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  • 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year highlighted

    The 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year are selected based on superior leadership, job performance, significant self-improvement/ personal achievements and base/community involvement. The Air Force Chief of Staff reviews the selections. The selections for the 2009 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year

  • Air Force leaders roll out UAS flight plan

    Air Force leaders ushered in a new era of airpower capabilities with the approval of the Air Force Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight Plan June 23 by Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz.The plan, which was developed by the Air Force's UAS Task

  • RAF communications leader visits Global Cyberspace Integration Center

    The Royal Air Force assistant chief of staff for communications met with the Global Cyberspace Integration Center director to gain a better understanding of missions and issues faced by military forces from the U.S. and England July 14 here. RAF Air Commodore Mark Neal talked with Stan Newberry as

  • Weapons loaders arm jets for the fight

    Without the work of Airmen who load munitions on aircraft, F-16 Fighting Falcons in the fight here would be no different than any commercial airliner in terms of strike capability. Combat missions occur around the clock here and weapons loaders from the 332nd Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance

  • Photo essay: New cadets discover Jacks Valley

    Basic cadet trainees march to Jacks Valley near Colorado Springs, Colo. to begin two weeks of training that will test their stamina and determination. The cadets will experience weapons training, confidence and assault training, drill evaluations, tent inspections, and aerobic and physical fitness

  • 'Today's Air Force' features proposed force structure changes

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights possible force structure changes that are on the horizon, the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill and TAC-P Airmen training for an upcoming deployment.Featured in the first segment, Air Force officials announce the 2010 Force Structure plan, a proposal that, if

  • Hobby earns Spangdahlem Airman $10K

    Simpler, easier to use and saves time. This is not an ad for a new cleaning product, these are qualities being used to describe a new Web-based program the intelligence office here is employing to track training requirements. The new program dubbed "SpIDER System" is the creation of Master Sgt.

  • 17th Air Force members support presidential visit to Ghana

    Before President Barack Obama could land in Accra July 10, Airmen, Sailors and Marines were on the ground days in advance preparing for the visit.More than 150 Airmen in Accra and more than 1,000 Sailors and Marines aboard the USS Iwo Jima came together to form a task force to support the

  • 1st Combat Comm Airmen support presidential visit to Ghana

    More than 150 Airmen of the 1st Combat Communications Squadron set up forward communications for the President Barack Obama's visit to Ghana in July. The Airmen joined Marines in Accra and more than 1,000 Sailors and Marines aboard the USS Iwo Jima to form a task force to support the president's

  • Total force cross-cultural competence examined at DEOMI symposium

    About 100 Defense Department and government leaders, practitioners, operators, and researchers joined together at the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute here to discuss the importance of cross-cultural competence relating to the effectiveness of the total force June 30 and July

  • Lakenheath air traffic controllers pick up NATO training mission

    Royal Air Force Lakenheath air traffic controllers trained eight Spanish air traffic controllers prior to their upcoming NATO deployment in July here. The Spanish controllers were here for two weeks, and they will be followed by another group of eight for two weeks prior to their departure to meet

  • Airmen build new Diyala operations center

    Officials from the U.S. Army and Iraqi security forces turned to Airmen of the Detachment 6, 732nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron to build a new operations center outside of the city limits of Baqubah, Iraq.After years of cooperation between Iraqi and U.S. security forces at the Diyala

  • Airmen improve base in Iraq

    Airmen of the 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron are changing the landscape of Contingency Operating Base Basra rapidly. Some buildings already have been built by engineering specialists from 76 bases throughout the United States have improved the operational capability of Multinational Division

  • Officials announce Predator, Reaper additional formal training location

    Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico will be the new location for an additional MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper formal training unit, announced the commander of Air Combat Command here July 13. Gen. John D.W. Corley, with concurrence from the chief of staff of the Air Force, announced the additional

