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  • Tactical comm Airmen keep military ops online, on target

    Performing missions within the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan requires the U.S. military to maintain an open line of communication at all times, especially when convoys take people outside the wire. For one Airman in particular, the role of tactical communications means knowing a variety of

  • Air defense exercise to test NORTHCOM response

    Months of planning and preparations are being tested as Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors participate in Exercise Amalgam Dart '09, a major U.S. Northern Command air defense exercise here June 18 through 20. The exercise is one of several North American Aerospace Defense Command and USNORTHCOM exercises

  • 'Letter to Airmen' highlights joint teamwork

    In his current Letter to Airmen, the secretary of the Air Force highlights how the joint team works together to create success by telling the story of a combat controller."Earlier this year General Schwartz and I had the privilege of presenting the Air Force Cross, the Air Force's highest

  • Airpower to protect Iraq security gains as forces withdraw from cities

    As U.S. forces in Iraq prepare to pull back from most major cities by June 30, U.S. air support will continue to enable and protect security gains made over the past two years, a U.S. commander said in a "DoDLive" bloggers roundtable June 17. Col. Michael Fantini, commander of the 332nd

  • Kadena Airman named enlisted aviator of year

    A staff sergeant assigned to the 390th Intelligence Squadron was named the Air Force's noncommissioned officer recipient of the 2008 Henry "Red" Erwin Enlisted Aviator of the Year June 12. "It was an honor to even be considered for this award, since there are many other just as, if not more

  • Coalition's Iraq withdrawal plans on track, officials say

    The withdrawal of American troops from Iraq cities is on track, Iraqi and coalition officials said this week. Iraqi security forces are set to assume responsibility for the areas, Iraqi spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said at a June 15 news conference. "The step of withdrawal of American forces from the

  • Civil engineers plan Afghanistan's future foundation

    Nangarhar Province is seeing a rush of construction projects due in large part to the vision and planning of an Air Force civil engineer team here. As part of the Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team, civil engineers work with fellow PRT members, including civil affairs teams, to address the

  • CE Airmen answer Army's call

    Air Force combat-trained engineers are providing construction and support services to Soldiers in Iraq. These Airmen, assigned to the 732nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Detachment 3, are not only working with the Army, but in it."Our team here was brought in to help the Army's Construction

  • Iraqi air force builds ISR foundation with help from Airmen

    The Iraqi air force is taking shape under the watchful guidance and support of Airmen. A team of air advisors from the Coalition Air Force Training Team, part of Multinational Security Transition Command - Iraq, has introduced current intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance technology to the

  • Guardsmen plant seeds of hope in Afghanistan

    Teams of National Guardsmen from Missouri and 11 other farm-belt states are deploying to Afghanistan on year-long tours to help the country attain a level of self-sustainability through improved agricultural methods. These teams are called Agri-Business Development Teams and are made up of Guardsmen

  • American hospital in Afghanistan holds health fair

    The Staff Sgt. Heathe N. Craig Joint Theater Hospital here opened its doors June 13 to highlight a number of services available to servicemembers in the regional command east area of operations. In an event that involved weeks of planning, the hospital staff came together to construct unique

  • Airmen execute Project Liberty

    Eighteen months ago officials created a plan to bolster the Air Force's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission by adding a new platform to the ISR inventory. Now the Airmen assigned to the 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron Detachment 1 here at Camp Liberty, Iraq, are charged

  • Weapons school instructors validate first UAS, Raptor courses

    U.S. Air Force Weapons School instructors completed the school's first unmanned aircraft systems and F-22 Raptor validation course June 13. Consisting of 17 squadrons, the weapons school teaches graduate-level instructor courses that provide the world's most advanced training in weapons and tactics

  • SECAF visits Paris to honor memorial and support air show

    The Secretary of the Air Force, Michael Donley, accompanied a congressional delegation of six senators that arrived in Paris June 13 to partake in a wreath laying ceremony at the Memorial de l'Escadrille Lafayette, in Marnes-la-Coquette. The members of the congressional delegation, who were also on

