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  • Pararescuemen demonstrate special jump capabilities

    Pararescuemen from the 58th Rescue Squadron stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., demonstrated the rigged alternate method zodiac, or RAMZ, capabilities in the Caribbean June 9 for members of the Belize National Coast Guard and local media. Before the team jumped out of a C-130J Hercules into

  • Excess mattresses help Kyrgyz hospitals in need

    The 376th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron donated more than 340 twin-size mattresses June 10 to a community and humanitarian assistance program, who will distribute them to Bishkek hospitals. The mattresses came from the 376th EFSS lodging operation. While the mattresses are still in good

  • New software system offers better accessibility, speed

    Intelligence analysts' hunt for a piece of data in the puzzle of situational awareness got a little easier with the delivery of the latest version of DCGS Integration Backbone or DIB version, a software system that puts more flexible features and services into warfighters' hands. "The key to this

  • Officials look to colleges, universities for civilian employees

    As Air Force officials seek the best and brightest talent for the civilian workforce, they continue to actively recruit students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The Student Career Experience Program, or SCEP, allows qualified college students to apply at participating state

  • Airman honored for ambassadorship, volunteerism

    For her efforts in founding the Iraqi Kids Outreach program, a first lieutenant from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, recently received honors during the Defense Department's annual meritorious service awards banquet in San Antonio. The 366th Services Squadron's 1st Lt. Sarah Flackus was the Air

  • 618th TACC initiative wins DOD recognition

    The 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center here was awarded first prize for the best operational improvement initiative during the Defense Department's second annual Continuous Process Improvement Symposium June 1 through 3 at the National Conference Center in Lansdowne, Va. All military branches were

  • MC-12 flies first combat mission

    The Air Force's newest intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft flew its first combat sortie June 10 over Iraq.The MC-12 Liberty, assigned to the 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, arrived in Iraq June 8 and took off from Joint Base Balad at approximately 2:30 p.m. local time

  • Education activity lowers kindergarten pupil-to-teacher ratio

    Kindergartens at many Department of Defense Education Activity schools will have fewer students per teacher when classes resume in the fall. A student-to-teacher ratio that has ranged from 24-to-1 to 29-to-1 will drop to 18-to-1. "We've made the decision to place an additional classroom teacher and

  • Defense travel system to modify reservation process

    Minor changes are scheduled to take place within the Defense Department's travel reservation system later this summer to support the Transportation Security Administration's new pre-flight screening program, a Defense Department official said June 10. Under the current format, when travelers arrange

  • Mullen: Warfighters, families, wounded warriors drive budget request

    The nation's top military officer told Congress June 9 that the fiscal 2010 defense budget request puts money where it's needed: to recruit and retain the quality troops and their families who form the foundation of the all-volunteer force. But Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of

  • Hanscom to lead Air Force efforts in interoperability demo

    Officials here are busy setting up a mock air operations center for the annual Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration, which will run June 15 through 25. Hanscom is once again serving as a major host site for CWID and the lead Air Force site. Operators from the Air Force, other services,

  • Manas Air Base reaches out to 'Twitter' users worldwide

    Keeping up with online technology and its growing user demands can be daunting for communicators. But the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs Office has hopped aboard the Twitter 'twain' at full throttle in order to keep the world abroad in the know about the base's goings on. "I believe it

  • Cadets deploy as part of Operation Air Force

    Twenty United States Air Force Academy cadets deployed here for a month as part of Operation Air Force, an annual program that places cadets at operational Air Force bases throughout the world for career shadowing, mentoring and familiarization. The program provides the cadets a unique opportunity

  • Operation Southern Partner servicemembers paint brighter future in Belize

    Nearly a dozen servicemembers of Operation Southern Partner found time between their subject matter exchanges to help renovate and enhance the New Stella Maris School for the Physically Disabled with a fresh coat of paint here June 8. The small, 13-classroom school in the Belize City center was

