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  • Airmen turn aeromedical staging facility into 'home-like atmosphere'

    Your plane lands after multiple flights and long hours. The door of the C-17 Globemaster III opens, and the cold air hits your face. It's the middle of winter in Southern Illinois, and several men and women in uniforms escort you to a bus that will take you to your room. When the bus comes to a

  • Partners build high-tech hands for wounded warriors

    Scientists and technologists are working with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to give arms and hands back to warriors who lose them in battle.Army Col. (Dr.) Geoffrey Ling, the DARPA program manager, talked about the program Nov. 19 to a TEDx Pentagon audience. TEDx Pentagon is a

  • Air Force Research Laboratory engineer receives Harold Brown Award

    A senior scientist from Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., received the 2010 Harold Brown Award Dec. 15 for her breakthrough research in pioneering new infrared technology that will augment aircraft defense and impact numerous Defense Department systems .Dr. Candace Lynch strengthened aircraft

  • Airman wins for big IDEA

    It wasn't a contest or a lucky roll of the dice that earned Tech. Sgt. Justin Burt $7,633; it was a good idea.The 28th Maintenance Squadron structural maintenance craftsman was rewarded because he thought of a new way to repair the rubber seals on a B-1B Lancer's landing gear doors. He received a

  • 'Today's Air Force' features birth of military aviation

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" features the 100th anniversary of Lt. Benjamin Foulois' first solo flight, which marked the birth of military aviation. Tune in for a look at some of the major aviation milestones from the past century and the men who achieved them.The 30-minute, weekly news show

  • Deadline for aerospace awards draws near

    The deadline for submitting nominations for the 2011 Air Force Association aerospace awards to the Air Force Personnel Center is Feb. 1.The aerospace awards recognize individuals for their outstanding contributions to national defense in a variety of fields.These awards include:Theodore Von Karman

  • Military members, veterans with disabilities learn life-changing skills

    More than 120 wounded military personnel, disabled veterans and their families traveled to Walt Disney World in Orlando for the 6th Annual Road to Recovery Conference.  The conference took place from Dec. 7 to Dec. 11.  The week-long event was presented by The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes

  • Most housing rates dip for 2011 as pay, subsistence increase

    Most military housing allowance rates will decrease slightly for 2011, but servicemembers will receive, on average, as much or slightly more money than they did this year, Defense Department officials said Dec. 15.Cheryl Anne Woehr, a housing allowance program analyst, said overall rates are fairly

  • Culture and language center to expand production of field guides

    The Air Force Language, Region and Culture Program Office will increase field guide production to provide Airmen an understanding of the cultural concepts necessary to meet mission requirements in the region to which they are deployed, officials said here Dec. 15. The framework of the field guides

  • New 'bird' finds home with 76th AS

    Members of the 76th Airlift Squadron here receieved a C-37A Dec. 7 to help increase the flying capabilities of the distinguished visitor mission.The new aircraft is the military version of the Gulfstream V ultra-long-range-business aircraft and is the first C-37A to be stationed here. The C-37A

  • Commander retires after 41 years of service

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe Airmen bid farewell to Gen. Roger A. Brady, the USAFE commander since 2008, who retired Dec. 13, as the longest-serving Air Force officer currently on active duty. "Being the commander of USAFE is really something; it just doesn't get much better than this," General Brady

  • Air Force emergency managers "walk the walk"

    A team of 481 Air Force emergency managers representing all the major commands, recently joined 2,000 of their colleagues at the 58th annual International Association of Emergency Managers conference in San Antonio.This year's IAEM conference theme was, "Talk the Talk, now Walk the Walk," and the

  • Teen center raises tilapia for Union Gospel Mission

    Teens attending the Fairchild Teen Center here are raising Tilapia -- a freshwater fish -- that will help feed homeless people year-round at the Spokane Union Gospel Mission.The youth program here is very active in supporting various efforts to improve quality of life for people on base and in the

  • National prevention month highlights dangers of drunken driving

    As the end-of-year holidays approach, Airmen, like the rest of America, are busy planning, shopping and preparing for those few days when family and friends gather to relax and celebrate. Some may not care to think about tragedy at this time, but December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving

