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U.S. Air Force News

  • Accident investigation board convenes for fatal T-38 crash

    General William R. Looney III, commander of Air Education and Training Command, has convened an accident investigation board to investigate the T-38C Talon crash that killed two Airmen at Sheppard Air Force Base May 1. Col. Richard Haddad of 23rd Air Force, Hurlburt Field, Fla., will chair the

  • Air Force participates in pro cycling event

    The U.S. Air Force Cycling Classic sped off to a start with more than 300 amateur and professional cyclists against a backdrop of the Air Force Memorial and the Washington Monument May 4 here. This was the second year the Air Force hosted the event, formerly the Crystal City Classic, as part of

  • Air University transformation unifies all officer PME

    After several months of reformation planning, Air University Commander Lt. Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz activated the Spaatz Center for Officer Education April 29. The Spaatz Center is now the umbrella organization unifying the continuum of all Air Force officer professional military education, from the

  • Afghan air corps soars again

    Graduates completed the first orientation course for the Afghan National army air corps April 30  at the Kabul Air Corps Training Center here. The four-week inaugural course laid the foundation for the air corps soldiers as they began their careers in the ANAAC. "This is an exciting new age," said

  • First Virtual Uniform Board attracts Airmen response

    The first Air Force Virtual Uniform Board received about 800 uniform change requests via the IDEA Program Database System since its release in March. Airmen were able to submit uniform change requests via the IPDS between March 5 and April 14. The Uniform Enterprise Working Group -- acting as

  • Air Force pilot breaks own world aviation record

    An Air Force Reserve pilot deployed here broke his own world record for hours spent flying the F-16 Fighting Falcon when he surpassed the 6,000-hour milestone May 2. Lt. Col. Michael Brill, a pilot assigned to the 421st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, has been breaking world aviation records since

  • 19th Air Force orders safety stand-down day May 5

    The 19th Air Force commander has ordered a one day safety stand-down May 5 of all aircraft operations in his command. Maj. Gen. Irving L. Halter Jr., ordered the stand-down as an opportunity for all those associated with flying in the command to re-emphasize and re-focus on the importance of flying

  • May 1 airpower summary: F-16s destroy ground threats

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations May 1, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, a Royal Air Force GR-9 Harrier fired rockets and dropped

  • Security clearance question on mental health changed

    Defense Department officials will change a question on the department's long-standing security clearance form referencing an applicant's mental health history because they believe it is needlessly preventing some people from seeking counseling. The Standard Form 86, Questionnaire for National

  • Air Force officials suspend training flights of T-38C aircraft

    Air Education and Training Command officials suspended flights of T-38C Talon aircraft May 1 following a fatal crash at Sheppard AFB, Texas. The crash was the second in two weeks involving a T-38, following an April 23 accident in which two pilots were killed when their T-38 crashed at Columbus AFB,

  • Dashboard takes on AFCENT's coordination battle

    Air Force communicators assigned to U.S. Air Force Central Command communications have taken on a monumental cyber battle and are showing signs of victory with the roll out of Commander's Dashboard recently. The CC's Dashboard is the knowledge management system created by USAFCENT communicators to

  • Thais, Americans join forces for Exercise Teak Torch training

    About 130 Airmen from the 353rd Special Operations Group from Kadena Air Base, Japan, traveled to Udon Thani AB, to join forces with the Royal Thai air force for Exercise Teak Torch. "The joint combined exercise training events are designed to enhance U.S. military training and are conducted in many

  • Synthetic fuel testing begins on fighter engine

    Engineers at Arnold Engineering Development Center began testing a Pratt & Whitney F100 engine April 29 in the J-1 simulated altitude jet engine test cell using a blend of alternative synthetic fuel.  The engine is the power plant for the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon.Once testing and

  • Vice chief honors World War II Airmen, heroes

    The Air Force vice chief of staff paid tribute to members of the Air Forces Escape and Evasion Society April 26 during the society's 44th annual reunion near Savannah, Ga. The AFEES primarily comprises Air Force World War II veterans who were forced down behind enemy lines and avoided or escaped

