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  • A new way to go from blue to green

    While Airmen and new recruits at basic training still "cross into the blue," Airmen at Pacific Air Forces are looking for new ways to cross into the green -- through reducing energy demands, increasing energy supplies and changing the culture.These methods form the three pillars of the Air Force

  • Portal offers new secure network tool similar to Facebook

    Air Force Portal Web designers are keeping up with the Web 2.0 era by offering portal users a new means to engage in professional communications in a secure social media environment.After initial tests among some 7,000 users in the Air Force's logistics community, the portal's newly developed

  • Aviano officials tap into Earth's energy

    Construction has begun to build a $680,000 geothermal plant here, the first of its kind in U.S. Air Forces in Europe."Aviano (AB officials are) actively leaning forward on numerous utility and energy-saving initiatives," said Lt. Col. Bo Bloomer, the 31st Civil Engineer Squadron commander. "The

  • Air Guard engineers assist Navajo Nation

    Two Air National Guard civil engineering units began renovation and construction work May 16 here at St. Michaels Association for Special Education.Members of the Virginia Air Guard's 203rd Red Horse Squadron and the Colorado Air Guard's 240th Civil Engineer Flight are repairing buildings,

  • Gates establishes U.S. Cyber Command, names first commander

    Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced May 21 Army Gen. Keith B. Alexander's appointment as the first commander of U.S. Cyber Command, officially establishing the Initial Operating Capability for the new command. The announcement comes immediately following General Alexander's promotion to

  • Officials name SAIGE award winners

    Officials here announced the two Air Force winners of the 2010 Society of American Indian Government Employees Meritorious Service Award. The military and civilian winners are Lt. Col. Eric Brewington of the Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla., and Elizabeth Adducchio from

  • 4th FW Strike Eagles assist shuttle launch

    Airmen from the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., and the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, or CONR, and Air Forces Northern Command provided crucial airspace control and manning support to the successful launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis May 14

  • Outstanding airfield operators announced

    The Air Force's top air traffic control and airfield management personnel for 2009 were announced at an awards dinner hosted by Maj. Gen. Marke Gibson, director of operations in the office of the deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements.  The dinner concluded a three-day airfield

  • X-51A Waverider flight planned for May 25

    Weather permitting, Air Force officials said the X-51A Waverider will make its first hypersonic flight test attempt May 25 after it is released from a B-52 Stratofortress off the southern coast of California.The unmanned X-51A is expected to fly autonomously for five minutes, powered by a supersonic

  • Hanscom Airmen to participate in annual interoperability demo

    Members of the 653rd Electronic Systems Wing's Enterprise Integration Division are preparing for Hanscom AFB to once again become a key site for this year's Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration from June 14 through 24.CWID is a global, annual event directed by the chairman of the Joint

  • Air Force chief of staff addresses 2010 CAF Airpower Symposium

    Although last minute plane troubles kept the Air Force's top uniformed leader from physically attending the 2010 Combat Air Forces Airpower Symposium at Langley Air Force Base May 19, it didn't keep him from delivering his keynote address to participants.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz

  • Luke Airmen welcome Danish air force

    Nearly 100 members from the Royal Danish air force fighter wing recently deployed to Luke Air Force Base for a month-long F-16 Fighting Falcon combat enhancement training mission. RDAF Maj. Michael Rosenkrands, the detachment commander, said they do a lot of their training outside of Denmark because

  • Single parents juggle military, home demands

    The active-duty military includes nearly 73,000 single parents, which equates to 5.3 percent of the total force, according to Defense Department statistics from 2008. The Army leads the way with more than 35,000 single parents, followed by the Navy with more than 16,000, and the Air Force with more

  • Official equates financial, military readiness

    Through outreach and a robust system of educating servicemembers, Defense Department officials are working to keep troops financially fit to fight and protected from predatory lenders, a Pentagon official said May 19 here. Since the downward turn of the credit market in recent years, Defense