  • Servicemembers join World War II vets at National Mall

    Nearly 45 volunteers from the Fort Meade community gathered at the National Mall May 27 to help give 55 men and women who served during World War II a chance to see the memorial dedicated to their service. "These vets are our living military heritage," said retired Master Sgt. Russ Wagner, the

  • Air Force officials revise fitness program

    The need for a "clear, understandable and simpler" fitness program will mean significant changes to the Air Force's current fitness program, said the service's top officer during a senior leadership conference held June 4 through 6 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Air Force Chief of Staff

  • Ceremony honors 293 medical graduates

    Dr. Kenneth Torrington, dean of the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, honored 293 physicians and allied health care providers during the annual SAUSHEC awards and graduation ceremony June 5 at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. SAUSHEC is the

  • Advisory team votes yes to building partnerships doctrine

    The LeMay Center hosted the biannual Air Force Doctrine Advisory Group in May resulting in the Department of Defense's first building partnerships doctrine. "The AFDAG prioritizes efforts and direction for Air Force doctrine," said Col. Russ Smith, director of doctrine development. "We bring

  • Information managers transform into knowledge operations managers

    Airmen in the former information management career field started a two-part transformation Oct. 31, 2008, as they changed their job titles to knowledge operations managers.Airmen in the knowledge operations management career field will undergo another transformation in October 2009 when it

  • CORONA yields personnel decisions, mission requirements

    Air Force senior leaders addressed numerous strategic and personnel issues, from manpower re-alignment to uniform changes to nuclear enterprise initiatives, when they met here for CORONA TOP June 4 through 6. "This is a forum where we need to address everything from fundamental strategic issues to

  • 'Today's Air Force' features a farewell to the first CMSAF

    Featured in this edition of "Today's Air Force" is a farewell to the first chief master sergeant of the Air Force, solar power at Nellis Air Force Base and Operation Southern Partner.Family, friends and admirers gathered in Arlington, Va., to pay their final respects to Paul Airey, the first chief

  • Air Force Week Salt Lake City a success

    From kids shrieking in delight at the amazing aerial maneuvers of the Thunderbirds to their parents singing along with various Air Force bands, one thing was obvious here last week: Air Force Week Salt Lake City was a success. Air Force Week Salt Lake City ran from June 1 through 7 and Airmen from

  • Thunderbirds honor local school teacher with Hometown Hero flight

    A flight suit, G-suit, harness and helmet: not the usual daily outfit Megan Funk wears to work. As a second grade teacher at Majestic Elementary School in Ogden, Utah, she is used to working in normal business clothes. However, June 4 was not a normal day for the Ogden native as she was about to

  • Air Force researcher wins top science award

    A Wilford Hall doctor has received one of the highest distinctions a researcher can achieve, according to medical officials here. Maj. (Dr) Vikhyat Bebarta, chief of medical toxicology and a staff emergency physician, is the recipient of the Best Basic Science Research Award, presented by the

  • Public invited to new NASA 'human space flight' Web site

    NASA officials are inviting people to make their voice heard as a panel of experts undertakes an independent review of planned U.S. human space flight activities. They have created a Web site for the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee to facilitate a two-way conversation with the

  • AFSOUTH gearing up for New Horizons Guyana

    Nearly 650 Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen are preparing to take part in New Horizons Guyana, a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored annual exercise starting July 1.The exercise is designed to strengthen ties with partner nations in Central and South America through combined quality-of-life

  • Air mobility maintains the fight in Afghanistan

    Being in a fight is easy; it is having the ability to stay in the fight until you win that is the hard part. This is especially true in the new type of war being fought by the coalition forces in Afghanistan where the enemy's strategy is to outlast the resolve and sustainment capability of U.S. and

  • Airmen aboard hospital ship, providing humanitarian help

    For Airmen traveling aboard the hospital ship USNS Comfort, 10 days spent in Colon, Panama, meant helping bring smiles to thousands of grateful Panamanians through the U.S. Southern Command's mission Continuing Promise 2009.From April through July, Airmen, along with servicemembers from all military

