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  • Gates says Libya strategy 'absolutely right'

    The U.S. strategy toward Libya is "absolutely right," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said on "Fox News Sunday" June 19.The secretary, who will retire June 30, also discussed Afghanistan, the fiscal future of the department and what he will miss about the job during one of his last interviews as

  • Fiscal crisis requires responsible approach, Lynn says

    A fiscal crisis that's putting the squeeze on defense budgets and related industries requires difficult choices for leaders and a responsible approach that manages the spending slowdown while retaining military effectiveness, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said here June 19.In a

  • SecAF visits Airmen at Aviano AB

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley visited here June 16 and 17 to meet with Airmen and tour the installation.During his visit, the secretary received briefings on the wing's mission and operations, dined with junior enlisted Airmen, conducted an Airmen's call and participated in an Airmen

  • Online unit deployment manager course launches

    As part of the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's continuing goal of leveraging technology to assist in training, members of the Expeditionary Center's Mobility Operations School celebrated the launch of the online unit deployment manager, or UDM, course this month.The eight-hour online course

  • TRICARE does not retire when you do

    When beneficiaries retire from active duty, they may have big plans for how they are going to spend their time. Along with choices about where to live and their next great adventure, they must make choices about their health care. Understanding these choices will help beneficiaries and their

  • Second hypersonic flight ends prematurely, brings new flight test data

    The X-51A Waverider flew its second test flight at the Point Mugu Naval Air Test Range over the Pacific Ocean June 13, bringing significant hypersonic research data despite a less-than-successful flight.The hypersonic aircraft was successfully boosted to just over Mach 5 and the scramjet engine lit,

  • Gates, Mullen support 'Stand up for Heroes'

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke for the need for enduring support for service members at a fundraising event for wounded warriors and their families.The Defense Department leaders spoke before a crowd of about 800 who gathered

  • Lynn outlines new cybersecurity effort

    Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III outlined a pilot program here June 16 in which the government helps the defense industry in safeguarding the information their computer systems hold.In a keynote address at the Center for Strategic Decision Research's 28th International Workshop on Global

  • More veterans gain federal employment

    Thanks to President Barack Obama's Veterans Employment Initiative, more veterans are now federal employees.Federal agencies hired 72,133 veterans in fiscal 2010, about 2,000 more than in 2009, U.S. Office of Personnel Management officials said in a recent news release."Through the president's

  • Felts Field open house displays AMC lineage

    The Experimental Aviation Association shared a piece of Air Mobility Command history with the local community here recently.One of 12 flight-capable B-17 Flying Fortresses rumbled through the sky and landed for tours for aviation enthusiasts and two World War II B-17 pilots during Felts Field's

  • Mullen discusses fiscal 2012 budget proposal with Senate committee

    Navy Adm. Mike Mullen told the Senate Appropriations Committee today that he supports the fiscal 2012 budget proposal, and that it funds service members in harm's way in Afghanistan and Iraq.The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the proposed 2012 budget fully funds deployed service members,

  • Gates calls for superb military, not hollow force

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he'd rather have a smaller "superbly capable" military than a hollow force.Secretary Gates told the Senate Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee June 15 that even as the department looks for savings, there has to be an admission that reductions will

  • 50th Space Wing completes GPS constellation expansion

    The 50th Space Wing successfully completed a two-phase GPS constellation expansion known as "Expandable 24" June 15. The expansion increased global GPS coverage and is now providing civil, military and commercial GPS users with a more robust signal and a higher probability of signal acquisition in

  • Macedonian general officially closes MEDCEUR 11

    The 2011 Medical Training Exercise in Central and Eastern Europe officially closed during a ceremony here June 15.MEDCEUR, an annual chairman of the joint chiefs of staff-sponsored regional and multilateral exercise, was designed to provide medical training and operational experience in a deployed

