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  • Airmen improve base in Iraq

    Airmen of the 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron are changing the landscape of Contingency Operating Base Basra rapidly. Some buildings already have been built by engineering specialists from 76 bases throughout the United States have improved the operational capability of Multinational Division

  • Officials announce Predator, Reaper additional formal training location

    Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico will be the new location for an additional MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper formal training unit, announced the commander of Air Combat Command here July 13. Gen. John D.W. Corley, with concurrence from the chief of staff of the Air Force, announced the additional

  • Air Force officials release Reaper accident report

    Air Force officials here announced an MQ-9 Reaper that crashed March 20 at Fort Irwin, Calif., was due to an improperly assembled oil system temperature control valve, according to an Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released July 13 here. The Reaper, assigned to the 42nd

  • Air Force officials release Predator accident report

    Air Force officials here announced an MQ-1 Predator that crashed just short of Ali Base, Iraq, Oct. 19, 2008, was due to a quill shaft bearing failure, according to an Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released July 13 here. The $3.7 million Predator, assigned to the 432nd Wing

  • Latest Red Flag exercise begins at Nellis

    Southern Nevada residents may notice increased military aircraft activity as the Air Force begins Red Flag 09-4 July 13. Red Flag is a realistic combat training exercise involving the air forces of the United States and its allies. The exercise is conducted on the 15,000-square-mile Nevada Test and

  • New Air Force sexual assault prevention, response Web site announced

    To reinforce the Air Force's commitment to eliminating incidents of sexual assault, officials here have debuted a new Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Web site to raise awareness and provide prevention training, education, and victim advocacy. "Sexual assault is absolutely inconsistent with

  • Report urges timeline for tobacco-free military

    The military has come a long way from the time when it packaged cigarettes in with rations, but more must be done, according to an Institute of Medicine report. The report, titled "Combating Tobacco in Military and Veteran Populations," calls for Defense Department officials to set a timeline to

  • Lackland civilian, Asheville Airman selected for meritorious service award

    Air Force officials here selected a master sergeant and a civilian as the winners of the 2009 Society of American Indian Government Employees Meritorious Service Award. Master Sgt. Angela Tristan, assigned to the 14th Weather Squadron in Asheville, N.C., and Rhonda Battles, assigned to the 343rd

  • Airmen in EC-130H unit complete 2,000th combat mission

    An EC-130H Compass Call aircrew here completed their unit's 2,000th combat mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom July 8. The Airmen, assigned to the 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron, provided direct support to coalition ground forces in Afghanistan on the milestone

  • Officials release Lackland ground accident report

    An Air Combat Command accident investigation board report into the Jan. 12 death of a Combat Controller Selection Course student who was removed from life support three days after a training incident was released July 7 by Air Force officials here. Based on the accident investigation board report,

  • Remains of 7 troops killed in Afghanistan return home

    The remains of seven American troops killed July 6 during combat operations in Afghanistan returned to their nation during a dignified transfer July 8 here. Twenty-six family members from every region of the country stood on the tarmac witnessing their loved one's return. Subdued voices of the carry

  • Doolittle Raiders to attend Air Mobility Rodeo

    Three of the remaining nine Doolittle Raiders will attend the Air Mobility Rodeo July 19 through 24 at McChord Air Force Base, Wash. The Doolittle Raiders are special guests of Gen. Arthur J. Lichte, the commander of Air Mobility Command, and are scheduled to attend Rodeo competitions,

  • Air Force combat camera team discusses role of media in military

    The media has played a major role in every American military conflict, from the use of newspapers and pamphlets to stoke the American Revolution to embedded journalists in the Middle East. But a story often lost in the mix is that of the military journalists; those men and women in uniform whose

  • Air Force Communications Agency to change name

    The Air Force Communications Agency will be redesignated the Air Force Network Integration Center to more accurately reflect its role in cyberspace operations July 15 here.The name change comes at a time when the Air Force continues to align its cyber forces under Air Force Space Command, located at

