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U.S. Air Force News

  • Officials work to improve absentee-voting procedures, boost participation

    The Defense Department has made great strides over the past four years to ensure servicemembers, particularly those stationed and deployed overseas, have greater opportunity to vote, a senior defense official told Congress April 15. Michael L. Dominguez, principal deputy undersecretary of defense

  • Presidential Rank Awards presented to senior AF civilians

    Air Force officials recognized the career achievements of 20 senior civilians April 14 during the annual Presidential Rank Awards Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. "Our distinguished winners are products of a lifetime of dedication to their trade (and) the Air Force," said Secretary of the

  • Coast Guard awards sergeant for heroic actions

    Staff Sgt. John M. Rosenberry, Sr., poses alongside the gravesite of his friend Kevin Mark Emerson in Jetersville, Va., after the Coast Guard presented him a medal for his life-saving actions during a ceremony April 11. Sergeant Rosenberry was awarded the Coast Guard Silver Lifesaving Medal, and Mr.

  • C-130 unit gets a new bird with an old history

    For years, U.S. Air Force, coalition and sister service forces have relied on the steady stream of supplies and equipment brought in by aircrews flying KC-135 Stratotankers, C-130 Hercules, C-17 Globemaster IIIs and other airlift workhorses. One airplane new to Southwest Asia carries something

  • April 14 airpower summary: F-15s destroy enemy combatants

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations April 14, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles performed shows of force in

  • Eielson intelligence flight supports Red Flag-Alaska

    Airmen with the 354th Operations Support Squadron Intelligence Flight here are providing U.S. and allied forces intelligence scenarios and targeting materials to support Exercise Red Flag-Alaska 08-2 running April 3 through 18. Eielson Air Force Base and Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, are the home of Red

  • Tiny stones cause boulder-sized pain for those deployed

    Battlefield warriors, in peak physical condition, the toughest of the tough, are being brought to their knees, writhing on the floor in tears and pain. The culprit -- kidney stones. Surgeries to remove the small calcium deposits are the most common non-trauma related surgery performed at the Air

  • Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment underway

    The Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2008 third quarter event kicked off here April 14 and will run through April 25 after two years of planning and preparation by Air Force officials. Global Cyberspace Integration Center officials here will lead the experiment with participation from sister

  • Innovative idea saves nearly $400,000

    Contracting officers recently leveraged the benefits of technology to save $395,000 for the Air Force at a Southwest Asia air base. Airmen from the 386th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron used electronic reverse auctioning or e-RA to save the Air Force hundreds of thousands of dollars. Reverse

  • April 13 airpower summary: C-130s provide heavy airlift support

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations April 13, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs performed shows of force in

  • Airpower summary for April 12: Predators patrol Iraqi skies

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations April 12, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs dropped guided bomb

  • Air Force official calls for input from deployed Airmen

    The assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and Reserve affairs met with Airmen here April 9 to discuss important issues affecting as he tours the deployed theater. Craig W. Duehring met with several Air Force active-duty, Guard and Reserve members deployed to the 380th Air Expeditionary

  • Young Iraqi burn victim progressing well

    Since 3-year-old Al Amreeki left Balad Air Base, Iraq, with more than 45 percent of his body burned from a stove fire at his home, he has come a long way due to treatment from Airmen and medics throughout the world.The young boy's uncle brought him to the Air Force Theater Hospital in Iraq Jan. 25,

  • Air Force rallies to beat Colorado Christian

    Josh Meents doubled in Tytus Moss in the tenth inning as Air Force walked away with a 9-8 win over Colorado Christian April 8 in non-conference baseball action at the Academy's Falcon Field. The Falcons improve to 11-19 on the season while the Cougars fell to 10-28. Alexander led off the tenth with

  • Airmen help flooding recovery efforts

    Airmen from McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C., recently provided satellite imagery to assist state and federal agencies in relief efforts following flooding in Missouri and Arkansas. Members of the 169th Communications Flight at McEntire Joint National Guard Base collected imagery using Eagle