  • CMSAF visits, tours Transit Center at Manas

    The Air Force's top enlisted leader visited members of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing here June 11 during a Central Command area of responsibility tour.During the visit, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy toured the Transit Center and spoke with Airmen during an "all hands" call.One

  • Pros, families ride in 2011 Air Force Cycling Classic

    Hot and humid weather didn't deter the more than 2,300 cycling enthusiasts from around the world and the approximate 600 on-lookers, who came out to cheer for teams and riders in the 2011 Air Force Cycling Classic held June 11 and 12, in Northern Virginia.The goal of the two-day event was to foster

  • Lynn: Energy strategy will help forces adapt for future

    Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III released the Defense Department's new operational energy strategy June 14, saying it is consistent with efforts to adapt the forces to emerging threats.Mr. Lynn said he and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates have been consistent in speaking of the need to

  • Defense Department leads nationwide food drive

    The Defense Department is taking a leading role in a nationwide campaign challenging federal employees to donate to their local food pantries.The "Feds Feed Families" campaign, announced by the Office of Personnel Management on May 26, will run through the end of August, said Pat Tamburrino Jr., the

  • U.S. service members, Japanese mourn lives lost during World War II

    Members here participated in a memorial ceremony June 11, in Shizuoka City, Japan. U.S. Airmen have been invited to take part in the event each year since 1972, bringing the U.S. and Japanese communities together to mourn a shared loss.The tragedy occurred June 20, 1945, when two B-29 Superfortress

  • Mullen discusses Afghanistan, Iraq, on Letterman

    America's top military officer explained what members of the U.S. military have gone through during 10 years of war to the audience of the "Late Show with David Letterman" June 13.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told David Letterman that the American people need to

  • Energy strategy improves capabilities, savings, official says

    The Defense Department's new operational energy strategy challenges assumptions about battlefield energy usage, paving the way for a more secure, agile and flexible fighting force, the Pentagon official who oversees the strategy said June 9.The strategy, included in the last Quadrennial Defense

  • Reserve Airmen fuel up NATO forces in Iceland exercise

    Air Force Reserve Airmen and KC-135 Stratotankers from the 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md., took part in Northern Viking 11, a biennial NATO air-space and maritime protection exercise here June 3-10, 2011.This year approximately 450 NATO military members from the U.S., Norway,

  • Investigation nabs 30 Air Force spice users

    In April,  the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Det. 114 here completed a two-month Spice-use investigation that resulted in the identification of 30 Airmen. The Airmen, who are assigned to six units within Air Force Materiel Command, Air Combat Command and Air Force Space Command, have

  • Air Force organizations win telework awards

    Two Air Force organizations earned the 2011 Telework Exchange Tele-Vision Award for excellence in leadership and for best new initiative, respectively, officials said here June 13.The office of the administrative assistant to the secretary of the Air Force won the award for its headquarters Air

  • DOD libraries launch summer reading program

    Defense Department libraries have launched a summer reading program in the hopes of inspiring children and adults to read throughout the summer.Visitors to libraries on 270 military installations around the world are invited to join "A Midsummer Knight's Read," an activity-packed reading program

  • DOD officials aim to streamline foreign military sales program

    Defense Department officials are streamlining the way they administer the foreign military sales program, including testing a concept to get pre-approvals for requests for high-demand technologies such as unmanned aerial systems, the director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said June

  • VA officials work to provide post-9/11 family caregiver benefits

    A month after the Veterans Affairs Department began processing applications for primary family caregivers of eligible post-9/11 veterans, officials reported steady progress toward delivering the new services and benefits.VA  officials began processing applications for new services May 9, four days

  • Iraqi airmen learn to protect leaders

    Prompted by assassinations of Iraqi military leaders, Iraqi airmen are receiving personal security operations training from members of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations here.According to the April 2011 Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction quarterly report, between January

