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  • Air Force chief offers perspective to acquisition community

    Some 700 Air Force senior leaders, acquisition professionals and defense industry partners met at the campus of Sinclair Community College April 20 to 22 to address challenges faced by the military acquisition, technology and logistics community.The two-and-a-half day event, organized by the

  • AETC ensures nuclear precision, compliance, accountability

    Command officials have aligned the Air Education and Training Command staff with headquarters Air Force, creating a new directorate that began operations in February to strengthen the focus on training for the Air Force's nuclear enterprise. The new office, AETC Nuclear Operations, Plans and

  • Student 'flies' last T-37 simulator mission

    No one wants to be last in anything he or she does, especially when it comes to the highly-competitive Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program, the world's only multi-nationally run undergraduate pilot training organization. But 2nd Lt. Evan Negron, a 25-year-old Salem, N.J., native, said April

  • Training system helps joint operators put bombs on target

    When Air Force acquisition program managers meet to discuss the impact of their programs, they frequently talk figuratively about the ability to "put bombs on target." But when managers of the joint terminal control training and rehearsal system mention "bombs on target," they are being literal. The

  • Officials select 37 Airmen for physician assistant training

    Air Force officials recently selected 37 Airmen to attend the Tri-Service (Phase I) Physician Assistant training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The March 2009 Physician Assistant Board met at the Air Force Personnel Center here to consider 83 applicants. In addition to those selected to attend

  • Quadrennial defense, nuclear posture review begin

    Pentagon officials kicked off the Defense Department's 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review and Nuclear Posture Review processes April 23 to determine what types of capabilities will be required to maintain U.S. national security now and in the coming years, senior officials said. "The QDR takes a

  • AF officials primed for officer qualifying test revamp

    Force Management officials will further refine the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test by conducting surveys that ensure the test content measures the most critical abilities and aptitudes tomorrow's officers need. Officials in the Air Staff Force Management Policy Division said the results of two Air

  • AF doctors use virtual reality to treat PTSD

    Mental health therapists and social workers at the David Grant USAF Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., are currently using a virtual reality program to treat servicemembers who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, after returning from combat operations. "PTSD is an

  • ISR leader shares future of intelligence field

    "We're changing the way we view intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance from the past," said Lt. Gen. David Deptula, Air Force deputy chief of staff for ISR, during his visit here April 16. "In the past, we had stratified pockets of industry. Now we're heading toward an integrated,

  • Wilford Hall's emergency department much more than that

    At first glance, Wilford Hall Medical Center's emergency department appears to be just another level-1 trauma center, treating patients from not only Lackland Air Force Base but from San Antonio and the surrounding areas. Yet, much more is going on there than people realize. "The emergency

  • AFSO 21 helps unit reduce steps, increase proficiency

    The 726th Air Mobility Squadron recently conducted an Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century value stream analysis looking for ways to streamline C-17 Globemaster III refueling and increase proficiency levels. The unit pooled Airmen from a variety of backgrounds to participate in the AFSO

  • Personnel accountability system live AF-wide; May exercise planned

    Air Force officials implemented the Air Force Personnel Accountability and Assessment System April 1.  The new program improves global disaster personnel accountability management, reporting and case management across the force.  They plan to test the system in a force-wide exercise May 19 to 21.

  • Secretary Gates presses to boost network security

    Defense Department officials are working to reduce vulnerability to cyber-attack attempts that occur regularly and are likely to continue for the foreseeable future, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said."We are under attack virtually all the time, every day here," Secretary Gates told CBS Evening

  • Telelconference held to improve Pacific medical care

    Thirteenth Air Force officials hosted an inaugural aeromedical evacuation quality system-wide teleconference here recently for more than 30 military members and civilians to improve aeromedical evacuations for patients throughout the Pacific. It was the first teleconference of its kind to be hosted

