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U.S. Air Force News

  • VA officials mark 85 years of 'discovery, innovation and advancement'

    Eighty-five years of enriching the lives of veterans and all Americans through top-notch medical research will be spotlighted April 26 through 30 when members of the Department of Veterans Affairs celebrate National VA Research Week.On April 22, Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs W. Scott Gould

  • Air Force family celebrates 'Facility Energy' initiatives this Earth Day

    Air Force men and women join millions of people across the country and around the globe this year in celebrating 40 years of Earth Day. Celebrated annually on April 22, Earth Day promotes awareness and appreciation for the environment. The slogan, "make every day Earth Day" is exemplified in the Air

  • Additional resources online to support NSPS conversion

    Online training courses are now available to help smooth the upcoming transition of more than 40,000 current Air Force National Security Personnel System employees into non-NSPS personnel systems. To facilitate the conversion, multiple resources have been added to the NSPS's official Web site,

  • AETC commander selected for Order of the Sword

    Air Education and Training Command enlisted members recently selected the AETC commander for induction into the Order of the Sword. Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz is set to accept the honor in a formal ceremony July 16, at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The Order of the Sword is the highest honor and

  • Department hailed as leader in 'green' movement

    In a prelude to this week's Earth Day events, a major independent research group April 21 called the Defense Department a leader in energy conservation."The department is doing more than sounding an alarm; it has enacted energy goals and is inventing, testing and deploying new technologies and

  • Inaugural warrior and survivor care conference held

    "Care beyond duty" was the theme for the Warrior and Survivor Care Conference hosted by Air Force Personnel Center officials here April 6 through 9."The goal for this conference was to bring three major groups together: the recovery care coordinators, base level community readiness consultants and

  • Air Force officials unveil new rescue aircraft model

    A new model of an aircraft used in Air Force rescue efforts since 1956 was formally presented to the Air Force in a ceremony April 19 here. The HC-130J Super Hercules combat rescue tanker is configured to provide support to special operations missions and will become a backbone of Moody Air Force

  • Virtual world prepares mobility Airmen for real mission

    Airmen preparing for the worldwide mobility mission of the 621st Contingency Response Wing here now have a powerful new training tool. A state-of-the-art virtual firearms training simulator with a 300-degree field of view is now being operated by members of the 819th Global Support Squadron to

  • Air Force observes Earth Day 2010

    Air Force representatives will plant a Valley Forge American Elm tree April 22 in the Pentagon courtyard as part of the Air Force's observances of Earth Day.Debra Tune, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics, will officiate and make brief

  • Altus Airman, Soldier help set world record

    A Soldier with the Army's Golden Knights parachute demonstration team attempted to set a new world wing-suit distance record April 14, over Altus Air Force Base. According to Army Staff Sgt. Ben Borger and a C-17 Globemaster III crew, he broke the record by a mile and a half. The total distance

  • Joint training at 12,500 feet

    In less than 10 seconds, they were gone.Traveling toward earth at speeds of approximately 150 mph, the operators open their parachutes and slowly drift to the ground.Once safely on land, they repack, board a C-17 Globemaster III and do it again. This scenario happened four more times over a drop

  • Officials visit Operation Arctic Care

    Military and Department of Defense senior leaders traveled here to visit Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors participating in Operation Arctic Care 2010.This operation is the largest recurring joint military medical readiness and logistics training exercise, providing real-world humanitarian assistance and

  • Airmen contribute humanitarian aid to Afghan people

    Members of the 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron here recently adjusted office space to accommodate more than 1,100 pounds of humanitarian aid sent to Bagram Airfield. The donation, 38 boxes of shoes, was facilitated by Tech. Sgt. Ronald Knight, an air transportation operations center data

  • Air Force space officials prepare to launch first Minotaur IV

    The first launch of the Minotaur IV Space Launch Vehicle is scheduled to occur April 20 at noon PDT from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The Minotaur IV is the newest variant in the Minotaur family of rockets built by Orbital Sciences Corporation. It is a four-stage solid rocket vehicle consisting

