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  • 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

  • Cactus Starfighter brings fight to range

    Troops sat pinned down under attack from a line of enemy vehicles. Insurgents shot down the F-16 Fighting Falcon coming to help and the pilot lay stranded near the fighting. On a small hilltop behind a pile of rocks, the joint terminal attack controller looks over the scene and coordinates close-air

  • Air advisors prepare Colombian air force for Red Flag

    A broken aircraft and several delays at the airport didn't stop the 571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron from arriving in Colombia on June 3 to begin its building partner capacity mission here.The squadron's air advisors are currently working with the Colombian air force to promote regional

  • Security forces honor fallen military working dog

    A military working dog was laid to rest during a memorial service June 6 at the Joint Base Charleston Air Base Theater here.Waldo, an 11-year-old German shepherd and military working dog assigned to the 628th Security Forces Squadron, recently died from an illness. "The service today was nice, but

  • Solar energy upgrade boosts efficiency

    The 99th Air Base Wing headquarters building here is adding solar panels in an effort to make the building more energy efficient.Nellis Air Force Base is in the process of starting and completing eight separate projects to make Nellis AFB, Creech AFB and the Nevada Test and Training Range more

  • Attaché duty applications due in July

    Line of the Air Force active-duty officers interested in opportunities to help build and sustain international relationships have until July 7 to apply for attaché officer duty at locations ranging from Burundi to Russia, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced June 7 here.AFPC and the Office

  • Officials release investigation report on trainee's death

    The Air Force released a report of investigation June 7 into the death of an Air Force trainee, which occurred Oct. 19, 2011.The report cited Airman 1st Class Steven D. Williams' cause of death as cardiac dysrhythmia, or abnormal rhythm. Williams was in basic military training at Joint Base San

  • National, military leaders visit joint medical exercise

    The exercise portion of Shared Resilience 2012 ended here June 6 as the joint medical teams showcased their strengths to leaders of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the U.S. military.Some of the distinguished visitors included U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Scott J. Zobrist, the 31st Fighter Squadron commander at

  • Airmen will have more assignment prep time

    Following a full review of the permanent change of station orders process, Air Force Personnel Center officials have implemented a new policy that will allow members more time to schedule move-related appointments, said Dave Faris, the AFPC PCS budget/assignment analysis section deputy chief.Defense

  • Air Force consolidates three field operating agencies

    Three San Antonio-based field operating agencies officially consolidated with the June 1 initial operational capability announcement, Air Force officials said June 4. The Air Force Personnel Center, Air Force Services Agency and Air Force Manpower Agency, FOAs under the Air Force Deputy Chief of

  • Airmen, Soldiers complete Mobility Forces Exercise

    Army green and Air Force blue combined to deliver the successful completion of the Mobility Forces Exercise 12A, which took place May 21 through 24 here and at the nearby Nevada Test and Training Range in Tonopah, Nev. MAFEX goals included building relationships between Air Force and Army units;

  • PACAF releases report on Alaska F-16 squadron move

    Pacific Air Forces today released a report on the Air Force's plan to move people and aircraft associated with the 18th Aggressor Squadron from Eielson AFB near Fairbanks, Alaska, to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, near Anchorage, Alaska.Pacific Air Forces led a 26-member Site Activation Task Force

  • Global medical practitioners work to seamlessly integrate

    Instructors from the U.S. Defense Institute for Medical Operations are exchanging ideas and techniques with medical practitioners from the different countries participating in Exercise Shared Resilience 2012 May 28 - June 8 here.The information flow is driven from a class titled "Critical Lifesaving

  • Shaw captain named top AF fighter tactician

    Every year the Air Force spotlights the most outstanding fighter tactician from the combat air forces. The search combs through hundreds of pilots from four major commands, the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. For 2011, the Air Force's outstanding tactician isn't a general, a colonel, a

  • Academy cadets work with Osan engineers

    The sounds of hammers and drills echoed through the air as Air Force Academy cadets gave Osan Air Base's civil engineers an extra hand with construction May 24. Approximately 15 cadets from the Academy worked side-by-side for two weeks with the 51st Civil Engineer Squadron's Prime Base Engineer

  • Warrior Wellness equine assistance important part of healing process

    The relationship between man and his horse is a storied one. Winston Churchill once said, "There's something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man." The 19th century novelist Robert Smith Surtees said, "There is no secret so close as that between a rider and his horse."

