Rally round the flagpole

Defense Department updates equipment reimbursement policy

Defense Department officials announced Feb. 14 the revision of a memorandum on the policy and procedures for the reimbursement of privately purchased protective equipment for operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The new memo, which was signed Feb. 10 by David S.C. Chu,

AF director of staff visits hometown schools

As a child growing up in the shadow of Yankee Stadium, the recently designated Air Force director of staff said he wanted to be Mickey Mantle. When he returned to his old neighborhood Feb. 9, he told the children at Sacred Heart Grammar School he was proud to serve his country in the military

Base honor guard goes Hollywood

Seven of the base’s elite took part in the filming of a primetime network drama Feb. 9 at a local church. The Los Angeles Air Force Base Honor Guard supported a request from NBC’s “The West Wing” for an Air Force presence in a television episode featuring the funeral of the series’ White House chief

Anti-terrorism techniques essential

When Lt. Col. Ed O’Neal was on a training mission in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, two years ago, his hotel came under attack. A group of insurgents took over the building and held it hostage for most of the day before authorities were able to regain control. Colonel O’Neal eventually escaped, but was shot

Feeling the heat

Letter to Airmen focuses on core values

In his latest Letter to Airmen, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne focused on the three core values of the Air Force:  Integrity First, Service Before Self and Excellence In All We Do."These core values should reflect the values we share from the moment we take our oath to support and

CENTAF releases daily airpower summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 40 close-air-support missions Feb. 14 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt

Convoy training

Air Warrior II

Missile flight test program targets new successes

The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile flight test program added two more successes to its record during recent tests conducted at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. The program, one of Air Combat Command's priority programs, flew successful test flights at the missile range Jan. 25 from a B-1B

Twelfth Air Force becomes Air Forces Southern

Headquarters 12th Air Force is taking on an expanded mission and a new name. As part of the Air Force transformation, 12th Air Force transitions today into a warfighting headquarters and became Air Forces Southern (12th Air Force) provisional. “Along with the name change AFSOUTH is also changing its

Forces prepare for Exercise Balikatan 2006

U.S. servicemembers and Armed Forces of the Philippines are in the final week of preparations for Exercise Balikatan 2006, the 22nd annual bilateral combined exercise, scheduled Feb. 20 to March 5. The exercise will be conducted in three phases: humanitarian and civic assistance on the island of

F-111s at Red Flag

Air Force regains decision authority on acquisition programs

The Air Force recently regained oversight authority on some of the acquisition programs taken from it more than 10 months ago. The Department of Defense returned major milestone decision authority to the Air Force on 10 of 21 acquisition programs in January. The DOD had taken that authority from the

General Lord receives highest enlisted honor

Air Force Space Command’s enlisted personnel bestowed the Order of the Sword upon Gen. Lance W. Lord, Air Force Space Command commander, Feb. 11. The Order of the Sword is the highest honor enlisted Airmen can bestow on a leader. More than 500 active-duty and retired enlisted Airmen gathered from

Deployed fuels flight makes airlift delivery

When fuel supplies are not available in the region, tactical and ground forces rely on the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron. A team is always on standby to fulfill an aerial bulk fuels delivery system request. The team consists of two fuels technicians who have undergone special

C-17 carries Chinook

Sparks fly

Welcome home

Air Force and VA to build joint clinic in San Antonio

The South Texas Veterans Health Care System and Wilford Hall Medical Center announced construction of the North Central Federal Clinic during a groundbreaking ceremony Feb. 14. The new clinic will be located in north San Antonio and is scheduled to open in October. “This clinic is an innovative

Minuteman III launches from Vandenberg

An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, was launched from Launch Facility-10 on North Vandenberg at 12:01 a.m. today. The launch was part of a test to demonstrate the ability to integrate modified products into existing weapon systems. “The purpose of the flight was to

CENTAF releases daily airpower summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.Coalition aircraft flew 40 close-air-support missions Feb. 15 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt

Diamond Rio in Korea

Rescue wing featured on outdoor network

The 106th Rescue Wing will be featured on the Outdoor Life Network Feb. 17. The episode of “The Best and Worst of Tred Barta” originally aired Jan. 27. The Air National Guard wing from the Long Island, N.Y., area has been performing rescue missions since 1975. After Hurricane Katrina, they rescued