  • AFCENT command chief discusses wartime operations

    The command chief master sergeant of 9th Air Force and United States Air Forces Central closed out a tour through Southwest Asia April 25 with a visit  to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing. The bulk of Chief Master Sgt. Scott Dearduff's visit here was spent meeting Airmen and seeing first-hand what

  • Airmen help restore Berlin Airlift memorial

    Approximately 30 Airmen from Ramstein Air Base volunteered approximately 260 total man-hours to help restore the Berlin Airlift Memorial site at the former Rhein Main AB near Frankfurt International Airport in Germany April 22-24. Airmen teamed up with volunteer employees from Luftansa Technik, the

  • VA to call combat veterans with info on care, benefits

    Representatives of the Department of Veterans Affairs will begin contacting nearly 570,000 recent combat veterans May 1 to ensure they know about VA's medical services and other benefits. "We will reach out and touch every veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom to let them

  • CISM ends; U.S. takes gold

    The International Military Sports Council Basketball Championship came to a close April 22 in the Chaparral Fitness Center at Lackland AFB with the presentation of the gold, silver and bronze medals to the winning teams. The U.S Armed Forces team defeated Lithuania 84-74 in a dramatic comeback

  • Conference focuses on challenges facing acquisition workforce

    Air Force and industry leaders gathered at Wright-Patterson AFB April 22-23 to chart a course to speed the development and delivery of a new crop of revolutionary weapon systems to joint warfighters. Nearly 500 government and industry professionals attended the Defense Acquisition University's

  • The contributions of America's Airmen

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. T. Michael Moseley have issued the following letter highlighting the contributions of America's Airmen:Airmen, This past Monday, the Secretary of Defense delivered an address at Maxwell AFB to the students of our

  • Distributed learning initiative delivers training anywhere, any time

    Every seven seconds, someone within the Defense Department completes an online training course through a program that's become the gold standard for delivering education and training anywhere, any time.The Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative, ADL for short, has grown by leaps and bounds since

  • Top AF trainer receives feedback from ILO Airmen

    The commander of 2nd Air Force, responsible for the development, oversight and direction of all operational aspects of basic military training and technical schools for enlisted and support officers, kicked off a theater-wide tour April 22 at an air base in Southwest Asia. Maj. Gen. Michael Gould's

  • AFPC, AFMC temporarily collaborate to staff AFMC vacancies

    Air Force Personnel Center and Air Force Materiel Command officials are partnering to reduce the number of Air Force civilian personnel actions currently in the system. Four AFMC bases temporarily will assume responsibility for all AFMC civilian fill actions. The large civilian centers at Hill,

  • AF, DOD leaders on tap for June Cyber Symposium

    The secretary of the Air Force and the vice chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will headline a list of high-level speakers scheduled to address the Air Force Cyberspace Symposium II set for June 17 to 19 at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel and Trade Center in Marlborough, Mass. Air Force Secretary

  • Housing Web site fully functioning

    A free Department of Defense-sponsored housing referral Web site is fully operational for Air Force members and civilian employees looking for homes in the continental U.S. The Automated Housing Referral Network at www.ahrn.com contains listings for: · Off-base rentals · On-base military housing ·

  • B-2s return to flight after safety pause

    A B-2 Spirit made a successful return to flight April 15 here after a 53-day safety pause for the aircraft following the first-ever crash of a stealth bomber Feb. 23 in Guam. While an accident investigation board is still ongoing, Air Force and Air Combat Command maintenance and safety experts gave

  • Senior leaders meet at Blue Summit

    On the 66th anniversary of the historic Doolittle Raid on imperial Japan, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley gathered every Air Force general officer and senior civilian to chart the future of air, space and cyberspace power at the Blue Summit.

