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U.S. Air Force News

  • TRICARE Online and MiCare have similarities, differences

    TRICARE Online and MiCare Secure Messaging may seem to offer the same services, but there are important differences to these software tools, which are designed to enhance access to care for all military beneficiaries.

  • New interrogation system installed on AWACS, more in pipeline

    The E-3 Sentry AWACS Next Generation Identification Friend or Foe (NGIFF) program office from Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, recently completed the first installation of the new AN/UPX-40 system, which also brings new enhancements onto an operational AWACS at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma.

  • Exercise tests, demonstrates new DOD capabilities

    As a C-17 Globemaster III flown by the Air National Guard slowly made its way down the Offutt Air Force Base flightline July 23, ambulances from the Omaha Fire and Rescue Department along with other local emergency response vehicles waited just outside an aircraft parking ramp.This was all part of

  • AF Academy joins in nationwide concussion study

    Hundreds of basic cadets lined up at the U.S. Air Force Academy July 13 to help experts learn more about head trauma. Cadets are taking part in a three-year, $30 million collaboration between the Defense Department and the NCAA to study concussions. Eighteen universities in the U.S. and the military

  • Seventh WGS satellite launch successful after weather delay

    Twenty-five dedicated Space and Missile Systems Center personnel put off their mad dash to jam the streets of Los Angeles, and instead, gathered in the Gordon Conference Center at the Schriever Space Complex, California, on July 23. These active-duty and civilian employees observed the culmination

  • Jill Biden visits military families at Kadena

    Dr. Jill Biden, the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, visited Kadena Air Base July 23 to show support for military families and spread awareness for the Joining Forces Initiative.

  • Ground testing for F-35 gun conducted at Edwards AFB

    The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Integrated Test Force is in the process of testing the F-35A Lightning II’s newest munitions asset, a four-barrel Gatling gun that fires 25 mm rounds known as the GAU-22/A.

  • Marking 20 years of GPS

    The Air Force celebrated the Global Positioning System 20th anniversary during a ceremony at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C., July 17.

  • POW visits Pentagon tribute section, reminisces about hard times

    Retired Col. Leon Ellis was a prisoner of war for 1,955 days during the Vietnam War. During a July 16 visit to the Pentagon, he and his family stopped by the Air Force POW tribute section. Ellis said some painful memories flooded back about his time as a POW as he viewed the paintings.

  • Opening communication lines one note at a time

    The U.S. Air Forces Central Command band is composed of musicians who perform and tour throughout deployed locations to encourage troop morale and diplomacy and outreach to host nation communities. The band applies the healing power of music and the expression of humanity with each show.

  • Human performance team helps RPA Airmen combat stress

    As the persistent demand for remotely piloted aircraft support increases, the burden on the Airmen who fly, maintain and support these operations also increases, often leaving some people to question their abilities to continue in this stressful job.

  • AF releases first-term Airman retraining quotas

    Eligible first-term enlisted Airmen interested in retraining opportunities can review the fiscal year 2016 online retraining advisory on myPers. Air Force officials approved 1,599 fiscal 2016 first-term Airman retraining quotas in 45 Air Force specialty codes.

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: The Enola Gay

    The thought of using a nuclear weapon is a heavy one, and when the first nuclear bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, it sparked conversations all over the world. What does it mean to have nuclear power? How should it be used? All this started with one aircraft: the Enola Gay.

  • Munitions systems specialists arm the 'ultimate battle plane'

    Without the munitions systems specialists of the 1st Special Operations Equipment Maintenance Squadron, the AC-130U Spooky would have difficulty completing its close air support mission, to include supporting troops in contact, convoy escort and single point air defense.

  • Comprehensive Airman Fitness on the go

    The Wingman Toolkit, an outreach and communication tool designed to ensure Airmen have quick and easy access to the latest Comprehensive Airman Fitness programs and resources, now has a mobile app available to download.

  • Harrigian cites sustainment center’s F-35 support

    The head of the Air Force's F-35 Lightning II integration team cited the Air Force Sustainment Center's overall joint strike fighter support during a visit to the center’s headquarters at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, July 10.

  • US, South Korea pilots soar at Buddy Wing 15-6

    F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots from the 80th Fighter Squadron at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, practiced combined flying operations alongside counterparts from the South Korean air force’s 19th Fighter Wing at Jungwon AB during Buddy Wing 15-6, July 7-10.