  • Air Force officials to release master sergeant promotion list

    Air Force officials here May 20 selected 5,424 of 21,829 eligible technical sergeants for promotion to master sergeant for a selection rate of 24.85 percent.The average score for those selected was 341.18, with an average time in grade and time in service of 4.49 and 15.88 years respectively. The

  • U.S., Japanese Airmen train for Red Flag-Alaska

    Loadmasters from the 36th Airlift Squadron recently trained six members of the Japan Air Self Defense Force in the process of Joint Air Delivery Inspection here.The two-day training focused on the specifics of preparing and inspecting cargo for air delivery scenarios like the ones that will take

  • Bilateral training teaches enlisted leaders to care for Airmen

    Instructors from the Air Force First Sergeant Academy at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Ala., prepared 99 enlisted leaders from around Japan to better care for their airmen May 11 through 14 here.First Sergeant Academy instructors conduct 13 active duty first sergeant seminars every year. Each time

  • National Guard members never stop training for hurricane season

    Although most hurricanes occur between the months of June and October, being prepared to respond to the aftereffects of a hurricane is almost a year-round task for the members of the National Guard."We actually almost never stop (training),"said Maj. Gen. Bill Etter, the director of domestic

  • Guard security forces members protect exercise participants

    While more than 250 participants of Exercise Ardent Sentry '10 are here honing their skills to protect American citizens against threats from the air, Airmen from the Georgia Air National Guard's 165th Security Forces Squadron are protecting them on the ground. The unit is part of the 165th Airlift

  • Program links troops with career resources

    As the United States' economic crisis lingers, returning veterans are finding it harder to translate the skills they have learned on the battlefields onto a resume, but some employers are working with the military to bridge the gap.Staff members with the Employer Partnership Office of the Armed

  • Iraqi training refresher course caters to prior servicemembers

    More than 1,025 prior Iraqi airmen are participating in a three-week Basic Military Training Top Off program at the Iraqi Air Force Training School here.The BMT Top Off course is a refresher course that reviews the preperation involved in basic military training, such as drill and dorm inspection,

  • AETC fields new management tool

    Air Education and Training Command officials will field new user-friendly software called the Task Management Tool, which is designed to support the task management process for AETC headquarters, Air University, 2nd Air Force, 19th Air Force and wing staff leadership beginning in September.The TMT

  • Ardent Sentry '10 scans the sky above Savannah

    More than 250 Airmen, Soldiers, and Coast Guardsmen in Georgia, along with 380 Sailors on a destroyer off the Georgia coast, have begun 24-hour operations as a major air defense exercise kicked off May 16, 2010 here. Ardent Sentry '10 is a major North American Aerospace Defense Command air defense

  • Air Force fitness program revisions begin July 1

    In less than two months, Airmen across the globe will begin testing against new fitness assessment standards. These standards were deemed necessary by senior Air Force leaders to ensure a fitter and healthier fighting force. Changes include bi-annual testing, minimum requirements within testing

  • Services meet or exceed April recruiting goals

    All four services met or exceeded their April recruiting goals for their active and reserve components, Defense Department officials reported today.Navy active-duty and reserve numbers are preliminary, however, because flooding required Navy Personnel Command officials to take some information

  • First in, last out: Members of first RED HORSE squadron back in Iraq

    Members of the 200th Rapid Engineering Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineer Squadron have arrived here to draw down the 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron from Iraq. As they complete the last construction and engineering projects and pack up their equipment and materials in the

  • First American flies Mi-35 HIND in combat

    An Air Force major from the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing Combined Air Power Transition Force here is the first American Mi-35 HIND attack helicopter pilot to fly in combat. Maj. Caleb Nimmo, an Afghan National Army Air Corps pilot adviser, began flying in 2000. In the last ten years, he has flown

  • Air Force senior leaders take FY 2011 budget request to Capitol Hill

    The Air Force's top two leaders addressed the service's fiscal year 2011 budget request before the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee May 12 here. Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz explained how the request for baseline funds of

