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  • AQ implementing force development

    A milestone was reached when the Air Force's first officer development team met recently at the Pentagon.The teams are a central part of implementing the Air Force's Total Force Development concept. The concept is outlined in the November edition of the Chief's Sight Picture, said Lt. Col. Mark

  • Two Osan airmen receive federal convictions

    Two airmen here received federal convictions during two separate courts-martial recently.Senior Airman Lucinda F. Shaw from the 303rd Intelligence Squadron pleaded not guilty to all charges and specifications against her during a special court-martial. She was charged with disrespecting her section

  • Ash Wednesday

    Chaplain (Capt.) Dominic J. Vitaliano applies ash to the forehead of one of his parishioners during the Ash Wednesday service March 5. Vitaliano provides sacraments and spiritual support to servicemembers at a forward-deployed location supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. He is deployed from the

  • Design for Air Force memorial unveiled

    For the better part of the past century, the men and women of the Air Force and its predecessors have soared high above the clouds in defense of the nation and freedom-loving people everywhere.Those ideals will soon be reflected in a memorial designed to reach high into the skyline of the nation's

  • Reservists support air bridge

    More than half of Air Force Reserve Command's 10,000 mobilized reservists are helping to move troops, equipment and cargo to the Middle East as America prepares for possible war with Iraq.But every aspect of the Reserves is being used to support Operation Enduring Freedom, according to Lt. Col. John

  • Big bird

    A Russian AN-124 is refueled here Feb. 27. The aircraft and crew are under contract to help ship equipment. The aircraft, which has the NATO reporting name Condor, is the world's largest and highest-flying cargo capacity aircraft in production. It is designed for long-range delivery and air

  • Milling around

    Airman 1st Class Marshall Dixon manually mills a KC-135 Stratotanker brake component here March 3. This procedure is an integral part of the base's regional brake repair mission, which enhances the availability of brake assemblies within the European theater. Dixon is assigned to the 100th

  • Packing up to go

    Staff Sgt. Phillip Roosen (left) and Senior Airman Jason Elsner move a radar unit after it was removed from the tower here Feb. 28. The airmen are assigned to the 728th Air Control Squadron, which received a deployment order to report to Southwest Asia in the next few weeks. The 728th ACS is one of

  • Sheppard unit will train ALC maintainers

    The 982nd Training Group, the Air Force's advanced maintenance training unit, joined with Air Force Materiel Command to tackle a critical need in the world of aircraft systems maintenance.The 982nd TRG instructors will teach and certify 19 new civilian instructors who will join existing field

  • Air Force selects 2003 Tops In Blue team

    The Air Force has selected its 2003 Tops In Blue team. Winners were selected from contestants who participated in the 2003 Air Force Worldwide Talent Contest at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.The entertainment branch of the Air Force Services Agency conducts the annual event.Judges selected the 24

  • Airmen, bombers deploy to Pacific

    Airmen supporting B-1B Lancers from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, and B-52 Stratofortresses from Barksdale AFB, La., deployed here with their bombers as other U.S. forces prepare for possible military action elsewhere in the world."These bombers and airmen are the finest in the Air Force and have

  • Joint STARS takes off for second deployment

    Two E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System aircraft and several dozen airmen here answered the call of duty March 5 as they headed to a forward-operating location to support operations in Southwest Asia.The aircraft and airmen are assigned to the 116th Air Control Wing here.According to

  • Black Knights saddle up for deployment

    Airman 1st Class Saraha Hughes, 21, has no idea where she will lay her head in a few days.She does not know if she packed enough, too much or too little, but that does not quell the excitement of her very first deployment.A jet engine mechanic with the 19th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron here, Hughes

  • Memo serving as officer career guide

    A recent memorandum from the secretary of the Air Force regarding the selection process for general officers could very well serve as a guide to all officers -- regardless of rank -- as they chart out their careers.The memorandum is one of a series of initiatives designed to help explain how

  • Life's a beach

    Senior Airman Agapito Martinez walks the coastline at a forward-deployed location. Martinez is from the 144th Security Forces Squadron at Fresno Air National Guard Base, Calif. Airmen from his unit were recently activated and deployed to provide security for the 409th Air Expeditionary Group.

