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  • Civic leaders visit Air Force Expeditionary Center

    A group of U.S. citizens hand-picked to participate in a civic outreach program visited the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center here May 4 as part of the Defense Department's Joint Civilian Orientation Conference program.Approximately 50 citizens, ranging from town mayors to professional sports

  • Officials announce AF fuels management awards

    The 87th Air Base Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., recently received the Air Force's 2010 American Petroleum Institute Gold Award.The other award winners were:Silver Award - 86th Air Wing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany Bronze Award - 49th Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. Air

  • Registry yields life-saving treatment lessons

    A registry established six years ago to track casualty information from Iraq and Afghanistan is providing valuable data that's saving wounded warriors' lives, the commander of the theater hospital here said.Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.) Guillermo Tellez, commander of the Staff Sgt. Heathe N. Craig Joint

  • Memorial honors fallen warriors

    Hundreds of military and civilian personnel packed a dimly-lit hangar April 30 to pay their final respects to eight Airmen and one retired Army civilian contractor killed April 27 when a gunman opened fire during a meeting with NATO trainers."We come together to mourn the loss of nine brave

  • Five military installations receive top honors

    Teams from five military installations around the world received top awards today for excelling at their mission despite the demands of war and recent natural disasters.At a Pentagon ceremony, Ashton B. Carter, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, lauded the

  • Air advisers' feedback to shape future deployment training

    Representatives from the air adviser course at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., were in Iraq recently to query course graduates on the effectiveness of the course. Their efforts are intended to help shape future education and training the Air Force provides to Airmen who will engage in

  • Photo essay: Service members drop fire retardant in West Texas

    Service members aboard a Modular Airborne Firefighting System-equipped C-130 Hercules drop fire retardant onto a West Texas wildfire April 27 and 28. The wildfires have spread across parts of Texas and have burned more than 1,000 square miles of land.View the slideshow.

  • Air Guard assists critical-care evacuations

    Minutes after takeoff here, Col. (Dr.) Charles Chappuis jumped to his feet aboard a C-17 Globemaster III to check on Army Spc. Adam Castagna, one of three critical patients under his care being transported to the U.S. for advanced medical care.Dr. Chappuis is the surgeon for a three-person Air

  • 33rd RQS wins third straight "Jolly Green Rescue Mission of the Year" award

    A split second after a two-man rescue team touched ground, the ear-shattering explosions of rocket-propelled grenades, or RPGs, rang out overhead. Capt. Koa Bailey and Master Sgt. Roger Sparks, a combat rescue officer and a pararescueman from the Alaska Air National Guard's 212th Rescue Squadron,

  • Pacific Air Forces honors Medal of Honor recipient

    Pacific Air Forces Airmen gathered in the Courtyard of Heroes April 29 here to honor the most recent Medal of Honor recipient.Chief Master Sgt. Richard Etchberger, who saved three of his fellow Airmen's lives before finally succumbing to enemy fire during a classified mission in Laos March 11, 1968,

  • Troops explore emerging energy solutions

    As officials work to shrink the military's operational energy footprint, experts in solar power, microgrids and "smart" generators recently took that technology to a crucial jury: the troops.Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines who deal hands-on with battlefield power converged here April 12

  • DOD officials identify Air Force casualties

    Department of Defense officials announced April 29 the names of eight Airmen who were killed April 27 at the Kabul International Airport in Afghanistan supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.They died of wounds suffered from gunfire. Killed were:Maj. Philip D. Ambard, 44, of Edmonds, Wash. He was

  • Korean soldiers integrate into Bagram's base defense

    South Korean special forces soldiers will begin standing watch at various security towers around the airfield here starting May 1.The 30 South Korean soldiers are currently training with Airmen from the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron in preparation for South Korean integration into the

  • Air Force evacuation team carries wounded warriors home

    By many accounts, 20-year-old Army Spc. Dustin Morrison is a living miracle and a testament to the military medical system that's getting medical care to wounded warriors and moving them to progressively advanced levels of care faster than ever before.Specialist Morrison, an Iowa Army National

  • Air Force officials announce helicopter acquisition strategy

    Air Force officials announced their strategy here April 25 to recapitalize the Air Force's helicopter fleet, which is critical to nuclear weapon security response, continuity of government, and combat search and rescue.The Air Force secretary and chief of staff have directed that the service proceed

