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  • ACC officials hold bomb wing transition summit

    Staff members from Air Combat Command and Air Force Global Strike Command along with representatives from Headquarters Air Force and U.S. Strategic Command met Sep. 30 to work on solutions for the smooth transition of ACC's three bomb wings with nuclear missions to AFGSC. On Feb. 1, 2010, control of

  • Air Force officials dedicate C-130 to Army's 82nd Airborne in Afghanistan

    Air Force officials here dedicated a C-130 Hercules to the Soldiers of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division stationed in Afghanistan Oct. 5 at Bagram Airfield. The transport was originally dedicated at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., Oct. 25, 2008, to Fort Bragg's entire 82nd Airborne Division based in

  • Combat search, rescue highlighted in new commercial

    A commercial highlighting combat search and rescue, or CSAR, Airmen began airing Oct. 5 in television markets and select movie theaters across the country."CSAR" shows the teamwork involved to locate, communicate with and recover downed aircrews and isolated personnel. The commercial is the third in

  • Eglin wing transitions to become first F-35 training unit

    Members of the 33rd Fighter Wing here transitioned from an operational F-15 Eagle unit to the first F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter training unit during a ceremony Oct. 1 at Eglin Air Force Base. Col. David Hlatky assumed command of Air Education and Training Command's newest wing whose

  • Fuel efficiency among top priorities in AMC's energy conservation

    Imagine your frustration when the price of gas goes up 50 cents and it adds $12.50 to the cost of filling up your 25-gallon tank. Now imagine adding $25,575 to the cost of filling the tank of a C-5 Galaxy that holds 51,150 gallons. The Air Force is the Department of Defense's largest consumer of

  • Rare find focuses on Scottish-American history

    A Glasgow city councillor who did not want her summer break in session to go to waste uncovered a rare find. Dr. Nina Baker, a Glasgow city councillor for Ward 10, was indexing the old books in the city chambers' library when she happened upon a tattered ledger dating from 1943. The 6-inch thick

  • AMC simulator linking initiative making pilot training better

    Air Mobility Command is not only training its pilots, it's doing it better. The command is linking its aircraft training simulators through numerous bases to make a good flight crew an even better flight crew. This simulator linking initiative is part of an Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st

  • AMC officials blend Guard, Reserve, active-duty units

    Air Mobility Command officials here continued their total force integration efforts Oct. 1 with the stand up of three active associate units that now combine active-duty units and Airmen who accomplish the KC-135 Stratotanker air refueling mission with their Reserve and Guard counterparts. The three

  • Wounded warriors get heros' welcome at Andrews

    Minutes after the hulking C-17 Globemaster III rolled to a stop on the tarmac here Sept. 28, two oversized ambulances backed up to its rear loading ramp to receive its precious cargo: 23 wounded warriors and sick or injured servicemembers in need of advanced medical care. Most of the patients

  • First M-ATVs arrive in Afghanistan

    Two mine-resistant, ambush-protected all-terrain vehicles arrived at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, on Oct. 1, after being offloaded from a C-17 Globemaster III. The M-ATVs arrived less than a day after leaving Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., Sept. 30. The M-ATV's are the first of their kind in

  • Mobility Airmen continue to deliver for warfighters

    Mobility Airmen delivered 4.1 million pounds of goods were dropped to forward operating bases, combat outposts and other austere locations in support of ground forces in September continuing to feed, fuel and arm the fight.September marked the fourth consecutive month of an escalation of supplies

  • New protective vehicles head to Afghanistan

    The first parcel of an influx of vehicles designed to protect troops from deadly roadside bombs is expected to arrive overnight in Afghanistan, said a Defense Department spokesman Sept. 30 here. The expected delivery comes soon after department procurement officials awarded an order for more than

  • Joint force employs humanitarian effort in American Samoa

    Two C-17 Globemaster IIIs departed here Sept. 30 with approximately 100 military personnel to provide humanitarian assistance to the island of American Samoa. The island nation was struck Sept. 29 by an 8.3 magnitude earthquake generating 15-foot waves and destroying whole villages. At least 111

