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U.S. Air Force News

  • CAP cadets catch glimpse of pilot training

    Forty Civil Air Patrol Cadets came here to Columbus Air Force Base July 6 to 14 to catch a glimpse of just what Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training is really like.The weeklong camp, known as the Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Program Familiarization Course, is an annual event that

  • ANG TACPs hold first maritime exercise

    Tactical Air Control Party Members (TACP) and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) from the 274th Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS) from Syracuse, New York participated in a first-of-its-kind Joint Maritime Operations exercise recently on Lake Ontario. The exercise was in conjunction with

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Airman embraces 'Art of Eight Limbs'

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Participating in a combative sport widely referred to as the "Art of Eight Limbs" might seem intimidating.Senior Airman James Turner, on the other hand,

  • AETC Trains America's International Partners

    Air Education and Training Command's mission is to develop America's Airmen today ... for tomorrow, but the command's reach extends far beyond America's borders.AETC personnel is training the air forces of America's international partners, helping create a large-scale network of air force

  • Humble 'Guardian angel' saves woman after fiery crash

    One moment can change someone's life. One such decisive moment came for Staff Sgt. Mitchell Corbin and Nancy Decker June 1, when Corbin pulled Decker from her fiery, wrecked vehicle.That morning, Corbin, an aerospace ground equipment technician with the Texas Air National Guard 147th Reconnaissance

  • AF seeks medical commissioning candidates

    Interested officers, enlisted members and cadets eligible for fiscal 2013 Biomedical Sciences Corps training and commissioning programs can learn more during a world-wide webcast slated for July 18, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced.Webcasts, slated for 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. central time,

  • CSAF's 'fini flight' a ride of remembrance

    When Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz climbed aboard the MC-130E Combat Talon I here July 12, for his last flight as an active duty officer, he immediately began to reminisce on his flying career with special operations and the C-130 Hercules community."This is more than a little

  • Air Force general explains force structure decisions to Congress

    The Air Force deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and programs testified on proposed force structure changes before the House Armed Services Committee here, July 12. Lt. Gen. Christopher Miller answered questions from members of the U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee's

  • International partnership garners distinguished award

    One of the Air Force priorities is to partner with the joint and coalition team to win today's fight, and one Air Force leader is doing just that. The Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Maj. Gen. James O. Poss, was honored with the John Curtis Sword

  • Two Silver Star medals presented at 19th Air Force inactivation ceremony

    Two 19th Air Force combat search and rescue pilots were presented the Silver Star medal at the 19th Air Force's inactivation ceremony  July 12 here. Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr., the commander of the Air Education Training Command, presented the third highest military decoration to Majors Philip Bryant

  • Luke officer saves drowning victim

    June 23 was just a normal day at the community pool on Luke Air Force Base. That was until one medical officer overheard a child say, "What's wrong with him; is he dead?"Capt. Andrew Hoeffler, a 56th Medical Operations Squadron family nurse practitioner, noticed there was a child submerged and not

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Airman sees big picture during deployment

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Even when deployments are "inside the wire," for many service members they can be "outside the comfort zone." For Senior Airman Justin Peattie, a

  • 'Today's Air Force' recaps Colorado wildfires, F-35 Lighting II

    Air Force Television News released a new edition of "Today's Air Force" on July 6.First, Staff Sgt. Brad Sisson takes a look back at the wildfires that tore through Colorado and threatened the Air Force Academy.Next, Airman Jimmy Moreland takes viewers to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, to say

  • ALS class graduates under new curriculum

    When nearly 50 senior airmen and staff sergeants graduated from Erwin Airman Leadership School here July 10, they were among the first Air Force-wide to graduate under a new test case curriculum.Kadena Air Base's ALS is one of seven schools in the Air Force and the only school in the Pacific

  • Former MTI sexual misconduct trial set

    The case of a former Air Force military training instructor (MTI) alleged to have engaged in sexual misconduct and unprofessional relationships with female basic military trainees will go to a general court-martial on July 16, at 8:30 a.m. at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. The trial is expected to