  • Task force seeks sexual assault response feedback

    Members of the Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault in the Military Services visited Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst recently to speak with base leaders, sexual assault response coordinators and other base personnel. The task force, which was chartered by Congress to look at sexual assault response

  • Squadron hosts 'Buddy-Wing' Program

    Members of the 25th Fighter Squadron here hosted Airmen from South Korea's 15th Composite Wing April 13 to 15 for a "Buddy Wing" exercise and exchange program. The purpose of the program is to introduce and review tactics, exchange ideas and improve interoperability between the U.S. Air Force and

  • Airman's Roll Call: Mentoring critical to development

    This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on Air Force mentoring, a program designed to prepare Airmen for increased responsibilities. Air Force mentoring covers a wide range of areas, such as career guidance, technical and professional development, and leadership. The program's benefits include

  • Air Force lights up 'Operation Change Out'

    All 64 major Air Force bases in the United States are participating in the Energy Star Operation Change Out: The Military Challenge campaign to change out incandescent bulbs with new energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs, or CFLs. The campaign is a joint effort between the Department of Defense

  • EPLOs redefine part of Air Force mission

    When most Americans think of the Air Force, they envision slick, fast fighter jets soaring through the skies at Mach speed. A picture that doesn't normally come to mind is a military organization that helps local communities during hurricanes, wildfires, floods or other natural disasters. Nor does

  • Senior enlisted leader summit set for May

    The Air Force's top enlisted leader is set to convene the 2009 Senior Enlisted Leader Summit May 3 to 8 at Maxwell Air Force Base's Gunter Annex, Ala. Command chief master sergeants, career field managers, professional military education commandants and other key senior enlisted leaders from Air

  • Air Force officials emphasize bystander intervention

    Airmen have the power to stop sexual assaults. The Air Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office staff is leading the effort to empower Airmen with this concept. The key to that empowerment is bystander intervention. If Airmen witness a situation that could lead to an assault, they have an

  • Clouds lift for 'Cadet for a Day'

    For eight years, Academy cadets have been making wishes come true for ill youngsters. They made it happen again April 9 through Saturday when Joe Hayford, 13, became the newest Cadet for a Day through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. "His eyes were huge, and he never quit smiling," said Wish volunteer

  • Panjshir PRT unites Airmen, Soldiers for common cause

    A team of nearly 80 individuals, including 25 Airmen and 12 Soldiers, come together to perform a critical mission in Afghanistan's Panjshir Province. All of the servicemembers come from different walks of life, but now come together to help the impoverished province. One year ago, Staff Sgt. David

  • Experts review B-52 fuel hose process

    Consultants from the Air Force Inspection Agency and the University of Tennessee recently facilitated a four-day rapid improvement event at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center here in an effort to resolve issues involving spare parts for the B-52. The rapid improvement event is part of the Air

  • President nominates next AF surgeon general

    President Barack Obama has nominated Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Charles Bruce Green to become the next Air Force surgeon general. General Green is currently the Air Force's deputy surgeon general, a position he has held since August 2006. Pending approval by the Senate, General Green would become the Air

  • 'Today's Air Force' features arrival of C-130J in Europe

    Three key stories in this edition of "Today's Air Force" include how Iraqis are expanding their role in security, Ramstein Air Base officials accepting delivery of their first C-130-J Super Hercules and Air Force Week 2009 kicking off in Hampton Roads, Va. In the Iraqi story, see how Airmen are

  • Busy BEEs keep base buzzing

    The "BEEs" here aren't as concerned with honey as they are the chemicals which could potentially be found on base. While the 379th Medical Group bioenvironmental engineering, or BEE, flight is responsible for many things, their primary concern here is the base water supply. "In the deployed

  • TacSat-3 to demonstrate rapid delivery of imagery

    Providing up-to-the-minute data to the in-theater commander can act as the tipping point to achieve success on the battlefield, and demonstrating that capability has been planned for the Tactical Satellite-3's upcoming, year-long mission. Serving as the spacecraft's primary payload, the Advanced