  • Pararescuemen demonstrate special jump capabilities

    Pararescuemen from the 58th Rescue Squadron stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., demonstrated the rigged alternate method zodiac, or RAMZ, capabilities in the Caribbean June 9 for members of the Belize National Coast Guard and local media. Before the team jumped out of a C-130J Hercules into

  • Air Force officials update uniform board decisions

    Air Force officials today announced policy updates in the 98th Virtual Uniform Board decisions posted June 10. The following provides a snapshot of approved uniform wear. Follow-on messages will be released that contain detailed guidance and instructions. All information will be incorporated into

  • AFRCC coordinates SAR for downed N.M. helicopter

    Controllers from the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center here helped local and state agencies search for a missing helicopter in the mountains near Santa Fe, N.M., late Tuesday night. The New Mexico State Police contacted AFRCC to ask for federal assistance in finding the helicopter and its three

  • MC-12 flies first combat mission

    The Air Force's newest intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft flew its first combat sortie June 10 over Iraq.The MC-12 Liberty, assigned to the 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, arrived in Iraq June 8 and took off from Joint Base Balad at approximately 2:30 p.m. local time

  • MC-12 joins the fight in Iraq

    The Air Force's new MC-12 Liberty aircraft, a manned special-mission turboprop aircraft designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to support coalition and joint ground forces, arrived June 8 to Joint Base Balad. Following the MC-12's arrival, the 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance

  • Mullen: Warfighters, families, wounded warriors drive budget request

    The nation's top military officer told Congress June 9 that the fiscal 2010 defense budget request puts money where it's needed: to recruit and retain the quality troops and their families who form the foundation of the all-volunteer force. But Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of

  • Wing surpasses combat hour milestone

    The 455th Air Expeditionary Wing surpassed a milestone after two fighter squadrons deployed here accumulated more than 5,000 combat flight hours in a single month. Aircrews flying A-10 Thunderbolt IIs from the 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and F-15E Strike Eagles from the 336th EFS

  • Air Force officials revise fitness program

    The need for a "clear, understandable and simpler" fitness program will mean significant changes to the Air Force's current fitness program, said the service's top officer during a senior leadership conference held June 4 through 6 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Air Force Chief of Staff

  • 'AOR Week in Photos' highlights deployed Airmen in Southwest Asia

    A new product is highlighting Air Force equipment, weapons systems and Airmen deployed to Southwest Asia. "AOR Week in Photos" features photos of Airmen deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and other bases in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Created weekly by the staff of the Combined Air

  • Mobility Airmen, aircraft begin moving Strykers into Afghanistan

    Members of Air Mobility Command's hub for global airlift, air refueling and aeromedical evacuation here are "all in" with its commitment to support joint worldwide operations, kicking off efforts this week to airlift more than 300 Stryker vehicles to military forces in Afghanistan. The term Stryker

  • June 4 airpower summary: Predator takes out enemy shooters

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations June 4, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, a Royal Air Force GR-9 Harrier carried out a Paveway

  • Air Force researcher wins top science award

    A Wilford Hall doctor has received one of the highest distinctions a researcher can achieve, according to medical officials here. Maj. (Dr) Vikhyat Bebarta, chief of medical toxicology and a staff emergency physician, is the recipient of the Best Basic Science Research Award, presented by the

  • Misawa Airmen complete reconstitution, gear up for exercise

    Since returning from a deployment to Iraq, Airmen of the 14th Fighter Squadron here spent the last three months executing a training plan to get all the pilots current and proficient in their home station mission. The training plan to build proficiency, also known as reconstitution, will culminate

  • Air mobility maintains the fight in Afghanistan

    Being in a fight is easy; it is having the ability to stay in the fight until you win that is the hard part. This is especially true in the new type of war being fought by the coalition forces in Afghanistan where the enemy's strategy is to outlast the resolve and sustainment capability of U.S. and

  • Barksdale bombers arrive at Andersen

    Approximately 300 Airmen from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., deployed here May 30 as part of the rotational bomber deployment here to maintain stability and security in the Western Pacific. Three Barksdale AFB B-52 Stratofortress arrived here May 30 after a 17-hour flight to support the Pacific