Operation Winter Games -- Let the games begin

Not long after the Olympic torch was lit honoring the beginning of the Winter Olympics games in Torino, Italy, a local team of Airmen were preparing for winter games of their own -- Operation Winter Games. The games, held Feb. 11 at Igriste-Vlasenica Ski Area, Bosnia, may have lacked the pomp and

Getting dirty keeps planes flying

Dirty hands and smudged faces are just the icing on the cake when it comes to maintaining A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and C-130 Hercules. It’s all that and more that make engine and hydraulic maintenance one of the dirtiest jobs here.Every aircraft that launches from the flightline here has been in the

Going virtual: Flight training takes shape in cyberspace

How do you get 30 bases, hundreds of personnel and tons of aircraft and equipment together in one place? The answer -- cyberspace. For the second time since its conception in September, aircrews from the 23rd Fighter Group stepped into a simulated exercise called Virtual Red Flag. The virtual war

Bolling Airmen share Valentine’s Day with veterans

Ninety Air Force and civilian volunteers from Bolling and the Pentagon visited the Department of Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System Medical Center in Baltimore and the Baltimore VA Rehabilitation Center Feb. 14 as part of National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans Week. Before the trip,

General Lord launches high frontier adventures

Air Force Space Command’s senior leader headed back to the classroom this week, not to brush up on the latest space concepts, but to share some of his expertise with the students. Gen. Lance W. Lord shared his space experience with some of Discovery Canyon’s fifth and sixth graders. The AFSPC

Ammo troops in action

Thunderbirds to hold change of command

The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, “Thunderbirds,” is welcoming a new commander. Lt. Col. Kevin J. Robbins will take command of the unit from outgoing commander Lt. Col. Michael J. Chandler here Feb. 17. The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron is an Air Combat Command unit of eight

Former chiefs reflect on today’s Air Force

Several former chief master sergeants of the Air Force came together here Feb. 13 to 15 to meet with Airmen and speak with current service leaders. Of the 14 Airmen who’ve held the highest enlisted position, nine were present as the group met at both Bolling Air Force Base and the Pentagon. It’s

Group sews globally for wounded troops

The electronic age has helped give birth to a global sewing circle that creates unique clothing for America's wounded troops as they heal. With an executive director in Ohio, a president in Minnesota and more than 300 seamstresses scattered throughout the world, the members of "Sew Much Comfort" use

Chief master sergeant of the Air Force testifies on quality of life issues

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray testified on Capitol Hill Feb. 15 about Air Force quality of life issues before the House Appropriations Committee subcommittee on military quality of life, veterans affairs and related agencies. "I truly believe, and I think you'll agree, that our

CENTAF releases daily airpower summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials release today's airpower summary.Coalition aircraft flew 42 close-air-support missions Feb. 16 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt

USAFE assists Darfur mission

U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. European Command are providing contract airlift transport to Rwandan Defense Forces as part of the African Union's mission in the Darfur region of the Sudan. A small number of USAFE Airmen from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, are providing logistics support to the

Cope Tiger '06 wraps up in Thailand

Nearly 300 Airmen are packing their bags and returning home to bases throughout the Pacific as officials mark the end of a two-week multi-lateral exercise called Cope Tiger '06. Gen. Paul V. Hester, Pacific Air Forces commander, spoke with Airmen here during closing ceremonies. “Airmen are proud of

Air Force women help save convoy

The lives of four women and their convoy team changed forever Dec. 5. They were ambushed that night. Insurgents from a village outside of Balad Air Base, Iraq, fired on the convoy, injuring two as they drove back to the base. Airman First Class Nicole O’Hara, a convoy gunner deployed from Langley

Life support

Return with honor

Global Hawk UAV returns to America

The Edwards flightline is the scheduled return landing site for Prototype Global Hawk Air Vehicle No. 3, an unmanned aircraft that has flown 4,245 hours in support of combat operations for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and the Combined Task Force-Horn of Africa mission. This

Air Force announces OTS selection board results

Two hundred fifty men and women have been selected to attend Officer Training School. Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 810 applications as part of Officer Training School, or OTS, Selection Board 06OT02. The board selected 250 for a 30.9 percent selection rate. Of those, 87 enlisted