  • New unmanned spacecraft set to launch

    Air Force officials are scheduled to launch the U.S.'s newest and most advanced unmanned re-entry spacecraft April 22 at Cape Canaveral Air Station, Fla.The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle will provide a flexible space test platform to conduct various experiments and allow satellite sensors, subsystems,

  • Cyber Command nominee urges government, private sector cooperation

    Officials in the new U.S. Cyber Command need to strike a balance between protecting military assets and personal privacy, the presidential nominee to lead the command told a Senate committee April 16.Army Lt. Gen. Keith B. Alexander, director of the National Security Agency and chief of Central

  • Global Strike Challenge load competition kicks off at Minot

    Members of seven bomb wings competed in Air Force Global Strike Command's first-ever load competition April 13 and 14 here.The evaluation was based on hands-on skills and their knowledge of career fields."This brings us back to the old (Strategic Air Command) days and the Giant Sword competitions,"

  • Air Force officials announce uniform policy changes

    Air Force officials here announced uniform policy updates April 12 resulting from recent Air Force Uniform Board decisions. The following policy modifications are effective immediately, unless otherwise stated, and will be incorporated into Air Force Instruction 36-2903, Air Force Uniform Dress and

  • Air Combat Command leader visits mobility base

    The commander of Air Combat Command visited Airmen assigned to the 18th Air Support Operations Group March 31, here.Gen. William M. Fraser III discussed ACC's collaboration with Air Mobility Command officials, inquired about Airmen issues and expressed gratitude during the visit to the tenant

  • Lynn details Defense Department's space strategy

    From the commander in chief in the White House to an Airman manning an observation tower on Afghanistan's border with Pakistan, space is the domain that ties them together.Space provides critical capabilities for the Defense Department and the organization must change its space strategy as the

  • Air Force officials reduce Palace Chase obligation

    Air Force officials here recently reduced the Reserve commitment for officers and enlisted members participating in Palace Chase temporarily as part of Air Force management measures to balance the force while meeting a congressionally mandated end strength. The three-to-one officer and two-for-one

  • Misawa maintainers keep F-16s flying

    Six engineers from the Air Force Engineering and Technical Services team here provide technical support to maintainers and aircrew for F-16 Fighting Falcon troubleshooting. With the F-16 aircraft airframe being about 30 years old keeping the jets in top form increases challenges, such as electrical

  • Education activity launches interactive resource

    Officials with the Department of Defense Education Activity's educational partnership have launched an interactive educational resource for military families, military leaders and school leaders.The resource, "Students at the Center," provides information on important policies, procedures and best

  • Air Force officials announce annual comm-info awards

    The chief of Air Force Warfighting Integration and Chief Information Officer has announced the 2009 Air Force Gen. John P. Jumper Awards for Excellence in Warfighting Integration and the 2009 Air Force Communications and Information Awards. "The superb quality of the nominations we received confirm

  • KC-135 testing aims at fueling efficiency, cost savings

    Engineers at the Air Force Flight Test Center here are testing a system known as the Automatic Receiver Aircraft Identification, or ARAI.  Currently installed on a test aerial refueler, if the tests are successful, they say, the system will significantly improve air-to-air refueling.The ARAI is

  • Air Forces Africa officials take part in cultural training

    Air Forces Africa's personnel directorate staff has been working with Air Force Culture and Language Center members at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in recent months to tailor a training program for people charged with building and maintaining relationships in Africa. AFCLC officials had the

  • 2 Hurlburt Field Airmen die in CV-22 crash

    Department of Defense officials announced April 11 the deaths of two Airmen who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom when they died in a crash of a CV-22 Osprey April 8 near Kandahar, Afghanistan. Killed were: -- Maj. Randell D. Voas, 43, of Lakeville, Minn. -- Senior Master Sgt. James B.

