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  • Secretary Gates outlines 'Don't Ask' repeal process

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates Jan. 6 described the Pentagon's three-step process for preparing to allow gays to serve openly in the military services.At a Pentagon news conference with Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary Gates updated reporters on the

  • Air Force Global Strike Command gets new top leader

    Lt. Gen. James Kowalski assumed command of Air Force Global Strike Command here Jan. 6, becoming the second commander of the organization.  As such, he is responsible for all of the nation's ICBMs and nuclear-capable bombers.Presiding over the ceremony, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz

  • Expeditionary center formally assumes command of five AMC units

    U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center officials assumed command of five Air Mobility Command organizations during a ceremony Jan 6 here. The AMC restructuring allows 18th Air Force officials to focus almost exclusively on worldwide mobility flying operations and gives the expeditionary center added

  • Air Force officials announce formal officer cross-flow program

    In an effort to balance officer skills across the active-duty component, the Air Force will offer cross-flow options for nonrated line officers in specified career fields, officials said here Jan 7. The nonrated officer cross-flow program is being announced as part of the fiscal 2011 Force

  • Radiologists see from the inside out

    When doctors need to look inside a patient, they call on a team of radiological professionals to reveal the answers that lie beneath.The eight-person 35th Surgical Operations Squadron diagnostic imaging team, commonly known as radiology, at Misawa Air Base performs an average of 500 image-gathering

  • Air Guard officials prepare for new medical mission

    Air National Guard members will begin flying a newly assigned critical care air transport team mission from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 10, the air surgeon said in an interview here Jan. 4.The CCATTs, which consist of a physician specializing in critical care, pulmonology, anesthesiology or

  • Nominations open for Military Child of the Year Award

    A nonprofit organization is giving Americans the chance to sing the praises of a group often called the nation's unsung heroes: military children.Operation Homefront, a troop- and military-family support group, is inviting people to nominate outstanding military children from all branches of service

  • Operation CCAF Blitz targets technical sergeants

    With the implementation of a new initiative, 23rd Force Support Squadron education center officials here are making an effort to increase the number of Airmen eligible for senior-rater endorsement on enlisted performance reports.Operation CCAF Blitz will be carried out in three phases and encourages

  • Nellis AFB selected to host new joint MWD training program

    Air Force officials selected Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., as the location of a new joint military working dog training program in late November. The officials made their decision after Nellis AFB members graduated their beta-test class of 15 security forces dog handlers and their MWDs Nov. 9.

  • Medical Airmen ready Soldiers for medal ceremony

    Working as gently as they could, medical Airmen from an intensive care and in-patient care unit helped ready two injured Soldiers for a Purple Heart ceremony Jan. 4. The Soldiers of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, were injured just days earlier in an improvised explosive

  • AMC Fuel Efficiency Office shows how 'efficiency promotes effectiveness'

    Officials with Air Mobility Command's Fuel Efficiency Office here are putting forth an initiative called precision loading. By refining the ability to maximize available space on mobility aircraft, fewer missions are required and fuel and resources are saved, and Air Force officials find another way

  • Wars, people, balancing risk top chairman's 2011 guidance

    The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's guidance for 2011 charts the way forward in America's wars, in improving the health of the force and in balancing global risks.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen's 2011 guidance was released Jan. 15, relaying the admiral's priorities and strategic objectives for the

  • Security forces advisers provide advanced training for Iraqi airmen

    Airmen deployed in support of Operation New Dawn recently trained a small detail of Iraqi security forces airmen to teach several advanced techniques for one-on-one confrontations.Master Sgt. Grady Driver, a security forces adviser, is a member of the Iraqi Training and Advising Mission. He said

  • General Klotz reflects on command, career

    Editor's Note: When he enlisted in the Air Force Reserve in 1968 to attend the Air Force Academy Prep School, Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz says he never imagined where his Air Force career would take him. Now, after more than 37 years of commissioned service, he took a few minutes to sit down and reflect on

