HomeNews

NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Kadena Airmen see mobility surge due to volcanic activity

    As a result of continued volcanic activity in Iceland, some Air Mobility Command aircraft are being re-routed through the Pacific on their way to support operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. As the keystone of the Pacific, Kadena Air Base is one of the bases providing en route support for C-5

  • U.S. and Bulgarian airmen train together

    Airmen and F-15 Eagles from the 48th Fighter Wing are participating in an exercise with airmen from the Bulgarian air force here.Sentry Gold is designed to provide members of the U.S. and Bulgarian air force the opportunity to learn from each other and increase their respective NATO

  • Guard security forces members protect exercise participants

    While more than 250 participants of Exercise Ardent Sentry '10 are here honing their skills to protect American citizens against threats from the air, Airmen from the Georgia Air National Guard's 165th Security Forces Squadron are protecting them on the ground. The unit is part of the 165th Airlift

  • Air Mobility Command commander visits Korea

    The commander of Air Mobility Command visited South Korea and the peninsula en-route to an AMC unit here May 16 through 18.Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr.'s visit to the 731st Air Mobility Squadron was his first since he assumed command of AMC in November 2009.The mission of the 731st AMS Airmen increased

  • Airmen support German-American Special Olympics

    More than 1,600 volunteer and 800 athletes participated in the 27th annual German-American Special Olympics on the mobility police grounds here May 12.Nineteen American schools and 39 German schools for people with disabilities from within the State of Rhineland-Palatinate, as well as members of the

  • 755th Air Expeditionary Group members celebrate one year with JET Airmen

    The 755th Air Expeditionary Group marked the one year anniversary of the creation of four air expeditionary squadrons whose purpose is to provide joint expeditionary tasked and individual augmentee Airmen May 5 here.Airmen assigned to the 655th, 755th, 855th and 955th AES are deployed to more than

  • Program links troops with career resources

    As the United States' economic crisis lingers, returning veterans are finding it harder to translate the skills they have learned on the battlefields onto a resume, but some employers are working with the military to bridge the gap.Staff members with the Employer Partnership Office of the Armed

  • Warrior Games closing marks new beginning

    The 2010 Warrior Games may have ended May 14, but for the wounded warriors who competed here this week, their work is just beginning, officials hope."You've just completed a rigorous test of your physical and mental skills, your strength and endurance," Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint

  • Airmen train with Romanian counterparts for the first time

    Airmen from Ramstein Air Base's 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, alongside members of the 37th Airlift Squadron and 435th Contingency Response Group trained with their Romanian counterparts the week of May 10 at Otopeni Airlift Base here.Operation Carpathian Summer 2010 was designed to

  • ESC officials look to DOD 'Venture Catalyst' initiative

    Electronic Systems Center officials here are working with a special Defense Department unit to help tackle some tough command and control and information-related challenges.People in the Capabilities Integration Division, known best by its two-letter XR designation, are currently awaiting a list of

  • First career air liaison officers graduate TACP pipeline training

    For the first time since the Tactical Air Control Party career field began in 1977, five non-rated air liaison officers joined the ranks of battlefield Airmen across the Air Force after graduating from the basic Tactical Air Command and Control Apprentice Course April 27.Capt. Matthew Kealy, 1st Lt.

  • Ground system adds more bandwidth to cluttered airspace

    The installation of a first-of-its-kind aeronautical telemetry ground system at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School here is improving aircraft communication in airspace already jumbled by frequencies from cell phones and satellite television.  This technology expands communications capability

  • Trauma research team works to improve battlefield injury outcomes

    As American military members and their coalition partners fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, medics from these same countries work in collaboration to treat their battlefield wounds in theater hospitals.Combat zone injuries have changed over the years, with improved body armor protecting vital

  • Afghan Air Interdiction Unit gets a boost

    Members of the Afghan Ministry of Interior's Air Interdiction Unit held a transition ceremony May 5 at an Afghan National Army Air Corps base in Kabul, Afghanistan, in support of the unit's notable accomplishments over the past 12 months. A few of the distinguished accomplishments include the