  • New leader of Air Force Materiel Command named

    Department of Defense officials announced April 18 Lt. Gen. Donald J. Hoffman, currently the military deputy in the Office of the Assistant Air Force Secretary for Acquisition at the Pentagon, was selected to become the sixth commander of Air Force Materiel Command. President George

  • Medics deliver superior care, Air Force leaders testify

    Two Air Force medical leaders told the Senate Subcommittee of Defense April 16 in Washington that the Air Force's state of medical readiness is aligned with the service's top priorities. "Unmistakably, it is the daily delivery of health care that allows us to maintain critical skills that guarantee

  • Award winners save $14.7 million for Air Force

    Nine individuals who saved the Air Force $14.7 million were recognized April 8 at the Pentagon as seven individuals won Air Force Productivity Excellence Awards and two won Air Force Exceptional Innovator Awards. Lt. Gen. Richard Y. Newton III, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for manpower,

  • SECAF receives DOD/IG investigation report

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne took administrative action on three members, including a general officer, and referred action for two others to their chain of command, for their roles in the Thunderbird Air Show Production Services contract. The decision follows the completion of a

  • Joint Chiefs chairman strives for balance in current role

    To keep U.S. forces well resourced, trained and poised for unknown future threats, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff strives for balance, he said April 16. Whether weighing regional versus global threats, military resources against mission needs, or adjusting the amount of deployment time

  • Did you say CSI or AFOSI?

    First responders here received training April 15 from an Air Force Office of Special Investigations crime scene investigator on how to process a hazardous materials incident. Special Agent Jennifer Steel, one of AFOSI's forensic science consultants, came to Vance to teach people from

  • German sergeant enrolls in USAFE NCO Academy

    German air force Master Sgt. Holger Fels is no stranger to teaching professional development to airmen in Germany's 70,000-member "Luftwaffe." What he's not so familiar with is how to impart the same type of knowledge is to Airmen in America's Air Force. Recently hand-selected from 200 of his fellow

  • Air Force Assistance Fund campaign ends May 4

    There is still time for Airmen to make a contribution to the Air Force Assistance Fund campaign, which began Feb. 12 and ends May 4. As of April 15, this year's AFAF campaign is $2.2 million short of its $5.7 million goal. Last year, Airmen exceeded the campaign goal of $5.3 million with more than

  • Trial date set for former legal officer

    A trial judge approved the former commander of the Air Force Legal Operations Agency's defense counsel's requests for deferments of plea and court forum choice during an arraignment April 14 in a courtroom at Bolling Air Force Base, D.C. Col. Michael Murphy's general court-martial was tentatively

  • Secretary of state receives honorary Air University degree

    Air University officials presented an honorary doctor of letters degree upon Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for her academic achievements and contributions to international relations and national security April 14 here. Lt. Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz, the Air University commander, gave Secretary

  • Air Force Reserve highlights birthday, future

    The Air Force Reserve was formally established April 14, 1948, and Air Force reservists have served proudly and with great distinction ever since. It is 60 years old today! And today, responding to a variety of threats to our national security and fighting a global war on terrorism, we serve with

  • Air Force secretary tells cadets of changing times

    The Air Force has met the challenge of change with a combination of innovation, adaptability and flexibility for the last 60 years, said the Air Force secretary in his address to first and third class cadets April 8 in Arnold Hall here. "Character and leadership skills are always in high demand and

  • Deployed Airmen serve on Reserve's 60th anniversary

    More than 1,400 Air Force reservists will celebrate their command's 60th anniversary April 14 while fighting the war on terrorism throughout U.S. Central Command's 27-nation area of responsibility throughout Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa. "The real success story is you cannot tell the

  • Airpower summary for April 12: Predators patrol Iraqi skies

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations April 12, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped guided bomb

  • General speaks about mentorship at Women's Final Four

    The young lieutenant sat in the copilot's chair and tried to decide what she was going to do.Some of the dials on the control panel were not in the right position, but did she dare correct the pilot? She thought the grizzled lieutenant colonel, who was notorious for showing no mercy to young pilots,

