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  • Air Force Military Athlete of the Year selections due April 30

    Nominations for the Air Force Military Athlete of the Year are due April 30, said Air Force Personnel Center officials. The program allows the Air Force to recognize outstanding male and female athletes and highlight their athletic performance and accomplishments throughout the last year.

  • First ever 'Tonnerre Lightning' refining language of war

    British, French, and U.S. Airmen wrapped up the inaugural exercise Tonnerre Lightning 14-1 here and other operating locations March 28. The tri-lateral exercise, which replicates a coalition response to a contingency operation, developed as a method for the U.S., the United Kingdom and France's air

  • Air Force officials stress balance in face of budget constraints

    While testifying on Capitol Hill March 25, DoD’s top personnel leaders all agreed that in light of likely future budget reductions, slowing compensation and benefits growth is a difficult but necessary step to balance the rising cost of personnel with readiness and modernization requirements.

  • Air Force officials take tactical aviation strategy to Capitol Hill

    Air Force officials said on Capitol Hill during a hearing March 26 that while the Bipartisan Budget Act has provided greater stability for technology and acquisition, “hard choices” must continue to maintain current readiness and prime the force over the next 10-15 years.

  • CSAF: Budget cuts affect combatant commands

    Painful budget reductions will reduce the future capabilities of combatant commanders, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III told Congress here March 26. Testifying alongside Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James at a hearing of the House Appropriations Committee's defense

  • From Chinese citizen to American Airman

    After spending the first 20 years of his life in the capital of one of the largest cities in the Fujian province in China, U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Xing Zheng is now a 633rd Civil Engineering Squadron engineer technician

  • Airmen destroy BLAC ICE

    The 435th Contingency Response Group recently joined security forces from Turkey, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany for a training course on tactical leadership.

  • Maintenance Airmen encompass Forward, Ready, Now

    With a designated flightline office space, the self-proclaimed "quiet professionals" from the 31st Fighter Wing are continuing to support the 555th Fighter Squadron, both of Aviano Air Base, Italy, during their participation in an international training mission hosted by the Polish air force here.

  • New tool provides Offutt AFB maintainers with just the right blend

    A new tool, no bigger than a yard stick, is making work a lot easier for maintenance professionals of the 55th Wing who are responsible for keeping Offutt Air Force Base aircraft flying. The tool stands to save the Air Force hundreds of thousands of dollars.

  • Creech AFB leaders laud senior master sergeant selectees

    For many, advancing to the top of the elite senior non-commissioned officer tier is a significant and demanding accomplishment. Some Airmen and families who equally endure these trials were recently congratulated in a very personal way.

  • Lieutenant continues legacy started by great uncle, Medal of Honor recipient

    Facing a wave of enemy Communist forces, and knowing that staying behind would likely lead to his capture, Army Chaplain (Capt.) Emil J. Kapaun disregarded the evacuation order and willingly risked his life to tend to the wounded.Kapaun, according to numerous battlefield accounts from the Korean

  • SecAF wraps up Afghanistan tour

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James visited multiple Air Force units at five bases in Afghanistan, March 19-22. This is her first official visit outside the United States since being appointed in December 2013.

  • Developmental education application windows open in March

    Eligible active duty officers and Department of the Air Force appropriated fund civilian employees can apply beginning in March for intermediate and senior developmental education opportunities, Air Force Personnel Center officials said March 24.

  • Fit to fight or fighting to get fit?

    March is typically focused on the madness of college basketball or growing a fabulous mustache. But it's also a time to watch both what's on the table during your favorite team's game or on the verge of getting caught in that carefully groomed crumb catcher.

  • CSAF showcases Air Force, Airmen to Georgia civic leaders

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III spoke to approximately 180 members of Leadership Georgia, a group of influential state citizens and leaders, about the Air Force's contributions to national security and the innovative spirit of its Airmen at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., March 21.