  • Air Force officials release Reaper accident report

    Air Force officials here announced an MQ-9 Reaper that crashed March 20 at Fort Irwin, Calif., was due to an improperly assembled oil system temperature control valve, according to an Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released July 13 here. The Reaper, assigned to the 42nd

  • Air Force officials release Predator accident report

    Air Force officials here announced an MQ-1 Predator that crashed just short of Ali Base, Iraq, Oct. 19, 2008, was due to a quill shaft bearing failure, according to an Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released July 13 here. The $3.7 million Predator, assigned to the 432nd Wing

  • Latest Red Flag exercise begins at Nellis

    Southern Nevada residents may notice increased military aircraft activity as the Air Force begins Red Flag 09-4 July 13. Red Flag is a realistic combat training exercise involving the air forces of the United States and its allies. The exercise is conducted on the 15,000-square-mile Nevada Test and

  • Rescue Coordination Center officials help save 3 lives

    Air Force Rescue Coordination Center officials here helped coordinate three separate search and rescue operations in Utah, Washington and Colorado July 8 with local and state agencies saving the lives of three American citizens. The Beaver County Sheriff and Utah Department of Safety contacted the

  • July 7 airpower summary: A-10s end enemy attacks

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations July 7, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, in the vicinity of Gereshk, an Air Force B-1B Lancer

  • ESC, MITRE officials take hands-on approach to terminal management

    Officials at Electronic Systems Center and MITRE Corp. are taking a hands-on approach to managing a major satellite communications terminal program, especially now that they have purchased and set one up in their own backyard. More specifically, a team from the 653rd Electronic Systems Wing's Space

  • Chief of staff visits with Elmendorf Airmen

    The Air Force's top uniformed member spent time with the men and women of Elmendorf Air Force Base July 6. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz received mission briefings from Col. Thomas Bergeson, 3rd Wing commander; visited the 3rd Wing's award-winning hospital; and stopped in at Hangar 1

  • Airmen in EC-130H unit complete 2,000th combat mission

    An EC-130H Compass Call aircrew here completed their unit's 2,000th combat mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom July 8. The Airmen, assigned to the 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron, provided direct support to coalition ground forces in Afghanistan on the milestone

  • Officials release Lackland ground accident report

    An Air Combat Command accident investigation board report into the Jan. 12 death of a Combat Controller Selection Course student who was removed from life support three days after a training incident was released July 7 by Air Force officials here. Based on the accident investigation board report,

  • Doolittle Raiders to attend Air Mobility Rodeo

    Three of the remaining nine Doolittle Raiders will attend the Air Mobility Rodeo July 19 through 24 at McChord Air Force Base, Wash. The Doolittle Raiders are special guests of Gen. Arthur J. Lichte, the commander of Air Mobility Command, and are scheduled to attend Rodeo competitions,

  • Air Force combat camera team discusses role of media in military

    The media has played a major role in every American military conflict, from the use of newspapers and pamphlets to stoke the American Revolution to embedded journalists in the Middle East. But a story often lost in the mix is that of the military journalists; those men and women in uniform whose

  • Air Force Communications Agency to change name

    The Air Force Communications Agency will be redesignated the Air Force Network Integration Center to more accurately reflect its role in cyberspace operations July 15 here.The name change comes at a time when the Air Force continues to align its cyber forces under Air Force Space Command, located at

  • F.E. Warren officials host national-level exercise

    A simulated terrorist attack on a 90th Missile Wing intercontinental ballistic missile launch facility provided the exercise scenario for Nuclear Weapon Accident/Incident Exercise 2009. This national-level exercise involved 11 federal agencies and 1,300 personnel. Accident response and associated

  • Hanscom team works to upgrade airborne comm for top U.S. officials

    A Hanscom Air Force Base team is working to acquire a comprehensive system that will provide highly reliable, secure and integrated voice, data and video equipment for airborne U.S. senior leaders. Those leaders include the vice president, secretary of defense, secretary of state, numerous senior