  • Potential Olympians to compete in tournament at Lackland

    Some of the world's best military basketball players are converging on Lackland Air Force Base for the International Military Sports Council Basketball Tournament April 7 through April 22. Military teams from Greece, Italy, Korea, Canada, Latvia and Lithuania will join the United States team in an

  • Special tactics recruiting takes flight

    The Air Force's ongoing need to fill critically manned special tactics positions -- particularly combat controllers and pararescuemen -- has brought about a unique initiative between officials from Air Force Recruiting Service and Air Force Special Operations Command. A recent agreement between AFRS

  • Chief receives Air Force Cross 40 years after mission

    A retired chief master sergeant was awarded the Air Force Cross 40 years after the mission which earned him the Air Force's second-highest honor April 5 here. Nearly 300 members of Chief Master Sgt. Dennis Richardson's former unit attended the ceremony for the flight engineer with the 106th Rescue

  • Ammo troops make explosive impact on B-52 mission

    Airmen of the 36th Wing here, with their B-52 Stratofortress long-range bombers, have the capability of launching missions from Andersen to any location at any time and to anywhere. The B-52 can carry 70,000 pounds of the widest array of weapons in the U.S. inventory. This devastating flying arsenal

  • April 8 airpower summary: C-17s transport supplies

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations April 8, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs fired cannon rounds and

  • Servicemembers have March Madness Bagram style

    With music blaring, ball slapping, pump fakes and lots of trash talking, Bagram Air Base servicemembers battled in a three-on-three basketball tournament March 30 through April 6 here. The 455th Expeditionary Services Squadron-sponsored event put teamwork to the test that led a 24th Ordnance

  • Airmen at war set cargo, passenger movement records

    Air transportation requirements of cargo and troops within U.S. Central Command's 27-nation area of responsibility reached an all-time high in March, but Airmen responded to this demand with a record-setting performance, officials said. U.S. Air Forces Central's air mobility professionals topped

  • Aerial porters can now train anytime, anywhere

    Air transportation Airmen across the Air Force can access training anytime, anywhere through the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's distance learning program. Offered by the center's Mobility Operations School Air Transportation Branch, or ATB, "aerial porters" can train in eight courses:  Air

  • Colorado's last Guard Vietnam MIA laid to rest

    The remains of a Colorado Air National Guardsman who vanished during an observation flight 39 years ago over the jungles of South Vietnam were to rest April 3 at Arlington National Cemetery. Maj. Perry H. Jefferson, an intelligence officer with Colorado's 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron, went

  • April 7 airpower summary: F-16s bomb enemy artillery

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations April 7, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle dropped a guided bomb unit-31

  • Reserve officials activate space wing

    Air Force Reserve Command officials stood up its first space wing, the 310th Space Wing, April 4 at Peterson Air Force Base. The 310th SW expanded from a group to a wing March 7 and was officially recognized at the ceremony attended by Gen. C. Robert "Bob" Kehler, the commander of Air Force Space

  • Air Force secretary discusses tankers, cyber operations

    The secretary of the Air Force spoke of the future while reflecting on the past during an April 3 and 4 visit to Hanscom Air Force Base. "For all the advances we've made, I still believe there are more imaginative things to be done with electronics," Secretary Michael W. Wynne said. He said he

  • ARPC officials now sending U.S. flags to retiring reservists

    Honoring retiring reservists with an American flag just got easier through a centralized process at the Air Reserve Personnel Center in Denver. ARPC officials now purchase and distribute the flags for all reservists who request one for their retirement. Flags used to cost units nearly $20 each and

  • U.S., Romanian airmen break cultural barriers with sports

    Airmen deployed here are breaking down language and cultural barriers with their Romanian air force counterparts through their mutual love of sports. Military members from both countries played in a soccer tournament at Campia Turzii April 7 as teams focused more on team-building than

  • April 6 airpower summary: Reaper destroys target

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations April 6, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force MQ-9A Reaper, an Air Force B-1B Lancer and

  • 'Today's Air Force' features three main priorities

    This week's edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights the three main priorities of the Air Force -- to win today's fight, take care of its Airmen, and continuing the war on terrorism. State-of-the-art weapons and equipment are necessary to be triumphant in winning today's fight and the war on