  • Maintainers earn awards for sortie generation

    Two Airmen were honored for excellence in aircraft sortie generation during an award ceremony at the Pentagon Jan. 4.Maj. Scott Hall, an F-16 Fighting Falcon and E-8C Joint Stars requirements action officer for the National Guard Bureau here, and Senior Master Sgt. Anthony Smith, the 57th Aircraft

  • Nellis Airmen, joint partners prep Marines for Afghanistan

    U.S. Joint Forces Command joint fires experts joined Marine Corps Tactics and Operations Group and other joint enablers during a mission rehearsal exercise here to prepare Marine Corps Regimental Combat Team-8 for its upcoming deployment to Afghanistan.Exercise Spartan Resolve, led by MCTOG

  • Afghan air force airmen first to graduate Mi-17 maintenance course

    Ten Afghan air force Airmen graduated from the Mi-17 helicopter engine and body maintenance course Jan. 1 here, marking the first time AAF members completed the training.The graduating Airmen, both officers and enlisted, completed the course, none of the in the instructors in the Mongolian-led

  • Language training detachment stands up in Europe

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

  • Air Force secretary lauds F.E. Warren Airmen during holiday visit

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley visited with Warren Airmen here Dec. 23 to recognize Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen who carry out the nuclear deterrence mission. "We have missile crews and Airmen standing alert over the holidays, and we want them to know their leaders appreciate

  • Virtual inprocessing simplifies civilian PCS

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

  • Air Force rescuers pull female hiker to safety

    Senior Master Sgt. Mike Flake, an HH-60G Pave Hawk flight engineer with the 305th Rescue Squadron here, had been flying a training mission Dec. 22 around Tucson, Ariz., where his unit trains regularly. Upon clocking out, he was home by 9:30 p.m., enjoying family time, when he received a call from a

  • Combat camera Airmen learn battlefield forensics

    It was a first for the Air Force when a cadre of instructors from Six3 Systems Inc. arrived here to teach a battlefield forensics course to 4th Combat Camera Squadron Airmen. In the past, company officials taught the course to only Army and Marine Corps units, but 4th Combat Squadron officials

  • Crash recovery team demonstrates innovation through unique lift operation

    Airmen from the 51st Maintenance Squadron's Transient Alert Crash Recovery team performed a unique operation in response to a real-world situation Dec. 11, which proved valuable training for the entire shop. What started out earlier that week as a routine aircraft maintenance operation took an

  • Operations security goes digital

    Click through any photo-sharing site and you will likely find at least one random shot of someone you know doing something highly inappropriate. While these photos may be hilarious, could they have the potential to reveal intimate details of your life to the world?Walk through a mall during a

  • Deadline approaching for civilian awards nominations

    The deadline for submitting nominations for the 2011 Air Force Association Outstanding Air Force Civilian Employees of the Year Award to the Air Force Personnel Center is Feb. 15.Each year, AFA officials recognize four Air Force civilian employees for outstanding achievement in four categories.The

  • Air Force Safety Center recognized for young drivers program

    Members of the Air Force Safety Center's Ground Safety Division received the National Safety Council's Outstanding Effort in Training Young Adult Drivers award for "sincerity of heart" in keeping young adult drivers alive and safe behind the wheel of Air Force vehicles and their own personal

  • Air Force secretary visits Minot to thank Airmen

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley visited Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen here Dec. 23 and 24. "The Airmen here are doing an outstanding job," Secretary Donley said. "Minot carries a heavy load and is always very busy, but I feel the Airmen and leadership team here are very supportive

  • Barksdale sergeant streamlines maintenance process

    For Air Force maintainers, the shift is not over until the job is finished. This means every minute counts, and time is wasted every time an Airman has to wait in line for an aircraft part. Where most people saw an unavoidable delay, one Airman found a way to ensure Barksdale Air Force Base and the

  • Laughlin AFB recycling center generates revenue for base

    Officials with the recycling center here take all the recyclable materials that are dropped off at their door and compact them, thereby generating revenue that helps the base. Annually, the center recycles around 90 to 95 tons of material, which is turned into $8,000 to $9,000 that base officials