  • Pacific Angel participants see continued bilateral cooperation

    A U.S. and Vietnam servicemember-hosted medical clinic concluded three days of centralized free care to Vietnamese patients as part of Operation Pacific Angel 10-2 here May 12. Servicemembers at the Tan Thoi Village Elementary School had cared for more than 1,250 patients in the pediatric, family

  • Deployment opportunities available for civilians

    Qualified Air Force civilians can broaden their career experience and bring valuable knowledge back to the workplace by volunteering for deployments in a variety of career fields, including civil engineering, contracting, intelligence, logistics management and security administration.As part of the

  • Grand Forks CGOA recognized as best in Air Force

    The Grand Forks Air Force Base Company Grade Officer Association was selected as the CGO Council of the Year, May 5, during the CGOA Professional Development Conference in San Francisco.The Grand Forks AFB CGOA competed against more than 70 other CGOA councils from around the Air Force to win the

  • Airmen help save lives by donating platelets

    Military members at Kandahar Airfield have a chance to help fellow servicemembers by donating blood platelets.The aphersis clinic at the Role 3 hospital uses a unique process to extract blood platelets from donors. Platelets are one of three basic components of human blood."Our mission is to collect

  • Photo essay: C-130 aircrew helps fight oil spill

    An aircrew prepares the release of oil dispersant while flying their specially equipped aerial spraying C-130 Hercules aircraft here May 7. The unit is from the Air Force Reserve Command's 910th Airlift Wing at Youngstown-Warren Air Reserve Station, Ohio.View the slideshow.

  • Misawa Airmen deploy to South Korea

    The pilots and maintainers of the 14th Fighter Squadron and the 14th Aircraft Maintenance Unit here deployed to South Korea this week.Airmen of the 14th FS combined with 35th Maintenance Group members in an effort to maintain regional stability in the Asia-Pacific theater and promote stronger

  • Partnership with Air Guard, Reserve offers new options with C-130 training

    The secretary of the Air Force announced May 4 that officials will proceed with a plan to augment the C-130 Hercules training fleet with C-130s from Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve squadrons.Secretary Michael Donley said Air Force planners will "continue to analyze the allocation of

  • Olympic path marks troops' journeys to fulfilled dreams

    The ceremony began much as any typical military procession does; with troops called to formation."I need a four-man front. Give me a four-man front," yelled a platoon leader.The troops joked and shifted, jostling about and adjusting spacing."Everybody in this row right here, shift back one," the

  • Officials still seeking those impacted by stop-loss

    More than 2,600 current and former Airmen have been approved for retroactive stop-loss special pay since Air Force Personnel Center officials here began accepting claims in September.Officials continue to seek Airmen who were involuntarily held on active duty between Sept. 11, 2001, and Sept. 30,

  • Fighter Squadron produces 205 sorties in three days

    Members of the 74th Fighter Squadron here recently produced a total of 205 sorties while conducting surge operations April 26 through 28.The squadron's main focus during the surge operations was to test their capability to produce as many sorties as possible within the three-day span and to simulate

  • Barksdale Airmen test ability during exercise

    Approximately 150 maintenance Airmen, 2nd Bomb Wing pilots and support members recently returned from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, where they participated in the 10-day Exercise Red Flag-Alaska.The exercise is designed to provide realistic and demanding air-combat training to flying unit members

  • VA officials cutting insurance premiums for families

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials announced here that military members insuring their families under the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance, which is administered by the VA, will have reduced out-of-pocket expenses beginning July 1."VA hopes these reductions will allow more military

  • Air Force senior execs honored with top awards

    Seventeen of the Air Force's top executive employees were recognized for career achievements during the annual Distinguished and Meritorious Presidential Rank Awards ceremony held April 30 in the auditorium of the Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.Secretary of the Air Force Michael

