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  • AF to retain additional intratheater airlift aircraft through fiscal 2014

    The Air Force announced it will retain additional airlift aircraft through fiscal 2014 in response to a congressional mandate to retain an inventory of 358 intratheater airlift aircraft.The Fiscal Year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act signed into law Jan. 3, 2013, included language directing

  • U.S, Japan refine integrated air and missile defense during exercise

    Members of the U.S. military and Japan Self Defense Forces teamed up here recently to conduct a week-long exercise focused on operational issues relating to missile defense in the Pacific theater.Japan Air Self Defense Force Maj. Gen. Masashi Yamada, the director of the Defense Plans and Operations

  • Air Force suspends military tuition assistance

    In the wake of sequestration, the Air Force officially suspended military tuition assistance March 11.Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley announced the Air Force has officially suspended military TA for the remainder of fiscal 2013. The program will continue to be evaluated to determine the

  • Oldest U.S. military flying unit celebrates centennial

    The 1st Reconnaissance Squadron at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., celebrated its 100th anniversary March 7-9 as the oldest flying unit in U.S. military aviation.The squadron opened its doors to the base populace and special guests for tours, and two days of historical symposiums were held featuring

  • SecDef directs review of Distinguished Warfare Medal

    In light of recent discussions concerning the new Distinguished Warfare Medal and its order of precedence relative to other military decorations, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has ordered a review of the award, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said here today.Little said Hagel directed Army

  • Medical Airmen move wounded warriors, provide closure

    Usually when a wounded Airman, Soldier, Sailor or Marine or Airman leaves the combat theater, they leave on a stretcher, surrounded by the beeps and hum of machines reading and reporting vital signs. Sometimes they are conscious, but all too often they are not -- suddenly waking in a hospital

  • Two AF nurses heroes of 'Operation Babylift'

    No matter how far women were kept away from combat roles, they were never far from harm and the opportunity to rise above and beyond the call of duty.An explosion blew out a pressure door of a C-5A Galaxy as it took off from Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Vietnam, April 4, 1975, forcing it to make an

  • PACOM promotes regional cyber capabilities, defenses

    Two years ago, U.S. Pacific Command set out on a big experiment during its Terminal Fury exercise, subjecting participants for the first time to simulated cyber intrusions and network access denials, among other unexpected curve balls the exercise planners threw their way.PACOM's cyber cell, serving

  • Nellis pilots take first step toward F-35 operational testing

    Two officers from the operational test community are among the six pilots in the first F-35 Lightning II pilot training course after an Air Education and Training Command decision to start training here in January.Lt. Col. Benjamin Bishop, the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron director of

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Sister before self

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.) The day he found out about his sister's condition, he knew he would go to any lengths necessary to help her.In December 2012, Tech. Sgt. Simon Garcia,

  • Air Commandos remember STRAY 59

    No matter how painful it is to remember or how easy it is to forget, one special operations squadron makes it a priority each year to remember its heritage and to honor those before its members now who paid the ultimate sacrifice. As an annual salute to their fallen comrades, a crew from the 1st

  • AF officer named tops in her field

    A Lajes Field officer was recently awarded the 2012 Armed Forces Optometric Society Junior Officer of the Year.Maj. Tara Jayne, 65th Medical Operations Squadron optometrist, was surprised with the news when Col. Lorn Heyne, 65th Medical Group commander, and his wife visited her home Feb. 17 with a

  • Service chiefs ask congress for fiscal help

    The senior officers from the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps asked Congress March 5 for more spending flexibility so they can maintain military readiness as the sequester's across-the-board budget cuts take effect.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, Army Chief of Staff Gen.

  • Strategic Command: Cuts could erode capabilities

    The U.S. Strategic Command can execute its full mission responsibilities today, but the impacts of fiscal uncertainty and declining resources in the next six months or a year could change that, Air Force Gen. C. Robert Kehler said today.Testifying here before the House Armed Services Committee,

  • New issue of Airman magazine hits newsstand

    The March issue of Airman magazine is now available to download. In this issue, our cover story, titled "100 Years of Flying," tells the story of the Air Force's oldest flying unit, the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, and follows the unit from its early days of Pancho Villa and the Wright brothers to a