  • April 5 airpower summary: C-17s carry the load

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations April 5, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, a Royal Air Force GR-7 Harrier conducted a show of force

  • April 3 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations April 3, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, French Mirage 2000s performed shows of force in order to

  • Vandenberg Airmen launch missile successfully

    A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration test assembly launched at 1:01 a.m. April 1 by Vandenberg Air Force Base officials.The launch tested the weapon system's reliability and accuracy, and what makes this launch different is

  • Deployed dad watches son's birth via Web cam

    Rylan Todd was born weighing 8 pounds and 5 ounces at 11:01 p.m. March 25, and his parents watched him being born at a hospital near Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. The only thing different about this birth was that the father, Staff Sgt. Nicholas Todd, watched the birth via Web cam from thousands of

  • Tankers support NATO summit from Hungary, Bulgaria

    KC-135 Stratotankers and aircrews from U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Mobility Command deployed to Hungary and Bulgaria to provide air-refueling support for the NATO summit running April 2 through 4 in Romania. The Romanian-led operation will police the sky over Bucharest, Romania, during the

  • April 2 airpower summary: C-130s carry load for coalition

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations April 2, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, in order to deter enemy activities Air Force A-10

  • April 1 airpower summary: RAF celebrates 90th Anniversary

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations April 1, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle dropped a guided bomb unit-38

  • U.S., Japan AWACS units join forces

    A Kadena Air Base squadron signed an agreement here March 26 with its Japan Air Self-Defense Force counterpart formalizing the joint working relationship they've enjoyed for years. Lt. Col. Rene Romero, the 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron commander, endorsed the first sister squadron agreement

  • Chairman of Joint Chiefs visits Pope

    Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Pope Air Force Base and Fort Bragg March 31. While at Pope, he toured Pope's Green Ramp, visiting with warfighters from many of Pope's squadrons. He met with an aeromedical evacuation crew from the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron;

  • Training video filmed at AFPC, various locations

    "Roll 'em!" the director yelled. The clapboard was snapped and the film crew jumped into action.Although this is a common occurrence in Hollywood, it's an unusual one at the Air Force Personnel Center here. The filming was part of two 15-minute videos that will be used for training Air Force family

  • Ramstein Airmen participate in Exercise Thracian Spring

    Airmen from the 86th Airlift Wing and the 435th Air Base Wing at Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany, as well as master jumpmasters from the 5th Quartermasters at Rhein Ordnance Barracks, Germany, joined forces with Bulgarian military forces to conduct Exercise Thracian Spring here from March 26 to

  • Airmen expand Air Force global reach with KC-10s

    Providing 1 million gallons of jet fuel weekly, the KC-10 Extender and the Airmen of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing who support it give global reach to U.S. and coalition aircraft supporting operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. "The common theory on tankers is that we are a force

  • March 31 airpower summary: C-17s provide heavy airlift

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 31, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II dropped a guided bomb

  • Cannon members march to honor Bataan POWs

    "Sand, hills and pain," an elderly marcher said, describing the 26.2 mile Bataan Memorial Death March, held March 30 at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. The annual march, in its 19th year, honored the men and women forced to march 60 miles by Japanese soldiers, and in thousands of instances died, in

  • March 30 airpower summary: A-10s support ground forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 30, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II performed shows of force in

  • Permanent Global Logistics Support Centers stands up

    A new, permanent headquarters overseeing Air Force global logistics support is now in operation at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. General Bruce Carlson, commander of Air Force Materiel Command, formally stood up the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center in ceremonies March 28 at Scott AFB. He also

  • Coalition maintainers keep C-130 in the fight

    Aircraft maintainers from the U.S. Air Force, Japanese Air Self-Defense Force and South Korean air forces teamed up during the Coalition Maintenance Exchange Program to keep deployed C-130 Hercules aircraft ready for combat recently at a Southwest Asian air base. The exchange program matched

  • Balad trauma doctors gather to hone skills

    Approximately 20 deployed military doctors, U.S. civilian doctors and Iraqi doctors gathered at the Air Force Theater Hospital to share information about operations at their respective hospital facilities and discuss and how they could work to be more interoperable here March 24 and 25. The Joint