  • Officials announce commander of 24th Air Force

    Air Force officials announced June 4 the commander of 24th Air Force, a new numbered Air Force focused on the cyber mission. Maj. Gen. Richard E. Webber will assume command of the NAF later this year.Currently, General Webber is the assistant deputy chief for air, space and information operations,

  • June 3 airpower summary: A-10s hunt snipers

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations June 3, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, a flight of Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs hunted enemy

  • Teamwork key to construction of communications hub

    A week ago, this vast expanse of land represented particles of dust, rocks, hardened dirt and scrubs located on the other side of Kandahar Airfield's perimeter, mirroring the landscape of this portion of southern Afghanistan. Today, the area is bustling with Airmen dragging cables and laboring to

  • Swedish airmen reflect on Raven training

    Two Swedish airmen working to build up a cooperative between their country and the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Phoenix Raven Training Course, recently reflected on attending the Raven instruction April 14 to May 1.Lieutenants Fredrile Gartborn and Fredrik Andersson, both Swedish air force

  • Senior veterans compete to win at Golden Age Games

    Military veterans competing in the National Veterans Golden Age Games each year have their own reasons for participating. Some come out for the camaraderie, while others come to socialize and catch up with old friends. But others simply come to win. This year's 23rd Annual National Golden Age Games

  • Demonstration to showcase life-saving information-sharing technologies

    Wildfires in California, hurricanes battering the East Coast and insurgents attacking a U.S. convoy are among simulated real-time events that will put life-saving information-sharing technologies on center stage during the Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration scheduled for June 15 to

  • St. Lucia police team with Airmen during Operation Southern Partner

    Nearly 30 members of the Royal St. Lucia police force's special service unit worked with a U.S. Air Force Guardian Angel team here June 1 through 3 to enhance search and rescue efforts for the island nation.The Guardian Angel team deployed for Operation Southern Partner is comprised of a combat

  • Gates visits Elmendorf, addresses servicemembers

    The secretary of Defense held a town hall meeting and visited military members June 1 at Elmendorf Air Force Base. Some of the topics Secretary Robert M. Gates spoke about deployment increases and return dates, Air Force cutbacks, future replacement aircraft and weapon upgrades. "What I'm here for,

  • Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors to conduct air defense exercise

    An Oregon National Guard base will host nearly 200 Soldiers and Airmen, and a U.S. Navy destroyer will patrol coastal waters while participating in a major U.S. Northern Command air defense exercise in mid-June. Exercise Amalgam Dart '09 will take place at Camp Rilea and nearby Warrenton, Ore., June

  • World War II vets visit former home

    A group of veterans, college students and faculty members were joined by members of the 100th Air Refueling Wing to honor the heroes of World War II, particularly those who participated in the allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day June 1 at Thorpe Abbots, England. The airfield at Thorpe Abbots was

  • Kandahar Airmen protect servicemembers from IEDs

    Improvised explosive devices kill people. The vast majority of military members serving in combat make it a point to go out of their way to avoid them. For the Air Force explosive ordnance disposal team at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, they make it a point to go out of their way to find them.

  • Proclamation kicks off Air Force Week Salt Lake City

    A proclamation officially naming June 1 through 7 as Air Force Week Salt Lake City was declared here June 1 during a ceremony on the steps of the Utah state capitol building. Attending the event were Utah Governor Jon Hunstman Jr., Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley and Gen.

  • Tuskegee Airman passes away

    An original Tuskegee Airman passed away May 26 in Cleveland.Retired Sgt. James F. Travis Sr. served in the Army Air Corps from 1943 to 1946 and became an aerial engineer, gunner and crew chief attached to the 477th Bombardment Group during World War II.Trained at Tuskegee, Ala., he flew in P-47 and

  • Guard chief emphasizes communication, collaboration, coordination

    Communication, collaboration and coordination are the keys to navigating challenging times when it is hard to discern true north, the chief of the National Guard Bureau said May 27 here. "The National Guard has evolved over the last eight years into a force ... that has been through the crucible of