  • TRICARE assistance program is here for beneficiaries during the holidays

    The holidays are a great opportunity to bond with family members and reconnect with old friends, but this time of year can also present significant stress, particularly if a loved one is deployed for the holidays. An empty seat at the dinner table, holiday shopping minus one or unwrapped gifts under

  • Airman aims to help others during holiday season

    It's not unusual for Maj. John Thomas to come home with beat up old bicycles.In the old, discarded bikes he finds in dumpsters, he sees a few more good years that could benefit some other child or adult, said Major Thomas, the 721st Mission Support Group chief of plans and programs. He takes the

  • New program connects wounded warriors with loved ones

    Members of the 455th Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility staff teamed up with Airmen from the 455th Expeditionary Communication Squadron to offer wounded warriors a way to communicate with loved ones as the wounded warriors make their journey home.The 455th ECS completed the installation of a

  • Computers to replace paper technical orders on Robins AFB flightline

    Within the next four years, laptop computers will be as important to aircraft mechanics here as wrenches and screwdrivers. Many Robins AFB mechanics are leading the way in the first test of "e-tools." That's the term used for the 300 laptops deployed on the flightline in the last 12 months to help

  • Officials seek enlisted for AFIT degree program

    Air Force Institute of Technology officials are offering six NCOs the opportunity to pursue an advanced science, engineering or management degree at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The NCOs will be selected in February to attend the Enlisted-to-AFIT program. The program is designed to provide

  • Caring for People Survey still open

    Air Force members looking to voice their concerns about community support programs and services still have time to complete the 2010 Caring for People Survey.The survey allows total-force Airmen, civilians, retirees and spouses an opportunity to tell Air Force leaders how they can better address

  • USAFE welcomes new commander

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe Airmen welcomed a new commander with the arrival of Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, who assumed command during a ceremony here Dec. 13. "This command is in great shape," General Welsh said. "My goal is just to make things even better than they have been in the past."General Welsh

  • Nurse commissioning program officials seek enlisted applicants

    Air Force officials are seeking active-duty enlisted Airmen to apply for the fall 2011 Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program.The program offers enlisted members an opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree in a high-need academic major. Air Force Personnel Center officials will conduct the annual NECP

  • New technology could save base millions

    Engineers here could soon be using an emerging technology to help clean the environment and save the Air Force money.Officials with the Robins Air Force Base Energy Office are conducting feasibility studies on the use of plasma arc technology, which offers environmentally safe measures for waste

  • Guardsmen, Reservists can nominate employers for awards

    Reserve-component servicemembers still have time to nominate their employers for the 2011 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. The award is the Defense Department's highest honor for employers who provide exceptional support for employees who serve in the National Guard or

  • Federal agencies share latest research on polytrauma and reintegration

    Helping severely wounded veterans and servicemembers recover and reintegrate into their families and communities was the theme of a joint Department of Veterans Affairs, Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury and National Institutes of Health two-day

  • Identifying friendly forces to become easier for AWACS

    Engineers with the Electronic Systems Center here have achieved the next step in bringing an improved Identification Friend or Foe, or IFF, system capability to E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft.Currently, AWACS provides situational awareness of friendly, neutral and hostile

  • ACC commander visits Kirtland AFB prior to start of virtual exercise

    Gen. William M. Fraser III, the Air Combat Command commander, visited the 705th Combat Training Squadron here Dec. 7, prior to the start of Virtual Flag.Virtual Flag exercises are part of the 505th Command and Control Wing's mission at Hurlburt Field, Fla., and are intended to improve warfighter

  • Spice illegal for Airmen, produces dangerous side effects

    Although it is banned from use by Airmen and scheduled to soon become illegal for all U.S. citizens, not much is known about the drug known as "spice."Spice, considered by some to be a marijuana alternative because it has the same effects, is a mixture of potentially dangerous herbs coated with