  • Air Force Safety Center wins 22 communications awards

    The Air Force Safety Center has won a total of 22 communications awards from two different programs that recognize excellence in communications.  Eighteen Awards of Excellence were presented by Communicator Awards and four Awards of Excellence were presented by APEX.Communicator Awards is the

  • Team keeps mission cool

    In today's technology-driven world, computer systems are integral to supporting missions and operations throughout U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility. These mission-essential computer servers are kept ready thanks to the constant maintenance and upkeep by the 379th Expeditionary Civil

  • Moody A-10s to receive new sniper pods

    Moody Air Force Base A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots operating over Iraq and Afghanistan this fall will be armed with new targeting pods designed to increase the already lethal capabilities. A number of the 23rd Fighter Group's A-10s will be upgraded to the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods, which are

  • Airman's Roll Call: Ancillary training

    This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on changes to Air Force ancillary training programs. A new Air Force policy streamlines redundant and outdated ancillary training programs and aligns expeditionary skills training with warfighter requirements. Air Force leaders are also addressing the time

  • Airmen provide presidential support in Moscow

    Two C-130 Hercules aircraft and aircrews from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, hauled a 17-member presidential support team, 10 portable light carts and a utility truck to Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport July 3 in preparation for President Barack Obama's visit to the region. Planning the travel

  • July 6 airpower summary: Tanker crews put in long hours

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations July 6, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fired warning shots from

  • Flight engineers: Critical component to combat search, rescue mission

    If the actions of a combat search and rescue crew were viewed as a symphony, flight engineers would be the conductors. They are experts on the aircraft's weapons systems, know how to operate the hoist, serve as radio operators and operate the .50 caliber machine gun. In many ways, it's man in

  • NASA research to help aircraft avoid ocean storms, turbulence

    NASA officials here are funding the development of a prototype system to provide aircraft with updates about severe storms and turbulence as they fly across remote ocean regions. Scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo., in partnership with colleagues at the

  • Obama, Medvedev agree to reduce nuclear stockpiles

    President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev agreed in Moscow July 6 to reduce U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons stockpiles by up to a third. President Medvedev said during a news conference with President Obama at the Kremlin that the two leaders have forged an understanding on a

  • Russia allows transit for Afghanistan-bound U.S. troops

    An agreement signed in Moscow July 6 permits the United States to transit troops and weapons across Russian territory en route to Afghanistan. The pact, signed during President Barack Obama's visit to the Kremlin, permits 4,500 flights per year through Russian airspace, and saves the U.S. government

  • Air mobility, tanker support key elements of Global Thunder

    Air Mobility Command airlift and tanker support were key contributors to Exercise Global Thunder 2009 that ran June 24 through 30, AMC officials said recently. Global Thunder 2009, a U.S. Strategic Command-led exercise, provided training opportunities for various service components, units and their

  • Airmen help shape future of 52nd Fighter Wing

    Wing leaders here are striving to continuously improve the way the mission is accomplished, and they want every member of the team, from the newest slick-sleeves and butter bars to retired chief master sergeants now in the civilian work force, to participate in the process. There are a number of

  • Band performs on 'Today' show

    Members of the Air Force Band Ceremonial Brass performed in New York City July 4 on NBC's "Today" show. The band has performed on every Independence Day since 1998 on the "Today" show, which reaches an estimated 5.38 million viewers each morning and more than 17 million on the Fourth of July. When

  • Airmen train with Army to become JTACs

    Rain and mud may not have been forecasted for radio operators, maintainers and drivers' training in the wilderness, but Airmen geared up anyway to practice combat lifesaver skills, convoys, air-assault egression, and improvised explosive device reaction with one goal in mind: to become combat

  • Nonlethal capabilities provide alternative to deadly force

    When shouting isn't enough to stop someone who poses a threat, nonlethal weapons provide an alternative to lethal force. "Non-lethal weapons give warfighters crucial escalation-of-force options between shouting and shooting," said Kelley Hughes, strategic communications officer for the Joint