  • National Security Personnel System goes under microscope

    The federal government's largest pay-for-performance system, the National Security Personnel System, is under review at the request of officials in the Defense Department and the Office of Personnel Management. Since October 2006, about 205,000 defense employees were brought under the new NSPS,

  • Foreign aircrews train at Altus for multi-national mission

    Instructors at the Air Force C-17 Aircrew Training Center here are preparing foreign aircrews for a first-of-its-kind mission in Hungary. A multi-national consortium consisting of 10 North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries and two Partnership for Peace nations created the Strategic Airlift

  • Air Force officials modernize mentoring program

    As Air Force officials continue to modernize the processes to meet 21st century mission requirements, manpower and personnel force development officials have taken a hard look at the service's mentoring program to increase its effectiveness. "Our mentoring program has existed on paper for many

  • Proposed B-1 program aims to speed maintenance

    A team of high ranking Air Force officials visited here recently in an effort to determine whether to change the way maintenance is performed on the B-1B Lancer strategic bomber. Called the "Red Team," the group from Air Force Materiel Command, Air Combat Command and the Air Staff are considering

  • F-22 exchange pilot helps strengthen U.S., Australian ties

    A Royal Australian Air Force pilot assigned to the 90th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron has had the opportunity to fly the Air Force's premier fighter, the F-22 Raptor, as part of a foreign pilot exchange program. Squadron Leader Matthew Harper is an F-22 instructor pilot and the 90th EFS flight

  • Top officer cites Coast Guard-Air Force ties

    The top Coast Guard officer said the Air Force and the Coast Guard have more in common than one might think. During a speech about homeland security, Adm. Thad Allen, Coast Guard commandant, told this to Air War College students here April 9 . The bedrock of the relationship between the two services

  • Hanscom Airmen to help Iraqis control, defend their airspace

    Members of the 350th Electronic Systems Group here are working to bolster Iraq's air force with the capabilities needed to better defend the country's airspace.A formal request for proposal is due out next month to provide long-range radars to Ali Base, Iraq, to help Iraqis detect incoming air

  • Teamwork brings blend of skills, mutual commitment

    From a distance, the U.S. Southern Command-sponsored Continuing Promise humanitarian assistance effort underway here looks every bit like a military mission. It's based around the massive hospital ship USNS Comfort, a supertanker-turned-Military Sealift Command hospital ship initially outfitted in

  • Congressional staff members visit AFPC

    Professional staff members from the House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on military personnel visited the Air Force Personnel Center here April 15 to learn more about the many initiatives the center has undertaken to deliver personnel services to Airmen and civilians. Some of the

  • New policy refines ancillary, expeditionary skills training

    As Air Force officials focus on giving Airmen more time to do their primary duty and reduce additional duties, senior leaders issued new policy guidance in March to streamline ancillary training and expeditionary skills training programs. "Air Staff, the A1 (personnel) community and major command

  • Victim advocates support, assist survivors

    A group of Airman from the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing at an air base in Southwest Asia stood up and volunteered to be victim advocates as their part to prevent sexual assaults in the Air Force. Last year, Airmen throughout the Air Force reported more than 620 cases of sexual assault. There are two

  • Air Force officials test ability to recall retirees

    Todd Worley and Robert Shelly hadn't seen each other in about ten years. Both are retired Air Force master sergeants. They recently met up again at the 2009 Air Force Push-Pull exercise here. The Air Force used the exercise to test their ability to recall retirees to active duty should they ever

  • AFSO 21 improves cargo process more efficiently

    Experts from Vandenberg's Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century program here are in middle of a month-long process alongside 30th Logistics Readiness Squadron officials to plan ways to make the cargo area of Building 5500 a more efficient work environment for its Airmen and management. The

