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  • Kadena children get deployment experience

    With a mobility bag slung heavily over one shoulder, the petite “Tech. Sgt.” Natasha Dumpert stands in a deployment line waiting for her immunizations before setting off for a deployment to Iraq.Oh, by the way, Natasha is 8-years-old and her immunizations are jellybeans.Natasha, along with more than

  • DOD programs ease force stress without hiking end strength

    Ongoing Defense Department transformation initiatives are designed to relieve force stress without increasing the number of military forces, a senior defense official told House Armed Services Committee members March 16.“By focusing attention on efforts to reduce stress on our forces, we believe we

  • Joint Red Flag 2005 kicks off at Nellis

    More than 10,000 servicemembers from all four military branches, along with troops of some coalition forces kicked off Joint Red Flag 2005 March 14. The goal of the training exercise, which is scheduled to end April 2, is to develop improved joint training and experimentation

  • Air Force 2005 design and construction award winners named

    Air Force officials announced the winners of the 2005 Air Force Design Awards, Air Force Agent Awards and Air Force Design Excellence Awards.Recipients of an honor award in the design competition:-- Concept Design: indoor community pool at Osan Air Base, South Korea.-- Interior Design: bowling

  • OIF experience benefits Airmen deployed elsewhere

    For two years now, Airmen have deployed to support Operation Iraqi Freedom, serving either in Iraq or locations elsewhere in Southwest Asia.Many Airmen deployed here said previous experience supporting OIF has paid dividends in understanding even more their current deployment supporting Operation

  • Airmen ready to rapidly repair runways

    Whether from a natural disaster or an enemy attack, when a runway is damaged, a dedicated team of civil engineers rapidly spring into action to make that landing strip usable.Known as a rapid runway repair team, the group comprises a crater team, a mat team, an airfield lighting team and a mobile

  • Teets submits resignation

    Peter B. Teets, acting secretary of the Air Force, announced his resignation March 18, to take effect March 25. “I'm honored to have served the president, the secretary of defense and with the dedicated Airmen of America’s Air Force and the men and women of the National Reconnaissance Office over

  • SRB list drops to 32 specialties

    Air Force officials made significant changes to the selective re-enlistment bonus program as a result of continuing force-shaping efforts. Based on the findings of a review in October, officials have published the latest list, which contains 32 Air Force specialties, down from 62.The new list is

  • F-16 crashes at Nellis

    An Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed short of the runway here at about 8:30 a.m. on March 18. The pilot ejected safely and was taken to the base hospital for evaluation, officials said.The aircraft was assigned to the U.S. Air Force Weapons School’s 16th Weapons Squadron. A board of officers

  • Predator fleet to expand

    Air Force officials plan to expand the current Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle fleet to as many as 15 squadrons.This increase, announced March 18, is in response to the escalating demand for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability in the war on terrorism. The plans are intended to

  • OIF two years later: Progress continues on all fronts

    On March 18, 2003, the clock was ticking on President Bush’s ultimatum for Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and his sons to leave Iraq within 48 hours.The next day, two days after the president’s televised ultimatum, coalition forces launched operations to disarm Iraq.“On my orders, coalition forces

  • Military pay, allowances recognize troops' contributions

    Since the Sept. 11 attacks, Defense Department leaders and U.S. legislators “have worked together to increase servicemembers’ basic pay by more than 21 percent,” a senior DOD official told House Armed Services Committee members March 16.DOD officials remain “committed to taking care of

  • DOD officials release tri-service academy climate survey data

    Department of Defense officials released survey data from the three service academies March 18 on the climate of sexual harassment and assault among cadets and midshipmen.During the spring of 2004, the DOD inspector general conducted the survey at the military service academies in response to a

  • Officials release QF-4 drone accident report

    Failure of an unmanned QF-4E drone to react properly to controller inputs led to its intentional destruction during a mission Sept. 8 over White Sands Missile Range near Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., according to an Air Force report released March 18.The remotely-piloted jet was assigned to the

  • Changing DOD's global posture an 'enormous undertaking'

