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  • Air Combat Command Airmen provide hurricane relief

    More than 500 combat engineers, communication specialists, medics and helicopter crews from Air Combat Command are providing relief in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.The 823rd Red Horse Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., deployed to Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., along with an 88-person ACC team

  • Raptor releases JDAM during first 'follow-on' evaluation mission

    Members of the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron here flew the first F/A-22 Raptor Follow-on Operational Test and Evaluation mission Aug. 29, releasing Joint Direct Attack Munitions on the Utah Test and Training Range.In one of the largest Raptor test phases to date, Air Force organizations are

  • General Moseley swears in as Air Force’s 18th chief of staff

    Gen. T. Michael Moseley was sworn in as the Air Force’s 18th chief of staff in a ceremony here Sept. 2 that also featured the retirement of Gen. John P. Jumper after 39 years of service.Acting Secretary of the Air Force Pete Geren presided over the ceremony. Also taking part in the ceremony were

  • AF helicopter crews rescue 221 hurricane victims

    Air Force special operations helicopter crews from the 347th Rescue Wing rescued more than 200 people stranded in areas hard hit by Hurricane Katrina through Aug. 31.Flying from Jackson-Evers International Airport, Miss., these and other Air Force Special Operations Command aircrews are continuing

  • Hurricane Katrina relief effort total force response

    Airmen from across the Air Force are continuing to search for, rescue, evacuate, treat, feed and comfort Hurricane Katrina’s millions of victims.Most of the Airmen helping with relief operations in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are deploying with units as part of a total force response. And

  • Airman receives medal for water rescue

    Rescuing an elderly woman from a Florida canal earned an Air Force sergeant an Airman’s Medal, presented by the Air Force chief of staff in a ceremony here Aug. 31.Tech. Sgt. Michael Downey II, assigned to the office of the Air Force chief of staff, received the highest award for heroism in

  • Hurlburt combat engineers rush to aid of Keesler Airmen

    Combat engineers capable of rapid deployment into war zones are proving to be effective first responders in bringing aid to areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Airmen with the 823rd Red Horse Squadron here left early Aug. 30 bound for Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., one of the worst-hit areas in

  • Foglesong honored with Order of the Sword

    The U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander was bestowed the enlisted corps highest honor Aug. 26.Gen. Robert H. “Doc” Foglesong, who has led USAFE since August 2003, was inducted into the Order of the Sword before nearly 600 enlisted Airmen and guests representing every base within the command.General

  • Rescue squad brings experience to Cooperative Key

    More than 50 Airmen, along with two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters from the 56th Rescue Squadron at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, made the trip here to bring their special rescue skills to exercise Cooperative Key 05.The exercise, which began Aug. 24 and ends Sept. 5, is a multinational

  • Families say goodbye as Alaskan units deploy

    About 100 servicemembers from the Air Force and the Alaska Army National Guard deployed from here Aug. 30 to the Middle East.The servicemembers did not express much apprehension about the mission ahead of them, but their family members showed signs of uneasiness.Erin Ellingwood, wife of Staff Sgt.

  • Air Force provides support to hurricane relief effort

    The Air Force is part of the national support network that is providing aid to victims of Hurricane Katrina in disaster stricken regions of Mississippi and Louisiana.The 1st Air Force at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., is the lead for planning, orchestrating and overseeing Air Force support to Joint

  • Columbus cleanup now under way

    People at this flight training base in northern Mississippi are breathing a collective sigh of relief as damage assessments and cleanup efforts continue.The base did not sustain any storm-related fatalities or injuries, base officials said.While Hurricane Katrina did not pass directly over the base,

  • CCAF unlocks doors of opportunity

    Many Airmen could be closer than they think to a degree from the Community College of the Air Force.Among work, family, temporary duty and deployments, many Airmen may feel they do not have enough time to finish their degree.“One of the biggest obstacles is discouragement,” said Tiffany Dalmida, the

  • Commission wraps up BRAC decisions

    The Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission wrapped up four days of deliberations in final actions Aug. 26 and 27 by voting to turn Pope Air Force Base, N.C., into an Army airfield and recommending sweeping recommendations to revamp the Air National Guard and consolidate its operations.The

  • K-9 teams keep Kirkuk safe

    Being on the frontlines in a combat zone is never an easy task, which is why the military relies heavily on teamwork. The Airmen of the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron military working dog flight work long days, face continual training and execute a crucial mission that never ends.