  • AF undersecretary headlines F-35 unveiling at Luke AFB

    Luke Air Force Base celebrated the arrival of its first F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter with an unveiling ceremony here March 14. The event was attended by approximately 500 people, including elected officials, community leaders, representatives from partner nation air forces and many Luke

  • Medical teams convene to consider applicants for command

    Medical corps development teams will convene in May and June to select eligible lieutenant colonels for squadron command candidacy for projected calendar year 2015 vacancies, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced.

  • Five selected for 2015 Olmsted scholarships

    Five Air Force officers have been selected to participate in the Olmsted Scholar Program, sponsored by the George and Carol Olmsted Foundation, Air Force Personnel Center officials said March 20.

  • AF physician assistant named ‘PA of Year’

    It was her first year working as a physician assistant, and a patient had just left her exam room when she heard a burst of gunshots in the distance. Within seconds, screams filled the hospital as people scrambled for cover. In the midst of the chaos, a piercing silence fell over the clinic and her

  • US begins training sorties in Poland

    U.S. Fighting Falcons assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy, began off-site aerial training for the first time since their arrival at Detachment 1, 52nd Operations Group here, March 18.

  • Academy cadet earns national leadership award

    The top cadet in the U.S. Air Force Academy's Aeronautics Department was recognized for being among the best aerospace graduates in the country last week in the nation's capital. Cadet 1st Class Christopher Shannon received the 2014 Tomorrow's Leaders Award during the 57th Annual Laureates Awards

  • Astronauts train at Maxwell AFB

    To prepare for the rigors and dangers of space travel, astronauts attend different training scenarios at facilities all over the world. One Air Force facility at Maxwell Air Force Base was repurposed to suit the astronauts needs.

  • AF recruiter helps build Afghan forces

    Deployed as an adviser with the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing/NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan Senior Master Sgt. Carmelo Vega Martinez, a Ponce, Puerto Rico native is the only Air Force recruiter deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

  • 12 Aviano F16s, support personnel arrive in Poland

    At the invitation of the government of Poland, twelve 555th Fighter Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcons and approximately 200 personnel assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy, arrived at the U.S. Air Force Aviation Detachment at Lask Air Base, Poland, March 14-15.

  • CSAF: Every budget decision hurts

    The Air Force’s fiscal 2015 budget request was built to ensure its combat power remains unequaled, Welsh told members of the House Armed Services Committee.

  • SecAF addresses budget challenges in Congress

    Newly-appointed Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James wanted to see the Air Force in action, so she spent her first 11 weeks on the job visiting 18 bases in 13 states, she told members of the House Armed Services Committee March

  • First female assumes command of ANG fighter wing

    Col. Sherrie McCandless , the first woman selected to command the 124th Fighter Wing and first female wing commander in Idaho Air National Guard history assumed command in a ceremony on March 2, at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho.

  • Cyber supports Red Flag for first time

    For the first time in Red Flag's nearly 40-year history, the 24th Air Force played a significant role in the Cyber Mission Force, or CMF, at the Air Combat Command-sponsored exercise held at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Jan. 27 through Feb. 14.

  • Military children view Muppets movie at White House

    First Lady Michelle Obama hosted military children and their families at the White House yesterday for a special screening of the Disney motion picture “Muppets Most Wanted,” with an opening address by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey.

  • Minot rescue crew saves two motorists

    Members of the 54th Helicopter Squadron responded to a search and rescue request involving two men trapped in the bed of their truck in Savage, Mont., when an ice flow caused the river to overrun its banks, March 10.

  • AF budget director outlines challenges, opportunities to AFA members

    With the Air Force making every dollar count, the fiscal year 2015 President’s Budget request was presented to the Air Force Association by Maj. Gen. James Martin, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller deputy assistant secretary for budget, March 11, during

  • Squadron, group command applications due April 18

    Eligible line officers interested in 2015 command opportunities must complete and submit senior rater endorsed statements of intent to the Air Force Personnel Center in time to meet the April 18 deadline, AFPC officials said.