  • Fitness regulation changes based on Airmen's feedback

    As Air Force officials continue to sculpt their fitness program based on Airmen's feedback, service officials issued an AF Guidance Memorandum here Dec. 20 that provides policy changes to AFI 36-2905, Fitness Program, with an implementation date of Jan. 1, 2011. Compliance with the program is

  • AF Nuclear Weapons Center improves tracking, monitoring of nuclear weapons

    Officials at the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center have created a worldwide logistics function to monitor activities within the nuclear enterprise, tracking the location and status of all Air Force nuclear weapons and related material.Brig. Gen. Everett Thomas, the AFNWC commander, cut the ribbon

  • Nellis AFB officials host joint training exercise for local canine units

    Military working dog handlers from the 99th Security Forces Squadron worked with 25 canine teams from Las Vegas Dec. 16 during an explosive detection training exercise.Handlers and dogs from local casinos; Las Vegas Convention Center; Hoover Dam; Las Vegas Monorail; University of Nevada, Las Vegas;

  • Nominations open for DOD civilian service awards

    Air Force officials are soliciting nominations for the 56th Annual Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award.The award is the highest given by the Secretary of Defense to career employees. The award recognizes career employees at all levels for their exceptional achievement, and

  • Hawaii National Guard all-hazards response team earns validation

    Members of the Army and Air Force Hawaii National Guard all-hazards response team stood up a chemical, biological, nuclear, high-yield explosive enhanced response force Dec. 13 through 18 here to be evaluated by Joint Interagency Training and Education Center officials.The CERF team was validated

  • Classic associate unit activated at Kirtland AFB

    The Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Norton Schwartz recently approved the creation of a classic associate unit by aligning elements of the 150th Wing and 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland AFB, N.M.The 58th SOW, which is a regular Air Force unit, will serve as the host, and will have

  • Airmen win honors at worldwide talent search

    Air Force entertainment officials selected the top 11 entertainers Dec. 13 at an awards banquet here during the annual Air Force Worldwide Talent Search.More than 70 Airmen participated in the event Dec. 6 through 13 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.The annual competition allows Airmen to showcase

  • Intrepid Center provides new level of warfighter care

    When it officially opened its doors in June, the National Intrepid Center of Excellence at the National Naval Medical Center here set out to provide a new level of care for warfighters suffering traumatic brain injuries and psychological disorders.Six months later, as it continues to build staff to

  • Air Guard starts funding recruitment storefronts

    The Air National Guard's storefront recruiting facilities program got a boost this year when they received funding from the National Guard Bureau for the first time.The program has received some funding in the past, but it was out of executioner funds, which came from leftover annually-budgeted ANG

  • Don't Ask' remains in effect as Gates, Mullen tackle plan

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, welcomed the Senate's vote Dec. 18 to repeal the so-called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law, while emphasizing that the current law and policy will remain in effect until they and President Barack Obama

  • 300 take part in virtual battle

    More than 300 joint warfighters converged in a virtual battlespace for a four-day exercise ending Dec. 16.Participants from 18 locations joined forces to defeat the simulated threat in Virtual Flag 11-1. The 705th Combat Training Squadron here executes four VFs each year. It's the largest Air Force

  • CV-22 accident investigation board results released

    Air Force Special Operations Command officials released the results of their investigation into the CV-22 Osprey accident April 9, near Qalat, Afghanistan, that killed four people and injured 16 of the 20 onboard. The pilot, flight engineer, an Army Ranger, and a civilian contract employee were

  • First 24th AF Portraits in Courage recipient: 'I was just doing my job'

    Staff Sgt. Alexander Yessayan said he's not a hero, and you might just believe him unless you talk to anyone who knows him, or he begrudgingly tells you about what happened more than a year ago in Afghanistan.Those who know him use words like humble, straight shooter and, yes, hero to describe