  • AF wins armed forces softball title

    Air Force wrapped up the Armed Forces Women’s Softball Championship with a decisive 20-15 victory here Aug. 26 over Army.Air Force lost to Army in the 2004 championship following a three-year winning streak -- this year they meant to get it back.The top of the first inning led off with Army left

  • Silent protectors support Operation Enduring Freedom

    A silent protector continues to support the war on terrorism, often accomplishing its mission without the beneficiaries of the protection it offers even knowing a sortie is being flown.The EC-130H Compass Call is an airborne tactical system that disrupts enemy command and control communications, as

  • Airmen train for convoy duty in Southwest Asia

    Twelve 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle operators here are preparing to leave in early September to support convoy operations in Southwest Asia.These predominantly first-term Airmen will undergo rigorous training at Camp Bullis, Texas, before immediately deploying for six to eight months

  • Vandenberg launches Minuteman III

    An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launched from here Aug. 26 as part of a developmental test demonstrating the ability to integrate a safety enhanced re-entry vehicle into the existing Minuteman III weapons system.The missile launched under the guidance of the 576th Flight

  • Officials release Predator accident report

    An engine fire on an MQ-l Predator remotely piloted aircraft resulted in a March 27 crash at a forward-deployed location in Southwest Asia, according to an Accident Investigation Board report released by Air Combat Command on Aug. 26. The $3.7-million Predator, assigned to the 15th Reconnaissance

  • Commander sees AEF working from deployed perspective

    The Air and Space Expeditionary Force Center commander recently visited his largest customer in theater -- U.S. Central Command Air Forces.Brig. Gen. Stephen L. Hoog said there was no better place to see that the AEF is working as advertised than in the Southwest Asia and Central Asia.“I appreciate

  • Guardsmen make combat airdrop in Afghanistan

    Six Airmen from the North Carolina Air National Guard’s 156th Airlift Squadron traveled more than 7,000 miles recently to perform an airdrop mission over Afghanistan.The guardsmen, who are currently assigned to the 738th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron at a forward-deployed location, airdropped more

  • 1st Air Force transitions to warfighting headquarters

    First Air Force and Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region are making structural changes to transition into one of 10 warfighting headquarters to better support geographic and functional combatant commanders worldwide.The transition is part of the Air Force’s move to

  • Convoy escorts continue proud heritage of Tuskegee Airmen

    The 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing is steeped in the rich history of its predecessors, the Tuskegee Airmen of the 332nd Fighter Group. While today’s Airmen do not share the hardships of breaking racial barriers, Airmen with Detachment 2 here and Det. 1 at Camp Speicher, Iraq, face their own

  • Airmen control sky over Iraq

    With more than 270,000 square miles of playing field, Airmen with the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron have their game faces on, providing command and control of joint air operations supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Providing surveillance, identification, weapons control, theater missile

  • Medics relieve pain at home, in war

    As servicemembers continue to fight the war on terrorism, a small group of Airmen at Balad Air Base, Iraq, is ensuring that each warfighter is fit to fight. At the same time they are gaining valuable experience to bring home.The physical and occupational therapy clinic at the Air Force Theater

  • Beale’s Global Hawk mission extends worldwide

    Airman with the 12th Reconnaissance Squadron here are part of the Air Force’s only operational Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle unit.The $35-million Global Hawk is used to provide Air Force and joint battlefield commanders near real-time, high-resolution intelligence, surveillance and

  • F-16 accident report released

    A catastrophic engine failure caused an F-16D Fighting Falcon to crash in a marsh adjacent to the Ashley River near Charleston, S.C., on April 18, according to an Air Force report released Aug. 23.The pilot and the passenger ejected from the aircraft and sustained minor injuries. The $23-million

  • Iraqi, U.S. C-130 crewmembers fly boy to receive heart surgery

    Although 8-year-old Baher looks happy and healthy, Iraqi and U.S. Air Force C-130 crewmembers knew his true condition when they gave him the ride of his life Aug. 22.Baher and his mother, Afaf, were headed to New Orleans to repair a hole in his heart via a new program called Operation Mend a Heart.