  • Nominations open for 2010 GEICO awards

    Awards and decorations officials at the Air Force Personnel Center here are seeking nominations for the 2010 Government Employees Insurance Company's Military Service Awards. The annual GEICO Military Service Awards recognize enlisted servicemembers from all military service branches, active duty,

  • Air Force's senior enlisted leader experiences pre-deployment training

    The chief master sergeant of the Air Force visited the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center here April 26 and 27 to gain first-hand knowledge of Air Force and Army expeditionary skills training. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy visited the base for the second time in his current

  • Air Force officials support oil containment efforts

    At the request of U.S. Northern Command officials, and to assist the U.S. Coast Guard's efforts to contain the oil spill in the western Gulf of Mexico, Air Forces Northern officials are providing units to help disperse the spill and mitigate its impact as it makes its way toward the shoreline.Under

  • Warrior Games to include pentathlon ultimate challenge

    The inaugural Warrior Games competition May 10 through 14 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., will feature individual and team events and an ultimate champion multi-sport challenge for a Chairman's Cup trophy. During a "DOD Live" bloggers roundtable May 6, Robert E. Moore

  • Pentagon leaders recognize best installations

    Representatives from five military bases deemed the "best of the best" were awarded the highest award for excellence among installations at a Pentagon ceremony May 5 here. Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska; the Army's Fort Bragg in North Carolina; Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine

  • 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' online inbox goes live

    A new online inbox that enables servicemembers and their families to comment anonymously about the impact of a possible repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law has gone live. The inbox will enable servicemembers and families to offer their thoughts about how a repeal of the law that prohibits gays

  • Air Force program recognized for excellence in government

    The Air Force's Logistics, Installations and Mission Support-Enterprise View, or LIMS-EV,  Logistics Transformation initiative was one of 20 finalists in the 2010 Excellence.Gov Awards, competing with other organizations from throughout the federal government.The American Council for Technology and

  • Student pilots reach course milestone: airborne refueling

    Nearly 18,000 feet above Southern Arizona's desert landscape, students in the A-10C Pilot Initial Qualification Course here completed their first air-to-air refueling mission during the week of April 26. Twelve pilots from the 358th Fighter Squadron and 13 from the 357th FS are enrolled in the

  • Servicemembers begin immersion training in Afghanistan

    The first class of U.S. military servicemembers and civilians in the new AfPak Hands program arrived here last week to continue training at the Counterinsurgency Training Academy Afghanistan.AfPak Hands is a new, "all-in" language and cultural immersion initiative developed last summer and stood up

  • Air Force announces JAG award winners

    The Air Force Judge Advocate General announced April 30 the 2009 Judge Advocate General Award winners. "I am proud of each of our award winners; they represent the best of the best," said Lt. Gen. Richard C. Harding, the judge advocate general. "They have demonstrated excellence, initiative,

  • U.S., Pakistan relations bolstered by F-16 training

    Eight Pakistani air force pilots, each experienced in the F-16 Fighting Falcon's A and B models, recently learned to fly the newer C- and D-model aircraft at the 162nd Fighter Wing, the international F-16 training unit, and were honored at a graduation ceremony May 4 here.Pakistan's air force

  • Chaplains discuss suicide prevention

    Air Combat Command chaplains gathered April 27 through 29 to discuss the problem of suicide during a Comprehensive Airman Fitness conference in Newport News, Va. During the conference, Dr. Thomas Joiner, the event's keynote speaker, shared his concern about the pandemic of suicide. "Worldwide, over

  • Airmen provide unique 'open-the-base' capability

    Transforming an abandoned airfield or an austere piece of land into a functional airfield in 12 hours might seem impossible to some, but it's just another day's work for the Airmen in Ramstein's 435th Air Mobility Squadron.For an airfield to be "functional," command and control, aerial port

  • New MC-12 unit activated at Kandahar Airfield

    Officials activated the Air Force's newest MC-12 Liberty squadron in a ceremony here May 1. The 361st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron has been reactivated many times in the squadron's fairly unique history, said Col. John A. Cherrey, the commander of the 451st Expeditionary Operations Group