  • Military spouses get help with professional licenses

    A Defense Department organization is making it easier for military spouses to maintain professional licenses as they move from state to state.State Liaison and Educational Opportunity, an office of military community and family policy here, announced June 13 that 16 states have adopted laws, or are

  • Iraqi air force leaders attend conference at Balad

    Three Iraqi air force air staff generals and five representatives from different bases visited June 8 and 9 here to experience a U.S. Air Force base. Joint Base Balad was chosen to host the visit because it is the only base in Iraq that could provide the opportunity for Airmen to work with Iraqi

  • Pope C-130 crew chiefs achieve discrepancy-free checklists

     At some bases, a discrepancy-free checklist inspection has never occurred. At others it happens maybe once every 10 to 15 years, but two crew chiefs from the 440th Airlift Wing both achieved perfect checklist inspections for their aircraft.Tech. Sgts. Abner Berrios and Alan Hunter earned a "black

  • 'Lt. Dan' flies high

    Even though he has been a strong military supporter and philanthropist, most remember Gary Sinise by his award-winning role as Lieutenant Dan Taylor from the 1994 film "Forrest Gump."Mr. Sinise visited here June 6 to 9 to document the capabilities of the U-2 Dragon Lady and meet with Airmen to boost

  • VA to expand housing for homeless veterans, families

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials continue to develop housing opportunities for homeless and at-risk veterans by adding 34 VA locations across the country. This strategy will increase the department's available beds by more than 5,000. VA currently has 15,000 transitional beds available to

  • Airmen standardize procedures to ensure patient, aircrew safety

    Similar to walking through security and being searched by TSA at an airport, Airmen at the contingency aeromedical staging facility here have standardized procedures to take security aboard military aircraft to a higher level."We're like a medical airport," said Lt. Col. Barbara Persons, the 451st

  • Mobility Airmen take C-5M on first direct Arctic overflight to Afghanistan

    Fourteen mobility Airmen teamed together to fly a C-5M Super Galaxy on a direct, non-stop mission from Dover Air Force Base, Del., here June 5 and 6, 2011.The flight was the first time a U.S. Air Force plane flew this northern route from the U.S., over Canada and into the Arctic Circle, then back

  • Balloon reconnaissance marks 150th anniversary

    The intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support critical to operations in Afghanistan got its start 150 years ago in June, when a balloonist showed then-President Abraham Lincoln how a gas-filled balloon could help the Union Army prevail in the Civil War.Thaddeus Lowe met with President

  • 'Today's Air Force' features a look around the service

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," the Air Force Flight Test Center receives two new F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighters. And, with the completion of Space Shuttle Endeavour's final mission, you'll get an inside look at what it took to make it happen. Plus, the Airmen from Kunsan Air Base,

  • Policy changes consider troops, families, official says

    The Pentagon office for personnel and readiness and the programs it oversees will not be immune from Defense Department efficiency initiatives, but will keep troops and their families at the forefront in the consideration of changes, the office's top civilian leader said."I joined with an efficiency

  • Lynn: U.S. must prepare for future warfare trends

    The Pentagon must factor in major trends likely to shape the national security environment, including many that defy traditional military planning, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said here today.The Defense Department must play a part in federal deficit-reduction efforts, Mr. Lynn said

  • Offutt officials brace for flood with heavy preparations

    As the water level rises in the Missouri River, officials here are taking precautions to protect people, equipment and facilities.According to reports from the Army Corps of Engineers, the Missouri River will crest by June 15. Offutt's systems of levees are expected to hold, but the greatest risk is

  • Airlines officials revise policies for troops' checked baggage

    Military members traveling on orders on several major U.S. air carriers can check four, and in some cases, five bags without charge based on new policies the airlines instituted in recent days. Officials from Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines and Continental Airlines announced the

  • Department recognizes environmental stewards

    The Defense Department today recognized its best stewards of the nation's natural and cultural resources at a Pentagon ceremony marking the 2011 Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards."The Defense Department has long made it a priority to protect our natural and cultural resources," said Dorothy

  • DOD joins effort to promote healthy habits in children

    The Defense Department has joined a national initiative aimed at ensuring the nation's youngest children, including children from military families, get off to a healthy start.Speaking from a child care center here yesterday, First Lady Michelle Obama, accompanied by Marine Corps Gen. James E.