  • Hanscom team works to upgrade airborne comm for top U.S. officials

    A Hanscom Air Force Base team is working to acquire a comprehensive system that will provide highly reliable, secure and integrated voice, data and video equipment for airborne U.S. senior leaders. Those leaders include the vice president, secretary of defense, secretary of state, numerous senior

  • New software release provides clearer deployment picture

    Air Force officials here recently rolled out a new software upgrade whose benefits extend well beyond the office setting to the often arduous expeditionary arena. The new 4104 version of the Deliberate and Crisis Action Planning and Execution Segments, or DCAPES, consolidates all personnel

  • Air Force wounded warrior visits White House

    Senior Airman Duane Dunlap enjoyed a very special Independence Day with President Barack Obama. Airman Dunlap, a security forces journeyman assigned to the 59th Patient Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, was one of five Airmen chosen to participate in a Fourth of July Salute to the Military

  • Moody A-10s to receive new sniper pods

    Moody Air Force Base A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots operating over Iraq and Afghanistan this fall will be armed with new targeting pods designed to increase the already lethal capabilities. A number of the 23rd Fighter Group's A-10s will be upgraded to the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods, which are

  • Logistics support officials take the lead in transforming supply

    For more than a decade, Air Force supply chain leaders and their commercial industry peers have met with nearly identical objectives: finding ways to enhance the Air Force supply chain to improve support to the warfighter. Recently, Air Force Global Logistics Support Center officials along

  • Defense Education Forum panelists discuss modernization, emerging missions

    Defense Education Forum panelists recently gathered at the Reserve Officers Association headquarters here to discuss the Air Force Reserve's role in modernization and emerging missions. Maj. Gen. Howard N. Thompson, the Air Force Reserve deputy, cited the importance of volunteerism as Reserve Airmen

  • AFPC officials accepting applications for Test Pilot School

    Officers interested in applying for the next annual Air Force Test Pilot School Selection Board should submit their applications to the Air Force Personnel Center here by Aug. 14.The selection board will convene Sept. 28 through Oct. 2 at AFPC for classes beginning in July 2010 and July 2011. "The

  • Flight engineers: Critical component to combat search, rescue mission

    If the actions of a combat search and rescue crew were viewed as a symphony, flight engineers would be the conductors. They are experts on the aircraft's weapons systems, know how to operate the hoist, serve as radio operators and operate the .50 caliber machine gun. In many ways, it's man in

  • Russia allows transit for Afghanistan-bound U.S. troops

    An agreement signed in Moscow July 6 permits the United States to transit troops and weapons across Russian territory en route to Afghanistan. The pact, signed during President Barack Obama's visit to the Kremlin, permits 4,500 flights per year through Russian airspace, and saves the U.S. government

  • Airmen train with Army to become JTACs

    Rain and mud may not have been forecasted for radio operators, maintainers and drivers' training in the wilderness, but Airmen geared up anyway to practice combat lifesaver skills, convoys, air-assault egression, and improvised explosive device reaction with one goal in mind: to become combat

  • Directive re-emphasizes protecting Afghan civilians

    A new tactical directive for coalition forces serving in Afghanistan re-emphasizes the importance of preventing civilian casualties. Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan, released the directive July 2. It builds on

  • Nonlethal capabilities provide alternative to deadly force

    When shouting isn't enough to stop someone who poses a threat, nonlethal weapons provide an alternative to lethal force. "Non-lethal weapons give warfighters crucial escalation-of-force options between shouting and shooting," said Kelley Hughes, strategic communications officer for the Joint

  • Airmen coordinate smooth transition of wounded to higher medical care

    An Airman with the aeromedical evacuation liaison team looks and shields his eyes as a helicopter touches down just outside of the hospital at Camp Bastion. A litter team rushes forward. A Marine's life is saved. All in a day's work for the aeromedical evacuation liaison team. Getting wounded

  • Airmen rescue aids in 'Golden Hour' recovery of coalition forces

    Racing against the clock, rescue flights launch into action to retrieve wounded servicemembers and other battlefield casualties. As the helicopters hover over a hostile area, the Guardian Angel team rushes out to retrieve the wounded - often risking their own lives "so that others may live." The