  • SECAF, CSAF announce 2008 safety award recipients

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz have announced the recipients of the 2008 Air Force safety awards. "We're grateful for the hard work of these award-winning individuals and organizations, and all Air Force safety professionals throughout the service,"

  • Moving beyond the F-22

    This op-ed piece appeared in the Washington Post on April 13, written by Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz.The debate over whether to continue production of the F-22 Raptor has been one of the most politically charged and controversial budget

  • Congresswoman visits Altus

    Officials from the 97th Air Mobility Wing here welcomed the 5th district congresswoman of Oklahoma April 9 as she toured Altus Air Force Base for her assessment of the state's military readiness. Rep. Mary Fallin is currently the only Oklahoma member of the House Armed Services Committee in

  • New 'eMagazine' informs servicemembers, families

    All the support programs in the world won't do any good if no one knows about them, so the Defense Department's principal director for military community and family policy started the office's new "eMagazine." "What I found when I came up here was they have great programs and so forth, but they

  • 'Voices of Men' gives unique insight on sexual assault

    Nobody would expect a guy dressed like Austin Powers to educate people about sexual assault awareness. But as part of the nationwide observance this month to raise awareness about one of the country's most under-reported crimes, Defense Department officials here developed fresh initiatives and

  • Academy space fleet continues to grow

    The U.S. Air Force Academy's space fleet grows even larger this year with the launch of one satellite, continued operations of a second satellite and design work underway for a third. The newest addition will be FalconSAT-6, which is on the drawing board now. The FalconSAT space fleet is a series of

  • 'Today's Air Force' features dignified transfers

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights the new policy for the transfer of fallen military members, a Purple Heart Medal recipient, a winter sports clinic for the disabled and a smoldering type of training: firefighting. A new policy has been approved by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates

  • Space Station module name to be announced April 14

    NASA's newest module for the International Space Station will get a new name on April 14. Agency officials plan to make the announcement with the help of Expedition 14 and 15 astronaut Sunita "Suni" Williams on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report." The program will air at 11:30 p.m. EDT. The name,

  • Airmen make pledge to prevent sexual assaults

    While American and coalition forces continue fighting the war on terrorism, there are silent criminals among the warriors who cause battle wounds of another kind: sexual assault. There were 165 sexual assault reports in Iraq and Afghanistan during fiscal 2008, a dramatic increase compared to the 131

  • Pararescuemen conduct water test of new NASA capsule

    Six pararescuemen from Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., conducted recovery testing on a mockup of NASA's next-generation spacecraft March 8 at the Trident Turn Basin here. The team of pararescuemen from the Air Force Reserve's 920th Rescue Wing deployed an inflatable flotation collar during the test of

  • VA budget adds mental-health services for combat vets

    The proposed Department of Veterans Affairs funding request will provide more post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury services to combat veterans, as well as other mental-health care and services for wounded warriors, President Barack Obama said April 9. "The nightmares of war

  • Reading program reaches out to military families

    Through the program's military initiative, doctors and nurses at 20 military hospitals, including one in Germany, soon will receive training on how to promote early literacy for children. They also will be provided with free books to present to parents with children ages 6 months to 5 years when

  • Ceremony to recognize vets not eligible for Vietnam Wall inclusion

    One-hundred twenty-three American heroes from the Vietnam War era will be honored posthumously this month during the annual In Memory Day ceremony, according to Jan C. Scruggs, founder and president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. In Memory Day was created to pay tribute to the men and women

  • Tiered construct defines future expeditionary skills training

    A guarantee to eliminate duplicate expeditionary skills training requirements for all Air Force personnel through a four-tiered construct is now in effect by officials here. "This new construct ensures Airmen receive appropriate expeditionary education and training at the appropriate time," said

  • Developmental education application deadlines set

    Civilians and officers considering intermediate or senior developmental education in academic year 2010 to 2011 have until May 1 and May 6, respectively, to submit their applications for consideration by the selection board here. Officers apply using a Web-based application, while civilians submit