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Working with TCNs

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories and commentaries focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Late last year, I was tasked to deploy as an escort for third-country nationals. TCNs are civilian personnel who are utilized to help

  • Goodfellow helps teen reach firefighter dream

    Imagine having a day to live your dream, to be able to do that one thing you've always wanted out of life. Thanks to Goodfellow Air Force Base, one special teen got to do exactly that.Trey Pons, a native of Port Isabelle, Texas, has wanted to be a firefighter for as long as he could remember. He can

  • Doctor provides life-saving medical care despite broken leg

    A 34-year-old critical care pulmonologist assigned to the 99th Medical Operations Squadron here went from needing rescue to providing emergency medical attention to a California Highway Patrol officer July 5 near Big Bear Lake in the Shasta Trinity Forest.Maj. (Dr.) Jeremy Kilburn, 99th MDOS

  • Airman brings touch of Britain to Alaska base

    Among automotive enthusiasts' 600-plus horsepower pony cars and hulking SUVs decked out with blingtastic chrome 22-inch rims, Tech. Sgt. Danny Damons' 1966 Ford Cortina Super might seem rather pedestrian by comparison.But upon closer inspection of the small green coupe, a not-insignificant

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Triumph of survival

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories and commentaries focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)In 1995 in America, most six-year-old boys spent their days picking on six-year-old girls, or mimicking and idolizing the Power Rangers

  • Sims aren't just for flying anymore

    Officials with the 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron here, through a cooperative program with the U.S. Air Force Academy, is developing a computer-based simulator program that will allow leaders to make more informed decisions regarding resource allocations.The program allows a user to input

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Vehicle operator recalls deployment

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories and commentaries focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)In December 2011, the U.S. withdrew its last service members from Iraq to end operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn. Senior Airman

  • Arizona Airmen help Japanese rebuild air defenses

    While the island nation of Japan continues to rebuild in the wake of the March 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, its airmen look to reconstitute the country's air defenses - learning to fly the F-16 Fighting Falcon here with the Arizona Air National Guard. The disaster left the Japan Air

  • Scott AFB Passenger Terminal dedicated to fallen Airman

    Members of Scott Air Force Base and the local community gathered here today to dedicate the base's newly renovated air passenger terminal in honor of Airman 1st Class Zachary "Cudde" Cuddeback.Cuddeback was a vehicle operator assigned to the 86th Airlift Wing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, when he

  • Reserve wing gears up for active-duty association

    The 442nd Fighter Wing is scheduled to begin integrating more than 100 active-duty Airmen by October.The total-force integration of active-duty Airmen into Reserve units is part of an initiative to improve efficiency and combat capability by leveraging Reserve experience and continuity. The 442nd FW

  • Bataan Death March survivor shares story

    Fewer and fewer Americans today can recall where they were when they heard the news that Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, had been attacked by the Japanese on Dec. 7, 1941. As the number of first-hand accounts from World War II continues to decrease and new conflicts of the current era arise, earlier struggles

  • Commander qualifies in the F-22, confident in Raptor

    Air Combat Command's senior Airman completed F-22 Raptor pilot qualification recently, reinforcing his personal stake in the Air Force's efforts to identify the root cause of unexplained physiological incidents involving a small number of Raptor crews. "As Airmen, risk is part of our lives as

  • Tinker Reservists to participate in Navy fleet exercise

    Four 507th Air Refueling Wing KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft and more than 135 Air Force Reservists will join forces with the U.S. Navy during July to support a U.S. Pacific Fleet exercise.The exercise, called RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific), is a series of multinational maritime exercises scheduled to

  • President Obama honors new citizen service members

    Twenty-five U.S. service members filed through the White House East Room today in dress uniforms, proudly displaying their service and sacrifices to America, and took their citizenship oath before their commander in chief.They were among more than 4,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who

  • ANG announces C-130 crash victims

    Four Airmen died and two others were seriously injured when a Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130 Hercules crashed July 1 while fighting a woodland fire in southwestern South Dakota.Dead are Lt. Col. Paul K. Mikeal, 42, of Mooresville, N.C.; Maj. Joseph M. McCormick, 36, of Belmont,