  • Airmen, Soldiers continue tradition of joint operations training

    Airmen from here and Soldiers from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division at nearby Fort Bragg joined forces April 26 to 29 to demonstrate to each other and master the capabilities their service can provide and help each branch achieve its objectives in a combat or humanitarian environment.This four-day

  • Yellow Ribbon event provides rest, eases redeployment

    Rest and relaxation mixed with reintegration seminars and veteran resources, coupled with plenty of chocolate was the theme for the 60-day Yellow Ribbon Event April 16 to 18 at Hershey Lodge in Hershey, Pa.Yellow Ribbon coordinators from the 514th Air Mobility Wing planned this event for more than

  • Airmen gain greater understanding of international medevac

    U.S. and German aeromedical evacuation units met to gain insight, share ideas and coordinate joint evacuation efforts April 24 through 26 at International Security Assistance Force Regional Command North's Camp Marmal, Afghanistan.Lt. Col. Michael Gainer, the 455th Expeditionary Aeromedical

  • State-of-the-art equipment bridges the gap

    Army Corps of Engineers members along with members of the 84th Engineer Support Company, 6th Engineer Battalion, tested a new bridging system April 28, 2010, at Fort Richardson, Alaska, to help the military travel across a wide variety of terrain quickly. Testing of the Lightweight Modular Causeway

  • Air Force senior leaders break ground for special Fisher House at Dover

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley, Gen. Norton Schwartz, Air Force Chief of Staff, and Ken Fisher, Fisher House Foundation chairman, participated in a special groundbreaking ceremony May 1 for a Fisher House on Dover Air Force Base, Del. Although this is the 53rd Fisher House to be built,

  • Air Force C-130s, Navy equipment dispatched to support oil slick response

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has authorized two Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft to support the response to a massive oil slick that threatens wetlands and beaches along the Gulf Coast, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell confirmed April 30.In addition, Navy officials have dispatched 66,000

  • DOD acquisition leader shares his priorities

    More than 700 military, civilian and contractor acquisition professionals and defense industry partners discussed challenges they face during the Department of Defense Acquisition Insight Conference April 20 through 21 here.The Pentagon's top acquisition official, Dr. Ashton Carter, Undersecretary

  • Guard units ready as Gulf Coast braces for oil spill

    Officials in at least three states along the Gulf of Mexico are preparing for a potential call for thousands of National Guard members as government leaders ramp up a response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal sent letters to federal officials asking them to approve

  • Airmen, Soldiers join forces for exercise

    More than 140 Airmen and Soldiers worked together on a new concept during the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Eagle Flag exercise on Lakehurst April 12. Eagle Flag is the U.S. military's premiere exercise for validating logistics port-opening procedures in an expeditionary environment.The

  • Combat controllers contributions honored in ceremony

    The Air Force chief of staff presented 13 medals to 11 combat controllers during a ceremony here April 29. Gen. Norton Schwartz pinned three Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars with Valor, three Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts on Airmen from the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron for their actions during

  • VA officials cutting insurance premiums for families

    Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced April 29 here that military personnel insuring their families under the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance program will have reduced out-of-pocket expenses beginning July 1. "VA (officials hope) these reductions will allow more military

  • Wingman Stand Down 2010 in May focuses on Airmen safety, well-being

    For a half day in May, Airmen will learn strategies to prevent suicides and private motor vehicle accidents as part of Wingman Stand Down 2010. The exact date for the stand down will be left to individual units to determine.In a jointly signed letter, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz

  • Boeing officials bring 787 to Eglin AFB for weather tests

    Officials at the McKinley Climatic Lab here are hosting Boeing's newest passenger aircraft, the 787 Dreamliner, for two weeks of cold and hot weather testing.The new plane arrived April 18 and was moved into the lab to begin its cold-weather testing with temperatures reaching minus 45 degrees. The

  • Air Guard rescue unit practices skills during exercise

    When the 212th Rescue Squadron Airmen of the Alaska Air National Guard arrived on-scene, the apartment complex was a jumble of broken concrete and unstable support beams. An aftershock from an 8.5 magnitude earthquake the day earlier had collapsed the structure; large slabs had crushed cars and some