  • Real hero caps off experience for open house guests

    Oregon National Guardsman Staff Sgt. Matthew Zedwick knows what it's like to be a real American Soldier. He earned a Silver Star medal for risking his own life to save fellow Soldiers while deployed in Iraq in 2008 and is taking advantage of the Joint Service Open House here to share his experience

  • Leaders conclude successful Sensor Rally

    More than 50 group, wing and center commanders attended the spring Sensor Rally here May 4 and 5. The bi-annual conference for Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency commanders was hosted by members of the agency's 70th ISR Wing headquartered on this Army post just 30 miles

  • Recruiting command chief retires after 30 years

    When Chief Master Sgt. Vance Clarke wakes each morning, he turns toward his wife and gently reaches over and touches her, a reminder as to why he continues to get out of bed each and every day at 4:30 a.m., dresses and heads to work.For the Air Force Recruiting Service command chief, his wife, Pam,

  • ESC officials look to DOD 'Venture Catalyst' initiative

    Electronic Systems Center officials here are working with a special Defense Department unit to help tackle some tough command and control and information-related challenges.People in the Capabilities Integration Division, known best by its two-letter XR designation, are currently awaiting a list of

  • AFOTEC members support deployed Airmen with care packages

    Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center members put together care packages for the organization's deployed members May 7 here."The AFOTEC Key Spouse program initiated the care package program to ensure deployed members are taken care of as we continue to support their efforts and help

  • First career air liaison officers graduate TACP pipeline training

    For the first time since the Tactical Air Control Party career field began in 1977, five non-rated air liaison officers joined the ranks of battlefield Airmen across the Air Force after graduating from the basic Tactical Air Command and Control Apprentice Course April 27.Capt. Matthew Kealy, 1st Lt.

  • Policy official notes cybersecurity challenges

    Putting cybersecurity in place poses significant challenges for the Defense Department, the government as a whole and for critical infrastructure, the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for policy said May 12.James N. Miller said cybersecurity "is not a glass half full-glass half empty

  • Ground system adds more bandwidth to cluttered airspace

    The installation of a first-of-its-kind aeronautical telemetry ground system at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School here is improving aircraft communication in airspace already jumbled by frequencies from cell phones and satellite television.  This technology expands communications capability

  • Trauma research team works to improve battlefield injury outcomes

    As American military members and their coalition partners fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, medics from these same countries work in collaboration to treat their battlefield wounds in theater hospitals.Combat zone injuries have changed over the years, with improved body armor protecting vital

  • More bases to advertise vacancies on USAJOBS

    Eight additional locations will begin using USAJOBS.gov on May 24 to advertise vacancies to current Air Force employees.Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.; McGuire AFB, N.J.; McChord AFB, Wash.; Langley AFB, Va.; Elmendorf AFB, Alaska; Andersen AFB, Guam; and the Air Force District of Washington's

  • DOD officials to study compensation, incentives

    Defense Department officials May 11 announced the start of the congressionally mandated 11th Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation.The review's focus, officials said, will be on combat pay, compensation for reserve-component servicemembers, caregivers and survivors and pay incentives for

  • Senior Enlisted Leader Summit participants discuss Airmen's global influence

    More than 370 senior enlisted leaders from the Air Force, joint and coalition community gathered for the Senior Enlisted Leader Summit to focus on strategic enlisted issues the first week of May here. The theme of this year's summit, "Deliberately Developing Airmen for Global Response," included 30

  • Offutt community to observe National Police Week

    The community of Offutt Air Force Base will observe National Police Week May 9 through 15, culminating in a retreat ceremony.Offutt AFB Airmen will host numerous functions throughout Police Week to honor security forces Airmen, here and around the globe, as well as civilian law enforcement officers

  • Air Force senior execs honored with top awards

    Seventeen of the Air Force's top executive employees were recognized for career achievements during the annual Distinguished and Meritorious Presidential Rank Awards ceremony held April 30 in the auditorium of the Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.Secretary of the Air Force Michael