  • Special tactics recruiting takes flight

    The Air Force's ongoing need to fill critically manned special tactics positions -- particularly combat controllers and pararescuemen -- has brought about a unique initiative between officials from Air Force Recruiting Service and Air Force Special Operations Command. A recent agreement between AFRS

  • Euro-NATO committee has eyes on future

    The spring Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program's Steering Committee completed its weeklong discussions April 4 regarding the future of the program, including its syllabus, budget and infrastructure. The committee also said goodbye to six-year chairman Royal Netherlands Air Force Air Commodore

  • Helicopter retires after service in Vietnam, Iraq

    MH-53 Pave Low helicopter tail number 68-10357 flew its final mission and last flight supporting special operations forces March 28 in Iraq after 38 years of service. The helicopter was the lead command and control helicopter for a mission to rescue approximately 50 American prisoners of war from

  • Chief receives Air Force Cross 40 years after mission

    A retired chief master sergeant was awarded the Air Force Cross 40 years after the mission which earned him the Air Force's second-highest honor April 5 here. Nearly 300 members of Chief Master Sgt. Dennis Richardson's former unit attended the ceremony for the flight engineer with the 106th Rescue

  • More civilian providers accepting Tricare Standard

    There's good news for Tricare Standard beneficiaries. More civilian providers are accepting new patients, according to a recently released survey. Yet, Tricare officials acknowledge that increasing the number of providers and types of providers across the nation remains a high priority, especially

  • April 8 airpower summary: C-17s transport supplies

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations April 8, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs fired cannon rounds and

  • General leads morale tour at Tampa VA hospital

    The deputy director of the Joint Staff's Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate at the Pentagon went on a mission April 7 to raise the morale of patients at the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital in Tampa and brought along cheerleaders from the 2008 Women's Final Four teams and an Air Force

  • AF Board members visit Kunsan Air Base

    Approximately 30 members of the Air Force Board visited Kunsan Air Base April 2. The Pacific Air Forces commander selected Kunsan as the site on the peninsula for the board to visit.  The board comprises general officers and senior executive service members representing a cross section of the Air

  • Tweet complete: T-37 retires after 39 years of service

    The T-37 Tweet formally retired April 3 from Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training here after 39 years of service as the gateway to the sky for more than 10,000 Air Force aviators. Columbus Air Force Base was the last Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training base flying the T-37, but the T-37

  • Colorado's last Guard Vietnam MIA laid to rest

    The remains of a Colorado Air National Guardsman who vanished during an observation flight 39 years ago over the jungles of South Vietnam were to rest April 3 at Arlington National Cemetery. Maj. Perry H. Jefferson, an intelligence officer with Colorado's 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron, went

  • Reserve officials activate space wing

    Air Force Reserve Command officials stood up its first space wing, the 310th Space Wing, April 4 at Peterson Air Force Base. The 310th SW expanded from a group to a wing March 7 and was officially recognized at the ceremony attended by Gen. C. Robert "Bob" Kehler, the commander of Air Force Space

  • General participates in Women's Final Four

    The most decorated female athlete in the U.S. Air Force Academy's history took part in the 2008 NCAA Women's Final Four April 4 through 7 at Tampa.Brig. Gen. Michelle D. Johnson, the deputy director for the war on terrorism in the Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate of the Joint Staff at the

  • B-2s ready to fly despite safety pause

    Although B-2 Spirit flying operations remain in temporary pause, the Airmen and aircraft are ready and capable to generate missions if necessary, according to Air Combat Command officials here and the 509th Bomb Wing commander at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. Since the first-ever B-2 crash Feb. 23 at

  • AFCENT deputy commander visits deployed Airmen

    The 9th Air Force vice commander and the deputy commander of U.S. Air Forces Central visited 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Airmen April 2 at a Southwest Asian air base. Maj. Gen. William L. Holland from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., met and talked with Airmen who fly aircraft, maintain