  • Maintainers' goal: come back alive -- every time

    "Nothing makes me happier than when I see these blades spin and the helicopter take off," said Staff Sgt. Nathaniel Kopplin, 33rd Expeditionary Helicopter Maintenance Unit lead flying helicopter crew chief. "Knowing I worked on it. Knowing that Airmen that I lead have worked on it. Knowing that we

  • Multinational medical exercise readies forces to save time, lives

    A two-week joint medical exercise began with a kickoff ceremony here May 28.Exercise Shared Resilience 2012 is an annual U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff-sponsored exercise with a goal to strengthen interoperability; facilitate training in disaster management and crisis response; and validate the

  • Air Force announces OTS selection boards results

    A total of 283 men and women from across America have earned an opportunity to become Air Force leaders following their selection for an officer's commission, officials here announced May 29. Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 960 applications as part of the Officer Training School

  • U.S., Bulgarian Airmen strengthen ties during exercise

    More than 500 U.S. Airmen and two dozen F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 31st Fighter Wing here recently returned from a deployment to Graf Ignatievo Air Base, Bulgaria, where they spent a month conducting bi-lateral training with Bulgarian Airmen during Thracian Star 2012.The exercise was the largest

  • Afghan AF SF leads first patrol outside Kabul

    Approximately 21 Afghan air force air wing security forces led their first quick reaction force patrol outside the gates of Kabul, Afghanistan, International Airport May 21.The AAF security forces were accompanied by seven members of the 439th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron who trekked up the

  • Guard, Reserve leaders discuss budget issues

    The military's reserve components remain ready and capable despite budget cuts and their transition from a strategic to operational force, senior National Guard and Reserve officials told the Senate Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee here May 23.As the drawdown continues in Afghanistan,

  • Navy, Air Force develop engine modification that may save billions

    The Navy and Air Force stand to save more than $2 billion after jointly developing an engine modification that will keep critically important aircraft flying for years.The two services and industry worked together to develop and field a modification to CFM International's CFM56-2 (F108) engine,

  • Obama to cadets: 'Your spirit is essence of America'

    During his commencement address here May 23, President Barack Obama called the Air Force Academy's Class of 2012 "exceptional" for the spirit embodied in their class motto, "Never Falter, Never Fail." This was Obama's second visit to the Academy since the summer of 2008, when the cadets were headed

  • Panetta believes Dover punishment appropriate

    Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta believes the punishment of supervisors accused of retaliating against whistleblowers at the Port Mortuary at Dover Air Force Base was appropriate, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today.Whistleblowers at the military mortuary in Delaware, which handles

  • PRT Kapisa works toward legacy of sustainment

    In the wake of the U.S. draw down in Afghanistan, many Provincial Reconstruction Teams are preparing for transition of projects to Afghan control. One of these teams, PRT Kapisa, hopes to leave a legacy of sustainment that lasts long after they are gone. The Kapisa PRT covers an area of

  • Former Airman credits AF for success in acting career

    A former service member credits the Air Force for helping him make a successful jump from the military to a television and film career.Jon Huertas, born Jon William Hofstedt, served eight years in the Air Force as an aircraft nuclear and conventional weapons specialist. He took advantage of the Air

  • Last AF Security Service Airman bids farewell

    For Lt. Gen. John C. (Craig) Koziol, bidding adieu culminates more than his three-plus decades as an intelligence game-changer. On the eve of his Air Force retirement capping a distinguished 36-year career, his goodbye to the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, one of his

  • Two former Airmen inducted into Astronaut Hall of Fame

    Two retired Airmen were recently inducted into the NASA's Astronaut Hall of Fame during a ceremony May 5 at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla.Retired Gen. Kevin Chilton and retired Col. Charles Precourt, along with Franklin Chang Diaz, were the 11th group of astronauts inducted, which brings the total

  • Coalition nations sign international 'Interfly' agreement

    U.S. Air Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Charles B. Green, along with the surgeons general of Australia, Canada and Great Britain, signed an international "Interfly" Proclamation of Understanding on May 14, in Atlanta, Ga.The Interfly proclamation, which was signed during the Aerospace Medical

  • Bystander intervention training: Take a stand against sexual assault

    Bystander Intervention Training, or BIT, is the Air Force's direct strategy to provide Airmen with knowledge to recognize potentially harmful situations and take action to mitigate possible harm to their fellow wingman. Bystander intervention training is mandatory for all military personnel and for

  • Additional civilian employee self-service requests available online

    Air Force Personnel Center human resources officials have expanded a self-service initiative allowing civilians to request updates to their personnel records online.Employees can now request updates for résumés, name changes, veterans' preference for reduction in force, awards, education, training,

  • Air Force Cross recipient soars among 'eagles'

    Next to the signatures of the "Candy Bomber," a Tuskegee Airman, the sixth chief master sergeant of the Air Force and a Vietnam prisoner of war, Air Force Cross recipient Tech. Sgt. Robert Gutierrez placed his name as the only current active-duty enlisted Airmen to be named an "Eagle."Two members of

  • Injured Airman reunites with family just four days after IED attack

    Staff Sgt. Brian Williams, who is deployed from the 87th Security Forces Squadron here, suffered serious injuries after an improvised explosive device detonated while he was on a mission April 25 outside Kandahar Airfield in southern Afghanistan.That same day, Williams, who is a military working dog