    Pentagon officials’ move to change their global footprint will be an “enormous undertaking” that will be “unprecedented,” the Defense Department’s director of strategy on global posture said here March 17.Barry Pavel said this could well be the first time that any country has purposely designed a

  • Air Force seeks Airmen for detainee operations

    The Air Force needs about 100 enlisted Airmen to serve in Iraq as interrogators, analysts, and command and control specialists later this year.Eligible volunteers from across the total force, who want to serve at the forefront of the war on terror, must be sharp and meet certain qualifications,

  • New DOD sexual-assault policy affords victims privacy

    New guidelines for confidential, restricted reporting of sexual assaults in the Defense Department were announced March 18 in a Pentagon briefing.“The policy allows victims -- and here’s the big change -- to report a sexual assault to specified individuals without necessarily initiating an

  • Academy sports wrap: Boxers take title

    Backed by five gold medalists, the Air Force Academy boxing team claimed its 26th consecutive regional title March 19 at the National Collegiate Boxing Association's West Regional Championships in Reno, Nev. With 64 team points, the Falcons easily won the team title to continue their winning

  • Elmendorf Airman finishes Iditarod

    The only active-duty servicemember to compete in the 1,161-mile Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race this year crossed the finish line in Nome, Alaska at 12:13 p.m. local time March 20.Maj. (Dr.) Thomas Knolmayer, Elmendorf’s chief of surgery, finished the race in 58th place out of 63 finishers. He was on

  • Creek Defender convoy prepares security forces Airmen

    Airmen of the 786th Security Forces Squadron here proved their grit alongside more than 80 U.S. Air Forces in Europe security forces Airmen at a convoy and static position live-fire event March 14 at a training range in nearby Baumholder.The Creek Defender exercise primed the participants for

  • Special ops request funding to modernize, transform

    A continued need for modernization and transformation of special operations forces brought that community’s leaders to Capitol Hill on March 17 to testify on their portion of the president’s military spending request.The fiscal 2006 defense budget request that President Bush submitted to Congress

  • Officials announce Air Force safety awards

    Air Force safety officials announced the winners of the 2004 safety awards.They are:-- Secretary of the Air Force Safety Award: Category I, U.S. Air Forces in Europe at Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Category II, Air Force Academy, Colo. -- Maj. Gen. Benjamin D. Foulois Memorial Award: Air Combat

  • Services work together, keep convoys off streets

    As Operation Iraqi Freedom continues, American servicemembers are put in harm’s way daily. The Department of Defense’s various services are working together to make Iraq a safer place for the servicemembers. This is the primary thinking behind the Tanker Air Lift Control Element, a mostly Air

  • College tests offered for Airmen manning internment camp

    Armored Humvees roll in and out of here several times a day escorting supply convoys. But they brought a unique passenger and cargo to this remote outpost March 17.The passenger was Staff Sgt. Alan Smith, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing test control officer. His cargo was a box full of College Level

  • Hill employees get down to details

    Just like investigators tracing threads back to the source of a crime, science and engineering laboratory employees use science to solve mysteries here. However, instead of dark overcoats, they wear lab coats. The laboratory is divided into four main sections: chemical science, material science,

  • Congress hears testimony on manpower, recruiting

    By the end of the year, the Air Force will have reduced its number of personnel to the congressionally mandated limit, said the service's deputy chief of staff for personnel during testimony on Capitol Hill on March 16.While speaking before the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on

  • Joint Red Flag bringing big picture together

    One of the nation’s largest integrated exercise involving live and virtual simulations is well under way at locations throughout the United States.Joint Red Flag is a training exercise for U.S. military and coalition forces to enhance operational effectiveness, exercise officials said. More than

  • Officials announce new chief of AF Scientific Advisory Board

    Acting secretary of the Air Force Peter B. Teets selected Heidi Shyu as chair of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board on March 22. The board is an independent group that provides technical advice to Air Force leaders. Ms. Shyu, an electrical engineer with Raytheon Company, will start her duties

  • CSAF: Raptor, Eurofighter complementary

    The Air Force chief of staff added to his 5,000-plus flying hours with familiarization flights in both the F/A-22 Raptor and the Eurofighter aircraft.Gen. John P. Jumper said the Eurofighter is both agile and sophisticated, but is still difficult to compare to the F/A-22 Raptor. He is the only