  • Time now to get smart on sequestration, furlough

    Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta notified Congress recently that should sequestration occur, the Department of Defense will initiate furlough for its 800,000-plus civilian employees. Congressional notification is required at least 45 days from a planned furlough, with implementation anticipated

  • Innovative teaching idea saves Air Force $1.1 million

    An idea by the 982nd Training Group to make formal military instructor training available at field training detachments has saved the Air Force more than $1.1 million in temporary duty expenditures so far in fiscal year 2013.The FTD version of the Principles of Instruction course, or POI, was

  • F-35s cleared to resume flight

    F-35 Lightning IIs were cleared for flight Feb. 28 following a temporary suspension after a cracked engine blade was found in a test aircraft earlier in the month. A .06-inch crack was discovered in a third-stage turbine blade in a test aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Feb. 19.

  • Airmen adapt aerial port procedures to be more effective, efficient

    The 451st Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron members recently re-evaluated their processes and procedures and decided it was time to fine tune the way they operate and move cargo here.Maj. Philip Shields, the former 451st ELRS Aerial Port Flight commander and Senior Master Sgt. Daniel Spain,

  • Arlington museum showcases military women's contributions

    A living legacy to women who served in all branches of the U.S. military honors their service and sacrifice inside the Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.The museum in the memorial depicts the "duty, honor and pride" of the 2 million women who served to defend the United States, from

  • Esther Blake: First enlisted woman in the Air Force

    Staff Sgt. Esther McGowin Blake has the distinction of being the "first woman in the Air Force." She enlisted in the first minute of the first hour of the first day regular Air Force duty was authorized for women on July 8, 1948. Blake originally enlisted in March 1944, in Miami in the Army Air

  • Task force established to close gaps between active, Guard, Reserve

    Air Force senior leaders recently constructed a task force to develop the best ways to bring the active, Reserve, and Guard closer together to achieve the most capable force possible. To meet the challenges of the future, the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force directed the stand-up of the

  • AF leaders warn of sequester impacts on replacing an aging fleet

    Two senior Air Force leaders here this week warned of the impacts sequestration and a continuing resolution will have on the service's acquisitions and programs. Lt. Gens. Michael Moeller, the deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and programs, and Charles Davis, the military deputy, office of

  • Original part from B-17F Memphis Belle® returns home

    Young Airman Ralph Barrett had no idea what that strange looking part he had found in Memphis was, but it looked interesting so he picked it up and decided to hang onto it.The part eventually made it to his tool box at home and remained there unseen for more than 40 years. But according to Barrett,

  • Vasilievskoe villagers take pride in newly renovated school

    Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990, the Vasilievskoe Kindergarten School sat empty for more than a decade. Since it reopened in 2003, the school house has been in need of extensive repairs. The Transit Center at Manas and the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek partnered with the Kyrgyz Republic

  • AF awards light air support aircraft contract

    The Air Force today awarded a $427,459,708.00 contract to Sierra Nevada Corp. to provide light air support aircraft and associated maintenance and training for the Afghan air force.Under this contract, 20 aircraft are scheduled to be delivered to operational air bases in Afghanistan beginning in the

  • Hagel takes office as 24th SecDef

    Just before his private swearing-in ceremony as the 24th secretary of defense, Chuck Hagel and his wife, Lilibet, arrived at the Pentagon this morning and were greeted by Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, military assistant to the secretary of defense.Hagel said hello to waiting members of

  • DOD Implements Secure Program for Mobile Devices

    The Defense Department is rolling out a program that will allow users of a range of mobile devices -- working anywhere from remote battlefields to the Pentagon to rapidly share classified and protected data across all components.More than 600,000 DOD employees, from soldiers on the front lines to

  • AF releases pay and allowances continuation program

    Air Force senior leaders recently released Air Force policy on the Pay and Allowance Continuation program for Airmen who become wounded or ill while supporting a combat contingency. With the release of the Air Force PAC program policy, AFGM 34-02, Airmen will now officially have their own policy,

  • Academy cadet's research could save AF $4.9 billion

    An Air Force Academy cadet's research into how the Air Force buys missiles could save the service as much as $4.9 billion over five years while increasing the Air Force's inventory.Cadet 1st Class Chris Kirk found that the Air Force can buy some of the missiles regularly used in combat operations

  • AF releases criteria for new combat medal

    Air Force officials released nomination criteria for the new Distinguished Warfare Medal Feb. 15, following defense officials' announcement of the new decoration days prior. The DWM will be awarded to honor individuals for single acts of extraordinary achievement, not involving acts of valor, that

