HomeNews

NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Mobility Airmen ready and responsive anytime, anywhere

    As the death of former South African president Nelson Mandela drew the world's attention to the African continent, mobility Airmen raced against the clock to ensure President Obama's security, communications, and mission support was in place. Within days those would become part of an international

  • CSAF hosts summit to address sexual assault

    Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Mark A. Welsh III hosted a Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Summit Dec.11 and 12 as part of the Air Force's ongoing effort to provide education and analysis on the issue and to discuss the complex leadership concerns sexual assault presents.

  • Financial management leadership program open to eligible officers

    Nominations for active-duty line officers interested in the financial management leadership program, or FMLP, are due to the Air Force Personnel Center by Feb. 15, 2014, AFPC officials said Dec. 18. The FMLP is a four-year program that provides non-finance officers the opportunity to gain leadership

  • Officials announce 2014 military housing allowance rates

    The 2014 basic allowance for housing rates for service members released Dec. 17, represent an average increase of 5 percent, or up to $75 to $80 per month, the Defense Department's BAH program manager said. The new rates will take effect Jan. 1 at a cost of about $20 billion for the Defense

  • Close-air support key to strategic success

    Known as CAS, close air support uses military aircraft in an attack against enemy ground forces that are in close proximity to friendly forces. This requires detailed coordination with ground troops and is typically conducted by joint terminal attack controllers. The use of CAS during wartime can be

  • NATO advisers provide clean water to Afghan village

    Members of the 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group Commander's Emergency Response Program conducted a site visit to a project at the Old Russian Village, a village near Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan on Dec. 2.

  • DOS rollback included in FY14 force management

    In addition to force management programs announced in July, the Air Force will implement the Enlisted Date of Separation Rollback Program for fiscal 2014, Air Force Personnel Center officials said Dec. 17.

  • C-17 crew supports Africa-led peacekeeping support mission

    The Defense Department sent another Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport jet from Burundi to the Central African Republic today in support of the African Union-led International Support Mission in that beleaguered nation.

  • Twin brothers, separated during childhood, serve together

    By any measure, brothers Staff Sgt. Billy and Senior Airman Barrington Medeiros of the 143rd Airlift Wing had a tough childhood. Originally born in California, the identical twins -- separated by only a minute -- moved to Rhode Island at a very young age. For the brothers, life there wasn't easy.

  • Fighter pilot gets hero's burial

    Major Troy Gilbert’s widow and their five children placed roses behind a small box beside his grave. Ginger Gilbert Ravella then knelt down, kissed her finger and placed it gently on the box after the Dec. 11 ceremony that partially fulfilled the family’s quest to bring their fallen hero to his

  • AF envisions smaller force to preserve readiness

    Discussing upcoming budgetary variables during a Pentagon news conference today, the Air Force's top civilian leader for the past six months addressed the inevitability of a smaller force.

  • CSAF outlines joint strike fighter’s value

    On the day that Lockheed-Martin delivered its 100th F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter to the Air Force, the service’s leaders today marked the milestone and outlined the aircraft’s value. The F-35 will be delivered to Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., where it will serve as the first training

  • Climate survey enhancements to improve awareness for commanders

    More than 3.2 million Defense Department and Coast Guard military and civilian personnel have the opportunity to affect their organization's readiness using the newest release of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute's Organizational Climate Survey, DEOCS 4.0, DEOMI officials said.

  • Airmen support peacekeeping efforts in Central African Republic

    Two U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft and a small command and support team are on the ground in Uganda, preparing to conduct airlift operations in support of ongoing peacekeeping operations in the Central African Republic, Army Col. Steve Warren, a Defense Department spokesman, said

  • AF announces additional force management programs to reduce force size

    Air Force leaders announced force management programs today designed to reduce the force by thousands of Airmen over the next five years as a result of sequestration.Fiscal 2014 force management initiatives are in addition to the announcement made in July, stating the Air Force will implement

  • Multinational training improves defenses

    (Editor’s note: The following scenario is from a multinational training and does not depict a real world event.) On the northern tip of Japan, foreign ground forces are slowly pushing south. The Army and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, or JGSDF, are trying their best to hold the foreign forces off.