  • Airman gets lifetime opportunity to brief Queen

    The Air Force prides itself on giving Airmen opportunities. For Capt. Brusle Sherburne IV of the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, his special job afforded him the chance meeting of a lifetime. As the first U.S. Air Force exchange officer at Tactical

  • First F-35 Lightning II arrives at Luke AFB

    Escorted by two F-16 fighting Falcons, Luke Air Force Base's first F-35 Lightning II arrived a little after 11 a.m. March 10 from the Lockheed Martin factory in Fort Worth, Tex.

  • First sergeants deploy, discover family members

    Sleep-deprived and weary from days of travel, in a blur of new names and faces, one of the first people most Airmen deploying to the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing meet is their respective unit’s first sergeant.

  • Deployed Airman handcrafts hockey rink

    A resourceful Airman’s idea has resulted in the first outdoor hockey rink in this theater of operations.Airman 1st Class Joshua Hanson of the 386th Expeditionary Communications Squadron, developed a proposal to build a nearly arena-size hockey rink at his deployed location here.

  • DOD's top enlisted leader honors ACC Airmen, families

    Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia, senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke during Air Combat Command’s annual awards dinner, where he lauded troops for their service and their families for their unwavering commitment.

  • Air Force officials announce FY15 force structure changes

    Air Force officials released force structure changes today resulting from the Fiscal Year 2015 President’s Budget announced March 4.To ensure the service successfully transitions to a leaner force that remains ready, the Air Force plans to remove almost 500 aircraft across the inventories of all

  • CSAF, CMSAF visit Altus AFB

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody and their spouses, Betty and Athena, spent two days here to tour the installation and meet Airmen and their families March 5 and 6. Welsh also served as keynote speaker at the Altus Chamber of Commerce

  • Department of Energy seeks award nominations

    Each year the U.S. Department of Energy sponsors the Federal Energy and Water Management Awards. These awards honor individuals and organizations making significant contributions to the efficient use of energy and water in the federal government. The Air Force looks to stay on top, having won 21

  • DOD's top doc outlines medical advances

    The Defense Department's top doctor says the innovations and technology in military medicine derived from more than a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan have led to advances in caring for the sick and injured.

  • Program executive officer describes F-35 progress

    Progress remains steady in the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter’s operational testing, reprogramming, fueling, and stand-up training, the F-35 program executive officer told an audience at Aviation Week’s Defense Technologies and Requirements Conference here March 4.

  • Air Force medical educational websites win bronze

    The Air Force Center of Excellence for Medical Multimedia, or CEMM, recieved a Bronze Telly award for their Pregnancy A to Z and Wingman Online websites during the 35th Annual Telly Awards recently.

  • 6 F-15s, KC-135 to augment NATO mission in Baltics

    This week, the United States will send six additional F-15s and one KC-135 to augment the mission, the official said. These aircraft -- currently based at Lakenheath in the United Kingdom -- will be deployed to Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania.

  • Chaplain visits raise morale of missile field Airmen

    For Airmen who work in the missile field here, the hours are long, the workload can be heavy and the location is remote. Recently the chapel here implemented a program here to bridge the gap between the solitude of life in the field and Malmstrom AFB.

  • Air Force presents FY 15 budget request

    The Air Force presented its fiscal year 2015 President’s Budget request today, following similar briefings by the Department of Defense and its sister services.

  • Air Force focuses on sustainability for Earth Day 2014 observance

    Each year Air Force installations around the world observe Earth Day on April 22 by taking actions to support the Air Force's Earth Day theme of "Conserve Today - Secure Tomorrow."This year, Air Force activities will focus on sustainability, referring to the capacity to continue the mission without

  • Retention recommendation forms critical for ERB, QFRB eligibles

    Commanders and senior raters of enlisted Airmen slated to meet the quality force review board in May or an enlisted retention board in June must complete an AF Form 3538E, Enlisted Retention Recommendation Form, for each eligible Airman, Air Force Personnel Center officials said. Completed forms

  • Drug misuse, abuse: No excuse

    While picking up an over-the-counter medication at the local drug store or being prescribed medication by a healthcare provider are common practices for Airmen looking to get or remain healthy, misuse or abuse of any drug can be a serious problem with serious consequences.