  • U.S. combat troops on pace to leave Iraqi cities by June 30

    American combat troops are on pace to leave Iraqi cities by the June 30 deadline stipulated by the U.S.-Iraq security agreement, U.S. officials in Baghdad said yesterday. Army Brig. Gen. Keith Walker, commander of the Iraq Assistance Group, said in a news conference that security throughout the

  • Fishing community gives back to military

    Active-duty, Guard and Reserve servicemembers from each branch competed in the third annual combat fishing tournament here May 21. The tournament has grown from 66 servicememebers in 2007 to nearly 300 in 2009.  Taking this many people out wouldn't be possible if it wasn't for the 30 boat captains

  • OTS selection board results announced

    A total of 200 men and women from across America have earned an opportunity to become Air Force leaders following their selection for an officer's commission, officials here announced today. Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 798 applications as part of Officer Training School

  • President announces cyber security office

    The nation's computer network infrastructure will be defended as a national strategic asset, President Barack Obama said here May 29. In a White House announcement, President Obama said he will appoint a cyber security coordinator for the critical infrastructure that all Americans depend on. "We

  • ID card process at Beale undergoes rapid improvement

    In an effort to shorten customer wait time at the 9th Mission Support Group common access card/identification card section, Beale personnelists conducted a Rapid Improvement Event May 18-21. With the help of Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century specialists from Air Combat Command, the

  • Airmen honored for heroic life-saving efforts

    The Altus Fraternal Order of Police honored two Airmen for saving a local police officer from certain death during a ceremony at the City Park May 22 . Staff Sgt. Matthew Treadwell, 97th Security Forces Squadron Combat Arms noncommissioned officer in charge, and Special Agent Ross Bergstresser, Air

  • AFSOUTH set to begin Operation Southern Partner in Caribbean

    More than 60 Airmen from across the Air Force are preparing to board a C-130J Hercules on May 30 to participate in the second iteration of "Operation Southern Partner" in seven Caribbean and Latin American nations. The Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern)-led event is aimed at providing

  • CITS key to Air Force cyber superiority goal

    The Combat Information Transport System is a high-priority item for Air Force officials who seek to create, manage and defend a truly enterprise-wide internet. During a recent Electronic Systems Center program prioritization effort, CITS was listed as number two out of more than 300 total programs.

  • Control center staff seeks to defeat combat stress in Iraq

    Fighting a war can be stressful, no matter what job you do in the military. Staff members at combat stress control centers throughout Iraq work to fight stress -- or at least to teach people how to manage it. Lt. Col. (Dr.) Alicia L. Tschirhart, a psychiatrist, commands the Kalsu Combat Stress

  • Air Force team conducts air-assault training from Army helos

    Airmen from the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron jumped in and out of helicopters from the Army C Company, 1-137th Aviation Regiment during air-assault training here May 23. "The purpose of air-assault training is to add another option of infiltrating a targeted area," said Master Sgt.

  • ESC officials complete milestone for advanced radar system

    Equipping warfighters with the technology to detect moving targets in combat gained momentum when Electronic Systems Center officials here, in concert with prime contractors and other organizations, recently completed a key flight milestone for the Multiplatform Radar Technology Insertion Program.

  • VA researchers study advanced prosthetic arm

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials have announced a three-year study of an advanced artificial arm that easily allows those with severe limb loss to pick up a key or hold a pencil. "This arm is a high-tech example of how VA researchers are continually modernizing the materials, design and

  • Airmen contribute to the fight in Iraq

    The 586th Air Expeditionary Group is one of three Air Force groups organized to complete joint expeditionary taskings and is contributing significantly to operations in Iraq and Kuwait, the group's commander said. Col. Alan Metzler, 586th AEG commander, spoke with journalists and bloggers during a

  • America's first combat aviators memorialized

    In a lush and serene park on the outskirts of Paris, U.S. Air Forces in Europe Commander, Gen. Roger A. Brady joined several hundred American and French citizens beneath an ornately sculpted ceremonial arch to pay homage to aviators, known as the Lafayette Escadrille. The 68 volunteers flew in