  • VA official emphasizes addressing mental health issues early

    Close collaboration between Defense and Veterans Affairs department officials, plus proactive military screening policies are helping to identify and treat mental-health issues in returning combat veterans before they escalate into more serious, long-term problems, said the Veteran Affairs

  • Automation to improve Post-9/11 GI Bill processing

    With 153,000 veterans enrolled in the Post-9/11 GI Bill this semester, and new automation tools to arrive this month to improve processing procedures, the Veterans Affairs secretary declared the program "on track" and headed toward greater efficiency. Secretary Eric K. Shinseki acknowledged that the

  • Wright-Patterson unit earns Dr. James G. Roche Sustainment Excellence Award

    Air Force and contract organizations teamed up to garner an Air Staff-level award recognizing the Air Force Materiel Command program office with the most improved aircraft maintenance and logistics readiness performance.Members of the 702nd Aeronautical Systems Group at Wright-Patterson Air Force

  • Air Force Services officials launch Month of the Military Child programs

    Air Force Services officials are highlighting a variety and scope of programs in partnership with base agencies for Month of Military Child and Year of the Air Force Family in recognition of military children and their families."Stay Connected" is among several Air Force-wide initiatives designed to

  • Air Force officials launch language program for Airmen

    Officials at the Air Force Culture and Language Center here recently launched a program designed to identify Airmen with foreign language abilities and foster those skills throughout their careers. The Language Enabled Airman Program is the first career-long program designed to offer

  • MC-12 begins mission in southern Afghanistan

    Airmen from the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing here welcomed one of the newest members of the Air Force's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance weapons systems to Kandahar Airfield March 29.The MC-12 Liberty aircraft is a manned special-mission turboprop aircraft designed for ISR and brings a

  • Kirkuk vehicle maintainers keep mission going at Mosul

    For two vehicle maintainers attached to Kirkuk Regional Air Base, their job responsibilities extend beyond this base. They work at Forward Operating Base Diamondback in Mosul, Iraq, as maintainers for three aircraft cargo loaders. Tech. Sgt. Greg Marchand and Airman 1st Class Chris Kuczynski, both

  • Veterans Affairs officials tackle root causes of homelessness

    No one who has ever served the United States in uniform should ever end up living on the street, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki insisted. So he and VA officials are committed to ending homelessness among America's veterans within the next five years, and said he's already seeing signs

  • U.S. military officials contribute to Kyrgyz deworming conference

    Three U.S. military medical experts including two colonels from the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, attended a conference here on mass deworming April 2 to contribute American health care concepts to the health program this country's medical representatives have successfully started and plan to

  • Shinseki vows to reduce VA's claims backlog

    Prioritizing the work ahead shortly after his first anniversary on the job, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said his focus for the year ahead is on reducing the disability claims backlog. "We are going to break the back of the backlog this year," Secretary Shinseki said during an

  • Nuke review takes comprehensive look at strategy

    The Nuclear Posture Review, released April 6, is the first overarching look at U.S. nuclear strategy since the end of the Cold War, a senior defense official briefing reporters on background said April 5. The review builds on President Barack Obama's promise to take concrete steps toward the goal of

  • Airmen rescue injured sailor in Pacific Ocean

    Air National Guardsmen from the 129th Rescue Wing here completed a four-day rescue mission April 4 for a sailor injured at sea.Officials from the 129th RQW sent two HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters and one MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft, accompanied by one Marine Corps KC-130J Super Hercules

  • Cadets get a taste of Moody's mission, active-duty life

    Air Force ROTC cadets experienced active-duty life and the mission at Moody Air Force Base during a visit here March 23 and 24.For many cadets from the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras Det. 755, this was the first time they were able to leave their home country and visit an Air Force

  • Iraqi business leaders gather at Balad

    Iraqi banks and business leaders met at Joint Base Balad at the Banking on Iraqi Business Conference March 31. The conference began building the relationships that are so important to doing business in Iraq."Only 9 percent of Iraqis have a bank account," said Army Capt. Shaun Miller, an Army Central