  • Raptor important tool in maintaining air dominance

    Critics of the F/A-22 Raptor claim the aircraft is a "Cold War weapons system," but the Air Force chief of staff said it is a critical tool in maintaining air dominance."The Cold War ended, but the airplanes that were built to fight in the Cold War are still in production and have been delivered

  • AFIT graduates Class of 2005

    More than 230 scientists and engineers received graduate and doctorate degrees from the Air Force Institute of Technology here March 21. AFIT’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management held its 2005 graduation ceremony at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. The graduating class was

  • General explains new DOD sex-assault policy

    The new guidelines for reporting incidents of sexual assault within the military create, for the first time, a Defense Department-wide standard that will provide victims with the support they need after incidents occur and help commanders get to root causes of the problems, the head of the Pentagon

  • Personnel chief outlines NSPS, other initiatives

    Defense Department civilians soon will be paid for productivity rather than longevity, while in the future, servicemembers may be required to serve longer tours of duty and spend more time in the military before becoming eligible for retirement.These initiatives are part of efforts by officials to

  • ACC officials release Predator crash report

    Crew error was the primary cause of an MQ-1L Predator remotely piloted aircraft crash during a training mission Sept. 22 at Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field, Nev., according to an Air Force report released by Air Combat Command officials March 23.Officials said the pilot failed to correct a

  • Officials recognize company for contributions to war on terror

    Air Force officials recognized FedEx for the company's support to the military during the war on terror with a brief surprise ceremony at the Pentagon on March 22.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper presented Frederick W. Smith, FedEx chief executive officer, with a certificate of

  • Air Force receives last F-16

    The general who was the F-16 System Program Office director here when the contract for the aircraft was awarded delivered the Air Force's last F-16 Fighting Falcon on March 18.While the Lockheed Martin Aero plant in Fort Worth, Texas, will continue to produce F-16s for international coalition

  • Life-support team puts pressure on high-flying pilots

    People feeling too much pressure may say something like, “You make my blood boil.” If high-flying U-2 reconnaissance aircraft pilots lose cabin pressure, their blood literally could boil.U-2 pilots fly in the rarified atmosphere more than 60,000 feet above the earth, and a loss of cabin pressure

  • Exercises prepare Airmen for deployment

    The Air and Space Expeditionary Force Center here nominates sourcing for about 38 exercises each year so Airmen can exercise their deployment capabilities before actually deploying, officials said.Exercises provide a realistic contingency environment to familiarize combat operation forces and

  • Female officer balances work, family

    Balancing a career and a family is difficult for everyone. When that career in question is commanding the 103 personnel in the medical operations squadron here, the challenge can be immense.Lt. Col. Joycelyn Elaiho, a pediatric nurse practitioner who is the 66th Medical Operations Squadron

  • Combat communicators provide more than ‘terabyte’ of support

    If you ask Staff Sgt. Brandon Miranda what a “terabyte” is, the communications-computer systems operations journeyman with the 416th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron communications flight here will tell you it is a computer server that can store more than 1,000 gigabytes.For the nearly 1,000

  • Transient alert Airmen catch, park, launch aircraft

    How many folks do you know that can get a 550,000-pound steel aircraft to follow them down the street? The Airmen at transient alert here can.KC-10 Extenders, C-5 Galaxies, C-130 Hercules, C-17 Globemaster III’s, 747s and 757s -- if it flies into Manas, the Airmen at transient alert can catch it,

  • F-15 crashes in Nevada

    An F-15 Eagle crashed at about 8:35 a.m. March 25 about 50 miles northeast of here.The pilot ejected safely and was flown back to the base. He and the aircraft are assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron.A board of officers will investigate the accident.