  • Air Force ready, but general has concerns for future

    The Air Force vice chief of staff and his counterparts from the other services, testified on readiness before the Senate Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support April 1. Gen. Duncan J. McNabb addressed Senate questions about the wear and tear on aircraft caused by

  • Officials urge caution on social networking Web sites

    Your location on a friend network, a photo on Facebook, a prayer for a deployed family member on a military-based blog -- all posted on the World Wide Web with the intent to bring comfort to loved ones and news to friends. This information may seem harmless, but when put together these puzzle pieces

  • Former A-10 pilot, Cowboy speaks at Pentagon

    Chad Hennings knows teamwork. Chad Hennings knows mentorship. Chad Hennings knows success. Chad Hennings also knows what it's like to fly an A-10 Thunderbolt II on a combat sortie, win three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys and, most recently, speak with Airmen stationed at the Pentagon. Mr.

  • Permanent Global Logistics Support Centers stands up

    A new, permanent headquarters overseeing Air Force global logistics support is now in operation at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. General Bruce Carlson, commander of Air Force Materiel Command, formally stood up the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center in ceremonies March 28 at Scott AFB. He also

  • Balad trauma doctors gather to hone skills

    Approximately 20 deployed military doctors, U.S. civilian doctors and Iraqi doctors gathered at the Air Force Theater Hospital to share information about operations at their respective hospital facilities and discuss and how they could work to be more interoperable here March 24 and 25. The Joint

  • Phoenix Rally celebrates 60th Anniversary of Berlin Airlift

    Air mobility leaders gathered for the annual Phoenix Rally to acknowledge past and present accomplishments while celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift March 24 through 28 here. The theme of Phoenix Rally was "A legacy of global reach and hope," chosen to recognize the Air Mobility

  • March 27 airpower summary: A-10s destroy enemy targets

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 27, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs fired cannon rounds onto

  • Officials activate 711th Human Performance Wing

    Officials at the Air Force Research Laboratory officially activated the 711th Human Performance Wing during a ceremony at the Air Force Institute of Technology's Kenney Hall here March 25. The new wing combines AFRL's Human Effectiveness Directorate with elements transitioning to Wright-Patterson

  • AFNORTH provides support to flood areas

    The numbered air force responsible for ensuring the air defense of the continental U.S. has also been supporting civilian and military authorities working to provide relief from the recent floods in the U.S. Maj. Gen. Henry C. "Hank" Morrow, the 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northen) commander at

  • New warfighter education courseware released

    The commander of Air University has launched a major initiative aimed at enhancing the professional development of the Air Force warfighter. Lt. Gen. Stephen Lorenz recently released the first two courses of the Warfighter Developmental Education program. WDE is a Web-based educational program

  • DOD officials identify error in shipment to Taiwan

    The Department of Defense announced today that four non-nuclear ballistic missile nose-cone assembly components were mistakenly shipped to Taiwan in August 2006. Taiwanese authorities notified the U.S. they had received four nose-cones instead of the four helicopter batteries they initially ordered

  • SARC helps deployed servicemembers respond to crisis

    Air Force Sexual Assault Response Coordinators will be stressing education and awareness about sexual assault throughout the month of April, which is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.Those deployed, with a three-drink-a-night limit on alcohol and General Order 1 applying to their interactions with

  • Lightweight litter system initiative yields promising results

    As initiatives go, this one for the Air Force Expeditionary Center's Air Mobility Battlelab may "litter"-ally save lives. AMB set out to prove the feasibility of using a lightweight, man-portable litter system that can be hand-carried by aeromedical evacuation, or AE, teams and used on Air Mobility

  • Air Force officials launch new mentoring program

    Officials from the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center here and the U.S. Air Force Academy launched a new mentoring program when they signed a memorandum of agreement March 17 at the Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. The agreement enables AFOTEC members to mentor Academy cadets

  • March 23 airpower summary: F-16s keep vigilant

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 23, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer dropped guided bomb unit-31s and