  • Safety experts spearhead efforts to minimize bird strikes

    Americans witnessed firsthand the severity of bird strikes when U.S. Airways Flight 1549 crash landed in the Hudson River in New York City after hitting a flock of birds in January. Lt. Col. Charles Wallace and his team of seven safety experts with the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Safety Office here

  • Top spouse discusses deployment family issues

    The Air Force's top spouse discussed the challenges Air Force members and their spouses face during deployments while she visited the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing April 6 and 7. Suzie Schwartz, wife of Air Force Chief of Staff Norton Schwartz, has long been considered a champion of military spouses

  • Center team works to connect new fighters, bomber

    An airborne networking team here is working to connect low-observable aircraft such as the F-22 Raptor, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Lightning II and B-2 Spirit with each other, and with the rest of the force. These aircraft rely on a number of technological advantages to defeat adversaries and

  • Heritage Coat production uncertain despite favorable reviews

    Though Air Force officials here have not made a final decision on the new service coat, pre-decisional results show Airmen who sampled the Heritage Coat gave it high marks. Survey feedback showed 92 percent of wear test participants deemed the coat suitable for military uniform, and overall 66

  • AF Small Business officials spread word about innovation

    Air Force Small Business officials spread the word about the innovation, agility and efficiency of small businesses to more than 1,400 contracting professionals attending the National Contract Management Association, or NCMA, World Congress here April 5 to 8. Ronald A. Poussard, director of the Air

  • Helicopter pilots train Japanese forces on air refueling

    A team of HH-60G Pave Hawk pilots here provided a three-day intensive course on air refueling to Japanese Self Defense Forces helicopter rescue pilots in late March over Japan. The training, given by pilots from the 33rd Rescue Squadron, gave JASDF members hands-on helicopter air refueling training.

  • Air Force officials take delivery of first MC-12

    Winning the fight from up high just got more advanced since the recent delivery of the MC-12 Project Liberty special mission turboprop aircraft. The MC-12 is the first of its kind for the Air Force and is set to venture downrange in May. Lt. Gen. David Deptula, Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for

  • Space education seeks prominence

    The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's newly-released special area of emphasis, "Space as a Contested Environment," draws attention to the reality that the United States can and will be challenged in space, and that military education needs modification to address this reality. The overall goal

  • Beale AFB land-use deal closer to reality

    An undeveloped stretch of prairie at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., is one step closer to becoming the next premiere commercial development in the Air Force's enhanced-use lease portfolio.Officials with the Air Force Real Property Agency will begin negotiations with representatives of Beale Community

  • Family care forum kick starts Year of the Air Force Family

    Senior Air Force officials and family care professionals set the direction for the Year of the Air Force Family April 2 here. More than 200 Air Force behavioral specialists, chaplains, family advocacy personnel and other family support members separated April 1 into five groups and focused on

  • World War II aviators share stories, experiences

    It's rare today to be able to sit down with living legends and pick their brains of past experiences and commitment during their military aviation careers. Three such individuals provided that opportunity for servicemembers and civilians here March 31 during "Lunch with the Legends" at the base

  • Servicemembers assist Afghans with economic development

    For more than eight years, the government of Afghanistan has been building from the ground up, using millions of dollars in aid from foreign governments and private organizations. These funds impact both the central government in Kabul and the country's 34 provinces. Due to the unique relationships

  • Service demographics offer snapshot of force

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here have released the current demographics report which offers a snapshot of the service's active-duty and civilian force. This data is current as of March 31 and also can be found at the Air Force Demographics Web site.  Statistics are rounded to the nearest

  • Gates lays out defense budget recommendations

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates laid out his recommendations for the 2010 budget during an April 6 Pentagon press conference . The secretary said he included his experiences in national security to make the decisions. To start, Secretary Gates plans to significantly restructure the Army's Future