  • More than 380 selected for squadron command

    More than 380 officers from various Air Force career fields have been selected for logistics, mission support, materiel leader, air base, and operations support squadron command Air Force Personnel Center officials announced.

  • Afghanistan air vet earns prestigious award

    A C-130 Hercules aircraft loadmaster with the 169th Airlift Squadron received the Staff Sgt. Henry E. "Red" Erwin Outstanding Enlisted Aircrew Member Airman of the Year Award during a Dec. 8 ceremony here.

  • Operation Christmas Drop continues as Pacific tradition

    Base volunteers here will team up with Airmen from Yokota Air Base, Japan, to conduct humanitarian airdrops over the remote islands of Micronesia in the Western Pacific this week.Volunteers here have been spreading the holiday cheer to surrounding islands since December 1952. Operation Christmas

  • Injured Airman returns to duty, celebrates promotion

    Staff Sgt. Brian Williams of the 87th Security Forces Squadron is just like any other Airman. He has been in the Air Force for 13 years, has deployed six times and served as a military working dog handler at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., since 2011.

  • An Air Force gatekeeper's day

    Ever wonder what a day in the life of an Air Force recruiter is like? How many people do they talk to versus how many will get to call themselves an Airman? Tech. Sgt. Michael Lundell is an Air Force recruiter here. His day-to-day routine is always busy, from going on school visits, to work outs

  • Maintainers shine during Israeli Blue Flag exercise

    Maintainers from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, used innovation and flexibility to ensure mission success during the first Israeli Blue Flag exercise. Blue Flag, which took place Nov. 24-28, was a multinational aerial warfare training exercise hosted by the Israeli air force and included

  • AF participates in first Israeli Blue Flag exercise

    The Air Force participated in the first Israeli Blue Flag exercise at Uvda Air Force Base, Israel, Nov. 24-28.Blue Flag is the largest multinational aerial warfare training exercise hosted by the Israeli air force. The exercise included forces from the U.S., Israel, Italy and Greece. Its objectives

  • NCO to commission as first lieutenant

    A noncommissioned officer from the 65th Force Support Squadron was recently selected to commission as a first lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps. Staff Sgt. Jacob Williams, 65th FSS career development craftsman, was so anxious he couldn't eat breakfast on the morning of Oct. 18. Some of the MSC

  • Prepare now for tax season, DOD official advises

    With a month left before the start of tax season, service members should begin gathering documentation to file their 2013 taxes, said the director of the Pentagon's office of family policy and children and youth said. In a recent interview with American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon Channel,

  • AF appoints new space deputy

    A new deputy under Secretary of the Air Force for Space programs was appointed Nov. 18 to lead the way in innovation and plot the future of the program.

  • ROTC cadets, IRR graduates eligible for release

    Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets slated to graduate in 2014 and recently commissioned graduates in the Individual Ready Reserve waiting to enter active duty may be eligible for release from their military service commitment, Air Force officials said Dec.3.

  • Last 'new' Phantom returns to service

    The 82nd Aerial Target Squadron received the last of the "new" QF-4 aerial targets as the Vietnam-era aircraft landed here Nov. 19. The QF-4, Aircraft 68-0599, spent more than 20 years in the Air Force "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., before being brought back to life for one last

  • Mom: 'There go my boys to save another life'

    Staff Sgts. Cody and Jake Inman are both part of the Alaska Air National Guard’s rescue mission here. Cody is a pararescueman with the 212th Rescue Squadron while his brother is an HH-60 Pave Hawk special mission aviator in the 210th RQS, a new Air Force Specialty Code that combined the former

  • Welsh, Cody wrap-up trip to the Dakotas

    The Air Force’s top commissioned and noncommissioned military leaders met thousands of Airmen in the Dakotas this week, learning about their missions and lives and answering their questions. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody visited