  • DOD authorizes medal for Pakistan relief efforts

    Department of Defense officials have approved the Humanitarian Service Medal for service members who participated in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in Pakistan following the flooding in Swat Valley on July 31, 2010.Military members must have provided at least one day of

  • 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

  • Air Force on track with KC-46A program

    Air Force and Boeing Company officials met for the KC-46A program post-award conference recently to discuss program specifics, including a technical overview of the program. The discussions, which took place in Harbour Pointe, Wash., featured details of the in-line production process, draft

  • 2011 Team of the Year named

    Air Force and Air Force Association officials selected five first sergeants as the 2011 Team of the Year.Each year, the AFA recognizes a specific enlisted career field, as well as Airmen from across the Air Force, in that specialty, who demonstrate professionalism, technical expertise and

  • DOD officials authorize Armed Forces Service Medal for Haiti relief efforts

    Department of Defense officials approved the Armed Forces Service Medal for personnel assigned to Operation Unified Response who participated in humanitarian relief assistance to the people of Haiti following a 7.0 earthquake Jan. 12, 2010.Members who supported Operation Unified Response between

  • Budget cuts demand more DOD buying power

    As Defense Department officials seek additional cost cuts to support President Barack Obama's deficit-reduction efforts, weapons systems and other major procurement programs certainly will be on the table, but won't be enough to achieve the president's goals, the Pentagon's acquisitions chief said

  • 4th SOPS closes the door on operations legacy

    In a ceremony held April 11, 4th Space Operations Squadron members decommissioned the Satellite Mission Control Subsystem, or SMCS, and the Air Force Command Post Terminal, closing the door on a legacy of operations."Today we turn the lights off on the command and control system that has been

  • Reservists part of gold medal teams at Armed Forces Triathlon

    Four Air Force reservists helped their U.S. Air Force Triathlon teams win the Armed Forces Triathlon Championship for the second consecutive year. Twenty-four Air Force triathletes, including two men and two women from the Air Force Reserve, represented the Air Force at the Armed Forces Triathlon

  • B-1B simulators go from 'Mario Brothers to Halo'

    The Air Force is currently upgrading four B-1B Lancer simulators here and at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.The $18.4 million project, which is scheduled for completion in September, will fully update visual and sensor databases, as well as projectors and display screens, of the original system built

  • Yokota AB Airmen provide Afghan military with 'props'

    Airmen from here helped airmen in the Afghan National Army Air Corps get off the ground and take control of maintaining Afghan national security.The Yokota AB Airmen were tasked to package and ship 15 sets of propellers, three blades per set, to the ANAAC for their growing fleet of C-27A

  • First combat systems officers graduate from training program

    Ten lieutenants, including nine active-duty members and one member of the Wyoming Air National Guard, became the first class of combat systems officers to graduate from the 479th Flying Training Group's CSO training program here April 15. Previously, the Air Force had separate training tracks for

  • Mullen cites Pakistani cooperation in Afghanistan

    Cooperation between U.S. and Pakistani service members on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border is better than it has ever been, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here April 19. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen told reporters traveling with him to Afghanistan and Pakistan that the

  • CJCS presents Bronze Stars to Nellis pararescuemen

    Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, presented Bronze Stars with valor to three Nellis pararescuemen during a ceremony here April 13.Staff Sgt. Asher Woodhouse, Tech. Sgt. Ryan Manjuck and Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Hedglin of the 58th Rescue Squadron were individually awarded the

  • Nominations open for Portraits in Courage Vol. 6

    Nominations are currently being accepted through May 20 for Portraits in Courage Vol. 6, officials said here April 18.Five years ago, Air Force officials developed "Portraits in Courage," highlighting compelling stories of Airmen's honor, valor, devotion and sacrifice in a time of war. The

  • 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

  • Chairman thanks USO for service to military

    For 70 years, the USO and its thousands of volunteers have stood as a compass for the nation and adapted to the needs of every war Americans have fought, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said April 12 at the organization's 29th annual awards dinner."To the thousands and thousands of

  • Policy permitting media access for dignified transfers two years old

    Two years ago, on April 6, 2009, the dignified transfer of a fallen service member with media in attendance took place under new policy directed by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. The policy, issued on March 25, 2009, sponsors family members wishing to attend and empowers the primary next of kin

