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  • DOD firefighter certification program turns 20

    It has shaped Department of Defense firefighters for two decades. This May, the DOD Fire and Emergency Services Certification Program that ensures military and civilian firefighters are properly trained, certified and qualified marks its 20th anniversary.The Air Force Civil Engineer Center here

  • Airmen train with Polish air force

    Nearly 100 Airmen assigned to the 115th Fighter Wing, Wisconsin Air National Guard, here to train in a joint theater security cooperation event with the Polish air force. This event, hosted by the U.S. Aviation Detachment 1, is geared toward enhancing the skills of U.S. and Polish F-16 Fighting

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Weather Airman survives lightning strike

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)A weather Airman who issues warnings when lightning strikes take place within five miles of an air base here knows the danger: He's a lightning-strike

  • Breedlove to take command of EUCOM, SHAPE

    As Gen. Philip M. Breedlove prepares to take command of U.S. European Command and NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, he acknowledged U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa Airmen and their importance to the United States' national defense strategy.More than 54,000 American

  • Afghan air university takes dynamic formal stride

    Taking one more step to becoming Ministry of Defense accredited, Afghan air force leaders at Pohantoon-e-Hawayee "Air University" signed six newly developed training decrees May 4 at Kabul International Airport here. The implementation of these decrees marks the first time the school had standard

  • Official urges planning, offers resources for fiscal fitness

    It's important for children to learn financial life skills early on to maintain financial security and avoid woes in adulthood, a Defense Department official said.Barbara Thompson, the director of DOD's office of family policy and children and youth, said in an interview with American Forces Press

  • Senior leaders testify on health of personnel programs

    Air Force senior leaders, along with counterparts from each of the services, testified about the current state of military personnel programs before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee April 24.Daniel B. Ginsberg, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs and Lt. Gen.

  • Affordability priority for F-35 program

    Affordability remains the priority for the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter, the Pentagon's program executive officer for the Defense Department's most expensive procurement told Congress yesterday.Air Force Lt. Gen. Christopher C. Bogdan told the Senate Armed Services Committee's airland

  • Indonesian, U.S. forces practice humanitarian evacuation

    After two days of in-class lectures, U.S. and Indonesian service members and civilians from the Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Center participated in an aeromedical evacuation subject-matter expert exchange here, April 24.During the exchange, a disaster scenario was simulated in which patients

  • AF observes Sexual Assault Awareness Month

    At installations around the world Airmen are working together to increase awareness, prevent and care for the victims of sexual assault, with a variety of events underway in observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Air Force Personnel Center officials said.From the commander in chief to the

  • KC-46 progress on track

    The top acquisition priority in the Air Force - acquiring a new aerial refueling capability - is proceeding "on track," Maj. Gen. John Thompson, the program executive officer for Tankers, said.Two years and several key milestones after the contract was awarded, a great deal of progress has been

  • Air Combat Command stands down units due to budget cuts

    Air Force officials will begin to stand down active-duty combat units starting April 9 to ensure the remaining units supporting worldwide operations can maintain sufficient readiness through the remainder of the fiscal year.The stand down is the result of cuts to Air Combat Command's operations and

  • Alaska trooper gains, gives at Air Force NCO academy

     Tech. Sgt. Brian Zeisel with the Alaska Air National Guard is modest about the recognition he gets from leading his Alaska State Trooper K9, "Argo," through some dangerous law enforcement dispatches.As a full time State Trooper with more than 10 years' service, thousands see Zeisel's patrols in

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: An immigrant's climb to the top

    For decades, America has been known around the world as a place of opportunity, a reputation that has drawn people from all corners of the world to inhabit there. It's this reputation that motivated a husband and wife to leave a former communist nation of Yugoslavia with their two boys in tow in

  • First woman to lead air campaign

    In early 2011, the world watched in horror as the aging dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi turned his weapons against his own people in what became a bloody civil war in the North African state of Libya. Soon, the Libyan army was bearing down on Benghazi, the second largest city in the country, threatening

  • Night vision training increases Afghan AF capabilities

    NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan air advisors reached an important milestone in the Combined Strategic Flight Plan with the inclusion of nighttime operational capabilities as part of flight training for the Afghan Air Force. Night vision goggle training is one part of an extensive curriculum

  • 'A chief is a chief'