  • Astronaut laid to rest

    Secretary of the Air Force James G. Roche (left) looks on as Sandra Anderson places a rose on her husband's casket at Arlington National Cemetery on March 7. Lt. Col. Michael P. Anderson, a member of the Space Shuttle Columbia crew, died Feb. 1 when the shuttle exploded. He was buried with full

  • GI Mail provides secure, reliable e-mail link to loved ones

    With airmen deployed away from home, the opportunity to communicate with loved ones takes on greater importance."To provide a link back home, Air Force Crossroads, the Air Force's official community Web site, offers a secure and reliable e-mail program through Global Internet Mail to help families

  • Roche: Academy problems are a 'corporate responsibility'

    Citing policies that were "clearly not smart," the Air Force's senior official acknowledged March 6 the service has a corporate responsibility for the barrage of sexual assault charges filed at the U.S. Air Force Academy.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche told members of the Senate Armed

  • From biscuits to gravy

    Barry has retired from the 90th Space Wing Security Forces here after 11 years of battling crime. He was obedient, loyal, vigilant and protective.Barry was an ideal military working dog.The Air Force purchased Barry in 1991 for $3,500 from a Belgium breeder. He was one of only three Belgium

  • Pilot survives jet crash

    An Air Force T-38 Talon aircraft crashed into two houses in nearby Valparaiso on March 8. The pilot ejected safely, and no one was injured on the ground.The pilot was on a training mission from Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., when the accident occurred.An interim safety board has been established to

  • Coalition drops leaflets in northern Iraq

    Coalition aircraft enforcing the no-fly zone over northern Iraq dropped informational leaflets near Iraqi anti-aircraft-artillery batteries for only the second time in 12 years.Aircraft supporting Operation Northern Watch dropped 240,000 leaflets on two locations south of Tall Afar and southwest of

  • Peek-a-boo

    Tech. Sgt. Nick Shore takes a breather on an E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system between Operation Southern Watch missions. Shore is a crew chief on the aircraft and is deployed from the 18th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Ball)

  • Ahhh...

    Staff Sgt. Waddell Reese (left) and Lt. Col. James C. Vechery practice drinking from a canteen while wearing chemical warfare gear March 8. This type of training helps keep the airmen prepared for the potential threats at this forward-deployed location. Both airmen are assigned to the 340th

  • Analyze this

    Senior Airman Joshua Fink takes an engine Spectrometric Oil Analysis Program sample. SOAP samples are an inspection tool for detecting and preventing internal engine component failure. Fink is a crew chief assigned to the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron. (Photo by 2nd Lt. Nancy Kuck)

  • Ready and waiting

    Air Force fighter jets from bases around the world have been assigned to this forward-deployed air base supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. airpower in the region is larger than it has been since the Gulf War. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Derrick C. Goode)

  • Air Force launches first EELV payload

    The Air Force launched its first military satellite payload on an Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle from here March 10.The military payload, a Defense Satellite Communications System satellite, was lifted into orbit by a Boeing Delta IV rocket.The Delta IV and Lockheed Martin's Atlas V are the two

  • All hooked up

    Airman 1st Class Robert Walstead hooks up a Hobart power unit to the underside of a B-1B Lancer on March 7. Walstead is a maintainer assigned to the 7th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit here. (Photo by Airman 1st Class Joshua Strang)

  • Fitness workouts OK after smallpox shot

    Air Force fitness center patrons who receive the smallpox vaccination got a welcome shot in the arm concerning their fitness routines thanks to some common sense rules.Vaccinated gym-goers can go about their workouts by simply following the precautions prominently posted in the various fitness

