian workforce, they are encouraging hiring managers to initiate the recruitment process prior to an incumbent's departure.If the position being vacated is already funded, properly classified and serviced by the

  • Human trafficking equals modern-day slavery

    Although slavery was abolished in the U.S. nearly 150 years ago, modern-day slavery continues to thrive, making it vital for people to know the signs and avoid becoming facilitators of what is known as human trafficking.Human trafficking is the use of another human being for illegal purposes such as

  • DOD report urges increase in guard's civilian technicians

    Department of Defense officials recently submitted a report to Congress recommending an increase in the current legal limits on the number of civilian technicians who provide support to National Guard members and their units.About 52,000 technicians are spread across the across the U.S., while about

  • AF transfers northern airspace to Iraq

    The Air Force handed over the Kirkuk sector of airspace, 15,000 feet and above, to the Iraq Civil Aviation Authority Sept. 1. The Kirkuk sector of airspace consists of the northern 1/3 portion of Iraq, which previously had been controlled by the Air Force out of Kirkuk Air Base. "Tonight marks a

  • Toolkit helps separating servicemembers land jobs

    Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines separating from the military can get extra help in finding a job from a new Defense Department resource.Specialists in the Pentagon's Wounded Warrior Care and Transition Policy Office, part of the Office of Personnel and Readiness, recently developed the Career

  • AFMC leaders told to seek efficiencies, get back to basics

    Challenging times ahead and developing efficiencies to accomplish the mission were among the key topics highlighted at the semi-annual Air Force Materiel Command Senior Leaders Conference here Aug. 23 through 25.AFMC Commander Gen. Donald J. Hoffman led his center and wing commanders, along with

  • VA officials obligate last of Recovery Act funds to help veterans

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials committed the last of their $1.8 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds July 31, as one of the first federal agencies to achieve that milestone. Projects at more than 1,200 sites in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico will

  • Gates strives to change Pentagon's culture

    The initiative to reduce Defense Department overhead and to eliminate duplicative capabilities is part of a larger thrust to change the culture of the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here Aug. 9.The department must be more frugal with the taxpayers' money and must put what money it

  • New employees to be automatically enrolled in TSP

    New legislation that called for automatic enrollment of newly hired and eligible civilian federal employees, as well as certain rehires, into the Thrift Savings Plan began Aug. 1.This automatic enrollment feature is in compliance with the June 22, 2009, TSP Enhancement Act that authorizes federal

  • Acquisition Improvement Plan recaptures excellence

    When the Air Force Secretary and Chief of Staff signed the Acquisition Improvement Plan in May 2009, they launched a significant effort to help the service recapture acquisition excellence."A key element of this plan was the revitalization of the (Air Force) acquisition workforce," said Lt. Gen.

  • Nonappropriated fund human resources issues addressed during conference

    Nearly 100 Air Force human resources professionals met here recently for the 2010 Nonappropriated Fund Human Resources worldwide conference.This was the first time the conference has been held since 2003, and it included topics on NAF employee recruiting, labor relations, retention methods and new

  • Obama reaffirms commitment to veteran care

    Caring for veterans is a moral obligation, President Barack Obama said Aug. 2 in a speech at the Disabled American Veterans National Convention in Atlanta. "Every American who has ever worn the uniform must know this: your country is going to take care of you when you come home," President Obama

  • Chief McKinley visits Ramstein Airmen

    The 15th chief master sergeant of the Air Force visited here July 26 and shared his perspective as the service's former top enlisted member.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney McKinley retired from active duty at the highest enlisted level in June 2009, but despite the transition to civilian

  • Language Institute's mission reaches for the future

    With the buzzing of chatter, some in English, some in another tongue, and people moving about the building, the Defense Language Institute English Language Center here is a beehive of activity. The international military students attending the resident program here have a purpose, and the

  • Acquisition reform plays key role in Pentagon's cost savings

    Defense Department officials have the opportunity to save billions of taxpayer dollars through acquisitions reform, but only if they grow their workforce with the right federal workers in place to oversee contracts, a senior Pentagon official said July 15."There is a significant opportunity to save

  • Hiring authority expanded to certain cybersecurity jobs

    Air Force managers hiring civilian federal employees for certain cybersecurity positions have been authorized to use the streamlined Schedule A hiring authority to help expeditiously fill more than 680 positions.The Department of Defense grants the use of Schedule A in specific cases, including when

  • Hiring authority key in meeting goals, faster hiring

    As the Air Force continues to seek highly qualified employees to compliment its growing civilian work force, officials are promoting active use of the Schedule A hiring authority to fill these positions with qualified people.Schedule A hiring is a special streamlined hiring authority available to