  • Dedication culminates efforts of embedded American advisors

    More than 250 U.S. servicemembers and Afghan security forces celebrated seven years of military cooperation during a monument dedication ceremony at Camp Blackhorse here May 14. The ceremony also culminated the efforts of nearly 20 Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors who have embedded with the 5th Kandak

  • Controllers keep aircraft moving

    Air traffic controllers here manage the base's runway that never rests, averaging 5,100 takeoffs and landings a month, or approximately 200 each day. Members of the 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron are responsible for anything within the base's air space, which extends out in a 5-mile

  • Air Force officials test new constant-pressure fuel system

    Air Force officials officially began to test a 50-50 mixture of synthetic and JP-8 fuels in a Type 3 constant-pressure fuel hydrant system here May 18. Fuel tankers, including five trucks with 100 percent synthetic fuel and three with the 50-50 blend, arrived at the base May 17 to unload 113,000

  • Air National Guard wing reaches milestone of 600 lives saved

    Air National Guardsmen from the 129th Rescue Wing based here rescued two Afghan National Army soldiers in the Oruzgan Province of Afghanistan May 15, raising the number of lives saved by the unit from 599 to 601. Two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters were scrambled to recover the Afghan soldiers who were

  • Training team, Iraqi air force host first joint commanders' conference

    The Coalition Air Force Training Team and the Iraqi air force held their first joint commanders' conference for nearly 100 coalition and Iraqi senior leaders here May 20. "Based on the level to which the Iraqi air force has matured over the past couple of years, it was time to have a combined Iraqi

  • Space operations vital to Air Force, nation

    Air Force officials discussed the importance of space as a warfighting domain before members of the Senate May 20 on Capitol Hill. Senior Air Force leaders in the space realm answered questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee Strategic Force Subcommittee, telling them that Air Force

  • Airmen honor fallen comrade in arms

    Airmen here paid tribute to a fallen comrade on the two-year anniversary of the death of a fire team leader from the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Det. 3, Police Transition Training Team here.Staff Sgt. John T. Self was killed May 14, 2007, while out on patrol when the Humvee he was

  • General officer assignments announced

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz has announced new assignments for the following general officers: Maj. Gen. William N. McCasland, director of space acquisition, Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., to director, Special Programs, Office of the

  • Air Force officials mull 9th Air Force, AFCENT separation

    As Air Force leaders continue to balance mission requirements and available resources, they are proposing a separation between the stateside numbered air force and its warfighting component to the U.S. Central Command. Currently, a three-star general commands both 9th Air Force at Shaw Air Force

  • Emergency aid reaches Pakistan refugees

    A third C-17 Globemaster III aircraft landed here May 22 bringing emergency aid promised by the Department of Defense to the people of Pakistan who have evacuated the war-torn Swat Valley. During the past 24 hours, three such aircraft delivered relief supplies here, part of $10 million in supplies

  • Critical Days of Summer videos aim to save Airmen's lives

    The Air Force chief of staff and the Air Force top safety officer appear in videos to launch the service's annual Critical Days of Summer safety campaign, which begins May 22 and ends Sept. 7. Gen. Norton Schwartz appears in a video calling for everyone to be proactive in saving lives during this

  • Wounded major fulfills career milestone

    An Air Force major recovered from injuries suffered in Afghanistan to complete 20 years of honorable service. "I decided pretty early on what I wanted to do," Maj. Matthew Conlan said. "I was going to get back on the job and continue serving. I wanted to finish what I started." Major Conlan,

  • Airmen airlift aid to Pakistan's war-torn Swat Valley

    In response to specific requests for support from the government of Pakistan, the Department of Defense has arranged for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to aid the estimated 1.7 million Pakistanis displaced by current military operations against extremists in the country's northwestern

  • AF officials announce Combat Air Forces restructure plan

    Following the May 7 roll-out of the fiscal year 2010 budget proposal for the Department of Defense, Air Force officials announced plans to retire legacy fighters to fund a smaller and more capable force and redistribute people for higher priority missions. The Combat Air Forces restructuring plan