  • Air Force unit to improve airfield security in Slovenia

    Airmen from the 435th Contingency Response Group here traveled to Cerklje Air Base, Slovenia, to conduct a security familiarization event Jan. 21 - 25.The 435th CRG is a uniquely suited organization for the mission of building partnership. With 42 different career fields, the unit members can engage

  • If sequestration triggers, furloughs begin in late April

    If sequestration is triggered next week, unpaid furloughs for civilian Defense Department employees will start in late April, Pentagon officials said here today.Sequestration is a provision in budget law that will trigger major across-the-board spending cuts March 1 unless Congress agrees on an

  • New medal to retain place in order of precedence

    The new Distinguished Warfare Medal will retain its place in the order of precedence among military decorations, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said here Feb. 19.Much of the public discussion of the new medal has centered on its precedence. It ranks below the Distinguished Flying Cross and

  • Cadets work to decrease bird strikes

    A group of U.S. Air Force Academy cadets is working to put a dent in bird strikes that are  directly linked to the deaths of 250 people in 25 years and the cause of more than $700 million in damage to military-owned aircraft annually. "The impetus behind this capstone course is the devastating cost

  • Medical wing, San Antonio hospital collaborate to hone AF nursing skills

    The Air Force partnered with a community hospital to develop highly-skilled nurses who are trained for humanitarian and peacetime missions. These medical Airmen's skills are proven to increase patient survival rates in theater hospitals.Building the partnership was instrumental in meeting an

  • AF splits space, missile career field for officers

    The Air Force has split the space and missile career field in an effort to ensure more focused development for officers performing these critical missions in increasingly complex operational environments, Air Force officials announced today.Under the old construct, more than 50 percent of

  • SecDef announces Distinguished Warfare Medal

    Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has approved a new medal designed to recognize service members directly affecting combat operations who may not even be on the same continent as the action.The Distinguished Warfare Medal recognizes the changing face of warfare. In the past, few, if any, service

  • CSAF and CMSAF visit the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody visited the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Feb. 7 and 8 to meet Airmen and talk about service issues with them.Welsh and Cody toured work centers, giving service member's the opportunity to interact with

  • Air Force libraries bridge the digital divide

    Need assistance setting up a budget, learning a new language or doing your homework? Look no further than your online Air Force library, where Air Force library staff work to meet customers' needs in an evolving digital world.Worldwide, Air Force libraries offer online learning resources, digital

  • Mentoring tomorrow's STEM professionals more important than ever

    For many years, various organizations and reports have sounded the alarm when it comes to the United States and its educational standing among other nations in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math, known as STEM. As each year passes, it seems American students fall lower and lower

  • East Coast joint training goes international

    "Under Air-Sea Battle, we will take 'jointness' to a new level, working together to establish more integrated exercises against more realistic threats." Following those words from former Chief of Staff of the Air Force, retired Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan

  • 'Mi Rey:' A deployed Valentine story

    It was a cold January evening in a little town called Muzquiz, in Coahuila, Mexico. Despite the chill in the air, she and a friend decided to go to the local dance hall. It was the kind of close-knit town where everyone knew each other, and dancing was a way to let loose on a Friday night.Her long,

  • DISA highlights increase in use of collaboration tool

    Use of a Web-based application designed to offer an information exchange environment for Defense Department users has grown markedly as defense spending cuts loom, Defense Information Systems Agency officials said.Since 2007, Defense Connect Online has been the "go-to" mechanism among several new

  • Band builds partnerships through music

    The U.S. Air Forces in Europe Band joined bands from seven other nations here at the Musikschau Der Nationen (Music Show of the Nations) Jan. 23 - 27 to remember veterans of all nations that fought in World War I and World War II. The five-day festival, which was attended by 22,000 people, displayed

  • Ramstein Airmen train with Israeli air force

    The 86th Airlift Wing and 435th Contingency Response Group conducted a Flying Training Deployment with the Israeli air force's 103rd Squadron Jan. 27 to Feb. 8 here. The FTD advanced the ability of both American and Israeli air and ground crews to perform in combat operations, as well as