  • Ground incident report released

    The Failure of two hinge blades connecting sections of a portable tower caused it and a 470-pound camera mounted on top of the tower to collapse into a building at Bolling Air Force Base, D.C., on Dec. 23, Air Force officials said Aug. 19.The camera fell through the metal roof of the Joint Air

  • Agencies ease deployment pains

    With “my upcoming deployment” as the catch-phrase for most of Airmen, several organizations take extraordinary measures to ensure that not only the Airman is ready for deployment, but the families are as well.Family support centers, chapel staffs and many other agencies manage day-to-day efforts of

  • Guardsmen contribute to total force

    Maintaining and flying F-16 Fighting Falcons in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom is what Air National Guard units from Minnesota, Texas and Arkansas do to provide ground support to Soldiers and Marines. Demonstrating the power of a total force, these units, along with the active-duty 510th

  • Advance planning key to successful deployment financial management

    Get ready early. This is the common theme among base agencies that assist Airmen preparing for deployment.The preparation can be stressful, time consuming and exciting, but above all, requires planning and thinking ahead to the future.Oftentimes, the focus of deployment is on taking care of the

  • Dyess AFB demonstrates B-1B's upgrades, combat capabilities

    The 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron here set a number of “firsts” recently for the B-1B Lancer.Those 'firsts' were demonstrated July 25 over the White Sands Missile Range, N.M., when two Lancers from Dyess auto-released a Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile as well as three dissimilar weapons

  • Unmanned aircraft capabilities expanding in war on terrorism

    Once used only for remote reconnaissance, unmanned aircraft technology has rapidly evolved in recent years. Such systems now feature strike capabilities and are being used for force-protection and signals-collection missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.Unmanned aerial systems "have helped reduce the

  • Total force shares capabilities

    The assistant secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs told a panel of Base Realignment and Closure commissioners the Air Force would change its size and modify its missions.The Air Force will become smaller in terms of the number of aircraft the service keeps. If the Air Force's

  • Training keeping Spangdahlem ‘Warthogs’ ready to deploy

    A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots at this hilltop base are busy flying and training for their next deployment, which could be to Afghanistan -- again.That is not a certainty, but deploying to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, is almost routine for the 81st Fighter Squadron. As the only A-10 unit stationed in

  • Logistics program broadens careers

    As the premier logistics training program in the Air Force, the logistics career broadening program provides logistics officers the chance to attain specialized knowledge in their career field.The two-year program not only provides unique instruction in logistics but also lends opportunities for

  • Air Force conducts test of new officer assignment system

    The Air Force will conduct a test of a continuous officer assignment system for a select group of career fields beginning in September.The test system, designed as the result of a Lean process review, seeks to eliminate the vulnerable-to-move list and facilitate deliberate career moves through force

  • First Air Force Stryker unit deploys to Iraq

    The first Air Force Stryker unit marked its first deployment with the high-tech Army vehicle when it departed here Aug. 14 for Iraq.About 20 Airmen from the 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron deployed with the Army’s 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, both stationed at nearby Fort Wainwright.“Our

  • Vehicle operators remember fallen Airmen

    “Your life was brief … Your legacy endures,” are the words chosen by Airmen of the 506th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron’s vehicle operations flight to inscribe on a memorial for Airman 1st Class Carl Anderson Jr. and Staff Sgt. Dustin Peters. The Airmen died in Iraq while supporting

  • Kadena medics gain knowledge while deployed

    Aeromedical nurses and technicians here are helping save hundreds of servicemembers’ who are supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Aside from tending to the sick and wounded, these Airmen are gaining invaluable experience working in a multiservice operation, and treating injuries

  • Chaplain serves Airmen, Soldiers at remote posts

    When Army Spc. Jacob Boomsaad fell in love with a fellow Soldier while serving in Iraq, he feared he would have to delay the wedding until almost six months after returning from their deployment to marry in a Catholic church. That is until the specialist with the 2nd Battalion, 142nd Infantry

  • There's always a better way

    The Airman had $600 left until payday, which was fine -- until her car broke down, and with it, a $1,000 repair bill.Two "friends" offered to help her out. The first offered an interest-free loan of $500. The second offered a $500 loan for a $75 fee, and said if the Airman could not pay the money

  • Airmen test new small diameter bomb system

    Gunfighters with the 366th Maintenance Group here put their skills to use when they tested a new small diameter bomb system Aug. 3 to 5.The GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb system is a low-cost, precision-strike weapon system that will soon be used by fighters, bombers and unmanned combat air vehicles.