  • Select CDCs become available online

    Airmen in select career fields can now complete their career development courses through Air University's AU Online website -- a derivative website of Air Education and Training Command's Advanced Distributed Learning System -- that provides course access from work or home computers.Electronic CDCs

  • 386th AEW members fly first airdrop missions in Afghanistan

    From providing humanitarian assistance in Pakistan to moving more than a half-million passengers throughout U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility this year, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing members can now add another accomplishment to their list -- performing airdrop missions in support of

  • Communications Airmen prove vital to Regional Command-West mission

    Imagine a small group of elite Soldiers on patrol in the mountains of the northern Herat province of Afghanistan coming under heavy attack by a large group of insurgents.What if these outnumbered and outgunned Soldiers called back to camp for close-air support but found no answer on the receiving

  • Deadline for aerospace awards draws near

    The deadline for submitting nominations for the 2011 Air Force Association aerospace awards to the Air Force Personnel Center is Feb. 1.The aerospace awards recognize individuals for their outstanding contributions to national defense in a variety of fields.These awards include:Theodore Von Karman

  • AMC commander signs order prohibiting use of spice

    Gen. Raymond Johns, Jr., the commander of the Air Mobility Command, signed a general order Nov. 2 prohibiting the use of intoxicating substances, including spice.The order bans AMC members, including those assigned to tenant units, active duty on temporary duty on an AMC base, Air Force Reserve on

  • Most housing rates dip for 2011 as pay, subsistence increase

    Most military housing allowance rates will decrease slightly for 2011, but servicemembers will receive, on average, as much or slightly more money than they did this year, Defense Department officials said Dec. 15.Cheryl Anne Woehr, a housing allowance program analyst, said overall rates are fairly

  • New 'bird' finds home with 76th AS

    Members of the 76th Airlift Squadron here receieved a C-37A Dec. 7 to help increase the flying capabilities of the distinguished visitor mission.The new aircraft is the military version of the Gulfstream V ultra-long-range-business aircraft and is the first C-37A to be stationed here. The C-37A

  • Air Force emergency managers "walk the walk"

    A team of 481 Air Force emergency managers representing all the major commands, recently joined 2,000 of their colleagues at the 58th annual International Association of Emergency Managers conference in San Antonio.This year's IAEM conference theme was, "Talk the Talk, now Walk the Walk," and the

  • Hickam AFB Airman found dead in Philippines

    An Airman assigned to the 647th Security Forces Squadron here died Dec. 7 in the Philippines. Master Sgt. Michael A. Lee, a security forces flight chief and native of Rocky Mount, Va., died from an apparent heart attack after collapsing while on leave in Manila, Philippines. The incident is under

  • New program connects wounded warriors with loved ones

    Members of the 455th Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility staff teamed up with Airmen from the 455th Expeditionary Communication Squadron to offer wounded warriors a way to communicate with loved ones as the wounded warriors make their journey home.The 455th ECS completed the installation of a

  • Officials seek enlisted for AFIT degree program

    Air Force Institute of Technology officials are offering six NCOs the opportunity to pursue an advanced science, engineering or management degree at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The NCOs will be selected in February to attend the Enlisted-to-AFIT program. The program is designed to provide

  • Davis-Monthan AFB Airman passes

    Senior Airman Brian D. Smith, 23, assigned to the 923rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., was pronounced dead after a vehicle accident Dec. 11. Airman Smith was an active duty assistant crew chief. He enlisted into the Air Force in July 2007 and arrived at

  • NMFA honors military families, names family of the year

    An Air Force family was named the National Military Family Association's 2010 Family of the Year Dec. 7, for selfless service to the nation and the community.The association honored a family from each service before announcing that the Mullin family, of Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, had earned the

  • Global Strike Command units assist Navy in powering mission

    Members of the 509th and 131st Logistic Readiness Squadrons here loaded more than $30 million of Los Angeles-class submarine batteries on DC-8 cargo aircraft  Dec. 4 and 6 in support of naval operations in the Pacific.Air Force Global Strike Command officials received a call requesting batteries for

