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  • DOD celebrates Month of the Military Child

    Children of U.S. service members around the world will be honored throughout the month of April for their contributions to their families' well-being and sacrifices on behalf of the nation, a Defense Department official said.Each April, Americans pause to recognize the nation's 1.8 million military

  • Policy aims to better identify, treat concussions

    A memorandum that took effect throughout the Defense Department in June is expected to have a major impact on efforts to identify and treat traumatic brain injuries in the combat theater faster and more systematically, medical officials reported at the recent Armed Forces Public Health Conference in

  • Tyndall teenager selected as Air Force Military Child of the Year

    Tyndall teenager Nicole Goetz, 17, recently selected as the Air Force Military Child of the Year, was awarded a flight in air show performer Greg Poe's aerobatic airplane March 23.This year's 2011 Gulf Coast Salute Open House and Air Show, hosted by Tyndall officials March 26 and 27, featured

  • DOD to drop Social Security numbers from ID cards

    Beginning June 1, Social Security numbers on military identification cards will begin to disappear, said Maj. Monica M. Matoush, a Pentagon spokeswoman. The effort is part of a larger plan to protect service members and other DOD identification card holders from identity theft, officials said.

  • CMSAF highlights Airman resiliency during hearing

    The Air Force's top enlisted Airman testified before the House Subcommittee for Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies here March 30, about quality of life in the military.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy, alongside his sister-service counterparts, spoke about

  • Top enlisted leaders share views with Congress

    Improving housing and child care, giving better access to health care and education, and intervening earlier in high-risk behavior are areas the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps are focused on to maintain a high quality of life for service members and their families, the services' most-senior

  • VA makes progress to end veteran homelessness

    They served their country in uniform -- many on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan. And now that they've returned home and rejoined civilian life, an alarming number of veterans have found themselves on the streets and living under bridges.Veterans Affairs Department officials are making

  • U.S., Iraqi air force officials discuss T-6's future in Iraq

    Iraq air force officials took a step closer to self-sustainment after hosting their first T-6 Texan trainer aircraft program management review at New Al Muthana Air Base just days before a historic instructor pilot flight. The conference held March 17 brought together more than 30 representatives

  • Classes aim to spark interest in science, technology

    From robotics engineering to gaming technology, Defense Department school officials are hoping their new, cutting-edge courses will spark a lifelong passion for science and technology in their students.Under a new science, technology, engineering and math initiative, Department of Defense Education

  • ANG, Reserve Airmen contribute to Operation Odyssey Dawn

    In response to the recent conflict in Libya, approximately 50 Air National Guardsmen and Air Forces reservists joined forces with their active duty counterparts and coalition partners to run the 603rd Air and Space Operations Center here.Members of the 603rd AOC, in partnership with the 617th AOC,

  • Rollout approaches for Young Adult TRICARE enrollment

    TRICARE will soon allow qualified young adults, up to age 26, to purchase military health plan coverage on a month-to-month basis.TRICARE officials announced plans to roll out the new Young Adult Program, including an option to make coverage retroactive to Jan. 1, in the near future.This will ensure

  • Air Force officials outline efficiencies processes

    In compliance with Department of Defense efficiency guidance, Air Force officials confirmed plans here March 29 to implement fiscal 2012 budget proposals that shift dollars and people from overhead and support functions to modernization and warfighting areas.During testimony to members of the

  • VA officials extend post-incarceration health care

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials will extend health care to eligible veterans in halfway houses and other temporary, post-incarceration housing under a new program aimed at cutting back on repeat offenses."There's hard evidence that lack of access to health care, including mental health

  • Budget slows defense growth, comptroller says

    Cost savings reflected in the fiscal 2012 Defense Department budget do not represent a cut from current funding levels, but rather a slower rate of growth than has been seen in recent years, the Pentagon's comptroller and chief financial officer told a Senate committee here March 29.Defense

  • Realignments add to busy summer moving season

    With a busier-than-usual military moving season about to kick into high gear, officials are asking service members to book their moving dates early and keep flexibility in mind when doing so.The military moved more than 230,000 shipments last summer alone, and this year officials are expecting an

  • VA officials work to break disability claims backlog

    Former Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Tyrone Allen is part of a growing legion within the Veterans Affairs Department striving to make good on VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki's pledge to "break the back of the claims backlog."Allen understands firsthand the frustrations many veterans feel as they wait

  • Disabled vets discover 'miracle on mountain'

