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U.S. Air Force News

  • American servicemembers visit Honduran military academy

    A group of U.S. Airmen and Soldiers from here gained insight into the Honduran military training academy and saw firsthand how the institution prepares candidates for service in the Honduran army April 16 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Academy staff and instructors welcomed the servicemembers from Soto

  • Airmen, reconstruction team improve Iraqi living conditions

    Airmen teamed with members of the Kirkuk Air Base Provincial Reconstruction Team during a training session designed to help Iraqis improve waste management practices in the region April 16 here. Members of the 506th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron Vehicle Management Flight trained 11

  • New leader of Air Force Materiel Command named

    Department of Defense officials announced April 18 Lt. Gen. Donald J. Hoffman, currently the military deputy in the Office of the Assistant Air Force Secretary for Acquisition at the Pentagon, was selected to become the sixth commander of Air Force Materiel Command. President George

  • Air Force officials observe National Small Business Week

    Small businesses support the full spectrum of Air Force operations that helps Airmen fly and fight in air, space and cyberspace, and Air Force officials are observing National Small Business Week that runs April 21 through 25.Small businesses deliver in a big way in innovation and technology to help

  • Ellsworth first in Air Force to receive EPA incentives

    Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., is the first Air Force installation to receive special incentives from the Environmental Protection Agency based on its exceptional example as a steward of the environment. The criteria for entering into the EPA's Performance Track program include having an

  • Award winners save $14.7 million for Air Force

    Nine individuals who saved the Air Force $14.7 million were recognized April 8 at the Pentagon as seven individuals won Air Force Productivity Excellence Awards and two won Air Force Exceptional Innovator Awards. Lt. Gen. Richard Y. Newton III, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for manpower,

  • Cyber Command officials define unit's scope

    Ray guns and light sabers may be weapons of science fiction, but using energy as a warfighting tool is one area that members of the Air Force Cyber Command's 450th Electronic Warfare Wing will be charged with exploring. While details of the wing's composition, mission and manning are still being

  • Air Force enhances medical scholarships with $20,000 bonus

    Students selected by Air Force officials for three- or four-year medical school scholarships in fiscal 2008 will get an extra $20,000 in their wallets with the new Critical Skills Accession Bonus. Qualified Medical Corps Health Professions Scholarship Program recipients awarded contracts from Oct.

  • Joint Chiefs chairman strives for balance in current role

    To keep U.S. forces well resourced, trained and poised for unknown future threats, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff strives for balance, he said April 16. Whether weighing regional versus global threats, military resources against mission needs, or adjusting the amount of deployment time

  • New satellite provides more power, better warfighter support

    The most powerful communications satellite in the Department of Defense inventory is circling the Earth and went operational April 15.The Wideband Global SATCOM, or WGS, satellite is the first of six satellites that will take over long-haul communications from the legacy constellation, the Defense

  • German sergeant enrolls in USAFE NCO Academy

    German air force Master Sgt. Holger Fels is no stranger to teaching professional development to airmen in Germany's 70,000-member "Luftwaffe." What he's not so familiar with is how to impart the same type of knowledge is to Airmen in America's Air Force. Recently hand-selected from 200 of his fellow

  • Air Force Assistance Fund campaign ends May 4

    There is still time for Airmen to make a contribution to the Air Force Assistance Fund campaign, which began Feb. 12 and ends May 4. As of April 15, this year's AFAF campaign is $2.2 million short of its $5.7 million goal. Last year, Airmen exceeded the campaign goal of $5.3 million with more than

  • Presidential Rank Awards presented to senior AF civilians

    Air Force officials recognized the career achievements of 20 senior civilians April 14 during the annual Presidential Rank Awards Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. "Our distinguished winners are products of a lifetime of dedication to their trade (and) the Air Force," said Secretary of the

  • Deadline set for officers to apply for broadening programs

    Air Force officers considering advanced academic degree and experience broadening programs in 2009 have until June 6 to apply, Air Force Personnel Center officials here said. Officers in space/missiles operations, intelligence, weather, logistics, civil engineering, program management, developmental