  • Guardsmen, Reservists can nominate employers for awards

    Reserve-component servicemembers still have time to nominate their employers for the 2011 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. The award is the Defense Department's highest honor for employers who provide exceptional support for employees who serve in the National Guard or

  • 820th Base Defense Group heads to Afghanistan

    A group of Airmen from the 820th Base Defense Group recently deployed to Afghanistan for the first time under the new unit name.The hand-selected group of Airmen will deploy to an air base in Afghanistan for about six months.The 820th BDG is the first Air Force unit designed specifically to provide

  • Officials select potential base for Royal Saudi Air Force F-15 training unit

    Air Force officials announced today that Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, is their preferred alternative to potentially host a Royal Saudi Air Force F-15SA maintenance and flying training unit in the U.S.Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz validated

  • Sun sets on Keen Sword exercise

    Servicemembers at military installations throughout mainland Japan, Okinawa and in the waters surrounding the country wrapped up a seven-day joint, bilateral field-training exercise with their Japan Self-Defense Force counterparts as Exercise Keen Sword 11 came to an end Dec. 10.Identified as the

  • Cross-country training pools experience, skills

    Members of the 100th Air Refueling Wing united with their Royal Air Force counterparts to build cross-service relationships and military skills during Leadership, Ethos and Air Power Day here Dec. 6.Participants in station LEAP Day were taken from all sections of Royal Air Force Marham and

  • PJs carry blood again, increase survival rates

    Pararescuemen from the 46th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, have brought back the ability to carry and administer blood to patients on rescue missions, increasing survival rates for injured warfighters.Air Force rescue units haven't carried blood since the beginning of

  • Wing retires C-130E, anticipates end of C-130E ops

    Little Rock Air Force Base C-130E Hercules aircraft 62-1788 made its final flight Nov. 29, to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base's 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, the aircraft retirement "bone yard" here. Built in 1962, the aircraft's history includes supporting major operations in

  • Nominees sought for employee with a disability award

    Air Force officials are seeking nominations for the 2011 Outstanding Department of Defense Employee with a Disability Award.This Secretary of Defense award recognizes the contributions and achievements made by physically or mentally disabled federal employees within the DOD.The award is open to

  • 'Guard and Protect' exercise unites bilateral forces

    A key component of the 35th Fighter Wing's mission is to assist in the defense of Japan. To that end, members of the 35th Security Force Squadron practiced base defense with their Japanese counterparts during a Guard and Protect exercise Dec. 4 - 5. Airmen from the 35th SFS and Japan Air-Self

  • Airmen graduate from first Guard, Reserve survival component course

    Two reserve component Airmen were the first to graduate from a new course specifically developed for guardsmen and reservists Dec. 2 here.Staff Sgt. Andrew Dunn, from the 514th Air Mobility Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., and Airman 1st Class Brian Alfano, from the New York Air

  • Combat rescue officers celebrate 10-year anniversary

    Officials celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the creation of the combat rescue officer career field Dec. 8."Our personnel recovery forces need to be organized, trained and equipped to operate across the full range of military operations, including humanitarian operations, irregular warfare and

  • Stanley: Pentagon must do better in hiring disabled

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

  • Photo essay: Kadena Airmen stage rescue for Keen Sword

    Airmen with the 31st and 33rd Rescue Squadrons perform a water rescue here during the Keen Sword exercise Dec. 6. Units from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps are conducting training with their Japan self-defense force counterparts at military installations throughout Japan, Okinawa and in

  • Recruiting commander expands community relations at bowl game

    The Air Force Recruiting Service commander visited Columbus, Ga., Dec. 3 and 4 to show support to the community and share knowledge about the Air Force's career opportunities.During his stay, Brig. Gen. Balan R. Ayyar attended the 2010 Pioneer Bowl at the A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium where the Fort

  • 18th Air Force, Expeditionary Center restructures

    Air Mobility Command officials announced plans Dec. 7 to restructure some command and control functions, commonly referred to as C2, effective Jan. 7, 2011. The command's 18th Air Force will focus on C2 of air mobility, contingency response and en route operations, including the 618th Air and Space