  • Lynn discusses social media at Facebook headquarters

    You could call the Facebook headquarters the "un-Pentagon." The dress is casual, with far more T-shirts than sport coats, and many workers wear sandals instead of shoes.A skateboard was parked outside one office. An employee who spotted a group in business suits remarked, "If they're wearing ties,

  • Airmen train for firefighting mission

    Airmen from the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve are training with the Modular Airborne Firefighting System, or MAFFS, at the South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center here April 26 to 30.Air National Guard and Reserve aircrews fly MAFFS-equipped C-130 Hercules aircraft that can dispense

  • Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Movement Corridor study presses on

    Wildlife biologists and conservation agents from here along with researchers from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game are continuing a wildlife research effort in Anchorage, Alaska.In 2005 researchers initiated a joint installation study to document brown bear populations, habitat, food selection

  • Fisher House groundbreaking ceremony set May 1

    The groundbreaking ceremony for the Fisher House and Meditation Pavilion for the Families of the Fallen at the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center is scheduled for May 1here.AFMAO members will direct the Fisher House as it provides free on-base lodging for families who come here to witness

  • Air Force officials activate rescue squadron at Camp Bastion

    The 79th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron was officially activated during a ceremony April 22 at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan.Lt. Col. Mike Hinsch assumed command of the unit from Col. John Cherrey, 451st Expeditionary Operations Group commander, who officiated the ceremony. The search and rescue mission

  • Avatar project seeks to help military amputees

    In the movie "Avatar," Jake Sully, a former Marine who lost the use of both legs in combat, climbs into a vessel that magically restores his body when he assumes a new, 10-foot-tall avatar identity.A new project being funded through the Advanced Army Medical Technology Initiative promises to bring

  • Combat photographer to compete in Warrior Games

    Not once, but twice. Twice, in 2004 and 2007, a combat photographer who was assigned to the 1st Combat Camera Squadron, Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., was wounded in Iraq.It was her combat wounds in 2007 that caused retired Staff Sgt. Stacy Pearsall to give up her dream as a combat photographer

  • New Air Force cyberspace badge guidelines released

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz has approved the new cyberspace badge and associated wear criteria.In his Apr. 21 memorandum, General Schwartz set forth guidelines and addressed standard eligibility requirements for officers working in the cyberspace domain. Eligibility criteria for

  • Exercise enhances training, partnerships for U.S., Bulgarian military

    Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors teamed with Bulgarian armed forces members to conduct Exercise Thracian Spring 2010 April 22 thorugh 28 here.Eighty-one Airmen from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, joined Soldiers from the 5th Quartermaster Company at Rhine Ordnance Barracks, Germany and Sailors from the

  • Deployed Airmen memorialize air mobility legend through mural

    Retired Master Sgt. Roy Hooe died April 18, 1973, but in a way he came back to life some 37 years later to the day in the form of art.Airmen deployed to the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing put the finishing touches on a mural April 18 highlighting Sergeant Hooe's legacy, in Roy's Flight Kitchen,

  • Air Guard civil engineers benefit from improvements

    Frequent mobilizations are still challenging the Air National Guard's civil engineers, but the planning, training and support for them has improved dramatically, Guard officials said April 26 here.About 400 Air Guard civil engineers joined with security forces Airmen at a conference here to discuss

  • Falcons' Garland signs with Denver Broncos

    Air Force senior defensive lineman Ben Garland has signed a professional contract with the Denver Broncos, according to an announcement April 26 from the National Football League team.Garland is required by Department of Defense policy to serve at least 24 months active duty before applying for an

  • Airmen build facilities for warfighters

    As 30,000 servicemembers continue to pour into the region as part of the troop surge in Afghanistan, a 15-man team of Airmen with the 1st Expeditionary RED HORSE Group here is building structures for warfighters."Our mission here is to construct the facilities that directly support the