  • CMSAF addresses Academy cadets

    Academy cadets had an opportunity to receive insight from the Air Force's top enlisted member April 10. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney McKinley visited the Academy to address cadets from the classes of 2008 and 2009 in Arnold Hall at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. Be a sponge and soak

  • Secretary of state receives honorary Air University degree

    Air University officials presented an honorary doctor of letters degree upon Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for her academic achievements and contributions to international relations and national security April 14 here. Lt. Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz, the Air University commander, gave Secretary

  • Smart Ops teams simplify processes to save thousands, earn certification

    Thousands of dollars in savings are on the horizon for Tinker Air Force Base as a result of the work by two AFSO21 process improvement teams who presented their final projects and graduated from training Jan. 14.In August, two four-member teams were given one Air Logistics Center problem each with a

  • Air Force secretary tells cadets of changing times

    The Air Force has met the challenge of change with a combination of innovation, adaptability and flexibility for the last 60 years, said the Air Force secretary in his address to first and third class cadets April 8 in Arnold Hall here. "Character and leadership skills are always in high demand and

  • Air Force official calls for input from deployed Airmen

    The assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and Reserve affairs met with Airmen here April 9 to discuss important issues affecting as he tours the deployed theater. Craig W. Duehring met with several Air Force active-duty, Guard and Reserve members deployed to the 380th Air Expeditionary

  • Airmen help flooding recovery efforts

    Airmen from McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C., recently provided satellite imagery to assist state and federal agencies in relief efforts following flooding in Missouri and Arkansas. Members of the 169th Communications Flight at McEntire Joint National Guard Base collected imagery using Eagle

  • Euro-NATO committee has eyes on future

    The spring Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program's Steering Committee completed its weeklong discussions April 4 regarding the future of the program, including its syllabus, budget and infrastructure. The committee also said goodbye to six-year chairman Royal Netherlands Air Force Air Commodore

  • Readiness Centers help families displaced by danger

    With the political system was deteriorating in March in Belgrade, Serbia, State Department officials announced an authorized departure order for eligible family members and non-emergency employees from Belgrade, including one Air Force family. But when families landed at their "safe haven" in the

  • More civilian providers accepting Tricare Standard

    There's good news for Tricare Standard beneficiaries. More civilian providers are accepting new patients, according to a recently released survey. Yet, Tricare officials acknowledge that increasing the number of providers and types of providers across the nation remains a high priority, especially

  • NCAA Final Four recognizes American servicemembers

    College basketball officials recognized the contributions of American servicemembers throughout the world during the men's NCAA Final Four weekend April 4 through 7 in San Antonio. Military members were present during college basketball's biggest weekend while singing the national anthem, presenting

  • AFCENT deputy commander visits deployed Airmen

    The 9th Air Force vice commander and the deputy commander of U.S. Air Forces Central visited 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Airmen April 2 at a Southwest Asian air base. Maj. Gen. William L. Holland from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., met and talked with Airmen who fly aircraft, maintain

  • Manas Airmen help Children's Heart Ward

    Officials of the Children's Heart Ward in the nearby city of Bishkek performed their 100th surgery March 29 in part due to the support of the of the Manas Air Base Outreach Society.  With the support and donations from base Airmen, two Children's Heart Ward doctors conduct heart surgeries for free

  • Air Force looks to improve antennas for micro air vehicles

    Air Force Office of Scientific Research officials here currently are funding a professor from the University of Minnesota who is using objective structures in his project called "GameChanger" in an attempt to make new kinds of antennas for micro air vehicles to be used for military purposes. Micro

  • Air Force ready, but general has concerns for future

    The Air Force vice chief of staff and his counterparts from the other services, testified on readiness before the Senate Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support April 1. Gen. Duncan J. McNabb addressed Senate questions about the wear and tear on aircraft caused by

  • 'Perspective' focuses on caring Airmen

    In his latest "Enlisted Perspective," the Air Force's top enlisted Airman discusses the need for Air Force people to remember that even in the midst of challenges to the mission, everything starts with caring."Caring is a characteristic that endears us to each other and forms lasting relationships