  • New Noncommissioned Officer Academy to open at Sheppard AFB

    Air Force officials announced plans May 7 to open an Air Force Noncommissioned Officer Academy at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.The academy is scheduled to open its doors to technical sergeants in early 2011, with an initial expected graduation rate of about 1,300 annually. With the addition of

  • New Air Force Combat Systems Officer Course opens at Navy base

    Air Force aviator training took a step into the 21st century May 5, when the inaugural class of Combat Systems Officer students began training here with the 479th Flying Training Group.As they sat down in classes and began a new year-long training program, the CSO students became part of a

  • Nominations open for 2010 GEICO awards

    Awards and decorations officials at the Air Force Personnel Center here are seeking nominations for the 2010 Government Employees Insurance Company's Military Service Awards. The annual GEICO Military Service Awards recognize enlisted servicemembers from all military service branches, active duty,

  • Exchange Service officials investing in facilities

    Construction on a military installation is a sign of progress as the Department of Defense transforms. Army and Air Force Exchange Service officials are playing an active part in this process as the organization has completed 123 major facility projects, valued at more than $1.1 billion dollars,

  • Air Force program learns from Airmen

    The Air Force Lessons Learned program gives Airmen the opportunity to share their combat experiences to help future service members, according to the director of Air Force Analyses, Assessments and Lessons Learned (A9). "Every Airman is valued and can initiate change across our Air Force by

  • Air Force's senior enlisted leader experiences pre-deployment training

    The chief master sergeant of the Air Force visited the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center here April 26 and 27 to gain first-hand knowledge of Air Force and Army expeditionary skills training. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy visited the base for the second time in his current

  • Air Force officials support oil containment efforts

    At the request of U.S. Northern Command officials, and to assist the U.S. Coast Guard's efforts to contain the oil spill in the western Gulf of Mexico, Air Forces Northern officials are providing units to help disperse the spill and mitigate its impact as it makes its way toward the shoreline.Under

  • Air Combat Command leader visits Tinker Airmen

    The commander of Air Combat Command wrapped up a two-day visit with an "all-call" assembly for 552nd Air Control Wing Airmen April 29 here.During the event, Gen. William M. Fraser III spoke about the importance of dedicated, resilient and innovative Airmen.He also spoke about the 552nd ACW mission

  • Surgeon commends benefits of tech advances, joint efforts, AFSO 21

    Technological advances, joint efforts and a focus on Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century have led to great strides in military combat and peacetime healthcare, said Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Richard A. "Rick" Hersack, the command surgeon of the Air Force Materiel Command.In the technological

  • Social media sites add dimension to sharing information

    A new Facebook fan page is giving the Air Force community an interactive platform for exchanging news, information and feedback about programs that affect their personal and professional lives. US Air Force Life and Career debuted earlier this year and has captured topics fresh on the minds of Air

  • General sees opportunity, innovation at F-35 training wing

    The commander of Air Education and Training Command visited the 33rd Fighter Wing April 26 here.General Stephen R. Lorenz visited Eglin Air Force Base to observe how the wing staff is taking "the opportunity to shape the future," by training pilots and maintainers on the F-35 Lightning II."(The

  • Air Force program recognized for excellence in government

    The Air Force's Logistics, Installations and Mission Support-Enterprise View, or LIMS-EV,  Logistics Transformation initiative was one of 20 finalists in the 2010 Excellence.Gov Awards, competing with other organizations from throughout the federal government.The American Council for Technology and

  • Student pilots reach course milestone: airborne refueling

    Nearly 18,000 feet above Southern Arizona's desert landscape, students in the A-10C Pilot Initial Qualification Course here completed their first air-to-air refueling mission during the week of April 26. Twelve pilots from the 358th Fighter Squadron and 13 from the 357th FS are enrolled in the

  • Air Force announces JAG award winners

    The Air Force Judge Advocate General announced April 30 the 2009 Judge Advocate General Award winners. "I am proud of each of our award winners; they represent the best of the best," said Lt. Gen. Richard C. Harding, the judge advocate general. "They have demonstrated excellence, initiative,

