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U.S. Air Force News

  • Fairchild helicopter crew rescues fallen hiker

    Members of the 36th Rescue Flight here rescued a stranded 20-year-old hiker Nov. 11 about 20 miles south of Missoula, Mont. Local emergency responders were unable to rescue the man due to the hazardous terrain; therefore the 36th RQF UH-1N Huey flew to the site and lowered an independent-duty

  • Servicemembers deliver medical relief following storm

    A medical team from Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, set up a makeshift clinic to provide medical relief to the local population Nov. 13 from a school here following the destruction caused by Tropical Storm Noel to the region. As of Nov. 12, American and British aircrews had delivered more than 241,000

  • Honor Guard drill team performs for special-needs students

    Though the usual cheering and applause was muted, the excitement was palpable as the Air Force Honor Guard drill team performed for a special audience Nov. 8 in Las Vegas. The drill team, in Las Vegas to perform for the Air Force's 60th Anniversary Air Force Week at Nellis Air Force Base, put on a

  • Kunsan Airmen show Thanksgiving spirit with South Koreans

    Kunsan Air Base members hosted approximately 60 disabled South Koreans for a traditional Thanksgiving meal here Nov. 10. More than 20 volunteers from the Kunsan AB Company Grade Officers Council, Team 5/6 and other volunteers from across the 8th Fighter Wing hosted the South Koreans for a day of

  • Technical sergeant in business of saving a life ... twice

    Being able to save a life is amazing, but having the opportunity to save the life of the same person twice, is remarkable. Tech. Sgt. Mari Navarro, NCO in charge of military personnel field activities for the manpower, personnel and services directorate at Air Force Space Command here, already saved

  • U.S. Southern Command delivers supplies to victims of Noel

    A C-130 Hercules, under the direction of U.S. Southern Command, delivered 27 crates of potable water to San Isidro Air Base in the Dominican Republic for distribution to victims impacted by Tropical Storm Noel Nov. 3. The C-130 relief sortie, supported by the Puerto Rico Air National Guard,

  • Injured servicemembers get away from hospital to fish

    A bad day fishing is a whole lot better than a good day at work, said one Soldier here. For 38 injured servicemembers from the Warrior Transition Unit from the Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, a day of free fishing meant a day away from treatment to have some fun on this south

  • JTF-Bravo deploys to support Tropical Storm Noel relief

    A team of 19 Airmen and Soldiers and two helicopters from Joint Task Force Bravo departed here Nov. 5 heading for the Dominican Republic to assist with recovery efforts in the wake of Tropical Storm Noel. The 19 servicemembers and two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters were loaded on a C-5 Galaxy from the

  • Airmen visit Tok Mok orphanage

    Candy and chocolates are quickly eaten, toys and games eventually lose pieces or break, and clothes and shoes are outgrown over time. But the one gift all of these material things bring that lasts a lot longer, perhaps even a lifetime, is the knowledge that somebody genuinely cared enough to help

  • Pachyderm PCS: Elephant finds new home courtesy of Air Force

    As the sun crested over the foothills of San Andreas, Calif., and the compound's gate opened, she knew she was home. Maggie, the Alaska Zoo's only elephant, arrived at the Performing Animal Welfare Society's ARK 2000 Wildlife Sanctuary Nov. 2, exiting her crate some 15 hours after leaving

  • Operation Maggie Migration: a mammoth mission

    Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, and Travis AFB, Calif., took part in the transport of an unusual traveler Nov. 1 -- possibly their largest airlift passenger ever. Maggie the elephant arrived at Travis for a quick stop before being transported to her final destination at the Performing Animal

  • Operation Maggie Migration flies elephant to California

    The Air Force is flying Maggie, a 25-year-old African elephant, from the Alaska Zoo to her new home in California on a C-17 Globemaster III. Maggie will start her Air Force journey at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska and finish it at Travis AFB, Calif., on Nov. 1. Officials with the Alaska Zoo and