  • Edwards team tests new brake system for C-130

    Members of the 418th Flight Test Squadron C-130 Hercules Wheel Brake System Improvement program here are testing the performance of carbon brakes and the new Mark IV Digital Antiskid Control Unit for the aircraft to replace the C-130's legacy brake system.Members of this test group said they know

  • Relocated high school students graduate; first lady awards diplomas

    Nine high school seniors who relocated from Japan and were in danger of not being eligible to participate in their new school's commencement ceremony joined 27 seniors from Quantico Middle/High School on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., for a special Department of Defense Education Activity

  • NATO endorses decision to extend Libya operation

    NATO defense ministers have endorsed the decision to extend Operation Unified Protector by 90 days, Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said here June 8. The extension authorizes NATO to continue operations through the end of September, the secretary general said during a news conference at the

  • Obama: Gadhafi must step down as 'Arab Spring' resumes

    President Barack Obama reiterated the need for Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi to step down and hand over power to the Libyan people, emphasizing during a joint news conference today with German Chancellor Angela Merkel that "the pressure will only continue to increase until he does."Speaking to

  • Air Force officials fund future ICBM studies

    The first of several studies to determine the best options for maintaining or replacing the nation's 450 Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile weapons systems after 2030 is underway, Air Force officials said here recently."The Air Force is strongly committed to the ground-based leg of the

  • Historians write their own chapter with Air Force awards

    Air Force officials recently named the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency history office the recipient of the 2010 Brig. Gen. Brian S. Gunderson Award for overall history program management excellence and the Air Force Heritage Award for its heritage center and

  • Officials seek input to modernize DOD schools

    Officials in charge of the Defense Department's school system for military children are seeking input from parents, students and teachers in creating a 21st century learning environment by 2016.Department of Defense Education Activity officials want people who use the schools to provide their ideas

  • Moving families can transfer TRICARE Prime enrollment

    Active duty military members and their families who are moving to a new location can now transfer their TRICARE Prime military health plan enrollment with a simple phone call. The enrollment transfer includes a new primary care manager best suited to the location of the service member's work, home

  • Officials release new selective re-enlistment bonus list

    Enlisted members now have 77 Air Force specialties from which they can receive a selective re-enlistment bonus. Officials said this fiscal year's program retains a heavy emphasis on retaining Airmen with 17 months to six years of service, and made adjustments in the 6 to 10 and 10 to 14

  • Air Force spouse, children recall evacuation following Japan earthquake

    The date, March 11, 2011, will never be forgotten by many people. It was the day that a 8.9-magnitude earthquake hit Japan and a day that started the motions for an Air Force family to make a decision to evacuate to Spokane, Wash., or stay and risk their newborn baby's health.The choice for them was

  • Air Force's Premier Honor Guard, Band invited to Macy's Parade

    The Air Force's Premier Honor Guard and Band received an invitation to participate for a national audience in an American tradition. Air Force District of Washington Commander Maj. Gen. Darren W. McDew, along with Col. A. Philip Waite, the Air Force Band commander, and Lt. Col. Raymond Powell,

  • Memorial garden dedicated for families of the fallen

    Base members and civic leaders from here and the Delaware Valley attended a dedication ceremony May 31 to mark the opening of the Center for the Families of the Fallen here.The ceremony opened with remarks by Delaware Senator Christopher Coons. The ceremony also included presentation of a new Blue

  • U.S. transfers airspace to Iraq

    Officials at the Airspace Control Authority transferred airspace to Iraq Civil Aviation Authority officials June 1 in what is being called a milestone in Operation New Dawn.The ICAA took over the Ali sector of airspace from surface area to 24,000 feet, assuming control over all aircraft on final