  • BRAC focus on right-sizing total force

    The co-chairman of the Air Force's base closure executive group recently discussed the views the Air Force took when considering the Base Realignment and Closure recommendations."We have to base our future Air Force on a smaller but more capable force, and organize that force in the most effective

  • Personal sacrifices by enlisted force not overlooked

    At one point or another in every servicemember’s career, he or she will make a personal sacrifice for the accomplishment of the mission.Chief Master Sgt. John Foran, 9th Air Force and U.S. Central Command Air Forces command chief, wants the enlisted force to know their sacrifices, particularly from

  • Airmen join Sailors, Marines for JASEX 05

    Airmen from Kadena and Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, sharpened their joint warfighting skills during a third annual multiservice exercise designed to bring together U.S. air and naval power in the Pacific.The Joint Air and Sea Exercise 2005 also lured in about 30 Navy and Marine Corps

  • March receives AFRC’s first C-17

    The 452nd Air Mobility Wing here received Air Force Reserve Command’s first C-17 Globemaster III Aug. 9. Maj. Gen. Robert E. Duignan, 4th Air Force commander, and an aircrew from the 452nd AMW made the flight from the Boeing’s Long Beach, Calif., facility to the base.“We’re extremely proud and

  • Graduate program offers advanced tools for terror war

    A one-of-a-kind curriculum offered here at the Naval Postgraduate School is helping shape future leaders for the challenges they will confront in the war on terrorism.Unlike some academic programs with seemingly little real-life application, the Defense Analysis program focuses on issues commanders

  • Deadliest week in summer lurks near

    As summer comes to a close, the “101 Critical Days of Summer” fades away, but keeping safety in the forefront should remain a priority, officials here said.This year, the Air Force lost 24 Airmen. Most of these losses were preventable. However, the worst week historically in the Air Force, Aug. 21

  • Aeromedical evacuation improvements saving lives

    Better training, more advanced equipment and aeromedical evacuation procedures that are constantly being improved are helping save the lives of thousands of wounded servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan, Air Force medical officers said.Lt. Col. (Dr.) Warren Dorlac, chief of critical care and trauma

  • Command chief outlines direction for Airmen

    After recent trips to Air Combat Command bases throughout the United States and a trip to Southwest Asia, Chief Master Sgt. Dave Popp, Air Combat Command's command chief master sergeant, said he is impressed with the quality of America's Airmen and that his meetings with them filled him with pride

  • Video raises suicide awareness

    Creators of a video filmed here are hoping it will educate, prevent and lower the risk of suicides across Air Combat Command as well as the rest of the Air Force.“Air Combat Command Off-Duty Survivor Stories: Suicide Choices; Terminal Consequences,” is the second in a series of videos by the 436th

  • Bagram runway reopens after C-17 incident

    A C-17 Globemaster III rolled off the runway while landing here Aug. 6, damaging its nose and right main landing gears.As a result, the runway was closed, but quick action and creative thinking by Air Force and Army engineers had the runway fully active again in less than 30 hours.There were no

  • Report: Stabilator failure caused F-15 crash

    The failure of one of an F-15 Eagle's horizontal stabilators caused its pilot to lose control of his aircraft and crash during a training mission March 25, an Air Combat Command Investigation Board report on Aug. 9.The crash occurred during defensive basic fighter maneuver training with another

  • EOD Airmen rely on high-tech, steady nerves

    Soldiers of the 56th Brigade Combat Team encounter explosive situations daily as they travel along Iraq’s highways during convoy escort missions. But things hit closer to home when the Texas Army National Guardsmen found a suspicious package in a trailer near their headquarters recently. Security