  • Predator passes 600,000 flight hours

    Airmen of the 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing here surpassed the 600,000 flight hour mark in the MQ-1 Predator unmanned aircraft system Sept. 4 here. The Predator fleet passed 250,000 hours in June 2007, after 12 years of flying, and it only took a year and eight months for the aircraft to fly an

  • Air Force teams earn gold medals at armed forces softball championships

    The Air Force men's and women's softball teams earned gold medals at the Armed Forces Slow-Pitch Softball Championships Sept. 25 at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. The Air Force women's team went 6-3 during the tournament and won their third armed forces title in three years. During the men's

  • Comm Airmen prepare for major career field transformation

    Twenty communications Airmen stationed in Germany took part in a training exercise Sept. 18 to 24 at Aviano Air Base, Italy, in preparation for the largest transformation in the history of Air Force communications which is to be completed this October. When it's all said and done, more than 27,000

  • Thunderbirds take show down under

    The U.S. Air Force Aerial Demonstration Team, the Thunderbirds, took to the Australian sky Sept. 26 showcasing the power and precision that embodies Air Force Airmen worldwide. Flying wingtip-to-wingtip formations and in solo maneuvers, the Thunderbirds put on a show for a crowd of more than 70,000

  • C2ISR Symposium kicks off

    The Air Force Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Symposium kicked off here Sept. 28 with a presentation by former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper. He told the mixed industry and government gathering that, in an era of flat or declining defense budgets,

  • Air National Guard program cuts red tape for quick solutions

    An Air National Guard program designed to cut through bureaucracy has led to safety solutions for problems as vast and varied as avian flu, pilot fatigue and reducing the carbon footprint. Five years ago, some Guard members deployed to Iraq brainstormed to share tactical data in a new way using

  • Air Force officials release F-16 accident report

    A pilot's failure to recognize his altitude during night, low altitude high-angle strafing training caused the crash of an F-16 Fighting Falcon at the Utah Test and Training Range June 22, according to an Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released Sept. 28 here. The pilot, Capt.

  • Reserve, retired rated officers given active-duty opportunity

    ­The secretary of the Air Force has initiated two voluntary recall to active duty programs and expanded the number of eligible Air Force specialties for an existing one to help minimize the service's critical shortage of rated officers. "The rapid expansion of unmanned aircraft systems as well as

  • UAS mission enters new chapter with graduation

    Ten pilots and nine sensor operators graduated Sept. 25 from initial qualification training at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., where they learned to operate the MQ-1 Predator. Among the graduates were eight pilot candidates from nonpilot career fields. The group was part of a Beta-test class to train

  • Airmen host multinational virtual training exercise

    More than 300 joint warfighters from 25 worldwide locations participated in a multinational virtual training exercise led by the 705th Combat Training Squadron at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., and demonstrated it to a joint/coalition audience at the Warfighter Capability Center in the Pentagon

  • Air Combat Command honors POWs/MIAs

    Bases throughout Air Combat Command honored prisoners of war and those missing in action during National POW/MIA Remembrance Day ceremonies held Sept. 18.   The observance is celebrated the third Friday of September.  In 1979, Congress passed resolutions for a national ceremony to honor America's

  • CMSAF visits Hurlburt Airmen

    Hundreds of Hurlburt Field Airmen gathered to meet and listen to the 16th chief master sergeant of the Air Force Sept. 22 here. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy talked to Hurlburt Field Airmen about his priorities for America's Airmen, and toured the 1st Special Operations Wing, Air

  • 'Today's Air Force' features views from the top

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," key leaders discuss the future of the air force and aerospace development, members of an all new enlisted career field talk about their job, and two brothers enjoy a virtual reunion.Several top Air Force officials were in the nation's capitol for the 2009 Air

