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  • Aero India 15 showcases India, US partnership

    From Feb. 18 through 22, more than 95 U.S. military personnel and Defense Department civilians were among the thousands assembled from around the globe to participate in Aero India 2015, the region's largest tradeshow.

  • Service members involved in UH-60 crash identified

    It is with a heavy heart that the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, U.S. Special Operations Command and the Louisiana National Guard formally announced the names of the seven Marines and four Soldiers who died in an Army UH-60 Black Hawk crash near Eglin Air Force Base, at approximately 8:30 p.m., March 10.

  • From refugee camp to the Air Force

    Senior Airman Yia Thao, a 19th Airlift Wing Judge Advocate paralegal, was raised to know that hard work reaps great rewards. The work ethic and dedication that builds a better future runs deep in his family and continues through Thao and his siblings today.

  • AF announces 23 AFSCs on reenlistment bonus list

    Enlisted Airmen in 23 Air Force specialty codes may be eligible to receive a selective reenlistment bonus (SRB) effective March 12, Air Force officials announced March 12.The Air Force is moving forward with a higher end-strength, so AFSCs eligible for the SRB program will increase to address

  • AF Assistance Fund supports Dover Airman during tragedy

    Tragedy rarely strikes on a schedule. It doesn't wait for a convenient time, often turning a person's life upside down.Tragedy struck for Tech. Sgt. Shamika Beckley, a 436th Operations Support Squadron NCO in charge of unit intelligence, when her sister Raquel Calleja was killed by a drunk driver on

  • SecAF outlines top priorities in visit to Kirtland

    In a visit to Kirtland Air Force Base March 9-11, Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James visited Airmen, learned more about the installation's missions and shared her top three priorities.

  • To shoot, or not to shoot

    Excessive use of force by law enforcement is a topic which has plagued U.S. headlines more than once in 2014. While the civilian police force is responsible for deescalating a situation at the lowest level, the military is held to the same standard.

  • How to: The Airman Comprehensive Assessment

    It has been nearly half a year since the release and implementation of the new Airman Comprehensive Assessment, a comprehensive worksheet that aids in creating feedback between a supervisor/rater and their ratee. AF.mil reviews the form that guides supervisors through the conversation with their

  • Airman helps strengthen bond between US, China

    An Airman assigned to the 15th Operations Support Squadron here, is tapping into a unique set of skills to support the U.S. Pacific Command's priority of strengthening its foreign partnerships. Capt. Joshua Hu, a 15th OSS executive officer, speaks Mandarin Chinese and has used his ability to

  • US, South Korean air forces sharpen cyberspace defense

    Attacks, counter-attacks, bombs, rescues, evacuations and logistics are all elements of conflict. For the participants of Key Resolve 2015, these actions and other important elements of combat come through a buzzing hard drive rather than from a physical foe.

  • Blake paved way for thousands of Air Force women

    At the first available opportunity to return to her roots, Staff Sgt. Esther Blake transferred from the Army to the Air Force on July 8, 1948, minutes after the start of the first duty day for the WAF, along with 11 other women at Fort McPherson, near Atlanta. She remained on active duty with the

  • RQ-4B soars past 10,000 flying hours

    An RQ-4B Global Hawk embarked on an Operation Inherent Resolve mission March 7, which sent the aircraft soaring past the 10,000 flying-hour milestone at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.

  • Ground equipment Airmen keep aircraft aloft

    It’s the minute details of tasks that make what Airmen do so vital to accomplishing their missions. For the Aerospace Ground Equipment (AGE) flight, these details have a profound impact on flightline operations each day.

  • AF mental health services helps a family recover

    Two Colorado Springs area-NCOs have been on a journey of recovery since losing their son to leukemia nearly nine years ago, a journey they said couldn't have happened without the mental health services available to Airmen and their families.