  • July 5 airpower summary: Helicopters rapidly transport patients

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations July 5, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, a Royal Air Force GR-4 Tornado conducted a strafing run

  • Operation Pacific Angel set to begin

    The United States will join local authorities in three Pacific nations in July and September to provide medical, dental, and engineering assistance as part of Operation Pacific Angel 2009. More than 150 Airmen and Soldiers will fly via C-17 Globemaster IIIs, C-130 Hercules, and KC-135 Stratotankers

  • Airmen coordinate smooth transition of wounded to higher medical care

    An Airman with the aeromedical evacuation liaison team looks and shields his eyes as a helicopter touches down just outside of the hospital at Camp Bastion. A litter team rushes forward. A Marine's life is saved. All in a day's work for the aeromedical evacuation liaison team. Getting wounded

  • Airmen rescue aids in 'Golden Hour' recovery of coalition forces

    Racing against the clock, rescue flights launch into action to retrieve wounded servicemembers and other battlefield casualties. As the helicopters hover over a hostile area, the Guardian Angel team rushes out to retrieve the wounded - often risking their own lives "so that others may live." The

  • July 4 airpower summary: Predators protect friendly units

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force trooops in Afghanistan during operations July 4, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer used guided bomb unit-31s to

  • Reaper crash in southern Afghanistan

    An MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft system crashed in southern Afghanistan July 4. The crash was not due to hostile fire. The aircraft is a medium-to-high altitude long-endurance, unmanned aircraft system. The MQ-9's primary mission is as a persistent hunter-killer against emerging targets to achieve

  • Air Force chief of staff to deliver keynote address at C2ISR Symposium

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz will be a keynote speaker at the Air Force C2ISR Symposium and Technology Exposition, to be held Sept. 28-30 at the MGM Grand Hotel at Foxwoods in Ledyard, Conn.  C2ISR is command, control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.General Schwartz,

  • July 3 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations July 3, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, a Royal Air Force GR-4 Tornado used a Paveway guided

  • July 2 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations July 2, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, a coalition aircraft executed a strike with a guided

  • July 1 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations July 1, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs employed 30mm Avenger

  • Air Mobility Command's 'Rodeo 2009' just weeks away

    Air Mobility Command's premier mobility competition will take place July 19 to 24 at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., AMC officials said.The international competition focuses on improving worldwide air mobility forces' professional core abilities and features more than 40 aircraft participating in

  • Chief McKinley bows out

    After more than 30 years of service, the Air Force's top enlisted leader said his goodbyes to fellow Airmen in a June 30 ceremony in Washington, D.C.Former Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley told the gathered throng that his father took him and two friends to the Military

  • Innovative maintainers save time, lives of front line troops

    Maintainers here have come up with an innovative phase maintenance process to keep as many close-air-support aircraft airborne in theater that is being hailed by U.S. Central Command senior leaders. A-10 Thunderbolt II maintainers deployed from the 23rd Maintenance Group at Moody Air Force Base,

  • U.S. limits contact with Honduran military

    The American military contingent in Honduras has limited its contact with Honduran forces as the U.S. government evaluates the situation in the Central American country, a Pentagon spokesman said. Roughly 600 U.S. forces are stationed at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, 50 miles northwest of the

  • AMC commander visits Airmen in Southwest Asia, highlights mobility's role

    Like clockwork, an Air Mobility Command aircraft departs on a mission within the area-of-operations every two minutes every hour of every day. Providing the three cornerstones of the command's mobility mission -- airlift, aerial refueling and aeromedical evacuation -- AMC Airmen have provided

  • Vice president visits RAF Mildenhall, meets Airmen

    Vice President Joe Biden met and talked to several Royal Air Force Mildenhall Airmen during a stop at the base en route to an undisclosed location. The vice president thanked Airmen for their service and encouraged them to continue doing a great job for the nation.Airman 1st Class Victoria Smith of