  • CMSAF visits exercise participants on Navy ship

    The chief master sergeant of the Air Force toured USS Mesa Verde at sea in the Caribbean and met Airmen at the Air Force Command Center at Tocumen Airport in Panama City, Panama, during Fuerzas Aliadas Panamax 2009, a 12-day security training exercise involving 20 countries in the Panama region

  • Air Force officials release Predator accident report

    An MQ-1 Predator flying a mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom lost contact with its ground control station and presumably crashed in a forward operating area May 13, according to an Air Combat Command accident investigation board report released Sept. 22 here. The Predator, assigned to

  • Randolph Airmen expose at-risk students to today's Air Force

    More than 150 Fox Technical High School ninth and 10th-grade students from inner-city San Antonio visited Randolph Air Force Base Sept. 11 to learn about  positive Air Force career opportunities as part of the Giving Americans Motivational Education for the Real world program. GAMER is the

  • Heroes help dedicate Airman's Hall, pin newest battle streamers

    The secretaries of Defense and the Air Force joined the Air Force chief of staff, chief master sergeant of the Air Force, and distinguished guests from all services at a Pentagon dedication ceremony for the Airman's Hall in which the service attached six new streamers to the Air Force flag Sept.

  • Original cadre of C-130 Weapons Instructor Course discuss growth of training

    Five of the original cadre members of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School's initial C-130 Hercules Weapons Instructor Course came together Sept. 11 to attend the retirement of a fellow 29th Weapons Squadron comrade here. During their visit, Cols. Glen Downing, Kevin Jackson, Kirk Lear, Greg Otey and

  • Lakenheath aircrews train with Estonian forward air controllers

    Several F-15E Strike Eagles aircrews participated in a two-day NATO training event helping to train Estonian forward air controllers in calling in close-air support Sept. 14 and 15 near Tallinn, Estonia. The event, titled Baltic Region Training Event IV Alpha, gave the aircrews from the 494th

  • One-time enemies become brothers in Iraq

    The moon was full the night of Jan. 17, 1991, and then-Capt. Bill Iuliano, an F-111 bomber weapon systems officer, was in the air. It was the second night of Operation Desert Storm, a U.S.-led combat operation in opposition to Saddam Hussein's forces. "We were flying from Incirlik Air Force Base in

  • Air Force study uses virtual reality for PTSD

    A new virtual reality program to treat combat veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan experiencing post traumatic stress disorder is being used at Wilford Hall Medical Center here. Virtual reality exposure therapy is a computer-simulated virtual Iraq and virtual Afghanistan that allows Airmen

  • Holloman officials host joint-service aircraft for testing

    Army, Navy and Marine Corps officials recently conducted a multiplatform countermeasure effectiveness test at White Sands Missile Range, completing a total of 16 missions, with all aircraft hosted by Holloman Air Force Base. Holloman AFB was selected as the aircraft host because of its ability to

  • Pacific Air Forces commander focuses on future

    The commander of Pacific Air Forces spoke with national media members to outline his responsibilities during the 2009 Air Force Association Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition Sept. 16 at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. Gen. Gary North discussed his role as the Pacific Air Forces

  • Wilford Hall opens new PTSD Clinic

    Wilford Hall Medical Center has a new clinic to treat patients who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. The PTSD Clinic offers evidence-based treatments and a virtual reality program to help Airmen returning from combat operations. PTSD is an anxiety disorder which can occur after a person

  • CMSAF holds open forum for Airmen at AFA

    The Air Force's top enlisted leader conducted an open forum at the 2009 Air Force Association Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md., Sept. 16. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy discussed such current issues as training, compliance and

  • Air Force Association honors Doolittle Raiders, Tuskegee Airmen

    Several members of the Doolittle Raiders and original Tuskegee Airmen were honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards from Air Force Association officials Sept. 16 at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. During a special dinner at the 2009 Air Force Association Air & Space Conference and Technology