  • Swedish airmen reflect on Raven training

    Two Swedish airmen working to build up a cooperative between their country and the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Phoenix Raven Training Course, recently reflected on attending the Raven instruction April 14 to May 1.Lieutenants Fredrile Gartborn and Fredrik Andersson, both Swedish air force

  • Academy of Military Science moving to Maxwell

    With the Academy of Military Science moving from Tennessee's McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base to Maxwell Air Force Base's Officer Training School, all Air Force commissioning sources, except the U.S. Air Force Academy, will be under one roof. "Starting this fiscal year, all officer trainees will

  • Law enforcement officials capture Airman on the run for 8 months

    An Airman who escaped Air Force custody in September 2008 after being charged with possession of child pornography and sentenced to three years of confinement in July 2008 was apprehended by law enforcement officials June 3 at approximately 8 p.m. in Ipswich, England. Airman Basic Jeremy Parrott was

  • Panjshir reconstruction team bids farewell to fallen comrades

    The dining facility at Forward Operating Base Lion where Airmen and Soldiers typically exchanged stories and laughter was instead filled with reminiscing and tears as the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team honored four of its fallen comrades May 31. Lt. Col. Mark Stratton, the team's commander,

  • Air Forces Southern officials commit to 'summer of engagement'

    Active-duty, Air Guard and Reserve Airmen from across the Air Force are set to begin a host of missions with the Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) team in South and Central America during the summer months of 2009. The surge in theater security cooperation missions in the U.S. Southern Command

  • AFMC, union leadership reaffirm partnership

    The commander of Air Force Materiel Command and the national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO reaffirmed a strong partnership and discussed workforce issues here May 28. Gen. Donald Hoffman and John Gage joined other command and union officials for an afternoon

  • St. Lucia police team with Airmen during Operation Southern Partner

    Nearly 30 members of the Royal St. Lucia police force's special service unit worked with a U.S. Air Force Guardian Angel team here June 1 through 3 to enhance search and rescue efforts for the island nation.The Guardian Angel team deployed for Operation Southern Partner is comprised of a combat

  • Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft makes first flight

    Members of the Air Force Research Laboratory and Lockheed Martin's famed 'Skunk Works' launched a new era of aircraft manufacturing technology and performance with the successful initial demonstration flight of the Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft June 2 at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif.

  • Gates visits Elmendorf, addresses servicemembers

    The secretary of Defense held a town hall meeting and visited military members June 1 at Elmendorf Air Force Base. Some of the topics Secretary Robert M. Gates spoke about deployment increases and return dates, Air Force cutbacks, future replacement aircraft and weapon upgrades. "What I'm here for,

  • Military training instructors transform recruits into Airmen

    Rising at 3 a.m. is a small sacrifice for military training instructors.  The future of the Air Force awaits.With uniforms in perfect order, they pull the immediately identifiable campaign hats low and straight, down their foreheads to nearly the eyebrows. With stern voices and stoic physical

  • Deployment opportunities available for civilians

    Whether it's helping Iraqis with reconstruction projects or assisting Afghans with their motor pools, Air Force officials rely on its civilian workforce to help meet global mission requirements. And the Air Force is not alone, as more than 1,100 Department of Defense civilians volunteered to fill

  • OTS selection board results announced

    A total of 200 men and women from across America 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 798 applications as part of Officer Training School

  • 'Today's Air Force' features security forces

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights security forces at Misawa Air Base, Japan; Hurricane Hunters from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., and the Critical Days of Summer.Security forces Airmen from Misawa AB were graded on gate security, how they handle a crisis such as a robbery, and on other

  • Air Force named among top HBCU supporters

    In a 2009 survey, U.S. Black Engineer and Information Technology magazine recently named the Air Force among the "Top Supporters of Historically Black Colleges and Universities." USBE & IT magazine and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Computer Science at Howard University, Washington,

  • Photo essay: Training for military working dogs

    A military working dog attacks his handler on command at the training grounds on Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Military working dogs are enrolled in a 60- to 90-day training program where they are taught to detect explosives and drugs. They are also taught deterrence training and how to protect