    Sheila James threw her arms up in joy, flashing a smile that stretched from ear to ear as she celebrated a personal victory during the 25th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic here March 29.A motor vehicle rollover in 2009 turned the former senior airman's life upside-down, landing her

  • Officers share cross-flow experiences, skills

    Cross-flowing into one career field from another isn't a new concept for Airmen. Most officers, at one time or another throughout their career, have served in a position or job outside of their original or primary Air Force Specialty Code. Take, for example, Lt. Col. Ginger Wallace, a former

  • Training for repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell ongoing for Airmen

    Air Force officials began training Airmen March 1 in anticipation of the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell with a goal of having all Airmen trained on or about June 30.Commanders throughout the Air Force will schedule commander's calls or other such events to ensure face-to-face training is available

  • Acquisitions improvements need permanence, Carter says

    With spring coming in Afghanistan, the Defense Department is set to perform the same "remarkable" work it conducted in last year's troop surge to get warfighters everything they need while working to institutionalize those procedures, the department's undersecretary for acquisitions, technology and

  • Disabled veterans sports clinic opens in Colorado

    Deputy Veterans Affairs Secretary W. Scott Gould called on more than 350 disabled veterans March 27 to strive for new heights as they participate here this week in the 25th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic.Speaking during opening ceremonies alongside Vice President Joe Biden and

  • Air Force offers additional undergraduate flying training board opportunity

    Air Force leaders expanded an opportunity for active duty junior and mid-grade officers to cross-flow into one of many rated AFSCs with the announcement of an additional undergraduate flying training board. The board is scheduled to be held in July at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. Greater

  • New coalition member flies first sortie enforcing no-fly zone over Libya

    Airmen from Qatar, the newest member to the coalition supporting the enforcement of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, flew their first operational sortie March 25 in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn.A Qatari Emiri Air Force Mirage 2000-5 flew alongside a French Mirage 2000-5 as part

  • Study makes suicide-prevention program recommendations

    A new study commissioned by the Defense Department affirms many of the suicide-prevention efforts being made within DOD and the military services and recommends ways to strengthen them.In preparing "The War Within: Suicide Prevention in the U.S. Military," the Rand National Defense Research

  • Air National Guard supports coalition operations over Libya

    The Air National Guard is contributing to Operation Odyssey Dawn with Airmen from 11 air refueling wings supporting the international coalition enforcement of a United Nations authorized no-fly zone, National Guard officials said March 22 here.Aircraft and crews from Alaska, Arizona, Illinois, Iowa,

  • Mullen accepts award on behalf of armed forces

    Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Navy Adm. Mike Mullen accepted the Dwight D. Eisenhower Award from the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress March 24 on behalf of all members of the U.S. armed forces."Tonight, there are thousands upon thousands of young men and women answering our

  • Just another 'dog day afternoon' for Airmen, Sailors

    It was a 'dog day afternoon' March 23 for Staff Sgt. Chris Sawhill and Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Aaron Green as they volunteered their time to help welcome transiting pets from Japan to the Joint Reception Coordination Center here.As family members made their way across the Pacific from various

  • U.S., British forces test contingency operations during Desert Eagle 2011

    For 54 hours straight, more than 250 U.S. and British airmen worked in unison here March 14 through 16, against a series of simulated hostile threats.Through suicide bombers and insurgent attacks, members shared tactics, techniques and procedures to repel enemy forces.Though these simulated events

  • Air Force aerial layer networking concept to enhance warfighter connectivity

    By 2024, the Air Force's fleet of aircraft, space and surface systems will contribute to and use various aerial layer networking functions to support joint capability areas, officials said here March 23.Following the publication of the October 2009 Joint Aerial Layer Network Initial Capabilities

  • Operating room makes medical developments

    The operating room at the Craig Joint Theater Hospital here rivals operating rooms found in the U.S., officials said.The CJTH is a place where advancements are made in medicine every day, said Tech. Sgt. Robert Wick, a CJTH operating room orthopedic technician."We are learning new methods, such as

  • Gates discusses Libya, Middle East turmoil

    Operations in Libya and instability in the Middle East dominated a news conference with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates here March 23.Gates met with reporters after a meeting with Prime Minister Essam Sharaf and other Egyptian leaders.U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973 called for establishing a

  • New Security+ certification course offered at Keesler AFB

    A new course to provide Security+ certification to cyberspace support Airmen prior to air expeditionary force deployments began March 21 here.The course is currently programmed to train 1,297 students annually in Keesler AFB's 336th Training Squadron.Last December, during a training advisory meeting