    With the growth of the women's movement evolving in the workplace in the 80s and 90s, military operations continued to see an increasing number of women climb the ranks of the armed forces. In the summer of 1990, while the U.S. moved men and women across the Atlantic in support of the Gulf War,

  • Academy instructors receive Commendation Medals for life-saving efforts

    Two U.S. Air Force Academy chemistry instructors received Commendation Medals March 18 for helping save the life of a fellow hiker on Jan.26 in Manitou Springs, Colo.It was just another day for Maj. Thomas Heier and Capt. Benjamin Worker when they climbed the 8,590-foot Manitou Incline in

  • West Point visit sparks illustrious 30-year AF career

    Describing her career as "inconceivable," there isn't much that Maj. Gen. Sharon K. G. Dunbar would want to change. "I've done more than I ever imagined," said the small-hometown-in-Illinois commander of the Air Force District of Washington, Joint Base Andrews, Md. "I've met incredible people

  • Women in AF paved way, often through adversity

    In a quote from one of Shakespeare's plays, "Twelfth Night," the character Malvallo remarks that "some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon 'em."Women in the Air Force (WAF) produced many such women who did not set out to be trailblazers but whose

  • F-35 production on track, program chief says

    The F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter program is a different program than it was four years ago, the F-35 program executive officer said here March 12.In a speech at the McAleese/Credit Suisse Defense Programs Conference at the Newseum, Lt. Gen. Christopher C. Bogdan told attendees that he and

  • Cope Tiger 13 commences in Thailand

    Combined forces from the U.S. Air Force, Royal Thai air force and Republic of Singapore air force joined forces today to execute Cope Tiger 13 here March 10.The annual field training exercise, comprised of aviation and ground units, is designed to enhance interoperability and relations amongst each

  • First shirts find value in ANG 'warrior network'

    When Chief Master Sgt. Michael Kennedy wanted to communicate to more than 800 first sergeants across the Air National Guard as their functional manager this week he turned to the I.G. Brown Training and Education Center.The Center told him, no problem.Its Media Engagement Division and "Warrior

  • Airman saves life, earns city's recognition

    In the early morning, you're driving through the city when you see two men pushing a stalled vehicle. You stop to see if they need help, and another vehicle strikes the two men against their car, fracturing one man's leg and severing the other's below the knee. The victim with the severed leg is

  • Nellis pilots take first step toward F-35 operational testing

    Two officers from the operational test community are among the six pilots in the first F-35 Lightning II pilot training course after an Air Education and Training Command decision to start training here in January.Lt. Col. Benjamin Bishop, the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron director of

  • AF announces OTS selection results

    A total of 247 men and women from across America have earned an opportunity to become Air Force leaders following their selection for an officer's commission, officials here announced today. Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 417 applications as part of the Officer Training School

  • Innovative teaching idea saves Air Force $1.1 million

    An idea by the 982nd Training Group to make formal military instructor training available at field training detachments has saved the Air Force more than $1.1 million in temporary duty expenditures so far in fiscal year 2013.The FTD version of the Principles of Instruction course, or POI, was

  • AF personnel chief: 'sequestration sends wrong signal to workforce'

    The Air Force's top personnel chief testified to Congress on the impact to military end strength in a budget constrained environment on Capitol Hill Feb. 27 during a House Armed Services Subcommittee military personnel hearing.Lt. Gen. Darrell D. Jones, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for

  • First Afghan Air Force C-208 CASEVAC a success

    In another historic step for the Afghan Air Force, an AAF Cessna 208 configured for battlefield casualty evacuation successfully transported a seriously injured soldier and three minor casualties from Kandahar, Afghanistan to Kabul International Airport Feb. 11. The Afghan-tasked, planned and led

  • ACC continues planning for sequestration impacts

    Air Combat Command officials continue to take actions to slow, and within the near-term dramatically restrict, fiscal 2013 spending in light of pending sequestration and a projected $1.8 billion shortfall in overseas contingency funding."We are prioritizing our efforts to sustain force structure and

  • Former MTI sentenced during sexual misconduct trial

    In what has become the eighth courts martial in a series of allegations against military training instructors accused of various forms of sexual misconduct or assault, a former MTI was sentenced during a trial at Joint Base San Antonio -- Lackland, Texas.A sentence was returned Feb. 14 in the