  • Research leads to improved wireless communication

    An Air Force Office of Scientific Research-funded researcher whose work focused on multi-user detection technology has made radio reception clearer in locations where interference is a challenge for deployed servicemembers. Dr. Rachel Learned's work in multi-user detection, or MUD, examined the

  • Training video filmed at AFPC, various locations

    "Roll 'em!" the director yelled. The clapboard was snapped and the film crew jumped into action.Although this is a common occurrence in Hollywood, it's an unusual one at the Air Force Personnel Center here. The filming was part of two 15-minute videos that will be used for training Air Force family

  • Ramstein Airmen participate in Exercise Thracian Spring

    Airmen from the 86th Airlift Wing and the 435th Air Base Wing at Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany, as well as master jumpmasters from the 5th Quartermasters at Rhein Ordnance Barracks, Germany, joined forces with Bulgarian military forces to conduct Exercise Thracian Spring here from March 26 to

  • Logistics key to deployed NATO mission

    Logistics Airmen from the 404th Air Expeditionary Group have worked day and night to prepare the airfield here for Operation Noble Endeavor. F-15 Strike Eagles from the 492nd Fighter Squadron at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom, will augment Romanian forces in an air policing mission over

  • Former A-10 pilot, Cowboy speaks at Pentagon

    Chad Hennings knows teamwork. Chad Hennings knows mentorship. Chad Hennings knows success. Chad Hennings also knows what it's like to fly an A-10 Thunderbolt II on a combat sortie, win three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys and, most recently, speak with Airmen stationed at the Pentagon. Mr.

  • Upgraded B-52 still on cutting edge

    The B-52 Stratofortress is continually modified with new technology making the 50-year-old airframe one of the Air Force's most effective long-range heavy bombers. Modified B-52 aircraft with modern technology are capable of delivering a full range of joint-developed weapons and will continue to be

  • Tinker maintainers aid Saudi air force with E-3 repair

    Representatives from the Royal Saudi air force arrived to collect their newly repaired E-3 March 24 from Tinker Air Force Base officials. After members of the 566th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron's E-3 Maintenance Flight here replaced a bearing between the rotodome and aircraft, an aircrew from the

  • Permanent Global Logistics Support Centers stands up

    A new, permanent headquarters overseeing Air Force global logistics support is now in operation at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. General Bruce Carlson, commander of Air Force Materiel Command, formally stood up the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center in ceremonies March 28 at Scott AFB. He also

  • Developmental education application deadlines set

    Officers and civilians considering intermediate or senior developmental education in 2009 have until April 25 and May 1, respectively, to submit their applications for consideration by the selection board. Officers apply using a Web-based application, while civilians submit their applications

  • AFNORTH provides support to flood areas

    The numbered air force responsible for ensuring the air defense of the continental U.S. has also been supporting civilian and military authorities working to provide relief from the recent floods in the U.S. Maj. Gen. Henry C. "Hank" Morrow, the 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northen) commander at

  • Program takes safety, occupational health to next level

    Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials continue to focus on developing and caring for the safety of Airmen, civilians and their families to build a culture of safety with the Voluntary Protection Program, senior Air Force leaders said here recently. "The Air Force implemented VPP (a

  • Dyess AFB model of energy conservation

    Dyess Air Force Base is going green. Take a tour of the base and it's easy to see how. In one building, water is pumped from a small pond, turned into ice and used to cool several dormitories; the landscaping is irrigated using effluent water purchased from the city of Abilene, Texas; and eight

  • Hanscom unit preps new CAOC facility

    Members of the 652nd Electronic Systems Squadron here are preparing for the future home of the U.S. Air Force Central's Combined Air and Space Operations Center facility as construction continues in Southwest Asia. The Air and Space Operations Center Weapons System, officially referred to as the

  • AF recruit drops 128 pounds to enlist

    Will Sims will enter basic training March 24 as one of the Air Force's newest recruits. It is a significant milestone in a wild journey that began more than a year ago, when this young man set forth to overcome an obstacle that might keep others with less determination and resolve out of the

  • Experiment identifies timely solutions to warfighter

    Thanks to a strong effort from the Global Cyberspace Integration Center here, 11 Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment initiatives have been delivered to the warfighter during the past 12 months, and five more are projected to be fielded within the next four months. As the lead agency for JEFX, the