  • Service members reminded of courage, valor during building dedication

    The new William A. Jones III Building officially opened its doors here March 22 during a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony attended by several senior Air Force, civic and community leaders and approximately 400 base personnel. Air Force leaders who took part in the ceremony included Secretary

  • Test report: AFNet effective, suitable, mission-capable

    The effort to manage Air Force web and email operations as one, consolidated enterprise took a giant step forward March 18, with release of a testing report on Air Force Intranet Increment 1, referred to as AFNet Inc 1. The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center's evaluation showed that

  • Tax laws benefit service members, families

    Service members and their families have a few tax advantages at their disposal, as well as a few extra days in which to complete their taxes this year, a Defense Department tax expert said.Due to Emancipation Day, a holiday recognized by the District of Columbia, government officials have pushed the

  • Gates cites efforts to avoid civilian casualties in Libya

    Coalition forces enforcing a no-fly zone in Libya to halt the slaughter of citizens by Moammar Gadhafi "have gone to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here March 22.Gates and Russian Defense Minister Anatoliy Serdyukov met to discuss a range of

  • Air Force officials continue to consolidate personnel processes, actions

    Air Force personnel officials here will be assuming some personnel actions from Air Education and Training Command bases over the next four months to help reduce workloads on base military personnel sections.Master Sgt. Joseph Smith, the Air Force Personnel Center's sustainment superintendent, said

  • Romanian air force officers visit local Alabama Guard unit

    Five officers from the Romanian air force visited the Alabama National Guard's 187th Fighter Wing here recently. Over their five-day visit, the Romanian officers received a broad overview of F-16 Fighting Falcon operations and sustainment programs.Romanian air force leaders are considering plans to

  • Advisers aid weapons delivery to Iraqi partners

    Iraqi and U.S. weapons crews and pilots completed a $250,000 weapons-delivery mission from Sather Air Base, Iraq to here March 14.A half dozen Airmen assigned to the 721st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron here accompanied their Iraqi army aviation command partners to accept delivery of nearly

  • U.S., Thai airmen donate supplies to school children

    Service members presented more than $1,300 in supplies to help students at a community outreach event here March 18, during Cope Tiger, a multilateral joint and combined field training exercise.The school staff welcomed U.S. and Royal Thai Air Force airmen with a donation ceremony to express their

  • Senior leaders thank KC-46A source selection team

    Department of Defense and Air Force senior leaders flew here from Washington March 21 to congratulate the team responsible for the source selection of the Air Force's top acquisition priority: the KC-46A tanker. Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley; Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition,

  • Marine squadron's F-16 flights "a milestone" toward JSF

    Marine aviators of Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 completed four sorties this week in F-16 Fighting Falcons, beginning a familiarization process to ensure readiness and efficiency in the transition to the Department of Defense's fifth-generation fighter, the F-35B Lightning II."It's a

  • Annual Air Force symposium embraces critical training environment

    Air Force officials launched their annual Environmental, Safety and Occupational Health Training Symposium here March 21, hosting more than 1,800 participants and 120 exhibitors.Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Terry Yonkers, Air Force Civil Engineer Maj. Gen. Tim Byers and Brig. Gen. Dave Howe,

  • Clinical trials seek to improve warriors' burn care

    New hope is on the horizon for wounded warriors suffering debilitating burns as officials from the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine and their partners at medical research centers launch three promising clinical trials.Burns are among the most painful and debilitating battlefield

  • Misawa Airmen coordinate volunteer efforts in local community

    It wasn't long after the ground stopped shaking in Japan that people began asking, "What can I do to help?"Hundreds of volunteers, military members, families and civilians, came forward at Misawa Air Base in the days following the March 11, 9.0-magnitude earthquake. It soon became clear that a

  • New crisis centers assist with relocations

    Department of Defense Education Activity officials have established crisis centers to assist parents of its students and employees who are affected by the voluntary relocations from Japan and Bahrain.The centers -- one each in Virginia, Japan and Germany -- are accessible by phone or email 24 hours

  • CMSAF Roy visits sunny Soto Cano Air Base

    It was 25 degrees at Joint Base Andrews, Md., when Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy boarded a plane and headed to Honduras where when he joined Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines at sunny Soto Cano Air Base Jan. 30 and 31.The visit was packed with tours and meet-and-greets, but the

  • T-38 completes 50 years of service

    Officials commemorated the T-38 Talon supersonic jet trainer's 50th service anniversary in a ceremony here March 17.The T-38 was first deployed in March 1961, and has served as a training vehicle for multiple generations of pilots and pilot instructors throughout its five decades of service.Col.