  • DOD, Homeland Security collaborate in cyber realm

    Recognizing the huge national security implications of compromised U.S. computer networks, a senior Pentagon official said Defense Department officials are working with the Department of Homeland Security officials and others to shore up vulnerabilities against an increasingly sophisticated

  • Officials suggest new role for more capable Reserve force

    Capabilities gained from a decade of combat have transformed military reserve components into a full-spectrum operational force that should be integrated into the active fighting force, a defense official said June 3.Paul Patrick, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs for

  • U.S., Chinese leaders note progress on military ties

    U.S. and Chinese defense leaders said they are pleased with the progress the countries are making in re-establishing good military-to-military relations. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Liang Guanglie held bilateral talks during the Shangri-La Dialogue here June

  • Captain shares Student Flight knowledge to help unit build program

    Capt. Bryan Williams, the Student Flight coordinator for the California Air National Guard's 129th Rescue Wing at Moffett Federal Airfield, Calif., helped establish the new Student Flight training program for the West Virginia ANG's 130th Airlift Wing here.A Student Flight prepares new recruits for

  • Guard provides presence patrols in Minot's evacuated areas

    Members of the North Dakota Air National Guard's 219th Security Forces Squadron began a new mission June 2 as they continued with flood operations here. About 50 Guardsmen began providing presence patrols in the city's nine evacuated zones. The Guard members' presence will help deter possible theft

  • New 'milk stool' design may save dollars, backs

    A C-130 Hercules ramp support platform designed by four cadets here in May could save not only Air Force dollars but also the backs of the loadmasters who currently drag around 75-pound monstrosities, officials said.The newly designed "milk stool," as the ramp support platform is called, would weigh

  • Grand Forks AFB Airmen welcome Global Hawk

    Airmen celebrated the arrival of the RQ-4 Global Hawk during a ceremony here June 1.The ceremony highlighted the beginning of a new era of remotely piloted aircraft here."It is an honor to be here; what a great day for Grand Forks (Air Force Base) and North Dakota -- this is cutting edge

  • DOD works toward successful transition in Iraq

    The recent Middle East turmoil underscores the importance of an active U.S. engagement in Iraq and a "shoring up" of relations with key regional partners, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East said June 1."(The Defense Department) strongly believes we must remain focused on

  • Lakenheath Airmen pay homage to fallen

    Airmen from the 48th Fighter Wing Honor Guard at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, participated in a memorial ceremony honoring fallen heroes at the Scottish-American War Memorial here May 30.This year marks the 77th annual Scottish-American Memorial Day service at "The Call," a war memorial

  • Team building drove president's choices, Gates says

    Building a team was the most important consideration as President Barack Obama made his choices for top national security positions, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said June 2.While he wouldn't give specifics about his advice to the president, Secretary Gates told reporters traveling with him to

  • Labor Department grants to provide veterans job training

    As part of an interagency effort to support America's veterans, the Labor Department announced $37 million in grants to provide job training for about 21,000 veterans, many of them homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis announced the grants June 1, awarded to

  • Fallen tanker pilot to be honored in building dedication

    Airmen from the 911th Air Refueling Squadron will honor a fallen tanker pilot June 26 here by dedicating a new auditorium in his name. The event comes exactly 43 years to the day that the late Maj. Robert Francis Woods was declared missing in action after his plane crashed over Vietnam, and four

  • Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force visits Team Sheppard

    The Air Force's senior enlisted member got to step back in time to his days as a technical training student and instructor as he visited the Air Force's largest training base May 23 and 24 here."It is important to train the way we fight, and you are an example of that training," Chief Master Sgt. of

  • Air Force clubs offer Airmen road to education

    The road to higher education can be a little easier for members of Air Force clubs around the world, or their dependents, through the 2011 Club Membership Scholarship program, officials said."Twenty-five $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to club members or their families attending or accepted to