  • African Americans in leadership

    The 1950s were a tumultuous time for the United States as the winds of changes blew across the country and the social landscape was transformed as the Civil Rights movement went into full swing. In 1954, the Supreme Court case ruling in Brown v. Board of Education overturned laws that permitted

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Airman amasses huge comic book collection

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.) Super-speed, excessive strength, X-ray vision--realistically, no human can obtain these skills naturally, but comic books provide a way to vicariously

  • First F-35A four-ship flies over Eglin

     Increasing capability is becoming routine for the F-35 Lightning II team.The 58th Aircraft Maintenance Unit produced a four-turn-four for the 58th Fighter Squadron flying Jan 31. "The pilots flew four F-35As in the morning and the maintainers performed routine maintenance for airworthiness after

  • Air Force Officials Aim to Eliminate Sexual Assault

    Following a nine-month investigation into sexual misconduct at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in San Antonio, the Air Force has implemented a comprehensive program aimed at eliminating sexual assault, senior Air Force leaders told Congress today.Air Force Chief Of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and

  • CJCS enlisted advisor shares joint vision with Airmen

    Once a person dons the uniform of their branch of service it can be easy to let their identity as an Airman, Soldier, Sailor or Marine cloud the fact that they are a member of a larger U.S. military. Marine Sgt. Maj. Bryan Battaglia, the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of

  • AF medical team trains for important inauguration role

    The 56th Presidential Inauguration, held Jan. 20, 2009, set a record attendance for any event held in Washington D.C., and was one of the most-observed events ever by the global audience. With more than 1 million attendees just four years ago, preparations for the 57th Presidential Inauguration have

  • AF implements non-volunteer MTI selection process

    Technical sergeants and master sergeants who meet qualification requirements may be non-voluntarily selected for military training instructor duty, Air Force Personnel Center officials said."Low MTI manning levels in 2003 resulted in non-volunteer selections, so this decision is not without

  • Air Force Academy parachute team wins 46 medals at national competition

    The Wings of Blue Air Force Parachute Team won 46 medals and set five national collegiate records at the National Collegiate Parachute Competition here Jan. 2.Wings of Blue skydivers took home 13 gold, 18 silver and 15 bronze medals at the competition, held from Dec. 2 - Jan. 2. The Air Force Legacy

  • AF legal team advises Afghans

    Members of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing here are helping the Afghan air force Kandahar air wing leadership and legal office implement military justice and hold the wing's servicemembers accountable to military standards. Maj. Deanna Daly, Staff Judge Advocate for the 451st AEW, and her

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Airman strives to become pro fighter

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Most people dream of getting rich, or houses with white picket fences, but one Airman's dream is to be locked in a blood-stained steel cage with a

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Airman shows skills as F-22 demo pilot

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)The serenity of a sleepy, morning sky broke as a dark form rose from the ground and blotted out the sun. An F-22 Raptor maneuvered through the dawn,

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Airman engineers musical masterpieces

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)On the Christopher Newport University campus, in Newport News, Va., Ferguson Hall teemed with activity as spectators found their seats. The din of

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Airman blogger aims high

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Coming back to a new school year was difficult, even for an experienced teacher. Her new special education math class was crowded. Twenty students

  • Air Force Fire Chief leaves legacy of service

    After 46 years of service, the Air Force's top firefighter stepped down.Donald Warner, chief of the Fire Emergency Services Division in the Air Force Civil Engineer Center Readiness Directorate at Tyndall AFB, Fla., retired  Dec. 29, ending a career in firefighting that has spanned six decades."When

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: High school reunion ... above Afghanistan

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)In 2001, three students -- each in a different grade -- shared the halls and classrooms of DuBois Area High School in rural Pennsylvania.This month,

  • Airmen decrease response time with improved expeditionary medical team

    More than 60 medical Airmen from Andersen Air Force Base, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska and Yokota Air Base, Japan, joined trained on the new expeditionary medical support health response team here, Dec. 10-13. EMEDS is a team of expertly-trained medical professionals who utilize a mobile

  • OTS selection board results announced

    A total of 245 men and women from across America have earned an opportunity to become Air Force leaders following their selection for an officer's commission, officials here announced today. Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 717 applications as part of the Officer Training School