  • RED HORSE Airmen bring combat outpost into fight

    Before the arrival of the 809th Expeditionary Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron, the servicemembers here were living in a British compound lined with tents and relying solely on supplies brought in from convoys and air drops. Now, the vital role of the RED HORSE mission is

  • U.S. Air Force Band receives Gill Robb Wilson Award

    The United States Air Force Band was awarded the prestigious Gill Robb Wilson Award Sept. 14 at the Air Force Association Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C. The Gill Robb Wilson Award is presented annually to an Air Force unit for outstanding contributions to national defense in the field of arts

  • Generals look to future challenges, opportunities

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz joined 13 other generals during a panel discussion Sept. 16 at the 2009 Air Force Association Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition held at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. "This is the group of leaders that strives every day to be worthy

  • Air Force engineer discusses building relationships in Afghanistan

    Although the formula for success in Afghanistan may be complex to some, it is commonly agreed that the war cannot be won by military might alone. According to Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the International Security Assistance Force commander, the current strategy used by coalition forces in the

  • Bagram Airmen partner with local Afghans for burial ceremony

    Recently there was a solemn burial outside a mosque in the town that borders Bagram Airfield. A small group of mourners and the local mullah were in attendance as prayers were said for the deceased. It was not an event of major significance except to those who attended and those who had a hand in

  • General Newton: People are priority No. 1

    "The Air Force is a great way of life and we are going to make it even better," said Lt. Gen. Richard Y. Newton III, deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel at the 2009 Air Force Association Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. General

  • CSAF addresses AFA convention

    Gen. Norton Schwartz, chief of staff of the Air Force, spoke Sept. 15 on his vision for the future, jointness, the Year of the Air Force Family and honored heroic sacrifices of Airmen. The general made his comments in a keynote address at the Air Force Association's Air & Space Conference and

  • Air Force officials recognize 12 Outstanding Airmen of Year

    The 2009 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year were recognized in a special ceremony during the 2009 Air Force Association Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition Sept. 14 at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy hosted the evening's events that

  • CENTCOM bases hold fun runs

    Across the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, servicemembers were making a run for it.  More than 2,000 participants from four Southwest Asia bases took part in their separate half-marathons and 10Ks, aligning their runs to coincide with the Air Force's annual flagship marathon at

  • Osan air mobility squadron aids in helicopter swap out

    Airmen from the 731st Air Mobility Squadron and Soldiers from the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade worked side by side on the Osan Air Base flightline Sept. 9 when a C-17 Globemaster III arrived with three new AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters. They are the first of 24 new upgraded Block II helicopters

  • Deployed Ellsworth Airman dies in Afghanistan

    Staff Sgt. Bryan D. Berky of Melrose, Fla., died Sept. 12 near Bala Baluk, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained from enemy fire while engaged in combat operations. He was assigned to the 28th Civil Engineer Squadron here. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Sergeant Berky's family during this difficult

  • Reaper crashes in Afghanistan

    An Air Force MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft crashed in Afghanistan Sept. 13 at approximately 5:30 a.m. Kabul time.   The aircraft was flying a combat mission when positive control of the aircraft was lost. When the aircraft remained on a course that would depart Afghanistan airspace, a U.S. Air Force

  • C-5M Super Galaxy unofficially sets 41 world records

    A Dover aircrew flying a C-5M Super Galaxy, named The Spirit of Normandy, unofficially set 41 world records in a single flight, taking off from the base before dawn Sept. 13. The results are pending certification by the National Aeronautic Association and should be finalized in about a month, said

  • DOD targets drug abuse during Red Ribbon Week

    "Drug free is the key" is the theme for Red Ribbon Week 2009 and is a reminder to TRICARE beneficiaries of the dangers of unhealthy lifestyle habits. Red Ribbon Week is the nation's oldest and largest drug prevention program, reaching millions of Americans during the last week of October every year.