  • Track-Field: Air Force Academy claims 13 all-conference selections

    The Air Force track and field team collected 13 all-conference honors at the recent Mountain West Conference Championships in Laramie, Wyo., the league office announced May 18. By finishing within the top three of their respective events, 11 individuals and one relay team earned all-conference

  • AFSO 21 improves war-ready engines

    The 20th Component Maintenance Squadron is currently taking steps to improve the process of producing war-ready engines by applying Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century. From March 23 to March 25, Airmen from the 20th Maintenance Group gathered to participate in the TF34 Rapid Improvement

  • Combat controller receives two Bronze Stars with valor

    A combat controller, who is now charged with helping fill the special tactics ranks, was presented with two Bronze Stars with valor during a ceremony held recently at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Master Sgt. Ken Huhman, a special tactics recruiter in San Antonio, received the medals for his

  • AF men take gold, women silver in b-ball championship

    The 22nd annual Armed Forces Basketball Championship wrapped up competition May 17 with the Air Force men taking gold medals and the Air Force women taking silver in their divisions.  The Air Force men swept the competition with a record of 6-0, clinching their fourth consecutive title, while the

  • 'Today's Air Force' features the new CMSAF

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights the next chief master sergeant of the Air Force, unmanned aircraft systems operated from Creech Air Force Base, Nev., the dangers of supplements and an F-16 Fighting Falcon that passed 7,000 hours of flight time. The 16th chief master sergeant of the

  • Pacific Command strategy centers on partnership, readiness, presence

    The three major tenets of the U.S. Pacific Command strategy -- partnership, readiness and presence -- are having a powerful impact in bringing together the joint, interagency and international capabilities required to promote regional stability, the command's top officer told American Forces Press

  • Air Force leaders testify on infrastructure budget

    The four pillars of the Air Force budget strategy--people, readiness, infrastructure, and modernization were the main topics May 12 when the deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for Installations testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee. Ms. Kathleen Ferguson, flanked by Brig.

  • Switching Seats campaign going strong

    Air Force officials here launched the final three Webisodes of its multimedia marketing campaign, "Switching Seats," May 15. The online campaign centers on the parallels between Air Force and NASCAR high-performance jobs and focuses on No. 43 driver Reed Sorenson and crewmembers engaged in each

  • CSAF reflects on importance of PACAF

    The chief of staff of the Air Force wrapped up a week-long, four-base tour of Pacific Air Forces here May 13 on his first visit to the region since becoming the nation's top-ranking uniformed Airman last August. Gen. Norton Schwartz said the United States has a vested interest in the Asia-Pacific

  • Ramstein Airmen support NASA shuttle launch

    Ramstein Air Base Airmen teamed up with New York Air National Guard members to support NASA's launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis in May here. Members of the 37th Airlift Squadron, 1st Combat Communications Squadron and the Guard's 101st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron loaded rescue cargo into two C-130

  • Airman spots aircraft fuel leak at 35,000 feet

    Most of us hear stories of Airmen saving lives in combat, but an Airman who saves the lives of more than 300 passengers is definitely a story worth hearing. A fuel leak on a civilian aircraft caught the attention of Staff Sgt. Bartek Bachleda, 909th Air Refueling Squadron boom operator, during a

  • New uniforms: Comfortable, functional are goals

    Officials from the Uniform Program Office here continue to work for Airmen, researching and purchasing uniforms that provide more function, protection and comfort. The Air Force chief of staff met with office personnel April 21 for an update on clothing issues Airmen face as they support global

  • Providing reconstructive assistance, hope to Afghan homeland

    The Paktya Provincial Reconstruction Team is providing assistance to rebuild Afghanistan, as well as give the local Afghans a chance to overcome incredible odds to achieve a foothold back into the economic forefront. Housed within the walls of a traditional Afghan qalat, a mud and straw compound, on

  • Test center officials link mobility to 'boots on the ground'

    In the Southern Arizona desert, three C-130 Hercules aircraft recently rumbled over the saguaros and airdropped training bundles to a waiting combat controller. The historic drop was conducted digitally with a tactical data link known as the Situational Awareness Data Link, or SADL. It was the first