  • Aerial gunners provide cover for lifesaving mission

    Air Force combat search and rescue crews on HH-60G Pave Hawks fly throughout Afghanistan to provide airlift and medical care to servicemembers wounded on the battlefield. More often than not, this requires them to fly into and operate in extremely hostile and precarious situations and locations,

  • Hurricane Hunters prep for upcoming storm season

    Members of the Air Force Reserve Command's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron deployed to their detachment here recently to fly training missions over the Caribbean in preparation for the 2009 hurricane season. Unit Airmen are part of the 403rd Wing located at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., and

  • Air Force reservists 'tweet,' blog, post their way to cyberspace

    A couple of times a day, Master Sgt. Collen McGee logs onto the 433rd Airlift Wing's Twitter account and "tweets" updates to 675 followers from around the world. Using the twitter handle of @AFRC_433, Sergeant McGee condenses messages to 140 characters, often including links to related Web sites.

  • Wounded EOD technician has big plans

    One step on May 11 changed the life course of an explosive ordnance disposal technician assigned to the 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron here. Staff Sgt. David Flowers, 28, was deployed with the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, when he was wounded by an anti-personnel mine on

  • Air Force bids farewell to Chief McKinley, hails Chief Roy

    After more than 30 years of service, the Air Force's top enlisted leader bade farewell to fellow Airmen in a June 30 ceremony here as a new Airman became the 16th chief master sergeant of the Air Force. Along the manicured ceremonial lawn, hundreds of spectators cheered the service of Chief Master

  • Twelve-nation consortium ready for first C-17

    Officials of the12-nation Strategic Airlift Capability, or SAC, consortium will celebrate the activation of the operational unit, known as the Heavy Airlift Wing, and arrival of the unit's first C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Pápa Air Base, Hungary, in a ceremony on July 27. The wing's

  • June 30 airpower summary: Reaper hits enemy forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations June 30, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force MQ-9 Reaper employed a guided bomb unit-12

  • Cadets experience deployment tempo

    Cadets from the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Military Academy spent the month of June here with members of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, tenant and coalition units for career shadowing, mentoring and familiarization. Nineteen Academy cadets deployed from Colorado Springs, Colo., as part

  • Beale officials use AFSO 21 to improve munitions training process

    Members of the 9th Munitions Squadron conducted a value stream mapping event June 23 thru 26 here to streamline the squadron's process of handling munitions for training classes. Officials from the Beale Air Force Base Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century Initiatives Office, Air Combat

  • U.S. servicemembers withdraw from Iraqi cities, move to main installations

    Under the Security Agreement signed between Washington, D.C., and Baghdad, Iraq, officials in November 2008, U.S. servicemembers are to withdraw from Iraqi cities, villages and localities by June 30.As a result of the agreement, some servicemembers are moving onto main installations such as Sather

  • New Air Force commercial highlights unmanned aircraft system

    An Air Force commercial highlighting the technology of the unmanned aircraft systems is airing nationally this week in television markets and select movie theaters across the country. The "UAS" commercial depicts a futuristic look at warfighting and how what was once considered science fiction is

  • Crewmember stable after Airmen assist in rescue over Atlantic

    A crewmember who required immediate medical attention on board a ship 400 miles off the coast of Ireland is reported to be in stable condition after three U.S. Air Force units participated in his rescue June 26. Officials from the United Kingdom Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Center contacted

  • New Zealand hosts multilateral talks

    "With your basket and with my basket, together we will feed everyone." This traditional New Zealand saying, translated into English from the Maori language, was referenced by New Zealand Air Commodore Gavin Howse during the opening seminar of the Pacific Rim Airpower Symposium and Senior Enlisted

  • 'Today's Air Force' features Airmen working in a joint environment

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights how U.S. aircraft were put on display in Paris and Southwest Asia, how Airmen are training around the world in both joint and combined environments, and how several fitness tips can help Airmen stay healthy this summer. Showcasing Air Force aircraft