  • Air Force, Army officials partner to improve interoperability

    Officials from the Army's I-Corps Air and Missile Defense Detachment moved into 5th Air Support Operations Squadron facilities here in late March and now Soldiers and Airmen will work side-by-side strengthening the joint teamwork that will be critical in combat.This is the first time a Corps-level

  • Shooter, sirens prep Minot Airmen

    Minot Air Force Base Airmen responded to a mock attack during a massive accident response exercise at the McAdoo Sports and Fitness Center March 26 here.More than 50 evaluators and exercise planners, including officials from local and state emergency management staffs, the FBI, Minot Police

  • Airmen support space shuttle launch

    Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Air Forces Northern officials provided airspace control and manning support to the successful launch of Space Shuttle Discovery April 5 here.CONR members ensured airspace sovereignty by enforcing the Federal Aviation

  • Barksdale Airmen build homes for needy families

    More than a dozen Barksdale Air Force Base Airmen came together to help give a deserving family the gift of a lifetime March 20 in downtown Shreveport, La. The volunteers met up at the building site with Habitat for Humanity volunteers, family members and workers from the Military Entrance

  • Luke Airmen honor Bataan march

    Five Luke Air Force Base Airmen participated in the 21st edition of the Bataan Memorial Death March March 21 at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. More than 5,700 people from 50 states and five countries hiked the 26.2 mile course in honor of the World War II prisoners of war in 1942. "It's definitely

  • Airmen sustain increased airlift flow to Afghanistan

    Airmen at Camp Bastion in southern Afghanistan increased airfield operations recently in direct support of Marines during the U.S. troop increase called for by President Barack Obama to target the insurgency and secure key population centers.U.S. Transportation Command officials here requested 615th

  • Top enlisted leader addresses top issues facing Airmen

    The top enlisted Airman addressed some of the top issues facing Airmen during a visit here March 17 and 18.The role battlefield Airmen play in deployed operations is an area of focus because it ties into one of the Air Force's priorities, said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy. "I am

  • Global Hawk wet runway testing yields positive results

    Airmen, civilians and contractors of the 452nd Flight Test Squadron here conducted RQ-4 Global Hawk wet runway testing with positive results throughout March here.The wet runway test required the Global Hawk to demonstrate taxiing and stopping from 6, 12, 30, 50 and 70 knots.The Block 20 Global Hawk

  • Pentagon officials may extend tanker bid deadline

    Defense Department officials here March 31 informed companies interested in bidding on the KC-X aerial refueling tanker contract that if the European Aeronautics Defense and Space Co. formally expresses an intention to compete, the bidding deadline would be extended 60 days, the Pentagon press

  • Chief master sergeant of Air Force speaks to Guardsmen in home state

    The Air Force's top enlisted leader spoke to more than 360 Michigan Army and Air National Guardsmen at a senior noncommissioned officer conference at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel here Feb.6.Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James A. Roy, who represents the highest enlisted level of leadership in

  • Air Force officials conclude 2010 NCO retraining program

    The 2010 NCO Retraining Program has concluded with 966 Air Force NCOs identified to transition to new career fields and the successful introduction of two new procedures. Efforts to rebalance the NCO force are being considered a success this year, officials at the Air Force Personnel Center here

  • Radar bound for Bagram will help pilots avoid birds

    A trailer with antennas and wires temporarily parked on base awaiting transit to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, might not look like much, but it could save the military lives and money when it gets shipped later this spring. The trailer contains a Merlin Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar System

  • An Air Force veteran's story: From combat controller to Paralympian

    In the blink of an eye your life can change forever.That's exactly what happened to Sean Halsted when he fell 40 feet to the ground while fast roping from a helicopter during a training mission at Hurlburt Field, Fla. He went from an active-duty combat controller to a U.S. Paralympian in the 2010

  • First Iraqi weather officers graduate

    The first class of Iraqi air force meteorology officers graduated March 25 from a formal technical training course in Baghdad taught by U.S. Air Force weather forecasters.Iraqi Training and Advisory Mission-Air Force officials have Airmen assigned to teach Iraqi personnel how to create a