  • Space shuttle Endeavor lands for last time

    The space shuttle Endeavor touched down at the Kennedy Space Center June 1 at 2:35 a.m. EDT, ending the shuttle's 19-year flying career.The Endeavour crew completed four spacewalks and several maintenance upgrades on the International Space Station as part of the shuttle's final mission.Endeavour's

  • Air Force announces OTS selection results

    A total of 63 men and women from across the U.S. have earned an opportunity to become Air Force leaders following their selection for an officer's commission, officials here announced today. Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 971 applications as part of Officer Training School

  • New warrior, family operations center opens

    Air Force officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening for the Air Force's new Warrior and Family Operations Center here May 25.More than 200 people witnessed the opening of the 7,000 square-foot facility housing four programs: Air Force Wounded Warrior, Airman and Family Readiness,

  • New military working dog facility built to highest 'green' standard

    The 56th Security Forces Squadron military working dog section here officially opened the first "green" kennel in the Defense Department May 20. The $1.6 million project included artificial turf, green construction techniques, a rain water collector and solar panels. "The artificial turf won't need

  • Iraqi airmen, U.S. advisers celebrate bittersweet PME graduation

    More than 160 Iraqi airmen graduated from a two-week enlisted professional development course taught by U.S. Air Force advisers here May 28. The students, who learned skills designed to make them more effective leaders, supervisors and managers, were praised by their American advisers for their

  • Handmade quilts cloak wounded warriors in love

    Service members categorized as critical care aeromedical transport team patients are all leaving the contingency aeromedical staging facility with a very special package: a handmade quilt stitched with love. Shortly after the January arrival of the current CASF team, quilts began arriving at the

  • Obama nominates Dempsey as JCS chairman, Winnefeld as vice chairman

    President Barack Obama announced his choices as chairman and vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff May 30 during a Rose Garden ceremony.Obama intends to nominate Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey as chairman and Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld as vice chairman. General Dempsey is currently the Army

  • Air Force officials to hold selective early retirement boards

    As part of the FY11 Force Management programs announced in early February, Air Force officials are preparing for the selective early retirement boards for lieutenant colonels and colonels to further size and balance the force within congressionally authorized end-strength levels. The lieutenant

  • Competition integrates cyber capabilities, encourages new ideas

    Airmen from the 67th Network Warfare Wing took part in the first Cyber Nexus competition here May 17 to 19. The force-on-force event brought together operators from the Air Force's four cyber disciplines to compete as integrated teams. The four disciplines are network operations, defensive

  • 'Today's Air Force' features a look around the service

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," the Air Force Thunderbirds make history with the first Department of Defense aerial demonstration where participating aircraft are fueled by biofuel.  Plus, you'll get an update on conditions at Misawa Air Base, Japan, since the earthquake and tsunami hit that

  • New firing range 'shoots down' time, costs

    The newly refurbished combat arms firing range here is now loaded and ready.After the completion of a series of renovations to the base's old range, Airmen will no longer have to transfer from the 18th Security Force Squadron's classroom here to the Marine Corps range on Camp Hansen, saving the

  • Seven decades of flying come to a close

    More than 70 years of flying experience came to a close after one last flight in a Piper Saratoga aircraft May 20 in Valdosta, Ga.While retired Col. Clarence Parker has been a pilot for the majority of his life, the now 90-year-old has decided to hang up his wings and start a new chapter in his

  • The backbeat of the band

    Have you ever been to a concert? Have you ever sat in the audience before the band took the stage and marveled at the lights, stage and speakers that pepper the venue and wonder how it all came together? Long before the first note comes barreling through the sound system of a concert hall, hundreds

  • AFSO21 saves Kadena millions in parts, energy bills

    In the past, Airmen at the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration shop here have had to replace large, outdoor, energy-wasting chiller units for buildings' AC systems on military installations across the island nearly every three years.However, because of the tropical climate of