  • Kadena Airmen rescue stranded surfer

    A day of surfing in Okinawa could have turned deadly for a Marine Corps family member the evening of Aug. 5 had it not been for the quick efforts of Airmen here.An HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter crew jumped into action after the Japanese coast guard asked Kadena's 18th Wing for assistance in finding a

  • Future Total Force in step with PACAF mission

    As the Future Total Force initiative integrates with Air Force operations in the Pacific, the transition is looking good, said the Pacific Air Forces commander.“The transformational pieces of our capabilities are clearly in the form of long-range bombers, the C-17 (Globemaster III), F/A-22 (Raptor)

  • Life support technicians inspect, maintain survival equipment

    The 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron's life support section is full of aircrew life support technicians who work hard every day since their work can mean "life or death" for C-130 Hercules aircrews and passengers.Life support equipment always has to be in tip-top condition to be ready whenever a

  • Deployed Airmen reflect bravery, selfless determination

    Security forces Airmen here have demonstrated their bravery in the face of the enemy as they work side by side with Soldiers in detainee operations.Col. Jim Brown, 18th Military Police Brigade commander, praised the Airmen with the 447th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron for their noble

  • Security forces Airmen keep contraband off Kirkuk

    During the lunch-hour rush at a dining facility in Mosul, Iraq, a suicide bomber managed to penetrate base security and kill 22 Americans Dec. 21, 2004. Since then, American bases in Iraq have successfully increased security measures.Every day, 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Airmen

  • Report: Failed pilot bearing caused Predator crash

    A failed pilot bearing caused an MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle to crash in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility March 30, according to an Air Force report released Aug. 4.The Predator, assigned to the 57th Wing at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., was performing an intelligence,

  • Edwards, Eglin combine testing on next-generation F-16

    Combining two aircraft missions into one is not an easy feat, but that is exactly what engineers and pilots from here and Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., are testing. In the process, they have also combined operational and developmental into one testing effort.Five F-16 Fighting Falcons and aircrews

  • Space weather forecasts clear communication

    Staff Sgt. Guillermo Ybarra III sits staring intensely at the sun. Unblinking, his furrowed brow wrinkles slightly as his eyes sharpen their gaze. After several more minutes, his piercing glance finds a change in the sun’s surface -- a change he has been anticipating. He purposefully scoops up the

  • Airmen support Soldiers with airdrop

    To keep yet another convoy off the road, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing aircrews at this forward-deployed location recently gave a textbook example of what agile combat support is all about.Several C-130 Hercules airdropped more than 69,000 pounds of Meals, Ready to Eat to U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers

  • Rumsfeld lauds AF progress in adapting to fight terrorists

    Airmen worldwide have been filling nontraditional roles to contribute to the fight against a multifaceted, adaptive insurgency, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here Aug. 2.Addressing a meeting of the Air Force Sergeants Association, Secretary Rumsfeld highlighted the different jobs Airmen

  • Crew chiefs turn bombers like fighters

    Postmen have nothing on these guys, particularly Tech. Sgt. Shannon Reynolds, a crew chief with the 40th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron at this forward-deployed location.He is one of 37 crew chiefs from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., who not only contend with bitterly cold winters and mountains of

  • Senate confirms Corley as new vice chief of staff

    The Senate confirmed Lt. Gen. John D. W. Corley on Aug. 1 as the next Air Force vice chief of staff. He will be promoted to the rank of general.General Corley, who is currently the principal deputy for the assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, will replace Gen. T. Michael Moseley.

  • Total force, joint, coalition team create synergy in CAOC

    Staffed by active-duty, Guard and Reserve forces from all the U.S. services along with coalition partners, the Central Air Forces Combined Air Operations Center at a forward-deployed location has proven to be a true total force, joint and coalition team.“The partnership (among) the people of these

  • Uzbeks ask U.S. to leave Karshi-Khanabad

    Uzbekistan has exercised its rights under an October 2001 bilateral agreement to end coalition use of Karshi-Khanabad airfield.The Uzbek government delivered a note July 29 to the U.S. embassy in Tashkent giving the United States 180 days to withdraw its forces from the strategic field. About 800