  • Social media sites soon will be open on the Air Force Network

    Air Force officials are opening the Air Force network to allow access to Internet-based social-networking sites. Initial access will be available at five Pacific Air Forces bases March 30, and will begin opening sites Air Force-wide later in April.This change in policy is a result of the Department

  • Kadena Airmen test readines during exercise

    Kadena Air Base Airmen processed cargo and personnel, donned gas masks, launched aircraft and searched for downed aircrew as part of a base exercise March 22 through 26 here.The local operational readiness exercise, Beverly High 10-02, was designed to prepare Airmen to defend Japan and maintain

  • Elmendorf Airmen complete airdrop using 3-D weather technology

    Airmen from Elmendorf Air Force Base completed the first improved container delivery system drop using new 3-D weather technology March 19 over Tin City, Alaska.The new system allows for better drop precision, factors in the altitude, wind speed, wind direction, terrain and other circumstances that

  • Air Force scientists test, develop bio jet fuels

    While the world searches for more efficient ways to fuel automobiles and create usable energy, Air Force scientists are looking for cleaner, more efficient ways to fuel the military's aircraft. An A-10 Thunderbolt II flew March 25 solely on a blend of biomass-derived fuel and conventional JP-8 jet

  • New Reserve group stands up at Seymour Johnson

    To keep up with the increasing demand for F-15E Strike Eagle pilots and weapon systems officers, a new group is standing up here.The Air Force Reserve Command's 414th Fighter Group may have only a handful of assigned personnel now, but about 340 people will fall under the group, the 307th Fighter

  • General Holm remembered in ceremony at Arlington

    The first female two-star general in both the Air Force and Department of Defense was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery March 29. Retired Maj. Gen. Jeanne M. Holm is credited as the single driving force in achieving equality for military women and making them a viable part of the

  • Circus entertains, honors military families

    The military and the circus have a lot in common.  They both have people from around the nation and assets from around the world. Both are highly trained units that perform sometimes unimaginable feats and handle unspeakable logistical details in carrying out their mission. And, most importantly,

  • Airmen train Afghan C-27 loadmaster

    Airmen from the 538th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron and Afghan soldiers with the Afghanistan National Army Air Corps completed a successful check ride for the nation's first qualified C-27 Spartan loadmaster March 28 here.During an almost two-hour International Security Assistance Force

  • Flight tests set course for improved airborne communication

    A series of early March flight tests has validated a two-and-a-half year effort and set the course for significantly enhanced airborne communications capability.A team of specialists from the Electronic Systems Center, MITRE Corporation and MIT Lincoln Laboratory used a 707 test bed aircraft to

  • Bagram Airmen keep F-16s in the fight

    As their F-16 Fighting Falcon pulled into its parking spot on the airfield March 23, the maintainers from the 34th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit had something to be proud of: tail number 2119 had returned from its 30th code 1 sortie over Afghanistan.Lt. Col. Brad Lyons, 34th Expeditionary

  • Kirkuk Airmen use small aircraft with huge capabilities

    Airmen here use the RQ-11B Raven, a small unmanned aircraft equipped with cameras, sensors and communications tools, to give coalition warfighters an advantage of eyes in the sky.There are many different types of unmanned aircraft, ranging in size and capability, but Kirkuk Regional Air Base Airmen

  • Air Force officials team up with Kenny Bernstein Racing team

    Air Force recruiting officials announced March 26 that the Air Force will begin a new partnership with Kenny Bernstein Racing as a sponsor of the Coparts/Lucas Oil top fuel dragster for the remaining 20 races in the 2010 Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. "It is with a great deal of patriotic pride

  • Defense official hails effect of unmanned aircraft on warfare

    Perhaps no other weapon platform has more significantly transformed the way the U.S. military wages war in recent years than unmanned aircraft, a senior defense official told Congress March 24 here. Since 2006, operations have grown from about 165,000 hours to more than 550,000 hours annually, said