  • Airmen build ties with Colombian counterparts

    Members of the 571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron completed the first part of an Air Mobility Command Building Partner Capacity mission - working with the Colombian air force to promote regional stability by fostering key relationships and enhancing partner nation capabilities, at General

  • Becoming an MTI? There's an app for that

    There's a smart phone application for just about everything these days, including joining the ranks of the Air Force's military training instructor corps. The app, simply called "Air Force MTI," is free and available for Apple, Android and Blackberry devices."It takes a special person to be an MTI,"

  • Airman saves man's life -- twice

    When Airman 1st Class Patrick Shemwell walked outside after eating dinner near Kunsan Air Base on June 24, he saw a young Korean man lying on the ground and gasping for air.Shemwell shoved his way through the screaming bystanders and checked the man's pulse, but the man had stopped breathing. "When

  • Safety officials urge Airmen to celebrate Independence Day safely

    While Fourth of July celebrations and special outings to enjoy the holiday are traditional early-summer pastimes, experts at the Air Force Safety Center here caution all Airmen to practice basic safety precautions."Everyone is anxious to enjoy summertime activities, and participating in Fourth of

  • Airman Ranger retires after 41 years

    Forty-one years, 167 temporary duty assignments, 22 base assignments, six deployments and three wars later, Col. George W. Hays, the director of Command, Control, Communications, and Computer Systems, Headquarters Alaskan Command, retired from active duty service July 1 as the longest-serving

  • Physiology training combats human factors of flying

    One of the secrets behind nearly 75 years of U.S. air dominance is the quality of its pilot training. But long before students learn to identify, out-maneuver and defeat enemy aircraft, they have to learn to deal with a much more subtle but no less dangerous threat: hypoxia.Essentially a lack of

  • Language Enabled Airman Program application period begins July 2

    Air Force Culture and Language Center offcials recently announced the application window dates for the Fall 2012 Language Enabled Airman Program selection board. Applications for the Language Enabled Airman Program will be accepted July 2 through August 31, and a selection board will be held this

  • AETC commander addresses recruits' allegations of sexual misconduct

    The commander of the Air Force's Air Education and Training Command spoke to members of the media here June 28 about the on-going investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by military training instructors (MTIs) at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas."In the fall of 2011 we discovered, to our

  • Despite fires, cadets arrive on time at Academy

    With fires still burning in the nearby Waldo Canyon and most of the base evacuated, about 1,000 new cadets of the class of 2016 in-processed on schedule June 28 at the U. S. Air Force Academy, Colo.To minimize the amount of cadets on base, Academy officials relocated about 550 cadets with about 200

  • 2013 CDCs available online in September

    The Airman Advancement Division's online library, e-WAPS Online Reference Library Database, or e-WORLD, will soon have 2013 promotion cycle study reference material available.Airmen will be able to access the latest reference material by September. Past Career Development Courses are also available

  • National Guard to host virtual diversity update

    The Office of Diversity and Special Emphasis Programs is gearing up to host its semi-annual National Guard Bureau Virtual Diversity Update, viewable online beginning July 24.This semi-annual update features a roundtable discussion with Air Force Gen. Craig McKinley, the chief of the National Guard

  • CAP cadets get taste of pararescue career field

    The 306th Rescue Squadron hosted more than 20 Civil Air Patrol cadets during the advanced pararescue orientation course here June 13-23.The course is a 10-day challenge that tests CAP cadets both mentally and physically as they are constantly evaluated on the stringent requirements of the

  • CSAF honors flight training instructor with Kolligian Trophy

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz presented Capt. Frank Baumann, an instructor pilot from the 80th Flying Training Wing at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, one of the Air Force's most prestigious flight safety awards during a Pentagon ceremony here June 27. Baumann was named the 2011

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Deployed Airman lives her core values

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories and commentaries focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Just two months into her first deployment, Air Force Airman 1st Class Rhiannon O'Leary is staying busy. While working for the 451st