  • FAA lauds Air Force synthetic fuel team

    The Air Force team that developed a blend of petroleum and synthetic fuel for the B-52 Stratofortress received the Federal Aviation Administration's 2007 Excellence in Aviation Research Award at a ceremony March 14 in the Air Force Research Laboratory's Propulsion Directorate here.Barry Scott, the

  • Air Force to lead National Image Conference

    The Department of Defense named the Air Force as the lead service for this year's National Image Conference to be held April 14 to 18 at the South Point Hotel in Las Vegas. The conference theme, "From Heritage to New Horizons," will provide guidance and leadership to take Hispanic youth and

  • Air Force leaders, lawmakers discuss BRAC construction

    Air Force leaders met with members of House and Senate subcommittees in March here to discuss military construction, base realignment and closure and joint service basing issues. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley and Maj. Gen. Del Eulberg, the Air Force civil engineer, met with

  • USNORTHCOM hosts hurricane preparation conference

    Heavy snow may have been falling outside, but the men and women gathered inside a conference room here in mid-March had another kind of severe weather on their minds. "Hurricanes are predictable; we know they're going to come," said Army Maj. Gen. William Ingram, the adjutant general of North

  • Airmen visit coffee company to learn AFSO 21

    A group of Air Force officers and senior NCOs from the Pentagon took a tour of a local coffee company here March 12 to learn about improvement efforts in a civilian company using similar tools to those used in Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century. Leaders of the Eight O' Clock Coffee

  • Vice president visits troops at Balad

    Vice President Dick Cheney met and spoke to servicemembers fighting the war on terrorism from Balad Air Base and Logistics Support Area Anaconda March 18. Before addressing the base populace during a rally, the vice president sat down to breakfast with a select group of military members. "It was an

  • Researchers honored for work with self-healing plastics

    Air Force Office of Scientific Research-funded scientists have been awarded several recent honors for their breakthrough research in self-healing plastics. Professors Dr. Scott White and Dr. Nancy Sottos, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, were recognized in January in the 2007

  • The ABCs of filling an Air Force civilian job

    Most civilian jobs in the Air Force begin with a request for personnel action, or RPA. They end with an entry on duty, or EOD, date. During the past 12 months, the entire process has taken an average of 136 days from the initial completion of the RPA to a person arriving for duty. Control of the

  • Iraqi air force attains tenfold increase in sorties

    Iraq's air force, with help from a U.S. transition team, attained a tenfold increase in its number of weekly sorties and doubled the size of its fleet over the past year, a military official said today. Maj. Gen. Robert R. Allardice, commander of the Coalition Air Force Transition Team, said the

  • Global support center officially stands up March 28

    Less than a year after standing up, the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center (Provisional) will lose its "Provisional" designation during the unit's formal standup March 28 at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. Gen. Bruce Carlson, commander of Air Force Materiel Command, will officiate at the ceremony.

  • New Web app makes assignment system easier to use

    Active duty Air Force members -- officers and enlisted -- who log on to the Air Force Personnel Center's Assignment Management System will find a new Web application that makes navigation faster and easier. "It's all part of AFPC's on-going effort to increase service to our customers," said Master

  • AFMC command chief emphasizes understanding one's role

    The stigma that Airmen assigned to Air Force Materiel Command are not part of the war on terrorism fight is one the command's top enlisted member is working to correct. "There are segments of people -- ranging from enlisted members within AFMC to those in other Air Force major commands -- who equate

  • Computer protection: Good IDEA

    Buying software to protect your home computer ensures it is safe from Internet viruses and hackers. When Air Force officials buy intrusion detection software for the service's computers, they don't browse through the aisles of the local computer store.The Intrusion Detection Exploration Analysis

  • Secretary Gates accepts resignation of CENTCOM chief

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today reluctantly accepted Navy Adm. William J. Fallon's letter of resignation as commander of U.S. Central Command and request for retirement. Admiral Fallon's resignation will take effect March 31, Secretary Gates said during a Pentagon news conference. His

  • Cadets receive cold-weather training in Alaska

    Cadets from both Eagle River and West High School Junior ROTC programs participated in an overnight stay at Otter Lake on Fort Richardson, Alaska, to gain cold weather survival training Feb. 29 to March 1. Arriving early Feb. 29, the cadets began marching the eight-mile trail to the lake, carrying

  • Airpower brings unique capability to U.S., Korean exercise

    Ensuring peace and stability throughout the region takes a solid relationship between Republic of Korea airmen and the U.S. Airmen here -- one cannot accomplish the mission without the other. This month, Airmen in Korea are testing this relationship through Exercises Key Resolve and Foal Eagle.