  • Manatee finds new home in Puerto Rico

    A five-year-old manatee now known as Guacara has arrived in Puerto Rico after a flight down from MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. The manatee was escorted by Dr. Antonio A. Mignucci, director of the Puerto Rico Manatee Conservation Center; Dr. David Murphy, South Florida Museum; and a Parker Museum

  • Kunsan AB officials add Tasers to arsenal

    Members of the 8th Security Forces Squadron here recently received Tasers as a non-lethal weapon to defend the base and its people. "We would usually use pepper spray to subdue an unruly subject, but on the Korean peninsula, we are not allowed to use pepper spray because it's considered a chemical

  • DOD officials to expand community-based child care options

    Defense Department officials plan to launch an initiative early next year aimed at expanding the quality and quantity of community-based child care options for geographically dispersed reserve and active-duty families and for families facing long waits for on-base care.Through the initiative, DOD

  • Nominees sought for employee with a disability award

    Air Force officials are seeking nominations for the 2011 Outstanding Department of Defense Employee with a Disability Award.This Secretary of Defense award recognizes the contributions and achievements made by physically or mentally disabled federal employees within the DOD.The award is open to

  • Special needs families receive added support

    Thirty-five installations worldwide now have additional staff members to support active-duty Airmen who have family members with special needs.Air Force officials established Exceptional Family Member Program family support coordinator positions at installations with the highest number of

  • Scholarships for Military Children Program seeking applicants

    Scholarship applications for the 2011 Scholarships for Military Children program are now available in commissaries worldwide and online at www.militaryscholar.org by clicking the "News & Info" tab and then the "Scholarship Info" tab. Since the program was announced in 2000, it has awarded $8.3

  • New approach to smoking cessation boosts quit rates for veterans with PTSD

    Smoking cessation treatment that is made part of mental health care for veterans with post traumatic stress disorder improves quit rates, according to a Department of Veterans Affairs study published in the Dec. 8 Journal of the American Medical Association. "The smoking cessation techniques used in

  • Combat rescue officers celebrate 10-year anniversary

    Officials celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the creation of the combat rescue officer career field Dec. 8."Our personnel recovery forces need to be organized, trained and equipped to operate across the full range of military operations, including humanitarian operations, irregular warfare and

  • Veterans' advocates hold forum to discuss homeless vets

    More than 400 participants from across the country took part in a two-day national forum on ending homelessness among veterans.Committee members discussed strengthening preventative measures and improving collaboration among government and private-sector organizations."For twenty years, we have

  • Senior DOD leaders share perspectives on future warfighting

    A panel of senior Department of Defense and service component leaders acknowledged that an uncertain, fluid international security environment demands new thinking and approaches to meeting training and simulation requirements for future joint warfighters. The panel met during the

  • 24th AF becomes AFCYBER

    Air Force officials announced that 24th Air Force changed from Air Forces Strategic to Air Forces Cyber Dec. 7. The change better reflects the mission the numbered Air Force performs for the Air Force and the Department of Defense."The name change will not impact the 24th Air Force's mission," said

  • Stanley: Pentagon must do better in hiring disabled

    Defense Department officials are doing a "pretty good" job at hiring talented, disabled people for their civilian work force, but they needs to do much better, the Pentagon's top personnel official said Dec. 8 here during his keynote remarks at the 30th annual Disability Awards Ceremony and Forum."I

  • Air Force officials support SpaceX launch

    Space Exploration Technologies officials completed a successful test launch of the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon space vehicle Dec. 8 here.Safety and range support was provided by 45th Space Wing members."The 45th Space Wing was proud to support this important Falcon 9 launch," said Brig. Gen.