  • Security forces train Iraqi air force security forces

    Members of the 447th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron spent several weeks in March and April training 12 Iraqi security forces airmen from New Al Muthana Air Base on force protection techniques. Fourteen security forces members trained the Iraqis on procedures and techniques used every day by

  • Loadmaster crashworthy seat intended to increase safety

    In an effort to provide loadmasters with a safer and more structurally sound seat in cargo aircraft, engineers here recently installed a prototype of a new loadmaster crashworthy seat in an HC-130P Combat King. "The goal is to provide loadmasters with a more secure seat," said Senior Master Sgt.

  • Cyber 1.1 kicks off National Space Symposium

    Air Force Space Command Airmen kicked off the weeklong National Space Symposium April 11 here with a day devoted entirely to cyber discussion, the second annual Cyber 1.1 event.Gen. William Shelton, the AFSPC commander, recognized the event as a chance to think about where the Air Force is going in

  • Changed South Korea duty tours aid readiness

    Normalizing U.S. military duty tours in South Korea will increase combat readiness and greatly reduce stress for service members and their families, the top U.S. military commander in the region told the Senate Armed Services Committee here April 12."A force multiplier, tour normalization keeps

  • Research examines blast impact on human brain

    There's little debate about the risk of a brain injury when a service member gets a blow to the head, whether from an enemy round or from crashing against a wall or being inside a vehicle during an explosion.But some of the foremost academic researchers from around the world, working in cooperation

  • Initial cyber INWT class graduates

    Sixteen Airmen graduated from the first Intermediate Network Warfare Training class here March 31.Members of the 39th Information Operations Squadron developed the nine-week course to serve as initial-qualification training for cyber defense operators. The Airmen created the course in six months,

  • Airmen participate in humanitarian exercise in Trinidad and Tobago

    More than 150 U.S. military personnel and military and civilian officials from Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, Canada, the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, and the Republic of Suriname gathered here April 8 to participate in the annual Fuerzas Alidas Humanitarias, or FA HUM 2011. It is also

  • B-1B Lancer upgrade will triple payload

    Airmen from the 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron began their first phase of demonstrations of a multiple ejector rack on a B-1B Lancer here March 22.If fielded, 16-carry modified rotary launchers will increase the number of 500-pound joint direct attack munitions and laser-guided JDAMs carried by

  • Two units redesignate to test, integrate air, space, cyber C2 domains

    To effectively test and integrate operational air, space and cyber command and control, or C2, domains, two units redesignated as test organizations here April 5.The 505th Operations Group and 505th Operations Squadron became the 505th Test and Evaluation Group and 505th Test Squadron. The units are

  • Enlisted medics honored at Armed Services YMCA gala

    Air Force active-duty, Reserve and Guard enlisted medics were among those from all service components honored at the Armed Services YMCA's 5th Annual Angels of the Battlefield Gala at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here March 31. Army Gen. Raymond Odierno, the commander of

  • Bagram Airmen provide humanitarian assistance after landslide

    Airmen from the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron here delivered more than 17,000 pounds of supplies to Afghanistan's Balkh province April 7. The emergency drop, which included food, water and blankets, was part of the Air Force and Army's aid effort for the residents of the northern province,

  • T-38 arrives to supplement F-22 training

    Following a successful test run in March 2010 and approval by Air Combat Command officials, the first of several T-38 Talons from Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., arrived here April 1 for the beginning of the 1st Operations Group's T-38 Adversary Air Program.Col. Matt Molloy, the 1st Fighter Wing's

  • 'Today's Air Force' features a look around the service

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," Airmen at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, welcome home two downed F-15E Strike Eagle crewmembers who ejected over Libya. Plus, a short deployment that promises to have a lasting impact, as F-15 Eagles from Idaho arrive in Afghanistan. And, it's Hollywood,

  • Former COMUSAFE awarded highest Latvian honor

    A former commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe was presented the highest Latvian honor April 1 in a ceremony in Washington D.C. Retired Gen. William Tom Hobbins, the USAFE commander from 2005 to 2008, was awarded the Order of Viesturs, First Grade, by Latvian President Valdis Zatlers in recognition