  • Unit stands up to improve communications across, for Iraq

    Multi-National Force - Iraq officials here have recently established a new team of experts to help improve coordination of communications policy, services and infrastructure initiatives throughout Iraq. The Iraq Communications Coordination Element recently began operating under the direction of

  • Aerial porters receive advanced training

    Airmen in the Air Force air transportation career field, also known as "aerial porters," can advance their training and capabilities here through the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Aerial Port Operations Course. Held approximately 12 times a year at either Fort Dix or an away location such as

  • AETC commanders meet, discuss way ahead

    More than 100 Air Education and Training Command senior leaders gathered at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., to participate in the AETC commanders' and command chiefs' conference Feb. 25-29. The conference, held twice annually, provided an opportunity for Gen. William R. Looney III, AETC commander, and

  • Tuition assistance allows Airmen to reach educational goals

    The Air Force Military Tuition Assistance program, which allows Airmen to reach educational goals, recently identified an opportunity to link force development initiatives with the program after receiving feedback from the 2007 Air Force Audit Agency. "Historically, MilTA has been used as a

  • Philadelphia, McGuire AFB to host Air Force Week

    The Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. T. Michael Moseley, recently selected Philadelphia as one of three locations to host "Air Force Week" in 2008. Activities in the Philadelphia region will begin on Memorial Day, May 26, and culminate with an Air Exposition -- featuring the Air Force Thunderbirds

  • Council conducts operational review of AFSO 21

    Several top Air Force leaders convened the Air Force Process Council here March 3 for their quarterly operational review of the service's Smart Operations for the 21st century initiatives. Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. T. Michael Moseley

  • Energy Forum showcases environmental achievements

    Approximately 500 Air Force, government and industry leaders gathered to discuss current and future energy and environmental programs during the service's second annual Energy Forum March 3 here. The event was divided up into numerous forums with topics ranging from facility energy management to

  • GPS helps troops locate targets, one another

    Members of the Joint Service System Management Office here provide global positioning systems-enabled technology in direct support of warfighters worldwide.Part of the 752nd Combat Sustainment Group, the JSSMO has representatives from all military branches. The unit maintains GPS receivers in the

  • Maintainers in Pacific gain top-down view of transformation

    One of the top Air Force leaders involved in engineering a broad transformation in aircraft maintenance processes and organizational structures talked with senior leaders, wing commanders and maintainers throughout Pacific Air Forces March 3 here. "We're looking at the most fundamental

  • Peacekeeping mission continues for Airmen in Kosovo

    More than a dozen Airmen currently deployed here are helping 1,400 American Soldiers maintain stability here despite the riots and assault on the U.S. embassy in protest to Kosovo's declaration of independence Feb. 17 in Belgrade, Serbia. Tech. Sgt. Scott Williams is one of four combat weathermen

  • Transitional medical benefits can help bridge gap

    Each year thousands of servicemembers separate from the service before they are eligible for retirement. Making the transition from military to civilian can be a challenge, but there is support to help servicemembers and their families meet their health care needs. "As our warriors transition from

  • Legendary pilot visits Kadena

    A surviving pilot of a legendary aviator group of determined black men at the forefront of historic social change during World War II spoke Feb. 25 at the Rocker NCO Club here. Retired Lt. Col. Charles Dryden was one of 992 Tuskegee Airmen who answered the call to serve his country when blacks were

  • Camp Eggers officials dedicate building to fallen Airman

    Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and civilians dedicated the Gillespie House to honor a fallen Airman March 2 at Camp Eggers. Master Sgt. Randy Gillespie, an embedded training team senior mentor with the Afghan national army 207th Corps, died July 9, 2007, from fatal wounds sustained from small

