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  • 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

  • Medical, physical evaluation board processes improving

    From the moment an Airman is injured or becomes ill, one of his or her biggest questions becomes: Can I stay on active-duty? Thus begins the wait. But, thanks to new processes, officials said, answers are coming much faster.Since Sept. 11, 2001, the number of service members processing through the

  • Air Force doctor to appear on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show'

    Air Force Maj. (Dr.) Van Adamson never imagined he would appear on a national syndicated TV talk show, standing next to Hollywood's biggest celebrities as a result of a college scholarship he received 13 years ago. In her second-to-last episode on Tuesday, May 24, popular day-time talk show host

  • Strong military is key to long-term U.S. success, Gates says

    The ultimate guarantee against success of aggressors, dictators and terrorists in the 21st century is the size, strength and global reach of the United States military, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said May 22."Beyond the current wars, our military credibility, commitment and presence are

  • Hero Miles brings families to healing Warrior Games

    For wounded or injured servicemembers, family support is a vital lifeline during the initial and long-term recovery process that helps them find a new "normal" in their life.The Hero Miles program provides family members the commercial airline flights to the injured service member in the hospital or

  • Law enforcement members honored during Police Week

    Security forces members, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the South Korean air force honored two law enforcement Airmen by ceremonially retiring them and removing them from duty here May 19.The ceremony was part of National Police Week, which ran from May 15 to 21 and honored law

  • First lady lauds 'A force of families'

    The nation's military is built and sustained on the strength of families, First Lady Michelle Obama told the U.S. Military Academy's Class of 2011 and their families at a banquet last night in West Point, N.Y., on May 20, the eve of graduation ceremonies. No matter where their careers take them,

  • Secretary urges careful thought in spending reductions

    Finding $400 billion in additional defense spending reductions over the next 12 years will require careful thought that considers the risks the reductions create, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here May 19.In a question-and-answer session with students at the U.S. Army Engineer School here,

  • Navy defeats Air Force, takes bronze

    The Air Force wheelchair basketball team fought to the end against the Navy, but it wasn't enough as the Navy edged out the Air Force 13-12 in the bronze-medal game May 20 during the 2011 Warrior Games here.The game started with Air Force possession. After a missed shot by the Air Force, the Navy

  • C2-Forward concept enhances combat capability

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe is showcasing a new concept designed to enhance a joint force commander's combat capability as part of the Combat Air Forces/Mobility Air Forces conference here May 23 and 24.The concept stemmed from the 2009 Joint Forces Exercise Austere Challenge, when 3rd Air Force was

  • Education is key in fight against PTSD

    Stemming the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, requires awareness, education and recognizing its symptoms, a senior military psychiatrist said.Navy Capt. Paul S. Hammer, director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, spoke

  • Air Guard Airmen establish air hub for earthquake-relief exercise

    More than 40 members of a contingency response element from the Kentucky Air National Guard's 123rd Airlift Wing operated a key patient-movement hub here as part of National Level Exercise 2011.The exercise is designed to test the local, state and national response to a simulated earthquake along

  • Joint Air Operations Center stand-up part of National Level Exercise 2011

    Kentucky Air National Guard officials stood up a joint air operations center here May 16 to serve as the main command node for all of the state's fixed-wing and rotary aircraft that are participating in the largest earthquake-response exercise in U.S. history.The week-long event, called National

  • Gates shares views on Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan

    During a question-and-answer session here May 19, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates gave U.S. Army Engineer School students his view of the situations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.Though the current agreement between the U.S. and Iraq calls for all U.S. forces to be out of Iraq by the end of

  • Warrior Games welcomes new faces

    For the second year, the Warrior Games has returned here, bringing competition among all branches of the military and Coast Guard, during a week-long series of sporting events. The Air Force Warrior Games team has seen many veterans return, but there are also many new faces joining them.These

  • JTACs show off new capability during digital demo

    Joint terminal attack controllers with the 607th Air Support Operations Group here recently showed off new digital capabilities during a demonstration with members of the South Korea air force.The demonstration showcased advanced equipment the controllers use when transmitting digit data to aircraft

  • National Guard supports final Endeavour flight

    Air National Guard members from Illinois, New York and Virginia were on hand for the final launch of NASA's space shuttle Endeavour here May 16. The Guard members provided front-line medical and emergency rescue support in the event of an incident.Col. Joe Maslar, the chief of aerospace medicine for

  • Lynn cites progress in DOD, VA partnership

    The partnership to ensure seamless transitions for wounded warriors from military to Veterans Affairs medical care has made significant progress, but work remains to be done, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said here May 19. In testimony before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee,

  • Gates budget review to 'force discussion' of risk analysis

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced May 18 the framework for a comprehensive review of military spending designed to put national security needs ahead of arbitrary budget cuts."We must reject the traditional approach of applying across-the-board cuts -- the simplest and most politically

  • Iraqi air force advance echelon team arrives

    The Iraqi air force is one step closer to taking ownership of Joint Base Balad. A trio of officers and 11 enlisted airmen arrived May 15 to in-process here.The group is part of the advance echelon team of 60 Iraqi airmen projected to arrive. "It's truly a significant day for the Iraqi air force,"