  • Support from States plays big role in morale

    Support from people in the United States helps make serving in a hostile environment a bit easier for military troops deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.Letters from school children, free phone cards, care packages from family and office mates and banners signed by hundreds

  • Child-care test program provides peace of mind

    Airmen who use base child-care facilities no longer need to take a day off of work when their children are too sick to stay with others.A test program began recently at 25 Air Force installations designating a special-care provider for children who are mildly ill -- children who would, under Air

  • 'Flying Sergeants' helped forge Air Force legacy

    They were not paid much, their opportunities for promotion were limited, and they were treated harshly in training, but that did not stop three generations of enlisted aviators from becoming pilots in the Army Air Corps.Beginning in 1912, enlisted pilots played an important role in writing the

  • Rivet Joint joins fight

    Airman 1st Class Keith Keitel marshals out the first of two RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft when airmen from the 38th and 343rd reconnaissance squadrons deployed overseas recently. The Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft provides near real-time on-scene intelligence collection, analysis and

  • Who goes there?

    Airmen 1st Class Michael Pendleton and Sarah Harwood scan outside the base during a patrol of the perimeter on March 7. Both airmen are assigned to 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron at a deployed location in Southwest Asia. (Photo by Master Sgt. Terry L. Blevins)

  • Fine fuel for fighters

    Tech. Sgt. Mark Hoover tests fuel for contaminants before it is delivered to aircraft and support equipment at a forward-deployed location. Hoover is assigned to the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. (Photo by Master Sgt. Terry L. Blevins)

  • Leaner Northern Edge exercise under way at Eielson

    Approximately 1,600 airmen, soldiers, sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen are participating in a scaled-down version of Northern Edge, a joint-service training exercise here and at other Alaska military installations, as well as the port of Valdez. The exercise, which began March 3, ends March

  • Keep on trackin'

    Staff Sgt. Chanel Higgins reviews decorations being processed at Camp Stronghold Freedom at Karshi-Khanabad, Uzbekistan, on March 8. Higgins tracks about 200 awards and decorations a month. She is assigned to the 416th Air Expeditionary Group and deployed from the 27th Operations Group at Cannon

  • Bombs away

    Air Force officials tested a Massive Ordnance Air Blast weapon here March 11. The MOAB is a precision-guided munition weighing 21,500 pounds and was dropped from a C-130 Hercules aircraft for the test. It is the largest non-nuclear weapon in existence. (DOD photo)

  • Nighthawk unit maintains the flock

    The F-117 Nighthawk may be a mystery to some, but its maintainers take pride in knowing the airframe's secret inner workings.In the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron's 8th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, a close-knit group of specialists work to keep the aircrews "putting bombs on target, on

  • Officials investigate possible mortar launch near Yokota

    U.S. Air Force officials and local Japanese authorities are investigating a possible improvised mortar launch toward Yokota Air Base.Japanese civilian guards and base residents reported two arcs of light, noise and plumes of smoke headed toward the base around 10 p.m. March 12.Two improvised mortar

  • Three Air Force commissaries among five best

    Air Force commissaries were named "best" in three of the four categories in the Defense Commissary Agency's 2003 Best Commissary awards. Two other commissaries tied for "best" in the fourth category.Top commissaries are at:-- Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., winner of the Bill Nichols Award for the

  • An ounce of prevention

    Staff Sgt. Brian S. Wells demonstrates how to use a fire extinguisher to servicemembers deployed to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. Wells is assigned to the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group fire department here. (Photo by Army Pvt. 2nd Class Terri Rorke)

  • Peacekeeper launches from Vandenberg

    An unarmed Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic missile was successfully launched at 1:29 a.m. March 12.The missile carried eight unarmed re-entry vehicles approximately 4,800 miles across the Pacific Ocean to a predetermined target at the Kwajalien Atoll. This test was a part of the force

  • Red Flag cancelled again

    For the second time this year, Air Combat Command officials here cancelled a Red Flag exercise because of emerging Air Force deployment requirements.The exercise was originally scheduled to be held later this month at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.Red Flag, a realistic combat-training exercise