  • Officials introduce new patient care concept at medical town hall

    Beginning in June 2011, officials from the 21st Medical Group will launch the Air Force Surgeon General's Family Health Initiative program here, which aims to lower the number of patients assigned to an Air Force medical provider and assigns a back-up team that knows each patient's medical history,

  • Air Force's X-37B historical landing advances space vehicle technologies

    After 224 days in space since its launch April 22 from Cape Canaveral, Fla., the X-37B orbital test vehicle landing marks the Air Force's latest step in experimental test missions to improve the service's space capabilities, officials said here Dec. 6.The 11,000-pound OTV made an autonomous landing

  • DOD seeks to better support disabled employees, official says

    The Defense Department employs about 45,000 workers with disabilities, but needs to boost awareness of a program to support, hire and retain them, the DOD's director of disability programs said Dec. 7.On the eve of the 30th Annual Department of Defense Disability Awards ceremony, "Talent Has No

  • 'Today's Air Force' features a look around the service

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," Airmen and their families get ready for the holiday season. Plus, see Air Force members competing in sports competitions all over the world. And, see how Airmen continue to support their Iraqi and Afghan counterparts. The 30-minute, weekly news show can be

  • President extends stop loss claims deadline

    Airmen, veterans and their beneficiaries now have until Dec. 18 to apply for retroactive stop loss special pay.The new deadline is the second extension to the original Oct. 21 cutoff and comes as a result of a continuing resolution signed by the president Dec. 4.Airmen eligible for the benefit

  • PlayStation 3 supercomputer can read, correct input

    Video games have seen significant advances in the past few years. What once was a black box with a low quality video version of ping-pong, is now a sleek, motion-capturing, high-resolution computer system capable of networking around the world.Mark Barnell, the director of high-performance computing

  • Nominations open for Outstanding Airmen of the Year Award

    Air Force officials are seeking nominations for the 2011 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Award.There are three categories for award: Airman, NCO and Senior NCO. Major commands and the Air Force District of Washington will each nominate three candidates, one per category, to the Air Force 12 OAY

  • NORAD to track Santa for Christmas

    For the 55th consecutive year, the men and women of the North American Aerospace Defense Command are preparing to track Santa. The NORAD Tracks Santa web site,www.noradsanta.org , went live Dec. 3 and features holiday games and activities that change daily. The web site is available in seven

  • National Veterans Golden Age Games set for Hawaii

    More than 700 "golden age" veterans from the continental U.S. and the Pacific islands plan to travel to Hawaii to participate in the nation's largest sporting event for senior military veterans. The 25th National Veterans Golden Age Games, a national sports and recreational competition sponsored by

  • Admiral Mullen praises Newman's Own Foundation, military charities

    The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff praised the Newman's Own Foundation and nine military charities that shared a $2.5 million award from the foundation.At the annual "Newman's Own Awards" ceremony here Dec. 2, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said the foundation's role as a funding stream in an era when

  • X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle lands at Vandenberg AFB

    The U.S. Air Force's first unmanned re-entry spacecraft landed here Dec. 3 at 1:16 a.m.The X-37B, named Orbital Test Vehicle 1, which launched April 22 from Cape Canaveral, Fla., conducted on-orbit experiments for more than 220 days during its maiden voyage. It fired its orbital maneuver engine in

  • New policy bridges Korea tour normalization

    The top U.S. commander in South Korea has introduced a new policy prioritizing what positions qualify for highly sought-after command sponsorships for family members.Army Gen. Walter L. Sharp, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea, announced the new system this week to control the flow of

  • Officials announce new Air Force museum director

    Air Force officials announced Dec. 2 the assignment of Senior Executive Service member and retired Lt. Gen. John "Jack" L. Hudson as director of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, effective Dec. 16. He will replace Senior Executive Service member and

  • Modeling and simulation conference shaping future warfighting

    The new commander of Air Education & Training Command challenged developers of modeling and simulation technologies to work together to develop new and improved training systems to meet the full spectrum of threats joint and coalition warfighters may face in the future during a conference here Nov.