  • President announces cyber security office

    The nation's computer network infrastructure will be defended as a national strategic asset, President Barack Obama said here May 29. In a White House announcement, President Obama said he will appoint a cyber security coordinator for the critical infrastructure that all Americans depend on. "We

  • Servicemembers gear up to provide New Horizons for Guyana

    Nearly 650 Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen are preparing to take part in New Horizons Guyana, a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored annual exercise starting July 1 designed to strengthen ties with partner nations in Central and South America through combined quality-of-life improvement projects.

  • Official: U.S. continues to monitor North Korean situation

    The United States government -- including the Pentagon -- is "very closely" monitoring the situation regarding North Korea's recent nuclear device and missile tests, a senior Defense Department official said here May 28. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama is employing diplomacy and international

  • AFSOUTH set to begin Operation Southern Partner in Caribbean

    More than 60 Airmen from across the Air Force are preparing to board a C-130J Hercules on May 30 to participate in the second iteration of "Operation Southern Partner" in seven Caribbean and Latin American nations. The Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern)-led event is aimed at providing

  • Streamlined disability evaluation system introduced at Elmendorf

    Wounded, ill and injured Airmen entering into the Disability Evaluation System here are now enrolled in a new pilot evaluation process. This new joint Department of Defense-Veterans Affairs effort is designed to streamline and expedite disability recovery and processing to create improved treatment,

  • CITS key to Air Force cyber superiority goal

    The Combat Information Transport System is a high-priority item for Air Force officials who seek to create, manage and defend a truly enterprise-wide internet. During a recent Electronic Systems Center program prioritization effort, CITS was listed as number two out of more than 300 total programs.

  • Visitation searchers balance efficiency, safety, humane treatment in Iraq

    Airman 1st Class Alberto Lopez knew the guy was hiding something. He could feel it. The detainee was giving off "the vibe" that three months of working the visitation center at the theater internment facility here had taught him to detect. The Altus, Okla., native continued to search in the

  • Airmen in joint motor pool keep vehicles rolling

    Airmen from the 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron here work with their Army compatriots in the base motor pool to keep the squadron's tactical vehicles running like clockwork. Four members of the Air Force security forces unit are part of a joint motor pool and learning more than they

  • ESC officials complete milestone for advanced radar system

    Equipping warfighters with the technology to detect moving targets in combat gained momentum when Electronic Systems Center officials here, in concert with prime contractors and other organizations, recently completed a key flight milestone for the Multiplatform Radar Technology Insertion Program.

  • DOD officials promote 'World No Tobacco Day'

    For the first time, the Department of Defense is endorsing the observance of World No Tobacco Day by encouraging servicemembers to participate. The effort is part of DOD's multiyear tobacco cessation campaign, Quit Tobacco--Make Everyone Proud. "On Memorial Day, when we reflect on the sacrifices our

  • Biden to Academy graduates: 'This is your moment'

    Vice President Joe Biden, the U.S. Air Force Academy commencement speaker, told graduates and newly-commissioned second lieutenants from the class of 2009 "this is your moment to bend history to the service of a better day." "You will carry our skies and beyond on your backs. I promise you, we will

  • Airmen 'unleash' new recovery program for patients

    Trained in explosives detection, narcotics detection and more, military working dogs here are now assisting in a different type of fight: The fight to rehabilitate patients at the Air Force Theater Hospital here. Members of the AFTH medical staff here held the first session of the K-9 Visitation

  • Air War College faculty hosts 56th National Security Forum

    For the 56th consecutive year, civilians from across America came to Maxwell-Gunter for the National Security Forum during the week of May 18. The forum, hosted by the faculty of the Air University Spaatz Center for Officer Education's Air War College and sponsored by the secretary of the Air Force,