  • Defenders and good will ambassadors

    The sun rises on an empty field outside an entry control point as a few defenders prepare their gear and equipment for the day. By mid-morning the field becomes filled with nearly 400 Afghan locals all waiting to process through that ECP at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. For the bravo sector entry

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Plumber's plan to become pilot is no pipe dream

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)With a lot of hard work and a little patience, the dream of becoming a pilot with the Air Force Reserve is beginning to become a reality for a plumber

  • New program helps develop holdover Airmen at BMT

    Airmen placed on hold in the 324th Training Squadron here are benefiting from a new program established earlier this year.Typically, Airmen in a hold status have already completed basic training and are awaiting orders or assignment to technical school. There may be medical reasons for a hold status

  • OTS shortens course length, increases efficiency

    Beginning in January, the Air Force Officer Training School's Basic Officer Training course will be shortened by three weeks, officials announced Dec. 4. Cutting the course from 12 weeks to nine weeks was the result of finding efficiencies in the course's scheduling processes and curriculum, said

  • Special Ops tryouts to test mettle for 'battlefield airmen' positions

    Since neutralizing Osama Bin Laden, America's special operations forces have remained in the spotlight as high-caliber leaders entrusted with operations vital to national security. As counter-terrorism operations continue throughout the globe, the Pentagon is currently busy defining irregular

  • Deployed father controls airspace over son in Afghanistan

    Maj. Christopher Gering worries like any other parent whose child deploys downrange. It can be gut wrenching knowing his child operates outside the wire, working to clear and dispose of improvised explosive devices.Since August, this proud parent has had an advantage most parents are not afforded

  • Nations unite to heighten allied air power

    Pilots from seven nations have been working together since November with a goal to increase effectiveness of allied air forces and strengthen multinational partnerships.This Tactical Leadership Program course, a NATO-based training exercise held Nov. 5 to 30, encourages interoperability by

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Brother, sister in arms, blood

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen' s Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Growing up with a brother or sister can be tough if they're bigger than you and they bully, tease or steal the last cupcake. You know, the cupcake with

  • New spouses, former spouses and children entitled to benefits

    If you're newly married, newly divorced, have dependent children or have a child who was born out of wedlock you may be confused about military benefits. Some family situations are complicated or even awkward, so Airmen may be reluctant to pursue benefits to which their dependents - or former

  • AETC seeks enduring solutions for sexual misconduct

    Air Force officials are undertaking sweeping changes to improve Air Force Basic Military Training safety and security at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland according to a report released today by Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr., Air and Education Training Command commander.The changes are the result of Air

  • AF leaders brief BMT sexual misconduct investigation findings

    Air Force leaders announced Nov. 14 to members of the press here the results of the commander-directed investigation regarding the occurrences of sexual misconduct within basic military training between October 2010 and June 2011.The CDI was commissioned by Gen. Edward Rice, commander of Air

  • Air Force leaders issue statement on BMT investigation

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III issued the following statement today:"Sexual assault is a crime and there is absolutely no place for it in our Air Force. To this end Air Education and Training Command pursued an exhaustive look at the

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Cuban boy fulfills dream of becoming American Airman

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Under a star-studded night in their native Cuba, a young boy and his stepbrother made a promise to each other. If they ever somehow made it to the United

  • Indian airmen receive C-17 maintenance training

    The Indian air force has begun sending about 100 airmen to Joint Base Charleston, S.C.,  to receive instruction from the 373rd Training Squadron Detachment 5, on how to operate the 10 C-17 Globemaster IIIs they recently purchased."The Indian air force purchased the C-17s and they need the training

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Four Airmen bound by blood, oath

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)The sky was glowing on a quiet Sunday morning over Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Crisp air filled the trainee's lungs as he snapped to attention and

  • Religious respect conference attendees discuss Academy's progress

    Representatives from Air Force major commands, religious endorsing organizations, First Amendment watchdog groups and others gathered Oct. 30-31 at the Air Force Academy to review the religious climate here.Chief among the topics discussed was the religious respect training program, which was

  • SecAF visits basic military training

    In the wake of ongoing investigations into professional misconduct that occurred at basic military training, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley met with BMT leaders at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Oct. 23."It was important for me to talk to the commander and military training instructors about