  • Innovative maintainers save time, lives of front line troops

    Maintainers here have come up with an innovative phase maintenance process to keep as many close-air-support aircraft airborne in theater that is being hailed by U.S. Central Command senior leaders. A-10 Thunderbolt II maintainers deployed from the 23rd Maintenance Group at Moody Air Force Base,

  • WASP awarded Congressional Gold Medal for service

    A dedicated group of patriotic female pilots were recognized by President Barack Obama July 1 at the White House for their invaluable service to the nation more than 60 years ago. Women's Airforce Service Pilots Elaine Danforth Harmon, Bernice Falk Haydu and Lorraine H. Rodgers were joined by five

  • AMC commander visits Airmen in Southwest Asia, highlights mobility's role

    Like clockwork, an Air Mobility Command aircraft departs on a mission within the area-of-operations every two minutes every hour of every day. Providing the three cornerstones of the command's mobility mission -- airlift, aerial refueling and aeromedical evacuation -- AMC Airmen have provided

  • Aerial gunners provide cover for lifesaving mission

    Air Force combat search and rescue crews on HH-60G Pave Hawks fly throughout Afghanistan to provide airlift and medical care to servicemembers wounded on the battlefield. More often than not, this requires them to fly into and operate in extremely hostile and precarious situations and locations,

  • Wounded EOD technician has big plans

    One step on May 11 changed the life course of an explosive ordnance disposal technician assigned to the 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron here. Staff Sgt. David Flowers, 28, was deployed with the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, when he was wounded by an anti-personnel mine on

  • Air Force bids farewell to Chief McKinley, hails Chief Roy

    After more than 30 years of service, the Air Force's top enlisted leader bade farewell to fellow Airmen in a June 30 ceremony here as a new Airman became the 16th chief master sergeant of the Air Force. Along the manicured ceremonial lawn, hundreds of spectators cheered the service of Chief Master

  • New PTSD program answers need for comprehensive treatment

    Symptoms of combat stress and post-traumatic stress disorder for wounded warriors include continual nightmares, avoidance behaviors, denial, grief, anger and fear. Some servicemembers battling these and other symptoms, can be treated successfully as an outpatient while assuming their normal duties,

  • Beale officials use AFSO 21 to improve munitions training process

    Members of the 9th Munitions Squadron conducted a value stream mapping event June 23 thru 26 here to streamline the squadron's process of handling munitions for training classes. Officials from the Beale Air Force Base Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century Initiatives Office, Air Combat

  • U.S. servicemembers withdraw from Iraqi cities, move to main installations

    Under the Security Agreement signed between Washington, D.C., and Baghdad, Iraq, officials in November 2008, U.S. servicemembers are to withdraw from Iraqi cities, villages and localities by June 30.As a result of the agreement, some servicemembers are moving onto main installations such as Sather

  • New Air Force commercial highlights unmanned aircraft system

    An Air Force commercial highlighting the technology of the unmanned aircraft systems is airing nationally this week in television markets and select movie theaters across the country. The "UAS" commercial depicts a futuristic look at warfighting and how what was once considered science fiction is

  • Crewmember stable after Airmen assist in rescue over Atlantic

    A crewmember who required immediate medical attention on board a ship 400 miles off the coast of Ireland is reported to be in stable condition after three U.S. Air Force units participated in his rescue June 26. Officials from the United Kingdom Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Center contacted

  • Air Force officials name Sijan award winners

    Air Force officials here recently recognized four Airmen with the service's 2008 Lance P. Sijan Air Force Leadership Award. The Sijan award annually recognizes Airmen who demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities. The senior officer category winner is Maj. James Hughes Jr., who is assigned to

  • Fairchild Airmen rescue hikers

    Airmen of the 36th Rescue Flight from Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., rescued a hiker from Fort Lewis, Wash., who tumbled more than 1,000 feet June 14 down a mountain just west of Wenatchee, Wash.The 58-year-old man and his son were hiking around 3 p.m. when the older man stumbled down a mountain