  • Air Force officials reduce current accessions goal

    Air Force officials here are reducing the service's current active-duty enlisted recruiting goal from 31,750 to 29,384 for the remainder of fiscal 2010. This reduction is one of the measures the Air Force uses to manage force manning to meet authorized Air Force end-strength. Force management is a

  • Air Force officials take step toward cleaner fuel, energy independence

    Air Force officials, embracing the national priorities of cleaner fuel and energy independence, took a step toward a greener, energy independent future when an A-10C Thunderbolt II here took to the air March 25 fueled with a blend of Hydrotreated Renewable Jet, or HRJ, and JP-8.This first-ever

  • VA officials propose change to aid veterans exposed to Agent Orange

    More than 100,000 veterans exposed to herbicides while serving in Vietnam and other areas will have an easier path to qualify for disability pay under a proposed regulation published by Department of Veterans Affairs officials that adds three new illnesses to the list of health problems found to be

  • Pentagon officials change 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' enforcement

    The Defense secretary announced changes to the Pentagon's regulation on homosexuals serving in the military that he said make the Defense Department's enforcement of the so-called "Don't ask, don't tell" law "fairer and more appropriate" March 25 here. Secretary Robert M. Gates announced Feb. 2 he'd

  • Air Force leaders expand force management options

    Due to the high volume of traffic on the Air Force Personnel Center personnel services Web site following this announcement, Airmen experiencing difficulty accessing the site may direct their questions concerning force management to their base military personnel sections or the Total Force Service

  • Air Force officials continue plans to modernize GPS

    Through the years, the Global Positioning System has become one of the most widely-used Air Force applications.Today GPS is used in everything from farming and aviation to public safety, disaster relief and recreation, not to mention its military purpose of providing precision navigation and timing

  • Defense secretary to recommend Navy admiral to head F-35 program

    The Defense secretary will recommend President Barack Obama nominate Navy Vice Adm. David J. Venlet to oversee restructuring of the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter program, a Defense Department official told a congressional panel March 24 here. Ashton B. Carter, undersecretary of Defense for

  • MC-12 aircrews complete 2,000th combat sortie

    MC-12 Liberty aircrews assigned to the 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron completed their 2,000th combat sortie recently from Joint Base Balad.The MC-12 program took off in the fall as Airmen flew the first combat mission in the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft that

  • Airmen aid medical support mission in Chile

    Two members from the 5th Combat Communications Group deployed to Angol, Chile, in support of relief efforts after the Chilean earthquake Feb. 27. The team left March 7 and arrived in Chile March 11. Staff Sgt. William Kidd and Senior Airman Patrick Walters from the 52nd Combat Communications

  • Air Forces Africa officials visit Botswana, emphasize partnership

    The 17th Air Force (Air Forces Africa) commander and his staff visited for a senior leader engagement March 9 here.This was the general's second visit to Gaborone since June 2009, when Botswana's relationship with AFAFRICA was firmly established. He met with Botswana Defence Force senior leaders to

  • Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office staff updates families of loved ones

    More than 280 loved ones of American servicemembers missing in action and prisoners of war gathered for a briefing from the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office March 20 here.The mission of the DPMO is to establish policies worldwide for accounting for all missing servicemembers from all

  • Missile Defense Review confirms capability's necessity

    Ballistic missile defense has come out of the world of the controversial and improbable and now is in the realm of the accepted and possible, the deputy Defense secretary said March 22 here.Deputy Secretary William J. Lynn III spoke to the 8th Annual U.S. Missile Defense Conference held at the

  • Holloman Airmen train for worst in active shooter exercise

    Holloman Air Force Base members tested their preparedness during a simulated active gunman situation March 11 at the Domenici Fitness and Sports Center here.As 49th Security Forces Squadron patrolmen cleared the building in search of the suspects, a quick reaction force stood up and was en route to