  • Honduras-based U.S. troops not involved in coup, remain safe

    American forces stationed in Honduras were not involved in the military coup June 28 and remain safe, a Pentagon official said here June 29. Some 50 miles northwest of the capital city of Tegucigalpa, where President Manuel Zelaya was apparently ousted, the situation is calm at Soto Cano Air Base,

  • Pentagon official: Iraqi troops ready for added responsibility

    The withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from all Iraqi cities and towns was completed over the weekend and ahead of the June 30 deadline, a Pentagon spokesman said on a cable TV news show June 29. "Overall, the security situation is stable enough for Iraqi security forces to take on this added

  • H1N1 case confirmed at Goodfellow

    Air Force officials confirmed June 25 that the first case of the H1N1 virus was diagnosed at Goodfellow Air Force Base. The affected person is a dependent of a military couple stationed at Goodfellow AFB, and the patient is being treated by the 17th Medical Group pediatric staff. Base personnel have

  • Vandenberg officials launch Minuteman III

    Vandenberg Air Force Base officials launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration test assembly from North Vandenberg at 3:01 a.m. PDT June 29. The launch was an operational test to verify the weapon system's

  • Airmen in Europe test threat responses

    Airmen from six U.S. Air Forces in Europe bases competed in the 2009 USAFE Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Challenge June 22 through 26 here. The full-spectrum threat response strike teams were tested in six scenarios based on real-world hazardous material events in a rodeo-style

  • Air Force officials adopt personnel recovery as core function

    Air Force officials are transitioning their combat search and rescue motto to an over-arching name that encompasses all rescue assets under the same umbrella mindset with a more current operational focus. Personnel recovery fulfills a promise to never leave an American behind and the new slogan

  • Ground, flight tests yield zero interference for interrogator system

    Overseas ground and flight testing on a NATO Airborne Warning and Control System recently demonstrated that a prototype waveform designed to better distinguish friendly forces from foes did not interfere with European civilian air traffic control. This paves the way for 635th Electronic Systems

  • Airborne Early Warning Commanders' Conference attracts worldwide audience

    Commanders from around the world gathered for the Executive Multinational Airborne Early Warning Commanders' Conference June 16 and 17 at Tinker Air Force Base. The EMACC is an annual event where air force leaders from nations that operate AWACS or similar airborne early warning and control aircraft

  • Hurlburt Field unit transfers to Cannon

    Officials from the 16th Special Operations Squadron held a squadron flag-transfer ceremony here June 19 to mark the official transfer of the squadron from Hurlburt Field, Fla., to Cannon Air Force Base. "The mighty (AC-130H) Spectre has arrived," said Lt. Gen. Donald C. Wurster, the Air Force

  • Combat controllers support Northern Edge

    Air Force combat controllers are a rare breed of elite specialists who accompany U.S. ground troops to serve as a liaison between those forces and the air support they rely on. Each combat controller is a fully qualified air traffic control expert, able to manage the complex air operations above a

  • Agreement signed for integrated defense of Alaska

    Joint Task Force Alaska and 17th Coast Guard District officials signed a memorandum of understanding June 23 here to facilitate coordination of the missions under the auspices of JTF-Alaska with those performed by U.S. Coast Guard District 17. The memorandum signals a common understanding between

  • Air Force officials announce fiscal 2010 force structure realignments

    Air Force officials here announced June 26 its proposed force structure realignment for fiscal 2010. The announcement addresses the Air Force's force structure, realignment and management actions supported by the president's fiscal 2010 budget and summarizes the civilian and military personnel

  • Academy Class of 2013 arrives for inprocessing

    The 1,376 members of the U.S. Air Force Academy's Class of 2013 arrived here June 25 to begin basic cadet training. Overall, the Academy received 9,897 applications for admission into the class, with 1,667 being offered appointments. As of June 24, 1,376 had accepted appointments, including 1,097

