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  • PMEL masters of time, space

    Why would anyone be concerned about five millionths of a second?For Airmen in the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron precision measurement equipment laboratory, it could mean the difference between mission success and mission failure. By calibrating and repairing measurement and diagnostic

  • Airmen provide ground forces airpower in Afghanistan

    Joint terminal attack controllers conduct their symphony of airpower with radios and field computers. Their orchestra is an assembly of joint and coalition aircraft, including F-15E Strike Eagles, B-1B Lancers, Navy F/A-18 Hornets and F-16 Fighting Falcons from various bases. Together, JTACs and

  • Captain, family reflect on blessings

    Susan and Joseph Kosek are thankful for many things. This Thanksgiving they're especially thankful for tourniquets, helicopters, "battle buddies" and scores of doctors and medics across the globe. They're also thankful for the mine resistant ambush protected vehicle that absorbed most of the blast

  • Airmen brighten Afghan boy's day by fulfilling simple request

    Capt. Marian Collins' third deployment to Afghanistan in October became her most rewarding one. Not because of any medal earned or battle fought, but because she reached out to an Afghan youth whose gratitude gave added meaning to her team's mission.Captain Collins, the assistant director of

  • Communications team keeps warfighters, VIPs connected

    Members of the 379th Communications Squadron provide vital communication links in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility for warfighters on the ground and leaders in flight.The 379th CS's mission is to provide airborne communications for the U.S. Central Command commander as well as any

  • Staying fit during the holidays

    With the holidays around the corner, Airmen can enjoy family feasts without worrying about expanding their waistline and jeopardizing their physical training test score.According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans eat an average of 32 pounds of poultry per year, with the majority of

  • Remotely fixing eyes, ears of Strike Eagles

    In the early days of aviation, it was up to the pilots to watch for enemy aircraft and identify enemy ground forces. These days, electronic and communication systems, or avionics, assist pilots in identifying enemy targets and ground forces.When the avionics on an F-15E Strike Eagle need to be

  • Seasoned Airman enters university athletic hall of fame

    He graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 1971 with a laundry list of athletic accomplishments, accomplishments that would, nearly 40 years later, earn him a place in the SIUE Athletics Hall of Fame. Col. August "Gus" Schalkham, Air Combat Command public affairs individual

  • Chance encounter brings sweet reunion for 'Candy Bomber'

    They had never met face to face, but a chance encounter between the two conjured a touching reunion six decades later at the Randolph Air Show Nov. 7. Retired Col. Gail Halvorsen, a 1st lieutenant at the time, earned his spot in in history flying C-54s and C-47s during the Berlin Airlift of World

  • Colonel remembers unique C-17 assignment

    Before he was deployed to Southwest Asia as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing director of staff, Col. Timothy Nelson received an assignment, and opportunity, few Airmen are provided. In 1992, he was chosen to be a member of the acceptance committee for the then-new C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. A

  • Refuelers extend "gas can" tradition

    On Nov. 12, 1921, a "wing walker" named Wesley May transferred himself to a Curtiss JN-4 airplane from a Lincoln Standard in mid-flight with a can of fuel strapped to his back. He poured the fuel into the gas tank of the JN-4 and completed the first actual mid-air transfer of fuel in what was meant

  • Woodcarvers give veterans support through Eagle Cane Project

    How does a block of wood become a physical and psychological support system for a wounded veteran? With the woodworkers who volunteer their time and talents to carve out a customized piece for the ones who deserve it most. Master Sgt. Bruce Stohlman Jr., the Bolling Air Force Base Joint Visitor

  • Reservists restore aircraft at Air Force museum

    It's not every day that Air Force Reservists make history. But  a group of visiting reservists are doing just that. In this case, it's not the kind of history where you break records or are the first or last to do something.  These reservists are making history with their hands, one rivet, nail or