  • Air Force officials introduce new civilian training vehicle

    Without it, they are stuck in park. With it, however, they can rev up their future. With the introduction of the Standard Form 182, which was rolled out recently by the Office of Personnel Management, Air Force civilians now have an elite vehicle in their inventory that can effectively steer them

  • McGuire Airmen support downed satellite cleanup task force

    McGuire Air Force Base members recently provided support for Joint Task Force Operation Burnt Frost to recover debris from a nonfunctional satellite shot down Feb. 20. The Navy shot down the bus-sized satellite to dissipate approximately 1,000 pounds of hydrazine, a hazardous fuel which could pose a

  • New online master's program for AF civilians now available

    Eligible Air Force civilians have until March 14 to apply for a new online master's degree program offered this June by Air University's Air Command and Staff College. The two-year program, for civilians GS-11 and above and pay band-02 and above who don't already have their master's degree, consists

  • Pilot reaches 1,000 combat hours flown

    A 332nd Expeditionary Operations Group F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot here will reach two career milestones in a matter of weeks. According to information extracted from the Aviation Resource Management and Military Personnel Data Systems, Lt. Col. Andy Uribe is the only current Air Force fighter pilot

  • Protocol staff provides first-class service all the way

    Although they primarily work behind the scenes, staff in the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing protocol office works hard to ensure distinguished visitors have a positive experience while visiting the base. Protocol personnel achieve this goal by providing a variety of services to allow DVs a chance to

  • Air Force officials honor top recruiters for 2007

    Fourteen Air Force recruiters have been named tops in their field for fiscal 2007 by Air Force Recruiting Service. The Air Force Blue Suit recruiters for 2007 are: -- Master Sgt. Russell Benigno of the 337th Recruiting Squadron at Fayetteville, N.C., -- Master Sgt. Brian Clark of the 362nd RCS at

  • Joint effort made satellite success possible

    When analysts determined a satellite carrying a tank of 1,000 pounds of hydrazine fuel could be a threat to human life, the U.S. Department of Defense and other agencies came together to find the best course of action. More than two dozen federal agencies collaborated to shoot down the

  • CAPSTONE officers study Djiboutians, task force relationship

    Senior U.S. military officers and civilian equivalents traveled to Djibouti to learn about the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa mission as part of the Department of Defense CAPSTONE curriculum designed for newly appointed generals and flag officers Feb. 24. Fourteen CAPSTONE fellows visited

  • Airmen mentor Afghan national army

    Airmen from the 755th Expeditionary Support Squadron here are currently mentoring Afghan national army soldiers at the Logistics Support Operations Center in Kabul.The Airmen work closely with their Afghan counterparts to assist them setting up a web of logistics throughout the country. The eventual

  • Top AF logistician visits deployed Airmen

    The Air Force's top logistician visited five bases in Southwest Asia recently to meet with logistics readiness Airmen and get a better idea of how things were going in the area of responsibility."The reason I am here is to ensure the LRS troops are able to provide their unique capability," said Maj.

  • Maxwell Airmen assist city devastated by tornado

    More than 20 Maxwell Air Force Base Airmen teamed up with 66 Officer Training School trainees from here Feb. 19 to help people recover from a devastating tornado that leveled 150 homes in Prattville, Ala. The Enhanced Fujita Scale-3 tornado that swept through the city 15 miles northwest of Maxwell

  • New Web-based assignment application debuts March 3

    The power to apply for your next home-basing and follow-on assignment will soon be literally at your fingertips. Starting March 3, all active-duty enlisted members and officers, lieutenant colonel and below, who are slated to serve an unaccompanied tour of 15 months or less will have the ability to

  • Joint STARS goes beyond line of sight

    A straight line is the shortest distance between two points and the best way for communication to pass from one to the other, unless the earth's curvature prevents it. Then, what is known as beyond-line-of-sight, or BLOS, communication capability becomes necessary. BLOS uses two straight lines, one