  • Joint EOD training benefits 2 nations

    Kyrgyz army explosive ordnance disposal technicians visited the Transit Center at Manas March 15 through 19 for a subject matter information exchange with American EOD Airmen and Soldiers.The Airmen here regularly bring Kyrgyz soldiers to the installation and the EOD range to train together,

  • Construction begins on new fuel pipeline at Southwest Asia base

    Construction on a new 2.7-mile pipeline to bolster ground refueling operations for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing began March 17 at a non-disclosed base here.The $5.7 million project calls for the construction of an above-ground 8-inch carbon steel pipeline from the existing tanker truck offload

  • Agency staff provides aeronautical products to military pilots, aviators

    National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency officials here provide up-to-date aeronautical products and support to Air Force pilots and other military aviators, and supported relief efforts after a 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti Jan. 12. The director of NGA's Aeronautical Services, Office of Global

  • Lajes officials take step toward solar power

    As part of the Air Force officials' renewable energy initiative, members of the 65th Civil Engineer Squadron have taken a step toward saving taxpayers money after installing and testing their first solar energy-producing panels in a military family housing unit Feb. 22 here. The panel unit costs

  • Predator passes 700,000 hours

    Airmen of the 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing reached a new flight milestone March 12 when they surpassed 700,000 flight hours in the MQ-1B Predator remotely piloted aircraft.The last 200,000 Predator hours were flown in just over 12 months compared to 19 months to fly the previous 250,000 hours and

  • Joint STARS resumes re-engining program with two major contract actions

    The 751st Electronic Systems Group has successfully resumed the system design and development phase of the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System re-engining program with the award of two large contract actions. The E-8C Joint STARS is an airborne battle management command and control

  • Precision airdrop training coming to Altus AFB

    A new training course will be soon implemented into the syllabus for all C-17 Globemaster III aircrew members attending technical training here.Air Force officials are relocating the improved container delivery system and joint precision airdrop system training to Altus Air Force Base in the coming

  • Medical professionals save millions with common-sense concept

    Officials from the 86th Medical Special Operations Clinic have developed a way to maximize time spent by people traveling to Ramstein Air Base for a conference, saving the Department of Defense millions of dollars along the way.They use a simple yet, inspired concept called conference medicine most

  • TRANSCOM gives U.S. key advantage, commander says

    One of the U.S. military's greatest advantages over its adversaries is its ability to move an enormous amount of equipment and people quickly anywhere in the world, the commander of U.S. Transportation Command told the House Armed Services Committee March 17. Gen. Duncan J. McNabb said he was

  • Tsuiki ATR exercise concludes

    The departure of the final two F-16 Fighting Falcons from Tsuiki Air Base March 12 signaled the end of a weeklong aviation training relocation exercise between the 35th Fighter Wing from Misawa AB, Japan and the Japan Air Self Defense Force. Approximately 90 Airmen and five F-16s were deployed from

  • Officials implement second DOS rollback

    Air Force officials announced March 17 the need for a second enlisted date of separation rollback with a mandatory DOS of June 30, 2010. This program is part of an overall effort to maintain a quality enlisted force and meet the congressionally mandated end strength.In November, officials announced

  • ISR Wing members contribute to the fight

    Members of the 480th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing are assisting coalition forces with the expanding need for ISR data in Southwest Asia by processing, exploiting and disseminating information coming from remotely piloted aircraft.More than 4,100 Airmen, civilians and

  • Air Force officials to implement hand-held device changes

    Air Force officials will be implementing changes in March to services available for use on all Air Force-issued BlackBerry hand-held devices to bolster the security of the devices. These Department of Defense-directed changes will be overseen by security specialists in 24th Air Force, the

  • 'Home of the Blue' campaign showcases privatized military family housing

    With an average of more than 500 new or renovated homes entering the privatized housing inventory each month, the Air Force goal of creating quality homes and thriving communities for Airmen and their families is well under way. Now officials at the Air Force Center for Engineering and the