  • Chief of staff to senior enlisted leaders: 'Maximize potential of Airmen'

    The Air Force's top uniformed officer told senior enlisted leaders from across the Air Force here May 4 that the case to maximize the potential and performance of every Airman has never been more compelling."Today, more than ever, tactical effects can have strategic consequences," said Air Force

  • Joint Base McGuire selected to test drive new fuel truck

    Members of the 87th Logistics Readiness Squadron here received a new refueling vehicle April 14 to evaluate its performance.The Rampmaster 17.5K large capacity refueling vehicle is augmenting the current fleet of nine R-11 tank-refueling trucks and nine R-12 hydrant-servicing vehicles already used

  • Air Force officials clarify officer stratification

    Air Force officials are providing additional guidance to help clarify the use of stratification for officers after receiving feedback from senior leaders, promotion boards and Airmen around the globe. That feedback included concerns that our previous officer stratification guidance was unclear and

  • Rescue center members assist with saving 330 lives in Tennessee

    After flash flooding May 1, Air Force Rescue Coordination Center officials here worked with the Navy, Coast Guard and local authorities to search for people trapped in buildings at a Navy installation in Millington, Tenn.A levee breach on a nearby river caused flooding of up to 5 feet in some areas

  • Airmen gain greater understanding of international medevac

    U.S. and German aeromedical evacuation units met to gain insight, share ideas and coordinate joint evacuation efforts April 24 through 26 at International Security Assistance Force Regional Command North's Camp Marmal, Afghanistan.Lt. Col. Michael Gainer, the 455th Expeditionary Aeromedical

  • State-of-the-art equipment bridges the gap

    Army Corps of Engineers members along with members of the 84th Engineer Support Company, 6th Engineer Battalion, tested a new bridging system April 28, 2010, at Fort Richardson, Alaska, to help the military travel across a wide variety of terrain quickly. Testing of the Lightweight Modular Causeway

  • AF panel likens DOD acquisition to contact sport

    The Defense Department's journey to recapture acquisition excellence took a big step forward during two days of discussions and workforce training held at Sinclair Community College here April 20 and 21.That was the assessment made by several senior leaders at the DOD Acquisition Insight

  • Air Force C-130s, Navy equipment dispatched to support oil slick response

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has authorized two Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft to support the response to a massive oil slick that threatens wetlands and beaches along the Gulf Coast, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell confirmed April 30.In addition, Navy officials have dispatched 66,000

  • DOD acquisition leader shares his priorities

    More than 700 military, civilian and contractor acquisition professionals and defense industry partners discussed challenges they face during the Department of Defense Acquisition Insight Conference April 20 through 21 here.The Pentagon's top acquisition official, Dr. Ashton Carter, Undersecretary

  • Exercise in Indonesia comes to a close

    A joint exercise between Indonesian and U.S. Air Force members came to a close April 23 after one week of both countries participating in combined air drops and tactical maneuvers in support of Exercise Cope West 10.Cope West is a Pacific Air Forces-sponsored bilateral tactical airlift exercise

  • Boeing officials bring 787 to Eglin AFB for weather tests

    Officials at the McKinley Climatic Lab here are hosting Boeing's newest passenger aircraft, the 787 Dreamliner, for two weeks of cold and hot weather testing.The new plane arrived April 18 and was moved into the lab to begin its cold-weather testing with temperatures reaching minus 45 degrees. The

  • Lynn discusses social media at Facebook headquarters

    You could call the Facebook headquarters the "un-Pentagon." The dress is casual, with far more T-shirts than sport coats, and many workers wear sandals instead of shoes.A skateboard was parked outside one office. An employee who spotted a group in business suits remarked, "If they're wearing ties,

  • Airmen train for firefighting mission

    Airmen from the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve are training with the Modular Airborne Firefighting System, or MAFFS, at the South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center here April 26 to 30.Air National Guard and Reserve aircrews fly MAFFS-equipped C-130 Hercules aircraft that can dispense