  • Smart driving choices make a world of difference

    Every day, all Airmen who drive or ride -- officer, enlisted and civilian, too include their dependent family members -- are faced with making a choice and living with the decisions they make. As fiscal 2009 came to a close Sept. 30, 47 Airmen across the Air Force were killed in motor vehicles, with

  • Major uses unique abilities to serve local villagers

    Maj. John Loftis has a Pashto name -- Esan. People are always asking him what it means. Deployed to Forward Operating Base Smart, a small military compound located in the heart of the Southern Afghan city of Qalat, the Air Force public information officer leaves quite an impression with the Afghan

  • Brother renders first salute from Afghanistan

    Commissioning into the Armed Forces is a priceless achievement and brings a great sense of accomplishment. On graduation day, cadets commemorate their long days of training and hard work alongside family and friends, to be officially commissioned as 2nd lieutenants. For Master Sgt. Roger Nelson, one

  • Thrift Savings Plan options available to Airmen

    The Thrift Savings Plan is a government-managed, 401k-type payroll-deduction program designed to provide tax-deferred retirement plan for servicemembers and federal civilian employees. Military members can contribute any whole percentage of basic pay, as long as the annual total of the tax-deferred

  • Clinic cat on orders to Luke

    During the past ten years, the Luke Air Force Base Veterinary Clinic has seen six civilian and military veterinarians come and go, as well as countless veterinary technicians and other workers. But there has been one constant, and his name is Max. Max, a 21-pound gray tabby cat, was brought into the

  • 387th AEG Airman tackles treadmill marathon

    For most people, the thought of running a marathon is not overly appealing. That thought quickly becomes even less appealing when you consider running in-place for every single one of those 26.2 miles. However, that is exactly what Staff Sgt. Jason Blair, a 387th Air Expeditionary Group emergency

  • Combat survival training essential to aircrew mission

    Not everything goes as planned. Especially in the seat of a fighter jet like the F-16 Fighting Falcon. A pilot may have to eject because of an aircraft failure or because enemy missiles are bearing down on him. Either way, the actions a pilot takes once on the ground in a hostile environment can

  • Continuing to 'pay it forward:' First sergeant-to-be ready for new challenges

    She continues to "pay it forward" even though she's personally paid a high price. Just a little more than two years ago, Master Sgt. Lisa Peele and her husband, Master Sgt. Melvin Peele Jr., were involved in a mishap at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., that took his life. She sustained numerous

  • Academy physicists probe mystery of black silicon

    Physicists here are researching new, more cost-efficient ways to create a substance that could make solar energy cheaper to produce. Dr. Michael Shaffer and retired Lt. Col. Jody Mandeville are using nanosecond bursts from a 200-milliJoule pulsed laser in the U.S. Air Force Academy's Physics

  • Fabrication flight keeps coalition aircraft flying

    The 379th Expeditionary Maintenace Squadron's fabrication flight doesn't design new aircraft or build new planes for tomorrow. But, the flight does make sure Air Force aircraft being used here today stay in the air. "The 379 EMXS fabrication flight repairs and maintains aircraft parts for all Air

  • Falcon gymnasts support breast cancer cure

    The gymnasts here are used to competing against other teams, but they came together to fight a tougher opponent Oct. 4, taking to the streets of downtown Denver to participate in the city's17th annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Denver's Race for the Cure is one of nearly 120 such races that

  • Fuels flight more than gas and go operation

    An air force can have the fastest jets, the most lethal bombers and the largest cargo aircraft, but without fuel to fly, these planes won't even get off the ground. The 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron Fuels Management Flight makes sure Air Force aircraft in Iraq and Afghanistan

  • Command post Airmen key to operational success

    Whether setting alarm conditions, relaying weather information or responding to emergency notifications, command post Airmen play a vital role in virtually every base operation. "Basically, we're the eyes and ears of the commander and the nerve center of the base," said Master Sgt. Vanessa Trujillo,