  • March 28 airpower summary: C-130s support coalition forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Mar. 28, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle performed shows of force

  • March 27 airpower summary: A-10s destroy enemy targets

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 27, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs fired cannon rounds onto

  • The writings on the wall for a leaner Air National Guard

    Improvement. For Col. Billy Asbell it often starts with a dozen or more slightly anxious Air National Guard members seated in their conference room. They clutch cups of coffee or water and find some comfort in the familiar walls. Before long, those walls are hidden behind layers of yellow sticky

  • Airmen destroy UXOs risen from the desert depths

    Plums of smoke rose in the sky as Airman from the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron used C4 to detonate 13 piles of ordnance here March 26.The ordnance was discovered over a 159 acres area of the base by a six-Airman explosive ordnance disposal team and six augmentees.The team looks for

  • Holloman units combine to refurbish fire truck

    Members of the 49th Maintenance Squadron Aircraft Metals Technology Shop and the 49th Civil Engineer Squadron's Station No. 2 here recently came together and completed the refurbishing of a fire truck, combining the abilities of two trucks into one."We were trying to come up with new ways of doing

  • 2007 Visual Information Award winners announced

    Contest officials for the Defense Department 2007 Visual Information Awards here recently recognized numerous Air Force photographers, videographers, journalists and graphic artists for excellence in their fields. Airmen earned 13 first place awards, nine second place awards and 11 third place

  • AFNORTH provides support to flood areas

    The numbered air force responsible for ensuring the air defense of the continental U.S. has also been supporting civilian and military authorities working to provide relief from the recent floods in the U.S. Maj. Gen. Henry C. "Hank" Morrow, the 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northen) commander at

  • March 25 airpower summary: KC-10s provide vital refueling support

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 25, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, French 2000 Mirages conducted shows of force over enemy

  • Dyess AFB model of energy conservation

    Dyess Air Force Base is going green. Take a tour of the base and it's easy to see how. In one building, water is pumped from a small pond, turned into ice and used to cool several dormitories; the landscaping is irrigated using effluent water purchased from the city of Abilene, Texas; and eight

  • Determination, ingenuity prevail for Bagram Airmen

    When Airmen of the 819th RED HORSE Squadron here were faced with a $400,000 challenge in March, they used ingenuity to save the Air Force hundreds of thousands of dollars.A  water-well drilling rig was shipped from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., in September 2007, but a series of incidents prevented

  • Hanscom unit preps new CAOC facility

    Members of the 652nd Electronic Systems Squadron here are preparing for the future home of the U.S. Air Force Central's Combined Air and Space Operations Center facility as construction continues in Southwest Asia. The Air and Space Operations Center Weapons System, officially referred to as the

  • Women pilots: A weapon to be used

    "This is not a time when women should be patient. We are in a war and we need to fight it with all our ability and every weapon possible. Women pilots, in this particular case, are a weapon waiting to be used," said Eleanor Roosevelt, former first lady of the United States. These words, spoken in

  • Kirkuk Airmen commemorate 5-year OIF anniversary

    Hundreds of Kirkuk Air Base Airmen commemorated the fifth year anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom by honoring the 42 Airmen who gave their lives supporting the war on terrorism March 20 here. The ceremony included a 21-gun salute, a flag-folding ceremony performed by the base honor guard, and

  • March 23 airpower summary: F-16s keep vigilant

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 23, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer dropped guided bomb unit-31s and

  • March 22 airpower summary:F-15s suppress enemy fire

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the Interntional Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 22, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles conducted a show of force

  • March 21 airpower summary: A-10s deter enemy activities

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 21, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, French 2000 Mirages performed shows of force in order to

  • WWII vets fly on 'Spirit of Go For Broke'

    After waiting for more than a year and a half from the christening of the seventh C-17 Globemaster III added to Hickam Air Force Base's fleet of eight, the men for whom it was named finally got their ride March 13 here. A group of 40 surviving veterans from the famed 442nd Regimental Combat Team and