  • Air Force officials present budget to Senate

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz discussed the Air Force fiscal-2012 budget request and recent developments in Japan and Libya during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing here March 17. The Air Force's baseline budget request of $150

  • Air Force officials take space budget, acquisition strategy to Capitol Hill

    Air Force senior leaders testified about the service's fiscal 2012 budget and space capabilities investments before the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee here March 15. Under Secretary of the Air Force Erin Conaton; Gen. William Shelton, the Air Force Space Command commander;

  • DOD officials identify Air Force casualty

    Department of Defense officials announced March 17 the death of an Airman who was supporting Operation New Dawn. Senior Airmen Michael J. Hinkle II, 24, of Corona, Calif., died March 16 due to a non-combat related incident in Southwest Asia. He was assigned to the 28th Communications Squadron,

  • McConnell AFB officials focus on suicide prevention

    As deployment rates continue to climb and operations tempo increases, Airmen must maintain their mental health, the Air Force's top enlisted Airman has said."We provide our Airmen the best equipment in the entire world, without a doubt, but ... the Airmen who operate it, ... the Airmen (who)

  • High-altitude chamber replaced by new mask for Iraqi air force

    A team of aerospace physiologists from several Air Force installations are here to help the Iraqi air force install and train with its newest piece of training equipment. The team held a demonstration March 14 to showcase how the device will assist in training, as well as save time and money in the

  • Modified X-51A Waverider ready for next hypersonic test

    Air Force engineers currently plan to fly the second X-51A Waverider hypersonic flight test demonstrator as early as March 22, program officials said March 15."We are proud of the first flight results, and at the same time we understand the inherent risk in a high-technology demonstrator like the

  • Yokota, Misawa commanders stop incoming PCS moves

    Permanent-change-of-station moves to Yokota and Misawa air bases are currently delayed in the aftermath of an earthquake and tsunami that caused catastrophic damage to locations throughout the country.Wing commanders at both bases have issued stop-movement directives that affect military PCS moves,

  • Air Force Marathon officials seek volunteer coordinators

    Air Force Marathon officials are seeking applicants for volunteer coordinators who will be instrumental in executing this 15th annual running event. "These positions serve as ambassadors of the 2011 Air Force Marathon," said Jeanette Monaghan, the staff volunteer coordinator. "They are truly the

  • Cultural exchange strengthens U.S., Thailand, Singpore relations

    Airmen from the U.S., Thailand and Singapore participated in a cultural exchange event March 14, at Ang Huay Yang School in Korat, Thailand, as part of Cope Tiger 2011, a multilateral joint and combined field training exercise.Each year, exercise Cope Tiger's community outreach programs enable

  • Services meet, exceed recruiting, retention goals

    Recruiting and retention remained high throughout the services for the first five months of the fiscal year, according to numbers Pentagon officials released March 15.Through February, all four active-duty services and four of the five reserve components had met or exceeded their recruiting goals

  • Environment, safety, occupational health symposium set for March

    Approximately 1,200 Airmen are set to convene in Nashville, Tennessee, March 21 through 25 for 4 1/2 days of classroom training at the Air Force's 2011 Environment, Safety and Occupational Health Training Symposium. More than 525 class sessions and 175 technical sessions in the fields of safety,

  • VA launches new PSA on suicide prevention for veterans

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials are reaching out to veterans in crisis and their families in a new public service announcement to raise awareness about suicide prevention resources, such as the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). "As more veterans return from Iraq and

  • Department makes 'great strides' in brain-injury care

    The Defense Department is making great strides in the field of traumatic brain injury that will benefit not only the department, but also its global and civilian partners, a TBI expert said March 11."The department is committed to fast-tracking promising research and to improving the diagnosis and

  • Jobs website continues to ease application process for employees

    Since its implementation in May 2010, more than 180,000 applications have been posted through www.NAFjobs.org.The Air Force-wide online job board makes it easier for job seekers to find and apply for nonappropriated fund, or NAF, federal job vacancies at Air Force clubs, golf courses, child

  • DOD, State Department officials present budgets to Senate

    Concepts of security are changing, and it is just as important to invest in diplomacy and development as it is to invest in service members and their equipment, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III told the Senate Budget Committee March 10.Mr. Lynn and Deputy Secretary of State for