  • Deployed Airmen achieve maintenance milestone

    For aircraft maintainers deployed to the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, the month of April was one for the record books.Air Force leaders track metrics in eight categories each month that reflect the overall readiness of flying units. It's an accomplishment for an aircraft maintenance unit to surpass

  • Air Force vice chief nominated to be next USAFE commander

    Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced May 11 that the president has nominated Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Phil Breedlove to be the next U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander.If confirmed by the Senate, Breedlove will replace Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, who the president nominated to become

  • Fighters to fly air defense exercise to prepare for NATO summit

    Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region fighters will be active in the skies over Chicago on Friday in preparation for the next week's NATO summit.Exercise Amalgam Virgo 12-NATO, a NORAD air defense exercise, will be held in the greater Chicago area to allow interagency

  • Expanded Palace Chase applications due June 1

    Some active duty officers who are unable to separate because of an active duty service commitment may still be able to take advantage of the Expanded Palace Chase program, said Lt. Col. Tara White, Air Force Personnel Center retirements and separations chief."This isn't a new program," White said,

  • Prior enlisted retirement restriction waiver requests due by June 1

    Prior enlisted officers with eight years of active duty commissioned time may be able to retire through the Air Force 10-8 Commission Waiver Program, which was originally announced last December, Air Force Personnel Center officials reminded Airmen today. "AFPC announced this program last December

  • British JTACs, pilots train like they fight

    The sound of 30 mm guns from Moody A-10s ring through the air over Grand Bay Bombing and Gunnery Range almost daily. However, it's not every day these pilots are guided to their targets by British joint terminal attack controllers. Five British service members trained with Moody A-10C Thunderbolt II

  • Vietnam vet hears call of duty, heads to Afghanistan

    During a commander's call last year, Brig. Gen. Robert C. Nolan II, the Air Force Flight Test Center commander, asked Airmen who have been deployed to stand and be recognized for their service. He then asked those Airmen who have been deployed multiple times to raise their hands. Most of the Airmen

  • B-1 aircrews make history by employing laser JDAMS

    B-1 Lancer aircrews from here employed laser Joint Direct Attack Munitions against moving targets during a weapon system evaluation program exercise May 14 through 16.Aircrews from the 37th Bomb Squadron and 34th BS employed six GBU-54 laser JDAMs against targets on the Utah Test and Training Range

  • AF selects emerging leader program participants

    Six Air Force officers were selected for the 2012 National Defense University Center for the Study of Mass Destruction Program for Emerging Leaders, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced.The purpose of the program is to foster a community of rising U.S. government leaders with the awareness

  • Airman found dead at Fairchild

    An Airman attending training at the 336th Training Group was found dead in his dormitory May 12.Airman 1st Class John Bradshaw was pronounced dead at 8:15 a.m. May 12 by American Medical Response. The cause of his death is under investigation."Fairchild is saddened by the death of Airman Bradshaw,"

  • Fuels flight wins Air Force award

    The 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels management flight won the American Petroleum Institute trophy for best fuels flight in the Air Force for 2011. The "Black Knights" were selected over Sheppard AFB's 364th Training Squadron fuels flight and Kadena's 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels

  • EOD air commando receives fourth Bronze Star

    In high school, Ronnie "Bo" Brickey, a thrill-seeking rodeo bull rider from Oregon, was looking for a career that would quench his thirst for excitement.Brickey found his path when a neighbor's brother, an Air Force recruiter, urged him to look into explosive ordnance disposal.Since joining the Air

  • Spokane boy lives dream as 'Airman for a day'

    A 10-year-old boy, who has been fighting a cancerous tumor on his optic nerve and endured 1.5 years of chemotherapy, had the opportunity to become an "Airman for a day" here May 4.Sam, from Spokane, Wash., was the first youth to participate in this program, which was started by the Fairchild AFB

  • Four Airmen receive SecAF Leadership Award

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley presented four Airmen with the 2012 Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Award May 11 during a ceremony at the Air War College here. The award is the Air Force's most prestigious award for leadership in the professional military education environment."The

  • RAF Mildenhall hosts European Tanker Symposium

    The 100th Air Refueling Wing hosted the European Tanker Symposium here May 9-11. Attendees included the Royal Air Force 101 Squadron, French air force Bretagne Sqadron, Italian air force 14 Wing, Belgium air component, and the U.S. Air Force 603rd Air and Space Operations Center from Ramstein Air

  • AF Space Command realigns cyberspace capabilities

    The Air Force Network Integration Center will go through a restructure as it divests cyberspace lead command functions to Air Force Space Command to allow AFNIC to focus on its core mission of Air Force network integration and engineering services.The changes are a result of an AFSPC chartered study