  • Deployed Airmen honor 9/11 with Kyrgyz president

    Airmen of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing were joined by the Kyrgyz president during a Sept. 11 ceremony to honor the memory of those who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks held at the Transit Center at Manas. Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was the guest speaker for the 9/11 ceremony held in

  • Vehicle crashes drive off-duty summer fatalities

    Four servicemembers died in off-duty accidents Labor Day weekend, bringing to 95 the number killed during the summer season that kicked off Memorial Day weekend, safety officials reported. Two Soldiers, a Sailor and an Airman died in vehicle accidents during the Labor Day weekend, which marked the

  • Airmen teach moulage to medical students

    Approximately 50 students from Dr. Milenko Hadzic Medical School in Nis, Serbia, received moulage-application training from Airmen assigned to the 86th Medical Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sept. 8 in preparation for a mass casualty and natural disaster exercise scheduled for Sept. 9-11. The

  • Iraqi students attend safety course

    For the first time, four Iraqi students were welcomed to the International Flight Safety Officer Course by Maj. Gen. Fred Roggero, the Air Force chief of safety and Air Force Safety Center commander. The attendance of these four officers marks Iraq as the 80th country to send representatives to the

  • Improvement plan realigns acquisition wings as directorates

    Air Force officials will implement a new organizational construct for weapon systems acquisition that includes designating directorates, divisions and branches in place of some current wings, groups and squadrons. Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz

  • Photo essay: Flying a Hawk home

    Members of the 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron load and secure an HH-60G Pave Hawk here for transit home on a C-17 Globemaster III Sept. 9, 2009.  The Pave Hawk is attached to the 56th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, with a primary wartime mission of combat search and rescue.  View

  • Injured Airman credits training for saving her life

    The training one Airman received during the Advanced Contingency Skills Training Course at the Air Force Expeditionary Center at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., and the quick reaction of her teammates is what she attributed to saving her life. While on a convoy in Iraq Aug. 21, Capt. Wendy

  • Air Combat Command welcomes new commander

    Gen. William M. Fraser III assumed command of Air Combat Command from Gen. John D.W. Corley in a change-of-command ceremony here Sept. 10. General Fraser comes to ACC from the Pentagon, where he served as vice chief of staff of the Air Force and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Requirements

  • Maj. Gen. Hertog assumes command of 2nd Air Force

    When Maj. Gen. Mary Kay Hertog assumed command of 2nd Air Force at Keesler Air Force Base Sept. 9 from Maj. Gen. Alfred Flowers, Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz called the two generals "two of the finest leaders the Air Force has known." "When I meet with Airmen, I always tell them 'you're the next great

  • Airmen advise Afghan medical mission

    Between 100 and 400 Afghans are screened here daily for entrance into the Afghan national army. The first day of screening is the medical portion - an essential process for all would-be recruits to pass before becoming an Afghan soldier. Over a six-month timeframe, 2,500 to 3,000 Afghan recruits

  • Sergeant honored for lifesaving action

    A Tinker Air Force NCO received the Airman's Medal in September here for the actions he and two friends did to rescue a group of drowning college exchange students in 2007. Staff Sgt. Chris Harlan of the 965th Airborne Air Control Squadron earned the Airman's Medal for heroism involving the

  • Afghan medical technicians learn lab techniques

    Air Force mentors are developing Afghan hematology knowledge and practices every day at the Kabul national military hospital. "The (medical embed training team) mission strengthens the (Afghan national army's) healthcare system's ability to improve medical care with trained and experienced medical

  • Secretary Donley: Airmen vital to missions in Iraq, Afghanistan

    Airmen remain a vital part of the joint mission, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley observed during his recent visit to installations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. The secretary used the opportunity to speak with Airmen and receive mission updates in Iraq and

  • World War II vet receives long-awaited medals

    Although he was not dressed in the khaki Army Air Corps uniform he wore after enlisting at 17, World War II veteran Tech. Sgt. Howard Thornton was no less proud when he received medals during a special ceremony here Aug. 29. A small gathering of family, friends and military members assembled to