Medical group keeps warfighters in fight

The 379th Expeditionary Medical Group Hospital provides medical care impacting missions well beyond its boundaries, helping warfighters stay in the fight in-theater. Minor shrapnel and gunshot wounds often prevent a soldier from staying in theater while they recover, so they come this hospital to

Civilian sector the biggest space customer

The head of Air Force Space Command said people might be surprised to learn that corporate America is the biggest user of Air Force space products. Gen. Lance W. Lord said the main reason for this is the reliability of space-based assets and because the technologies -- which are giving coalition

Joint exercise

Good Conduct Medal award elimination explained

The Air Force Uniform Board announced Feb. 6 that the Good Conduct Medal will no longer be awarded. The Air Force director of Airman development and sustainment recently explained the reasons behind this decision. "The quality of our enlisted personnel today is so high, we expect good conduct from

Air Force terminates contract

The Air Force announced today termination of the Thunderbird Airshow Production Services contract with Strategic Message Solutions. A protest of the award was made to the Government Accountability Office on Jan. 17. An Air Force review of the protest determined contract termination was appropriate.

Airmen at Philippine exercise provide real world assistance

Airmen from Yokota Air Base, Japan; Andersen Air Force Base, Guam; and Kadena AB, Japan, who were in the Philippines as part of an annual bilateral exercise, are providing real-world humanitarian assistance after mudslides engulfed a village and 1,800 people Feb. 17. U.S. Pacific Command authorized

Airmen provide vital support in mudslide relief effort

Airmen from the 36th Expeditionary Contingency Response Group here are working alongside the Filipino government to assess requirements for support of mudslide relief efforts in Leyte, Philippines. At the request of the Filipino government, the 36th ECRG and other units of the U.S. Pacific Command

Global Hawk UAV welcomed home after three-year deployment

After supporting the global war on terror for three years, Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle No. 3 (UAV-3) received its official homecoming Feb. 20 when its wheels touched down at 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.During its overseas deployment, UAV-3 logged more than 4,800

CENTAF releases combined airpower summary

U.S Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for Feb. 18 to 21.Coalition aircraft flew 32 close-air-support missions Feb. 20 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations

Academy to hold leadership symposium

"Courage in The Face of Adversity” is highlighted by the personal stories of a holocaust survivor, the commander of the successful return of the Apollo 13 mission, a terrorist survivor, two NFL head coaches, the only deaf Miss America and an Air Force Chief of Staff during the 13th Annual National

Air Force unit provides new “hoops” for Philippines youth

Airmen from the 624th Civil Engineer Squadron and Philippine soldiers came together Feb. 17 to build a basketball court for children here. Shortly after arriving at the base from Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii Feb. 15 to participate in Exercise Balikatan 2006, Airmen noticed a group of children

DOD identifies Airmen killed in helicopter crash

The Defense Department has announced the names of two Airmen and eight Marines killed in a Feb. 17 helicopter crash while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Ten servicemembers died when two CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters crashed into the Gulf of Aden near Ras Siyyan in northern Djibouti, while

Deployed wing counts down to ‘The Move’

The next time Airmen from the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing pack their bags, it will not be to return home. Instead they will travel to a new home right here. That home is the Temporary Cantonment Area, or TCA. As construction progresses at the TCA, base leadership scheduled April as the month “to

From Hawaii, C-17’s fly first contingency response mission

Active-duty Airmen and Guardsmen from Hawaii are flying a C-17 contingency response mission to support relief efforts in the Philippines. The split crew of active-duty Airmen from the 535th Airlift Squadron and Guardsmen from the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 204th Airlift Squadron departed Hickam Air

CENTAF releases daily airpower summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 36 close-air-support missions Feb. 21 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt

Philippine landslide relief

DOD identifies Air Force casualty

The Department of Defense announced Feb. 21 the death of a Department of the Air Force civilian who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Daniel J. Kuhlmeier, 30, of Omaha, Neb., died Feb. 20 in Baghdad, Iraq, when the convoy he was traveling in was struck by an improvised explosive device. He was