  • AF Research Lab personnel begin VPP journey

    Building on an already strong culture of safety, Air Force Research Laboratory personnel began the process recently to incorporate the Voluntary Protection Program into all levels of the organization. Since its inception by Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials in the early 1980s,

  • Iraqis provide new line of security for Joint Base Balad

    Another layer of outer perimeter security was added here April 1 to help protect the men and women of JBB, and the new initiative is staffed by more than 100 local Iraqis from the surrounding area. "This contract is a first of its kind," said Lt. Col. Raymond Reyes, JBB Regional Contracting Center

  • Precision: Everyday standard at base lab

    Calibrating a weapon system properly is the difference between striking at the heart of an enemy force or possibly hitting the friendly forces engaged with that same enemy. Members of the 46th Maintenance Squadron's Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory here are the purveyors of accuracy and

  • Medics, volunteers help servicemembers recover for duty

    The 379th Expeditionary Medical Group nurses and technicians here join forces with base volunteers in a program to help servicemembers with non-debilitating injuries or non-urgent surgical needs to fully recover and get back in the fight. The In-Theater Care Program was established to treat patients

  • VA secretary expects big impact from post-9/11 GI Bill

    All systems are on track for this summer's rollout of the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, which Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said he expects to have as monumental an impact as the original World War II-era GI Bill of Rights. Secretary Shinseki, who served as Army chief of staff from 1999 to

  • Maxwell legal services wins government-wide award

    The director of the Air Force Legal Operations Agency's Directorate of Legal Information Services, or AFLOA/JAS here, said he was notified March 27 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Graduate School that his organization had won the government-wide 2009 W. Edwards Deming Award. Col. Peter

  • 'Today's Air Force' features RED HORSE units

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights how the RED HORSE units are paving the way for progress in Afghanistan and Iraq. Also featured, security forces are involved in a close quarters training exercise and a large inventory for the F-16s in Poland. See what might be the largest construction

  • AF officials look at bigger role for small business

    The Air Force is looking to support small businesses in a big way, two top service officials said during a visit here April 2. David Van Buren, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, and Ronald Poussard, director of Air Force small business programs, said during a

  • New satellite model showcased in dedication ceremony

    Air Force Space Command officials, in partnership with Lockheed Martin representatives, unveiled a one-quarter scale model of the Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite here April 1 during a ceremony in the AFSPC headquarters building. "It is phenomenally important to us and the warfighting

  • Fiscal 2010 budget to reflect 'fundamental shift' in defense

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will make budget decisions this weekend that will indicate a "fundamental shift in direction" for the department, the Pentagon press secretary said April 3. "These are not changes to the margins," Geoff Morrell said. The changes will affect the fiscal 2010 Defense

  • Air Force takes combat air acquisitions priorities to Hill

    As airpower takes on an increasingly critical role in the joint fight, Air Force and Navy officials testified before the House Appropriations Committee March 25 here to outline the services' top combat air acquisition priorities. Lt. Gen. Mark D. "Shack" Shackelford, the acquisition deputy to the

  • Air Force Assistance Fund campaign ends May 1

    This year's Air Force Assistance Fund "Commitment to Caring" campaign, from Feb. 9 to May 1, provides Airmen the opportunity to contribute to any of the four official Air Force charitable organizations. Now in its 36th year, 100 percent of designated AFAF contributions benefit active-duty, Reserve,

  • AFPC officials launch improved Airmen Development Plan

    Active-duty officers, and soon civilians, can now more effectively map their careers with the recent phase two launch of the Airmen Development Plan. The phase II version includes a new audit trail feature and the ability to generate weekly e-mail notifications. The ADP application was introduced in

  • NASA joins 'around the world in 80 telescopes'

    A collection of NASA missions will be involved in a live event April 3 that will allow the public to get an inside look at how these missions are run. "Around the World in 80 Telescopes" is a 24-hour webcast that is part of the "100 Hours of Astronomy" event for the International Year of Astronomy