  • Experiment identifies timely solutions to warfighter

    Thanks to a strong effort from the Global Cyberspace Integration Center here, 11 Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment initiatives have been delivered to the warfighter during the past 12 months, and five more are projected to be fielded within the next four months. As the lead agency for JEFX, the

  • AMC commander reinforces need for new tanker

    While many are focused on the formal protest of the recent KC-45A contract award, the needs of the warfighter -- and the nation -- remain unchanged. The Air Force's nearly 50-year-old KC-135 Stratotanker must be replaced with a newer, more capable aircraft as soon as possible. "This is a matter of

  • Chaplain brings spiritual message to deployed Airmen

    The Air Force deputy chief of chaplains traveled to Southwest Asia in March to meet Airmen and to speak at the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing's annual National Prayer Breakfast. Chaplain (Brig. Gen.) Cecil R. Richardson was the guest speaker during the breakfast, delivering a message on the United

  • FAA lauds Air Force synthetic fuel team

    The Air Force team that developed a blend of petroleum and synthetic fuel for the B-52 Stratofortress received the Federal Aviation Administration's 2007 Excellence in Aviation Research Award at a ceremony March 14 in the Air Force Research Laboratory's Propulsion Directorate here.Barry Scott, the

  • Air Force to lead National Image Conference

    The Department of Defense named the Air Force as the lead service for this year's National Image Conference to be held April 14 to 18 at the South Point Hotel in Las Vegas. The conference theme, "From Heritage to New Horizons," will provide guidance and leadership to take Hispanic youth and

  • March 19 airpower summary: F-16s bomb enemy targets

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 19, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles performed shows of force in

  • Air Force leaders, lawmakers discuss BRAC construction

    Air Force leaders met with members of House and Senate subcommittees in March here to discuss military construction, base realignment and closure and joint service basing issues. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley and Maj. Gen. Del Eulberg, the Air Force civil engineer, met with

  • Little, but strong: Burned Iraqi child overcomes odds

    Editor's Note: The names of the Iraqi mother and son in this article have been changed, at the mother's request, to protect their identities from terrorists who would harm them if it was known that the pair received help from American servicemembers and the U.S. government. A photo of an adorable

  • Airmen build legal complex at Camp Justice

    Approximately 50 Airmen deployed to support Joint Task Force Guantanamo in February to put the finishing touches on the Expeditionary Legal Complex construction projects at Camp Justice here. With a group of civil engineers including plumbers, carpenters, electricians, heavy equipment operators and

  • Airmen ease Marines move to Afghanistan

    With last year's operations in Afghanistan among the highest since they began in 2001, Airmen here are acutely aware of the mission importance to refuel aircraft supporting those operations, as well as provide world-class service and care to transiting passengers, said Col. Harrison Smith, the

  • March 18 airpower summary: B-1B deters enemies

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 18, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles dropped a guided bomb unit-31

  • Vice president visits troops at Balad

    Vice President Dick Cheney met and spoke to servicemembers fighting the war on terrorism from Balad Air Base and Logistics Support Area Anaconda March 18. Before addressing the base populace during a rally, the vice president sat down to breakfast with a select group of military members. "It was an

  • Researchers honored for work with self-healing plastics

    Air Force Office of Scientific Research-funded scientists have been awarded several recent honors for their breakthrough research in self-healing plastics. Professors Dr. Scott White and Dr. Nancy Sottos, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, were recognized in January in the 2007

  • Medal of Honor recipients visit throughout AFCENT

    Manas Air Base Airmen, Soldiers and transitory personnel got a firsthand glimpse into history this week. Three Medal of Honor recipients from the Vietnam War toured the base and spoke at several local engagements on their stop here before touring other locations in the U.S. Air Forces Central area

  • Airmen integral part of unmanned aerial system milestones

    The Global Hawk unmanned aerial system recently reached its 10 year and 20,000 flight hour milestones. More than 15,000 of those hours and most of those years have been amassed in support of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to

  • The ABCs of filling an Air Force civilian job

    Most civilian jobs in the Air Force begin with a request for personnel action, or RPA. They end with an entry on duty, or EOD, date. During the past 12 months, the entire process has taken an average of 136 days from the initial completion of the RPA to a person arriving for duty. Control of the