  • 'Special Program' emerges to combat cyber insider threats

    It's not often that the public gets to hear about the Air Force's inner workings when pertaining to highly classified networks; however, a special programs team from Hanscom Air Force Base’s Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence and Networks Directorate has recently emerged, making their

  • AF research will improve camera for targeting munitions

    In order for an imaging munition to find and make its mark, a variety of information is required, including high-resolution video imagery. Future Air Force munitions will likely feature wide field-of-view (WFOV) imaging seekers that provide Air Force warfighters several advantages over using

  • Former Soldier earns Air Force wings

    First Lt. Kevin Summerbell attended ROTC and commissioned as an officer in the Air Force to be a C-17 Globemaster III pilot, the same aircraft he was flown back on from Iraq after being wounded in combat. He is now assigned to the 15th Airlift Squadron at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina.

  • AF attacks biological agents with heat, humidity

    A recent Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) on a C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft at Orlando International Airport, Florida, showed how hot, humid air can decontaminate large pieces of equipment from biological agents.

  • Al Udeid unit keeps bombs ‘locked on target’ in AOR

    Carrying the largest payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the Air Force inventory, the multi-mission B-1B Lancer is the backbone of America's long-range bomber force and is a key resource for strike operations throughout the U.S. Air Forces Central Command area of responsibility.

  • SecAF introduces diversity initiatives

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James kicked off Women’s History Month by speaking to attendees during the Center for a New American Security “Women and Leadership in National Security” conference in Washington, D.C., March 4, 2015.  “There’s simply no country in the world as widely diverse

  • AF responds to National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force

    The Air Force responded to the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force’s recommendations in a report to Congress March 4. Of the Commission’s 42 recommendations, Air Force officials disagreed with only one and are already in the process of implementing 25, as well as developing plans

  • 'Iron Horse' sets off for final flight

    The 23rd Wing at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, sent the Air Force's oldest C-130 to the "boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, for its retirement March 3.

  • WWII pilot reunited with P-47

    Sitting in a wheelchair with images of airplanes on his shirt and a U.S. Army Air Corp hat on his head, 92-year-old retired Air National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 2 Robert Hertel was reunited with the P-47 Thunderbolt during the Heritage Flight Training and Certification Course here Feb. 28.

  • Vince Vaughn, USO Bring 'Unfinished Business' to Edwards AFB

    Actor Vince Vaughn treated troops and their families to an advance screening of his upcoming film, "Unfinished Business," during a Feb. 28 USO visit to Edwards Air Force Base, California.During a DoD News telephone interview, Vaughn shared his inspiration for meeting service members and their

  • Manpower: Man behind the math

    Having risen to the height of public interest since the commencement of Operation Resolute Support in January, the drawdown of U.S.

  • Retired Airman remembers passage of Civil Rights Act

    Offended and angry Airmen brought Sgt. Raymond Harris to a vandalized inscription containing a racial epithet about the Civil Rights bill on a door at the Airman's Club in Vietnam, and were looking to him for a solution.

  • Two-man shop engineers mission success

    The importance of the CE mission is vital at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, and with the eyes of the world following the development of the region; the execution of KAF’s engineering operation rests squarely on the shoulders of only two Airmen.

  • AF leaders seek relief from sequestration-level funding

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III discussed the damaging effects of sequestration with members of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations’ Defense Subcommittee Feb. 27.

  • Top AF senior enlisted leader testifies on AF quality of life

    The top enlisted leaders representing each service testified about quality of life issues in the military during a hearing of the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veteran's Affairs, Feb. 25, in Washington, D.C.

  • Air Force places 18 A-10 aircraft into 'Backup Status'

    The Air Force, with congressional authorization, will convert 18 primary combat-coded A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft from active units and place them into Backup-Aircraft Inventory (BAI) status with the possibility to convert another 18 at a later date in fiscal year 2015.