  • Cannon debuts latest in moving target technology

    Explosions shook the air as the white truck, almost invisible through the dust and smoke, weaved its way across a training range towing a target being shot at by 40mm rounds from aircraft patrolling the sky. Special operations Airmen from here tested the remote-controlled truck, the latest in

  • Fueling the high flyers - U-2 tube food calms cravings in the cockpit

    Pureed peach cobbler, chicken-a-la-king, key lime pie, or even the classic sloppy joe in a metallic tube don't compare to a home cooked meal, but U-2 pilots say the food they eat while flying long missions is delicious.While wearing a fully pressurized suit, pilots aren't able to open the visors on

  • Medic awarded Purple Heart for deployed actions

    An Air Force medic assigned to dangerous duty with an Army logistics convoy unit when deployed to Afghanistan two years ago was awarded the Purple Heart during a ceremony at Barksdale Air Force Base, La.Staff Sgt. Jasmine Russell, 2nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Personnel Reliability Program

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Airman amasses huge comic book collection

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.) Super-speed, excessive strength, X-ray vision--realistically, no human can obtain these skills naturally, but comic books provide a way to vicariously

  • Reserve RED HORSE Squadron to be activated at Beale

    The Air Force has formally announced the activation of the 583rd RED HORSE Squadron here.The mobile heavy construction civil engineering unit will be the sixth such squadron in the Air Force Reserve Command and the first on the West Coast. The squadron will stand-up in March, according to a memo

  • Medical team achieves cutting-edge patient transfer

    Marking a first for military medical care in the United States, an Army and Air Force team successfully transported a critically ill woman using a special form of heart-lung bypass from San Antonio Military Medical Center to New York City in January 2013.This mission marked the military's first

  • Air Force Hoops promotion tips off March 1

    Air Force bowling centers and golf courses will host an Air Force Hoops promotion during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 Men's Basketball Championship Tournament from March 1 to April 8.Air Force Hoops, a free scratch-off game, gives participants the opportunity to win

  • Air Force increases projected KC-46 flying hours, crew ratio

    The Air Force has increased planned life-cycle flying hours and aircrews assigned to the new KC-46A refueling tanker to make optimal use of the commercially-proven aircraft's fuel efficiency, cargo and aeromedical evacuation capabilities. Compared to the Eisenhower-era KC-135 Stratotanker, the KC-46

  • Top 10 facility energy accomplishments of 2012

    The fiscal year 2012 Annual Energy Management Report is making its way to Congress and lawmakers will likely be impressed by Air Force facility energy accomplishments. The Air Force Civil Engineer Center submitted the report to the Office of the Civil Engineer in November. It has since been sent to

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: F-22 pilot physician takes safety to new heights

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.) Powerful thrust, paired with unparalleled agility, propels the grey fighter jet through the sky, in ways unfathomable to earlier generations of

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: The Stoks standard

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)In six months Staff Sgt. Ryan Stoks expedited more than 413 missions and moved more than 18 million pounds of cargo to set new aerial port expeditor

  • AF implements voluntary FY13 force management programs

    The Air Force will implement several voluntary officer and enlisted force management programs for fiscal year 2013, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced today.Announced in the January release of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2013, the authorized active duty Air Force

  • Michigan base to test missile counter-measure prototype

    The Air National Guard has begun installing a new prototype missile counter-measure device on aircraft at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. If tests on the prototype conclude favorably, as expected, the device could mean safer travels for KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft and additional job security for

  • VA issues new report on suicide data

    The Veterans Affairs Department today released a comprehensive report on veterans who die by suicide.In the past, data on veterans who died by suicide was only available for those who had sought VA health care services. Today's report also includes state data for veterans who had not received health

  • Retiree ID cards now have expiration dates

    Blue retiree identification cards issued prior to December 2012 had the word "indef" instead of an expiration date. Since December, retiree cards issued have an expiration date effective the day before the retiree's 65th birthday. Although benefits will not automatically expire, some changes will

  • Airmen gear up for largest B-1 modification

    Members of the 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron are gearing up for the largest B-1 Lancer modification in program history, as part of the Integrated Battle Station and Sustainment-Block 16 upgrade. Because of the magnitude of this upgrade, additional work is being done to make sure members of the

  • New surcharge on Visa purchases

    As of January 27, merchants in the United States and U.S. Territories are permitted to impose a surcharge on any credit card transaction that uses a MasterCard or Visa branded card, which includes the Government Travel Charge Card, both Individually Billed Accounts (IBAs) and Centrally Billed