  • Guard, Reserve integrate seamlessly into Nellis organization

    Organizations at the Air Warfare Center here are taking the concept, “One Team, One Fight,” literally and are combining active duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command personnel in all mission areas.“This is a smarter, better way of doing business, because we’re able to capitalize on

  • Airmen medevac two wounded Afghans

    A combat search and rescue crew evacuated two Afghan nationals who had been wounded by stray shrapnel from an anti-coalition militia mortar attack against a forward-operating base in a village northeast of Kandahar, Afghanistan, on July 28.After the attack, the two -- an adult and a 12-year-old boy

  • Soldiers, Airmen care for Iraqi patients

    Only a few hours earlier, surgeons were working diligently to save his life and repair the damage a bullet caused when it entered his abdomen and ricocheted throughout his body. Now, the 11-year-old Iraqi boy sleeps peacefully with his favorite stuffed animal clutched in his hand. His father, next

  • Air Force fighting fires at home

    Guardsmen and reservists are used to international situations that call for them to put out fires. Now, they are doing it here at home -- literally.More than 60 guardsmen and four specially equipped C-130 Hercules from North Carolina and Wyoming Air National Guard units are battling blazes in the

  • Nominee for undersecretary testifies before Congress

    The Department of Defense director of defense research and engineering appeared before a Congressional confirmation hearing July 28 to testify on his nomination as the new undersecretary of the Air Force. Dr. Ronald M. Sega, appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, told senators he was

  • Coalition: Withdrawal to be conditions-based

    The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq will be based strictly on security conditions in the country and the readiness of Iraqi forces to conduct independent operations, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman said in Baghdad on July 28.The United States will not withdraw forces until Iraqi security

  • Deployed leaders take ‘vest-ed’ interest in being cool

    The first test was in an outhouse.Saddled in the middle of Baghdad -- where temperatures are reaching at least 120 degrees -- that outhouse had all the qualities Capt. James Ross needed to test his idea to cool off flightline logistics workers from the stifling heat.His idea -- a “cool vest.” The

  • First Future Total Force wing proves successful

    The first Future Total Force wing, the 116th Air Control Wing, is nearing its third birthday since merging active-duty Air Force, Army and Air National Guard units to form a “blended wing.”In October 2002, America’s first total force wing took flight as the 116th ACW and made history by combining

  • Shaw F-16s intercept shuttle airspace violator

    Two F-16 Fighting Falcons, enforcing a temporary no-fly zone around the Space Shuttle Discovery launch site at Cape Canaveral, Fla., intercepted and escorted a small civilian aircraft from the area July 26.It was during the nine-minute hold in the countdown when the pilots recieved the call from

  • Cope North bilateral exercise wraps up in Guam

    The thunder in the Guam sky has subsided with the conclusion of Cope North, a bilateral exercise between Airmen from the U.S. Air Force and the Japan air self-defense force.The exercise, which ended July 21, was designed to enhance U.S. and Japanese air operations by training in air combat tactics,

  • Major works hard at preparing warriors

    Sport and business have long had a strong working relationship.Maj. Michael Ternus, 377th Logistics Readiness Squadron operations officer, exemplifies this relationship -- albeit as an unconventional businessman in an unconventional sport.The major is the current national master's super heavyweight

  • QDR will reflect tomorrow’s, not today’s, challenges

    Military leaders will resist any temptation to assume the force needed for the future will be a cookie-cutter version of today's needs, Gen. Richard B. Myers said here July 25.The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was talking about how the military will examine its forces, resources and programs

  • Reserve improves safety, floor space on rescue helicopters

    Air Force Reserve Command’s 15 combat search and rescue helicopters will get improved crew seats and more cabin space to care for rescued people when modifications are complete this year. The HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters will feature safer, more ergonomic cabin crew seats, and new auxiliary fuel

  • On target: Ammo Airmen do bang up job

    Tucked away behind tall bunkers and old engine parts lays a unique greenhouse with a special crop.Inside a crop of bullets, bombs and explosives receive care and attention fro a group of unique Airmen.From inspections and maintenance to overall accountability, the Airmen of the 332nd Expeditionary