  • Former MTI’s road to recovery transformed tragedy into inspiration

    In the pitch blackness and pre-dawn stillness, his booming voice alone was enough to send several dozen new trainees into a frenzied scramble from the comfort of their bunks. His scowl was enough to keep those trainees frozen into a formation of stone figures.Tech. Sgt. Matthew Zien was one of

  • AF senior leaders tour Dakota bases, meet personnel

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III arrived here today for a three-day trip through the Dakotas.Welsh, his wife Betty, and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody will visit the base and then move to Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., to meet with Airmen and their families.

  • AFMC makes progress despite impacts of sequestration, restructure

    The vice commander of Air Force Materiel Command offered insight to recent developments and answered questions regarding the command’s recent restructure efforts and fiscal challenges at the Air Force Association’s 2013 Pacific Air & Space Symposium here Nov. 22.

  • The future of air and space operations in the Pacific

    Four retired Air Force senior leaders addressed Air Force Association Pacific Air and Space Symposium attendees during a panel, using their lessons learned to discuss the future of Air and Space operations in the Pacific.

  • Guam Airmen in the mix for Damayan support

    Airmen from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, deployed to the Philippines last week in support of ongoing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan. A four-person advance team from the 36th Contingency Response Group deployed to Villamor Air Base early last

  • AF special operations group key to aid effort after Typhoon Haiyan

    The Air Force's 353rd Special Operations Group opened a fourth airfield in Borongan, Republic of the Philippines Nov. 18, to facilitate a more efficient distribution of relief supplies to outlying areas as part of Operation Damayan. The group has opened airstrips at Tacloban, Ormoc, Guiuan and

  • Senate hearing targets predatory lending practices

    While programs are in place to combat predatory lending practices that target service members and their families, better rules and enforcement are needed, witnesses told a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Nov. 21.

  • Operation Damayan airlift operations intensify

    Airmen from the 36th Airlift Squadron, launched 24-hour C-130 Hercules aircraft night operations in support of Operation Damayan Nov. 18. Night operations substantially multiply the joint airlift component here increase the flow of evacuation flights from Tacloban, Philippines, the region hit

  • AF officials build partnerships in UAE

    The deputy undersecretary of the Air Force for International Affairs is at the Dubai Airshow here this week to build partnerships that strengthen peace and stability.

  • Airmen return from Brazilian-led CRUZEX exercise

    U.S. Air Force Airmen and Air National Guardsmen participated in Cruzeiro do Sul, a Brazilian-hosted air force exercise testing air-to-air maneuvers, mission planning, airdrop operations, and search and rescue skills, Nov. 4-15 in Brazil.

  • Hagel focuses on readiness at Reagan Library Speech

    Long-term preparedness and near-term readiness are being affected by sequestration and America ignores this rise in risk at its peril, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Nov. 16, in California today. Hagel spoke at the first Reagan National Security Forum at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley. The

  • Airmen shift from exercise to real-world relief efforts

    Airmen from Yokota Air Base, Japan, shifted gears from exercise to real-world humanitarian relief operations as they arrived at Clark Air Base, Republic of the Philippines, to provide tactical airlift support for Operation Damayan, Nov. 16, 2013.

  • Airmen deploy to Philippines in support of Operation Damayan

    The 374th Airlift Wing here deployed a C-130 Hercules aircraft Nov. 13, in support of Operation Damayan. Operation Damayan is a U.S. humanitarian aid and disaster relief effort in the Philippines, in the wake of the devastating effects of Typhoon Haiyan.

  • Women Empowered seminar instills Jiu-Jitsu, self-defense strategies

    Hundreds of feet pounding the wrestling mats echoed in the fitness center here. A stern man instructed the students to not remove their hand from the ground before planting their feet on the floor.In an effort to reduce the frequency of sexual assaults in the armed forces, the Gracie Academy created

  • 911 officers, civilians selected for developmental education

    More than 800 officers and 111 civilians were selected for intermediate and senior developmental education by the 2013 Developmental Education Designation Board which convened here Nov. 4, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced today.