  • Conference addresses air, ground synchronization issues

    More than 100 coalition members met March 3 to 5 at Al-Faw Palace in Baghdad to discuss ways to better synchronize airpower with future ground operations across Iraq. Dubbed simply the Air Synchronization Conference, the meeting brought together ground operators and planners from the Army-led

  • Village of Hope lives up to its name

    Members of the 557th Expeditionary Red Horse Squadron, headquartered at Balad Air Base, Iraq, paid out nearly $10,000 to 120 students at the Red Horse Village of Hope March 13 here. The Village of Hope program is a test program that has many in the Department of Defense watching. Similar to a

  • C-130 aircrews, Army riggers reach airdrop record

    February marked an airdrop record for the C-130 Hercules of the 774th Air Expeditionary Squadron, but not without the support of the Army's 11th Quartermaster Rigger Detachment and Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force riggers here. The joint team delivered approximately 1 million pounds of

  • UAVs aid force protection efforts

    RQ-11 Raven unmanned aerial vehicles may be easily mistaken for an unorthodox version of a model airplane, but Airmen here use the UAV to secure the base and surrounding neighborhoods. Weighing in at less than 5 pounds, the Raven is operated from the ground via a remote control unit that can send

  • March 16 airpower summary: A-10s destroy enemy targets

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 16, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II and a B-1B Lancer dropped

  • March 15 airpower summary: C-17s support, move warfighters

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 15, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle dropped a guided bomb

  • March 14 airpower summary: F-16s continue shows of force

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 14, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles dropped guided bomb

  • March 13 airpower summary: C-130s give Herculean effort

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 13, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles dropped a guided bomb

  • Global support center officially stands up March 28

    Less than a year after standing up, the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center (Provisional) will lose its "Provisional" designation during the unit's formal standup March 28 at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. Gen. Bruce Carlson, commander of Air Force Materiel Command, will officiate at the ceremony.

  • Joint basing plan takes shape

    Joint basing is a reality, it's happening in San Antonio, and it will effectively support the city's military communities here. That is the message from local military leaders as they move toward consolidating support operations at three San Antonio installations as mandated by the 2005 Base Closure

  • Team effort keeps Balad water supply safe

    For Airmen stationed at Balad Air Base and Soldiers at the co-located Logistics Support Area Anaconda, staying hydrated is crucial in the desert heat of Iraq.In order to keep hydrated, servicemembers here need to have the confidence the water available to them is safe, so the water undergoes

  • Officials detail scope, units of AFCYBER command

    The work of building Air Force Cyber Command continues with officials releasing details of what the scope of the command will look like and how it will function in lieu of having a permanent base named for its headquarters location. "We are aggressively moving forward with plans for having initial

  • Top leaders testify on '09 budget

    The Air Force's top two leaders testified before the House and Senate Committee on Appropriations subcommittees on Defense during hearings about the fiscal 2009 budget March 11 and 12. While the main topic of discussion among congressmen and senators remained the KC-45A contract award, Secretary of

  • RC-135 surpasses 50,000 flying-hour mark

    A 763rd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron RC-135 Rivet Joint surpassed the 50,000 flight-hour mark during a mission supporting Operation Enduring Freedom March 12. RC-135 Tail No. 132 boasts an impressive resume of tours over the years including Vietnam, operations Southern and Northern Watch to

  • Services tests 'pallet to palate' philosophy

    From "pallet to palate" is the philosophy behind an 18th Services Squadron capability tested during the Pacific Air Forces Operational Readiness Inspection held March 9 to 15 here. Wherever Airmen deploy, the single pallet expeditionary kitchen, or SPEK, can go with them to provide support. "The

  • March 12 airpower summary: C-130s support coalition forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 12, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer, an F-15E Strike Eagle and an

  • Instinctive action by Bagram Airman prevents catastrophe

    An Airman's quick action following an explosion of a jet fuel starter Feb. 26 that sent shrapnel across the Bagram Air Base flightline averted a possible explosion of an F-15E Strike Eagle.Staff Sgt. Jonathan Billie was working on the flightline near a fellow Airman prepping an F-15E when the small