  • Academy cadet uses training to save life

    A United States Air Force Academy cadet put his military training into action when he saved the life of a civilian from a car accident on June 9, 2012. Christopher Kirk, of Burlington, Iowa, has just completed his third year at the academy and was selected amongst his peers to attend a 5-week

  • Vandenberg sends 'hot shots' to Colorado wildfire front lines

    Vandenberg Air Force Base officials deployed the only Defense Department wildland firefighting asset at 2 p.m. June 27 in support of the wildland firefighting efforts in Colorado Springs, Colo.The 18-member Vandenberg Air Force Base Hot Shot crew, along with two hot shots crew carrier vehicles, one

  • Information is best weapon against suicide

    In 2010 there were 110, in 2011 there were 122, and halfway through 2012 the number is already 140.These numbers, according to Defense Department officials, refer to suicides committed across the services within the past three years. It shows an upward trend in the number of lives lost despite the

  • US, Indonesia air forces strengthen partnership during tactical exercise

     Approximately 80 U.S. and 75 Indonesian airmen will participate in exercise Cope West 2012 here June 25 - 29.Cope West is a bilateral, tactical airlift exercise designed to advance interoperability between the two partner air forces.The exercise will allow U.S. and Indonesian airmen to exchange

  • Lackland NCOs referred for courts martial

    Air Force officials announced today the cases of two Air Force military training instructors (MTIs) assigned to the 737th Training Group at Lackland have been referred to special courts-martial at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. These cases come as part of a larger investigation into sexual

  • Dempsey details defense challenges in visit to Nebraska base

    Likening the global security environment to strong winds such as those that come with severe weather here in the central plains, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff spoke June 26 about challenges buffeting the nation.Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey and his wife, Deanie, spoke with 300 service

  • Airmen train with Kyrgyzstan partners

    Exercise Regional Cooperation 2012, a multinational exercise designed to strengthen relationships and promote regional cooperation among participating nations, is being held at the Koi Tash Military Academy, Kyrgyzstan, June 18 to 28. The exercise tested participants' emergency management

  • 'Son Tay' Talon flies into history

    After more than 23,500 hours of flight and approximately 47 years in service, the MC-130E Combat Talon I known as the "Godfather" left the ground here for the last time June 22 for its ultimate mission.The aircraft with the tail number 64-0523 took off for its final resting place -- a special

  • International summit focuses on enlisted issues

    Representatives of air forces from seventeen nations participated in the 2012 Partner Nations Summit here this week. The three-day event was co-hosted by the Royal Canadian Air Force and the U.S. Air Force, and focused on building relationships through discussion of common topical issues."We are

  • Air Force teams work to tame Colorado wildfires

    An Air Force team from the active duty, Air National Guard, the Air Reserve and the Air Force Academy have mobilized to help fight the quickly spreading Waldo Canyon fire near Colorado Springs, Colo., that has burned more than 3,500 acres.The request for assistance from the National Interagency Fire

  • 'New AFNIC' offers cyber advantage

    "Cyber Innovation. Mission Success." This is how the "New" Air Force Network Integration Center officials sum up what their organization provides to the Air Force and other mission partners.It's a phrase representing a new direction for a not-so-new organization. AFNIC, established from what was

  • Two RAF Fairford firefighters earn AF heroism award

    Two firefighters from the 420th Air Base Squadron were recently awarded the Robert A. McAllister Heroism Award.Firefighters Lynsey Pope and Robert McEvoy were recognized by the Air Force for performing an act of courage above and beyond the call of duty after encountering a car crash on an English

  • Air Force presence helps preserve progress in Iraq

    A group of Airmen assigned to the Office of Security Cooperation - Iraq help to preserve progress made in the country after almost a decade of war. The mission of OSC-I, in coordination with USCENTCOM and U.S. Mission-Iraq, is to conduct security cooperation activities to build partner capacity in

  • Air Force awards $960 million in small business IT contracts

    The Air Force is announcing the award of 12 contracts worth up to $960 million that will make it quicker and easier for the warfighter to obtain innovative information technology services and capabilities covering the full spectrum of operations and missions.The Air Force's Network Centric