  • Teets, Lord tell Senate the nation needs 'space cadre'

    The Air Force's top two space officials told lawmakers March 12 that development of a "space cadre" was one of their top agenda items for national security space programs in 2004.Undersecretary of the Air Force Peter B. Teets and Gen. Lance W. Lord, commander of Air Force Space Command, also told

  • Leaders discuss cultural renewal at Air Force Academy

    A special report by the Air Force general counsel on the recent rise in sexual assault allegations at the U.S. Air Force Academy is scheduled for release at the end of MarchBut, the service's top leaders said March 10 that they will not wait that long to initiate needed changes.Secretary of the Air

  • Packing a punch for combat power

    Laser and global positioning systems-guided munitions have taken a lot of the guesswork out of bombing so the accuracy and precision of putting bombs on target gets better and better.At the root of that process are weapons loaders. Since the beginning, when someone first strapped a bomb under the

  • Program offers electronic deployment information

    A Web-based, user-friendly software program Air Force Materiel Command experts here are testing promises warfighters instant access to deployment information. Plus, it will save the Air Force nearly $79 million during a five-year period.The Deployment Qualification System works through the Air

  • Keeping a watchful eye

    Airman 1st Class Brandon White scans the horizon for potential adversaries atop a wall in the city of Qal'eh-ye Musa Pa-in, Afghanistan, on March 12 during a special delivery to the village. White, who is deployed from Moody Air Force Base, Ga., was on the wall as part of a security detail as 20

  • Northeast icy blast fails to chill air bridge pace

    Subzero temperatures and a dusting of 4.2 inches of snow March 7 failed to slow the Patriot Wing's support of U.S. military deployments to Southwest Asia.Between March 7 and March 11, Westover's 42nd Aerial Port Squadron handled 69 aircraft, processing 641 passengers and more than 1.1 million pounds

  • Combined security keeps Ganci safe

    Keeping people out of harm's way and protecting resources at Ganci Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, is the job of an elite group of professionals who tote radios, weapons and ride in vehicles equipped for rugged terrain.Americans from the 376th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron and their security forces

  • Man's ingenuity earns $20K

    A senior noncommissioned officer here was recently awarded two $10,000 checks for aircraft maintenance improvements through the Air Force's Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program.Master Sgt. Warren Gould of the 33rd Fighter Wing's quality assurance office suggested cutting the

  • Guard, Reserve Tricare policy announced

    Defense Department officials announced March 12 policy changes to Tricare Prime and Tricare Prime Remote programs for members of the National Guard and Reserve and their families.Starting March 10, family members of Guardsmen and reservists on federal active-duty orders for more than 30 days are

  • Eberhart briefs Congress on U.S. Northern Command

    The commander of America's newest combatant command briefed members of Congress on March 13 about the progress his unit has made since its inception less than six months ago.Gen. Ralph E. Eberhart, who took control of U.S. Northern Command when it was established Oct. 1, told members of the House

  • Air Force offers free tax preparation, filing

    Filling out and filing income tax forms is an annual burden Americans must bear, but Air Force legal officials say servicemembers need not pay extra for the privilege.According to a legal services official at the Pentagon, more and more airmen are being tempted by the promise of quick refunds to

  • WASP make weather history

    Women's roles in the military may not have started at Offutt, but the Air Force Weather Agency was here when women stepped forward to serve their country.The Air Weather Service was one of the first military agencies to use military women as pilots during World War II.In early 1943, the first

  • Seal the deal

    Senior Airman Michael Campbell checks for a seal on his oxygen mask before a live-fire joint rescue exercise with a foreign national air force firefighting team March 10. Campbell is assigned to the 320th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron at a forward-deployed location. The exercise was

  • Air Force implements Stop-Loss

    The assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and reserve affairs has authorized the use of Stop-Loss to retain specific skills needed to meet national security objectives. Effective May 2, 43 officer and 56 enlisted specialties will be affected by Stop-Loss."We do not take this action