  • New Zealand hosts multilateral talks

    "With your basket and with my basket, together we will feed everyone." This traditional New Zealand saying, translated into English from the Maori language, was referenced by New Zealand Air Commodore Gavin Howse during the opening seminar of the Pacific Rim Airpower Symposium and Senior Enlisted

  • Pentagon official: Iraqi troops ready for added responsibility

    The withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from all Iraqi cities and towns was completed over the weekend and ahead of the June 30 deadline, a Pentagon spokesman said on a cable TV news show June 29. "Overall, the security situation is stable enough for Iraqi security forces to take on this added

  • June 27 airpower summary: Predator employs Hellfire missile

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations June 27, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, a B-1B Lancer used guided bomb unit-38s to target

  • Air Force officials adopt personnel recovery as core function

    Air Force officials are transitioning their combat search and rescue motto to an over-arching name that encompasses all rescue assets under the same umbrella mindset with a more current operational focus. Personnel recovery fulfills a promise to never leave an American behind and the new slogan

  • Ground, flight tests yield zero interference for interrogator system

    Overseas ground and flight testing on a NATO Airborne Warning and Control System recently demonstrated that a prototype waveform designed to better distinguish friendly forces from foes did not interfere with European civilian air traffic control. This paves the way for 635th Electronic Systems

  • Hurlburt Field unit transfers to Cannon

    Officials from the 16th Special Operations Squadron held a squadron flag-transfer ceremony here June 19 to mark the official transfer of the squadron from Hurlburt Field, Fla., to Cannon Air Force Base. "The mighty (AC-130H) Spectre has arrived," said Lt. Gen. Donald C. Wurster, the Air Force

  • World War II vet honored on Father's Day

    It took the tenacity of a daughter, the insistence of a politician and the presence of 27th Special Operations Wing members here June 21 to properly recognize a World War II Soldier who sacrificed his leg in combat. In a Father's Day ceremony in Portales, N.M., Col. Stephen Clark, the 27th SOW

  • Combat controllers support Northern Edge

    Air Force combat controllers are a rare breed of elite specialists who accompany U.S. ground troops to serve as a liaison between those forces and the air support they rely on. Each combat controller is a fully qualified air traffic control expert, able to manage the complex air operations above a

  • Airmen contribute to rescue effort at sea

    An international rescue effort is underway June 26 to a ship in the Atlantic approximately 700 miles off the west coast of Ireland as a crewmember on board the container ship "Pascha" has fallen seriously ill and needs urgent medical attention. The ship's distance from land makes it impossible for

  • Coalition forces, Kirkuk officials partner to care for bombing victims

    The bright pink soccer ball was clearly out of place on the flightline here June 22; however, it was in just the right place to begin the healing process for a 9-year-old girl atop a stretcher being carried on board a Turkish air force C-130 to be aeromedically evacuated to Ankara, Turkey. She was

  • ESC officials award contract to meet urgent need

    Electronic Systems Center officials here awarded a contract June 24 to Northrop Grumman Corp. to field and deploy an airborne communications system that provides real-time battlefield information to warfighters. The center awarded the $276 million, 18-month contract to incorporate the Battlefield

  • Holloman Airmen honor fallen Soldier

    More than 300 Holloman Air Force Base members turned out June 11 to pay their respects to an Alamogordo resident and Army Soldier who paid the ultimate sacrifice earlier this month in Iraq. Army Spc. Christopher M. Kurth was killed in a grenade attack June 4 near Kirkuk, Iraq. He was stationed at

  • Iraqi senior engineers visit Langley

    Langley Air Force Base officials opened their gates to five Iraqi military members and one Iraqi contractor June 10 as a part of the Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq Iraqi Security Forces Senior Engineer Symposium. The Iraqi Security Forces Senior Engineer Symposium showcased how the