  • B-1 adapts, remains effective after 25 years

    The non-nuclear B-1 Lancer has adapted from a strategic mission to a close-air support role, and will continue to play an effective part in today's fight in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to leaders here. While the remaining bombers in the Air Force inventory transferred to Air Force Global Strike

  • F-16 drawdown begins at Spangdahlem

    Six F-16 Fighting Falcons are scheduled to depart here April 27 as the first step for the 52nd Fighter Wing staff in the Combat Air Force Restructuring plan expected to save the Air Force approximately $355 million in fiscal 2010 and $3.5 billion during the next five fiscal years.An additional six

  • Air Guard security forces at the top of their game

    Air National Guard security forces are at the top of their game, their top officer said here April 21. "We're better equipped, better trained, better (tasked) than we have ever been," said Col. John Wakefield at a conference of nearly 400 ANG security forces personnel.Thousands of them have deployed

  • Airmen train Japanese customs agency members to detect threats

    Air Force Office of Special Investigations agents from Det. 623 here and Airmen from the 35th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Unit here trained Hakodate customs inspectors with the Japan Ministry of Finance April 23 on counterterrorism measures to deter potential threats that may pass

  • Kunsan Airmen arm F-16s during Red Flag-Alaska

    Airmen with the 8th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron hone their wartime skills during the 10-day combat exercise known as Red Flag-Alaska at Eielson Air Force Base from April 19 through May 18. "Without weapons on jets, they are just plain aircraft," said Capt. Drew Garcia, officer in charge for the

  • Air Force officials announce criteria and candidate list for basing of C-17

    Air Force officials released the candidate basing locations April 23 and the criteria they used to determine the candidate basing locations for additional C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.The list of candidate bases was approved by the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force: Eastern West

  • Warrior Games approaching fast

    With fewer than three weeks to go, the Air Force team is making preparations for the Department of Defense's inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 10th through the 14th.What started as an e-mail from one athlete asking questions about the upcoming event turned into a process of

  • VA officials strive to prevent veteran suicides

    With more than 6,000 veterans committing suicide every year, and 98 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan taking their own lives during fiscal 2009 alone,  Department of Veterans Affairs officials are redoubling their outreach to veterans and promoting the toll-free suicide-prevention hotline. National

  • Airmen, Soldiers team up to tackle threats

    Air Force and Army members here performed a joint, force-protection patrol April 14 near one of the U.S. Air Force's Central Command's main airbases in Iraq.Members of the Air Force's 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron and the Army's 1st of the 28th Infantry Battalion  teamed up and armed

  • Dyess offers specialized housing through privatization

    Housing program officials here point to the privatized housing units managed off base as a success story, as the Air Force plans for 22 more bases to go "private" by the end of next year. "We started demolishing 1950s-era homes almost 10 years ago," said Dolores Green, housing program manager with

  • Four Airmen receive Sijan award

    The Air Force's 2009 Capt. Lance P. Sijan Award recipients were honored in a ceremony April 21 in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes.The Sijan Award annually recognizes four Airmen who demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities. Officer and enlisted honorees are chosen in senior and junior

  • Air Force officials launch Combat Airman initiative

    Properly outfitted and equipped Airmen are essential to mission success, according to Air Force logistics officials who recently unveiled a new program focused on what Airmen wear and carry during training, at home station or deployed.Air Force officials hosted an initial planning conference in

  • Contract award to enhance in-flight operations for top U.S. officials

    Air Force officials here issued a contract award in mid-April that will provide highly reliable, secure and integrated voice, data and video equipment for airborne U.S. senior leaders. The nearly $209 million award to Rockwell Collins will allow Air Force officials to retrofit a fleet of 20 special

  • Mobility officials adapt to volcanic ash plume

    Air Mobility Command members continue to provide airlift capabilities despite the cloud of ash from an Icelandic volcano that has troubled air travel, a senior officer responsible for moving military personnel and equipment around the world said April 21 here."As soon as we saw the potential impact