  • Air Force daughter wins art contest

    Sixth-grader Karen Nicholson drew her family surrounding the head of a bald eagle in an entry that won her first place in the 2003 Armed Services YMCA Art Contest. She beat out a record 3,000-plus entries to win this year's contest.Karen is the daughter of Lt. Col. Philip and Dori Nicholson of

  • Incirlik supports 'unexpected guests'

    People from the 39th Services Squadron here recently transformed an old fitness center into contingency lodging now bedding down nearly 400 deployed troops. But "Motel 39" is just one small piece of the bed-down and feeding operations puzzle."I'm impressed by how quickly (civil engineers) and

  • Vandenberg prepares for last Atlas II launch

    The last Atlas IIAS rocket scheduled to be launched arrived here March 12. A C-5 Galaxy ferried the historic booster and its Centaur upper stage from Denver, landing at the airfield here around 10:30 a.m.Lt. Col. Clinton Crosier, 2nd Space Launch Squadron commander, said the booster and upper stage

  • Load 'em up, move 'em out

    Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Blackstone secures a vehicle onto a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft March 7. Over the last week, approximately 550 airmen and several B-52 Stratofortresses from here deployed to support of the war on terrorism. The base also sent more than 270 short tons of support equipment and

  • Air Force leaders explain effect of encroachment

    Two Air Force leaders testified before Congress on March 13 about the effects of environmental encroachment on the service's mission.In separate testimonies, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Robert H. Foglesong and Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment and Logistics

  • Officials establish sexual assault hot line

    Air Force officials have established a phone line for U.S. Air Force Academy cadets to report sexual assault to the inspector general.Current and former cadets can contact the IG by calling (703) 588-1541 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST.The IG began an investigation March 10 of individual

  • Now showing: March 17 edition of Air Force Television News

    The growing scandal of current and former female Air Force Academy cadets accusing their male counterparts of rape or sexual assault headlines the latest edition of Air Force Television News.Staff Sgt. Kevin Dennison reports on the charges by the female cadets and what Air Force senior leaders and

  • Women aviators highlight flight progress

    In 1944, when the B-29 hit the flightline, Army Air Corps pilots were hesitant to fly the new bomber. It was bigger and more complicated than its predecessor, the B-17, and had a reputation for engine fires.Then-Lt. Col. Paul W. Tibbets, who was in charge of training the Army Air Forces' pilots,

  • Roche, Jumper address incoming cadets' parents

    The service's senior leaders recently penned a letter to parents of incoming Air Force Academy cadets, promising to protect their children as "we would our own."Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper sent letters March 13 to the parents of

  • Prepared in Bulgaria

    Senior Airman Karl Ferre marks lumber which will be used to construct a cross for chapel services held here. Ferre is deployed from the 100th Civil Engineer Squadron at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England. The 409th Air Expeditionary Group here runs air refueling operations with KC-10 Extender

  • At home on the range

    Combat controllers practice firing movements on the range at a forward-deployed location supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Air Force combat controller teams are trained to conduct and support special operations under clandestine, covert or low-visibility conditions. (Photo by Staff Sgt.

  • Big 'bird' is watching

    Staff Sgt. Andrew Johnson (left) and Senior Airman Nicholas Guthmiller review a maintenance checklist on a B-1 Lancer at a forwarded-deployed location in Southwest Asia. Both airmen are crew chiefs with the 28th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. (Photo by Senior Airman Tia C. Schroeder)

  • Getting adjusted

    Airman 1st Class Kenneth Maldonado adjusts the internal parts of an external fuel tank being built to support Operation Enduring Freedom. Maldonado is assigned to the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron at a forward-deployed location. (Photo by Master Sgt. Terry L. Blevins)

  • Survey will help servicemembers, families

    A survey designed to gauge the Air Force's success in building communities is set for distribution in early April.The 2003 Community Assessment Survey will be sent out servicewide, said the Air Force's director of family advocacy research and the project officer for the survey. He added that the