  • Drilling activity for Honduras water well underway

    The 823rd Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron continued drilling activity for a water well July 7 in Honduras. The well is one of multiple projects taking place here as part of New Horizons, an annual humanitarian assistance exercise.

  • Airmen share aerial refueling tactics with Royal Australian AF

    U.S. Air Force members demonstrated forward aerial refueling tactics with Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force personnel July 8 during Talisman Sabre 2015. The training demonstration helped provide Australian forces with the knowledge to establish similar capabilities for their future

  • Andrews awarded for installation excellence

    Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced July 6 that Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is one of five recipients of the Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence.

  • US takes partnerships to new heights

    U.S. Air Force and Army counterparts joined together with service members from nine allied countries to participate in International Jump Week at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, July 6-10.

  • Jackson speaks on way ahead for Air Force Reserve

    The head of Air Force Reserve Command discussed the Reserve’s future role in F-35 Lightning II maintenance manning, along with other initiatives July 7. Lt. Gen. James F. Jackson spoke at the Air Force Association’s monthly breakfast at the Key Bridge Marriott in Arlington, Virginia.

  • 40th HS makes rescue during Independence Day weekend

    A UH-1N Iroquois crew assigned to the 40th Helicopter Squadron here rescued an injured female hiker in the Big Horn Mountain Range roughly 15 miles west of Buffalo, Wyoming, July 5 at approximately 5:20 a.m.

  • Blast from the past: Last M117 bomb dropped near Guam coast

    Airmen from the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron -- with the help of 36th Munitions Squadron Airmen -- dropped the final M117 air-dropped general purpose bomb in the Pacific Air Force's inventory June 26 on an uninhabited island off the coast of Guam.

  • Pave Hawk maintainers keep rescue birds flying

    Airmen assigned to the 41st Expeditionary Helicopter Maintenance Unit here constantly work maintaining HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters so that the combat rescue mission in Afghanistan can be a success if and when it is needed.

  • 5,000 days of war

    It’s been 5,000 days of struggle, rugged landscapes, blood and sweat. It’s been 5,000 days of exhaustion, injuries, and long separations from family, friends and home. On June 27, the 17th Special Tactics Squadron marked 5,000 days of unremitting war.

  • Fuels Airmen, Marines support Northern Edge

    During exercise Northern Edge 2015, approximately 450,000 gallons of fuel per day kept nearly 60 aircraft at Eielson Air Force Base, fueled up and flying the skies over Alaska to accomplish critical joint training.

  • Upgraded AWACS platform tested at Northern Edge

    Calmly soaring at 30,000 feet in the midst of nearly 100 fighters, bombers and refueling tankers executing a battle scenario, an E-3G Sentry (AWACS) surveys every aircraft in a 300-mile radius, calling out commands, verifying target hits and sending aircraft back home safely.

  • AFSC merger ensures airborne situational awareness

    With the fiscal constraints recently seen in the Air Force, many changes have taken place to safeguard the survivability of missions and career fields. Some of those changes came in the form of career-field mergers, especially within the career enlisted aviator specialties.

  • Sparks fly in metal technology shop

    Sparks fly as Airmen help pieces of metal take form. These Airmen sometimes create something from nothing or improve necessary equipment for squadrons to continue their daily tasks.

  • Test flight completed after F-35B modifications

    The Ogden Air Logistics Complex completed an F-35B Lightning II functional check flight at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, June 18, after the first depot-level short take off and vertical landing modifications were completed on two F-35Bs for the Marine Corps.

  • Fairchild engineers save AF nearly $8 million

    Balancing today's readiness with tomorrow's modernization isn't an easy task, but the 92nd Civil Engineer Squadron at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, figured out a way to do it and saved $8 million along the way.

  • Hot maintenance

    Carrying out maintenance on Dover Air Force Base’s fleet of C-5M Super Galaxies and C-17A Globemaster IIIs can be challenging at times, but extreme heat and humidity can add additional challenges during the summer months.