  • Weather, terrain no contest for Red Horse Airmen in Afghanistan

    Dump trucks and bulldozers move in an orchestrated symphony of construction, spitting up gravel and creating a large cloud of white dust. A lone figure emerges, caked in layers of sweat, grime and sand, a surveying post slung across his shoulders.   The terrain is unforgiving. A 35-kilometer per

  • Center pumps blood to medical facilities in AOR

    When servicemembers are wounded in battle, they are transported to a nearby medical facility where they receive the necessary medical care. One of the most important parts of this care is ensuring these servicemembers have the right type and amount of blood needed to keep them alive. The 379th

  • Special tactics Airmen march 800 miles to honor fallen brethren

    Before dawn breaks Oct. 6, 12 Airmen will begin a memorial ruck sack march in honor of 12 fallen special tactics teammates killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. An estimated 824 miles later, on Oct. 16, the Airmen will arrive at Hurlburt Field, Fla. Six two-man teams will relay through five states, 24

  • Ramstein dental techs emphasize early preventative care

    Cleaning, flossing and repairing teeth is nothing unusual for the dentists and technicians at the 86th Medical Group here. Each year they see thousands of active-duty members, civilian employees and family members. But family members, especially young children, are really where the dentists get the

  • Supercomputer hopes to say Gotcha to future terrorists

    Early during World War II, German U-boats operating in the North Atlantic decimated allied shipping until a Dayton engineer helped design a fleet of computing machines that deciphered coded Nazi communications faster than the U-boat commanders could themselves. Today, the U.S. and its allies face a

  • Panjshir PRT proves 'peace, partnership, progress' possible

    Traveling through the Panjshir Province of Afghanistan, one hardly realizes there's a war being fought in the rest of the country. Children play outside, markets are open for business and schools are in session, all with an air of fearlessness. The people here simply live their lives. The Airmen,

  • Remembering a son, riding for a cure

    108 degrees. 73 miles. Glancing at the gauges on his bicycle, Tech. Sgt. John Ward felt a wave of desperation wash over him. He still had 27 miles to go and the temperature was steadily rising. He didn't know how much farther he would make it. He was exhausted and every push of his legs was becoming

  • Weather flight provides mission critical forecasts

    The mission's planned, the crew's ready to go, the aircraft waits on the tarmac, but Mother Nature still has her say on whether the mission is a go. The job of predicting the weather's effect on the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing falls on the 386th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron's weather

  • Marathon brings 10,000 stories of dedication and love

    In the running world, people naturally want to know about the winners. Who were they? How fast did they run? And so it was with this year's U.S. Air Force Marathon, when a record 9,969 athletes turned out to race Sept. 18 and 19. The events included 5K, 10K, marathon and half marathon races over

  • USAFCENT Band revitalizes the AOR with music

    The U.S. Air Forces Central Band isn't old fashioned. Its concerts aren't laid back and they don't feature military standards such as "Stars and Stripes Forever" or "Four Ruffles and Flourishes." What the band does play is songs by popular artists, including No Doubt and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones,

  • Airman excels as wingman, leader, warrior, poet

    Endurance, willpower and passion are three traits embodied by Senior Airman Jazmin Wilson, an interface control technician with the 609th Air and Space Operations Center here. She excels at her job, volunteers whenever possible and the majority of her free time is spent mentoring local third, fourth

  • Deployed chaplain works with, for Airmen

    For Capt. Chad Montgomery, every day is an adventure. One he might help train military working dogs, another he may be found changing the brakes on a Humvee and he's even been known to help pour cement or volunteer to go on patrol with security forces Airmen. But while he may be considered a jack of

  • Special ceremonies team represents Air Force

    Airmen who are part of a geographically separated unit are often the only Air Force representatives in their community. The same is true of the 14th Weather Squadron's Special Ceremonies Team, located in the Veach-Baley Federal Building here. The 12-person team is the only active duty unit found in