  • Airmen deliver donations to Rwandan orphanage

    Coloring books, soccer balls and tennis shoes along with other donations were delivered by Airmen to an orphanage in Kigali, Rwanda, Oct. 27. The donations were delivered by Airmen from the 86th Contingency Response Group, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and C-17 Globemaster III aircrews from Charleston

  • Global Hawk, U-2 capture essential wildfires images

    Throughout the week Air Forces Northern tasked specialized aircraft to provide firefighting commanders and civil authorities with photos and video of Southern California wildfires. Among the aircraft were the RQ-4 Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and U-2 Dragon Lady from Beale Air Force Base,

  • Firefighting aircrews face unique challenges

    The military crews in the planes dropping fire retardant on wildfire flames in southern California face hazards and challenges unique to their humanitarian mission. First is the low altitude at which they fly and the sudden, violent updrafts and downdrafts caused by the heat of the fire. Factor in

  • Vandenberg firefighters extend helping hand

    Vandenberg Air Force Base firefighters answered the call for help in the Southern California area as more than 26 fires that have burned more than 1,800 homes and 550,000 acres in late October.  In a whirlwind of smoke, flame and ash, more than 1,800 homes and 550,000 acres have burned, but

  • Airmen continue fight on Southern California wildfires

    Four specially equipped Modular Airborne Firefighting System C-130 Hercules aircraft joined the massive firefighting effort in Southern California Oct. 23 and continue to fly missions as weakening winds allowed an aerial assault on the state's destructive wildfires. Since Oct. 24, the Air National

  • Air Force to fly elephant from Alaska to California

    Air Force members will fly Maggie, a 25-year-old African elephant at the Alaska Zoo, on a C-17 Globemaster IIIs cargo aircraft to her new home in California Nov. 1. Maggie will fly from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, to Travis AFB, Calif., aboard the Alaskan-based C-17. Officials with the Alaska

  • Beale Airmen, ISR assets support California wildfires

    Members of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing are currently flying U-2 and Global Hawk surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft and collecting high-altitude imagery of the wildfires in Southern California in support of the U.S. Air Force Northern Command's mission there. A U-2 from Beale Air Force Base

  • Altus supports California firefighting

    A C-17 Globemaster III crew from the 97th Air Mobility Wing here mobilized Oct. 24 to airlift firefighting equipment and personnel to California in support of ongoing efforts to control the wildfires there. "We flew to San Antonio to pick up (Army) Maj. Gen. Thomas Matthews, commander of Operations

  • Mobile surgical team trains under cover of darkness

    In the middle of a seemingly deserted field shrouded in darkness, a once vacant spot of grass became home to a fully functioning operating room Oct. 18 here. Under the cover of night, using little more than flashlights and carefully coordinated teamwork, Joint Task Force-Bravo Medical Element's

  • Kabul Airman brings gifts, smiles to local children

    Thanks to the efforts of an Airman deployed to Kabul International Airport and supporters back in the United States, 47 local youth soccer players are now a little better equipped.Master Sgt. William Whitt, a fuels mentor with the Air Corps Advisors Group here, worked with his wife, Lea-Ellen Whitt,

  • Air Force Reserve unit deploys to fight California fires

    Two Air Force Reserve Command firefighting C-130 Hercules aircraft left Oct. 23 to help battle the raging wildfires in Southern California. The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, requested Department of Defense assistance in fighting the fires which put the wheels in motion for the

  • AFNORTH deploys air coordination team to California

    Air Forces Northern officials are deploying an air component coordination element to support firefighting operations in Southern California. The air component coordination element, or ACCE, is an Air Force team designed to perform the command and control function for Air Force assets supporting the

  • Airmen help Afghans stand up flight medicine clinic

    Like many Airmen around the world, Maj. Mical Kupke's day starts with a brief meeting to plan out the day's events. But that's where the similarity ends. The flight surgeon and her team's day involves mentoring members of the Afghan national army air corps in the field of flight medicine and