  • Balancing career, family through career intermission program

    Being in the U.S. military can be a tough balance between career and family. For some, it comes down to a choice between the two; however, for Katie Evans, a temporarily separated captain and the former 18th Force Support Squadron manpower and personnel flight commander here, it's about keeping

  • All colors fade to mud

    Marines and Airmen crawled and carried one another through the pouring rain, and as their tan and green uniforms got covered with mud, the service members looked like the joint fighting force that they are.

  • US, Polish air forces participate in Ramstein Guard

    The Air Force, along with its Polish counterparts, participated in NATO exercise Ramstein Guard with the first F-16 Fighting Falcon flights from the South Carolina Air National Guard, and the 32nd Tactical Wing here June 15.

  • GPS: A generation of service to the world

    Nearly 40 years ago, the Air Force launched the first GPS satellite, dubbed Navstar. But even the most visionary of those people involved with the first launch probably couldn’t have guessed how much GPS would eventually impact the world.

  • AFSOUTH Airmen visit orphans, deliver gifts to those in need

    Up a winding mountain road through the mountains of Honduras, about an hour outside the city of Tegucigalpa, is the town of Casa de Corderitos, a small community of orphaned and neglected children. This is where Airmen from 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) decided to spend some of their downtime

  • Raptors bring intimidation to exercise Northern Edge

    Its wide muzzle, short black broad nose with large nostrils and deep-set, dark eyes grimace intimidation across the patch on the right shoulder of the pilot boarding his aircraft while preparing to engage an enemy in the joint interoperability environment that is Northern Edge 2015.

  • AFSOUTH paves way to increase capabilities in Honduras

    A five-member assessment team from 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, and the 571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron at Travis AFB, California, traveled to Honduras June 15-19 to perform a three-day capabilities assessment at several Honduran air bases

  • AFRL bio-signature research may save firefighters' lives

    Imagine facing down a raging fire, up close, with little or no time to save lives and protect property; hauling 75-pound hoses up multiple flights of stairs; carrying victims out and repeatedly putting your life on the line. Then imagine doing it nearly every day. It’s an extreme job and the

  • Confinement: Behind the bars

    Working as a confinement supervisor has challenges most Airmen never experience. For the ones who do accomplish this mission, they are in the business of rehabilitating people and helping set them on the right track to succeed in life.

  • USAF Weapons School JTAC graduates to receive hallowed patches

    When the first five graduates of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School’s Joint Terminal Attack Controller Weapons Instructor Course receive their diplomas during the school’s class 15-A graduation June 27, they will also be awarded the coveted graduate patch of the USAFWS and enter into an elite group

  • Anatolian Eagle 15 concludes

    Anatolian Eagle 15, a joint training exercise between the Turkish and U.S. air forces, concluded in Konya, Turkey, June 18.

  • Northern Edge 2015 fills the skies

    Approximately 200 military aircraft filled the skies above Alaska June 15, signifying the start of the joint training exercise, Northern Edge 2015.

  • Malmstrom chaplain named Air Force's CGO Chaplain of Year

    Chaplain (Capt.) Keith Manry, a 341st Missile Wing chaplain, was recently recognized as the Air Force Chaplain Corps Company Grade Officer Chaplain of the Year for 2014. He was recognized for his work at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, and while deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

  • New acquisition process awards contracts in weeks

    A new government open architecture acquisition process that can award contracts in weeks instead of years was tested at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, June 8-11. The process, called PlugFest, is an interactive industry event where companies get to “plug-in” to a given open system architecture

  • Maintenance key to combat airpower mission

    Maintainers deployed to the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing from their home station at Aviano Air Base, Italy, are always at work maintaining a squadron of combat-ready F-16 Fighting Falcons.

  • Weapons safety ensures ICBM effectiveness

    The 90th Missile Wing's mission is to defend America with the world's premier combat ready intercontinental ballistic missile force, and ensuring the safe execution of the mission is the prime focus of the 90th MW Safety Office.

  • Men’s Health Month

    Each June, a congressional health education program is promoted to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.

  • Communication Airmen hardwire Baltops mission

    In support of Baltic Operations 2015 June 5-20, a team of Airmen from the 1st Combat Communications Squadron deployed to Powidz Air Base, and were charged with the responsibility of maintaining all communication requirements for the Air Force at the installation.

  • PACANGEL efforts end in Papua New Guinea

    Pacific Angel 15-4 officially ended June 8 after seven days of civic assistance projects that provided medical care for 3,859 patients, refurbished three schools for 3,000 students and helped two local hospitals overhaul their ability to respond to emergencies.