  • Teets: Air Force's biggest challenge is recapitalizing the fleet

    During a roundtable discussion at the Pentagon March 22, the acting secretary of the Air Force discussed space, the F/A-22 Raptor and business ethics.Peter B. Teets retired from public service March 25. He held additional titles, including Department of Defense executive agent for space and

  • Officials announce 2005 Hennessy Trophy winners

    Air Force Services Agency officials have announced the winners of the 2005 Hennessy Trophy Awards.Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., is the winner in the single-facility category, and Hurlburt Field, Fla., is the winner in the multiple-facility category.The Air Force Reserve Command award winner is the

  • Combat Talon undergoes risk reduction testing

    An MC-130E Combat Talon I completed the first risk reduction flight here March 15 after undergoing several months of improved avionics modifications. Airmen from the 418th Flight Test Squadron conducted the flight.The aircraft arrived here in October from the Air Force Reserve Command's 919th

  • Officials announce new heath-care benefit for Guard and Reserve

    A new health-care plan, with coverage comparable to that enjoyed by federal employees under the Blue Cross and Blue Shield health insurance plan, will be available to eligible members of the National Guard and Reserve and their families April 25, Defense Department officials announced here March 24

  • New program aims to improve moving process

    Full replacement value for lost or damaged items is among several changes taking effect in October as part of a new program called “Families First” which aims to improve the moving process for military families. “We’re going to have a lot of happier campers because they are not going to be losing

  • Aircrew training, diversion saves Soldier

    Aircrews must display skill and ingenuity in handling difficult or unusual situations. While flying a combat mission supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom recently, a C-130 Hercules crew’s skillful actions prevented a potential loss of life.After picking up more than 50 Soldiers in Iraq, the aircraft

  • Deployed Airmen take on a different enemy

    The hum of C-130 Hercules resonated throughout a base at a forward-deployed location as the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing’s mission of putting boots on the ground in Iraq continued.However, more than 300 Airmen took time from their duties to battle another enemy when they participated in a Relay for

  • Twenty-six picked for Tops In Blue

    Air Force Services Agency officials have selected 26 Airmen to perform with the 2005 Tops In Blue troop.This is the 52nd year of the program.Airmen selected are:Male Vocalists: -- Capt. William Middleswart of the 496th Air Base Squadron at Moron Air Base, Spain.-- Staff Sgt. Fernando Alejandro of

  • Officials announce selections to captain

    The captain promotion process selected 848 lieutenants out of 856 for promotion to captain. The results of the CY04D Quarterly Captain Selection Process are as follows:In-the-promotion zone:-- 733 line officers were selected from 737 considered for a 99.5 percent selection rate.-- 10 chaplains were

  • Nine recently selected for promotion to E-8 must now re-compete

    Personnel officials are correcting circumstances that recently led to nine master sergeants being selected for promotion to senior master sergeant in the incorrect Control Air Force Specialty Code during the 05E8 cycle.The problem began when 46 Airmen who were attending the First Sergeant Academy

  • MQ-1 Predator crashes in Iraq

    An Air Force MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle crashed about 10 p.m. EST on March 26 in the vicinity of Balad, Iraq.The aircraft was assigned to the 15th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. It was in the U.S. Central Command area of operations supporting

  • Official: Airmen less blue-, more fight-oriented

    Airmen are contributing to the success of coalition operations in Iraq and Afghanistan by being less blue- and more fight-oriented, said U.S. Central Command’s deputy director of operations.During a recent visit to the Pentagon, Brig. Gen. Douglas L. Raaberg described Air Force contributions to the

  • Military dogs dig into security

    Not all Air Force equipment has engines, wings or even operating instructions. One unit here is responsible for equipment that has a mouth packed with sharp teeth and a hide of fur.“Osan has the largest operational dog kennel in the Air Force,” said Tech. Sgt. Jerry Woodard, 51st Security Forces

  • Maintainers keep Stratotankers airborne

    A KC-135 Stratotanker is considered a support aircraft in the war on terrorism, but for many members of the 340th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, that is an understatement.Tasked with the responsibility of keeping Air Force, sister service and coalition aircraft refueled and flying, these Grand Forks Air

  • Iraqi Freedom deployments help Airmen understand war

    For Tech. Sgt. Aaron Otte and Staff Sgt. Ron Beard, both security forces Airmen assigned to the 416th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron security forces flight and deployed here from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on past deployments is something they said they

  • New course prepares NCOs for joint ops in Southwest Asia

    A new training course for senior enlisted leaders is giving them skills that are proving invaluable for those deployed here, officials said.The Command Senior Enlisted Leader Capstone Joint Operations Module course is giving warfighters the tools they need to operate in an environment in which they

  • Unit deployment managers ensure readiness

    Described by officials as the squadron lifeline to deployment processes anywhere, unit deployment managers are tasked with ensuring their unit’s troops and cargo are ready for deployment.“Ask any commander who has a deployment mission, and they will tell you their UDM is invaluable,” said Lt. Col.