  • Colorado reserve unit called in to fight wildland fires

    The Air Force Reserve Command's 302nd Airlift Wing here received word June 24 that it was tasked to provide Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, or MAFFS, support to the ongoing Colorado wildland fires. The request for assistance from The National Interagency Fire Center to the Department of

  • SOUTHCOM, partners prepare to respond to natural disasters

    Putting lessons learned from the 2010 earthquake response in Haiti into practice, U.S. Southern Command has entered this year's hurricane season ready to provide timely, effective aid should another disaster strike the region, command officials reported."We remain deliberately prepared," Southcom

  • Officials seek Air Force ROTC instructors

    If you have a knack for teaching, exemplify Air Force standards and want to have a positive impact on the Air Force for years to come, you might be a perfect match for Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor duty, Air Force Personnel Center officials said.Eligible first lieutenants,

  • AF instructors learn modern Army combatives skills

    After spending five days in a joint combatives "train the trainer" course, Air Force participants gained a valuable benefit in becoming certified to teach both Modern Army Combatives and Basic Air Force Combatives:"Confidence," said Lt. Col. Tim Thurston, the 322nd Training Squadron commander --

  • Air Force emphasizes ATV safety

    Riding all-terrain vehicles is a popular recreational activity, but it can also be dangerous. ATV riding resulted in a reported 317 deaths and an estimated 115,000 emergency room-treated injuries in 2010, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.The Air Force recognizes ATV riding's

  • Program encourages Airmen to 'Be Ready'

    Every year on June 1, when hurricane season officially begins, Airmen at bases along the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico start to pay more attention to the weather. It pays to be vigilant. Last year, on Aug. 27, 2011, Hurricane Irene landed in North Carolina and traveled up the Atlantic Coast,

  • U.S., Japanese defense officials to meet to discuss Osprey issues

    Senior Defense Department officials will brief a Japanese delegation at the Pentagon on July 22 on recent incidents involving U.S. MV-22 and CV-22 Osprey aircraft variants, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today."This is a tangible demonstration of how seriously the Department of Defense

  • Air Force Safety Automated System vital to tracking, preventing mishaps

    The Air Force Safety Center continues to develop and deploy enhancements to the Air Force Safety Automated System to provide accurate mishap information and timely risk mitigation data to all levels of command. AFSAS is a Web-enabled mishap reporting and analysis system that's accessible 24/7

  • Thousands of Vietnamese receive health care during joint, combined operation

    A team of approximately 30 U.S. military service members conducted health education clinics for local residents at two schools here June 10-18. The U.S. service members joined more than 25 Vietnamese civilian and military doctors and 21 non-governmental organization volunteers as part of Operation

  • Air Force male athlete of the year goes for gold

    The sound of thrashing epees and rubber soles squeaking against metal boards ring throughout the fencing gym at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. It is here that fencer Weston Kelsey practices twice a day, five days a week, in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

  • German air force brings Eurofighter, skills to Eielson AFB

    After a nearly 5,000-mile trip across the world, 150 members of the German air force recently arrived here with eight German Eurofighter Typhoons.It is the first time the German airframe has deployed overseas, according to German officials. In fact, it is the very first of the Eurofighter's

  • Engineer hits way onto All-Air Force team

    First Lt. Kristina Stewart has taken a few weeks off from her duties as the 3rd Space Operations Squadron mission planning and engineering section chief here to play a little volleyball. Actually, Stewart will play more than just a little after earning a spot on the All-Air Force Women's Volleyball

  • Carter urges Charleston service members to consider future

    Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter visited service members in the coastal low country of South Carolina on June 18, urging the Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen who serve the nation here to think about the future. Against the backdrop of a hulking C-17 Globemaster III transport jet, one of 54 on

  • Nominations open for 64th Annual Arthur S. Flemming Award

    Air Force officials are accepting nominations for the 64th Annual Arthur S. Flemming Award.The award is sponsored by the George Washington University, in conjunction with the Arthur S. Flemming Awards Commission. It honors outstanding federal employees who have made significant and extraordinary