  • Air Force officials test new constant-pressure fuel system

    Air Force officials officially began to test a 50-50 mixture of synthetic and JP-8 fuels in a Type 3 constant-pressure fuel hydrant system here May 18. Fuel tankers, including five trucks with 100 percent synthetic fuel and three with the 50-50 blend, arrived at the base May 17 to unload 113,000

  • New PCS program puts customers in the driver's seat

    With nearly 200,000 permanent change of station moves expected in the approaching season, it is important for Department of Defense personnel to note several broad changes to the personal property shipment process. The uniformed services began using the Defense Personal Property System to move DOD

  • Officials look for best, brightest to fill first sergeant positions

    Taking care of today's Airmen is the responsibility of everyone in leadership and supervisory positions in the Air Force. But, for a select group of senior non-commissioned officers, this specific mission is their primary job. Air Force first sergeants are the eyes and ears of a unit and serve as

  • New options available for accompanied Korea tours

    Air Force members headed to certain locations in Korea now can request an accompanied tour and serve with their families for two or three years. Current base facilities, such as housing, schools and support activities, will limit the number of Airmen authorized to serve the accompanied,

  • First Iraqi ISR aircrew members graduate

    The first class of Iraqi Air Force Squadron 87 King Air intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircrew members completed their yearlong training May 17. The Iraqi King Air program, headed by Air Force and Navy aircrew instructors, trained four Iraqi pilots, seven co-pilots and five mission

  • Last Utah ANG KC-135E Stratotanker retires

    The last KC-135 "E" model Stratotanker assigned to the Utah Air National Guard's 151st Air Refueling Wing flew its final flight May 21. Aircraft tail number 57-1510 was flown approximately 15 miles from the Air Guard base in Salt Lake City to nearby Hill Air Force Base where it was officially

  • Space operations vital to Air Force, nation

    Air Force officials discussed the importance of space as a warfighting domain before members of the Senate May 20 on Capitol Hill. Senior Air Force leaders in the space realm answered questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee Strategic Force Subcommittee, telling them that Air Force

  • Defense officials suspend separation payment recoupment

    Recoupment of military retirees' Variable Separation Incentive, Special Separation Benefit and separation payments by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service has been temporarily suspended pending a formal policy and legal review by Department of Defense officials. The suspension of recoupment

  • 'Today's Air Force' features building bridges in the Pacific

    This week's video features a segment on a new, more efficient way to track airmen displaced because of natural and other disasters.  Also, medics and engineers make an instant impact during a four day exercise in the Philippines, building bridges with a key Pacific Ally. Finally, view a memorial

  • General officer assignments announced

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz has announced new assignments for the following general officers: Maj. Gen. William N. McCasland, director of space acquisition, Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., to director, Special Programs, Office of the

  • Personnel chief discusses military personnel budget

    Airmen are the focal point for winning today's fight and efforts relating to recruiting, developing and retaining a high-quality and diverse fighting force need to reflect that, the service's top manpower and personnel officer said on Capitol Hill May 20. Lt. Gen. Richard Y. Newton III, deputy chief

  • Air Force chief predicts fewer 'exquisite' acquisition programs

    Air Force leaders are taking a more critical eye in weighing the technological capabilities of new systems against their corresponding cost, the Air Force's top military officer said here May 21. "We have had a temptation to design and try to build the most exquisite systems, and we've proven we can

  • Senate confirms next Air Force surgeon general

    The Senate has confirmed Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Charles Bruce Green to become the Air Force's 20th surgeon general. General Green is currently the Air Force's deputy surgeon general, a position he has held since August 2006. He will replace Lt. Gen. (Dr.) James G. Roudebush, who is retiring. General Green

  • Air Forces Africa chaplain engages in faith-based cooperation

    "Religion is so central to the lives of people in Africa," said 17th Air Force Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Rex Williams. He should know. The chaplain has been representing U.S. Africa Command in working with chaplains and religious leaders from across the continent. He recently joined the U.S. Africa

  • Pacific Air Forces Airmen mourn loss of Airman

    Airmen are mourning the loss of a Pacific Air Forces lieutenant killed in action May 20 during Operation Enduring Freedom. First Lt. Roslyn L. Schulte, 25, an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations officer assigned to the 613th Air and Space Operations Center, died May 20 near