  • Air Force leaders discuss future of Airmen in joint operations across Iraq

    Air force leaders from the U.S., Iraq and other locations across Southwest Asia gathered on Victory Base Complex, Iraq, recently.During the conference, leaders reviewed the future manpower support of U.S. forces by joint expeditionary tasking and individual augmentee Airmen as Operation New Dawn

  • Airman named 'Junior Chef of the Year'

    The Air Force left its mark in the military culinary world when an Airman was named the Junior Chef of the Year at the 36th Annual Culinary Arts Competition awards ceremony here March 11.Senior Airman Ghil Medina's win marked the first time an Airman has earned the traditionally Army-held title. The

  • Critical self-assessment puts Global Strike Command on the right path

    With the Air Force conducting operations on multiple fronts across the globe and facing shrinking resources, Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen are focusing on finding smarter ways to accomplish the mission."(The Analyses, Assessments and Lessons Learned Directorate) is the entity that is aimed

  • MC-130J rollout accelerates AFSOC recapitalization

    Air Force Special Operations Command officials welcomed the latest variant of the MC-130 at a rollout ceremony held at Lockheed Martin's Marietta, Ga., factory recently.The rollout accelerates AFSOC commander Lt. Gen. Donald C. Wurster's priority to recapitalize the fleet by acquiring MC-130J Combat

  • General discusses Reserve efficiencies, budget on Capitol Hill

    As Congress continues to debate and find ways to fund the fiscal 2011 budget, Reserve leaders were on Capitol Hill to testify and answer questions about the president's fiscal 2012 budget that was introduced in February.The House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land

  • Qatari air force officers visit Shaw

    Six Qatar Emiri air force officers visited here March 28 to tour the base and witness how the installation performs its various missions.The Qatar air force is undergoing a transition from operating out of an airport to operating at another base in their country that will host several different

  • Airmen contribute to training, operational missions in Italy

    Eleven Airmen from here traveled to Italy aboard a C-17 Globemaster III recently to help three U.S. and Italian army and air force units fulfill airborne training. During their week-long stint, they executed 1,480 paratrooper jumps. "We do joint airborne air transportability training, a way for the

  • Policy aims to better identify, treat concussions

    A memorandum that took effect throughout the Defense Department in June is expected to have a major impact on efforts to identify and treat traumatic brain injuries in the combat theater faster and more systematically, medical officials reported at the recent Armed Forces Public Health Conference in

  • 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

  • CMSAF highlights Airman resiliency during hearing

    The Air Force's top enlisted Airman testified before the House Subcommittee for Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies here March 30, about quality of life in the military.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy, alongside his sister-service counterparts, spoke about

  • 8th ASOS hosts first joint coalition jump week

    Airmen from the 8th Air Support Operations Squadron hosted the U.S. Army 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team and Italian Army paratroopers during a joint coalition training exercise here March 21 through 25.More than 1,400 Italian and American soldiers came from the U.S. Army Garrison in Vicenza,

  • 'Today's Air Force' features a look around the service

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," Airmen continue to provide support for Operation Odyssey Dawn in the Middle East. Plus, you'll see how Airmen learn to survive a crash landing in stormy seas.  And, join Airmen as they venture off base for a little rest and relaxation.The 30-minute, weekly

  • Air Force officials present budget to appropriations committees

    Air Force leaders discussed the service's fiscal 2012 budget request and their concerns about operating under a continuing resolution with members of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees during hearings here March 30 and 31.In the March 30 hearing before the Senate Appropriations

  • VA makes progress to end veteran homelessness

    They served their country in uniform -- many on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan. And now that they've returned home and rejoined civilian life, an alarming number of veterans have found themselves on the streets and living under bridges.Veterans Affairs Department officials are making

  • Ellsworth Airmen join Operation Odyssey Dawn

    B-1B Lancers from the 28th Bomb Wing were launched early March 27 from their home station here to strike targets in Libya in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn. "Nearly 700 Ellsworth Airmen are currently deployed around the world supporting existing overseas contingency operations," said Col. Jeffrey

  • ANG, Reserve Airmen contribute to Operation Odyssey Dawn

    In response to the recent conflict in Libya, approximately 50 Air National Guardsmen and Air Forces reservists joined forces with their active duty counterparts and coalition partners to run the 603rd Air and Space Operations Center here.Members of the 603rd AOC, in partnership with the 617th AOC,