  • AFCENT officials begin to look at Iraq reposture

    More than 80 Air Force, Army and Navy functional experts gathered here May 5 to 8 to lay the groundwork for U.S. Air Forces Central's reposture from Iraq over the next two years. "The conference ensured AFCENT's reposturing and responsible drawdown is synchronized with (Central Command's) guidance

  • USAF, ROKAF put Max Thunder into full swing

    U.S. and Republic of Korea Air Force personnel began the second 7th Air Force-designed Max Thunder bilateral air training exercise here May 7. The training opportunity aims to test aircrews' warfighting skills in realistic combat situations that combine both ROKAF and USAF flying and maintenance

  • B-1B makes impact throughout Southwest Asia

    Before late 2008, the B-1B Lancer was known primarily as a bomber, but since then the aircraft was modified to include the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod now provides nontraditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to ground forces. "Before the B-1B was equipped with the sniper pod, we

  • New facility gives junior officers space to learn self-defense

    Arms and legs flailed and thrashed in grappling and arm bars as instructors and students demonstrated self-defense tactics for a grand opening ceremony May 1 at the new Expeditionary Training Center here. Combatives are now part of the new warrior-ethos curriculum being developed and integrated into

  • U.S. helicopter responds in self-defense

    Members of the 129th Rescue Squadron responded in self-defense when they came under hostile fire May 10 during a flying mission out of Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan. The 129th Rescue Squadron flies HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters with a primary mission of performing combat search and rescue tasks, including

  • Manas hosts symposium for medical partners

    A gathering of medical minds met here recently for a coalition medical symposium sponsored by the 376th Expeditionary Medical Group. Guests attending the symposium included personnel from the Spanish coalition medical staff, U.S. Embassy medical unit, Peace Corps medical staff and the Bishkek

  • Air Force leaders name next top enlisted leader

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley have announced the Airman selected to be the service's next enlisted leader. Chief Master Sgt. James A. Roy will become the 16th chief master sergeant of the Air Force during an appointment

  • Airmen, Soldiers make first jump from Ramstein C-130J

    As the ramp let down at 3,000 feet and the sunlight slipped into the cargo bay of a new C-130J Super Hercules, Air Force and Army paratroopers stood ready to execute the first jump from Ramstein Air Base's newest aircraft. As Ramstein transitions from the older C-130E Hercules, some 35 Airmen and

  • Air Force officials release C-17 accident investigation report

    Air Mobility Command here May 7 released the results of its investigation into the Jan. 30 mishap involving a C-17 Globemaster III that landed with retracted gear at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. The Accident Investigation Board, convened by AMC officials, concluded the primary cause of the mishap

  • Bagram officials stand up 4 new squadrons

    Bagram Airfield officials have added four new squadrons to their growing list of units during an assumption of command ceremony here May 5. More than 1,200 joint expeditionary tasking and provincial reconstruction team Airmen deployed to more than 40 forward operating bases and camps throughout

  • Air Force fiscal 2010 budget reflects rebalanced priorities

    Air Force officials here May 7 announced that its portion of the president's fiscal 2010 budget reflects a balanced strategy to prevail in today's joint fight and sustain air, space and cyberspace dominance. The two overarching principles guiding next year's budget are rebalancing the Air Force's

  • Levitow's pilot lands at Peterson for leadership visit

    "I don't need to tell you about character, if you didn't have it, you wouldn't be here," retired Maj. Kenneth Carpenter said to approximately 200 Airmen who gathered in the base auditorium April 28 to support his Year of Leadership program visit here. During his hour-long chat with the audience,

  • Regulation changes to allow for longer South Korean tours

    Department of Defense officials approved changes to the Joint Federal Travel Regulation that affects the length of military tours in Korea recently. The revised JFTR allows for 24- or 36-month accompanied tours at bases in Pyeongtaek, Osan, Daegu, Chinhae and Seoul, while two additional locations --

  • Gates lauds U.S. efforts to boost Saudi military capacity

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates here May 6 called the mentorship that U.S. forces are providing the Saudi Arabian military a key factor in maintaining stability in the region and an example of the capacity-building efforts he'd like to see more of elsewhere in the world. Secretary Gates held a