  • Officials announce contracting awards

    Air Force officials announced the winners of the 2004 contracting awards.They are:Secretary of the Air Force Professionalism in Contracting: -- Supervisory, Christine Clark of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center at Robins Air Force Base, Ga.-- Nonsupervisory, Suzanne White of the 50th

  • Federal law assists troops' dealings with creditors

    Federal law prohibits mortgage lenders from immediately foreclosing on homes owned by servicemembers deployed overseas on military duty, a senior legal officer said here.All servicemembers, including those deployed, are protected under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, signed by President Bush on

  • Through the eyes of a child

    The military working dog demonstration ended, and the audience dispersed, heading back toward an overflow parking lot where a fire truck and security forces patrol car waited.Lt. Col. Derrick Richardson of the 327th Contractor Logistics Sustainment Group here walked toward the pavilion when a small

  • Myers speaks to ROTC cadets of integrity, commitment

    The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff left the Arnold Air Society/Silver Wings National Convention here March 28 more confident than ever about the future of America’s military.About 1,500 ROTC cadets and civilians from around the country listened as Gen. Richard B. Myers spoke of the challenges

  • OSI keeps Baghdad Airmen, Soldiers safe

    Force Protection. To many Airmen, it means fishing for identification, showing it to the gate guard, and then going to work for a 12-hour shift. To the special agents of Air Force Office of Special Investigations Detachment 2408, force protection encompasses a range of discreet, 24-hour operations

  • 'Faces of Fallen' exhibit open at Arlington

    The faces remind us of what we have lost.“Faces of the Fallen,” an exhibition at the Women in Military Service to America Memorial here, features more than 1,300 portraits of servicemembers who have died in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.Hundreds of family members came to see portraits of their

  • Academy honors distinguished graduates

    Contributions to the Air Force and nation have earned two Air Force Academy graduates the academy’s distinguished graduate awards.Retired Col. Frederick Gregory and retired Gen. Ronald W. Yates have earned the 2004 Distinguished Graduate Award. The awards will be presented on behalf of the academy

  • Second Predator crashes in Iraq

    An MQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle crashed in Rawah, Iraq, at about 7 p.m. on March 30, officials said. The Predator is the second one to crash here this week.The aircraft was assigned to the 15th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. It was in the U.S. Central

  • Officials announce Air Force comptroller awards

    Air Force financial management officials announced the winners of the 2004 financial management and comptroller awards.They are:Financial Management and Comptroller: -- Organization, 347th Comptroller Squadron at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. -- Individual, Lt. Col. Trent Edwards of the 92nd Air

  • Long-range plans key to winning anti-terror effort

    Defense, offense and long-range actions characterize U.S. operations in the war on terror, Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said here March 29. And while the first two are important, it is long-range actions that will ultimately help the U.S. win the war, he

  • No change expected at coalition base in Kyrgyzstan

    The political situation in Kyrgyzstan is expected to have no impact on coalition efforts there supporting operations in Afghanistan, an official at U.S. Central Command said here March 30.Lt. Gen. Lance L. Smith said Kyrgyzstan’s new government leaders have “gone out of their way” to ensure the U.S.