  • Operation Provide Hope supports Ukrainian medical facilities

    The humanitarian-assistance program base in Pirmasens, Germany, recently completed an Operation Provide Hope project in Simferopol, Ukraine. A team of 10 civilians, two Soldiers and 12 U.S. Air Forces in Europe Airmen provided medical supplies and training to help increase their medical

  • Global Strike Command officials build partnership with French

    The French Strategic Air Forces' top officer, Lt. Gen. Paul Fouilland, visited the Air Force Global Strike Command here Nov. 14 through 18 as part of a continuing dialogue between the two nations' strategic air forces. The Global Strike Command commander, Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, toured French air

  • Officials unveil new government travel cards

    The Air Force is primed for servicewide distribution of new Citibank controlled spend account government travel cards now through spring 2011, officials said here Dec. 1. Issuance of the CSA card for use in conjunction with temporary-duty assignments, permanent change of station or deployment orders

  • DSP, engineers recognized at National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

    Military and industry officials recently gathered at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force to recognize those involved with Defense Support Program satellites over the past four decades.Earlier this year, a 35-foot-long DSP structural test vehicle, which helped to provide the Air Force with

  • Keeping Yokota moms fit

    The team at the health and wellness center here has recently added a prenatal aerobics class to help expectant mothers stay in shape.Staff Sgt.Treshawna Gwendo, a diet therapist with the 374th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, is the instructor for the class. She said the class is for anyone a soon-to-be

  • Air Force officials continuing source selection for new tanker

    Air Force officials have said the KC-X source selection process will continue despite a mistake in November, where a limited amount of identical source selection information was provided to both KC-X offerors concerning their competitor's offering. Air Force officials are ensuring a level playing

  • Air Force implements new transition program

    The Air Force's new technical training transition program was implemented Nov. 15, after test periods here and at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas."Over the past 18 years, the enlisted phase program had transformed into a bloated management tool used to control and manage Airmen," said Chief Master

  • Digital close-air support improvements on the way

    Airmen on the ground whose mission is to help deliver close-air support will soon receive a set of tools that will help them do their jobs better while lightening the loads they're required to carry.Tactical air control party Airmen are assigned to Army units that engage in all levels of operations,

  • GPS satellite achieves 20 years in orbit

    Space Vehicle Number 23, Global Positioning System constellation, is a testament to how Air Force officials continue to meet and exceed their operational requirements with GPS.GPS Block IIA-10 (SVN-23), built by Boeing (formerly Rockwell Corporation), was launched Nov. 26, 1990, and set healthy to

  • Survey addresses quality-of-life needs

    The 2010 Caring for People Survey gives total force Airmen, civilians, retirees and dependents an opportunity to voice their concerns on how the Air Force can better address their quality-of-life needs. With Airmen deploying in support of global contingency operations for two decades, developing and

  • IDEA winner saves Air Force millions

    A member of Air Force Global Strike Command from here received the maximum payout of $10,000 for his submission of the Launch Control Center NetLink System to the Innovated Development through Employees Awareness program.Douglas Angell, a technical engineer from the 526th Intercontinental Ballistic

  • Communications and information service consolidation eases MAJCOM workloads

    The transition of common communication and information workloads from major commands to the Air Force Network Integration Center is complete, enabling MAJCOM communications and information staffs to further focus on core warfighting missions and information needs.The transfer centralized 10 services

  • Mullen: U.S. drawdown in Afghanistan to begin in July

    The U.S. is "very committed" to begin drawing down its forces in Afghanistan in July, but large numbers will remain, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said on a televised broadcast Nov. 28."We will start drawing down troops next July," Navy Admiral Mike Mullen told Fareed Zacharia, host of

  • Clean, low-energy solutions sought for mammoth program

    Ongoing technical and cost analyses could lead program officials to seek a mixture of alternative energy sources to fuel the next generation of massive ground-based radars that will track space objects and debris.In October, Electronic Systems Center officials here released a Request for Proposal

  • Elmendorf officials host Special Olympics bowling tournament

    Officials here hosted the 2010 Special Olympics Alaska Bowling Tournament at its Polar Bowl facility Nov. 19 through the 21. Some 240 athletes from seven Alaska communities, from as far away as Juneau, teamed up with more than 300 military and civilian volunteers and approximately 100 certified

  • Leaders provide update, vector on Air Force space efforts at symposium

    Senior Air Force leaders, servicemembers and industry partners gathered for the Air Force Association's annual Global Warfare Symposium Nov. 18 through 19 here. This year's symposium focused on innovation, operating under financial constraints, building partnerships and managing space acquisition.