  • DOD makes progress in civilian hiring reform

    Until recently, applying for a civilian job at the Defense Department was an exercise in navigating through a byzantine federal hiring process and amassing thick application packets, with applicants sometimes waiting up to a year for any word on their applications.Pasquale M. Tamburrino Jr., the

  • Arming point key to Afghan airpower dominance

    Officials at the Kandahar Air Wing reached a milestone May 15 when they opened an Afghan Mi-17 weapons arming point here.The officials said it's a key step towards delivering airpower dominance to both the 205th and 215th Afghan National Army Corps."Having the arming point allows the Afghan air

  • Deployed air refuelers surpass 350 million pounds of fuel delivered in 2011

    In the first four months of 2011, air refueling aircraft supporting the air mission on the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility have off-loaded more than 357 million pounds of fuel to more than 26,500 receiver aircraft.The 357 million pounds of fuel figure, which is calculated and tracked by

  • SOCOM spikes Air Force in sitting volleyball

    After a strong first game win, the Air Force was dispatched by the Special Operations Command in the preliminary sitting volleyball competition at the 2011 Warrior Games here May 17. The Air Force team started the three-game series with a battery of successive points, carving out an eight-point lead

  • Army, Navy score early basketball wins against Marines, Air Force

    Both the Army and Navy scored first-round wheelchair basketball wins May 17 during the 2011 Warrior Games here. The Army bested their rival from last year with a 39-24 win over the Marine Corps during the first day of the wheelchair basketball competition. Though both teams played with dramatic

  • Air Force brings home gold on day 1

    Air Force athletes brought home gold during the first day of competition May 17 at the 2011 Warrior Games here. With a grunt and furrowed brow, retired Senior Airman Jennifer Stone bested her Marine, Navy and Army competitors in the women's standing shot put with a distance of 31-feet, 7.25-inches.

  • DeBerry elected to College Football Hall of Fame

    A former U.S. Air Force Academy football coach was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, according to an announcement from the National Football Foundation Board of Directors on May 17. The foundation will honor Fisher DeBerry, along with the other inductees, at the National Football

  • Officials launch U.S. International Cyber Strategy

    White House officials yesterday launched a strategy that the administration says unifies U.S. engagement with international partners on a range of cyber issues for the first time.The International Strategy for Cyberspace was presented here by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Attorney

  • Gates: 'Perfect fusion' made bin Laden raid succeed

    The May 1 raid that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden was "a perfect fusion of intelligence collection, intelligence analysis and military operations," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said in an interview aired May 15 on the CBS program "60 Minutes."But the secretary acknowledged some anxious

  • Defense Department officials honor top communicators

    The military's best writers, photographers and videographers were recognized for excellence in a ceremony May 13 at the Defense Information School here.Douglas B. Wilson, assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, recognized the award recipients for their achievements."Many of those being

  • Assistive technology gives wounded warrior second chances

    Despite restricted abilities, this year's athletes participating in the 2011 Warrior Games here will boast strength, speed, stamina and a whole lot of will power as they strive to reach higher and celebrate each other the best way they know how, through the power of sport. Because of the world of

  • Air Force wheelchair basketball team preps for competition

    This year's Air Force wheelchair basketball team underwent a workout May 12 at the Air Force Academy Prep School Gym, to not only improve skills needed to play intense basketball from a special sports wheelchair, but to get to know each other also. "The primary objective of this camp is to come

  • PACAF band invited to help with 'recovery through music'

    The U.S. Air Force Band of the Pacific-Asia performed a concert in Nerima City, Japan, May 8 in support of people affected by the March 11 9.0-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami.At the request of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Eastern Army Headquarters, Pacific Trends performed during

  • Combat Talon ends career as historic monument

    Exactly one year after making its final operational flight, the MC-130E Combat Talon I 64-0567 reached the end of its 47-year journey with a stirring dedication ceremony here May 6.The Talon, or as it came to be know by 919th Special Operations Wing Airmen, "Wild Thing," will now be a historic

  • Plans in place to spend $1 million IEA winnings at Spangdahlem AB

    More than 30 service members, U.S. and German national civilian employees, and family members from here received the Commander in Chief's Installation Excellence and Special Recognition Award May 2 through 6 in Washington.It was during this trip that Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin Conaton

  • Exercise hones AFSOC's disaster response

    Responding to a simulated natural disaster, 16 special-tactics Airmen steered their parachutes toward the training range here May 11. Their primary mission: open the devastated country's airfield.Within minutes of jumping out of a 1st Special Operations Wing MC-130P Combat Shadow, the Airmen were

  • Air Force officials announce civilian hiring controls

    Air Force leaders announced that hiring controls were instituted May 12 to reduce projected growth of the civilian workforce.The Air Force-wide efforts to stem the civilian personnel growth are a result of Secretary of Defense Robert Gate's efficiency initiatives to maintain civilian manning at

  • National Guard leaders talk fiscal constraints, cost-effective solutions

    As part of the total force, the National Guard has successfully transformed into an operational force, the top National Guard leader said here May 11.This transformation would be impossible without the investments made in the Guard and Reserve, said Air Force Gen. Craig McKinley, the chief of the