  • Space Command official tweets on GPS

    An Air Force Space Command official hosted a tweet forum on the Global Positioning System from 2 to 3 p.m., May 20. Col. Dave Buckman, AFSPC command lead for position, navigation and timing, responded to fellow tweeter's questions on GPS and clarified some points that came out of the recent

  • North Dakota floods tested Air Force EPLOs

    When Col. Stacy Collins became an Air Force emergency preparedness liaison officer last November, she couldn't have predicted that in less than five months, she'd be assisting in one of the worst natural disasters to hit North Dakota in years: the flooding of several rivers including the Red and

  • After market uniforms may present risk

    The Air Force authorized a single all-season version of the Airman's Battle Uniform, or ABU, for wear service-wide, making any other version or claims of a summer weight uniform unauthorized. The one exception is a 100 percent cotton ABU, which is only authorized for wear in the firefighter and

  • AFSO 21 initiative at Dover will save $1.8 million

    A new process here will save the Air Force $1.8 million in man hours in the course of a year and most Airmen will not notice the change. Inprocessing at Dover took an average of 20 days, but through an Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century initiative, that time has been cut to two days. "A

  • Air Force solar-powered hydrogen plant completed

    A $1.1 million solar array project to power the base hydrogen production and fueling station was completed here May 8, marking a "first" for both the Air Force and the state of Hawaii. After about six weeks of installation, 810 solar modules can now produce 146 kilowatts of energy per hour,

  • Senior enlisted leaders strengthen international bonds

    Senior enlisted leaders from nine countries met in the San Antonio area for a closer look at Air Education and Training Command programs and processes during a visit May 12-15. As part of the 2009 Senior Enlisted Leader Summit, international enlisted leaders from Australia, Bulgaria, Japan,

  • AF officials announce Combat Air Forces restructure plan

    Following the May 7 roll-out of the fiscal year 2010 budget proposal for the Department of Defense, Air Force officials announced plans to retire legacy fighters to fund a smaller and more capable force and redistribute people for higher priority missions. The Combat Air Forces restructuring plan

  • Apheresis broadens impact of blood donations

    Rose Weatherly plays a major role in providing life-saving blood products to patients at Keesler Medical Center and, literally, around the world. Ms. Weatherly, a registered nurse, is the apheresis supervisor with the 81st Diagnostics and Therapeutics Squadron's pathology and clinical laboratory

  • New online application added to voluntary assignments

    Air Force officials recently introduced a new Web-based application that allows Airmen to withdraw or cancel a voluntary assignment from their desks at their convenience. Voluntary assignments are assignments that are self-initiated and that Airmen can apply for on their own. They differ from normal

  • Guard bureau chief sees peacekeeping as likely National Guard mission

    The National Guard can expect peacekeeping roles in Afghanistan and Iraq in the future, the chief of the National Guard Bureau said here last week. "I've challenged our staff with thinking through what happens after Iraq, what happens after Afghanistan," Gen. Craig R. McKinley told an audience at

  • Panjshir PRT medics improve medical sanitation

    As soon as the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team arrived in the Panjshir Valley in November 2008, they noticed a need for a more sanitary way of disposing of contaminated needles. "We saw that they were using cardboard boxes and buckets for [sharps] disposal. We also observed needles laying

  • Freedom Conference Center NCOs boost morale

    Air Force supervisors make it their mission to provide leadership to their subordinate Airmen as well as boost unit morale whenever possible. One pair of NCOs here takes boosting morale one step further serving as the focal point for the entire base. 379th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron, Tech.