  • Herculean support for California fires

    Wyoming Air National Guard maintainers prepare a C-130 Hercules for firefighting missions Oct. 23 in Cheyenne, Wyo. Fires have ravaged Southern California forcing more than 500,000 people from their homes as the president has declared a federal emergency for seven counties in the state. The orange

  • Reserve C-130s helping fight California fires

    Air Force Reserve Command's 302nd Airlift Wing here has launched two firefighting C-130 Hercules aircraft to battle the raging wildfires in southern California. Two additional C-130s also are going to support the operation. National Interagency Fire Center officials in Boise, Idaho, requested

  • Medics provide care in Honduran villages

    Airmen and Soldiers from the Joint Task Force-Bravo Medical Element provided care for residents of seven Honduran villages Oct. 19 and 20, with aid ranging from preventative medicine to dental procedures. Overall, this medical readiness training mission, or MEDRETE, educated 785 Hondurans on

  • Military personnel, assets help to battle California fires

    Military personnel and assets are helping out in the most serious outbreak of wildfires in California in years. California National Guard and California-based active duty personnel are providing some of the muscle needed to contain the fires, which have driven more than 300,000 people from their

  • Band members, Kyrgyz babushkas share music

    Members of the U.S. Central Command Air Forces band, "Desert Ramblers," were treated to an impromptu show themselves on Oct. 19. The Desert Ramblers, a five-person ensemble that plays traditional and contemporary Celtic music, wrapped up a three-day visit here where they performed seven shows,

  • Servicemembers deliver food to Honduran mountain village

    Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors from Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, hiked Comayagua Mountain to deliver approximately 450 pounds of food to citizens in the remote Bella Vista village Oct. 20. The hike, rated as "physically challenging" by its organizers, took approximately four hours as the

  • Air Force assists in Darfur troop movement

    Airmen from the 786th Air Expeditionary Squadron, along with two C-17 Globemaster IIIs and aircrews from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., provided airlift for 400 Rwandan soldiers Oct. 20 who are supporting the African Union peacekeeping mission in the Darfur region of Sudan. This is the seventh

  • Airmen help airlift donated goods into Iraq, Nicaragua

    Airmen from the 446th Airlift Wing here helped send 100 pediatric wheelchairs to Iraq and a fire truck to Nicaragua Oct. 5 as part of a humanitarian mission in support of the Denton Program. The McChord Air Force Base Reserve aircrew flew all of the assets on board a C-17 Globemaster III to

  • Today's finest teach tomorrow's pilots

    Three local children diagnosed with serious illnesses suited up and jumped into the cockpit of an F-15 Eagle during the "Pilot for a Day" event here Oct. 2. The 95th Fighter Squadron hosted the children and their families for a fun-filled event allowing them to experienced a day in the life of an

  • Air Force helicopter crew rescues man injured in wilderness

    A helicopter crew dispatched from the 36th Rescue Flight here successfully rescued a 77-year-old man critically injured Oct. 2 in the Selway Wilderness near Mink Peak, Idaho. At approximately 5 p.m. Oct. 1, members of the 36th RQF dispatched a UH-1N Huey to the coordinates provided via satellite

  • Manas Airmen honor village elderly

    Airmen from Manas Air Base handed out gift packages Oct. 1 to senior citizens in nearby Oktyabra'skoe Village as part of Kyrgyzstan's recognition of World Elders' Day. World Elder's Day, or Elderly Day, is set aside to honor older citizens each year Oct. 1, and this year the Oktyabra'skoe Village,

  • Servicemembers make mountain trek to deliver food

    What started as a small group of friends wanting to explore the Comayagua Mountain Valley in Honduras quickly grew to a large group of servicemembers on a hike for a "higher power."A group of approximately 55 military volunteers delivered 450 pounds of donated dry goods, consisting of items such as

  • Bagram Airman makes difference on 2 fronts

    An Airman deployed to Bagram Air Base is not only making a difference in the war on terrorism, but also in his Louisiana hometown. Tech. Sgt. Bruce BeeJay Johnson, an information manager from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and deployed with the 755th Air Expeditionary Group, has been positively