  • Project Crossbow enhances capabilities

    A collaborative U.S. Air Force and United Kingdom Royal Air Force program is making it easier for the two services to share information collected via intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems.The program, dubbed Project Crossbow and modeled on the U.S. Air Force's Distributed Common

  • 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

  • Officers share cross-flow experiences, skills

    Cross-flowing into one career field from another isn't a new concept for Airmen. Most officers, at one time or another throughout their career, have served in a position or job outside of their original or primary Air Force Specialty Code. Take, for example, Lt. Col. Ginger Wallace, a former

  • America must not be afraid to lead, Obama says

    The lesson of Libya is that America should not be afraid to lead, President Barack Obama said during a speech at the National Defense University March 29 here.The action to set up a no-fly zone and protect the Libyan people from Moammar Gadhafi says much about "the use of America's military power,

  • Photo essay: Kadena's rescue team on a mission

    Members of the 33rd Rescue Squadron and the 320th Special Tactics Squadron from Kadena Air Base here conduct search operations March 25 in support of Operation Tomodachi.View the slideshow.

  • Partners from Down Under

    Airmen station in Japan have received a rare opportunity recently to work hand-in-hand with the Royal Australian Air Force.Airmen from Yokota and Kadena air bases have been working together to perform sorties with the RAAF's 36th Squadron, in a unified attempt to aid the people of Japan after the

  • Acquisitions improvements need permanence, Carter says

    With spring coming in Afghanistan, the Defense Department is set to perform the same "remarkable" work it conducted in last year's troop surge to get warfighters everything they need while working to institutionalize those procedures, the department's undersecretary for acquisitions, technology and

  • Total-force team supports Operation Tomodachi

    While supporting combat operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan, a total integrated force of active, Guard and Reserve Airmen are supporting humanitarian relief efforts in Japan following the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that ravaged parts of Japan March 11.Air Force officials are increasingly

  • Airman's money-saving solution rewarded by IDEA program

    The Innovative Development Employee Awareness program awarded an inventive Airman a $10,000 check March 17 here.Airman 1st Class Shawn W. Smith, a 755th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron instrument flight control system journeyman, was rewarded for his submission that suggested a change in the

  • Coalition continues to defend Libyan civilians

    Coalition forces continue to enforce the no-fly zone over Libya, striking air defense capabilities and regime forces that threaten Libyan civilians, Navy Vice Adm. William E. Gortney said here March 24.The director of the Joint Staff said during a Pentagon news conference that the coalition

  • U.S., British forces test contingency operations during Desert Eagle 2011

    For 54 hours straight, more than 250 U.S. and British airmen worked in unison here March 14 through 16, against a series of simulated hostile threats.Through suicide bombers and insurgent attacks, members shared tactics, techniques and procedures to repel enemy forces.Though these simulated events

  • AFCESA wins SAME's 2010 Public Agency Award

    The Society of American Military Engineers has recognized the Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency and AFCESA's Master Sgt. Edward Quinn, for their outstanding service and contributions to the Society and the community. A member of the SAME Panama City Post since December 2002 and an integral

  • Military children need nation's support

    Military children need the support not just of the Defense Department, but the "whole of nation" to ensure they're ready for the future, a DOD official said here March 23."Military children are resilient, but they need a lot of help," said Robert L. Gordon III, the deputy assistant secretary of

  • 766th AES deactivates, marks change for JET Airmen

    With the deactivation of the 766th Air Expeditionary Squadron here March 23, the administrative and operational control of joint expeditionary tasked and individual augmentee Airmen in Afghanistan will consolidate under the 966th Air Expeditionary Squadron. The 766th AES formerly based at Sharana

  • Carpathian Spring comes to a close

    After a week of training for more than 70 Airmen and Soldiers and their Romanian counterparts, Carpathian Spring officially came to a close March 18 in Romania.Members of the 37th Airlift Squadron, the 435th Contingency Response Group, the 86th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, the 86th Aeromedical