  • AMC commander reinforces need for new tanker

    While many are focused on the formal protest of the recent KC-45A contract award, the needs of the warfighter -- and the nation -- remain unchanged. The Air Force's nearly 50-year-old KC-135 Stratotanker must be replaced with a newer, more capable aircraft as soon as possible. "This is a matter of

  • FAA lauds Air Force synthetic fuel team

    The Air Force team that developed a blend of petroleum and synthetic fuel for the B-52 Stratofortress received the Federal Aviation Administration's 2007 Excellence in Aviation Research Award at a ceremony March 14 in the Air Force Research Laboratory's Propulsion Directorate here.Barry Scott, the

  • Air Force leaders, lawmakers discuss BRAC construction

    Air Force leaders met with members of House and Senate subcommittees in March here to discuss military construction, base realignment and closure and joint service basing issues. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley and Maj. Gen. Del Eulberg, the Air Force civil engineer, met with

  • AFPC general talks about women in the military

    When Maj. Gen. K.C. McClain joined the Air Force in 1977, she planned to serve four years and move on. Thirty years later, she is quick to identify what has kept her serving. "What kept me in the Air Force is the people," General McClain said. "Their professionalism and dedication has challenged me

  • USNORTHCOM hosts hurricane preparation conference

    Heavy snow may have been falling outside, but the men and women gathered inside a conference room here in mid-March had another kind of severe weather on their minds. "Hurricanes are predictable; we know they're going to come," said Army Maj. Gen. William Ingram, the adjutant general of North

  • Whiteman officials dedicate Child Development Center

    More than 150 base and community members paid tribute to the late Susie Skelton by dedicating the Whiteman Air Force Base Child Development Center in her honor March 15 here. The base Child Development Center, completed in 2007, provides specialized childcare provisions and development for infants,

  • AF officials implement AFMC's civilian orientation course

    When Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley recently sought a way to provide initial training to new Air Force civilians, Gen. Bruce Carlson, the commander of Air Force Materiel Command, offered AFMC's existing, extensive training course created for that reason. As a result, the Air Force

  • Iraqi air force attains tenfold increase in sorties

    Iraq's air force, with help from a U.S. transition team, attained a tenfold increase in its number of weekly sorties and doubled the size of its fleet over the past year, a military official said today. Maj. Gen. Robert R. Allardice, commander of the Coalition Air Force Transition Team, said the

  • Joint basing plan takes shape

    Joint basing is a reality, it's happening in San Antonio, and it will effectively support the city's military communities here. That is the message from local military leaders as they move toward consolidating support operations at three San Antonio installations as mandated by the 2005 Base Closure

  • General Lorenz gets fourth star, to command AETC

    The U.S. Senate has confirmed Lt. Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz for appointment to the grade of general and assignment as commander of Air Education and Training Command.General Lorenz, currently the commander of Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., will replace Gen. William R. Looney III, who

  • Team effort keeps Balad water supply safe

    For Airmen stationed at Balad Air Base and Soldiers at the co-located Logistics Support Area Anaconda, staying hydrated is crucial in the desert heat of Iraq.In order to keep hydrated, servicemembers here need to have the confidence the water available to them is safe, so the water undergoes

  • Officials detail scope, units of AFCYBER command

    The work of building Air Force Cyber Command continues with officials releasing details of what the scope of the command will look like and how it will function in lieu of having a permanent base named for its headquarters location. "We are aggressively moving forward with plans for having initial

  • Top leaders testify on '09 budget

    The Air Force's top two leaders testified before the House and Senate Committee on Appropriations subcommittees on Defense during hearings about the fiscal 2009 budget March 11 and 12. While the main topic of discussion among congressmen and senators remained the KC-45A contract award, Secretary of

  • Space Command hall of fame inductee honored

    The Navy rejected him for far-sighted vision he "might" develop later in life. So he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a Bachelor of Science degree on D-Day, June 6, 1944. By 1946 he was selected to serve in the super secret Manhattan Engineer District -- the