  • PRTs help rebuild Afghanistan, one road at a time

    A joint effort between the Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team based here and local Afghan villagers led to the opening of a new road Sept. 14 in Bagram District. Brig. Gen. James W. Hyatt, the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, was on hand to mark the ribbon cutting for a new three-kilometer

  • Donation provides fun for Djibouti boy's orphanage

    Country desk officers don't normally get away from their desks to assist with the humanitarian aid work that occurs on a daily basis at Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. Sept. 13 was a unique day for a couple of them as they spent some time kicking donated soccer balls around with children

  • Donation used to teach valuable job skills to Djibouti women

    The Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa Chaplain's Office participated in the Navy's Operation Hand Clasp and delivered a sewing machine, clothing material, pens and spiral notebooks to students Sept. 10 at the Union National of the Djibouti Women here.The donation, which will be used to teach

  • Djibouti schoolchildren offered brighter future

    Officials from Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 6 dedicating new educational facilities for the schoolchildren of Balbala, Djibouti. Projects for the Balbala and Goubetto primary schools were handed-over during the dedication ceremony to the local

  • Air Force continues search for missing adventurer

    Air Force Rescue Coordination Center officials here continue to provide critical search and rescue support in the multistate effort to find Steve Fossett, an adventurer missing since Sept. 3. The extensive coordination and support effort includes coordination with officials from across the United

  • SOUTHCOM deploys disaster assessment team to Nicaragua

    A nine-member disaster assessment team and an Army CH-47 Chinook from Joint Task Force-Bravo based at Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras, deployed to Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, Sept. 5 to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Felix. The team is comprised of engineering, communications and medics. The

  • Assessment teams gear up to respond to Felix

    Soto Cano Air Base assessment teams are currently loading up equipment in preparation to deploy to countries affected by Hurricane Felix. Felix left a trail of devastation in areas of Nicaragua and Honduras yesterday, killing at least four people and destroying 5,000 homes, according to the U.S.

  • Balad collects first in-house plasma donation

    Donating platelets is a way of life for some Airmen and Soldiers here. Once a month, these volunteers stop by the donation center at the Air Force Theater Hospital, hop into a chair and sit for up to two hours while platelets are removed from their blood. One Airman recently became the first plasma

  • USTRANSCOM ready for worst hurricanes can muster

    As Hurricane Dean converged on the Gulf of Mexico in August, members of the U.S. Transportation Command were prepared for the worst its winds could muster. In support of United States Northern Command, aeromedical capabilities such as personnel and equipment were forward -deployed to Texas, and a

  • McChord C-17 crew flies medevac mission out of Antarctica

    Airmen of the 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron flew a C-17 Globemaster III on a medical evacuation mission to bring a patient requiring immediate medical attention Aug. 28 out of Antarctica. Twenty-four hours after completing their winter fly-in season for Operation Deep Freeze, 304th EAS Airmen

  • DJs go to Guam to thank Cannon Airmen again

    Two radio personalities from New Mexico came to Guam bearing greetings, letters and gifts from families and friends to say "thanks again" to Airmen of the 522nd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron deployed here from Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.The two disc jockeys, Steve Rooney and Duffy Moon, of the

  • Manas Top 3 Council swings into action in Kyrgyzstan

    What do you get when you combine 11 Airmen, a swing set and about 60 children? A recipe for success. Members from the Manas Air Base Top Three Council delivered a swing set to the Umut-Nadjeshda Children's Rehabilitation Center Aug. 20 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Officials from the U.S.