  • The Air Guard migrates to the Air Force Public Web

    The Air National Guard has joined the Air Force in consolidating its public Web sites under one network, the Air Force Public Web. The Air Guard's public Web site has a new look and feel similar to other Air Force Web sites currently using the Air Force Public Information Management System, or

  • EPA officials recognize Air Force for leading green power

    Environmental Protection Agency officials recently named the Air Force to the agency's National Top 25 List of green power purchasers. Selected as No. 3, Air Force officials demonstrated their commitment to protecting the environment and built upon its existing affiliation with EPA's Green Power

  • Airman's Roll Call highlights tax time

    This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on the assistance Airmen can receive from the Air Force to help get their taxes done. The deadline for filing your taxes is April 15 and that day will be here before you know it. All American citizens are required to file their taxes by that date. As

  • Summer jobs available at Air Force bases worldwide

    Students and certain other eligible persons can gain marketable skills and earn money while enjoying their summer vacations with the Air Force Summer Hire Program, Air Force Personnel Center officials here said Feb. 19. Job vacancies will be posted on the USAJobs Web site and may be advertised

  • CCAF officials appoint chief as first enlisted vice commandant

    The Community College of the Air Force here recently appointed an Air National Guard chief master sergeant as its first enlisted vice commandant since the school's creation more than 35 years ago. Chief Master Sgt. Joseph Thornell is the first enlisted Airman to serve in the position historically

  • DOD health officials host first medical 'Webhall'

    The Pentagon's top doctor, S. Ward Casscells, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, hosted a Web-based live "Webhall" Feb 14, a first for the military health system. Leaders from the MHS joined Doctor Casscells in answering some pointed and challenging questions live on the new MHS Web

  • Firefighter first U.S. Airman to attend RAF leadership training

    A firefighter here began the Royal Air Force Airmen's Command Squadron, the equivalent of the NCO Academy, Feb. 12 at RAF Halton, England. Tech. Sgt. Josh Trundle, the RAF Mildenhall fire department assistant NCO in charge of training and safety, joined RAF airmen in training topics ranging from

  • The club that keeps on giving

    For one Kadena Air Base organization, "service" is not just a buzz word. It's a mission, and the proof is in the numbers. The Kadena Officers' Spouses' Club, a non-profit organization with nearly 170 members, donated more than $180,000 for the welfare of American and Okinawan communities last year.

  • Airmen's January reenlistment bonuses now retroactive

    All eligible Airmen in Air Force specialty codes with a selective reenlistment bonus or those with a critical skills retention bonus who reenlisted Jan. 1 or later are authorized retroactive payment effective immediately, Air Force officials here announced recently. The 2008 National Defense

  • Airmen, Marines seek to synchronize in sky over Iraq

    Leadership from the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing and the 3rd Marine Air Wing-Forward met here Feb. 10 and 11 to raise joint air traffic control and airspace utilization in central Iraq to new levels of safety and effectiveness. During the conference, the military services discussed ways to increase

  • Air Force Aid Society provides alternative to pay-day loans

    Air Force Aid Society officials are pleased to announce the new Falcon Loan program available to Air Force members beginning March 3.  A Falcon Loan is an interest-free loan of $500 or less that can be used for emergency needs such as basic living expenses -- rent, utilities and food -- car repairs,

  • Air Force conducts nuclear policy and procedures review

    The Air Force's Blue Ribbon Review of its nuclear weapons policies and procedures has found that its nuclear mission is sound but needs strengthening. "The review provided the Air Force an opportunity to improve its commitment to a sound nuclear enterprise," said Maj. Gen. Polly Peyer, chair of the

  • Pacific Lifeline tests humanitarian relief concept

    More than 900 Department of Defense members took part in two weeks of instruction and practical application as part of Pacific Lifeline 2008, which ceased field training exercises Feb. 7 in Hawaii. A total force exercise staged from three locations within the Hawaiian Islands, Pacific Lifeline

  • Enlisted member, dependent children scholarships available

    The Air Force Sergeants Association, Airmen Memorial Foundation and the Chief Master Sergeants of the Air Force join together annually to conduct a scholarship program to financially assist the undergraduate studies of eligible dependent children of Air Force active duty, Air National Guard and Air