  • Airmen train on combat search, rescue missions

    Airmen participating in Exercise Angel Thunder 2010 here performed a combat search and rescue mission at the Barry M. Goldwater Range April 19 more than 140 miles northwest of Tucson, Ariz. Two HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters carrying teams of pararescuemen accompanied by multiple A-10

  • Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Movement Corridor study presses on

    Wildlife biologists and conservation agents from here along with researchers from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game are continuing a wildlife research effort in Anchorage, Alaska.In 2005 researchers initiated a joint installation study to document brown bear populations, habitat, food selection

  • TIME magazine recognizes Airman in top 100

    TIME magazine editors have named Chief Master Sgt. Antonio D. Travis to the 2010 TIME 100, the magazine's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world for his efforts after the Haiti earthquake. Chief Travis was one of the first U.S. military members on the ground at the Toussaint

  • Lynn details approach to changes in warfare

    Warfare has changed, and the U.S. military must shift to meet the new threats, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said to members of the World Affairs Council here April 27.Mr. Lynn said he and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates have tried to shift military strategy "to move the tectonic

  • Guard kids are different, but programs still available to them

    Guard kids differ from active duty kids in only one way: access. This means access to support programs and access to peers who understand what they are going through.Everything else is the same: missing their parents terribly when they deploy, counting the days until they come home and trying to

  • Mullen appeals to philanthropists to assist veterans

    The military's top officer turned to America's philanthropic community April 27 to help military veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan avoid the devastation of substance abuse, mental illness and homelessness.Community non-profit groups are the answer to meeting veterans' needs after they've left the

  • Combat photographer to compete in Warrior Games

    Not once, but twice. Twice, in 2004 and 2007, a combat photographer who was assigned to the 1st Combat Camera Squadron, Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., was wounded in Iraq.It was her combat wounds in 2007 that caused retired Staff Sgt. Stacy Pearsall to give up her dream as a combat photographer

  • New Air Force cyberspace badge guidelines released

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz has approved the new cyberspace badge and associated wear criteria.In his Apr. 21 memorandum, General Schwartz set forth guidelines and addressed standard eligibility requirements for officers working in the cyberspace domain. Eligibility criteria for

  • Deployed Airmen memorialize air mobility legend through mural

    Retired Master Sgt. Roy Hooe died April 18, 1973, but in a way he came back to life some 37 years later to the day in the form of art.Airmen deployed to the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing put the finishing touches on a mural April 18 highlighting Sergeant Hooe's legacy, in Roy's Flight Kitchen,

  • Tricare overseas beneficiaries reminded to update DEERS

    Tricare beneficiaries living overseas should keep an eye on their mailbox for critical information about how the new Tricare Overseas Program contract affects them. To make sure this information finds its way into the right mailbox, beneficiaries living abroad need to update their Defense Enrollment

  • Airmen build facilities for warfighters

    As 30,000 servicemembers continue to pour into the region as part of the troop surge in Afghanistan, a 15-man team of Airmen with the 1st Expeditionary RED HORSE Group here is building structures for warfighters."Our mission here is to construct the facilities that directly support the

  • Air Force-wide social media access begins

    Air Force officials began a two-week phased opening April 26 of access to social media sites Air Force-wide. Pacific Air Forces bases gained access to social media sites earlier in April, serving as the test-bed prior to the Air Force-wide initiative.Air Force Space Command, Air Education and

  • B-1 adapts, remains effective after 25 years

    The non-nuclear B-1 Lancer has adapted from a strategic mission to a close-air support role, and will continue to play an effective part in today's fight in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to leaders here. While the remaining bombers in the Air Force inventory transferred to Air Force Global Strike

  • Officials launch improved system for personal property moves

    After extensive testing and evaluation, transportation officials have launched an improved system to better compensate servicemembers who personally move their household goods on military orders.All services began using the new system April 15. Moves initiated prior to that date will continue to