  • Pilots give feedback on F-16 upgrade

    F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., were here recently to give feedback to members of the F-16 Systems Group on upgrades made to the aircraft.Lt. Col. John Montgomery, 55th Fighter Squadron commander, and Capt. Jim Govin, a 55th FS pilot, flew two of the newly modified F-16s

  • Final Joint STARS aircraft delivered

    Officials from the Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., delivered the 17th and final E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System aircraft to the 116th Air Control Wing at Robins AFB, Ga., on March 23.The wing is the only unit to fly the aircraft. The Joint STARS

  • Bagram Airmen recover hundreds of pallets

    The numbers 88- by -108 by -2.25 inches and 290 pounds represent lifeblood for the Air Force’s logistics readiness officers and air transporters.They are the measurements of a pallet type used to carry combat supplies in and out of war zones … and they are “wanted.”A critical shortage of these

  • Academy sports wrap: Falcon javelin thrower honored by conference officials

    Backed by a record-setting performance at the Arizona State University Invitational in Tempe, Ariz., javelin thrower Dana Pounds was named the Mountain West Conference Women’s Track and Field Co-Athlete of the Week, league officials announced March 29.With a toss of 182 feet 1 inch at the meet,

  • Dominguez acting secretary of the Air Force

    With the resignation of Peter B. Teets, former acting secretary of the Air Force, Michael L. Dominguez is the new acting secretary.Mr. Dominguez also serves as the assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and reserve affairs. He entered government service in 1983 as a program analyst on

  • DOD temporarily oversees selected Air Force programs

    Department of Defense officials announced March 28 that all major defense acquisition programs managed by the Air Force and designated acquisition category 1C programs will temporarily be placed under the authority of Michael Wynne, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and

  • Officials announce Reserve major promotions

    Air Reserve Personnel Center officials here announced March 31 the results of the fiscal 2006 Air Force Reserve line and health professions major promotion selection boards. The Feb. 7 board selected 693 officers for promotion out of 1,861 records reviewed.Selection statistics in-the-promotion

  • Airman designs new EOD vehicle

    An Airman here designed an explosive ordnance disposal vehicle that will serve as an Air Force benchmark.The original design was drawn on the back of a napkin by Staff Sgt. Phillip Hauser with the 22nd Civil Engineer Squadron here and Air Force officials have purchased more than 30 of the $274,000

  • Air Force announces media contest winners

    A panel of civilian journalists, teachers and public relations professionals selected the best in Air Force print and broadcast journalism for the 48th annual Air Force Media Contest. The winners were announced March 31. Geoff Janes, from the 78th Air Base Wing at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is the

  • Report recommends family-friendly initiatives

    A military women’s advisory panel recommends that the armed forces discontinue the practice of simultaneously deploying both military parents of minor children.That is among several proposed changes the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Armed Services cited in its 2004 report.“Our

  • Communications essential part of Joint Red Flag operations

    Airmen of the Air Force Forces Communications and Control Center in the Combined Air and Space Operations Center here are meeting the challenges presented at Joint Red Flag, a U.S. Joint Forces Command exercise.To allow the thousands of people at 44 sites across the county to come together during

  • Combat Talon crashes in Albania

    An MC-130H Combat Talon II aircraft that crashed while on a joint training mission with the Albanian military, U.S. European Command officials announced April 1. There were nine people on board. A EUCOM news release said the crash occurred in a remote, mountainous area southeast of the Albanian

  • Airman sentenced to 19 years for sodomy

    An Airman here was convicted of sodomy and sentenced to a dishonorable discharge, 19 years confinement, reduction to Airman Basic and forfeiture of all pay and allowances by a general court-martial March 29.Master Sgt. Bart Lipscomb, from the 86th Maintenance Squadron, was convicted of one charge of

  • Fighters flying new missions, Airmen serving jointly

    In the war on terrorism, both aircraft and Airmen are performing missions nobody ever thought they would, a U.S. Central Command official said. Air Force fighter aircraft are performing intelligence missions today that they have not in the past, said Lt. Gen. Lance L. Smith, CENTCOM’s deputy

  • Balad medics perform critical mission

    Evacuation team members brace themselves against the rotor wash of a Blackhawk helicopter as it lands, stirring up swirling clouds of dust. They immediately make their way to the chopper and hurriedly bring patients into the trauma center. Within seconds, the emergency room is buzzing with activity

  • Say ‘hello’ to the bad guy

    Seeing the MiG-21 Fishbed static display in the parking lot, a Soviet flag hanging from a doorway and a picture of a smiling Joseph Stalin on a nearby counter top, might make it difficult for some to believe they are actually on a U.S. Air Force base.Things definitely look and work differently here