  • Pilots safe after midair collision

    The pilots of two Air Force F-15 Eagles are safe following a midair collision of their aircraft March 17 about 65 miles northeast of here.One aircraft returned safely to the base while the other crashed on the Nevada Test and Training Range complex. The pilot of the second aircraft ejected and was

  • Launching Lancers

    Airman 1st Class Lieckyra Jones takes a break from loading bombs onto a B-1 Lancer on March 16. Jones is part of a three-person bomb-preparation team with the 405th Air Expeditionary Wing at a forward-deployed location in Southwest Asia. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Cherie A. Thurlby)

  • Korean exercises kick off

    Forces from all U.S. services started arriving here March 11 for the peninsula's largest exercises.Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines gathered in Korea to work with their South Korean counterparts in the two major exercises to show how U.S. forces will help defend the country. The exercises will

  • Post office delivers piece of home

    In a three-word phrase, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks summarized what could make or break a good day for airmen deployed to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing -- "You've got mail."Postal clerks of the 386th Expeditionary Communications Squadron ensure everyone assigned to the wing and its tenant units are

  • I'm all eyes

    Master Sgt. Gary Easterwood (right) talks with a pilot about the proper procedures for using chemical warfare equipment in the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Easterwood is an aircrew life support assistant superintendent. The equipment pilots wear is called the aircrew eye and respiratory protection

  • New National Guard museum opens

    Information about the National Guard, the oldest military organization in the country, can be found in a new museum that opened here March 17.The National Guard Memorial Museum is located at One Massachusetts Ave., N.W., one block west of Union Station. The museum occupies 5,600 square feet of the

  • Airman keeps sight of American dream

    Airman 1st Class George Okorodudu admits with a wide smile that he has nothing.For the better part of two years, the Nigerian-born Okorodudu has been building his American dream with a foundation that includes an Air Force enlistment.Okorodudu is a supply airman currently deployed here from Minot

  • Live from New York

    Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche (right) and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper (center) answer questions posed to them by MSNBC News anchor Lester Holt while appearing on "Lester Holt Live" on March 17. Roche and Jumper are in New York for two days of television and radio

  • E-8 promotion rates up; critical skills even higher

    The 1,612 master sergeants picked for promotion this year were selected using the chronic critical skills program for the first time.The selectees will be named March 19.The program applies higher selection rates to certain career fields. This year is the first it is being applied to the E-8 and E-9

  • Good relations key to deployment success

    A contingent of deployed airmen from the 409th Air Expeditionary Group here visited a local primary school March 17 at the request of school officials.The group of visitors was made up of a flight surgeon, aircrew members, two security forces dog handlers and their canine Waldo, and others, all led

  • Vice chief airs readiness concerns to Congress

    Today's high operational tempo is affecting the Air Force's ability to conduct necessary training, which may affect readiness, the service's vice chief of staff told lawmakers March 18.Gen. Robert H. Foglesong also told members of the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on readiness he was

  • Falcons in flight

    Between patrols of the no-fly zone in northern Iraq, F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft fly in formation while waiting to refuel. The jets are part of Operation Northern Watch here. The F-16 in the foreground is from the Michigan Air National Guard and is flown by a pilot from the 113th Expeditionary

  • Official discusses BRAC with Congress

    In congressional testimony March 18, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics discussed the service's successes and roadblocks in dealing with the base realignment and closure process.Nelson F. Gibbs told the Senate Appropriations Committee subcommittee

  • Aircraft respond to Iraqi threats

    Coalition aircraft responded to hostile Iraqi actions March 19 by striking several military targets in southern and western Iraq with precision-guided weapons, according to officials.The aircraft were participating in Operation Southern Watch and monitoring compliance with U.N. Security Council