  • Center diversity group looks to recruit, hire, maintain quality workforce

    Warner Robins Air Logistics Center officials here are taking steps to improve their commitment to diversity. What began as an effort to improve diversity training has led to the creation of a diversity steering group with an even bigger goal. The group's aim is not to implement hiring quotas, but to

  • PRT project could bring 35,000 new trees to Panjshir province

    Panjshir Governor Keramuddin Keram met with Provincial Reconstruction Team Panjshir officials July 1 to discuss a project that could bring 35,000 new trees to the province by the end of the year.U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jeffrey Casada, a Kentucky National Guard Agri-Business Development Team leader, and

  • Training prepares civilian employees for deployment

    A training program is equipping Defense Department civilian employees with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully deploy in support of humanitarian, reconstruction and combat-support military missions across the globe.The joint civilian expeditionary work force training, a 10-day

  • Reserve program to grow by 400 by September

    With 400 new funded billets and recent attrition rates in fiscal 2010, Air Force Reserve Individual Mobilization Augmentee Program officials are expecting to hire 1,600 people by September. "We're hiring and that is terrific news on several fronts," said Col. Nancy Zbyszinski, the Readiness

  • Opportunities exist for active-duty Airmen to become IMA Reservists

    Air Force Reserve Individual Mobilization Augmentee program officials are currently looking for Airmen from all career fields to fill worldwide taskings, according to a Reserve management group official. "Airmen who are leaving the active-duty force are encouraged to consider opportunities along the

  • New systems make military moves more efficient

    With the busiest season for permanent-change-of-station moves under way, officials at U.S. Transportation Command are encouraging servicemembers to take advantage of new systems designed to make the process more convenient and efficient.Transcom launched the new Personally Procured Move, or PPM,

  • Applying for Air Force NAF jobs goes virtual

    A new centralized online tool is making it easier for job seekers to find and apply for federal careers in various nonappropriated fund activities, including Air Force clubs, golf courses, child development centers, youth centers, bowling centers and outdoor recreation centers. On May 24,

  • NSPS transition well under way, official tells Congress

    The transition of Defense Department civilian employees from the National Security Personnel System is proceeding, with 75 percent of the workforce expected to be transferred into the General Schedule classification and pay system by late September, the defense official overseeing the effort told

  • Ramstein Airmen perform in-depth inspection on C-130J

    The first isochronal inspection on Ramstein Air Base's earliest C-130J Super Hercules aircraft kicked off here May 26. A team of about 60 active-duty Airmen from different specialty codes, all familiar with the J model, examined tail number 8601 during the 10-day inspection.An ISO inspection, much

  • Hiring surge to employ thousands

    With contractor-to-civilian conversions, new organizations standing up and overall increases in civilian positions, the Air Force civil service continues to grow as officials look to employ thousands of U.S. citizens.Air Force Personnel Center officials have filled more than 3,000 new positions

  • Program links troops with career resources

    As the United States' economic crisis lingers, returning veterans are finding it harder to translate the skills they have learned on the battlefields onto a resume, but some employers are working with the military to bridge the gap.Staff members with the Employer Partnership Office of the Armed

  • First lady calls on nation to support military families

    First Lady Michelle Obama issued a national challenge today to all sectors of American society: mobilize and take action to support and engage military families."One percent of Americans may be fighting our wars, but we need 100 percent of Americans to support them and their families," the first

  • More bases to advertise vacancies on USAJOBS

    Eight additional locations will begin using USAJOBS.gov on May 24 to advertise vacancies to current Air Force employees.Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.; McGuire AFB, N.J.; McChord AFB, Wash.; Langley AFB, Va.; Elmendorf AFB, Alaska; Andersen AFB, Guam; and the Air Force District of Washington's

  • Ali Airmen and Iraqi soldiers team up to keep electricity flowing

    Three Airmen from the 407th Air Expeditionary Group Civil Engineer Squadron Power Production shop traveled to Camp Ur, Iraq, April 19 through 21, to train Iraqi army mechanics on proper procedures for preventative maintenance of four diesel generators providing electrical power to the base.At Camp

  • Airmen, Soldiers join forces for exercise

    More than 140 Airmen and Soldiers worked together on a new concept during the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Eagle Flag exercise on Lakehurst April 12. Eagle Flag is the U.S. military's premiere exercise for validating logistics port-opening procedures in an expeditionary environment.The

  • Boeing officials bring 787 to Eglin AFB for weather tests

    Officials at the McKinley Climatic Lab here are hosting Boeing's newest passenger aircraft, the 787 Dreamliner, for two weeks of cold and hot weather testing.The new plane arrived April 18 and was moved into the lab to begin its cold-weather testing with temperatures reaching minus 45 degrees. The