  • New copays for some TRICARE pharmacy customers

    New copayments for prescription drugs covered by TRICARE will go into effect February 1. The Fiscal Year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act requires TRICARE to increase copays on brand name and non-formulary medications that are not filled at military clinics or hospitals. There is no increase

  • Service recruiters carry nation's colors for the 47th Super Bowl

    An Air Force recruiter is part of a Joint Armed Forces Color Guard that will present the nation's colors to kick off the Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes Benz Superdome here Feb. 3.The Joint Armed Forces Color Guard is composed of 10 recruiters from each branch who serve in New Orleans and the

  • Academy grad, reservist suits up for Super Bowl

    An Air Force Academy graduate and San Francisco 49ers wide receiver arrived in New Orleans Jan. 27 for Super Bowl XLVII.Chad Hall, an Air Force reservist, was signed to the 49ers practice squad Nov. 27 for scout team duty, wearing No. 14. He was released Dec. 14 as the team juggled its active and

  • Air Force to launch new standards program

    Air Force bases and customer-service oriented services will now be held to a uniform set of standards, thanks to the recently launched Air Force Common Output Level Standards program.It's a program that will standardize the delivery of installation support services so that Airmen and other customers

  • NORAD jets ready to protect Super Bowl skies

    Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region fighter jets, along with interagency partners, have been busy well before Super Bowl Sunday preparing to protect the skies around the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.Just like the teams in the Super Bowl, the Continental U.S.

  • DOD, USDA partner in 'win-win' distance learning program

    A new education program offers a "win-win" approach to helping military community members further their careers while aiding the Defense Department's family support and child and youth development services, a Pentagon official said.Barbara Thompson, director of DOD's office for family policy,

  • Former 'dirt boy' retires as Air Force's top enlisted Airman

    "Dirt Boy Did Good" would be a great working title for a movie about former Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy's 30-year career. His first Air Force job, after he joined in 1982, was in civil engineering as a heavy equipment operator, a "dirt boy." His last, the one he retired from Jan.

  • DOD to begin review of family, military community programs

    A new task force will start work next month on a 120-day review of all family and military community programs across the Defense Department to determine their effectiveness and identify gaps and potential efficiencies, a senior defense official said.Charles E. Milam, acting deputy assistant

  • New runway rubber removal system debuts in Southwest Asia

    The Air Force Civil Engineer Center in conjunction with the Air Force Research Laboratory recently introduced a first-of-its-kind runway rubber removal system for use at remote airfields.The device, which uses a retrofitted Unimog designed for transport to airfields in austere areas of Southwest

  • Reserve announces revised force structure actions

    Air Force Reserve Command officials are moving forward with force structure changes authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2013.Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard leaders collaborated to develop one Total Force Proposal in response to concerns raised by

  • Afghan air force advances battlefield support tactics

    The commanders of the Afghan air force and NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan signed two operational decrees Jan. 23, implementing procedures to improve air response to Afghan battlefield casualties by the AAF's new Cessna C-208 Caravan fleet and its Mi-17 helicopters. The decrees address the

  • Retired officer describes personal impact of King's ideals

    A retired officer who blazed trails in her Air Force career told the audience at the Pentagon's 28th annual observance of the holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Jan. 24 that she drew inspiration from the slain civil rights leader.Retired Maj. Gen. Marcelite J. Harris, who left the service in

  • CMSAF transition: Airmen say goodbye to Roy, welcome Cody

    The Air Force appointed its 17th chief master sergeant of the Air Force during a transition and retirement ceremony here Jan. 24.In his last official act before retiring, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy relinquished the duties and responsibilities of the Air Force's highest enlisted

  • Training eases stress, strain of deployed duties for EOD Airmen

    On a bitter cold winter morning explosive ordnance disposal technicians conducted training exercises Jan. 10 at Fort Carson, Colo. designed to simulate the mental and physical fatigues experienced while deployed. The exercises included unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices, called

  • Military kids website also helps parents, educators

    The Defense Department website for military children has added new features to help parents and educators explain difficult topics of the military lifestyle to children.Since its launch in January 2012, MilitaryKidsConnect.org has served more than 125,000 visitors and won five industry excellence