  • Exchange programs brings French cadets to Ramstein

    Eight cadets from Salon-de-Provence Air Base, France, visited Ramstein Air Base Nov. 14 to 20 with hopes of learning how the U.S. military operates on a day-to-day basis. The visit marked the first time cadets from the French Air Force Academy participated in an immersion tour of an American

  • FalconSAT-5 rockets into orbit

    A converted Minotaur-IV ICBM carried FalconSAT-5 into orbit from the Kodiak Launch Complex in Alaska Nov. 19.FalconSAT-5 was designed, built and tested by Air Force Academy Class of 2010 cadets as part of the FalconSAT capstone astronautics program.Col. Marty France, the permanent professor and head

  • Schwartz discusses Korea, other issues

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said it is "significant" that the South Korean air force, rather than the U.S., is leading its country's air defenses at a time when North Korea has become increasingly provocative.Schwartz spoke here Nov. 23 at a Defense Writers Group meeting hours

  • C2 Constellation still integrating, piece by piece

    A program initiated in 2000 as an attempt to integrate all command and control systems continues to contribute to that goal today, albeit in a different way.While the C2 Constellation began as an effort to build an overarching architecture for all C2 systems, work now focuses on specific enterprise

  • Task force prepares for Horn of Africa mission

    Leaders preparing to deploy to Djibouti in January as the next headquarters staff at Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa just wrapped up the first phase of a new, four-part training program designed to prepare them as well as the follow-on task force for the unique, strategically important

  • Air Guard top enlisted Airman addresses force

    The training and experience level of the Air National Guard's enlisted force has expanded during the past decade and, as a result it, has made considerable contributions to both the overseas and domestic missions, said the Air Guard's top enlisted leader Nov. 18."In the E-1 to E-4 category,

  • 'Today's Air Force' features Air Force Week Cocoa Beach

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," Airmen hit the Florida beach just south of Cape Canaveral for Air Force Week Cocoa Beach! Join your hosts Staff Sgt. Nicholas Kurtz and Airman 1st Class Alina Richard as they cover Air Force Week from all angles.In Part 1, see some of the awesome gear special

  • Major AWACS upgrade begins

    The next step in the largest block upgrade in the history of the E-3 Sentry, or Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft occurred Nov. 18 at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., when the first aircraft receiving the block 40/45 modification was inducted by the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center.New

  • Council works to end life insurance compensation confusion

    A special advisory council has agreed to provide family members and survivors of fallen servicemembers and deceased veterans more options for how they receive life insurance compensation.The agreement paved the way to end confusion for survivors and family members of fallen troops, John Gingrich,

  • Kadena Airmen wrap up largest avionics training relocation

    Twelve F-15 Eagles and about 180 from here are wrapping up two weeks of bilateral training with Japan Air Self Defense Force members at Chitose Air Base in northern Japan. The aviation training relocation program is designed to increase operational readiness and interoperability between U.S. and

  • DOD officials establish wounded warrior task force

    Officials from the office of the undersecretary of Defense for personnel and readiness have announced the names of 14 members who will serve on the Department of Defense Task Force for Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured servicemembers.The four-year mission of

  • Academy officials educate future leaders on alternative energy

    Leaders at the Air Force Academy broke ground Nov. 1 for a 6-megawatt solar photovoltaic array, one of the largest solar PV projects in Colorado. The array is part of an energy transformation at the Academy, both physically and culturally, as officials seek to make the Academy a "Net Zero"

  • Network Integration Center team shapes future of AF cyberspace operations

    The Air Force Network Integration Center may be an organization that many Airmen aren't familiar with, but it has a very significant charter that ultimately affects every Airman, every day.The center, located here at Scott Air Force Base, is a direct reporting unit of Air Force Space Command at

  • DOD center tracks health, illness in U.S. forces

    A new Defense Department agency employs combined medical expertise to track health, illness and injury across the military services, the center director said.Army Col. (Dr.) Robert F. DeFraites heads the Maryland-based American Forces Health Surveillance Center, which serves servicemembers, family