  • Falcons to face Georgia Tech in Independence Bowl

    Air Force will play the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the 2010 AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl at Independence Stadium, bowl officials announced Dec. 5.The game is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 27 at 4 p.m. E.T. and can be seen on ESPN2.Air Force and Georgia Tech will meet for the fourth time in the

  • First Reserve unit conducts TASER training

    The 482nd Security Forces Squadron here recently became the first unit in the Air Force Reserve Command to complete training with TASER guns, adding a new, nonlethal option to their arsenal. Security forces members must undergo extensive training to be qualified to carry a TASER. Training includes

  • Letter in the wall makes its way back after 20 years

    For years, a letter from a 12-year-old girl to the future residents sat sealed inside a plastic sandwich bag in the historic walls of Quarters 21, located on Generals' Row here.On Dec. 6, 20 years to the day after the letter was written, Brooke Lewis, now aged 32, came back to Offutt."It's just a

  • PACAF specialized medical team conducts first peacetime mission

    Pacific Air Forces deployed the first peace-time, Critical-Care, Air-Transport Team to transfer a critically ill patient from Naval Hospital in Guam, to Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii, Nov. 17. The team was alerted and within three hours, boarded a commercial airliner to meet the aeromedical

  • New inpatient medical records system enhances patient care

    A new electronic medical record system to enhance patient care is coming to Wilford Hall Medical Center here.Essentris is an electronic healthcare record management system which is specifically designed for inpatient care and will allow health care providers instant access to inpatient records

  • Contingency response wing returns from Pakistan relief mission

    Airmen from the 621st Contingency Response Wing have completed operations in Pakistan in support of flood relief distribution efforts after torrential rains and flooding affected more than 20 million people and left one-fifth of the agricultural country under water.The last seven members of the 37

  • Air Force, Park Service to commemorate Wrights' first flight Dec. 17

    Air Force and National Park Service officials are planning a public ceremony at Wright Memorial Hill here Dec. 17 to commemorate the 107th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' first successful powered flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C. Col. Stephen Goeman, the commander of the 445th Airlift Wing here, will

  • 14th CMSAF mentors Moody Airmen

    The 14th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force recently visited here to provide mentorship to Moody AFB Airmen.Retired Chief Master Sgt. Gerald Murray was stationed here 14 years ago, when the 347th Wing was the host unit, and he was the 347th Wing command chief master sergeant. Because of his

  • Bomb squadrons rotate at Andersen AFB

    More than 200 Airmen and two B-52H Stratofortress aircraft arrived here recently to replace the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron.The Airman are assigned to the 69th Bomb Squadron from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., and are supporting U.S. Pacific Command's continuous bomber presence. "Our number one

  • Nominations open for Outstanding Airmen of the Year Award

    Air Force officials are seeking nominations for the 2011 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Award.There are three categories for award: Airman, NCO and Senior NCO. Major commands and the Air Force District of Washington will each nominate three candidates, one per category, to the Air Force 12 OAY

  • Aircrews provide training for weapons school

    Flares popped from the side of C-17 Globemaster IIIs and C-130 Hercules aircraft and fell to the desert floor, filling the skies with smoke. Pilots weaved their way through mountainous terrain to avoid threats along an airdrop route trying not to get blown out of the sky. Fortunately for the 535th

  • New policy bridges Korea tour normalization

    The top U.S. commander in South Korea has introduced a new policy prioritizing what positions qualify for highly sought-after command sponsorships for family members.Army Gen. Walter L. Sharp, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea, announced the new system this week to control the flow of

  • Airmen acquire MQ-9 maintenance responsibility in Afghanistan

    Airmen assumed responsibility of MQ-9 Reaper maintenance operations Dec. 1 here.Nearly 75 Airmen replaced a civilian contract force, making them the first servicemembers to maintain MQ-9s since they entered combat operations in Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom."We're really excited to be