  • Small meds make big impact in Afghan village

    Provincial Reconstruction Team Qalat members left many Afghan villagers with a healthier outlook on life after an Aug. 22 village medical outreach in this remote region of Zabul Province in Afghanistan. Nearly 200 people were seen by medics assigned to PRT Qalat and other military units stationed in

  • Offutt agency provides supplies to school

    Five members of the Air Force Weather Agency here delivered more than 200 pounds of school supplies Aug. 23 to Indian Hill Elementary School students in Omaha, Neb. Staff Sgt. Kenyatta Williams, the assistant NCO in charge of net-centric database management and data routing for the Air Force Weather

  • Big month for small Alaskan town

    August marked a big month for the citizens of a little town in Alaska as military members will finish the Operation Alaskan Road project Aug. 31 in Metlakatla, Alaska.The Metlakatla Indian Community hosted a dedication ceremony Aug. 6 honoring the military for their commitment to complete the

  • Mildenhall Airmen showcase Air Force in Russia

    American pilots, aircrew and maintainers from the 100th Air Refueling Wing from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, are on display Aug. 21 to 26 at the Moscow International Air Show in Russia. RAF Mildenhall Airmen have just one of a number of U.S. Air Force aircraft participating in the

  • Travis Airmen grant child's wish

    The 6th Air Refueling Squadron granted a local boy's wish by making him a "Pilot for a Day" in the U.S. Air Force. Mitchell Louie, of San Carlos, Calif., who is battling gliolastoma spinal cancer, got the chance to become a KC-10 Extender pilot Aug. 20 as part of the Pilot for a Day program. The

  • Commands meet challenges of multiple, diverse missions

    The two military commands charged with defending the homeland have also answered the nation's call in August  for humanitarian and space missions.The commands' officials supported the launch and landing of Space Shuttle Endeavour, provide divers to assist in underwater recovery efforts in

  • Assessment team arrives in Belize

    Approximately 20 Soldiers and Airmen from Joint Task Force-Bravo at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, deployed here as part of an initial assessment team following Hurricane Dean Aug 21. The team members were transported via three Army helicopters. The team is made up of a security detail, medics,

  • SOUTHCOM deploys damage assessment team to Belize

    Approximately 25 Airmen and Soldiers, two CH-47 Chinook helicopters and a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from U.S. Southern Command's Joint Task Force-Bravo here deployed to Belize today to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Dean. The assessment team will bring various people to evaluate the amount

  • Servicemembers treat 1,300 patients in Peru

    Members of Joint Task Force-Bravo's medical disaster relief task force continue to supply medical assistance to the citizens of Pisco, Peru, following an 8.0 magnitude earthquake that struck the region Aug. 15. Medical team members deployed from Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, have treated more than

  • Texas National Guard ready for Hurricane Dean strike

    About 4,700 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen, most of them from Texas, are making final preparations Aug. 20 for a rapid response should Hurricane Dean strike the Texas coast the end of August. Another 5,000 Texas Soldiers and Airmen are poised for activation should Texas Gov. Rick Perry deem it

  • NORTHCOM ready to help save lives

    U.S. Northern Command officials continue to monitor the progress of Hurricane Dean and are working closely with the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Guard and the state of Texas on hurricane response preparations. "While we remain fully engaged

  • Pease Airmen provide a day to remember

    Airmen hosted an air show here for special-needs children Aug. 17 in advance of the Pease Air National Guard Base's air show Aug. 18 and 19. The event, which included a drill team performance, music and a front-row view of numerous aerial acts, gave children with disabilities or special

  • Task force treats more than 500 Peruvian patients

    Medical personnel from Joint Task Force-Bravo at Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras saw more than 500 patients here Aug. 18 and 19 -- including more than 200 in the first three hours of operation -- and expect to see many more in the next week. The medical team deployed from Soto Cano the morning of

  • USNORTHCOM supports Hurricane Dean operations

    U.S. Northern Command is closely monitoring Hurricane Dean's progress and continues to respond to requests for Department of Defense support in preparation for landfall. USNORTHCOM has deployed the following personnel to support the federal response: -- The Region X Defense Coordinating Officer, or

  • Pope aerovac squadron deploys for Hurricane Dean

    More than 40 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron Airmen deployed at 11:30  a.m. Aug. 19 to Brownsville, Texas, to set up a Mobile Aeromedical Staging Facility at the Brownsville airport in support of Hurricane Dean evacuations.The team left on a C-17 Globemaster III from Charleston AFB, S.C. 