  • Officials release officer cross-flow board results

    As part of the Air Force's ongoing efforts to balance the force, Air Force Personnel Center officials convened a panel Feb. 15 through 16 to select eligible nonrated line officers for cross-flow into critically manned career fields."The officer cross-flow program was implemented in 2011 as a

  • Schools encouraged to join VA's Yellow Ribbon Program

    Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki is encouraging interested colleges and universities to participate in the Department of Veterans Affairs Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon Program for the upcoming 2011-2012 academic year. "Through shared responsibility, VA and our nation's colleges and

  • Space team improves GPS capability for warfighters

    Joint force warfighters around the globe will soon be able to assess real-time and future GPS accuracy, both where they are and where they're going, with a new capability developed by the 2nd Space Operations Squadron's Global Positioning System User Operations team here.The new capability uses the

  • Air Force official announces acquisition award winners

    Air Force Service Acquisition Executive David Van Buren announced the winners of the 2010 Acquisition Leadership and Transformation Awards March 9 at the Acquisition Leadership Forum here. The awards recognize Air Force individuals and organizations that have exhibited outstanding performance in

  • Air Force civil engineer visits Academy

    The Air Force civil engineer visited the U.S. Air Force Academy March 4 to speak to civil engineer officers and cadets about the state of civil engineer operations in Afghanistan and the effects of force management on the civil engineer officer corps.Maj. Gen. Timothy Byers and his staff looked at

  • CSAF visits Whiteman AFB, addresses changes

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz visited here March 8 to meet with Airmen and local civic leaders, and review the capabilities and readiness of this Air Force Global Strike Command base.During an all-call with total force Airmen and civilians, the general said the men and women of

  • AFRICOM personnel bid farewell to Ward, welcomes Ham

    Members of the Defense Department's newest combatant command bid farewell to their inaugural commander here March 9.Army Gen. William E. "Kip" Ward passed the reins of U.S. Africa Command to Army Gen. Carter F. Ham after nearly three years at the helm.Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates officiated at

  • Stay TRICARE eligible: Keep DEERS up-to-date

    Beneficiaries who have recently experienced a life changing event, such as the birth or adoption of a child, or recent divorce or marriage should immediately record these changes in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, or DEERS. If they wait, their TRICARE benefit coverage could be

  • Secretary Gates sees progress in Afghanistan

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said March 8 that he finds conditions here "very encouraging," as he ended his second full day of high-level meetings, troop visits and commander briefings in Afghanistan.Secretary Gates spoke to reporters at this outpost in the Arghandab district of southern

  • Exercise tests emergency oil spill response

    Nobody can predict an oil spill, but when one happens it can be a challenging feat to clean up, especially with more than 30 inches of ice in the way.That's why 60 people from various agencies including the Air Force 611th Civil Engineer Squadron here, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Navy's Supervisor of

  • Commander addresses Lakenheath Airmen about Frankfurt shooting

    The commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe spoke to more than 200 Airmen from the 48th Security Forces Squadron here March 3. Gen. Mark A. Welsh III urged the Airmen to take care of each other in the wake of a shooting that claimed the lives of two Airmen and wounded two more. The shooting incident

  • Panel recommends ways to improve military diversity

    A commission created to improve diversity among military leaders has issued 20 recommendations its members say will make the military better reflect the composition of the United States in its ranks.The Military Leadership Diversity Commission, created as part of the 2009 National Defense

  • Defense Logistics Agency aims high to support Air Force

    Air Force men and women are engaged around the world, flying combat missions in war zones, operating unmanned aircraft, developing and maintaining satellites, operating advanced weapons systems and conducting myriad other missions in support of combat operations, humanitarian assistance and homeland

  • Airmen help prepare Japanese counterparts for new security role

    A small group of security forces Airmen here are helping their Japanese counterparts stand up the Air Self Defense Force's an advanced security training squadron.JASDF security guards from the new Base Defense Development and Training Squadron will travel throughout Japan instructing other security

  • Cyber warriors test phishing response

    As part of the Air Force's mission to ward off attacks in cyberspace, members the 50th Space Communications Squadron went phishing on base last month."Phishing is when someone sends messages to a large group of people in an effort to deceive people into revealing their personal information, such as

  • Gates urges new Air Force leaders to think creatively

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates urged Air Force Academy cadets here March 4  to have the courage to speak up as they move forward as the next generation of military leaders."As officers, you will need to show great flexibility, agility, resourcefulness and imagination," Secretary Gates said.