  • VA officials strive to prevent veteran suicides

    With more than 6,000 veterans committing suicide every year, and 98 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan taking their own lives during fiscal 2009 alone,  Department of Veterans Affairs officials are redoubling their outreach to veterans and promoting the toll-free suicide-prevention hotline. National

  • New AF dining program opens doors for retirees, base employees

    Air Force Services Agency officials are implementing a new Food Transformation Initiative, enabling base employees and retirees living near six bases to use military food service establishments previously reserved for active-duty Airmen. Retirees and base employees will pay the same menu price as

  • Misawa maintainers keep F-16s flying

    Six engineers from the Air Force Engineering and Technical Services team here provide technical support to maintainers and aircrew for F-16 Fighting Falcon troubleshooting. With the F-16 aircraft airframe being about 30 years old keeping the jets in top form increases challenges, such as electrical

  • Vice chairman expresses comfort with nuke production freeze

    The nation's second-ranking military officer said April 6 he's comfortable with a new U.S. policy that halts future production of nuclear weapons. The freeze on developing new nuclear platforms, save for extraordinary cases requiring presidential approval, is an element of the Nuclear Posture

  • Veterans Affairs officials tackle root causes of homelessness

    No one who has ever served the United States in uniform should ever end up living on the street, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki insisted. So he and VA officials are committed to ending homelessness among America's veterans within the next five years, and said he's already seeing signs

  • New Reserve group stands up at Seymour Johnson

    To keep up with the increasing demand for F-15E Strike Eagle pilots and weapon systems officers, a new group is standing up here.The Air Force Reserve Command's 414th Fighter Group may have only a handful of assigned personnel now, but about 340 people will fall under the group, the 307th Fighter

  • Military families get free access to caregiver network

    Military families now have free access to an online network of quality caregivers who can assist with everything from babysitting to dog walking. Sittercity is the nation's largest online source for local babysitters, nannies, elder care providers, dog walkers, housekeepers and tutors, and contains

  • Air Force officials reduce current accessions goal

    Air Force officials here are reducing the service's current active-duty enlisted recruiting goal from 31,750 to 29,384 for the remainder of fiscal 2010. This reduction is one of the measures the Air Force uses to manage force manning to meet authorized Air Force end-strength. Force management is a

  • Air Force leaders expand force management options

    Due to the high volume of traffic on the Air Force Personnel Center personnel services Web site following this announcement, Airmen experiencing difficulty accessing the site may direct their questions concerning force management to their base military personnel sections or the Total Force Service

  • Missile Defense Review confirms capability's necessity

    Ballistic missile defense has come out of the world of the controversial and improbable and now is in the realm of the accepted and possible, the deputy Defense secretary said March 22 here.Deputy Secretary William J. Lynn III spoke to the 8th Annual U.S. Missile Defense Conference held at the

  • Airman-funded heart surgeries change 150 childrens' lives

    In an age when Americans are able to vote for a healthcare bill when they are dissatisfied with the current plan, many people around the world, including in Kyrgyzstan, struggle to afford surgery without any health insurance at all.So, American Airmen from the Transit Center have rallied together,

  • Agency staff provides aeronautical products to military pilots, aviators

    National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency officials here provide up-to-date aeronautical products and support to Air Force pilots and other military aviators, and supported relief efforts after a 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti Jan. 12. The director of NGA's Aeronautical Services, Office of Global

  • Defense secretary comments on tanker competition, other issues

    The recently released request for proposals for the Air Force's next-generation tanker aircraft was fair, the Defense secretary said here March 11, and he expressed disappointment that Northrop-Grumman has withdrawn from the competition for the $35 billion contract. Secretary Robert M. Gates also

  • Officials emphasize importance of hiring disabled veterans

    Federal officials are taking action to reverse years of decline in the percentage of people with disabilities in the federal workforce, speakers said at a March 5 training session held to prepare for a Federal Hiring Event for People and Veterans with Disabilities scheduled for April.The percentage

  • Select bases begin using new civilian application procedure

    The planned Feb. 22 rollout of a civilian hiring test initiative activated on schedule, requiring current Air Force civilian employees to follow new procedures when applying for jobs at select bases. Air Force civilians applying for jobs at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas; Osan Air Base, South

  • AFMC leader visits Tinker, highlights civilian issues

    The Air Force Materiel Command executive director called upon civilians to broaden their career paths, as a changing Air Force turns to more civilian leadership, during a visit that began Feb. 22, here. During the visit, Dr. Steven Butler had breakfast with the junior force council, spoke to

  • Budget balances security, economics, Lynn tells Congress

    The fiscal 2011 defense budget request includes modest but necessary spending increases in line with President Barack Obama's effort to balance national security with economic needs, the deputy defense secretary told Congress members March 4 here. The $708 billion request "reflects the