  • Pilot dies in F-16 accident

    Hill Air Force Base officials confirmed an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot was killed at about 10:25 p.m. June 22 after the aircraft crashed on the Utah Test and Training Range about 35 miles south of Wendover, Utah. The pilot, Capt. George Bryan Houghton, 28, from the 388th Fighter Wing here, graduated

  • Medics perform 3-tier mission in Nangarhar

    The medics assigned to the Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team boast a three-fold mission here. The medical team is responsible for running an aid station, providing combat support and helping with the ongoing reconstruction efforts in Nangarhar Province. As a recent addition to their

  • Labor dispute ends at Vance

    The labor dispute at Vance Air Force Base that began June 8 ended June 23 after a collective bargaining agreement was reached.The agreement was reached between CSC Applied Technologies LLC, three of its sub-contractors -- PRI/DJI, DenMar and M1 Support Service -- and the International Association of

  • 386th AEW conducts dorm fire exercise

    Members of the 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department and 386th Expeditionary Medical Group tested their skills during a simulated dormitory fire exercise here June 22. The exercise coordinators used smoke machines to simulate a dormitory fire and six U.S. Air Force Academy

  • Military unites with Hollywood on 'Transformers'

    "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" hits theaters nationwide June 24 as the culmination of more than a year of Defense Department support, ranging from script and uniform notes to C-17 Globemaster III aerial maneuvers and jumps from the Army's Golden Knights parachute demonstration team. The first

  • Command, control relationships critical to close-air-support mission

    Air Force offensive aerial units operating within the Central Command area of responsibility are focused on one primary task: close-air support. "It is my opinion that close-air support is the most effective fire support asset in Afghanistan right now, and I haven't heard any different from the

  • Airmen take reins on Army cargo movement mission

    As the dust settled after one of the worst sandstorms of the year, a small group of Airmen from the 22nd Movement Control Team took the reins of the Army's 258th MCT mission June 14 here. Sixteen Air Force logisticians are responsible for the processing and management of cargo and passengers

  • A-10 'assembly-line' maintenance concept a model of efficiency

    A-10 maintenance personnel from the 124th Wing are in the early stages of a new "assembly line" maintenance concept that may serve as a model for how Air Force aircraft maintenance is performed in the future. Dubbed the Consolidated Install Program, this program began June 1 and is projected to save

  • Air University leader presents honorary degree to former astronaut

    The commander of the first mission to orbit the moon received an honorary doctor of science degree by Air University officials for his contributions to aviation and space exploration at the Air Force Test Pilot School June 13 here. Retired Col. Frank Borman, the leader of the Apollo 8

  • Brazil wins World Military Women's Soccer Championship at Keesler

    Brazil defeated South Korea 1-0 to capture the gold medal in the 5th Counseil Du International Sports Militaire World Military Women's Soccer Championship held June 13 here. The championship, hosted by Keesler Air Force Base officials and played at the Biloxi High School Stadium and Gulfport Sports

  • Streamlined ancillary, expeditionary skills training eliminates redundancy

    New policy, released in March, streamlined redundant and outdated ancillary training programs and aligned expeditionary skills training with warfighter requirements. However, Air Force leaders recently addressed the time requirement to complete ancillary training after discovering a common

  • CMSAF McKinley begins, ends Air Force career at Seymour

    The 15th chief master sergeant of the Air Force returned to his first duty station for a tour of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base June 12. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney McKinley began his Air Force career as an emergency room technician here in 1974. This was the chief's last base visit

  • Airmen mentor Afghan counterparts to provide care

    Air Force medics here are working hand-in-hand with their counterparts from the Afghan National Army, out of a co-located clinic, to provide mentoring on medical equipment, administration and military medical care. The three-person staff, consisting of a physician's assistant, independent medical

  • C-17 crew uses combat offload to deliver materials to warzone

    A C-17 Globemaster III crew from the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron used a combat offload procedure here June 20 to deliver materials that will be used to help defend the local population. Due to the austere location of the forward operating base, the personnel stationed here did not have the

  • 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