Force shaping volunteer application deadline is March 1

Officers scheduled to meet the 2006 Force Shaping Board have until March 1 to decide if they will leave voluntarily or meet the board. Officers planning to take advantage of the volunteer program must apply through their military personnel flights before the deadline. Through the voluntary Force

Readiness troops equip combat-ready PACAF Airmen

Ensuring the serviceability and availability of more than 400,000 pieces of mobility equipment daily might be a daunting task. But for logistics Airmen providing the correct gear for combat-ready Pacific Air Force troops in training and real-world deployments, it is one of the most rewarding jobs in

Reserve and Guard run deployed personnel ops

Guard and Reserve members provide many support roles in Personnel Support in Contingency Operations, or PERSCO, around the region. However, this rotation, Reserve component servicemembers comprise more than 95 percent of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing PERSCO team. “We’re not sure why it happened

Recycling turns trash into cash

The base’s recycling program is now in full swing, following nine months of implemention and acclimation to the program. There are about 200 blue and yellow recycle containers at various sites around the installation. The yellow containers are for aluminum cans and the blue bins are for plastic

Military family featured on HGTV's "House Hunters"

One Maxwell family got the opportunity to see what it is like to be in front of the camera, as a television producer and crew documented their search for a residence in the Montgomery area for the Home and Garden Television network's "House Hunters" series. Senior Master Sgt. Greg Day, Air Force

AFNORTH activates at Tyndall

First Air Force took on a second designation here Feb. 15 as part of the Air Force’s ongoing development of the warfighting headquarters. Air Forces Northern, or AFNORTH, became 1st Air Force’s provisional moniker under Air Combat Command. It is part of the Air Force’s move to redesignate 10

Wilford Hall chosen for national study

The vascular surgery service at Wilford Hall Medical Center has been chosen to participate in a national trial looking at the effectiveness of stent graft treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms versus standard open repair. The trial has been named PIVOTAL, which stands for the Positive Impact of

Operational Raptors fire first missiles in evaluation program

The 27th Fighter Squadron made history when two F-22A Raptor pilots fired air-to-air missiles Feb. 14. It was the jet's first official air-to-air weapons system evaluation since becoming operational two months ago.Nearly 40 Airmen from the Langley Air Force Base, Va., squadron participated in the

Merger forms Career Enlisted Aircrew Center of Excellence

Enlisted aviator ground schools for seven different specialties are moving here to create the Career Enlisted Aircrew Center of Excellence. The move will provide better and quicker academic training at less cost, said Mark Smith, training manager and aircrew pipeline manager for the 344th Training

All secure

CENTCOM releases daily airpower summary

U.S Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.Coalition aircraft flew 56 close-air-support missions Feb. 22 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt

Relief on the way

Customer feedback needed for new Web site

The Air Force Personnel Center is giving its customers an opportunity to ensure the new AFPC Web site will answer their personnel questions. The new searchable site is accessible via a link on the current AFPC homepage at www.afpc.randolph.af.mil and customers are encouraged to provide feedback as

School's in session

International students receive eye-opening glimpse of America

Twenty-one international pilots in training here visited Atlanta Feb. 18 to 20 for a glimpse into America’s history and culture. Maj. William Hendrickson, base international liaison officer, organized the trip to expose the international military members to a side of American culture not locally

Botswana Defense Force learns about warehouse management

Five members of the Botswana Defense Force, or BDF, visited Ramstein last week to learn about the Air Force’s warehouse management procedures and operations. The 435th Logistics Readiness Squadron hosted the visit, touring the group through the base’s inbound cargo sections, receiving section,

Insurgent to ambassador: Journal editor tells harrowing tale

When Algerian-born Remy Mauduit, editor of the new French edition of the Air and Space Power Journal, sees terrorism and insurgency taking place in Iraq, he recalls a time when he, too, was an insurgent. Life was not good for Algerian citizens in the early 1950s. After French colonization, native

EOD Airmen remove, detonate World War II-era bomb

Explosive ordnance disposal Airmen with the 16th Civil Engineer Squadron destroyed a World War II-era explosive device found in Pensacola. The 100-pound photo-flash bomb, common to the World War II or Korean War period, was found by construction workers Feb. 14 clearing storm debris in the waters of