  • Dr. Biden pledges support for Guard families

    Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, promised National Guard members and their families here that she will support them during every deployment."As family members, we honor and support our (Guard members), but we also know that we will miss them each and every day they're away from us,"

  • Airmen deliver weather gear to Iraqi air force

    Members of an Air Force weather team set up a new tactical weather radar and tactical meteorological observation system for the Iraqi air force at Qayyarah West Airfield, Iraq, March 2.The job, which took about four hours, is part of an ongoing process to set up a stable weather program for the

  • Air Force Reserve legislative goals presented on Capitol Hill

    "Force readiness, force rebalance, and force support" are the three top legislative priorities unveiled by Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner Jr. to more than 60 congressional staffers and military liaison officers at the Senate and House Feb. 25."The new priorities are designed to focus congressional

  • Air Force conservation programs score widespread victories

    The Air Force is trustee to more than eight million acres of land, water and air assets, and is home to more than 70 threatened and endangered species. Stewardship of these resources, in conjunction with sustainment of critical military mission activities, is a key priority for conservation programs

  • Some prior service officers eligible to retire early

    Air Force officials announced plans recently to allow some prior service officers the opportunity to retire earlier than expected.As a result of the Fiscal 2011 National Defense Authorization Act, eligible officers with prior enlisted service who have completed 20 years of total active federal

  • Airmen improve capability of Iraqi medical clinic

    With only three people working in a building no larger than most American apartments, the Iraqi medical clinic here is constantly operating at maximum capacity to provide care for more than 700 Iraqi airmen."Healthy airmen are essential for the Iraqi air force to successfully complete its missions

  • Progress continues toward Academy training facility groundbreaking

    Preliminaries to the construction of a training facility for the Air Force Academy's Center for Character and Leadership Development are moving along briskly, and construction is expected to begin in late summer.The building will occupy much of the space on the Honor Court between Harmon Hall and

  • Contractor delivers first new E-8C Joint STARS production engine

    The U.S. Air Force E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, or Joint STARS, achieved a significant objective March 3 as part of the ongoing System Design and Development Re-engining effort. A First Engine Delivery Ceremony was held at the Pratt & Whitney production facility in Middletown,

  • TRICARE officials caution against overuse of common pain medication

    Officials at the Food and Drug Administration are limiting the amount of acetaminophen allowed in prescription pain medications.The ruling came with renewed warnings that exceeding the recommended daily dose of 4,000 milligrams can lead to serious liver problems.Acetaminophen is one of the most

  • President signs continuing resolution extension

    President Barack Obama signed legislation March 2 that will keep the government funded and running through March 18.The new continuing resolution cuts $4 billion from the previous continuing resolution funding. None of the $4 billion is taken from Defense Department programs. Extending the

  • DOD improves troops' access to quality education

    Defense Department officials are taking extensive measures -- from education reviews to agency partnerships -- to ensure service members have access to quality education and learning opportunities in their off-duty hours, a Defense Department official said.Robert L. Gordon III, the deputy assistant

  • Intermediate network warfare training up and running

    In February, 17 students began the first intermediate network warfare training at the 39th Information Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla.The 42-day course began Feb. 2 and features a syllabus geared to the needs of cyberoperators in the field, said 1st Lt. Michelle Buchholtz, the influence

  • A break from therapy

    Airmen and Sailors took time to visit a children's hospital here March 1, as part of a community outreach event during the Avalon 2011 Australia International Airshow and Aerospace and Defence Exposition.Five Airmen from the 909th Air Refueling Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan, and eight Sailors

  • Civilian employees should start education applications early

    Hundreds of professional development opportunities are available annually for civilian employees. Many of those slots go unfilled, in part because eligible candidates wait until the last minute to prepare and staff their application packages.For example, annually, 280 Civilian Acculturation and

  • Ellsworth B1s get new braking system

    It can generate more than 30,000 pounds of thrust and reach speeds greater than 900 MPH, but can it stop safely after reaching such speeds?Thanks to an ongoing brake modification of the B-1B Lancer, the aircraft has a new, more effective means of coming to a stop.The modification, which costs

  • Gates, Mullen urge swift action on budget

    Congress needs to take steps now to ensure troops in harm's way in Afghanistan get the gear and capabilities they need to face the Taliban, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and  Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen told a congressional panel March 2 here.Secretary Gates told

  • Officials announce team bound for 2011 Warrior Games

    Twenty-five Air Force athletes are one step closer to gold after being chosen to represent the service at the 2011 Warrior Games.Warrior Games is an Olympic-style event open to all wounded, ill and injured military members and veterans. This year's event takes place May 16 through 21 in Colorado