  • First sergeant steps up in time of need

    On Jan. 3, Alec Fonoti, a mechanic for the quartermaster laundry here, was preparing dinner with his family to take to a friend's house. With the meal packed, the family of nine loaded everything into their vehicle and left."The fire report said the burner on the left was still slightly on," Fonoti

  • CMSAF inspires future leaders during Academy visit

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody kicked off the Air Force Academy's 2015 National Character and Leadership Symposium by showcasing the enlisted Airmen cadets will lead as officers once they graduate, and reminding them of the importance of leadership in the profession of arms.

  • NY Air National Guard completes 27th year of Antarctic science support

    The New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing concluded a five-month mission supporting the National Science Foundation's Antarctic Program as part of Operation Deep Freeze.Airmen from the 109th AW flew 241 missions, delivering more than 3,000 passengers and 2,250 tons of cargo and fuel to

  • AF senior leaders caution against sequestration

    The Air Force’s top two leaders justified their service’s funding proposal in the fiscal year 2016 President’s Budget request to members of the Senate Appropriations Committee during an Air Force posture hearing Feb. 25, in Washington, D.C.

  • Quality assurance: Making sure it’s done right

    Have you ever watched a movie, or professional wrestling, and find yourself rooting for the villain at the end?Around the flightline, there’s a group of ‘bad guys’ that represent their career field’s most knowledgeable maintainers and make up the office known as quality assurance.

  • Airmen missing from WWII accounted for

    The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced Feb. 23, that the remains of U.S. servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been accounted for and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

  • SecAF visits Mountain Home

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James visited Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, Feb. 18, to experience the base firsthand and meet the service members dedicated to making it run efficiently.

  • Riding for the future of cycling

    Following a full day of work developing Air Force models, Maj. Ian Holt, mounts his Felt bicycle and starts pedaling on a three-hour training ride. It's all part of the regimen prescribed by his coach leading up to the sixth Conseil International du Sport Militaire - the international military

  • A chaplain’s story: Legacy, life, love

    As a young boy growing up in West Palm Beach, Florida, Matthew Boyd understood he was destined to serve. With two granddads who served in World War I and a father's return home after World War II, Boyd said he knew he was born to be a warrior.Now a major in the Air Force, he continues the family

  • Natural disaster response improved at Cope North 15

    More than 300 service members from six countries joined together to conduct the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) portion of exercise Cope North 15 from Feb. 15 to 18, at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and throughout the region of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

  • Pay dates increase for civilians in 2015

    Civilian employees will have 27 pay dates in 2015 compared to the usual 26, so some employees might need to adjust their Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) contribution elections to receive the maximum agency matching contributions for 2015.

  • Nuclear oversight board members visit Minot AFB

    More than three dozen members of the Air Force's senior leadership, including Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, converged on Minot Air Force Base for a meeting of the Nuclear Oversight Board here today. The NOB is a quarterly

  • Small but mighty: ECONS packs a punch

    Airmen with the Expeditionary Contracting Squadron can tell you first hand what’s missing. From the construction flight to the services flight, all the way to the commodities flight, if you take them away, you end up with a deployment no one really wants to be on.

  • ISR invests in infrastructure, Airmen

    Increasing demands for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, coupled with limited funding across the Air Force, were discussed during the Air Force Association’s monthly breakfast Feb. 18, in Arlington, Virginia.

  • Academy, Kirtland Airmen rewarded for API ideas

    A human resources assistant at the Air Force Academy and an Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center (AFOTEC) officer at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, will be among the first to receive financial rewards from the Airmen Powered by Innovation program.

  • Museum volunteer shares story of service

    It was January 1945, and 21-year-old Lt. Donald Clark found himself piloting a C-47A Skytrain over the Western Front as the Battle of the Bulge was coming to an end. The aircraft was on its way to resupply Lt. Gen. George Patton's 3rd U.S. Army, and its tanks, with fuel and ammunition, as they began

  • SBIRS constellation forms under one roof

    Airmen from the 460th Operations Group have made history by successfully completing the first series of Space Based Infrared System satellite and antenna communication on Jan. 28-30 from Block 10, the new operations floor, on Buckley Air Force Base, Colo.