  • Force support officers represent flexibility

    Responding to evolving needs from the field has prompted several transformations in the manpower, personnel and services community over the past few years, including the recent stand up of an initial skills training course for force support officers. "Our Air Force officers are showing great

  • Air Force officials hold Caring for People Forum

    More than 200 Air Force behavioral specialists, chaplains, family advocacy personnel and other family support members gathered to discuss how to care for the Air Force family April 1 in Arlington, Va. The Year of the Air Force Family: Caring for People Forum started in a hotel in the shadow of the

  • Winter rehabilitation clinic shows veterans potential

    More than 400 disabled veterans this year are pushing themselves to the limits by taking part in the Department of Veterans Affairs' 23rd National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic at Snowmass Village, Colo. The clinic, a six-day event that began March 28, teaches veterans with disabilities

  • Language emerges as element of national security

    Language and culture are "almost inextricably intertwined," and military personnel must be knowledgeable in both to be fully effective when operating overseas, the director of a military language school said. Army Col. Sue Ann Sandusky, commandant of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language

  • Officers selected for Olmsted Scholar Program

    Six Air Force officers have been selected to participate in the Olmsted Scholar Program for the class of 2010. Each year, the competitive program offers grants for two years of graduate study in a foreign culture to career line officers from all four branches of the U.S. military. The following Air

  • ALO commands new combat unit at Bagram

    A former air liaison officer to the Army's 101st Airborne Division in Iraq took command of the newly activated 504th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Group during an assumption of command ceremony here March 30. Col. James Thomas took hold of the 504th EASOG guidon from Lt. Gen. Gary North,

  • Reserve commander briefs Congress

    Two units received a "positive plug" in the congressional record when the commander of Air Force Reserve Command testified March 25 before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner Jr. touted the strong Yellow Ribbon Program partnership initiatives between Airmen

  • Academy engineers, faculty assist Navajo Nation

    Air Force Academy cadets and civil engineering faculty recently put their skills to work on the Navajo Reservation here. A team of two cadets, two instructors from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and a family member wrapped up a week of working on traditional Navajo homes

  • Kyrgyz students get insiders' glimpse of Manas mission

    What lies beyond the fences that protect a military base can be a mystery to those living nearby who can only speculate about what goes on inside. The mystique of Manas Air Base was revealed to 13 students and faculty from the American University of Central Asia who received a special glimpse of the

  • DOD program aims to create new biodiesel fuel

    Ever imagine filling up the fuel tanks on a military aircraft with french fry grease?  That's exactly what Air Force officials could do someday if a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency research program proves successful. DARPA is the Defense Department's scientific agency that pushes the

  • PBS special airs to help military families cope with change

    Sesame Workshop will air a PBS special at 8 p.m. EST April 1 aimed at helping military families cope with changes. The half-hour special, which will air at the beginning of the "Month of the Military Child," is a part of Sesame Workshop's "Talk, Listen, Connect" initiative, which began two years

  • Air Force uniforms: How materials are selected

    Air Force Uniform Office officials have a responsibility to provide Airmen with functional and effective military uniforms, but in doing so are asked the same question over and over: "Why can't you just purchase clothing from a brand company and put the Air Force symbol on it?" The answer to this

  • VA secretary opens Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic

    Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki opened the 23rd annual National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic here March 29, encouraging more than 400 participants he said had found their way "to the top of the mountain in search of miracles." "Thank you for your service. Thank you for your

  • 'Space as a contested environment' debuts

    A new special area of emphasis, or SAE, titled "Space as a Contested Environment," was introduced by U.S. military officials here March 30 at the 25th National Space Symposium. SAEs are established by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff  to address topics of great importance to the joint

  • Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program reaches milestone

    The advisory board of a new program mandated by the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act held its inaugural meeting here March 30. The Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program fulfills the requirement of establishing a national combat veteran reintegration program. The program's goal is to prepare