  • Dutch air chief predicts continued cooperation

    His air force has a history of training pilots in the United States that dates back to 1941. It's a long relationship Lt. Gen. Hans de Jong would like to continue. General de Jong, commander of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, said he expects his country to not only maintain its aircrew training

  • AF leaders focus on the future during CORONA South

    "Securing the Future" was the central theme of this year's CORONA South, held at Bolling Air Force Base here. The discussion and debate among the Air Force's senior leaders focused on preparing the Air Force to meet tomorrow's challenges as well as the potential need to restructure the force to

  • RC-135 surpasses 50,000 flying-hour mark

    A 763rd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron RC-135 Rivet Joint surpassed the 50,000 flight-hour mark during a mission supporting Operation Enduring Freedom March 12. RC-135 Tail No. 132 boasts an impressive resume of tours over the years including Vietnam, operations Southern and Northern Watch to

  • Services tests 'pallet to palate' philosophy

    From "pallet to palate" is the philosophy behind an 18th Services Squadron capability tested during the Pacific Air Forces Operational Readiness Inspection held March 9 to 15 here. Wherever Airmen deploy, the single pallet expeditionary kitchen, or SPEK, can go with them to provide support. "The

  • Alaskan villages benefit from joint military medical outreach

    Mixed teams of Army, Navy and Air Force health-care providers are spent a week treating hundreds of medically-underserved people as part of Operation Arctic Care 2008 in six remote villages in March in Alaska. Residents of Karluk, Old Harbor, Ouzinkie, Port Lions, Akhiok and Larsen Bay invited the

  • International Women's Day brings unity, call for peace

    Nearly 100 Afghan women gathered together to celebrate International Women's Day March 8 in the Zabul province. The event began with a reading of an article in the Holy Quran, followed by speeches and gifts for those women who attended the celebration as well as 30 patients in Qalat Provincial

  • Air Forces Central general visits deployed Airmen

    The general charged with ensuring the success of air mobility directly supporting the war on terrorism visited Airmen March 8 at a Southwest Asia air base. Brig. Gen. Thomas Haynes, the U.S. Air Forces Central director of mobility forces, visited various units throughout the 386th Air Expeditionary

  • March 11 airpower summary: F-15s bomb enemy combatants

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 11, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II dropped a guided bomb

  • Stealth fighter honored at Wright-Patterson

    The Air Force-industry team responsible for providing program oversight to the F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter aircraft said farewell during a ceremony March 11 here. More than 350 Airmen, base employees, industry partners and family members gathered for one last close-up look at the F-117, which

  • Assistant surgeon general visits Balad hospital

    The assistant Air Force surgeon general for nursing services and medical force development met with deployed medics March 3 and 4 at Balad Air Base. While touring the Air Force Theater Hospital, Maj. Gen. Melissa A. Rank visited with Airmen assigned to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Medical Group and

  • Officials highlight training vision to industry leaders

    More than 70 representatives from 44 corporations met here March 6 to consider ways the civilian industry might partner with Air Education and Training Command officials to make the vision of the future of education and training a reality. Attendees at the AETC Industry Forum came from all parts of

  • Airpower brings unique capability to U.S., Korean exercise

    Ensuring peace and stability throughout the region takes a solid relationship between Republic of Korea airmen and the U.S. Airmen here -- one cannot accomplish the mission without the other. This month, Airmen in Korea are testing this relationship through Exercises Key Resolve and Foal Eagle.

  • Unit stands up to improve communications across, for Iraq

    Multi-National Force - Iraq officials here have recently established a new team of experts to help improve coordination of communications policy, services and infrastructure initiatives throughout Iraq. The Iraq Communications Coordination Element recently began operating under the direction of

  • March 9 airpower summary: C-17s deliver supplies to front

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 9, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped a general-purpose

  • March 8 airpower summary: Shows of force deter enemy

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Mar. 8, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped a general-purpose