  • F-22 demo team inspires at children's hospital

    Upon arriving at La Rabida Children's Hospital on Chicago's lakeshore Aug. 15, members of the Air Force's F-22 Raptor demonstration team noticed an immediate mood change in the air. The specialty hospital, which holistically treats more than 9,000 children annually, was one of the first places the

  • Soto Cano task force arrives in Peru

    A team of Airmen and Soldiers from Joint Task Force-Bravo at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, arrived here Aug. 17 to provide medical care to those suffering in the aftermath of an 8.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated the region Aug. 15. The task force is the first American force to touch down in

  • SOUTHCOM alerts additional medics for Peru relief

    A 14-person Air Force medical team, consisting of six doctors, a physician's assistant, a pharmacist and medical technicians, will depart Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Aug. 18 en route to Ica, Peru to assist residents affected by the 8.0 magnitude earthquake Aug. 15. The medical readiness team

  • Soto Cano team responds to Peru earthquake

    Approximately 30 Soldiers and Airmen departed here Aug. 17 in support of relief efforts following the Aug. 15 earthquake near Lima, Peru. The task force, composed of a mobile surgery team, communications specialists and a small security detail, departed the base aboard a C-130J assigned to the

  • U.S. military women reach out to Djiboutian women

    U.S. military women attached to Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa visited the girls' orphanage Aug. 15 in Djibouti City. During the visit, the servicemembers taught the female students the "Alphabet Song," how to count to 10, how to say and spell certain words and how to introduce

  • SOUTHCOM medics respond to Peru quake relief efforts

     A joint U.S. military mobile surgical team from Joint Task Force-Bravo, based at Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras, deployed to Peru Aug. 17 as part of U.S. Southern Command's response to an 8.0 magnitude earthquake that struck the South American nation Aug. 15. The deployment follows a disaster

  • Malmstrom Airmen rescue injured hiker on mountain peak

    A UH-1N "Huey" helicopter crew assigned to the 40th Helicopter Squadron here, rescued an injured hiker Aug. 10 near Cook City, Mont., just north of the Montana-Wyoming border. The rescue, executed at approximately 9,000 feet, raises the unit's total number of "saves" to 369 and marks its fourth

  • No mountain too high, no bridge too far for Afghan PRT

    Whether crawling over dirt mounds to inspect a school, hiking mountains 9,000 feet above sea level or handing out stuffed animals, members of the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team are pushing progress in Afghanistan. "It's a very unique job," said Lt. Col. Christopher Luedtke, PRT commander

  • Air Force medics provide care aboard Navy hospital ship

    A team of more than 60 Air Force medics is in South America participating in a four-month joint Medical Readiness Training Exercise aboard the USNS Comfort hospital ship. The medical team, along with Latin American and Caribbean health officials, is providing free medical treatment to underserved

  • Afghan police seize weapons cache with Airmen support

    Members of the Afghan National Police recently took control of a weapons cache discovered by the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team during a construction site inspection here recently. It's a perfect example of the teamwork occurring between the Afghans and the Americans working in this region

  • Airmen trek over mountains to deliver aid in Afghanistan

    Trekking more than four hours over mountain ridges and valleys, 19 members of the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team delivered medical and humanitarian aid Aug. 7 to people living in Roydara, a village set deep in a valley in Afghanistan. The group, made mostly of Airmen, as well as Soldiers,

  • Rock band reaches out to Djiboutian villages

    The U. S. Central Command Air Forces Expeditionary band "Thunder Roll" entertained audiences in local villages around Djibouti City during their summer concert series in Africa Aug. 8 to 10. Their stops included the villages of Hol Hol and Danerjog. The CENTAF band deployed to the area of operations

  • Air National Guard assists with Utah mining rescue

    Air National Guard members airlifted a critical piece of equipment Aug. 9 in Salt Lake City to assist with rescue operations for six Utah miners, who have been trapped deep inside the earth since the Crandall Canyon Coal Mine collapsed Aug. 6.Within hours of receiving the request for help from Utah