  • Famed 'Candy Bomber' honored at JB Charleston

    Retired Col. Gail Halvorsen's Air Force legacy is built on chocolate, bubble gum and hope. Leaders here renamed the C-17 Aircrew Training Building after Halvorsen June 15 with a dedication ceremony in honor of the legendary "Berlin Candy Bomber." In 1948, World War II was over and its aftermath had

  • Polish AF flies in Red Flag for first time

    They boarded a C-130 Hercules and made the flight across the Atlantic Ocean to a place where the local language isn't their own native tongue. This isn't your normal U.S. Air Force deployment scenario, but the experience of a Polish air force crew participating in Red Flag-Alaska. Red Flag is a

  • Air Force Lt. finishes Bronco's mini-camp, continues to follow dream

    As another year of the National Football League season nears, military members might want to pay closer attention to their TVs as one of their own maybe lining up on the gridiron Sunday afternoons.Benjamin Garland, a Grand Junction, Colo. native, recently completed the Denver Broncos three-day

  • Air Force to consider ROTC command candidates

    Eligible line of the Air Force lieutenant colonels and lieutenant colonel-selects interested in command opportunities can apply for Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps detachment openings, Air Force Personnel Center officials said.Applicants must update their Airman Development Plan and

  • Kadena NCO fit for life

    "Mom! You know you're not supposed to eat that," 6-year-old Nadiya Young said after watching her mother open a bag of chips. "Can I just have a few chips then," asked Tech. Sgt. Ashaunettae Pollard-Young, a senior director technician for Kadena's 623rd Air Control Flight. "They look so good." As

  • Australian airmen glimpse future at Red Flag-Alaska

    Men and women in flight suits of green passed through the halls in a hive of activity. The building was buzzing with the language and accents of different nationalities, all in preparation for the day's oncoming events here. As personnel filtered through the doors of the building and onto the

  • Cold War U-2 pilot gets posthumous Silver Star

    More than 50 years after his U-2 aircraft was shot down over the former Soviet Union, Capt. Francis Gary Powers posthumously received one of the military's highest decorations during a ceremony here at the Pentagon June 15.Powers, who died in a helicopter crash in 1977, was awarded the Silver Star

  • Weapons school integrates cyber warfare

    Eight Air Force weapons officers completed the first cyber weapons instructor course at the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, 328th Weapons Squadron, June 16 here.Weapons officers are tactical experts trained in the art of battlespace dominance who instruct the Air Force's instructor corps and serve as

  • Combat controller posthumously awarded Silver Star

    Senior Airman Mark Forester had an American flag wrapped around his chest plate inside his body armor when he was fatally wounded by an enemy sniper's fire Sept. 29, 2010.This simple act is a testament to how Forester lived his life, a life respected by all who knew him.Forester, a combat controller

  • Leaders speak at renewable energy industry day event

    Military and industry leaders gathered for the annual Renewable Energy Industry Day to discuss opportunities for public-private collaboration to meet the military's energy needs June 12 in Arlington, Va.While making the event's opening remarks, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Installations,

  • Utah reservists, Lajes Airmen train together

    Reservists from the 419th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, arrived here June 9 as part of a cooperative effort with the 65th Air Base Wing.Members of the 419th LRS completed annual training during their temporary duty stay here, while members of the 65th LRS exercised their

  • Eglin fire department named best in Air Force

    For the past four years, Eglin's Fire Department was the best large department in Air Force Materiel Command. Now, for the first time in the most seasoned fire fighters' memories, it's the best in Air Force.The fire department services a unique location. Broken into seven districts, eight fire

  • Heroes emerge in crash

    A Misawa Air Base bus was hit from behind by a Japanese national south of Sendai when returning from Tokyo, June 7.Lucky for the driver who hit the bus; his heroes were soon to emerge from three vehicles, including the bus he impacted.A group of eight servicemembers, all from the 35th Logistics

  • Osprey crash leaves five injured

    Five aircrew members were injured when their tilt-rotor aircraft crashed north of Navarre, Fla. on the Eglin Range. At approximately 6:45 p.m. June 13, Hurlburt Field was notified that a 1st Special Operations Wing aircraft had crashed on the Eglin Range during a routine training mission. Emergency