  • Admin career field to make comeback

    A previous administrative career field will make its second debut across the Air Force in May 2014, providing support staff at all Air Force levels and eliminating a special duty echelon.

  • Social media: Unwanted eyes may be watching Airmen, families

    Social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter and Flickr can provide an instantaneous and highly entertaining feedback stream of your daily activities to friends and family. The latest videos of dogs running with fireworks in their mouths, kittens tumbling in the snow or Internet memes of celebrity

  • Communications Airmen enable Greek, US flight training

    The success of a flying-training deployment involving U.S. and Hellenic air forces here hinges on an array of variables, and one quick-response communications force is ensuring tactical messages are delivered.

  • Academy officer takes the LEAD

    More than six years ago, Airman Lelia Abdulrazaq realized during a combat dining-in that she wanted to become an officer.

  • Joint airdrop in Greece: Combined efforts key to success

    In true Greek fashion, a few select service members from the Kaiserslautern Military Community area have undertaken a momentous task. Though lacking the same Herculean strength outlined in Greek mythology, these Airmen make up for it with sheer determination and the will to succeed in their task --

  • Hagel outlines budget reducing troop strength, force structure

    Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has proposed cuts in military spending that include further reductions in troop strength and force structure in every military service as part of an effort to prioritize U.S. strategic interests after more than a decade of war.

  • Ramstein AB hosts first sergeant symposium

    More than 120 military members from nine nations took part in the Kaiserslautern Military Community First Sergeant Council's Annual First Sergeant Symposium here Feb. 18 through 21.

  • SecAF outlines top priorities during ‘State of AF’ address

    After her second month in office, Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James laid out her top three priorities as part of a “state of the Air Force” address, during the final day of the 30th annual Air Force Association Warfare Symposium and Technology Exposition Feb. 21.

  • Ramstein makes history with first sergeant symposium

    More than 120 military members from nine nations took part in the Kaiserslautern Military Community First Sergeant Council's Annual First Sergeant Symposium here Feb. 18 - 21. The symposium featured 10 international attendees for the first time in its history, including representatives from Belgium,

  • U.S. joint capabilities support Thai partners

    The 3rd Wing validated its joint and combined capabilities this week when five C-17 Globemaster III left Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson for Thailand to airdrop paratroopers from the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, to the joint and combined exercise Cobra Gold

  • CSAF: Taking care of Airmen, future roadmap key to AF success

    Getting top performing Airmen promoted sooner, changing the EPR system, streamlining the enlisted and officer professional education programs and developing a roadmap for the Air Force for the next three decades were some of the topics discussed by the Air Force’s top officer during the 30th annual

  • GPS IIF-5 successfully launched from Cape Canaveral

    The U. S. Air Force officials successfully launched the fifth Global Positioning System (GPS) IIF satellite carried aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV launch vehicle at 8:59 p.m. EST from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., Feb. 20.

  • MAFs become ‘home away from home’ for Airmen in missile fields

    The North Dakota plains are covered with patches of slushy snow and ice along stretches of long, winding gravel roads leading to local farms and other agricultural communities. Some of these rocky paths make their way to large buildings surrounded by tall steel fences topped with razor-sharp barbed

  • Aircrews offered a sigh of relief from altitude chamber training

    Capt. Julianne Gillespie, a 62nd Airlift Wing aerospace and operational physiologist, runs the refresher testing at the McChord Field Medical Clinic. The testing is mandatory for all aircrew members in order to learn their own body's warning signs for hypoxia during flight.