  • Sexual assault hotline message sent to Airmen from past 10 years

    Airmen, separated and still serving, who graduated from basic military training and technical training during the past 10 years were sent an email message about an activated sexual assault hotline Oct. 15. The message is part of a thorough investigation of the military training instructor sexual

  • F-35: Newest fighter much more than just 'stealthy plane'

    The engines roared overhead as an F-35A fell into formation. Although this is a basic maneuver for the test pilots, the possibilities for combat environments created by these elite aircraft working together are anything but mundane.The F-35, which features three variants to be used by the Air Force,

  • Building culture to sustain resilient Airmen

    Resilience: Merriam-Webster defines it as "an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change."Resiliency is a word used a lot throughout the Air Force, but not many take to heart; many see it, specifically Comprehensive Airmen Fitness, as just a program, but it's so much more."It's

  • AF training instructor responds to traffic accident

    An Air Force Basic Military Training Instructor was late for his morning formation, but it was for the right kind of reason.During his normal early morning commute Oct. 5, Staff Sgt. Stephen Dove was about to get on the 410 access ramp at Marbach Road in northwest San Antonio when he saw a truck

  • AFSPC commander speaks at 11th Annual Air Force IT Day event

    Gen. William L. Shelton, commander of Air Force Space Command, was a featured speaker at the Northern Virginia Chapter of the Armed Forces Communication and Electronics Association's 11th Annual Air Force IT Day event at the Sheraton Premiere Hotel in Tysons Corner, Va., on Oct. 11.Shelton addressed

  • Welsh honors two Airmen from AFMAO

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III recognized two team members from Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations during a recent speech at the annual Air Force Association Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition in Washington, D.C.Master Sgt. Antoinette Worthey and Senior Airman

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Hero's story comes to life

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)He was 13 years old when he received a copy of the book "Into the Mouth of the Cat" from his father. Capt. Jason Powell didn't know it then, but the

  • Commander addresses military training investigation report

    Gen. Edward A. Rice, Jr., commander of Air Education and Training Command, released a statement Sept. 21 about the scope of ongoing criminal investigations at Air Force Basic Military Training as well as the external Commander Directed Investigation he ordered in June: "I have just concluded several

  • SecAF: Caring for Airmen top priority

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley used his keynote speech at the 2012 Air Force Association Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition here Sept. 17 to discuss the importance of caring for Airmen."Whatever the intensity of our nation's demands, in war or in peace, we have an abiding

  • SecAF highlights 'state of force' at AFA conference

    In his keynote address at the 2012 Air Force Association's Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition here Sept. 17, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley discussed major service accomplishments over the last 12 months and the Air Force's strategic way ahead.Donley said the Air Force's

  • 'Today's Air Force' goes from New Mexico to near space

    Air Force Television News released a new edition of "Today's Air Force" on Sept. 14.In the first block, Tech. Sgt. Anthony Gomez introduces viewers to college football players who got a taste of basic military training. Later, Airman 1st Class Mari Moxley gives an update on Holloman Air Force Base's

  • Air Force announces OTS selection board results

    A total of 398 men and women from across America have earned an opportunity to become Air Force leaders following their selection for an officer's commission, officials here announced Sept. 14.Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 507 applications as part of the Officer Training School

  • F-35A maintenance training on track

    As the Air Force begins its Operational Utility Evaluation of the F-35A Lightning II, maintenance training to support the joint strike fighter is also preparing for key program milestones.Though the first "pipeline" students -- basic military training graduates -- don't begin training until January

  • First F-35 training commander: 'This jet is our future'

    Five months of flying the Air Force's newest fighter jet has left one Airman convinced of the aircraft's substantial combat capability.Lt. Col. Lee Kloos is the commander of the 58th Fighter Squadron, the Defense Department's first F-35 Lightning II training squadron, located at Eglin Air Force

  • New AFSC coming for AFSOC enlisted aircrew

    Almost 470 flight engineers, aerial gunners and loadmasters who fly Air Force Special Operations Command's CV-22, AC-130 and Non-Standard Aviation aircraft are transitioning to one Air Force specialty code, 1A9X1 Special Mission Aviation starting in November. Master Sgt. Ben Lerman, AFSOC's aerial