Keeping Tuzla’s airfield operational

There was a time in the late 1990s when Tuzla Air Base was crawling with hundreds of Airmen. As times changed, the duty of airfield maintenance has increasingly moved into the hands of contractors, but the Air Force still has a presence at the base. While the majority of the U.S. military presence

Coalition mercy missions: Bringing heroes home

The thunder of the C-130 Hercules engine vibrates through the cabin as the aircraft lifts off of the runway. Today’s mission is different than most. Today, Australians and Americans leave pallets and passengers behind, making room to gather the wounded and bring them back home. Affectionately called

Balikatan 2006

Guard mount

Airmen help secure Iraq’s infrastructure

Forty percent of Iraq’s oil and 14 percent of the world’s oil supply comes from Kirkuk, Iraq. Since oil is the lifeline of Iraq, it’s important to secure the country’s pipelines from danger and help make the oil run as efficiently as possible. That’s where the three-man POInT team comes in.Tech.

Training center uses combat lessons to evolve

Security forces in Europe are preparing for deployment to war zones with an up-to-date curriculum. The mission of the 786th Security Forces Squadron’s regional training center, otherwise known as "Creek Defender," is to provide predeployment integrated base defense training for U.S. Air Forces in

CENTAF releases daily airpower summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.Coalition aircraft flew 56 close-air-support missions Feb. 23 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt

Alliance focus

Air Force implements new cell phone restriction

The Air Force is implementing a new cell phone restriction for drivers. Beginning Feb. 27, drivers are not allowed to talk on their cell phones while driving on Air Force installations without a hands free device. This policy is part of the Department of Defense’s Joint Traffic Guidance. This

Providing positive influence

Are you there?

Preschoolers tell Katrina stories with art

Art is the key that unlocked the thoughts, fears and memories of some Keesler preschoolers after Hurricane Katrina. The hallways of the child development center and some doorways at the Keesler Medical Center now serve as galleries for storm-inspired artwork by 3- to 5-year-olds. The scribbles,

Medical group helping keep 'boots on the ground'

Airmen are maintaining the health of troops and helping the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing meets its mission -- put “boots on the ground” and support the aeromedical evacuation of sick and injured servicemembers. The 386th Expeditionary Medical Group does this key mission with the help of its medical

One team, one fight

While most Airmen here are on 15-month or two-year tours, one cog in the base mission has new faces every 30 days. Members of the 90th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron support operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom by refueling C-17 Globemaster IIIs on missions to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Philippine relief mission provides hands-on training

A C-17 Globemaster III from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., along with an aircrew from here, delivered relief supplies to Clark Air Base, Philippines, Feb. 22. The village of Guinsaugon, on the Philippine Island of Leyte, was hit by a killer 100-foot deep mudslide Feb. 21. Filipino officials fear

Tuskegee Airmen visit Spangdahlem

Joint STARS keeping eye on the ground

High over Iraq, an E-8C Joint STARS aircraft surveys hundreds of miles of the country at a time, looking for insurgent activity, controlling those situations and taking action if needed. The aircraft's crew ultimately keeps ground troops safer by communicating with convoys and directing air power to

Relief mission tests Hickam's new capability

Flying a “loaner” C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, a mixed active-duty and Guard aircrew flew the 15th Airlift Wing’s first contingency response mission. The aircraft, from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., flew relief supplies to Clark Air Base, Philippines, Feb. 22. It was the first time a mixed crew

Partners in the desert

CENTAF releases combined airpower summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for Feb. 25 to 27. Coalition aircraft flew 54 close-air-support missions Feb. 26 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to

Acquisition career track may be redirected

Bringing more engineers into the Air Force acquisition career field is a priority for Air Force Materiel Command's top officer. Gen. Bruce Carlson, AFMC commander, discussed this topic and other issues with 170 people attending the 2006 U.S. Air Force Acquisition Leaders Forum. The event was held in

ARPC expands customer support for drilling reservists

Beginning March 3, Air Reserve Component members will be able to speak to an Air Reserve Personnel Center customer service representative the first weekend of each month from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. MST. “ARPC will now be manned Saturdays and Sundays to help better serve all ARC Airmen,” said Col.