  • Blue Flag starts with bang at Nellis, Hurlburt Field

    Joint forces from around the United States, along with 11 coalition partners, converged here and at the Combined Air Operations Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., for the start of Blue Flag 05-02 on July 24.About 2,000 joint troops, led by 9th Air Force, are participating at the two locations

  • Air Force Reserve seeks applicants for full-time duty

    Air Force Reserve officials are looking for officers and enlisted people to fill full-time Active Guard and Reserve positions.In the past 15 years, the number of slots has increased from 400 to more than 1,900 authorizations."We have opportunities in many specialties but a larger concentration in

  • Red Horse engineers build Iraqi future

    In the military community, the Red Horse name invokes images of rough and ready Airmen who can deploy at a moment’s notice into austere and hostile environments and build an operational airfield, seemingly overnight.In today’s war on terrorism, a group of Red Horse engineers from the Ohio and

  • Airmen keep ground equipment working, mission flying

    Even though they are maintainers, they do not turn a single wrench on a jet. But without them neither does anyone else.Bomber aerospace ground equipment Airmen work around-the-clock to maintain a 95.9-percent in-commission rate on the 121 pieces of equipment maintainers, back shops, weapons loaders

  • Military programs can ease pain of post-war trauma

    Army Spc. David Avila sings his favorite song, “La Bamba,” to his son almost every night. It is not just the entertainment value; it is his way of conveying his wartime experiences to his son. “La Bamba” sounds like boom in English, a sound Specialist Avila heard just about every night in Iraq. It

  • Leaders address Air Force in BRAC process

    Defense Department leaders told the Base Realignment and Closure Commission July 18 why certain military facilities are not included in Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's May 13 recommendations.Commissioners were here to continue their deliberations after visiting military bases nationwide in

  • Deployed Airmen give tours to Iraqi historical landmark

    Most 407th Expeditionary Services Squadron Airmen here are used to interacting with customers over a counter. However, two services Airmen here are expanding the customer service concept by leaving the confines of the base three times a week. The Airmen act as both tour guide and body guard,

  • Captain deployed with German helicopter unit in Kosovo

    Since Vietnam, helicopters have proven how invaluable they are in day-to-day operations in a combat zone because of their flexibility. Today’s helicopter crews must be “jacks of all trades,” ready to fly whatever mission they are assigned.One Airman assigned to the German contingent supporting

  • Guard chief vows to minimize personal impact of BRAC

    The National Guard Bureau chief has vowed to work closely with Air Force leaders to ensure that proposed base closures and realignments do not adversely affect the Air National Guard or its guardsmen.Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum said the Defense Department's recommendations, announced in May, could

  • Red Horse Airmen keep Afghan supply lanes open

    The sight of a C-17 Globemaster III coming in for a landing here can be awe-inspiring. The 174-foot-long transport drops from the sky in an instant. Its thrust-reversing engines create a thunderous sound that lets all around know it has landed.More importantly, with a payload of up to 170,900

  • New test to better assess language proficiency within DOD

    A new language test scheduled to roll out in October will better measure language fluency in real-world situations, the Defense Department's senior language official said July 13.The new test is the fifth generation of the Defense Language Proficiency Test, a battery of tests used to assess native

  • Misawa receives Installation Excellence Award

    Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld has announced the winners of the 2005 Commander-in-Chief’s Annual Award for Installation Excellence. Misawa Air Base, Japan, was selected as the Air Force winner.“This award validates the hard work, commitment and pride of Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers, Marines

  • Group helps educators reach out to ‘suddenly military' children

    Because of the high number of National Guardsmen and reservists fighting the war on terrorism, the Military Child Education Coalition has created a program to teach educators and others how to help "suddenly military" children of deployed citizen Soldiers.The coalition established a workshop called

  • General sees ‘seamless’ force in Southwest Asia

    Everyone is on the same team, wears the same uniform and performs the same mission. As a result, people cannot tell the difference between active-duty Airmen, reservists and guardsmen.That is the impression Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley received on his recent visit to Iraq and Afghanistan. General

  • Military working dogs: More than man’s best friend

    Dogs are known as man’s best friend, but to Airmen and Soldiers here, military working dogs are considered a four-legged partner in the war against terrorism.Security forces Airmen and Soldiers, along with their military working dogs, have partnered together to provide force protection on this