  • American medical advisers guide Iraqi army back into patients' trust

    American medical advisers at Camp Ur are helping Iraqi army members run a clinic efficiently here as well as getting Iraqi soldiers to use the medical care available to them. Camp Ur boasts a fully functioning medical clinic complete with a three-bay emergency room, pharmacy, dentist, radiology

  • Policy change benefits disabled Airmen

    A policy change by Air Force Personnel Center officials here now allows some Airmen retiring with less than 20 years active service to receive retirement certificates. A change to Air Force Instruction 36-3203, Service Retirements, authorizes Airmen with less than 20 years of active service who are

  • Air Force officials reactivate 69th Bomb Squadron at Minot

    Air Force officials reactivated the 69th Bomb Squadron Sept. 3 at Minot Air Force Base. The new unit is the fourth operational B-52H Stratofortress squadron in the Air Force and joins the 23rd Bomb Squadron as the second squadron here. The new squadron was established to provide each B-52 wing with

  • Veterans, first timers benefit from Red Flag exercises

    During the Red Flag 09-5 exercise here, young and veteran pilots train in realistic combat scenarios through Sept. 4. The large-force employment includes various airframes from sister services and allied nations. The pilots train in a combined an joint atmosphere in a training area spanning more

  • Airmen help Iraqi army take control of base operations

    Operations continue as normal at Camp Ur. The focus remains the same: keep the base running and the mission on target. Iraqi army soldiers routinely work with their U.S. counterparts, but one important difference now is that the Iraqis have taken command of the controls."It's a historic time for

  • Photo essay: Red Flag trains combat air forces

    Units from the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marines Corps participate in training missions for Red Flag 09-5 along with allied forces from Italy and the United Arab Emirates Aug. 26, 2009 here. This is the first time the United Arab Emirates has participated in Red Flag, a realistic two-week air combat

  • Secretary Gates explains opposition to alternate F-35 engine

    A proposed alternative engine for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter would cost far more than the existing engine and push back the production timetable, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said in early September. Secretary Gates visited the Lockheed Martin F-35 factory Aug. 31 in Fort Worth,

  • Soldier conquers suicidal thoughts, urges others to get help

    Army Capt. Emily Stehr, a physical therapist with the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, is in the business of healing. But five months after returning from Iraq, she was struggling with her own internal wounds of war that had not healed. She decided to kill herself. What stopped Captain Stehr was not

  • Ramstein Airmen support 15-nation medical training exercise

    Thirty-two members of the 435th Air Ground Operations Wing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, arrived here Aug. 25 in support of the Medical Training Exercise in Central and Eastern Europe 2009. More than 600 people representing 15 nations will participate in this year's annual exercise with a focus on

  • Air Force officials release Predator accident report

    Air Force officials here Sept. 2 said a disconnected vacuum line caused the April 28 crash of an MQ-1 Predator west of Creech Air Force Base, Nev.According to an Air Combat Command accident investigation board report, the aircraft executed a hard landing in the rough terrain surrounding the airfield

  • Whiteman Airmen test nuclear weapon mission

    Members of the 72nd Test and Evaluation Squadron here took part in Combat Sledgehammer Aug. 17 as part of Air Combat Command's nuclear weapon system evaluation program. Combat Sledgehammer is conducted on Air Force bomber and fighter aircraft that are capable of carrying thermonuclear bombs and

  • Defense secretary touts F-35 as heart of future tactical combat aviation

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates visited the Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter factory here Aug. 31, assessing progress on what he called "the heart of the future of our tactical combat aviation." Secretary Gates walked through the mile-long production facility, getting

  • Secretary Gates to MC-12 workers: Your work is saving troops' lives

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates gave a pep talk to employees outfitting the MC-12 Liberty aircraft for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions Aug. 31 here, telling them their work is saving lives on the battlefield. Secretary Gates visited the L3 Communications plant here, getting

  • Air Force secretary praises Airmen, discusses ops with Bagram Airmen

    The secretary of the Air Force visited 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Airmen Aug. 29 here during his second visit to Afghanistan in 10 months. Secretary Michael B. Donley spoke to approximately 300 Airmen at an Airmen's Call held on the steps of an old, Russian air traffic control tower, known as the

  • Photo essay: Supplies drop in Afghanistan

    Pallets of cargo drop from a C-17 Globemaster III to a forward operating base in Afghanistan, Aug. 27, 2009,  in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The aircrew is assigned to the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron.View the slideshow.