  • Air Force, Republic of Korea allies partner for potential CBRN attacks

    With the ever-present threat of North Korea so close, Pacific Air Forces and South Korean Airmen constantly train to respond to any potential attacks.A combined workshop June 7 and 8 gave the allies a chance to strengthen their partnership through demonstrations of the equipment each side uses

  • Air Force launches first special tactics wing

    U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command stood up the 24th Special Operations Wing in a ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Fla., June 12 to meet the growing demand for the unique capabilities special tactics Air Commandos provide.AFSOC commander Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel said creation of this new brand of wing

  • PACANGEL 12 kicks off in Vietnam

    Approximately 58 U.S. military members, along with the Vietnam People's Armed Forces and two non-governmental organizations, Project H.O.P.E. and East Meets West, kicked-off Pacific Angel-Vietnam 12 in Nghe An Province, Vietnam, June 11.This iteration of PACANGEL-Vietnam includes humanitarian

  • AF releases new special duty assignment pay table

    Beginning June 15, Airmen in some special duty assignments will receive adjustments in special duty assignment pay, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced.Based on recommendations following a routine biennial review of the program, Pentagon officials have modified the program to ensure Air

  • MIA bracelet connects Airmen across decades

    Twenty-two years ago, Air Force Academy cadet Amy Santmyer, now Lt. Col. Amy Young, decided she would wear an MIA bracelet honoring Lt. Col. Charles Walling, an F-4C Phantom pilot who was shot down Aug. 8, 1966, during a close air support mission in the Dong Nai province northeast of Saigon,

  • Laughlin AFB civilian dies in motorcycle accident

    A civilian employee with the 47th Maintenance Directorate here was killed in a motorcycle accident in Del Rio, Texas, June 11 at about 6:45 a.m.The name of the deceased is being withheld until 24 hours after next-of-kin are notified. "My deepest condolences go out to the family, friends and

  • Michigan ANG in Estonia for Saber Strike 2012

    The Michigan Air National Guard has landed in Estonia. Operating as part of Saber Strike 2012, a multi-national exercise based in Estonia and Latvia, the Michigan ANG has landed KC-135 Stratotanker and A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft at Amari Air Base, Estonia. "We are eager to begin working with our

  • Marine, AF pilots temporarily swap services

    Two instructor pilots assigned to the 310th Fighter Squadron are currently on very similar and overlapping career paths at Luke Air Force Base as part of the Joint Service Pilot Exchange Program.Air Force Capt. Michael McGrew is on his way to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., to begin the

  • Airmen retrieve fuel tanks from at Misawa AB

    Eight Airmen from the 35th Fighter Wing recovered two external fuel tanks from the Draughon Range bombing facility here June 1.On May 17, 2012, at 9:15 a.m., an F-16 Fighting Falcon from Misawa Air Base inadvertently released the two external fuel tanks while conducting flight training on Draughon

  • Airmen train in joint environment

    Members from the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps came out to Davis-Monthan for helicopter pre-deployment training June 7.Lt. Col. Kjall Gopaul, 355th Mission Support Group deputy commander, led the multiservice training. It was the first of its kind at the base."This training is important so

  • AF med group tests disaster response

    Medical professionals from the 779th Medical Group honed their disaster-response skills during a recent exercise here.Two expeditionary medical support teams, made up of more than 50 members each, constructed and took down a 25-bed field hospital. "The EMEDS team provides full scale medical support

  • 2nd Lt. earns Air Medal

    Before pilots fly in a deployed environment they have to become "mission ready." From the start of pilot training the process takes upwards of two years, but one hard-charging second lieutenant managed to obtain his commission, his wings and fly more than 20 combat sorties in the area of

  • Commando competition promotes special ops skills, collaboration

    As elite commandos from across the Western Hemisphere compete this week in a grueling counterterrorism and special operations skills competition, the commander of Special Operations Command South said they're building the relationships required to confront transnational organized crime gripping much