  • Service members reminded of courage, valor during building dedication

    The new William A. Jones III Building officially opened its doors here March 22 during a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony attended by several senior Air Force, civic and community leaders and approximately 400 base personnel. Air Force leaders who took part in the ceremony included Secretary

  • Photo essay: Establishing a forward area refueling point in Japan

    Airmen assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Group offload fuel from an MC-130P Combat Shadow while establishing a forward area refueling point here March 17. A forward area refueling point provides the capability to offload fuel to storage devices or other aircraft, increasing an aircraft's

  • Tax laws benefit service members, families

    Service members and their families have a few tax advantages at their disposal, as well as a few extra days in which to complete their taxes this year, a Defense Department tax expert said.Due to Emancipation Day, a holiday recognized by the District of Columbia, government officials have pushed the

  • Officer discusses today's military at American Legion conference

    An Air Force officer shared her experiences in modern warfare with more than 700 veterans during the American Legion mid-winter conference here March 22.Maj. Allison Black, the first female AC-130H Spectre navigator to shoot in combat operations and the first female Air Force Combat Action Medal

  • Crew conducts refueling in support of Operation Tomodachi

    An MC-130P Combat Shadow crew from the 17th Special Operations Squadron here successfully refueled four HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters conducting search and rescue operations March 18 off the shores of Northeastern Japan. The crew left Yokota Air Base for Matsushima Airfield, which reopened March 16,

  • Annual Air Force symposium embraces critical training environment

    Air Force officials launched their annual Environmental, Safety and Occupational Health Training Symposium here March 21, hosting more than 1,800 participants and 120 exhibitors.Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Terry Yonkers, Air Force Civil Engineer Maj. Gen. Tim Byers and Brig. Gen. Dave Howe,

  • First C-17 touches down in Sendai

    A C-17 Globemaster III from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, landed in Sendai March 20 to part in the relief support mission here. Members of the 517th Airlift Squadron delivered an all-terrain forklift to download supplies, including four pallets of water and six pallets of blankets and

  • Mullen says no-fly zone 'effectively in place'

    Initial operations in Libya have been very effective, with French, British and U.S. air strikes crippling Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi's capabilities, the U.S. military's top-ranking officer said March 20.Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union," Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs

  • Special ops Airmen deploy additional humanitarian support

    An additional 15 Airmen from the 353rd Special Operations Group departed here March 14 with support equipment and relief supplies on a MC-130H Combat Talon II to support humanitarian relief operations being staged out of Yokota Air Base, Japan. The Airmen are highly-trained medical, communication

  • T-38 completes 50 years of service

    Officials commemorated the T-38 Talon supersonic jet trainer's 50th service anniversary in a ceremony here March 17.The T-38 was first deployed in March 1961, and has served as a training vehicle for multiple generations of pilots and pilot instructors throughout its five decades of service.Col.

  • Air Force officials take space budget, acquisition strategy to Capitol Hill

    Air Force senior leaders testified about the service's fiscal 2012 budget and space capabilities investments before the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee here March 15. Under Secretary of the Air Force Erin Conaton; Gen. William Shelton, the Air Force Space Command commander;

  • DOD officials identify Air Force casualty

    Department of Defense officials announced March 17 the death of an Airman who was supporting Operation New Dawn. Senior Airmen Michael J. Hinkle II, 24, of Corona, Calif., died March 16 due to a non-combat related incident in Southwest Asia. He was assigned to the 28th Communications Squadron,

  • McConnell AFB officials focus on suicide prevention

    As deployment rates continue to climb and operations tempo increases, Airmen must maintain their mental health, the Air Force's top enlisted Airman has said."We provide our Airmen the best equipment in the entire world, without a doubt, but ... the Airmen who operate it, ... the Airmen (who)

  • Special-ops Airmen open strategic runways for relief operations

    Airmen and aircraft from the 353rd Special Operations Group assisted Japanese officials in opening two key runways to support relief operations in northern Japan March 16.Facilities and airfields at Matsushima Air Base and Sendai Airport were damaged by the 8.9-magnitude earthquake and resulting

  • Doughboy's burial marks end of era

    Americans recognized the end of an era March 15 as they bade a solemn farewell to Army Cpl. Frank Woodruff Buckles, the last surviving U.S. World War I veteran. He was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery here with full military honors.President Barack Obama paid tribute to Mr. Buckles as he