  • AF takes to the skies for Baltops 2015

    The Air Force, along with its Polish counterparts, officially kicked off Powidz Air Base's portion of Baltic Operations 2015 with the first KC-135 Stratotanker flight from the 507th Air Refueling Wing here June 8.

  • 15 nations assemble to improve force development

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa hosted 14 allied and partner nations June 2-4, for the inaugural International Professional Military Development (PMD) Symposium in Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

  • Gaming research laboratory debuts new website

    The Gaming Research Integration for Learning Laboratory (GRILL) team recently relaunched an updated version of their website with more information on the program. The site has information about GRILL research projects along with information regarding opportunities for high school, undergraduate, and

  • Silent Sentry meets a decade of interstellar combat support

    Operation Silent Sentry was part of a proof of concept system in 2005. Back then, several Airmen were deployed to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, for 120 days. The mission was to test the capabilities of a new defensive counter-space system in support of joint warfighters in the area of responsibility and

  • Alcohol consumption slow road to nowhere

    The long warm days of summer invite celebration, recreation and relaxation as residents hurry to cram in all their outdoor activities before the cold, dark winter arrives and drives everyone back inside.One familiar attendee to outdoor social gatherings is alcohol. While many choose not to partake

  • Eagle Eyes vital to spotting danger

    The Air Force Office of Special Investigation administers an Air Force-wide program called Eagle Eyes. It's an anti-terrorism initiative that teaches individuals how to identify and report possible terrorist activity. The program provides a 24-hour hotline, allowing information to be reported as

  • Djibouti, Kentucky National Guard sign partnership agreement

    In a historic first for East Africa, representatives from the Kentucky National Guard (KNG) and the Djiboutian Armed Forces (FAD) ratified a state partnership agreement in a signing ceremony held at the Kempinski Hotel in Djibouti City, June 2.

  • Countries converge for PACANGEL Papua New Guinea

    A six-nation Pacific Angel 15-4 team arrived June 1 in the Eastern Highlands province of Papua New Guinea. The PACANGEL team – made up of doctors, dentists, plumbers and planners from Papua New Guinea, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Indonesia -- tumbled out of trucks in

  • Fairchild, McConnell tankers fuel NORAD exercise

    A tanker task force assembled from the 92nd Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, and the 22nd ARW from McConnell AFB, Kansas, joined approximately 300 military personnel and 15 aircraft in exercise Amalgam Dart 15-2 May 26-June 1.

  • Special Operations Forces commemorate liberation of France

    In the first events commemorating the 71st anniversary of the liberation of France, Special Operations Command Europe operators performed military free falls into U.N. designated world heritage site in Mont Saint-Michel, and participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the World War II Pontorson

  • Kunsan hosts Buddy Wing 15-4

    The 8th Fighter Wing is hosting members from the South Korean air force's 123rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Wing at Seosan Air Base, South Korea, to participate in exercise Buddy Wing 15-4 here June 1-5.

  • Maintaining the vehicles that move the mission

    Imagine unloading 60,000 pounds of cargo by hand. Aircraft missions, personnel movements and supply distributions would come to a screeching halt. The time and resources necessary to accomplish such a task would be detrimental to the mission.

  • Creech Airman resurrects AGE equipment, saves AF thousands

    With the phrase "do more with less" in the forefront of the minds of today's Airmen, the obligation to save money is still a top priority.For Tech. Sgt. Kasey Hollinger, a 432nd Maintenance Squadron aerospace ground equipment craftsman, it was this priority that inspired him to try and complete the

  • French air force visit strengthens partnership

    Since its standup in 2009, Air Force Global Strike Command has worked to build and maintain a strong relationship with its allies in the French air forces.In continuing that partnership, Lt. Gen. Philippe Steininger, the commander of the French air force's Strategic Air Forces Command, along with a

  • Running on High Octane: POL fuels support, combat operations

    It’s 9 a.m. and even though it’s already 100 degrees outside, the temperature continues to climb.Chatter comes across the radio for a fuel request and Airman 1st Class Arnaldo, a fuels distribution operator, wipes the sweat off his face, hops into his R-12 Refueler and heads to the flightline. To