  • Official urges Gulf War vets to seek VA care

    Gulf War veterans with medical symptoms should seek treatment through the Department of Veterans Affairs in light of a recent study stating Gulf War service is a cause of post-traumatic stress disorder, a senior military health system official said April 25 here.If Gulf War veterans seek care

  • Airmen train Japanese customs agency members to detect threats

    Air Force Office of Special Investigations agents from Det. 623 here and Airmen from the 35th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Unit here trained Hakodate customs inspectors with the Japan Ministry of Finance April 23 on counterterrorism measures to deter potential threats that may pass

  • Airman contributes to advancement of Afghan women

    Recent efforts by Airmen and their coalition partners have led to opportunities for women in Afghanistan to serve as commissioned officers in the Afghan National Army.Lt. Col. Lisa Pike, assigned to the Air Force Manpower, Services and Personnel Directorate, contributed to standing up the first

  • VA officials strive to prevent veteran suicides

    With more than 6,000 veterans committing suicide every year, and 98 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan taking their own lives during fiscal 2009 alone,  Department of Veterans Affairs officials are redoubling their outreach to veterans and promoting the toll-free suicide-prevention hotline. National

  • Aircrew breaks C-17 record with heaviest airdrop

    Members of the 418th Flight Test Squadron here set a record for the heaviest single payload ever extracted out of a C-17A T-1 during flight April 14 over Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz. A 77,000 pound jumbo drop test vehicle was extracted out of a C-17 at 25,000 feet. The JDTV is used to test the

  • First Minotaur IV Lite launches from Vandenberg

    Members from the 30th Space Wing here launched the first Minotaur IV Lite launch vehicle at 4 p.m. April 22 here. The rocket carried the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2.The Minotaur family of launch vehicles are provided by the Orbital/Suborbital

  • Air Force's most tenured recruiter retires

    Nearly 26 years ago Doug Sikat felt it was time for a change in his three-year Air Force career. The New York City native was a buck sergeant working as an F-15 Eagle crew chief at Kadena Air Base, Japan. While he loved his job, he knew there was something else out there for him.That "something

  • Air Force officials launch Atlas V carrying X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle

    Members of the 45th Space Wing here launched a United Launch Alliance-built Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle carrying an X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle at 7:52 p.m. EDT April 22 here.The X-37B, making its first space flight, will provide a flexible space test platform to conduct various

  • Air Force, community reps plant trees across America

    In recognition of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, Air Force Real Property Agency officials enlisted the participation of people in 40 communities to plant a tree at one of 40 former and active Air Force bases, from Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii to the former Loring AFB in Maine, as

  • Four Airmen receive Sijan award

    The Air Force's 2009 Capt. Lance P. Sijan Award recipients were honored in a ceremony April 21 in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes.The Sijan Award annually recognizes four Airmen who demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities. Officer and enlisted honorees are chosen in senior and junior

  • Contract award to enhance in-flight operations for top U.S. officials

    Air Force officials here issued a contract award in mid-April that will provide highly reliable, secure and integrated voice, data and video equipment for airborne U.S. senior leaders. The nearly $209 million award to Rockwell Collins will allow Air Force officials to retrofit a fleet of 20 special

  • Better prosthetics coming for wounded warriors

    From developing a new microprocessor-controlled prosthetic leg to a non-chafing socket device, the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center here is making big strides in advancing prosthetic science to improve wounded warriors' quality of life.The center reaches out to a broad spectrum

  • Air Force F-35 completes first test flight

    The Air Force version of the F-35A flew for an hour April 20 from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas, becoming the seventh F-35 Lightning II to fly. AF-2, the conventional takeoff and landing aircraft, is the Air Force's version of the Joint Strike Fighter. This fifth-generation

  • Air Force officials announce AFAF competition winners

    Air Force officials have announced their Group 1 winners of the annual Air Force Assistance Fund "Commitment to Caring" campaign, which provides Airmen the opportunity to contribute to four official Air Force charitable organizations.The campaign, which started Feb. 8 and runs until May 7, features