  • Cope North 15 kicks off at Andersen

    Exercise Cope North 15 kicked off at Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, Feb. 15, and will run through Feb. 27, marking the 86th iteration of the multilateral training exercise.

  • Carter takes office as 25th Defense secretary

    Ash Carter became the 25th secretary of Defense Feb. 17, after having served previously as deputy defense secretary, defense acquisition chief and assistant secretary for global strategic affairs.

  • Carter’s message to DOD workforce

    Ash Carter, who was sworn in as the 25th secretary of Defense Feb. 17, laid out his top priorities in a message to the Defense Department workforce.

  • Evolution of perspective: Airman finds balance after diagnosis

    Senior Master Sgt. Daphne Soto never meets a stranger because each encounter opens a door to a potential new friend, or to someone who just needs to talk, and she'll keep the door open for both. But while she cares for her Airmen at all times, she had to learn that sometimes saying "no" is

  • 75 day leave carryover ends Sept. 30

    Effective Sept. 30, military members will no longer be able to carry more than 60 days of leave into the next fiscal year, in accordance with 2013 National Defense Authorization Act requirements.

  • Deputy secretary visits Minot, notes strong morale

    Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work said morale is strong at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, after he visited facilities and spoke with Airmen Feb. 11, at the only base to host two legs of the nuclear triad.

  • AF chief of staff: Call to the future

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III shared his thoughts on where the Air Force is, where it’s going and how it’s going to get there with an audience at the Air Force Association’s annual Air Warfare Symposium and Technology Exposition Feb. 12, in Orlando, Florida.

  • Cody gives enlisted perspective at AFA

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody outlined his top priorities for the enlisted force during the Air Force Association’s annual Air Warfare Symposium and Technology Exposition in Orlando, Florida, Feb. 12.

  • Avoid online dangers, unfriendly users on social media

    The internet instantaneously allows you to reach out across the internet superhighway to share information or connect with loved ones. Despite how innocuous this may seem, without taking the proper precautions, your personal information can inadvertently fall into the wrong hands.

  • First AF theater security package deploys to Europe

    This week the U.S. Air Force deployed 12 A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft and approximately 300 Airmen as part of a theater security package to the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

  • Female U-2 pilot blazes trail through society and space

    As a child she imagined flying amongst the stars, thousands of miles above the earth’s surface, and today Lt. Col. Merryl Tengesdal is one of eight female pilots to ever fly the U-2 and the only black female pilot during the aircraft's history.

  • AF conducts massive protected MILSATCOM test

    The Air Force concluded a six-month rigorous and complex multiservice operational test and evaluation of its Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF)system in January at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado.

  • Arctic conditions make cleaning waste a challenge

    Members of the 611th Civil Engineer Squadron, along with five other state and federal agencies, practiced techniques to deal with oil or hazardous waste spills under cold weather conditions during an exercise here Feb. 3-5.

  • vESD 2.0 rolls out Air Force wide

    A brand new version of the Virtual Enterprise Service Desk (version 2.0) is now available on unclassified computer desktops on the Air Force network.

  • AF top leaders mentor future Airmen

    More than 30 Air Force general officers offered their time and expertise to high school students during the Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) Conference Feb. 6, at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.

  • Key defense suppliers recognized for stellar delivery to warfighters

    Getting top-notch materiel to the warfighters in the most cost-effective and efficient manner is what the American public expects of defense contractors. One of the things the military services are now doing to incentivize industry to improve is by recognizing their top performers. This is

  • Fueling future training

    Tyndall Air Force Base is home to the world's largest F-22 Raptor fleet, and the only base that trains their pilots; but without the aircraft's maintainers, this impressive force could never take off from the ramp.