  • Innovative Airmen make jobs, lives easier

    Airmen from the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing have applied the axiom "work smarter, not harder" to come up with solutions on the job that are saving manpower, time and money here in Southwest Asia. Examples of innovation are not limited to just one group. Each of the four groups assigned to the 379th

  • Elmendorf Airmen support Army's Operation Arctic Response

    Active and Air National Guard Airmen provided assistance to Army Soldiers Aug. 24 and 26 during Operation Arctic Response here. Members of the 517th Airlift Squadron from here and the Alaska Air National Guard's 249th Airlift Squadron supported the operation, which is an emergency deployment

  • Airmen protect space assets in new Air Force commercial

    An Air Force commercial highlighting the role men and women in the Air Force's Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., play in protecting satellite and other space assets begins airing Aug. 31 in television markets and select movie theaters across the country. "Space

  • Strike Eagles surpass 8,000 combat hours, support unique missions

    Airmen from the 336th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron achieved a milestone here when they surpassed 8,000 combat hours in the F-15E Strike Eagle while providing security to coalition forces. The aircrew for the mission included Capt. Jaina Donberg, the F-15E pilot and a native of Arlington, Va., and

  • 'Today's Air Force' features chief of staff first-year reflections

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," the chief of staff of the Air Force reflects on his first year on the job, the Global Positioning System gets a high tech upgrade, and Airmen turn to a new program in Iraq to get help dealing with combat stress.Major changes have taken place across the Air

  • AFCENT commander, command chief visit JBB

    Lt. Gen. Mike Hostage, the new U.S. Air Forces Central Command commander, and AFCENT Command Chief Master Sgt. Scott Dearduff visited Joint Balad Base Aug. 25 to survey various missions and address some of the Airmen he now commands. During his visit, General Hostage met with Army officials from the

  • Officials outline adoption process for military working dogs

    Military working dogs have come a long way since the days of ancient Persia and Assyria, where they donned armor, spiked collars and warned of impending attack or charged on the enemy's cavalry. Modern battlefield and customs conditions bring forth complex and ever-changing challenges, and as such,

  • New vice chief of staff takes office

    Gen. Carrol H. "Howie" Chandler is the new vice chief of staff of the Air Force, succeeding Gen. William M. Fraser III who held the position since October 2008. General Chandler comes to the Pentagon after two years of service as commander of Pacific Air Forces; Air Component Commander for U.S.

  • Green Flag provides Italian air force new insight on close air support

    Italian airmen sharpened their close-air-support skills in realistic combat conditions here during their first-ever exercise appearance at Green Flag West Aug. 9 through 20. Nearly 180 Italian airmen from four different squadrons comprised the "Reparto Autonomo Volo," or Autonomous Flying Wing, at

  • Air evacuation liaison team's battle buddies wear Army green

    Airmen with an Air Mobility Command air evacuation liaison team and Soldiers from Army patient administration staff trained with each other during Joint Readiness Training Center Exercise 09-09 at Folk Polk, La., through Aug. 25. Their goal: prepare for Middle East deployments. "Our main goal is to

  • Air Force earns 6 campaign streamers

    A new chapter of military history was recognized here, Aug. 26, as the Secretary of  the Air Force added six campaign streamers to accompany the Air Force colors. The new streamers were presented by the Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, and received by Lt. Gen. Mike Hostage, U.S. Air Forces