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: The Airman and James Bond

    (Editor's Note:This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Quartermaster "Q" supplied Skyfall's 50-year anniversary James Bond with a radio and a Walther PPK handgun, but Sean Connery's 007 relied

  • Air Force Space Command to bolster cyber force

    The Air Force Space Command expects to be directed to add 1,000 new people, mainly civilians, to its base of about 6,000 cyber professionals for fiscal 2014, the command's chief said here Jan. 17.Speaking with reporters at a meeting of the Defense Writers Group, Gen. William L. Shelton said

  • AF's highest ranking African-American shares ties to civil rights movement

    On April 23, 1951, more than 450 students collectively walked out the front doors of the all-black, R. R. Moton High School in Farmville, Va., and marched to the home doorsteps of school-board members in the community.Among the students who walked out that day was Selma Gaines, now Selma Spencer,

  • Agency brings real intel to aerial combat exercise

    For the first time in 38 years, realistic intelligence will be an integral part of the Air Force's signature aerial combat training exercise.The Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, via its 526th Intelligence Squadron, will be a key player at Red Flag 13-3, Feb. 25 to

  • Morin talks sequestration, near-term budget actions

    The acting under secretary of the Air Force described how the nation's fiscal challenges are affecting the service to a group of civic and industry leaders in Arlington, Va., Jan. 15.Dr. Jamie Morin spoke to members of industry, the Air Force, the Air Force Association and media as part of AFA's

  • Interactive benefits phone system deactivates

    The interactive voice response system that enabled civilian employees to accomplish some benefits-related actions will be deactivated Jan. 31, Air Force Personnel Center officials said."Low usage and high maintenance costs resulted in the decision to deactivate the system, but the benefits team is

  • Civil engineers meet with industry to develop partnerships

    The newly established Air Force Civil Engineer Center hosted its first industry day Jan. 15 in San Antonio.Maj. Gen. Timothy Byers, the Air Force civil engineer, and Joe Sciabica, Air Force Civil Engineer Center director, addressed more than 350 industry professionals about the future of Air Force

  • Schriever plays part in new Smithsonian exhibit

    The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum here is slated to open an exhibit March 2013 entitled, "Time and Navigation: The untold story of getting from here to there." The exhibit will explore how timekeeping has evolved over three centuries and how it influences navigation. Whether on the high

  • Tops in Blue gets boost from Air Force licensing program

    Tops in Blue, the Air Force's premier traveling entertainment troupe, was selected to receive $100,000 from the Air Force's Trademark and Licensing Office.The Trademark and Licensing Office, which operates with the Air Force Public Affairs Agency here, processes requests from around the world

  • DOD official lauds veterans commercial license effort

    Maryland has joined 33 other states in agreeing to waive the skills test for veterans and service members who have military training that would entitle them to a commercial driver's license, a senior Defense Department official said today.Frank C. DiGiovanni, director of training, readiness and

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: AF captain coaches ultra fitness while deployed

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Six days a week, her iPhone alarm - a soothing instrumental melody - goes off at 4:10 a.m.She puts on her PT uniform, stops by her office to check

  • Gunship guru saves $14 million

    Bill Walter, an Air Force Special Operation Command Strike Requirements Branch program analyst, has a long history of brainstorming money-saving ideas and seeing them to fruition. A tip from the U.S. Army Ammunition Program Office led Walter to a valuable supply of modified 40 mm  M2 A1 gun parts

  • Humanitarian award presented to Florida businessman

    The military services chose a longtime Air Force volunteer from Florida as this year's recipient of the Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher Distinguished Civilian Humanitarian Award. Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley presented the award to Chris Sehman, a local businessman from Okaloosa County,

  • AF officials reschedule MilPDS upgrade

    Originally slated for December 2012, Air Force officials will perform a major upgrade to the Military Personnel Data System, or MilPDS, March 2013.The Air Force Personnel Operations Agency here will upgrade and transfer MilPDS to the Defense Information Systems Agency Defense Enterprise Computing

  • GI Bill education transfer incurs 4 years for all Airmen

    When initially implemented, the Post-9/11 GI Bill education transfer program was phased in to enable Airmen nearing retirement to accept a 1-, 2-, or 3-year active-duty service commitment. That phase-in period expired July 31, 2012 and all active-duty Airmen now incur a 4-year ADSC, said Bruce