  • Re-tread pilot completes 100th combat sortie

    A 22nd Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron pilot deployed to Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, recently flew his 100th combat sortie during an air refueling mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

  • New contracting agency stand up increases AF flexibility

    The Air Force Installation Contracting Agency officially stood up during a transition ceremony here Nov. 13.Following manpower cuts last year, Air Force leaders designed AFICA, a field operating agency that reports directly to the deputy assistant secretary for contracting, to ensure bases around

  • Innovative tool streamlines requirements process

    Air Mobility Command officials recently introduced an innovative tool that is transforming the command's process for gathering and prioritizing Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) requirements, and will soon be expanded to include other requirements.

  • Military spouse boards ‘Restaurant Express’

    Seonkyoung Longest, wife of Master Sgt. Jacob Longest, is one of nine contestants in a new television show, "Restaurant Express" that aired for the first time on the Food Network, Nov. 3. Born and raised in South Korea, Seonkyoung said that while cooking is a passion of hers now, it hasn't always

  • AF student pilot wins Ms. Fitness bodybuilding competition

    Since March of this year, a student pilot with the 47th Student Squadron has worked to train her body to peak fitness. 2nd Lt. Colby Chaput's efforts culminated in her competing at the Ms. Fitness bodybuilding competition in San Antonio this past October.

  • Teen uses ‘wish’ to visit brother at Misawa AB

    Gatherings are commonplace for members of the military and their families, but the reason for the Skrove's reunion is far from ordinary. Jonah is a self-described nerdy, obnoxious 17-year-old senior at Zimmerman High School in Minnesota who is battling a life-threatening bone cancer. Diagnosed with

  • Airmen, French community honor WWI aviators

    Representatives of the U.S. Air Force and the local French community came together to honor the members of Lafayette Escadrille during a Veteran's Day ceremony in Marnes-la-Coquette, France, Nov. 11.

  • President, VA Secretary pledge support for Veterans

    President Barack Obama commemorated Veterans Day today here at Arlington National Cemetery, calling the holiday a reminder of the nation’s “sacred obligation” to those who have “fought for our freedom and stood sentry for our security” throughout America’s history.

  • U.S. Military to aid typhoon-devastated Philippines

    Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel directed U.S. Pacific Command yesterday to support U.S. government humanitarian relief operations in the Philippines in the wake of a deadly typhoon that has left more than 1,000 dead, defense officials announced yesterday.

  • Veterans in Blue Volume IV out now

    For decades, Airmen have answered the call to serve and protect the nation’s interests, people and cherished freedoms that underpin it all, risking their lives for others, and thus, becoming heroes in the eyes of those they protected.

  • From aerodromes to Reaper, RPAs push limits of technology

    The RPA actually got its start as early as 1896, when something called aerodromes at the time, were used to test the capabilities of new flying devices and to test if it was even possible for a heavier-than-air craft to achieve sustained flight. In May 1896, Dr. Samuel Langley proved that mechanical

  • Service chiefs testify on risks of sequestration

    As they face the prospect of another year of deep cuts to their budgets, the military's service chiefs testified today before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the impact sequestration is having on the ability to organize, train and equip their service members.

  • Technology helps remember fallen, ensures memories live on

    It was a damp, foggy morning in October, amidst a sea of marble headstones; the sound of bells chiming out seemed to echo the air of somberness all around at Madingley American Cemetery, near Cambridge. The whole scene was humbling.

  • AF Portal goes mobile, gets face-lift

    Expected to launch by the end of 2013, the Global Combat Support System-Air Force, or GCSS-AF, is rolling out a revamped portal, which simplifies navigation, improves performance on low bandwidth connections and works from mobile devices.