  • Hurlburt Airmen bring space power to Joint Red Flag

    U.S. space forces are using their knowledge of joint and interagency operations to adapt to an ever-changing battlefield during Joint Red Flag 2005, an exercise aimed at improving joint training and experimentation capabilities among U.S. and coalition forces.Air Force space capabilities have long

  • U.S., Albanian recovery teams continue to work at crash site

    U.S. and Albanian rescue and recovery teams are working continuously at the site of the U.S. MC-130H Combat Talon II crash, located about 35 miles southeast of Tirana, Albania. The aircraft went down the evening of March 31 while on a night training mission. Officials said the U.S. military will

  • Nine Airmen killed in crash

    Nine Airmen were killed in an MC-130H Combat Talon II aircraft crash in Albania on March 31, Special Operations Command Europe officials announced April 4. The Airmen were supporting a joint training mission with the Albanian military. They are:-- Capt. Todd Bracy, 34, of Murphysboro, Ill.-- Capt.

  • Report: flight control deficiency causes Raptor damage

    An accident investigation board determined that a flight control system deficiency caused an F/A-22 Raptor aircraft mishap Sept. 28 near Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The flight control system allowed the aircraft to exceed set angles of attack and G-force limits. The resulting aircraft damage is

  • Airman receives national engineer award

    An Airman here was selected by Society of American Military Engineers officials to receive the society's president's medal.Col. Josuelito Worrell, director of the engineering support directorate for the Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency, will receive the award for outstanding leadership and

  • Living wills: a matter of life or death

    The Terry Schiavo saga has both captured and divided the nation as moral and legal questions have been raised over the right to live or die. While many people remain at odds over the underlying issues, most agree on one topic -- the importance of living wills. “We’ve had a huge increase over the

  • PACAF welcomes new command chief

    Chief Master Sgt. Rodney McKinley is the new Pacific Air Forces command chief master sergeant. Chief McKinley serves as the principal consultant to the PACAF commander on all enlisted issues. His responsibilities include keeping the commander apprised of matters concerning the health, morale and

  • Avoid false alarms by knowing notification procedures

    A recent phone message had a family convinced they received the news that all loved ones of a deployed servicemember dread -- their loved one was either hurt or killed in action. Fortunately, the phone call was a scam.Unfortunately, the wife experienced several hours of unnecessary stress and worry

  • OPM helping to extend hiring preference to more veterans

    U.S. Office of Personnel Management officials are working to make veterans’ preference for federal jobs available to more veterans. One initiative is a new revised application that allows federal agencies to accept veterans’ disability letters.The revised application is being posted on OPM’s Web

  • Sheppard girl donates hair for second time

    A 7-year-old girl sat in a salon chair at the beauty shop here March 29 waiting for the snip, snip of the beautician's scissors.With her hair separated into three distinct rows, similar to those before braiding, Adriana Breuer felt the gentle tug of the silver cutting utensils as the first of three

  • Dental lab techs keep Pacific forces smiling

    Dental laboratory Airmen assigned to the 374th Dental Squadron here are providing a special service to Department of Defense people by designing, preparing and fabricating dental prostheses and oral appliances, said a dentist specialist here.“Our mission is to improve our patient’s oral health and

  • Support for wounded warriors reaches across America

    Americans watching news coverage of the war in Iraq are asking, “How can I show my support for our brave servicemembers?”To show their support, many have donated phone cards, frequent flier miles or sent letters and messages.A group of San Antonio area quilters are doing their part to support

  • Airman teaches Soldiers to call for CAS

    "Continue dry," crackled through the radio as Army Spc. Jarrod Stranahan guided British pilots onto a target.Specialist Stranahan, a forward observer for the 5th Infantry Regiment, is one of 20 Soldiers who participated in emergency close-air-support training at here recently.Infantry units are

  • Enlisted Quarterly Assignment Listing available

    The Enlisted Quarterly Assignment Listing for people returning from overseas and for stateside Airmen who must move from August through October will be available April 12.Airmen need to work through their military personnel flight or their commander's support staff to update their preferences by