  • Soccer player is top female Air Force athlete

    Competition and esprit de corps drive soccer player Kristy Kuhlman.Now it has driven her to the top. Kuhlman, a second lieutenant contract specialist with the Space and Missile Systems Center's satellite and launch control system program office here, has been named the Air Force's 2002 Female

  • A day at the market

    Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche rings the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange on March 18. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper spent two days in New York for television and radio interviews to answer questions on Air Force involvement in a potential war with

  • Total force showing its muscle

    The total force muscle is showing its strength throughout U.S. Air Forces in Europe as Air Force reservists and Air National Guardsmen answer the call of duty alongside their active-duty counterparts.Although the number varies daily, the Air National Guard has about 1,800 airmen and more than 60

  • Weather forecasters aid mission planning

    Asking about the weather is not a casual question in the Combined Air Operations Center at a desert airbase. In fact, it is one of the key questions asked during every phase of the air tasking order, or ATO, cycle."Most systems we have are weather sensitive, so weather predictions must be

  • Medical care for airmen affected by Stop-Loss

    A previously overlooked provision of law allows up to four months of Tricare transitional health care benefits for airmen separating from the service after having been retained under Stop-Loss.The benefits will apply to any airman separating after the current and any future Stop-Loss actions,

  • Contact Center moves to 24-hour ops

    Airmen everywhere can now talk with customer service agents about personnel issues 24 hours a day thanks to the recently expanded hours of the Air Force Contact Center here.People with questions about assignments, benefits, pay and more can speak to a customer service representative toll-free at

  • Space command cancels Guardian Challenge

    Air Force Space Command officials have canceled this year's Guardian Challenge, the annual space warfighter competition held at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.The competition, slated for May 5 to 9, was canceled because the command needs its resources focused on day-to-day operations. The

  • Razor's edge

    Staff Sgts. Ralph Oliver (left) and Bruce Cook set up concertina wire along the perimeter here for increased force protection. They are assigned to the 424th Air Base Squadron Civil Engineer Flight. RAF Fairford is home of the 457th Expeditionary Operations Group. Troops deployed here support the

  • War Begins; Coalition Aircraft Attack Iraqi Targets

    Operations to disarm Iraq have begun, President Bush announced during a speech to America tonight.The president confirmed the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world.News reports from Baghdad showed anti-aircraft artillery streaming into the

  • Saddam's Days Numbered, Rumsfeld Says

    U.S. Central Command exercised "flexibility" in attacking a senior Iraqi leadership compound last night, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said today.Rumsfeld spoke to a packed house at the Pentagon and answered questions about Operation Iraqi Freedom. He also spoke directly to Iraqi soldiers and

  • Rumsfeld Praises Troops, Cites Iraq War As 'Necessary, Just'

    Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld today praised American troops deployed overseas to disarm and oust Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, noting that their efforts support a just cause."It is essential to world peace and our security that we act against the regime of Saddam Hussein," Rumsfeld said in a

  • Leaders tell Congress about new aircraft, missions

    The Air Force's senior leaders presented their vision of the service's next-generation fighter and a new mission for an old warhorse to members of Congress on March 19.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper briefed members of the House

  • Stealth bomber joins team

    The B-2 Spirit multirole bomber has joined forces with the B-52 Stratofortress and KC-135 Stratotanker at a forward-deployed location.As forces build up throughout the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility, the B-2 adds another asset to the coalition team."Every airframe and every team

  • Pilot dies in T-38 crash

    An instructor pilot assigned to the 100th Flying Training Squadron was killed March 19 after his T-38 Talon crash here at approximately 4 p.m.The pilot, Maj. Pete Jahns, was pronounced dead at 4:52 p.m. at Brooke Army Medical Center.The second pilot, Lt. Col. Frank Gebert, survived the crash,

  • Security forces remain undaunted in England

    Through shifts of 13-plus hours, endless walks across the tarmac, cold wind and demonstrators lurking on the fence line, security forces here are undaunted.RAF Fairford is home to a deployed force topping more than 1,000 military members and a number of B-52 Stratofortress bombers. They are