  • Tinker acquires land for KC-46A Pegasus maintenance

    Tinker Air Force Base officials announced Feb. 2, the acquisition of 158 acres of land on the southwest side of the base to stand up a depot maintenance facility for the Air Force's next-generation aerial refueling aircraft, the KC-46A Pegasus.

  • DISA rolls out DOD online communication tool

    The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is rolling out a new online collaboration tool that offers Defense Department employees anywhere in the world secure web conferencing and secure instant messaging and chat capabilities.

  • Energy conservation projects announced, AF awarded most in DOD

    The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) recently announced Energy Conservation Investment Program (ECIP) projects it will fund for fiscal year 2016. The Air Force was awarded nearly half of them, more than any other Defense Department agency.

  • Maintaining the technological edge

    Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Larry O. Spencer urged members of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) to help the service maintain their technological edge at their winter board meeting Jan. 27.

  • ‘Super’ Airman becomes professional bodybuilder

    After a heavy weight workout, Senior Airman Terrence Ruffin walks over to a row of mirrors in the gym posing and flexing his muscles for more than half an hour. This behavior isn't an overabundance of ego or vanity, but a critical part of the training routine for Ruffin, a professional bodybuilder.

  • AF Assistance Fund in full swing

    The 2015 Air Force Assistance Fund Campaign has kicked off and will run until May 1. Air Force bases worldwide are participating in this fundraising event which raises money for four Air Force charities.

  • Juniper Thunder strengthens AF, Army communications

    Airmen from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and Soldiers from Rhine Ordnance Barracks, Germany, came together here to take part in a joint communications exercise and establish bilateral communications across the two branch's networks, Jan. 19.

  • Cope South 15 successfully ends

    U.S. and Bangladesh air force (BAF) personnel joined together for the closing ceremony of exercise Cope South 15 (CS15) at BAF Base Bangabandhu, Bangladesh, Jan. 29.

  • Air Force presents FY 16 budget request

    The Air Force presented its fiscal year 2016 President's Budget request Feb. 2, following the Defense Department and sister services budget briefings.

  • Binding material to save Osprey engines

    The 58th Special Operations Wing has a plan to mitigate aircraft engine damage that happens during training missions using a biodegradable binding material at practice landing zones.TerraLOC — a material is described to 58th SOW officials as "Gorilla Glue on steroids," by its manufacturer -- binds

  • AFRL announces winners of student satellite competition

    Students representing 10 universities competed for the chance to send a satellite they designed and built into space. The competition was sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate University Nanosat Program.

  • Lead-in training increases Afghan capabilities

    Train, Advise, Assist Command – Air maintainers are providing lead-in training to Afghan air force airmen at the Kabul Air Wing in an effort to ensure they excel at the C-130 Hercules maintenance courses they will attend in the U.S.

  • A dream born from chaos

    In the early hours of Dec. 20, 1989, when most of Panama City was sleeping, a 10-year-old boy and his family were awakened by explosions and helicopters overhead. The family exited their home, only to witness pandemonium: buildings burning down, people running and screaming. War was reality for

  • CMSAF visits Airmen, stresses importance of USAFE mission

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody and his wife, retired Chief Master Sgt. Athena Cody, met with Airmen from bases around U.S. Air Forces in Europe during visits, Jan. 25-31, to thank them and their families for their service, and to discuss the future of USAFE.

  • Air Force names 2-star to lead F-35 Integration Office

    With the initial operating capability date of the F-35 Lightning II quickly approaching, the Air Force appointed Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian as the director of a larger Air Force F-35 Integration Office, Feb. 1.

  • Lakenheath's 493rd FS awarded 2014 Raytheon Trophy

    It's known as "Gold," it's the home of the Grim Reapers, and, for 2014, it's been named the top fighter squadron in the Air Force.The 493rd Fighter Squadron demonstrated their ability to remain “Forward, Ready, Now,” and was recently awarded the highly competitive and prestigious Raytheon Trophy.