  • KC-135s get lighting upgrades

    The C/KC-135 Stratotanker is in and out of Southwest Asia, but these days it supports more than just air refueling operations. As the KC-135 performs more aeromedical evacuation missions, officials said they realized the fleet wasn't properly equipped to care for patients due to inadequate

  • Photo essay: Air Force Academy's Class of 2011

    Newly commissioned second lieutenants celebrate at the end of the Air Force Academy's Class of 2011 graduation ceremony here May 25. The Class of 2011 is the Academy's 53rd graduating class. (Ray McCoy and Mike Kaplan contributed to this story.) View the slideshow.

  • Explosive ordnance disposal team trains Iraqi agencies to save lives

    Thousands of people have died from roadside bombs in Iraq. But even one death from these attacks is one too many, and an explosive ordnance disposal team from Contingency Operating Site Warrior is trying to prevent that number from getting any bigger.The 321st Expeditionary Operation Support

  • Experts discuss future long-range strike bomber requirements

    More than 30 military and civilian strategic air power experts gathered here May 5 to discuss ideas for a new long-range strike bomber. The Bomber Advisory Group examined past and current global strike success stories and strategic air power's role in the 21st century. The group also brainstormed

  • Secretary Donley congratulates new officers at Academy commencement

    The secretary of the Air Force spoke at the commencement address for the Air Force Academy's Class of 2011 at Falcon Stadium here May 25.Michael Donley congratulated the 1,021 graduates and challenged them to be lifelong learners, team players and doers after they have received their diplomas and

  • Tops in Blue set to kick off 'Rhythm Nation' tour

    Tops in Blue, the Air Force's expeditionary entertainment unit, kicks off their 2011 'Rhythm Nation' tour with a performance at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., May 25.Tops in Blue is a group of Airmen comprised of 35 vocalists, dancers, musicians and technicians who perform for deployed service

  • Laughlin amputee earns his wings

    Earning the coveted silver pilot wings is a long and difficult journey allowing only a small percentage of officers to earn the right to be called a pilot in the U.S. Air Force.By becoming the first amputee to graduate from pilot training, First Lt. Ryan McGuire earned his spot among the elite group

  • myPay goes mobile

    Users of myPay now can check pay statements on the go using a smartphone or other mobile device that has a web browser.This update for myPay, the online pay account management system for service members, military retirees and many federal civilian employees, is based on customer feedback received

  • Gates: Defense cuts must be prioritized, strategic

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he is determined that the department not fall victim to the mistakes of the past, "where the budget targets were met mostly by taking a percentage off the top of everything, the simplest and most politically expedient approach both inside the Pentagon and

  • Advisers from 3 bases converge for evacuation training

    Air Force and Army medical advisers from bases throughout Iraq converged here to conduct aeromedical evacuation training with their Iraqi counterparts May 18 to 19.Medical advisers and helicopter pilots with the 171st General Support Aviation Battalion at Camp Taji, medics from Joint Base Balad's

  • Warrior games about more than medals

    The 2011 Warrior Games officially came to an end here May 21 following closing ceremonies.The Air Force team, consisting of 23 wounded Airmen, earned 12 medals at the event.But for the athletes, the games were not just about medals. The Warrior Games were an opportunity for the current and former

  • VA announces disaster assistance after tornado outbreaks

    Officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs announced May 17 that special disaster assistance may be available to veterans with VA-guaranteed home loans who have been affected by recent tornados. Veterans living in designated disaster areas may receive mortgage assistance through their loan

  • Program offers free museum visits

    Service members and their families can visit a wide array of museums for free from Memorial Day through Labor Day, courtesy of the second annual Blue Star Museums program.Kathy Roth-Douquet, the Blue Star Families chairman, and Rocco Landesman, the chairman of the National Endowment for the