  • Strong families key to military’s strength, top NCO says

    Healthy military families are essential to guaranteeing the health of the overall force, the country’s senior noncommissioned officer said here today.Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia, the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his wife, Lisa, addressed

  • Twin defenders share same military story

    When a young Airman joins the Air Force, saying goodbye to family is inevitable. But for two brothers, saying goodbye is one thing that they have yet to experience. Woo and Ja Lee, 20 year-old identical twins from Fresno, Calif., have shared not only their civilian life, but to their surprise, a

  • Airmen arrive for air exercise in Brazil

    The U.S. Air Force is taking part in Cruzeiro do Sul Exercise, a Brazilian air exercise that officially kicked off Nov. 4 and is scheduled to complete Nov. 15 here.

  • Hagel: Six priorities shape future defense institutions

    In the months since the 2012 defense strategic guidance first reflected a new budget reality, Pentagon officials and military leaders have been working on the department's longer-term budget and strategy, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said here this morning.

  • Afghan air force graduates first fire instructors

    Firefighters from both the Afghan Air Force and the Afghan National Army completed and graduated from the first-ever Fire Instructor Course offered in Afghanistan during a ceremony Oct. 31 at Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan.

  • Sexual assault 'trial' gives Airmen real life perspective

    It started off as a typical Friday night for many Airmen with their wallets full of money to burn, their stomachs ready to chug the best German beers and their minds ready to explore the undefined possibilities of "hooking up." But for two of them, their alcohol-fueled night would end in a shattered

  • Maintenance makes RPA history possible

    During the morning of Oct. 22, the aircraft parking ramps at a deployed location roared to life. Checklists were run, hatches checked, and missions briefed as the crew chiefs, support units and air crew carefully prepared an MQ-1 Predator remotely piloted aircraft for flight, just as they would on

  • Legal officer's commitment to service gives back to U.S.

    The United States gave Capt. Dimple Nolly's parents a chance to provide a better life for their family once they immigrated from India to America."Although my parents faced adversity, they remained focused on their goal, which ultimately inspired me to always pursue the best, do my best and push for

  • Official describes 'life skill' of financial readiness

    The Defense Department wants service members to have the life skills to successfully manage their finances and create good credit ratings, the director of the Pentagon's office of family policy, children and youth said.

  • AF takes home 4 DOD Best Disability Program awards

    The Air Force received the Secretary of Defense trophy for the best disability program among large military components and three civilian Airmen were also recognized for their work Oct. 30, during a small ceremony in the Pentagon.

  • F-16 accident investigation complete

    Air Force officials announced the results of an F-16D Fighting Falcon accident investigation today. The investigation into the June 26, F-16 mishap at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., determined the mishap was due to the pilot’s decision-making error after the aircraft suffered low-altitude bird strikes

  • Polish help USAFE Airmen with important JPADS drop

    Airmen successfully completed the first Joint Precision Air Drop System, or JPADS, delivery in the U.S. European Command region during the bilateral theater security cooperation event, Aviation Detachment Rotation 14-1, Oct. 14-25.

  • Safety NCO named national 'rising star'

    Less than a decade ago, Joshua Franklin found himself cross-training from the aircraft maintenance field into the safety arena. Now, nine years later, the senior master sergeant has been thrust into the national spotlight as one of the "rising stars" of the National Safety Council.

  • Diagnosis fails to stop Airman in her tracks

    Tech. Sgt. Ashley Bean spent her summer prepping for an upcoming marathon, one of two she planned to run this year. The reservist had even made a goal to beat her fastest time, until an MRI scan changed her plans.

  • Deployed husband, wife meet-- as replacements

    The 455th Air Expeditionary Wing finance management office not only provides financial customer service, it also plays an important role in the accomplishment of the 455 AEW mission by executing the wing budget to fund all mission requirements.

  • Royal and U.S. airmen train for real world

    Moody AFB security forces Airmen and No. 1 Royal Air Force Regiment allies learned tactics, techniques and procedures from each other during exercise Global Eagle Oct. 7-18 here.