  • Global Strike Command officials build partnership with French

    The French Strategic Air Forces' top officer, Lt. Gen. Paul Fouilland, visited the Air Force Global Strike Command here Nov. 14 through 18 as part of a continuing dialogue between the two nations' strategic air forces. The Global Strike Command commander, Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, toured French air

  • Air Force to play in Independence Bowl

    The Air Force Falcons will play in the 2010 AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl against an Atlantic Coast Conference team Dec. 27 at 4 p.m. Central Time on ESPN2 at Independence Stadium, bowl officials announced Dec. 1.Air Force will learn of its opponent Dec. 5 when the matchup is formally announced.

  • Ceremony marks end of Pakistan flood relief operations

    U.S. troops supporting the humanitarian relief effort to flood-stricken Pakistan ended their mission Dec. 2.Pakistani officials hosted a ceremony marking the occasion in Islamabad, the country's capital.At the end of operations, 18 U.S. military helicopters and about 350 U.S. servicemembers were

  • DSP, engineers recognized at National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

    Military and industry officials recently gathered at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force to recognize those involved with Defense Support Program satellites over the past four decades.Earlier this year, a 35-foot-long DSP structural test vehicle, which helped to provide the Air Force with

  • Air Force implements new transition program

    The Air Force's new technical training transition program was implemented Nov. 15, after test periods here and at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas."Over the past 18 years, the enlisted phase program had transformed into a bloated management tool used to control and manage Airmen," said Chief Master

  • Digital close-air support improvements on the way

    Airmen on the ground whose mission is to help deliver close-air support will soon receive a set of tools that will help them do their jobs better while lightening the loads they're required to carry.Tactical air control party Airmen are assigned to Army units that engage in all levels of operations,

  • Gates, Mullen endorse working group's report

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates Nov. 30 urged the Senate to repeal the so-called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law this year.Secretary Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke at a Pentagon news conference unveiling the recommendations of the working group tasked

  • Airman saves wingman from halfway around the world

    Police officials are crediting the quick actions of a security forces Airman here with saving the life of a former Airman living halfway around the world.Senior Airman Jordan Gunterman, a 379th Air Expeditionary Wing fly-away security team leader, led authorities to his the former coworker's Florida

  • Clean, low-energy solutions sought for mammoth program

    Ongoing technical and cost analyses could lead program officials to seek a mixture of alternative energy sources to fuel the next generation of massive ground-based radars that will track space objects and debris.In October, Electronic Systems Center officials here released a Request for Proposal

  • Iraqi air force officials open new facilities at Ali Air Base

    Iraqi air force officials opened new facilities and transferred Squadron 70 to Ali Air Base, Iraq, during a ceremony Nov. 23 here. The opening of these facilities and the Squadron 70 transfer is a milestone for the Iraqi air force on its way to securing the southern provinces, officials said."Today

  • Exchange programs brings French cadets to Ramstein

    Eight cadets from Salon-de-Provence Air Base, France, visited Ramstein Air Base Nov. 14 to 20 with hopes of learning how the U.S. military operates on a day-to-day basis. The visit marked the first time cadets from the French Air Force Academy participated in an immersion tour of an American

  • Competition brings out the 'beast'

    Thirty-nine military working dog handlers from the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, U.S. and the Honolulu Police Department, as well as from Japan and Alaska, brought their K-9s through a series of events during the 2010 Hawaiian Islands Working Dog Competition at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii,

  • New unit travels worldwide in support of warfighter

    It has a different name and fewer numbers, but the Expeditionary Depot Maintenance Flight here continues to fulfill a unique mission around the world. The flight is the reincarnation of the 653rd Combat Logistics Support Squadron, which inactivated in 2009 after 42 years of traveling the world to

  • New radar systems unveiled at Lakenheath

    The 48th Fighter Wing became the first U.S Air Forces in Europe unit to receive new radar systems for air traffic control.The Digital Airport Surveillance Radar and Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System became operational Nov. 18 as part of a project conducted by officials with the Air