  • Chernobyl children's group visits RAF Lakenheath

    More than 20 Belarusian children huddled around a 494th Fighter Squadron pilot Aug. 3, staring curiously at an F-15E Strike Eagle. "Where does the fuel go?" asked one child through his interpreter. "Can the missiles fire while the plane is on the ground?" asked another. For most of these children,

  • Airman's fight-back bravery earns him Bronze Star

    Whenever Senior Airman Phillip King looks at his medal, he is reminded of Aug. 8, 2006. That was the day Airman King, through his brave actions, earned the Bronze Star Medal with Valor. Col. Bryan Gallagher, 95th Air Base Wing commander, presented the medal to him during a ceremony here July 30.

  • NCO's training proves worth for accident victims

    An NCO attending a deployment training course at Fort Eustis, Va., became a hero recently when she used her self-aid and buddy care experience to tend to several people injured in an automobile accident. Staff Sgt. Brenda Johnson, the 8th Air Force manpower and personnel readiness NCO in charge

  • Manas helpers receive a little help themselves

    The two main Manas Air Base community service organizations received some assistance of their own Aug. 4, with a $10,000 donation. The Royal Exodus Colonial Club donated $5,000 each to the Manas Air Base Outreach Society and the Manas Service Organization. The Royal Exodus Colonial Club is a leisure

  • Airmen cross cultures, generations with babushka visit

    They are from different continents and generations but, if only for a few hours, Manas Airmen brought joy and smiles to six babushkas during lunch July 27 at a restaurant in nearby Bishkek, Kyrgystan.These six "grandmothers" are part of the Babushka Adoption Foundation in Bishkek, one of the groups

  • Air Force medics take medical mission to Bolivia

    U.S. Southern Command officials recently deployed more than 30 Air Force medics to Bolivia to participate in a two-week long Medical Readiness Training Exercise. Air Force medics, working with Bolivian health officials, provided free, medical treatment to underserved populations in Bolivia while

  • Joint servicemembers convoy supplies to Afghan refugees

    Dozens of joint servicemembers delivered clothing and supplies to an Afghan refugee camp near Kabul July 27 as part of a volunteer community relations program offered by the garrison chaplains at Camp Eggers. Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan members delivered a truck full of

  • Humanitarian team returns from Pacific mission

    A team of approximately 50 medical, dental and civil engineer servicemembers returned to Hickam Air Force Base July 28 after completing a mission to provide civil assistance and training to local residents of three Pacific islands. The team of Airmen, Sailors and Soldiers departed Hickam AFB for the

  • Wing answers call for help for missing divers

    Airmen of the 920th Rescue Wing here answered the call for help in search of a missing diver off the coast of Port Canaveral, Fla., July 26, while earlier in the day rescue crews aided in the successful rescue of another diver. HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter crews from the Air Force Reserve Command's

  • Luke Airmen assist in roll-over rescue

    Two Luke Air Force Base sergeants were identified as instrumental in rescue efforts after four local youths found themselves in an overturned truck in a wash near the Phoenix International Raceway July 26. Working in their off-duty time at the Phoenix International Raceway, Tech. Sgt. James Orsund

  • Reservist helps fellow firefighters in Nauru

    A reservist used his civilian job connections in addition to his Air Force training to make life better for the people living on the island of Nauru in the South Pacific during a U.S. Pacific Command humanitarian mission there July 20 through 30. Master Sgt. Paul Melkers, a Reserve flight medic with

  • Commander visits Japan earthquake relief team

    Lt. Gen. Bruce Wright, U.S. Forces Japan commander, visited with an earthquake relief team July 21 comprised of Navy Seabees and Japan Ground Self Defense Force members.  The team was working in the Niigata Prefecture, an area hit by an earthquake July 16. During the trip the general commended the

  • Joint team works to improve care in Nauru

    Life is unique in the world's smallest island nation -- the tiny South Pacific island of Nauru. It sits just slightly south of the equator, so most of the day is uncommonly hot. Electricity flows in a given facility for no more than 12 hours a day; it comes on for about six hours at a time on the