  • 'Air Force Knowledge Now' turns 10

    Randy Adkins, Knowledge Management Center of Excellence director, clearly recalls the Friday afternoon when the idea of Knowledge Now was first raised. Members of the Air Force Materiel Command staff discussed the possibility of a "lessons-learned" database and sent the idea to Mr. Adkins, who had

  • New system for tracking personnel gets workout soon

    As the Air Force gears up for its second test of the Air Force Personnel Accountability and Assessment System, Air Force Materiel Command leaders are reminding people to participate during the May 19-21 exercise. The new system is designed to improve the way the Air Force keeps track of its people.

  • 'Today's Air Force' features the new CMSAF

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights the next chief master sergeant of the Air Force, unmanned aircraft systems operated from Creech Air Force Base, Nev., the dangers of supplements and an F-16 Fighting Falcon that passed 7,000 hours of flight time. The 16th chief master sergeant of the

  • Pacific Command strategy centers on partnership, readiness, presence

    The three major tenets of the U.S. Pacific Command strategy -- partnership, readiness and presence -- are having a powerful impact in bringing together the joint, interagency and international capabilities required to promote regional stability, the command's top officer told American Forces Press

  • AF.mil unveils new design

    Air Force officials unveil a new look for the service's official Web site, AF.mil. For frequent visitors to AF.mil some of the changes will be obvious at a glance. The redesigned site features a larger layout, larger photos, new technology and less clutter. It offers users new content types with the

  • ESC group works to meet Iraqi air traffic control needs

    An Electronic Systems Center group here is helping Iraqi air force officials rebuild their military air traffic control capabilities through a comprehensive foreign military sales effort. An 853rd Electronic Systems Group team initiated their efforts with an FMS case that began in January 2007.

  • Air Force leaders testify on infrastructure budget

    The four pillars of the Air Force budget strategy--people, readiness, infrastructure, and modernization were the main topics May 12 when the deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for Installations testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee. Ms. Kathleen Ferguson, flanked by Brig.

  • New club members get 3 month free membership

     All eligible personnel who join any Air Force club between June 15 and Aug. 15 will automatically receive three months of free dues as part of the Air Force's 2009 club membership campaign. New members also will receive the benefits of a free cash-back rewards program and a six-month, zero-percent

  • Biden announces housing assistance program expansion

    Vice President Joe Biden May 14 announced the Defense Department's plan to expand its housing assistance program with $555 million devoted to servicemembers forced to sell their homes at a loss due to the country's struggling housing market. The financial support comes from President Barack Obama's

  • Air Force leaders chart way forward for service

    The Air Force has made tough choices and some prudent trade-offs to balance the service across the spectrum of capabilities needed for the future, Air Force leaders said.Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz discussed the service's efforts to balance

  • CSAF reflects on importance of PACAF

    The chief of staff of the Air Force wrapped up a week-long, four-base tour of Pacific Air Forces here May 13 on his first visit to the region since becoming the nation's top-ranking uniformed Airman last August. Gen. Norton Schwartz said the United States has a vested interest in the Asia-Pacific

  • Air Force officials standardize informal uniform

    As a result of the 96th Air Force Uniform Board, a standardized informal uniform is now authorized for wear. The informal uniform will be mandatory for wear by all applicable Air Force personnel starting Jan. 1, 2011. The Air Force Chief of Staff directed review of the informal uniform to help

  • CSAF speaks candidly at Yokota Airmen

    "In the end what it's all about is performance," said the senior Air Force officer responsible for organizing, training and equipping nearly 700,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces. "If the United States Air Force performs, we don't need to advertise ourselves and proclaim how good

  • Academy football team ranks second in academic excellence

    In a recent NCAA ranking, the Air Force Academy football team finished second in the nation in Academic Progress Rates following only Stanford University. According to Troy Garnhart, Academy's director of Athletic Media Relations, the NCAA rack and stack considered the overall performance of all 27

  • U.S. pilots train Finns in aerial refueling operations

    A group of Airmen with the 100th Air Refueling Wing traveled to Tampere, Finland, May 2 to participate in a week-long exercise with Navy  and Finnish Air Force F-18 Hornet pilots.The Airmen helped teach the Finnish pilots how to refuel in-air from a KC-135 Stratotanker.The exercise marks the first