  • F-35A reaches 'huge milestone' in program development

    Air Force officials begin their F-35A Lightning II Operational Utility Evaluation Sept. 10, an instrumental step in beginning Joint Strike Fighter pilot and maintenance training for the service. Two 33rd Fighter Wing pilots at Eglin AFB, Fla., along with two Air Force test pilots, will conduct the

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: AF pilot helps Iraqis earn their wings

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Mounted aboard an armored suburban with a pistol at his side, one of Laughlin's own begins his days in Iraq checking in on classes miles apart, filled

  • 'Preparedness Month' a year-round responsibility

    With September designated as National Preparedness Month, Air Force Emergency Management experts are emphasizing the tools available to help Airmen and their families "Be Ready."National Preparedness Month is an annual campaign to raise awareness on the importance of disaster preparedness. The event

  • Iraqi air force F-16 training takes off in Arizona

    While the Republic of Iraq anticipates an initial deliveryof F-16 Fighting Falcons in September 2014, the pilots who will fly themembark on a historic partnership with the Arizona Air National Guard's 162ndFighter Wing here to learn how to fly the multipurpose fighter.Already, two Iraqis have joined

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: A coin to remember

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)It was just past 11 o'clock at night, July 30, and Airman 1st Class Mariah Alexander was beginning to fall asleep in her dorm room. Suddenly, the phone

  • Coincidence sparks memories of storm's past

    On this date in 2005, aircrews with the Air Force Reserve's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, better known as the "Hurricane Hunters," evacuated aircraft and personnel from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., only to turn around,  flying into Hurricane Katrina as it barreled down on the Gulf Coast.

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Heavy Metal Airman

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)A dim room, a single blue light and a heat source hot enough to melt metal may not sound like an ideal work environment for a women, but for one Airman

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Irish Twins reunite while deployed

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)When most people think of military reunions, they may think of service members returning home from an extended deployment to reunite with their loved

  • Ramstein hosts international jump week

    Six countries provided more than 150 paratroopers to participate in International Jump Week hosted by the 435th Contingency Response Group from Aug. 12 - 17 near Ramstein.The paratroopers came from the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the U.S. Air Force and Army and jumped

  • Donley praises Airmen, emphasizes standards at AFSA conference

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley addressed Airmen here Aug. 15 at the 2012 Air Force Sergeants Association Convention and Professional Airmen's Conference.During the honors banquet that concluded the conference, Donley said the Air Force would be able to meet the challenges of a dynamic

  • EOD tech school puts 'battlefield' into PT

    Physical fitness workouts for Air Force explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) candidates now have a battlefield twist at Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal (NAVSCOLEOD), as the 366th Training Squadron Field Training Detachment 3 here has revamped their fitness program to turn Airmen into

  • McChord Airmen tackle Mt. Rainier summit

    Getting a view of a clear blue sky can be a pretty rare event in the Pacific Northwest. The grey cloud cover that often hovers over McChord Field and the surrounding area can sometimes feel a bit gloomy.To fight off the gloom, many people turn to a rigorous exercise regimen, with the idea that a

  • Food service teams heat up the dining experience

    Good food is big business and nobody knows that better than Bill Spencer, Air Force Personnel Center appropriated funds food operations section chief, who last year faced the daunting task of introducing epicurean variety to a culture rooted in traditional fare.According to Spencer, Air Force dining

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Airman takes wingman concept to new level

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)It was a typical night for Senior Airman Dara Alexander; working as a receptionist at the Langley Inns, Langley Air Force Base, Va., ... until the phone

  • Former MTI sentenced

    A sentence has been returned today in the special court-martial of former Air Force military training instructor (MTI) Tech. Sgt. Christopher Smith. The seven-member officer panel sentenced him to be confined for 30 days and to be reduced to the grade of E-3 (airman first class).Tech Sgt. Smith had

  • Maxwell medics return from Peru

    Nine members of the 42nd Medical Group recently returned from New Horizons, an ongoing joint humanitarian training exercise in Peru. An annual series of free medical clinics and infrastructure development projects, New Horizons is a U.S. Southern Command-led exercise conducted with Latin American

  • Leading by example: Academy cadets develop leadership skills at BMT

    U.S. Air Force Academy cadets learned first-hand over the past seven weeks how military training instructors develop the Air Force's newest warrior Airmen in basic military training.The 27 cadets in the Summer Leadership Program developed leadership skills by shadowing MTIs in seven BMT squadrons at