  • Cadet-built satellite to launch Nov. 19

    Years of work will rocket into orbit when the U.S. Air Force Academy's latest cadet-built satellite, FalconSAT-5, launches from Kodiak Launch Complex, Alaska, at 6:24 p.m. Mountain Time Nov. 19.The mission, dubbed STP-S26 for the Department of Defense Space Test Program's 26th mission, will carry

  • Academy holds religious respect conference

    Leaders from national Christian, Jewish, Freethinker, Earth-Centered and interfaith religious organizations met here Nov. 15 to 16 to discuss how the Air Force Academy can best train cadets to respect other faiths and continue to foster an environment that encourages accommodation of religious

  • Program easing medical separation rolls out forcewide

    A pilot program that eases medical separation and speeds benefit payments for servicemembers too wounded, sick or injured to stay in the military will soon roll out to the entire force. "We are proud that the disability evaluation system is making progress," a senior defense official said this week.

  • Cyber attacks present 'huge' threat, Gates says

    Leaders are taking steps to bring defense industrial and domestic partners under an umbrella of protection from cyber attacks, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Nov. 16."There is a huge future threat and there is a considerable current threat (from cyber attacks)," Gates said during a

  • Defense undersecretary outlines cost-saving strategy

    Affordability, incentives and productivity growth are the ingredients to get the most out of the next Defense Department budget, a top Pentagon official said Nov. 17.The department will have to become more efficient to support troops while the budget flattens, Ashton B. Carter, undersecretary for

  • Remote device to monitor health on battlefield

    Pararescuemen and other medical technicians will be able to remotely determine a warfighter's health status on the battlefield with sensors designed to be worn and ingested.The Battlefield Automatic Life Status Monitor, or BALSM, is being developed by QinetiQ North America's Technology Solutions

  • Teens gather for first AF Reserve Teen Leadership Council

    Teenagers from around the nation gathered at Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command here for the first AFR Teen Leadership Council meeting Nov. 12. The 20 teens, selected to represent their peers as members of the council, received briefings on Air Force Reserve Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Programs

  • Secretary Donley lauds Air Guard's capability, reach

    The secretary of the Air Force spoke to approximately 2,000 attendees at the Air National Guard's 2010 Senior Leadership Conference here Nov. 16.Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley said the Air National Guard leads the way in providing "maximum combat power when and where the nation needs it,

  • Kyrgyz, U.S. servicemembers distribute coats, blankets to Koi Tash students

    Koi Tash Noncommissioned Officer Academy soldiers, along with U.S. servicemembers serving in Kyrgyzstan, handed out $3,400 in winter coats and blankets to Chuiskaya Region Boarding School-Gymnasium students Nov. 11.The Transit Center at Manas' Operation Warm and Dry II program reached out to the

  • TRICARE provides answers to behavioral health questions

    Whether it's "butterflies in the stomach" or a quickened heartbeat, most people feel anxious at some time or another. While it's normal to worry or feel nervous before public speaking or an important event, or with unexpected news, some people constantly feel on edge and panicky. Similarly, sadness

  • AETC commander to retire after 37 years of service

    The commander of Air Education and Training Command, Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz, will retire in the grade of general effective Jan. 1, 2011, Air Force officials have announced, culminating more than 37 years of commissioned service. His retirement ceremony is Nov. 17.Among his many accomplishments as

  • VA officials test programs to expedite payments to disabled veterans

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials launched two pilot programs to test new procedures that will speed the payment of VA compensation benefits to veterans with disabilities connected to their military service. These new programs are part of Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki's

  • John Legend entertains troops in Florida

    Military and family members were treated to some "smooth grooves" Nov. 13 when R & B singer, John Legend, performed a free concert here.The concert was part of the "Stateside Tour for The Troops" program hosted by the Air Force Reserve. Attendees from Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field, and Duke

  • Air Force officials to host Renewable Energy Industry Day

    Renewable energy companies, innovators and entrepreneurs will get the chance to learn about potential energy project opportunities at the Air Force's Renewable Energy Industry Day Dec. 8 at the Wyndham Hotel in Irving, Texas.Air Force officials, including Terry A. Yonkers, assistant secretary of the