  • Honduras airshow aids local hospital

    An international air show united aviators, air forces and Hondurans to share their love of flying to help save lives at a local hospital June 20 and 21 here. More than 30 U.S. Air Forces Southern Airmen, a KC-135 Stratotanker, two F-16 Fighting Falcons and an F-16 demonstration team deployed to the

  • Dover Airman defuses mid-air incident

    "I want to slit the captain's throat," is not what passengers want to hear an irate man, pacing up and down the aisles on an airline flight, shout over and over again. However, in the face of this peril on an international commercial flight to Italy, this is what one Dover mechanic discovered - and

  • Altus team shoots for 'A' rating at AMC rodeo

    Members of the 97th Maintenance Directorate here give great attention to the smallest details everyday, and more recently as the maintainers prepare for the 2009 Air Mobility Command Airlift Rodeo. Larry Melton, KC-135 rodeo team chief, has his crew working diligently to prepare aircraft for the

  • Asia-Pacific nations meet to discuss relief operations

    Representatives from nations throughout the Asia-Pacific region are meeting here to discuss multilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations June 23 through 27 here. The talks are part of the 2009 Pacific Rim Airpower Symposium, co-hosted this year by the Royal New Zealand Air

  • Air Force general becomes newest SOUTHCOM commander

    Gen. Douglas M. Fraser became the first-ever Air Force officer to lead U.S. Southern Command during a change-of-command ceremony June 25 at the command's headquarters here. More than 300 invited guests and military leaders attended the event, including Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Vice

  • Civil Air Patrol realigns with Holm Center

    Civil Air Patrol-U. S.Air Force realigned under the Jeanne M. Holm Center for Officer Accessions and Citizen Development in a ceremony held at the center's Leadership Hall June 11. Lt. Gen. Allen Peck, Air University commander, said the realignment is part of the evolution of Air University and

  • Bomber crews improve mission skills at Northern Edge 2009

    The 96th Bomb Squadron from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., deployed here for exercise Northern Edge 2009 to practice mission planning and war-time procedures. The 96th BS brought three B-52H Stratofortress long-range bombers to train in the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex and over the Gulf of

  • Sather AB renovates runway, paves way for Iraq's future

    Sather's runway recently underwent a major overhaul, improving the quality, capability and safety of the airfield here. Construction on the 10,830-foot runway began Dec. 27 and finished June 16, the day the airstrip re-opened. The renovations included concrete and joint repairs, rubber residue

  • Coalition forces, Kirkuk officials partner to care for bombing victims

    The bright pink soccer ball was clearly out of place on the flightline here June 22; however, it was in just the right place to begin the healing process for a 9-year-old girl atop a stretcher being carried on board a Turkish air force C-130 to be aeromedically evacuated to Ankara, Turkey. She was

  • ESC officials award contract to meet urgent need

    Electronic Systems Center officials here awarded a contract June 24 to Northrop Grumman Corp. to field and deploy an airborne communications system that provides real-time battlefield information to warfighters. The center awarded the $276 million, 18-month contract to incorporate the Battlefield

  • Photo essay: Training with a bang!

    Students in the Security Forces Basic Officers' Course attend a grenade weapons training class conducted by the 343rd Training Squadron June 18 at Camp Bullis, Texas.View the training slideshow.

  • Northern Warfare Training Center helps prepare SEALs

    A West Coast-based Navy SEAL team continued their training during Northern Edge 2009 with help from the Northern Warfare Training Center staff here June 17. The SEAL team learned and practiced several river crossing techniques to prepare them for overseas contingency operations. "The training that

  • Joint Base San Antonio moves closer toward implementation

    Representatives from the Office of the Secretary of Defense and participating branches of the service met to finalize the way ahead for Randolph Air Force Base, Lackland AFB and Fort Sam Houston during a joint basing workshop hosted by Air Education and Training Command officials June 9 through 11