  • Joint training mission enables reservists to train as they fight

    Reservists from the 815th Airlift Squadron here completed a joint airborne and air transportability training mission with Army special forces Soldiers April 16 in Key West, Fla. The JA/ATT program provides the 815th AS members with unique training opportunities, said Lt. Col. Mark Carter, the 403rd

  • Air Force officials announce AFAF competition winners

    Air Force officials have announced their Group 1 winners of the annual Air Force Assistance Fund "Commitment to Caring" campaign, which provides Airmen the opportunity to contribute to four official Air Force charitable organizations.The campaign, which started Feb. 8 and runs until May 7, features

  • VA officials mark 85 years of 'discovery, innovation and advancement'

    Eighty-five years of enriching the lives of veterans and all Americans through top-notch medical research will be spotlighted April 26 through 30 when members of the Department of Veterans Affairs celebrate National VA Research Week.On April 22, Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs W. Scott Gould

  • Combat arms team supports all operations

    Airmen at the 451st Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Combat Arms Training and Maintenance team here are directly responsible for ensuring each Air Force member is issued ammunition upon arrival here. In addition, the two-person team of Staff Sgt. Chanson Johnson, and Senior Airman Jacob

  • DFAS begins recouping separation pay soon

    Recouping military retirees' voluntary separation incentive special separation benefit and other separation payments by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service will resume in August. Separation payments and others, such as severance pay, were offered to active-duty servicemembers to reduce

  • Airman gets NASCAR 'Royal' treatment

    It's not every day the morning starts with a phone call from a NASCAR driver, but that's exactly how a 56th Maintenance Group Quality Assurance inspector began work April 8 here.Staff Sgt. Damon Thurman's supervisor handed him the phone and Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Crown Royal Black car,

  • Virtual world prepares mobility Airmen for real mission

    Airmen preparing for the worldwide mobility mission of the 621st Contingency Response Wing here now have a powerful new training tool. A state-of-the-art virtual firearms training simulator with a 300-degree field of view is now being operated by members of the 819th Global Support Squadron to

  • Air Force observes Earth Day 2010

    Air Force representatives will plant a Valley Forge American Elm tree April 22 in the Pentagon courtyard as part of the Air Force's observances of Earth Day.Debra Tune, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics, will officiate and make brief

  • Maintenance Airmen ensure rescue missions save lives

    When aircrews and pararescuemen of the 41st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron here get a category-alpha alert call, the HH-60 Pave Hawk they use to conduct their mission has to be off the ground in 10 minutes. Here, where rescue crews average five or six alert calls a day, the 43 Airmen at the 451st

  • Capital-area medical centers set for reorganization

    With a reorganization of units overseeing military medicine in the national capital area under way, interim steps are in place to maintain good care and emergency preparedness during the transition.As part of a Base Realignment and Closure Commission action announced in 2007, Walter Reed Army

  • Airmen moving the mission in Afghanistan

    A team of 28 aerial port and vehicle maintenance Airmen from the 451st Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron Det. 1 here are moving the mission in Afghanistan.The unit's air traffic operations center and ramp operations have uploaded and downloaded more than 40,000 short tons of cargo from

  • Historic 44th Fighter Group activated at Holloman

    The Air Force Reserve Command's 44th Fighter Group officially stood up here April 9 with an activation ceremony and passing of the historic group's guidon.The 44th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and 301st Fighter Squadron also were activated during the ceremony as part of the fighter group.Maj. Gen.

  • Aircrews kick off Red Flag-Alaska 10-2

    The initial briefings and familiarization flights are complete and now pilots and aircrews are participating in world-class aerial combat training over Alaska until the end of April.  Officials here are hosting Red Flag-Alaska 10-2. Air Force units from Barksdale Air Force Base, La.; Kunsan Air

  • General Schwartz delivers first Super Herc to Dyess

    The Air Force's top military leader flew and delivered a new C-130J Super Hercules here April 16 from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. Opening a new era in tactical airlift for Dyess AFB, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz spoke to a crowded hangar of distinguished visitors and